The Beattitudes are a group of Christian guys based in the Sacramento area who enjoy ministering to people through Christian rock music. The vision of the band is to bring those who are without the Lord to know Him, and for those who know the Lord to have a closer walk with Him. We believe that God uses His people to reach others in many different ways - music is just one of many important ministries that He uses to build up His kingdom. Dan McKeighen had already been in several successful secular bands in Los Angeles, CA including the band Dream Zone, who released a record in 1985. He left the secular music scene and stopped playing and writing in 1986. In 1992 he sent one of his earlier recordings to the Billboard song fest and won an award. After a 10-year absence from writing and playing, Dan and his family relocated to the Sacramento area where his Pastor had gone to start a new church. In 1996, he started writing Christian songs and wanted to start recording his songs and start up a band. His children were attending Valley Christian Academy in Roseville CA, so his family started attending the school's home church: Church of the Valley, Tabernacle Baptist Church. Dan had been attending for a while when he asked the church's worship leader, Gregg Hill, if he would want to get involved in a band and do some recording. Gregg was up for it and the two pitched in to buy recording gear. Dan came up with the name for the band, the Beatitudes, Gregg developed the logo, and Dan's wife Maria suggested adding the 3rd T in the name Beattitudes to symbolize the three crosses at Calvary. The beattitudes were now a band. Gregg and Dan compiled a list of original tunes for a CD and started recording Watch & Pray at Gregg's house on his PC. They used a Layla audio card and Cubase recording software. Gregg, later named the studio King Mixer Studios. The Beattitudes would play live using sit-in drummers and bass players until the Watch & Pray sessions -- that's when Gregg was introduced to Brent Nichols who had kids enrolled at Valley Christian Academy. Gregg and Dan got together with Brent and went over the details of the project and asked if he would be interested in joining the band. Brent had been in the famous Christian band Tricycle and had played Spirit West Coast. The drums on the first CD were VST Drum Sessions (prerecorded live drum parts that could be easily cut/pasted into songs). The title came from a verse in the Bible, Matthew 26:41, that reminded Gregg of a photo he had seen on the internet. The photo was of a World War II soldier in a full gas mask ready for battle. The photo brought the concept of spiritual warfare to mind. Watch & Pray was released on June 6, 2000. After the Watch & Pray project was done, the Beattitudes asked Daniel Claiborne to join the band as their drummer. Daniel had been sitting in as the drummer and went on to play drums on the Beattitudes' second CD project titled blessed (pronounced in King James English, bless-ed). Daniel decided to leave the band in July 2003 after getting married, so the band held off the release of the CD until November of 2003. At the blessed CD release show November 1, 2003, the Beattitudes introduced their new drummer Mike Smith. Mike was introduced to the band by the Beattitudes' sound consultant, Tom Wooten (tWoo). Mike auditioned and was asked to join the group. Mike had been in a popular secular band in the Sacramento, CA area. The Beattitudes are now working on their third CD project that will consist of all new original tunes. The band hopes to release the third CD by August 2004.

The Beattitudes are:
Dan McKeighen - Guitars/Vocals
Brent Nichols - Fretless Bass
Gregg Hill - Guitars/Vocals
Mike Smith-Drums
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