TitleTrakk.com Music News

Sanctus Real lead singer Matt Hammitt to release solo album

2011-06-07T10:12:00.000-07:00

Multiple GRAMMY-nominated, Dove Award winning Sanctus Real lead vocalist Matt Hammitt announces the release of his first solo album, Every Falling Tear, on Sparrow Records Sept. 13. Organically sparked by the rich joy and pain of life over the last year that strengthened Hammitt’s faith and solidified his resolve to lead his family well, these new songs are his most deeply personal to date.

Encouraged by his Sanctus Real band mates to release these songs and to share his story through the songs that are meant to provide hope for people that are in crisis, Hammitt’s journey to the new album started with the current, critically acclaimed and best-selling Sanctus Real album, Pieces of a Real Heart.

“The bridge lyric in ‘Redeemer’ says, I don’t have every answer in life / But I’m trusting You one day at a time / ‘Cause You can make a weak heart stay alive forever,” reflects Hammitt regarding the current hit radio single from Pieces of a Real Heart that is Top 15 and continuing to ascend the Billboard radio charts. “Those lyrics, along with songs like ‘Keep My Heart Alive,’ ‘Dear Heart,’ and then the album with a broken heart on the cover, came out on March 9 of 2010. One month later on April 12 my wife, Sarah, and I found out that our son, Bowen, was going to be born with a severe congenital heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.”

Pictured (l-r) are: Emmy, Matt, Bowen, Sarah and Claire Hammitt.

The whole album became a prophetic glimpse into what the Hammitt’s were about to go through, and proved to be a source of hope as Matt and his wife, Sarah, take care of Bowen “small victorious one,” who was born Sept. 9, 2010 and has now gone through two heart surgeries, an infection and other complications since being born.

“I will never forget the night of his first open heart surgery - we got a call in the middle of the night that Bowen’s heart had stopped beating,” says Hammitt on a SanctusReal.com video blog encouraging people to share their stories of redemptions. “The redemption that was for me, in probably this most broken time of my life, was that all the treasure in this world, everything I put my hope in here in this life, was burned away in that moment. I could clearly see that the only real treasure I have is the hope that I have in Jesus Christ. Bowen’s doing great now, he’s making an incredible recovery and the fact that we still have him; we thank God for that every day. We’re eager to see what God continues to do through his life.”

Born out of the heart of a father, wrestling with his pain, but buoyed by his faith and love for his family, Hammitt's main impetus for writing the songs on Every Falling Tear was to play them at Bowen’s bedside in the hospital, with the hope that they would be a source of comfort for his family, as well as a reminder of God’s faithfulness in the midst of their uncertainty.

“A lot of what we went through with Bowen was really hard on my wife and I emotionally, and I felt and understood the pain of others going through similar circumstances as us. We also met families at the hospital [C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, MI] whose children had either just died or were on the verge of dying, and it felt like they were losing hope. One of the main reasons for recording these songs was to go back to the hospital and hand out the music to help lift these families out of despair.”

Having already recorded and handed out demos of songs in the hospital, Hammitt also sang “All of Me” on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoeGKOXeO-s. The studio recording of this song is now available for the first time through digital retailers, including iTunes and Amazon.com. “All of Me” will be the first of four tracks from Every Falling Tear to be released each month leading up to the full album release in September.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Every Falling Tear and its singles will go to benefit the Whole Hearts Foundation, a new foundation Hammitt has set up to help families going through similar challenges as himself. Providing assistance for families of children affected by congenital heart defects, additional details on the foundation will be announced soon.

As his solo project’s first single is released today, Sanctus Real’s fastest-selling GRAMMY and Dove-nominated, fifth studio album Pieces Of A Real Heart continues to sell over 130% ahead of the band’s last GRAMMY-nominated album. The album has also sparked two No. 1 songs, “Forgiven” and “Lead Me,” the latter having been heard by well over 100,000,000 people at radio and receiving the first-ever song endorsements from Focus on the Family and FamilyLife, as well as gathering two “Song of the Year” Dove nominations. The success of the singles helped pave the way for the band to become Billboard’s No. 4 most played Christian band of 2010 at radio. In all, Sanctus Real has gathered 14 No. 1 and Top 5 radio hits so far.

