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Dallas Holm is one of the pioneers of contemporary Christian music, whose songs helped shape the sound of Christian music during the 1970s and 1980s. With a distinctive blend of Christian message, singer-songwriter style, and heartfelt vocals, Holm brought a fresh musical approach to songs of faith while never losing sight of their central message.
Perhaps best known for songs such as “Rise Again,” “I Saw the Light,” “Here We Are,” and “Hold On,” Dallas Holm wrote and performed music that connected deeply with a generation of Christian listeners. His songs could be heard in churches, Christian concerts, and homes across the country, and several have continued to find new listeners decades after they were first recorded.
For many longtime Christian music fans, Dallas Holm represents an important chapter in the story of contemporary Christian music—the era when Christian artists were beginning to move beyond traditional gospel and hymn arrangements while still placing the message of Jesus firmly at the center. His music remains a meaningful part of that history, and his songs continue to remind us why the early pioneers of contemporary Christian music deserve to be remembered.
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🎵Essential Songs
“Rise Again”
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“Rise Again” is the song most closely associated with Dallas Holm, and for good reason. Written from the perspective of Jesus following His crucifixion, the song looks beyond the suffering of Good Friday toward the triumph of the resurrection. Its simple, direct message of Christ rising from the grave gave the song an immediate connection with Christian listeners and helped make it one of the enduring songs of the early contemporary Christian music movement.
Originally recorded by Dallas Holm & Praise, “Rise Again” became a signature song for Holm and has remained one of the best-known songs from that era of Christian music. Rather than relying on elaborate musical production, the song builds its impact around its storytelling and its declaration of the resurrection—a message that has remained just as central to Christian worship and celebration decades later.
For those discovering Dallas Holm today, “Rise Again” is an ideal place to begin. It captures much of what made his music distinctive: a contemporary musical style, a strong biblical message, and a song that communicates the hope of the Gospel in a remarkably straightforward way. More than simply a memorable Christian song from another era, “Rise Again” continues to point listeners toward the central event of the Christian faith: Jesus Christ is risen.
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“I Saw the Lord”
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“I Saw the Lord” is one of Dallas Holm’s most memorable songs, presenting a deeply personal response to an encounter with the presence and glory of God. Drawing its inspiration from the biblical imagery of Isaiah’s vision of the Lord, the song carries a sense of awe and wonder as it moves from seeing and recognizing God to responding to Him.
The song is a wonderful example of Dallas Holm’s ability to take biblical themes and express them in a contemporary Christian music setting. Rather than simply recounting the story of Isaiah, “I Saw the Lord” invites the listener to consider what it means to encounter God personally. Its message is both reverent and intimate, making it feel as much like a personal testimony as a song of worship.
For longtime Christian music listeners, “I Saw the Lord” also represents the sound and spirit of the era in which Dallas Holm made his greatest impact. It is a reminder of how artists like Holm helped bring Scripture-centered songwriting and contemporary musical arrangements together, creating music that could speak naturally to both the church and the individual listener.
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“Here We Are”
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“Here We Are” is one of Dallas Holm’s more reflective songs, turning the listener’s attention toward the people of God gathered together in His presence. With its simple, heartfelt approach, the song captures something that has long been at the heart of Christian music: believers coming together to worship, to listen, and to remember why they are there.
There is a warmth to “Here We Are” that makes it feel less like a performance and more like an invitation to participate. Dallas Holm had a gift for taking straightforward Christian themes and presenting them in a way that felt personal and accessible, and this song is a good example of that approach.
For listeners discovering Dallas Holm through FishWorship, “Here We Are” provides another glimpse into the breadth of his songwriting. While songs such as “Rise Again” are known for their dramatic declaration of the Gospel, “Here We Are” is quieter and more contemplative, reminding us that Christian music can also simply create a moment for believers to gather their thoughts and turn their hearts toward God.
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“A Broken Heart”
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“A Broken Heart” brings one of the most familiar themes in Christian music into the thoughtful songwriting style that Dallas Holm became known for. Rather than trying to hide human weakness or disappointment, the song points toward God as the One who sees us in our brokenness and meets us there.
That emphasis on the heart is particularly fitting for Dallas Holm’s music. His songs often combined straightforward contemporary arrangements with lyrics that addressed very personal aspects of faith—struggle, surrender, hope, and the need for God’s presence. “A Broken Heart” carries that same sense of honesty, reminding the listener that coming to God does not require having everything together first.
For listeners discovering Dallas Holm today, “A Broken Heart” offers a quieter side of his songwriting. It may not have the unmistakable signature of “Rise Again,” but it reflects the same ability to take a simple Christian message and make it personal, encouraging listeners to bring their real lives and real struggles before God.
