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.
Lift Your Eyes
Leeland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can look in your heart and find no hope
And you can crawl on the ocean floor
Searching for the silver pearl
But you won't find the treasure in this world
You can lift your eyes
Come on to the cross
You can look at the stars and make no sense of it
(Staring at the sky)
You can search your soul and find no light
Until you look in the Savior's eyes
And then you finally realize
The saving sacrifice is love divine
Come on and lift your eyes
Lift your eyes, come to the cross
Come one, come all
Leeland's "Lift Your Eyes" is a song which speaks about the pain of searching for answers in the wrong places, and the hope and healing that can be found in turning to Jesus Christ. The opening lines speak of the futility of trying to find answers in one's head and heart or seeking for treasures in this world. The verses paint a picture of hopelessness and emptiness but the chorus provides the solution - lifting up one's eyes to the cross of Jesus Christ where healing is found for all who come.
The lyrics also acknowledge the search for meaning in the universe, in the things that exist around us such as the stars or by probing deep within your mind and soul, yet without faith or confession of the divine significance of His love and sacrifice; you can make no sense or find no light without looking into "the Savior's eyes". The song calls its listener to come to the cross and lift their eyes to behold the love of Christ- a love that is stronger than any other force or valuable on this earth.
Overall, "Lift Your Eyes" is a powerful reminder that amidst the pain and turmoil of life, one can always find hope and healing in the love of Jesus Christ by simply looking to the cross and seeking refuge in His grace.
Line by Line Meaning
You can look in your head and find no answer
You can search through your thoughts, but you will not find the solution.
You can look in your heart and find no hope
You can check your feeling, but you won't find aspiration.
And you can crawl on the ocean floor
Searching for the silver pearl
But you won't find the treasure in this world
Even if you put in hard work, you still will not find the most valuable treasure in this world.
You can lift your eyes
Come on to the cross
There is healing for all who come
If you look up and come to the cross, you will find salvation for every person.
You can look at the stars and make no sense of it
(Staring at the sky)
You can search your soul and find no light
Until you look in the Savior's eyes
And then you finally realize
The saving sacrifice is love divine
Looking at the sky won't make sense of life, nor will searching internally bring enlightenment. However, peering into the eyes of the Savior will reveal the true meaning of life, and you will comprehend that the ultimate sacrifice represented there is divine love.
Come on and lift your eyes
Lift your eyes, come to the cross
Come one, come all
So lift your eyes, and head to the cross, all are welcome.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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