Bob Hartman grew up in Bryan, Ohio learned to play guitar when he was 13 years old, teaching himself from books and watching other people. He has said that one of his major influences was Joe Walsh, a member of The James Gang at the time.\n', '

Hartman converted to Christianity when he was 20 after having heard about the shootings at Kent State University and asking God if he was real to reveal Himself to Hartman. God then revealed Himself to Hartman in a very real way which led to Hartman accepting Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. When he was 21, he joined a Christian band called Rapture with John DeGroff. During this time, he wrote some of the songs of the first Petra album. He also studied at Bowling Green State University, earning a B.A. in Psychology.\n', '

When Rapture broke up, DeGroff moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana to attend Christian Training Center (a school based in a church there). Hartman was already jamming with guitarist Greg Hough and they both moved to Indiana to attend the same school. Upon meeting drummer Bill Glover there, they formed Petra. Hartman became the principal (and most of the time, the sole) songwriter of the band, writing the lyrics and music for almost all of their songs.\n', '

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