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“I’ve Never Seen the Righteous Forsaken”
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“I’ve Never Seen the Righteous Forsaken” takes its title and central message from Psalm 37:25, where David reflects on a lifetime of observing God’s faithfulness. Dallas Holm turns that biblical assurance into a song of testimony, focusing on the confidence that God does not abandon those who trust in Him.
The strength of the song comes from its straightforward message. Rather than promising that believers will never experience hardship, it points to something deeper: through changing circumstances and difficult seasons, God remains faithful. That theme has given the song an enduring quality, because the question of whether God will remain present in times of trouble is one that Christians in every generation can understand.
For Dallas Holm, songs such as this helped establish a distinctive place within contemporary Christian music. Scripture was not simply an inspiration for his songwriting—it was often the foundation of the message itself. “I’ve Never Seen the Righteous Forsaken” is a particularly good example, taking a familiar biblical promise and turning it into a personal declaration of faith and confidence in God’s continuing care.
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“I’ve Never Been Out of His Care”
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“I’ve Never Been Out of His Care” is a song built around one of the most comforting truths of the Christian faith: God’s care does not disappear when life becomes difficult. Dallas Holm expresses that assurance in a personal, testimony-like way, looking back over life and recognizing God’s presence through every circumstance.
Like many of Holm’s most memorable songs, the message is remarkably direct. There is no need for complicated theology or elaborate imagery—the song simply points to the faithfulness of God and the security that comes from knowing that His care is constant. That simplicity is part of what makes it so approachable, particularly for listeners who have experienced their own seasons of uncertainty or difficulty.
“I’ve Never Been Out of His Care” also fits naturally alongside Holm’s other Scripture-centered songs. Where “Rise Again” proclaims the central event of the Gospel and “I’ve Never Seen the Righteous Forsaken” looks to the biblical assurance of God’s faithfulness, this song brings that same confidence down to the personal level. It is a reminder that the Christian story is not only about what God has done, but also about the assurance that He continues to walk with His people.
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“He Means All to Me”
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“He Means All to Me” is a simple and heartfelt expression of devotion to Jesus. Rather than approaching faith through a particular biblical story or theological theme, Dallas Holm brings the message down to a deeply personal declaration: Christ is not simply a part of life—He is at the center of it.
That personal quality is one of the strengths of Dallas Holm’s songwriting. His music often communicates Christian faith in an uncomplicated, conversational way, allowing the listener to connect with the message without needing elaborate musical or lyrical presentation. “He Means All to Me” fits beautifully within that tradition, expressing the kind of personal relationship with Christ that has always been central to Christian testimony and worship.
There is also something timeless about the song’s simplicity. Christian music has changed considerably since Dallas Holm first recorded it, but the declaration at its heart has not changed. For the believer, Jesus remains the source of hope, purpose, and meaning—and “He Means All to Me” gives voice to that devotion in a warm and personal way.
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“Jesus Gotta Hold of My Life”
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“Jesus Gotta Hold of My Life” has a more upbeat, testimony-driven feel than some of Dallas Holm’s more reflective songs. At its heart is the simple story of a life changed by an encounter with Jesus—a theme that has been at the center of Christian testimony and gospel music for generations.
The song captures something that Dallas Holm did particularly well: presenting the Christian message in a contemporary musical setting without losing the directness of traditional gospel. Its title itself sounds almost like something someone might say when describing what Christ has done in their life, giving the song an immediate and personal quality.
For listeners exploring Dallas Holm’s music, “Jesus Gotta Hold of My Life” provides a different glimpse of his songwriting. Alongside songs about the resurrection, God’s faithfulness, and personal devotion, it shows Holm’s ability to celebrate the transforming power of Jesus with a little more energy and enthusiasm. It is a reminder that Christian testimony can be both deeply meaningful and joyfully expressed.
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“Chain of Grace”
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“Chain of Grace” is a fitting expression of one of the central themes running throughout Dallas Holm’s music: the transforming power of God’s grace. The title itself suggests a powerful contrast—chains traditionally represent bondage, while grace represents the freedom and forgiveness found through Christ. Holm uses that contrast to point toward the life-changing nature of the Gospel.
The song also reflects the maturity of Holm’s later songwriting. By this point in his career, he had spent decades writing and performing Christian music, yet the message remained centered on the same foundation: God’s grace changes lives. Rather than presenting faith as something merely theoretical, “Chain of Grace” speaks to the experience of being changed and set free by what Christ has done.
For listeners who know Dallas Holm primarily through his earlier classics, “Chain of Grace” offers a chance to hear a later chapter of his musical ministry. The musical landscape of contemporary Christian music had changed considerably since “Rise Again,” but Holm’s commitment to songs built around a clear Christian message remained. “Chain of Grace” is a reminder that the themes that defined his music—grace, redemption, and the transforming work of Jesus—continued throughout his career.
