Band members
* Leeland Mooring - Lead vocal, Guitars
* Casey Moore - lead guitar, background vocals
Touring musicians
Josias Badillo - bass guitar
Payden Hilliard - drums
David Ramirez - keys
Former Band members
* Jack Mooring - Backing vocal, Keyboard (2004-2015)
* Mike Smith - Drums (2004-2015)
* Shelly Mooring - Backing vocal, Bass (2011-2015)
* Jeremiah Wood (2002-2006)
* Austin Tirado (2006-2007)
* Matt Campbell (2007-2009)
* Jake Holtz (2002-2011)
Beginnings
At the age of 11, Leeland Mooring wrote his first song, "Shine". After having a successful performance of it at a church in Illinois while the Moorings were touring the United States as evangelists, he felt a spiritual calling towards music. His mother, Cyndy Mooring, entered him in a contest in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 14, and was a finalist in the songwriting and artist divisions. Although he did not win, one of the contest judges, Kent Coley, took interest in the young teen. He is now their manager. Later at the age of 15 he attracted the attention of Eddie DeGarmo, President of EMI CMG Publishing, and signed a songwriting contract with EMI CMG Publishing. While practicing after youth group, Leeland, his older brother Jack, their cousin Jake Holtz, and two close friends from church, Mike Smith and Jeremiah Wood, realized they had become a band. They decided to use Leeland's name for the band because they liked the way it sounded. They later started practicing in the night at a funeral home.
The band has worked closely with Christian music legend Michael W. Smith. Leeland Mooring co-wrote seven songs on Smith's new album, Stand, while Jack Mooring married Smith's daughter Whitney Smith-Mooring on June 1, 2007.
Discography
* Sound of Melodies (2006)
* Opposite Way (2008)
* Love Is on the Move (2009)
* The Great Awakening (2011)
* Invisible (2016)
Sound of Melodies (2005-2007)
The band's debut album, Sound of Melodies, was released in the USA on August 15, 2006. At the 49th Grammy Awards on December 7, 2006, the album was nominated for "Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album". Sound of Melodies was also released in Japan on March 21, 2007, with the title song "Sound of Melodies" peaking at #6 on the general Japan radio chart.
Opposite Way (2008-2009)
Their second album Opposite Way, released on February 26, 2008, received success in its first few weeks of release. In its debut week, Opposite Way reached #1 on the iTunes Christian Albums chart. By March 15, 2008, it had reached a peak position of #72 on the Billboard Top 200 albums. Since September 2007, Leeland has been on "The Altar and the Door Tour" with Grammy Award-winning band Casting Crowns, which will continue until May 1, 2008.
Love Is on the Move (2009-present)
Leeland's third studio album, titled Love Is on the Move, is scheduled for release on August 25, 2009 in the United States.
Changes in membership and label
In early 2011, only a few months before the release of their fourth studio album, bassist Jake Holtz left the band to pursue a career with the US Army.Leeland's fourth studio album, The Great Awakening, was released on September 20, 2011.
In September 2015, Leeland announced via YouTube that they would be joining Bethel Music as part of the Bethel Music Collective,after Leeland Mooring and Casey Moore established an organic friendship with Bethel's founding member, Brian Johnson.Leeland's fifth full-length studio album, Invisible, was released on July 22, 2016. It is the first album the band has released under the Bethel label, with Brian Johnson featuring on the song "Son Was Lifted Up".
Touring
Leeland performed at all the Student Life "Clarity" conferences in 2007. In late 2007, they were on The Altar and the Door tour with Casting Crowns and John Waller, which started September 27, 2007 and ended December 2, 2007. They are currently on the spring leg of the tour, which began on January 31, 2008 and will end May 1.Leeland made their Canadian debut in Ottawa, Ontario at the Life Centre during the annual Shift Conference on March 10-11, 2007.
In September 23, 2009, the band will launch their "Follow You Tour", co-headlining with Brandon Heath and featuring Francesca Battistelli as an opening act.
Grammy Award nominations
2007: Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album - Sound of Melodies GMA Dove Award nominations
In 2007 they were nominated for five GMA Dove Awards in the categories New Artist of the Year, Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year (for the song "Sound of Melodies"), Worship Song of the Year (for "Yes You Have"), Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year and Praise & Worship Album of the Year.
