Dan Dean steps into solo spotlight with star-studded 'More'

Phillips, Craig & Dean vocalist bows StowTown Records debut June 20

Press Release

Beloved lead vocalist of one of Christian music’s most distinct and iconic groups – Phillips, Craig & Dean – multi-Dove Award-winner Dan Dean steps into the solo spotlight with “More,” his June 20 StowTown Records debut. Produced by ACM Award-winner Gordon Mote (Gaither Vocal Band, Lee Greenwood) and Jason Webb (Vince Gill, Amy Grant), the album features 11 tracks, eight of which were written or co-penned by Dean. 

“More” is hallmarked by collaborations with a who’s who of genre-spanning talents, including country songstress Emily Ann Roberts; bluegrass legends The Isaacs; and Dean’s bandmates Randy Phillips and Shawn Craig, who bring their signature Phillips, Craig & Dean harmonies to album opener “Traveling Light.” The Tony Wood and Jimmy Yeary-penned toe-tapper aptly sets the tone for a project that celebrates life, love and family under the gaze of grace. 

The title-cut and first instant-grat track are available on streaming platforms. “More” – featuring vocals from Roberts and Jason Webb – was written by Dean during the COVID pandemic, but its message remains potent in an increasingly turbulent world.

“The lyrics simply reflect my clinging to the hope that only Christ can bring in such an uncertain time,” Dean shared.

“The word ‘more’ in relation to the album title signifies several things,” he said of the project’s overarching theme. “ ‘More’ songs and music from what has already been a very fulfilling career; ‘more’ of what I hope are healing tunes of strength and encouragement; and ‘more’ of God’s spirit in our nation, which is so in need of revival and his healing.”

Additional highlights of “More” include “Glimpses of Glory,” a tribute to God’s handiwork in creation featuring The Isaacs; the Christine Dente-backed “Mother of Boys,” a deeply personal track Dean co-penned in homage to his mother; and “Home,” an ode to the joy imbued in life’s simple moments written by Devin Dean.

“My son, Devin, has really impressed me the last few years with his skills as an instrumentalist, a vocalist, and a songwriter,” Dean said. “When I started putting songs together for this project, I thought about ‘Home,’ which Devin shared with me a few months earlier. I immediately fell in love with the song, so I asked him to sing it with me on the record. It turned out to be a special day in the studio, and I love the fact that Devin participated in this project.”

All proceeds from “More” are slated to benefit Shepherd’s Rest, an organization Dean and his wife, Becky, founded to provide respite for pastors and others in full-time ministry.

“The goal of Shepherd’s Rest is to encourage and ‘lift up the hands’ of couples in ministry,” Dean said. “Having now spent almost 50 years as a pastor, I am very aware of the highs and lows of the calling. God has given me the gift of encouragement, and I have a sincere desire to show my gratitude to as many people as possible who are in the trenches of ministry, day-in and day-out.”

Dean – now in his fourth decade of music and ministry with Phillips, Craig & Dean – will be showcasing selections from “More” during many of the group's summer and fall dates. 

More about Dan Dean

Dan Dean’s remarkable Christian music journey began in 1992 when he joined friends Randy Phillips and Shawn Craig to record “Phillips, Craig & Dean,” the group’s eponymous Star Song Communications debut. Their pop melodies and unmatched harmonies would set a new benchmark for the genre, as Phillips, Craig & Dean went on to sell more than 2.5 million units; garner a Gold record for the multi-week No. 1 hit "Revelation Song"; and take home four Dove Awards, among numerous other accolades in a career that has spanned three decades and counting. A renowned songwriter, Dean co-penned two of Phillips, Craig & Dean’s Dove Award-nominated classics: “Favorite Song of All” and “I Want to Be Just Like You.”

Offstage, Dean has served in full-time ministry for nearly 50 years. Following his tenure as lead pastor at Heartland Church near Dallas, he now holds the role of legacy pastor.

For further information, visit stowtownrecords.com or turningpointpr.com. Follow Dean on Instagram.