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“At My Worst (You Found Me)”
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“At My Worst (You Found Me)” is a deeply personal song about the grace of God meeting us when we are at our weakest. The title captures the heart of the message: God’s love is not dependent upon our having everything together. Instead, Christ meets us in our brokenness, failures, and struggles and offers grace when we need it most.
That theme fits naturally with Dallas Holm’s broader body of work. Again and again, his songwriting returned to the personal side of Christian faith—the assurance of God’s care, the transforming power of grace, and the recognition that our relationship with Christ is not something we earn through our own perfection. Here, those ideas are expressed through the perspective of someone looking back and recognizing that God was present even in life’s lowest moments.
For longtime Dallas Holm listeners, “At My Worst (You Found Me)” is a reminder that his message of grace continued well beyond the songs that first established his name in contemporary Christian music. It is an honest and encouraging song that points away from self-reliance and toward the One who remains faithful even when we are at our worst.
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💿Essential Albums
Completely Taken In
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Completely Taken In represents a later chapter in Dallas Holm’s long career in contemporary Christian music. By the time this album appeared in the 1990s, Holm had already spent many years writing and recording songs centered on the Christian life, and the album reflects that continued emphasis on faith, grace, and a personal relationship with Christ.
The album is also a useful reminder that Dallas Holm’s musical story did not end with the songs that first made him widely known. While “Rise Again” remains the song most closely associated with his name, Holm continued recording music that carried the same basic commitment to a clear Christian message. Completely Taken In belongs to that later period, giving listeners an opportunity to hear where his songwriting had gone after two decades in Christian music.
For someone discovering Dallas Holm through FishWorship, Completely Taken In is worth hearing as part of the larger story. It may be separated by many years from the early recordings that established Holm as a pioneer of contemporary Christian music, but the album demonstrates the continuing thread running through his work: songs about God’s grace, His faithfulness, and what it means to follow Jesus.
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Signature Songs
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Signature Songs serves as a convenient introduction to the music that made Dallas Holm an important name in the development of contemporary Christian music. Rather than representing a single period of his career, a collection like this allows listeners to hear several of the songs that have become most closely associated with Holm and his ministry.
For someone coming to Dallas Holm for the first time, that makes Signature Songs a particularly useful entry point. It brings together the familiar themes that run through his music—resurrection, grace, God’s faithfulness, personal devotion, and the transforming power of Jesus. Songs such as “Rise Again” provide a natural starting point, while the other selections help demonstrate that Holm’s contribution to Christian music extended well beyond one signature song.
The title is especially appropriate because Dallas Holm’s music has always been closely connected to the songs themselves. His straightforward songwriting and clear Christian message helped make those songs memorable to generations of listeners. Signature Songs provides an opportunity to hear that musical legacy gathered together in one place.
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The Early Works
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The Early Works offers a look back at the music from the formative years of Dallas Holm’s career, before his name became firmly established as one of the pioneers of contemporary Christian music. For listeners who know Holm primarily through songs such as “Rise Again,” a collection like this provides some helpful perspective on the musical journey that led to those better-known recordings.
These early songs also demonstrate many of the qualities that would remain characteristic of Holm’s work throughout his career. His songwriting is direct and accessible, with the Christian message kept firmly at the center. Even as contemporary Christian music was developing its own musical identity, Holm’s songs retained a connection to the straightforward testimony and biblical themes of earlier Christian music.
For FishWorship visitors discovering Dallas Holm for the first time, The Early Works can be an interesting way to hear the beginnings of that journey. Heard alongside his later recordings, the collection helps illustrate how an artist who would become an important voice in contemporary Christian music developed his sound and songwriting over time.
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Face of Mercy
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Face of Mercy is another chapter in Dallas Holm’s extensive body of Christian music, centered on a theme that appears throughout his songwriting: the mercy and grace of God. The album’s title points directly toward that message, inviting the listener to consider God’s character not simply in terms of power and holiness, but also in terms of His compassion toward people who need forgiveness and restoration.
That emphasis fits naturally within the larger story of Dallas Holm’s music. His songs frequently move beyond simply describing Christian beliefs to consider what those beliefs mean in the everyday life of a believer. Grace, forgiveness, dependence upon God, and the assurance of His presence are recurring themes, and Face of Mercy belongs comfortably within that tradition.
For listeners who have discovered Holm through his better-known songs, Face of Mercy offers another opportunity to explore his catalog beyond the familiar classics. It is part of the broader body of work that established Holm not only as a performer, but as a songwriter whose music consistently pointed listeners back toward the character and love of God.
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