Chris Tomlin, Grammy-winning Christian recording artist and 1992 graduate of Tyler Junior College, has been inducted into TJC’s Ovation Society, in recognition of his achievements in the arts.
Tomlin accepted the award during a special event Thursday on the TJC central campus.
Time magazine has declared Tomlin as the “most often sung artist in the world,” as his music has inspired and uplifted an entire generation of believers. Along the way, he has scored 21 No. 1 radio singles, 30 Top 10 hits — more than any other Christian artist — and spent a more than 158 weeks at No. 1 during his career.
Tomlin has sold more than 12 million albums, with more than 8 billion career global streams. He’s won a Grammy Award, three Billboard Music Awards and 30 Dove Awards, his most recent win for Song of The Year for “Holy Forever.” He is a two-time BMI Songwriter of the Year honoree and an ASCAP Songwriter of the Year.
In 2016, he was named one of only four artists ever to receive the Sound Exchange Digital Radio Award for exceeding 1 billion digital radio streams. In 2018, Tomlin became the first Christian artist to reach the billion-streams threshold on the Pandora music platform and was presented with its Billionaire Award.
It started at TJC
“Chris Tomlin’s exceptional journey began right here at Tyler Junior College, where his talent and dedication shone brightly within our speech and debate department,” said Dr. Cheryl Rogers, former TJC music professor and administrator, who was one of the College’s first Ovation Society inductees.
A native of Grand Saline, Tomlin was initially encouraged by speech professors Jacque Shackelford and M’Liss Hindman to join the College’s speech and debate team.
Under their mentorship, he competed in tournaments across the country, earning first-place awards for a speech about country music that featured an original song. His performances became so popular that fellow students requested encore performances between competition rounds. He graduated from TJC in 1992.
In 2006, Tomlin was named TJC’s Valuable Young Alumnus. In 2017, he was named a Legend of TJC, with the dedication of the Chris Tomlin Lobby in the Wise Cultural Arts building, where he spent those formative years on the speech and debate team.
Rogers continued, “Chris, in recognition of your outstanding contribution to the arts, your remarkable achievements at Tyler Junior College, and your embodiment of the legacy of our arts programs, we are honored to induct you into the Ovation Society.”
Tomlin said, “I am so grateful and honored to be here and honored to represent TJC and East Texas. I’m so grateful for my roots and where I come from. TJC was a place where I had people who believed in me.”
He continued, “I look back at honors I’ve received over the years — but honestly, this is one of the greatest for me because this is about the early days. This is where it started, before anyone knew the name Chris Tomlin. I travel all over the world, and people ask me what keeps my feet on the ground, and I always say that it’s because I know where I come from. I always talk about this place as home. I hope to continue to represent TJC, Grand Saline and East Texas in the best way I can. God bless you all, and thank you so much.”
TJC President Dr. Juan E. Mejia said, “Chris, with our hearts open, we thank you for being here. We are so honored that you have accepted this very important award that celebrates you and your accomplishments. We are very proud of you and that you are one of ours, and we hope that coming back to TJC will always make you feel like coming home.”
About the TJC Ovation Society
The Ovation Society honors talented graduates who have benefitted from the arts at TJC. These alumni are recognized for their contributions to legacy arts-based programs while attending TJC and for their accomplishments in or in support of the arts through their careers and lives.
In addition to Tomlin, Ovation Society members include: Donna Bullock, actress; Will Jennings, award-winning lyricist; Dr. Cheryl Rogers, legacy TJC administrator and music professor; and Shea Whigham, actor.