Sanctus Real creates compelling, authentic music that lives up to the meaning of its name: to be Holy (Latin meaning of “Sanctus”), and its members are about living out their lives as “real” Christians, not only on the stage and as they interact with fans, but also in the quieter moments of their lives as husbands and fathers. Matt Hammitt’s solo album carries this idea forward.

For all the latest on Matt Hammitt and his family, see www.bowensheart.com.

Read our interview with Sanctus Real.

New Iona Album coming soon!

2011-06-05T11:15:00.000-07:00

Celtic music fans, the wait is over! Iona's new album Another Realm is finished and ready to ship. Watch this promo to see if it's for you, and click here to visit their website and order. We highly recommend!

Ben Kasica leaves Skillet

2011-02-27T14:38:00.001-08:00

Skillet has just announced that 10 year veteran guitar player Ben Kasica has decided to leave the band. It's all on good terms, and they've put up a blog post with more details.

Ben says in part:

"This has been an incredible journey for me. Joining the band shortly after turning 16 and basically growing up on the road, I had no idea how long the ride would last but have enjoyed it immensely and been thankful to God for everything I've been a part of. We've traveled to loads of places, met many many wonderful people, drunk way too much coffee, made tons of memories and hopefully touched lives with eternity. I feel completely blessed and honored to have been a part of Skillet's history."

Read more at their website here.

Rebecca St. James Engaged to be Married!

2011-01-03T13:21:00.000-08:00

One of Christian music’s most recognized and beloved artists is opening the New Year with an exciting announcement: Rebecca St. James is engaged to be married!

St. James will wed the man she’s been waiting for –Jacob Fink—on a date soon to be announced. The Christmas Day proposal came at Rebecca’s family farm in Franklin, Tennessee where she was presented the brilliant, solitaire diamond ring. The groom-to-be asked her parents, David and Helen, for their blessing prior to him surprising Rebecca with the engagement ring and his request for her hand in marriage.

Jacob, originally from Colorado, now resides in Southern California. He spent two years as a missionary in South Africa before attending college and graduating summa cum laude with a degree in communications and an emphasis on film production. He worked in television production prior to his current career in music. The couple met through mutual friends in Los Angeles.

Noted Rebecca in a communication to friends: “We are truly amazed at finding our dreams and ideals met in the love we’ve found. We are exceedingly grateful for this precious gift from God.”

Rebecca’s signature song, “Wait For Me,” released in 2000, inspired national attention to the ideals of purity before marriage—a self-lived message she has taken to young people worldwide from her concert stages and through her best-selling books and personal testimony.

2011 will be a milestone year for St. James, who recently signed with Provident Label Group’s Beach Street/ Reunion Records. Her new studio album I Will Praise You releases on April 5 with its first single “Shine Your Glory Down” impacting radio on Feb. 11.

Currently planning promotional and concert tour dates, and a wedding, Rebecca is also putting final touches on her ninth book, “What Is He Thinking?” (Hachette/Faithwords), which is due out in September.

Read our interview with Rebecca.

Photo credit: Ben Smallbone

Newsboys to release Christmas Album!

2010-08-20T10:16:00.001-07:00

With the continuous momentum of Newsboys' current CD release Born Again, a No. 1 radio hit and an extensive touring schedule, they continue their whirlwind year with the announcement of their first-ever Christmas project. Christmas! A Newsboys Holiday will release October 12th, courtesy of Inpop Records.

The new CD was produced by Dustin Burnett, Michael Tait, and Juan Otero of The Write Bros, half of the production team of Born Again. Comprised of six holiday classics, Christmas! A Newsboys Holiday includes "Winter Wonderland," "Jingle Bell Rock," "All I Want for Christmas is You," "O Holy Night," "The Christmas Song," and "Mary Did You Know."

To help promote Christmas! A Newsboys Holiday, Newsboys will join Newsong the weekend after Thanksgiving to kick off the "Very Merry Christmas Tour 2010." This 20+city nationwide tour kicks off in North Carolina and will finish up in Georgia on December 20th. Check out the tour dates listed below to see if can help ring in the Christmas season with Newsboys at a city near you.

There is no question the momentum keeps continuing to escalate for Newsboys and their July 13th release of Born Again. The current single and No. 1 hit "Born Again" continues to stay high up on the charts, having a total of 7.1 million impressions to date. Following the largest street week of their careers by selling an astounding 45,311 units and hitting #4 on Billboard's overall chart, Born Again continues to keep its place on the Billboard Top 200 chart and is No. 3 on the Christian Soundscan chart, scanning more than 72,000 units in the first month of release.

Newsong's Very Merry Christmas Tour 2010*:
11/27 Whiteville, NC
11/28 Charleston, NC
11/30 High Point, NC
12/2 Norfolk, VA
12/3 Schofield, WI
12/4 St. Cloud, MN
12/5 Brookings, SD
12/7 Portage, MI
12/8 Valparaiso, IN
12/9 Marion, IL
12/10 Marion, IL
12/11 Franklin, NC
12/12 Destin, FL
12/15 Saint Peters, MO
12/16 Athens, AL
12/17 Pascagoula, MS
12/18 Albany, GA

*Dates subject to change

Switchfoot 6th Annual BroAm A Success!

2010-07-13T09:07:00.000-07:00

Switchfoot members surf with the champions. Pictured (l-r) are: Tim Foreman (Switchfoot), Timmy Curran (world champion surfer/musician), Rob Machado (US and world surfer champion), Chad Butler (Switchfoot), Tom Curren (#3 Best Surfer in the world) and Jon Foreman (Switchfoot).

Switchfoot is pictured on stage at the Bro-Am. Switchfoot’s Bro-Am was held June 26 in Encinitas, CA. The surf/music event donated all proceeds to Stand-Up for Kids. This year over 7,500 people attended and it raised over $130,000 for the organization.

The Washington Projects Return with Light Up the Dark

2010-06-25T07:55:00.001-07:00

Brother and sister duo, The Washington Projects, are back with Light Up The Dark, the follow-up to their widely successful debut, Commanders Of The Resistance. Available now, the album can be found for digital download through iTunes, AmazonMP3 and Rhapsody among others, and physical copies can be purchased through the group’s website. The project will be released to retail stores on August 3rd, through Universal.

All songs on Light Up The Dark were written by Rachael and Je’kob Washington and the album was produced by McPhly Entertainment, with Je’kob at the helm and the assistance of Kajmir Royale and Luke Witherspoon III.

“We are very excited about this album,” explains Rachael. “Through every record we release, God allows us to share a little piece of our hearts and what he’s given us with the entire world. Whether our music reaches five million people or just one, it’s an amazing feeling to know that we are being used in shifting someone’s heart and mind toward love and dedication to the only eternal kingdom. In an industry where almost everything comes down to numbers, we strive to remind ourselves daily of the true purpose of what we do - Touching souls with the teachings of Christ thru the gift of music. Light Up The Dark is a call to be what we were created to be - A bold & shining beacon of Light in a Dark world - based around the verse Matthew 5:14.”

The first two radio singles from the album are “Light Up The Dark” and “You Are Beautiful.” The first video is the title track for the album and was filmed by the local San Diego Crew 4120 (www.fortyonetwenty.com). Additionally, the song “Justus” will be featured on Are You Outraged, from International Justice Mission. The purpose of the album and campaign is to raise 1 million dollars to help abolish labor and sex slavery.

Je’kob comments on their involvement with the organization: "It's an honor for us to be a part of this monumental compilation. We've been supporting IJM in their endeavors to eradicate sex & labor slavery for some time now. The statistics are absolutely staggering and sometimes it can be hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel. But, hopefully the sales of this compilation will provide enough funding to deliver some serious backing in the efforts to erase this terrible stain on humanity.”

Their first step out as The Washington Projects after their stint on Warner Bros./Word Records as Souljahz, Commanders of the Resistance brought great success for the group. The duo headlined the 12-city “Dare2Share” Tour and also did a USO European/Mediterranean Tour with Nappy Roots, as well as playing festivals and venues across the country. The project garnered critical acclaim from media outlets and was received very well by Gospel Music Channel viewers, with the videos for “Take It To The Streets” staying in the #1 slot for over two weeks and “You Are My World” holding at #2 for over three weeks.

The twosome has had a lot going on personally as well, with Rachael getting married to Kent Messini last September and Je’kob branching out on his own to start McPhly Entertainment, a unique production company that allows independent artists to get full records, EP’s, or just one song from start to finish, including production, mixing, mastering, photo shoots, websites, & online worldwide distribution via iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, etc for an easy to handle and individually customized monthly fee. Je’kob’s most notable recent accomplishment has been producing “Be Alright,” the first single from multi-platinum selling hip hop group, The Nappy Roots’ newest record, The Pursuit Of Nappyness.

The Washington Projects are currently booking dates for a tour to support Light Up The Dark.

For more information about The Washington Projects and Light Up The Dark, please visit www.WashingtonProjects.com or www.myspace.com/thewashingtonprojects. Follow them on twitter at www.twitter.com/WPonline.

Rebecca St. James on Hannity Tonight June 16th

2010-06-16T10:36:00.000-07:00

(Nashville, Tennessee) –June 15, 2010 – Popular Grammy Award winning Christian artist, Rebecca St. James is in New York for a live appearance Wednesday night (16th) on Fox New’s Channel’s “Hannity.” (9:00 PM Eastern/8:00 PM Central). St. James will make a return guesting on the program’s popular “Great American Panel” –her third visit to the guest panel in the last few months.

With the fall 2009 release of her starring role in the film, “Sarah’s Choice,” (Pure Flix Entertainment) giving voice to a strong pro life agenda, Rebecca is devoting time this year, amidst plans for new music and more films, to a series of special appearances nationally for crisis pregnancy and right to life organizations.

She describes her involvement on behalf of the centers as one the most rewarding results of her creative association with "Sarah’s Choice." “My passion for the pro-life message has grown tremendously as I have encountered firsthand the dedication and importance of their mission for the unborn. It is just beautiful to see their work, and I’ve felt so incredibly fulfilled and energized, coming alongside of what they’re doing and supporting them in such a small way,” she noted in a recent interview.

Rebecca St. James is the current cover/feature of the May-June issue of Celebrate Life magazine, a publication of the American Life League.

Resource Rebecca St. James online: www.myspace.com/rebeccastjames

For information on the film "Sarah's Choice:"
http://sarah.pureflix.com

Read our review of Sarah's Choice.
Read our interview with Rebecca on Sarah's Choice.

Dana Key dies June 6

2010-06-07T09:08:00.000-07:00

We are very sad to report that according to CCM Magazine Online, Dana Key, of Degarmo & Key fame, died on June 6th from a ruptured blood clot. He was 56.

No more details are known at this time.

Life & Faith Tour coming to a town near you!

2010-05-03T08:02:00.000-07:00

Nashville, TN… In its debut year, the Life & Faith Tour will kick off in a big way by giving back to local communities in three cities this summer: Richmond (6/19/2010), Rockingham, NC (7/10/2010) and Atlanta (7/24/2010). The diverse lineup for the event includes six-time Grammy ® Award winner Amy Grant, multi-platinum selling band MercyMe, CMA Award winners Diamond Rio, Grammy Award ® winner Israel Houghton, Point of Grace, David Crowder*Band, Natalie Grant, The Nelons and Triumphant Quartet, Southern Gospel acts as well as Christian ventriloquists and comedians, authors, motivational speakers and more.

The Life & Faith Tour is a Christian festival with a major fundraising component to benefit the local community, born out of the simple desire to give back and leave a community in better shape than it was when they arrived. Created years ago by former fireman Ronnie Jackson, as an initial fundraiser for the local fire department in Kenbridge, VA, what started out as a cookout with local entertainment grew into a major fundraising event with headlining acts such as Travis Tritt and Alabama.

Today, over 30 years later, the tour has grown into a major family attraction. What sets it apart from other festivals is how it presents an opportunity for organizations to raise funds; this is done by simply spreading the word.

Starting February 15, tickets will be available for $47.50 and $10 of that automatically goes to a local organization. If the ticket buyer doesn’t choose a beneficiary, a default organization in each city will benefit, ensuring that the community benefits from every ticket sold. Organizations will range from local churches and youth groups to the YMCA, Red Cross and other worthy civic groups. Churches and organizations are welcome to sign up as a beneficiary starting on January 15.

“This is truly an effortless act, all organizations have to do is talk about the show, and then when a patron goes to buy a ticket, that organization gets $10 just for the referral,” Jackson explains. “However the churches and organizations must be registered on the tour’s website to become a beneficiary. When purchasing a ticket, patrons will be able to choose a church or organization where their ticket proceeds will go. Each Life & Faith venue can hold 70,000 people so a sellout crowd would leave that community with $700,000 as the tour busses pull out of town. It is truly a remarkable way to give back to the community.”

Compassion International is just one of the many sponsors that have climbed on board to help make this event possible. As a beneficiary for the tour, it is an opportunity that not only raises funds for their own organization, but it also benefits others in the surrounding communities as well. For every 70k people who attend, the tour will provide the funds to build a Habitat of Humanity home in that state.

For organizations to register to become a beneficiary and to view the full all-star lineup along with finding more information please visit www.lifeandfaithtour.com.

Tobymac Set to Release "Tonight" February 9th

2009-12-11T10:16:00.000-08:00

December 7, 2009: With three back-to-back RIAA Gold-certified records under his belt, five GRAMMY® Awards, and now his fourth solo GRAMMY® nomination as well, GMA’s 2008 Artist of the Year, TobyMac, will release his fourth studio project, “TONIGHT” on Feburary 9th.

“TONIGHT” is getting a great head start this fall with TobyMac’s hit single, “City On Our Knees,” the fastest charting and selling track in his career. The single has already sold over 133,000 copies and has hit No. 1 on the top 100 Hot Digital Tracks chart as well as on the Billboard Top Singles chart. In addition, it held the No. 1 spot on both the National Christian Audience chart for 9weeks as well as SoundScan’s Christian Digital Track chart for eleven weeks.

“City On Our Knees” was fervently embraced at radio with 96 stations adding it to their playlist in the first three weeks, and sped to No.1 on AC Monitored and at CHR, while currently No.3 at AC Indicator.

Produced by TobyMac along with Chris Stevens (Portable Sounds), Jamie Moore (Ayiesha Smith, Stephanie Woods) and Dave Wyatt (a.k.a. “D-dub) also his musical director, TobyMac has spent the last two and a half years creating “TONIGHT,” in a recording process that he doesn’t take lightly:

“The recording process means a lot to me, and I don’t approach what I do haphazardly” he says. “I have a lot of passion when it comes to my records. I don’t know if it’s good or bad, but there’s this range of emotions that come with making a record. Music is something that can actually open people’s minds to who God is. Music will never change the world, but God can choose to use music, and that’s what I count on. I want my songs to be said in a way that anyone can relate to them. I want them to move people’s lives forward; move people toward God, and if I’m accomplishing that, whether or not anyone loves this record, as long as I feel like that is what I’m doing, then I feel like my job is done.”

As with previous TobyMac projects, “TONIGHT” also features special guest collaborations and a diversity of musical styles. The title track brings in John Cooper of Skillet, while “Wonderin’” features Matthew Thiessen of Relient K, and Nirva Ready belts her vocals on “Changed Forever.” A true highlight, and one of the most anticipated moments is with TruDog, TobyMac’s 10 year old son Truett’s, full song debut with the track “LoudNClear.”

In an effort to offer only the best variety to TobyMac’s audience, “TONIGHT” will be available as a physical CD and in digital form, both of which will feature bonus remixes and behind the scenes video.

TobyMac is currently on the road on his annual Winter Wonder Slam tour and will announce exciting 2010 tour plans soon.

www.tobymac.com

Ayiesha Woods to release Christmas album Nov 10th

2009-10-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

GRAMMY- nominated singer Ayiesha Woods injects her soulful vocal prowess into a classic holiday offering with Christmas Like This on November 10th. The album will be available as a physical CD product exclusively through MusiChristian.com with the digital album being available at all other online retailers.

“Here at MusiChristian.com we believe strongly in partnerships and are thrilled to partner with Gotee and Ayeisha on her latest Christmas project,” says Daniel Smallbone, CEO of MusiChristian.com and BooksChristian.com.

The nine-song track listing includes Woods’ inventive take on the classics including “Merry Christmas Baby”, “Walking in a Winter Wonderland”, “Jingle Bells”, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”, “O Holy Night”, “Joy to the World”, This Christmas”, and “ O Come All Ye Faithful”.

Producer Jamie Moore (CeCe Winans, tobyMac) comments, "Being from Muscle Shoals, AL and growing up with all of its music heritage, I've always wanted to do an old soul album,” He adds, “Ayiesha definitely took me to that place with her undeniable soulful and rootsy vocals. Hopefully this Christmas album will be racked alongside the other classics for years to come."

Read our interview with Ayiesha.

Jennifer Knapp Returning to Music!

2009-10-03T06:48:00.000-07:00

It looks like the wait might finally be over! According to the official Jennifer Knapp website and Myspace page Jennifer is planning to return to the music scene.

Read a personal letter from Jennifer here. So what has she been doing? Traveling, mostly. And getting her feet under herself, "discovering more about myself and my faith".

This is exciting news for many in the Christian music industry! Follow Jen on Twitter for up-to-date info.

Bebe and CeCe Winans Releasing 1st Studio Record in 15 years

2009-09-08T10:48:00.001-07:00

B&C Records in conjunction with Malaco Records is proud to announce the upcoming release of Still, the highly anticipated and eagerly awaited new studio album from the platinum-selling chart-topping award-winning gospel duo BeBe & CeCe Winans. Still will be available online and in stores on Tuesday, October 6.

Still is BeBe & CeCe’s first album in more than 15 years and is the reunion that has been on the lips of fans around the world since it was announced earlier this year. Since the their self-titled debut album in 1987, this chart-topping brother and sister duo topped the R&B and inspirational charts with their debut single, “I.O.U. Me,” and generated Grammy nominations, Dove and Stellar Gospel Awards. BeBe & CeCe were the first African-American artists to receive significant airplay on CCM radio stations and the second African American artists to receive the Dove Award in the Group of the Year category.

Premiering 11 new BeBe & CeCe classics, Still includes the album’s recently released lead single, “Close to You” which has received critical acclaim and success for its soul-stirring, smooth sound and pristine vocals. The video for the single was recently launched on Yahoo and can be viewed by logging onto http://new.music.yahoo.com/videos. Other tracks on Still include the heart wrenching “Grace,” “Things” (featuring brother Marvin Winans), “Let It Be” (featuring Mary Mary) and “I Found Love” (Cindy’s Song) which is destined to be the wedding song of the year.

With assistance from longtime producer and collaborator Keith Thomas, along with Warryn Campbell, Percy Bady, Peter Zizzo, Merv Warren and Mario Winans, BeBe & CeCe weave their love for God in a faith-fueled gospel sound that combines a tuneful blend of R&B, pop, soul, jazz and more.

Growing up in Detroit, MI, Benjamin “BeBe” Winans and Priscilla “CeCe” Winans were born into a home that birthed the first family of Gospel music. The Winans Family was led by a mother and father who taught their ten children the foundations of a Godly life and admonished them to use their voices for the glory of God. The success of their four brothers, The Winans, blazed a trail for BeBe & CeCe to create their own path of writing and performing music that would attract a legion of fans and change the face of Gospel music forever.

