Dana Baker was born the youngest of eight children to working parents in Toledo, OH. While being raised in a Christian home, Dana developed a love for music early. His family was a musical one, singing together in church often. When Dana was eleven years of age, his sister inspired him to take up the violin. Dana’s musical journey continued in high school as he continued his violin studies and sang in the school choir.
Dana began to combine his musical talents with acting during a stint with the Toledo Repertory Theatre. While with the company, he played the lead in Little Shop of Horrors, the character of Fezziwig in A Christmas Carol, and sang in the choruses of Sweeney Todd, The Merry Widow, and Porgy and Bess.
While attending Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Dana had numerous opportunities and blessings to sing in various roles and groups. These included traveling with the Collegian’s Chorale to Russia and visiting locations such as St. Petersburg and Red Square in Moscow. He’s also traveled to Hungary, where he experienced an unexpected medical emergency. He also sang with a PR group for MVNU called ‘One Accord’.
In 1998, Dana, in one of his most treasured achievements to date, played the principal role of Jim in the Detroit Opera Company’s production of Porgy and Bess starring Peabo Bryson.
Following this, in 1999, Dana moved to Nashville, Tennessee. Since moving to Nashville, Dana has been featured in numerous solo appearances. He has sung the National Anthem for various sporting events including NHL Nashville Predators home games. He performed various solo concerts at local churches including a performance with Dr. Matthew Kennedy, former director of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. He has also been a featured soloist at the Crystal Cathedral in Los Angeles, California. In late 2002, Dana came off a successful Christmas tour of the Southwest and Midwest with Contemporary Christian artist Jeff Schmid. Dana, who attends New River Fellowship in Franklin, Tennessee, also currently sings in that church’s choir under the direction of Michael W. Smith.
Recently, Dana has decided to go back to school in pursuit of his Masters in Education at Strayer University and plan to graduate in the spring of 2007.
Returning to his desire to travel, Dana participated in a singing tour in Timisora, Cluj and Sibul Romania, with a group called “Difference“. The group was formed when several gifted singers, musicians, and songwriters came together with a common goal. That goal was to reach the world with the good news of Christ through music. Read more about Dana’s experience on this trip.
Throughout all of this, Dana can clearly see God’s hand at work. Whether he’s performing for audiences, sharing his beautiful and powerful singing, or clowning around with residents of a local nursing home, Dana impacts the lives of everyone he meets. Dana believes beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is God’s faithfulness that has brought him thus far and allowed him to experience so many wonderful opportunities. He holds tight to Jesus and relies on His strength, not just in his musical career, but in every aspect of his life. For Dana, Jesus is life.