Belmont Church and Koinonia Coffeehouse / Contemporary Christian Music

Belmont Church and Koinonia Coffeehouse, also, Contemporary Christian Music. . , Belmont Church and Koinonia Coffeehouse , Koinonia (Greek for 'fellowship') Coffeehouse opened in 1973 with artists such as Dogwood, Fireworks and Brown Bannister boldly sharing their faith through contemporary music. It became a destination for "Jesus Music" artists nationwide as young talent such as Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith shared their first songs. The neighboring Belmont Church helped with overflow crowds, co-hosting early CCM recording artists such as Honeytree, Randy Matthews, Don Francisco and more., Contemporary Christian Music , Religious music was integral to Nashville's identity as "Music City," from early music publishing houses to the international impact of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Key artists nurtured locally in the 1970s eventually crossed over to mainstream fans and by the 1990s, Contemporary Christian and Gospel Music outsold jazz and classical. Nashville also became the capital of this new genre, serving as home to the Gospel Music Association, major labels and a growing creative community.