Faith, Music, and Innovation: The Baylor Roots of Contemporary Christian Music

It all began in Waco in 1951 with the recording of a play-by-play imaginary football game between two teams coached by Jesus and Satan and refereed by God. Looking for an innovative way to share the gospel, Baylor alumnus Jarrell McCracken printed 100 vinyl records of “Game of Life,” and its creative fusion of faith and sports captivated listeners, setting the stage for what would become the world’s largest Christian media company: Word Records. 

Word Records, named after the fictional radio station W-O-R-D from McCracken’s original recording, became a hub for Christian creativity, with Baylor University’s School of Music offering a pool of talent for early artists and leaders. McCracken actively sought out Baylor graduates, ensuring the label’s foundation was built on people who shared his vision. He had a knack for discovering gifted individuals and giving them the freedom to create and innovate, which quickly turned Word into a powerhouse across various industries, including recording, music publishing, book publishing, audiobooks, book clubs and record clubs.

The 1960s and 1970s marked a period of explosive growth and innovation for Word. With creative director and fellow Baylor alum Kurt Kaiser at the helm, the company produced youth musicals for congregations, fundamentally shifting worship music. Billy Ray Hearn Baylor’s first church music program graduate, signed with Word in 1968 and helped lay the foundation for contemporary Christian music, a sound that resonated with younger generations and eventually led to the rise of Christian rock and pop. 

The company relocated to Nashville in the 1990s and was acquired by Curb Records in 2016, but the connection to Baylor University remains strong with Grammy nominated Christian artists like Baylor alums David Crowder, and most recently, Forrest Frank who won the 2024 Dove Award for new artist of the year. 

As Christian music evolves, Baylor’s impact continues to shape the industry through numerous programs supporting educational pursuits in the Christian music and entertainment industry — such as the Curb Sales Strategy in Sports and Entertainment, the Dunn Center for Christian Music Studies and the Black Gospel Archives. Jarrell McCracken’s journey from a Baylor student with a creative idea to the founder of a multimedia empire is a testament to faith-driven innovation. His legacy will endure and inspire future generations of artists, executives and creators.