Russell Fragar
Russell Fragar was born in 1954 in Penrith, New South Wales, Australia. In those days it was pretty much still a country town, on it's way to becoming an outer suburb of Sydney. With his parents, brother and sister he lived in a small two-bedroom house in a working class area. They attended an old-style country Methodist church and, against the run of play, he became a Christian at around the age of 8 or 9, in a fairly unique Sunday School event. The only music he ever heard in those days, apart from the old hymns at church, was jazz, which was played every night on the radio.
He studied piano and guitar for years and by the time he was in high school he was playing bass in bands on weekends. Russell's first real job after school was in the audio field, and he was studying electronics part time. Eventually he switched to teacher training and graduated in 1978, the same year he married the lovely Christine.
In 1988, with their two daughters in tow, Russell and Chris visited a church called Hills Christian Life Centre, better known today as Hillsong Church. At the time there were several hundred people meeting in a converted warehouse. They continued there for the next 14 years. Russell soon joined the worship team, began to music direct the bands, was a producer on the first ten live albums (including the Integrity release "Shout to the Lord"), lectured in the Bible College, and as the Music Pastor, helped grow the Hillsong creative team. During that time, Hillsong recordings began to be released worldwide and sales of Hillsong albums were soon in the millions. Almost all of them achieved gold status in multiple countries. He is also a Dove Award nominee.
Russell also had the opportunity to write many songs for those albums, the impact for which most people know him. Songs such as 'People Just Like Us', 'Love You So Much', 'Holy Spirit Rain Down', 'So You Would Come' and many more went on to be internationally recognized and re-recorded by artists such as Alvin Slaughter, Don Moen, Natalie Grant, Freddy Hammond and more.
One of his priorities is passing along his knowledge and experience to the next generations. He helps worship teams with insights, encouragement, practical musicianship and more. It all happens in a very encouraging, relaxed atmosphere, proving Russell’s theory that “if you aren’t having a great time in the praise and worship ministry, you’re doing it wrong”.