Stellar Kart
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Headquarters | Phoenix, Arizona , United States |
| Products | Christian pop punk music, albums, EPs |
Stellar Kart was a Christian pop punk group based in Phoenix, Arizona, affiliated with Inpop Records and Capitol Records. Their first album, All Gas. No Brake, was launched in February 2005. Numerous singles gained airplay on Christian radio outlets like Air 1. The track "Me and Jesus" from their 2006 release We Can't Stand Sitting Down held the top position on the Hot Christian Songs chart for seven consecutive weeks and earned the 2007 Dove Award for "Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song". Another notable song, "Something Holy" from the 2010 album Everything Is Different Now, which embraced a more worship-oriented sound, remained on the Billboard Magazine charts at number 23 for eighteen weeks. Their last full studio album, All In, was released on August 27, 2013.
In April 2014, Stellar Kart issued an EP of covers featuring tracks from the movie Frozen before disbanding later that year. Following this, lead singer Adam Agee took on the role of frontman for Audio Adrenaline and subsequently joined Newsboys.
History
The band from Phoenix began as a youth group project led by Adam Agee and Jordan Messer, with Tay Sitera handling bass duties. Guitarist Cody Pellerin joined prior to their signing but was replaced by Brian Calcara after their debut album. Pellerin departed in 2009 to dedicate more time to his family and later joined Our Hearts Hero in 2010. Jon Howard, previously part of Dizmas, then assumed lead guitar responsibilities until he left to tour with Paramore; Nick Baumhardt, who had toured with Thousand Foot Krutch, succeeded him. The name Stellar Kart—commonly abbreviated as SK—was inspired by their involvement with youth camp ministries.
Their third studio effort, Expect the Impossible, was released on February 26, 2008. The album Everything Is Different Now initially debuted at live shows and online in November 2009 before becoming available in stores on March 9, 2010.
Stellar Kart supported acts such as Kutless on the Strong Tower Tour and Newsboys during the Go Tour. Their inaugural headlining tour, the Punk The Halls Tour, kicked off on December 1, 2006, featuring support from Run Kid Run, Eleventyseven, and Esterlyn; its popularity led to it becoming an annual tradition. They appeared on main stages at Onefest and Creation Festival in 2007 and performed internationally at E.O. Youth Day in the Netherlands in June 2007 before crowds of approximately 35,000. Early in 2008, they launched the Expect the Impossible Tour, marking their first headlining tour outside of holiday-themed events.
Their debut release All Gas. No Brake. (2005) included singles like "Finish Last" and "Life Is Good". The follow-up album We Can't Stand Sitting Down (2006) featured notable tracks such as "Me and Jesus", which climbed to number 18 on U.S. Christian charts. From Expect the Impossible (2008), singles like "Jesus Loves You" (peaking at No. 24) and "We Shine" (No. 46) were released. A greatest hits compilation titled Life Is Good: The Best of Stellar Kart came out in February 2009.
On March 9, 2010, they unveiled Everything Is Different Now, with "Something Holy" reaching number 23 on the charts. Lead vocalist Adam Agee mentioned that this album reflected a transition toward worship-centered content influenced by their performances at youth camps.
Stellar Kart released a Disney-themed EP called A Whole New World on August 16, 2011, covering songs from animated classics including The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin.
Their studio album All In was issued on August 27, 2013. The song "Ones and Zeros" was featured on the soundtrack for the film God's Not Dead.
Band members
Final roster
- Adam Agee — lead vocals, guitar (2001–2014)
- Nick Baumhardt — guitar, backing vocals (2010–2014)
- Aliegh Shields — bass guitar, backing vocals (2012–2014)
- Jeremi Hough — drums (2011–2014)
Past members
- Taylor Sitera — bass (2001–2005)
- Cody Pellerin — guitar, backing vocals (2001–2009)
- Jon Howard — guitar (2009–2010)
- Jordan Messer — drums (2001–2011)
- Brian Calcara — bass guitar, backing vocals (2005–2011)
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Colors =
id:LVocals value:red legend:Lead_vocals id:BVocals value:pink legend:Backing_vocals id:Guitar value:green legend:Guitar id:Bass value:blue legend:Bass id:Drums value:orange legend:Drums id:studio value:black legend:Studio_album id:other value:gray(0.85) legend:EP_or_compilation
LineData =
layer:back at:15/02/2005 color:studio at:25/07/2006 color:studio at:26/08/2008 color:studio at:21/04/2009 color:other at:21/09/2009 color:studio at:16/08/2011 color:other at:23/08/2013 color:studio at:15/04/2014 color:other
BarData =
bar:Adam text:"Adam Agee" bar:Cody text:"Cody Pellerin" bar:Jon text:"Jon Howard" bar:Nick text:"Nick Baumhardt" bar:Taylor text:"Taylor Sitera" bar:Brian text:"Brian Calcara" bar:Aleigh text:"Aliegh Shields" bar:Jordan text:"Jordan Messer" bar:Jeremi text:"Jeremi Hough"
PlotData=
width:11 bar:Adam from:01/01/2001 till:end color:LVocals bar:Taylor from:01/01/2001 till:30/06/2005 color:bass bar:Cody from:01/01/2001 till:30/06/2009 color:Guitar bar:Jordan from:01/01/2001 till:30/06/2011 color:Drums bar:Brian from:01/07/2005 till:30/06/2011 color:Bass bar:Jon from:01/07/2009 till:30/06/2010 color:Guitar bar:Nick from:01/07/2010 till:end color:Guitar bar:Jeremi from:01/07/2011 till:end color:Drums bar:Aleigh from:01/07/2012 till:end color:Bass width:3 bar:Adam from:01/01/2001 till:end color:Guitar bar:Cody from:01/01/2001 till:30/06/2009 color:Bvocals bar:Brian from:01/07/2005 till:30/06/2011 color:Bvocals bar:Nick from:01/07/2010 till:end color:Bvocals bar:Aleigh from:01/07/2012 till:end color:Bvocals
</timeline>
Discography
- All Gas. No Brake. (2005)
- We Can't Stand Sitting Down (2006)
- Expect the Impossible (2008)
- Life Is Good: The Best of Stellar Kart (2009)
- Everything Is Different Now (2010)
- All In (2013)
GMA Dove Awards
| Year | Award | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | New Artist of the Year | Template:Nom |
| Rock Album of the Year (All Gas. No Brake.) | Template:Nom | |
| 2007 | Artist of the Year | Template:Nom |
| Song of the Year ("Me and Jesus") | Template:Nom | |
| Rock Recorded Song of the Year ("Activate") | Template:Nom | |
| Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year ("Me and Jesus") | Template:Won | |
| Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year (We Can't Stand Sitting Down) | Template:Nom | |
| 2008 | Rock Recorded Song of the Year ("Procrastinating") | Template:Nom |
| 2009 | Rock Recorded Song of the Year ("Shine Like the Stars") | Template:Nom |
| Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year (Expect the Impossible) | Template:Nom |