Born in Waurika, Oklahoma, Chapman is the son of an Assemblies of God pastor, Rev. Terry W. Chapman, who ministered for 56 years before his death in 2009. He grew up in De Leon, Texas. Chapman performed in bands throughout high school and college. After going to Bible college at what is now Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie, Texas, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee and was hired as guitar player for The Rambos. In 1979, his song "Father's Eyes" was recorded as the title track to Amy Grant's Grammy-nominated second albumMy Father's Eyes. In 1982, his song "Finally" recorded by T. G. Sheppard reached No. 1 on the country music charts. He also received a Dove Award as Songwriter of the Year from the Gospel Music Association in 1981. During the rest of the 1980s and the early 1990s, Chapman continued to write, record, and produce music, while touring as an opening act for various artists. He sang "Brave Hearts" in 1987 for the Touchstone Pictures film Ernest Goes to Camp. He also collaborated with numerous artists in the singing of Amazing Grace in the 1994 film, Maverick. He was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album in 1994. The Light Inside also resulted in a Dove Award nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year. It also yielded a contemporary Christian music chart No. 1 song, "Sweet Glow of Mercy." He won a second Dove Award in 1994 for co-producing the album, Songs from the Loft, featuring various artists. In April 1996, Chapman won Male Vocalist of the Year at the GMA Dove Awards. His 1996 album, Shelter, delivered another No. 1, "One of Two", with "Man After Your Own Heart" resulting in a Dove Award for Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year and featuring on the Dove award winning Special Event Album of the Year, My Utmost for His Highest. Shelter also received a 1997 Grammy nomination for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album. At the 1998 Dove Awards, his album also featuring other artists, Hymns From The Ryman, won Country Album of the Year.
Television career
In the middle of 1996, The Nashville Network announced Chapman would replace Tom Wopat as host of their evening talk show, Prime Time Country. The show ended after 1999. Chapman went on to produce "Muzik Mafia" on CMT as well as appear numerous times on the network's "Gone Country" as a songwriting mentor. Chapman, along with John Rich and Big Kenny traveled to Viet Nam to document the story of Niles Harris, a Viet Nam veteran, in the production of "The 8th of November: A True Story of Pain and Honor". Chapman produced, wrote, directed and scored the documentary.
Chapman married Amy Grant on June 19, 1982. Grant filed for divorce from Chapman in March 1999, citing "irreconcilable differences", and the divorce was finalized in June 1999. Chapman married Jennifer Pittman in July 2000. Chapman and Pittman divorced in 2007. On December 22, 2008, Chapman married Cassie Piersol. The couple began a project called A Hymn a Week in 2010 to honor the musical heritage left to Chapman by his parents. Chapman has stated that both his parents, who were small-town pastors for their entire lives, had a strong influence in his life and they "implanted the hymns into heart". Chapman's mother Mary died on December 26, 2002. His father Terry died on April 12, 2009, after a lengthy battle with Parkinson's disease and multiple myeloma. During his last years, he lived with Chapman and Cassie. During that time, Chapman played and sang old hymns at his father's bedside. Being asked to perform a hymn at a friend's funeral inspired him to begin compiling a brief history and personal connection to a different hymn each week, on a webpage called A Hymn a Week. Chapman has three children with Grant. He and his third wife, Cassie Piersol Chapman, adopted an infant girl, Eva, in March 2014. He is a licensed helicopter pilot, who once surprised his friend and fellow Christian singer/songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman by landing in his yard. Chapman and his wife are involved in many charities and organizations: Nashville Rescue Mission, Agape Animal Rescue, T.J. Martell Foundation, Make a Wish Foundation.
