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.
Too Much
Leeland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All these faces I have seen
Too much, too much
All these bricks and all these stones
Have all been cast they've all been thrown
Too hard, too hard
Find me in the background looking down
I'm looking down
I need a place a sanctuary
A refuge for my ordinary
Finally familiar peaceful home
Untroubled safe from all this madness
Refuge for my hope and sadness
Possible to find myself alone
At home
All these cliffs and all these heights
They've just been too high to climb
Too high, too high
All these waves and all these seas
Have all been crashing down on me
Too much, too much
I've found my home again
I finally find myself in You
I finally find myself in You
I feel safe again
You're the one I'm running to
You're the one I'm running to
The lyrics to Leeland's song "Too Much" are about feeling overwhelmed and longing for a place of safety and peace. The first verse describes the many places and faces the singer has experienced, but ultimately, they are too much for him to handle. The second verse highlights the singer's need for a sanctuary and a refuge from the chaos and madness of the world. He desires a place where he can find himself and be at peace. The chorus continues to emphasize the overwhelming nature of the world around him, with cliffs and heights that are too high to climb, and waves and seas that have been crashing down on him. However, by the end of the song, the singer has found his refuge in God and feels safe again.
The use of imagery throughout the song adds depth and emotion to the lyrics. The bricks and stones being cast and thrown could represent the challenges and difficulties that the singer has faced, while the cliffs and heights and waves and seas could symbolize the overwhelming nature of the world. The idea of finding oneself alone at home is a powerful metaphor that suggests that true peace and safety can only be found within oneself.
Overall, "Too Much" is a powerful introspective song that speaks to the universal desire for a place of safety and peace in a chaotic world.
Line by Line Meaning
All these places I have been
I have traveled far and wide
All these faces I have seen
I have met many people
Too much, too much
But it's all been too much for me
All these bricks and all these stones
I've faced many obstacles
Have all been cast they've all been thrown
And it seems like they were intentionally placed there to trip me up
Too hard, too hard
It's been too difficult for me to overcome them
Find me in the background looking down
I'm trying to hide away from everything
You'll never see my face
I don't want anyone to find me
I'm looking down
I'm avoiding eye contact and trying to keep to myself
I need a place a sanctuary
I'm looking for a safe place
A refuge for my ordinary
Where I can just be myself
Finally familiar peaceful home
A comforting and calming environment
Untroubled safe from all this madness
Where I can escape from all the troubles around me
Refuge for my hope and sadness
A place where I can feel both hope and sadness and process my emotions
Possible to find myself alone
Where I can reflect and find my own way
At home
This place is my home
All these cliffs and all these heights
I've tried to climb many mountains
They've just been too high to climb
But they seem too difficult to overcome
Too high, too high
They're just too high for me
All these waves and all these seas
I've been hit by many obstacles and difficulties
Have all been crashing down on me
And they all feel like they're constantly causing me harm
Too much, too much
It's just too much for me to handle
I've found my home again
But now, I've finally found my safe place once again
I finally find myself in You
I've found my peace in my faith
I feel safe again
I feel comforted and safe
You're the one I'm running to
My faith is what I can rely on
You're the one I'm running to
In times of trouble, I know that my faith is where I can find solace and safety.
Lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: DAVID W. STUKENBERG, LEELAND MOORING, MARC BYRD, STEVE HINDALONG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind