Musician and evangelist Carman Licciardello (known to fans as Carman) passed away on Tuesday February 16, due to complications from a recent surgery. 

Carman was a dominant force in the Contemporary Christian music scene ever since debuting his first album, God's Not Finished With Me, in 1980. He recorded 22 studio albums and toured the world drawing massive crowds including a show in Chattanooga that hosted around 80,000 people in attendance. 

An aspect of Carman's musical career that many remember fondly are his unique music videos. Carman won several awards for both short and long form music videos for his songs such as R.I.O.T. (Righteous Invasion of Truth), Revival in the Land,  and Addicted To Jesus.

Carman's legacy was cemented in 2018 when he was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. 

The Gospel Music Association honored Carman with the following statement on their Facebook Page on Tuesday: 

"Carman was often described as part evangelist, part Vegas Showman. He filled the largest stadiums the world over and remains the only Christian stadium act, holding the record for the largest Christian concert ever in Dallas, Texas. If there was any original trademark to Carman’s repertoire, it was his signature story songs. A combination of drama, rock, comedy, funk, satire, acting, singing, and preaching, all woven together. With compositions like Sunday’s on the Way, The Champion, Lazarus Come Forth, Revival in the Land, Witches Invitation, This Blood and even The Courtroom, simply put, Carman was a true American original."

This article originally appeared on Leesville Daily Leader: Legendary Christian Musician Carman passes away at 65