Christian rock pioneer Dana Key died from a ruptured blood clot, on the night of June 6, at the age of 56. The co-founder of rock band DeGarmo and Key was serving as senior pastor of The Love of Christ (TLC) Church in Cordova, Tennessee, at the time of his death and was honoured on June 10 at memorial services at a nearby event centre.
Credited as one of the early innovators of the Christian rock genre, Key and longtime friend Eddie DeGarmo founded DeGarmo and Key over 30 years ago, having wanted to “communicate a clear, honest Christian message through straight-ahead rock ‘n’ roll.”
DeGarmo and Key also wrote major hits for other artists including Amy Grant and Sandi Patty, and influenced generations of Christian musicians. 
