Tree63

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South African rock band

title: "Tree63" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["south-african-rock-music-groups", "performers-of-contemporary-worship-music", "christian-rock-groups", "inpop-records-artists"] description: "South African rock band" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree63" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary South African rock band ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox musical artist "]

FieldValue
nameTree63
backgroundgroup_or_band
originDurban, South Africa
genre
years_active
label
::

| name = Tree63 | image = | caption = | image_size = | background = group_or_band | alias = | origin = Durban, South Africa | genre = | years_active = | label = | website = | current_members =

  • John Ellis
  • Angus Warden
  • Deon Knipe | past_members =
  • Darryl Swart
  • Daniel Ornellas
  • Jon Randall
  • Martin Engel
  • Thinus Odendaal

Tree63 is a South African three-piece rock band from Durban, South Africa.

History

1996–2000: Formation and initial years

The band was formed in 1996 and originally, it was unnamed. In 1997, the band had to come up with a name before performing at North Beach, Durban, and came up with "Tree". They added the "63" part of their name in 2000 due to a naming conflict with an American band. 63 had been the name of their second album, which was named in reference to Psalm 63.

2001–2009: Popularity and move to America

Their first album released in the United States, Tree63, won the GMA Dove Award for Rock Album of the Year in 2001.

Tree63's recording of Matt Redman's "Blessed Be Your Name" peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard Christian Songs chart, and helped to spark the song's popularity. This recording was featured on the 2005 edition of WOW Hits and was nominated for two Dove Awards. On a 2 February 2007 broadcast of 20, The Countdown Magazine (special edition, Praise and Worship), guest Chris Tomlin described Tree63's rendition of "Blessed Be Your Name" as "...the definitive recording of one of the most all-encompassing songs in the entire world of Christian music." The song was then announced as the number 3 Praise and Worship song of all time.

Tree63 parted ways in 2009, and John Ellis returned to South Africa, where he started his solo career. His debut solo album, Come Out Fighting, was released in June 2010.

2014–2015: Reunion with Ornellas and Swart

Splashy Fen Music Festival announced that Tree63 would be part of their line-up in 2014.

In November 2014, Tree63 released previously unreleased songs from 2006 which were recorded during the sessions for their *Sunday! *album.

After reconvening in 2014 for a series of celebratory South African concerts, talk of a new album and resumed live work resurfaced and the band began work on their new album in Nashville in November 2014. Land was released in November 2015.

2024–2025: New members, shows and recording

In 2024, John Ellis relaunched the Tree63 brand with new members Angus Warden (drums, vocals) and Deon Knipe (bass, vocals), both accomplished and seasoned musicians.

The band is touring through 2025 and plans to record new material for global release in 2025–26.

Band members

Current

  • John Ellis — vocals, guitar, piano
  • Angus Warden — drums, backing vocals
  • Deon Knipe — bass, backing vocals

Former

  • Darryl Swart — drums
  • Daniel Ornellas — bass
  • Thinus Odendaal — drums
  • Jon Randall — bass
  • Martin Engel — bass

Discography

Studio albums

::data[format=table title="List of albums, with selected chart positions, sales and certifications"] | Title | Details | Peak positions | US Christ. | US Heat. | Overflow (as "Tree") | 63 (as "Tree") | Tree63 | The Life and Times of Absolute Truth | The Answer to the Question | Worship Volume One: I Stand For You | Sunday | Blessed Be Your Name: The Hits | Land | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 32 | 29 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 32 | 47 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | ::

EP

    • UNFINISHED DREAM – Songs from the Sunday Sessions*

Singles

::data[format=table title="List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name"] | Year | Title | Peak positions | Album | US Christ. | US Christ. AC | "Be All End All" | "Anxious Seat" | "Blessed Be Your Name" | "King" | "Maker Of All Things" | "I Stand For You" | "All Over The World" | "Sunday" | "The Storm" | "Standing On It" | "How Much Longer" | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 2002 | — | — | The Life and Times Of Absolute Truth | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2004 | 2 | 2 | The Answer to the Question | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 22 | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2005 | 33 | 33 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2006 | 15 | 14 | Worship Volume One: I Stand for You | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2007 | 14 | 12 | Sunday | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2015 | — | — | Land | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2025 | — | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ::

Awards

Tree63, won the GMA Dove Award for Rock Album of the Year in 2001.

References

References

  1. [http://www.christianmusicdaily.com/content/view/37/64/ Christian Music Daily] {{Webarchive. link. (24 June 2008 . Interview with John Ellis of Tree63, 2007. Retrieved 2009-11-25.)
  2. Powell, Mark Allan. (2002). "Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music". Hendrickson Publishers.
  3. link. (20 October 2006 ". Published by the [[Gospel Music Association]]. Retrieved 2007-02-21.)
  4. [https://www.billboard.com/charts/christian-songs/2004-08-21 Billboard Christian Songs Chart dated August 21, 2004]
  5. [http://www.20countdown.com 20 The Countdown Magazine] {{full citation needed. (September 2020)
  6. "Splashy Fen #25 The 'Must-Do' Event Of The Year".
  7. "365 Days Of Inspiring Media - Music Reviews: Tree63 - Unfinished Dream".
  8. Rice, Mark. (December 12, 2015). "Tree63, "Land" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout.
  9. "Tree63 Chart history: Top Christian Albums".
  10. (December 2021). "Tree63 Chart History: Heatseeker Albums".
  11. "Discogs.com: Tree63 discography".
  12. "Tree63 - Chart history (Hot Christian Songs)".
  13. "Tree63 - Chart history (Christian AC Songs)".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

south-african-rock-music-groupsperformers-of-contemporary-worship-musicchristian-rock-groupsinpop-records-artists