In 2008, their song "Tears of the Saints" was nominated for two Dove Awards: "Song of the Year" and "Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year". Leeland Mooring was nominated for "Songwriter of the Year", and co-writer with Michael W. Smith for "Be Lifted High" in the "Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year" category.
Falling For You
Leeland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When we first began
We ran and I fell behind
I've been stuck here all this time
You waited like a lover
Who couldn't let go of his bride
I turned my back away from You
Didn't shed a tear or cry
[Chorus]
But I'm falling for You now
I'm coming back to the place where we parted
It's for real this time
So I'll be here waiting where we started
My feet were bruised
I tried but I couldn't fill Your shoes
I went my way
I bought the lie that I was all grown up
Didn't need You in my life
The winter left me cold and frozen
Looking for the truth
But searching for the sun
I found the place where I met You
[Chorus]
It feels so good
To be in Your arms
You never left me
I just chose to stay behind
I want to thank You for Your love
That gives me freedom
To run back, to come back
[Chorus]
The song "Falling For You" by Leeland describes a return to faith in God after a period of distancing oneself from Him. The lyrics begin with the singer reflecting on a time when they were young and had a childlike love for God. However, as they grew older, they fell behind and chose to turn their back on God. They didn't shed a tear or cry over their separation from Him, and they went their own way without Him.
The chorus of the song represents a turning point in the singer's life. They are now "falling for" God once again and returning to the place where they parted ways with Him. This time, they are committed to staying connected to Him and waiting for Him where their journey began. In the second verse, the singer acknowledges that they've suffered since they turned their back on God. They tried to fill His shoes themselves but found themselves cold, frozen, and searching for the truth. Finally, they returned to the place where they first met God and found comfort and solace in His arms.
Overall, "Falling For You" is a song about the power of faith and the journey of rediscovery. The singer's journey away from and back to God is a metaphor for the human tendency to distance ourselves from that which we need the most. In the end, the singer finds hope and redemption in a return to faith, and the song serves as an encouragement to others who may find themselves similarly lost.
Line by Line Meaning
A childlike love I had
I loved You with an innocent and pure heart when we first started our relationship.
When we first began
At the beginning of our relationship.
We ran and I fell behind
We were moving forward in our relationship, but eventually I couldn't keep up and was left behind.
I've been stuck here all this time
I've been stagnant and stuck in the same place for a long time.
You waited like a lover
You waited for me as someone who truly loves and cares for me.
Who couldn't let go of his bride
You couldn't let me go and always continued to love me, even when I turned away from You.
I turned my back away from You
I chose to ignore You and go my own way instead of following You.
Didn't shed a tear or cry
I didn't feel remorse or sadness for my actions.
But I'm falling for You now
I'm starting to love You again and renew our relationship.
I'm coming back to the place where we parted
I'm returning to the point in our relationship where I turned away from You.
It's for real this time
This time, my return to You is genuine and I am truly committing to our relationship.
So I'll be here waiting where we started
I'll be waiting for You at the place where we first started our relationship.
My feet were bruised
I was hurt and damaged from my choices and experiences.
I tried but I couldn't fill Your shoes
I attempted to be like You and follow Your example, but I couldn't measure up.
I went my way
I pursued my own desires and goals instead of following You.
I bought the lie that I was all grown up
I was deceived into thinking that I didn't need You in my life anymore and could handle things on my own.
Didn't need You in my life
I mistakenly believed that I could live independently and didn't require Your love, guidance, or support.
The winter left me cold and frozen
The difficult and harsh times in my life left me feeling emotionally numb and paralyzed.
Looking for the truth
Searching for answers and meaning in life.
But searching for the sun
In the midst of my search for truth, I was also seeking warmth, hope, and positivity.
I found the place where I met You
I rediscovered the place where I first encountered You and our relationship began.
It feels so good
I feel happy, content, and relieved.
To be in Your arms
To be close to You and experience Your love and comfort.
You never left me
You never abandoned or gave up on me, even when I turned away from You.
I just chose to stay behind
My choices and actions kept me from moving forward in our relationship.
I want to thank You for Your love
I am grateful for Your unconditional and unwavering love for me.
That gives me freedom
Your love frees me from my past mistakes and shortcomings, and allows me to start anew with You.
To run back, to come back
I am running back to You and returning to our relationship with a renewed commitment and love.
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: ASHLEY ROBLES, JODIE WILSON, JANE VAUGHAN, CHRISTIAN BALLARD, ANDREW IAN MURRAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind