Storyside:B's Ron McClelland Dies

Bassist Ron McClelland of Storyside:B died on January 18th. Here's the note on their Myspace page:

We will miss our brother Ron.

I'm sure a lot of you have many quest​ions regar​ding to what it says about​ Ron on our myspa​ce.​ Yeste​rday Janua​ry 18 Ron passe​d away.​ He was on a cruis​e with his wife Rebec​ca and 88.1 The Promi​se out of Jacks​onvil​le FL. He was playi​ng baske​tball​ and sudde​nly colla​psed,​ and they were unabl​e to reviv​e him. We are all shock​ed and deepl​y sadde​ned of our broth​ers passi​ng.​ Pleas​e keep his famil​y and wife Rebec​ca in your praye​rs.​ We will be setti​ng up a donat​ion fund to help offse​t the cost of the funer​al and to help suppo​rt Ron'​s famil​y.​ God Bless​ Story​Side : B

On a different update they give info on the donation fun:

Ron and Rebeca did not have life insurance. If you would like to help with funeral and expenses, go to any Bank Of America and ask for the: Account for Ron and Rebeca McClelland ending in #8678
or

Mail checks made out to:
Ron and Rebeca McClelland Fund
P.O. Box 551379
Jacksonville, FL 32255

Former guitarist Jody Davis returns to Newsboys

Guitarist Jody Davis returns to newsboys after a five-year hiatus. Davis, who was a member of the band from 1993-2003, contributed to many of newsboys’ greatest hits like “Shine,” “Entertaining Angels,” and “It is You.” In 2003, he took time off to care for his daughter, Bethany, who has cerebral palsy.

“I am thrilled to be returning to the band and back with my bandmates, who are some of my best friends,” says Davis. “This is a big change in my life, and I’m looking forward to the tour and new record with excitement.”

Peter Furler, lead vocalist for newsboys, is also excited about Davis’ return. “Jody is like a brother to all of us, and we have missed him greatly over the last five years. It’s going to be great to have him back with us.”

Paul Colman, who played guitar with newsboys the last three years, will be continuing his solo career and performing shows nationwide in 2009. “My three years with newsboys were among the best of my life. I learned an immeasurable amount about music, ministry, and life, and am happy to say I left with all our friendships wonderfully intact. I always was and always will be one of newsboys' biggest fans. I am very excited about the return of Jody Davis!”

newsboys will release the title track and debut single, “In The Hands Of God,” from its forthcoming May 5, 2009 project to both AC and CHR radio Jan. 16. The band will also embark on a 30-city “Join the Tribe” tour with special guests DecembeRadio, Vota, and Bread of Stone in February. Additional tour details are forthcoming. For more information, visit www.newsboys.com

Read our interview with Newsboys.
Read our interview with Paul Colman.
Read our review of Go.

Jeremy Camp update

This year has been a year of renewal and refreshment for Jeremy Camp with the release of his recent album last month "Speaking Louder Than Before." As the year comes to a close, radio and fans are speaking loud and clear in regards to the new album and radio single "There Will Be A Day."

Radio Waves in '08: With 17 career No. 1 hits under his belt, Jeremy Camp is clearly a powerhouse on the radio waves nationwide across all formats (CHR, AC, INSPO, and Rock). Jeremy is now the artist with the most consecutive No. 1 singles at AC Monitored since 2003 when R&R began their Christian chart. He also received the No. 2 Song of the Year in 2008 with "Let it Fade," which remained in that No. 1 position for more than 10 weeks. In 2008, Jeremy also nabbed No. 1 twice at three different formats.

His most recent single "There Will Be A Day" has already hit the top on three formats on AC Indicator (more than a month at No. 1), CHR and as of last week at AC Monitored. As a renowned songwriter with his radio hits, 2008 also brought Jeremy his third ASCAP Songwriter of the Year (2008, 2006, 2005).

Winning Vote in 2008: No, this isn't the Presidential election referenced here, but the fact that Jeremy Camp was voted by readers on Christianity Today's music site as the "Best Male Artist in 2008" marking it his fifth consecutive year named in this category. Jeremy won this year with a landslide as voters awarded Camp twice as many votes as the runner-up.

Speaking Louder Than Before in 2008: The pinnacle of the year for this male vocalist was releasing his fifth studio album co-produced by himself and Brown Bannister. The album debuted on Billboard 200 at No. 38 along with the No. 1 new release on the Billboard Christian chart after street week. Digital purchases shot "Speaking Louder Than Before" to No. 11 on the overall iTunes chart and No. 1 on the Christian albums chart. Billboard also labeled this album as his "best work to date," which clearly fans agree as it has moved his career sales to over three million units.
Coming Up in 2009:
After the holidays, Jeremy Camp will return with major spring tour plans, followed by overseas concerts and a summer filled with festival appearances. For more information on what Jeremy will be doing, visit his official website.

Stephanie Smith Update

On the heels of her Not Afraid debut release (December 23rd), Gotee’s pop-rocker Stephanie Smith is keeping a whirlwind schedule that includes a recent missions trip to El Salvador with Compassion International, and her latest role as official correspondent for Winter Jam 2009.

On a Compassion International trip to El Salvador for four days earlier this month, Smith spent time visiting three different projects and getting to know the children there. She also had the opportunity for a first time meeting with her own sponsored child Mariela (photo attached).

Smith says of Compassion’s ministry, “Kids are identifying dreams that would otherwise go unnoticed and Compassion is helping them to identify those areas. I got to hear stories and learn how the children’s dependency was totally on God. It was amazing to see up close both the younger kids beginning the process and then the older kids who had reaped the long-term effects of the ministry.”

As the official tour correspondent for upcoming Winter Jam, Smith will conduct exclusive interviews and grab candid, behind-the-scenes footage with artists that are available to fans online www.hearitfirst.com/jamtour and at www.godtube.com. The Winter Jam 2009 Tour Spectacular, Christian music’s largest annual musical tour, features tobyMac at the helm, along with special guests Hawk Nelson, Brandon Heath, The Afters, and of course 24-year old Smith. The 10-week tour kicks off January 8th and lasts through the March 15th final show in Nashville, TN.

On the marketing front, Stephanie Smith’s new radio single, “In My Eyes” is currently #28 at Rock radio and climbing. This is Smith’s fourth radio single that has included other hits “Superstar,” “Not Afraid,” and “Renew Me.” Her first music video for the title track was just released to the TV and video show circuit with current viewing on the Pulse TV Rock channel (Video On Demand service) alongside of videos from Coldplay, Pink, Weezer, The Killers, as well as on their Christian Channel.

Along with her musical debut Not Afraid, Stephanie Smith’s whirlwind year has included the release of her first book, Crossroads: The Teenage Girl's Guide to Emotional Wounds (Zondervan/Youth Specialties) which chronicles her journey towards choosing forgiveness and compassion over bitterness and despair. She also continues to work with the non-profit organization Soles4Souls (www.souls4souls.org). On the performance front, Smith has graced the stage at music festivals such as Rockfest, Ichthus, AtlantaFest, Music in the Park, Kingdom Bound, and Riverstages, as well as a return to Agape Fest, the original arena that lead her to meeting tobyMac and eventually signing a deal with Gotee Records. Smith has also performed as part of various conferences that have included Feedback Conferences, Secret Keeper Girl Tour, Pure Freedom, the Asphalt Assault Tour, One Life of VA and the Freedom Experience. In addition, she joined illusionist Brock Gill as part of the Florida-based SuperWow Camps, where nearly 350 individual youth groups attended weekly.

Read our interview with Stephanie!