bio

Few things are more satisfying to Christa than sifting words into lyrical and musical phrases so that ideas and emotions become common places among listeners. She began writing music as a teenager, after years of playing piano and participating in church and school musicals, and was thrilled to discover this new creative outlet. Her method was untrained and totally her own when she arrived at Anderson University, Indiana, where she studied English Education and Music Business.  Both contributed to her love of language and musical communication.

Throughout those years, Christa continued to songwrite while also singing back-up for others and joining a band called Same Rain.  She then married fellow Anderson alum Toby Wells and moved to Nashville, Tennessee, eventually leaving Same Rain and heading to North Carolina. But under the influence of gifted artists such as Natalie Merchant, Over the Rhine, Patty Griffin, and Sheryl Crow, she was unable to resist the pull of her grandmother’s old piano in the living room and continued to build her catalog of original songs.

In the fall of 1999, a conversation with a successful Nashville writer led her to focus on songwriting rather than performance. She began co-writing with her sister, Mandy Rogers, and with Tiffany Arbuckle Lee (Plumb), hoping to expand her skills and find a publisher who would represent her in the industry.

Providentially, in autumn 2001, her friend (and husband to Tiffany Lee) Jeremy Lee of FlatRock Management began to talk with her about his interest in pitching  her songs. Jeremy became the publisher who would champion her songs within the Nashville music community, despite her geographical distance.

With Tiffany Arbuckle Lee (Plumb), Christa co-wrote two songs (“Real” and “Go”) for Plumb’s album, Beautiful Lumps of Coal, as well as “Day by Day” which was a #1 single released by Point of Grace on their album “24.”  “Real” was the first single released from Plumb’s album.

In 2006, Christa was recognized for her song “Held,” released by Natalie Grant on her “Awakening” album, and was named Songwriter of the Year by the GMA.

Other songs include “Me” co-written with Plumb for her lullabies album, “Bring It All Together,” co-written with writer/producer Shaun Shankel and “Our Hope Endures,” co-written and recorded by Natalie Grant (a single from the album Relentless).  More recently, she has contributed to recordings by Selah, Sara Groves, and Nicole Sponberg.

In addition to writing for signed artists, Christa and her sister, Mandy Rogers, independently released a full-length album of original music in 2006 entitled “A Rogers/Wells Project: so much to tell you.” The project, which includes Christa’s recorded version of “Held,” opened doors for the sisters to perform their own music and share the stories behind the songs. They performed together and individually in several states, as well as venues such as a Studio B television broadcast and a sold-out round at the famous Bluebird Cafe in Nashville.

In 2007, Christa was involved with an effort to raise funds to benefit military families through AFF (Armed Forces Foundation). Her song “Before the Tree Comes Down,” a tender tribute to our servicemen and women and their families, spawned the idea for Hope Christmas Ball in Raleigh, North Carolina, and to contribute to the cause, Christa produced a Christmas EP to be given to donors of the event. Lisa McClowry, Chicago-based singer and songwriter, also recorded “Before the Tree Comes Down.”

In 2008 Christa began working on her first solo album release, “Frame the Clouds,” which was completed in 2009.  The album features performances by artists such as Plumb, Sara Groves, and Todd Smith (Selah).  The 11-song album is written in Christa’s signature style, built on piano and featuring strong, poetic lyrics that speak of life and faith.  She performs primarily on the East Coast and Midwest, sharing the stage with fellow singer/songwriter, Nicole Witt.  They enjoy playing for a diverse audience in venues ranging from house concerts, to listening rooms, universities, churches and a large outdoor amphitheater, where they opened for mainstream artists Indigo Girls.

Christa lives with her family in North Carolina.  She is also committed to ongoing work with Masterpiece Ministries (www.masterpieceministries.org) whose mission is to provide summer camps for young artists, encouraging them toward creative excellence and Christ-centered living.

Her favorite color is gold, her favorite food is Thai, and she is usually reading four books at a time.

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