Jeff Fenholt - Background and Early Years

Background and Early Years

Fenholt grew up in Ohio and went to school in Columbus. He was involved with a number of rock bands and performed at various school functions. Fenholt got his first Top 40 hit recording with "The Fifth Order", "Gone Too Far" at 14 yrs old. He toured extensively through HS. By his own admission, he was a troubled youth with a juvenile delinquency record. Later, he worked while attending University, at Jeffrey Mining Machinery Co. as a material mover in the motor winding and assembly department, and loading and unloading beef sides for a non union roughneck truck dock, EC Clair. Fenholt attended Ohio St University for two years on a Music Scholarship, and later earned his B.A. (Music) at The School of Bible Theology University in San Jacinto, California.

In 1971, Fenholt was cast as the title role in the Broadway run of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Mark Hellinger Theatre. Incidentally, Ted Neeley, who would go on to become famous for playing Jesus for many performances and in the 1973 movie, was Fenholt's understudy. Also, future JCS legends Carl Anderson and Yvonne Elliman toured alongside Fenholt on the Premier JCS World Tour (as Judas and Mary Magdalene, respectively).

Fenholt released several singles in the 1970s, including a cover of Graham Nash's "Simple Man".

In 1978, Fenholt recorded a Disco LP called "Smile" for CBS and was paid $300,000 dollars. Fenholt also recorded for Capitol Records, Universal, Paramount, Polygram, Polydor, Decca, RCA, and as a youth, Laurie, Diamond and Cameo Parkway. He is currently recording for Sony.

Fenholt's 1994 autobiography From Darkness To Light makes substantial allegations of abuse and mistreatment as a youth, including claims that he was subjected to frequent beatings. Fenholt's siblings claim that he invented the allegations to further his career as an evangelist. In 1996, Fenholt's parents sued him, Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), and the publisher of his autobiography for $12 million each for defamation of character. The lawsuit was subsequently dropped after Fenholt produced court documents from the Superior Court Of Franklin County, Ohio, confirming his claims, and Fenholt later claimed that he has a "warm relationship" with his mother.