Matthew Ward (singer)
Matthew Ward (born February 15, 1958) is one of the pioneers of the Jesus music genre, later to be called contemporary Christian music. He is best known as a member of the trio 2nd Chapter of Acts, in which he sang and performed with his sisters Annie Herring and Nellie (Ward) Greisen. During his musical career with the 2nd Chapter of Acts from 1973 to 1988, he also recorded solo albums. Early history Matthew's music and ministry was in no small part forged from personal family tragedy. In 1968 his mother, Elizabeth Ward, died of a brain tumor; two years later his father, Walter, died of leukemia leaving him and his sister, Nellie orphaned. The Ward siblings all decided that Matthew's older sister, Annie, and her new husband record producer Buck Herring should take in the two younger Ward siblings. Matthew's older sister, Annie was a self-styled (and self-taught) singer and song writer who wrote and played her songs around the family piano. Matthew and sister, Nelly would often join in as Annie played and eventually they developed extremely tight and intricate harmonies. As the trio gradually started singing for local coffee houses and small gatherings, they eventually gained the