Rich Mullins was a contemporary singer/songwriter from Richmond, Indiana. He’s arguably one of the most influential artists in the Christian music industry with songs like “Awesome God”, “Step by Step”, “Creed”, and more. Mullins had recorded ten records, two of which with his band, A Ragamuffin Band. Along with his music, Mullins and his co-writer Beaker (David Strasser) founded the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, a ministry dedicated to teaching young men to model their lives after the vows of St. Francis of Assisi, consisting of poverty, chastity and obedience.

In 1997, the year he was working on The Jesus Record, Mullins and his friend Mitch McVicker were on their way to a benefit concert at Wichita State University in Kansas. While driving on I-39 S, Mullins lost control of the wheel of his Jeep and crashed, sending both of the riders out of the car due to them not wearing seatbelts. Both were severely injured, but Mullins was unable to physically move from an oncoming semi-trailer, killing him instantly.

Mullins’s death did not go unnoticed, leaving many people in the Christian music industry’s hearts sorrowful for the loss of a legend. The Ragamuffin Band found the demos for The Jesus Record, publishing them as the first track, and recording studio versions of the songs themselves for the second track, along with appearances from Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant. In 1998, a tribute album was made called Awesome God: A Tribute to Rich Mullins.

In 2014, Mullins was inducted to the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, where his brother David accepted the honor on behalf of the whole Mullins family. The same year, Color Green Films and Kid Brothers of St. Frank released a movie based on the life of Mullins entitled, Ragamuffin.