After the success of their debut album, BeBe & CeCe became the first Gospel pair to see their second album, Heaven, reach #1 on the Billboard sales charts in 1988 and also be certified Gold. The title track reached #12 on the Billboard R&B singles chart and also spawned two more hit singles with “Lost Without You” and “Celebrate New Life.”

In 1991, the dynamic duo released Different Lifestyles featuring the single “Addictive Love” and a cover of the Staples Singers classic, “I’ll Take You There.” Both singles topped the R&B charts. From there, BeBe & CeCe released two more albums and after an amazing run of smash hits and albums, BeBe & CeCe went on to pursue incredibly successful solo careers.

With a phenomenal career that has spanned more than 20 years, BeBe & CeCe have become one of the most commercially successful gospel artists in the business. As a duo their accolades include five Grammy Awards, eight Dove Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, one Soul Train Award and over a dozen Stellar Awards. They have also racked up 12 chart topping R&B singles, as well as numerous #1 singles on Christian AC and CHR radio, three gold albums and one platinum album.

In conjunction with the release of Still, the BeBe & CeCe Reunion Tour will criss-cross the country later this year.

The Covers EP releasing digitally by Ruth

2009-08-04T10:12:00.000-07:00

Last fall heartfelt rockers Ruth released a successful sophomore album, "Anorak," which garnered the band such praise as "one of the best acts on Tooth & Nail Records' star-studded roster." Now the band so many have fallen in love with is back with "The Covers EP" featuring five covered tunes ranging from Buddy Holly to Coldplay (track listing below). "The Covers EP" will be available digitally on August 25, 2009. Yesterday the first single "Fix You" (Coldplay) was digitally released on iTunes. On August 11th, "Everyday" (Buddy Holly) will be released.

Band founder / singer Dustin Ruth shares, "We are super excited about the release of this EP. Each one of these songs is special to us for different reasons, and it was really fun to go into the studio and put our own 'Ruth' spin on them. We hope everyone enjoys them!"

Beginning this Saturday, August 1st, Ruth will be hitting the road again playing various venues and festivals including Spirit West Coast (Monterey), The Knitting Factory (LA), 12th & Porter (Nashville) to The Plaza Club (Vancouver, BC) (tour dates below). Some dates will be will also include Sleep For Sleepers. Check their MySpace for updates and more information.

Download the "Fix You" single:

Track Listing for "The Covers EP"

1. Everyday (Buddy Holly)
2. Dream (Averly Brothers)
3. I'm The One Who Wants To Be With You (Mr. Big)
4. Give Me One Reason (Tracy Chapman)
5. Fix You (Coldplay)

Read our interview with Ruth
Read our review of Anorak

New Avalon record Reborn "Not your Mom's Avalon"

2009-07-29T15:31:00.000-07:00

While Avalon is certainly proud of their past (21 chart-topping singles, 6 Dove Awards, 3 Grammy nominations and an American Music Award), it sure would be easy for the quartet to rest on their laurels and continue to offer their known slick brand of vocal pop. But they are now Reborn, their aptly titled brand new project, slated for release on September 15th (E1 Music).

It is important to note that the similarity between any previous Avalon albums and Reborn ends now, thanks to this cutting edge and unequivocally original record. "Reborn is a fitting title because it signifies the birth of something new and exciting, which is certainly true of the current season of Avalon," explains Janna Long, the group's founding member. Comprising the rest of the quartet is Greg Long (Janna's husband and group member since '03), Jeremi Richardson, as well as its newest member, Amy Richardson, making her Avalon debut on Reborn, and who also happens to be Jeremi's wife.

"I've literally listened to Avalon for as long as I can remember, so I can tell you both as a member and a fan that people's jaws are going to hit the ground when they hear Reborn," asserts Jeremi, who joined the group in 2007. "Everyone I've played it for so far says they'd never expect it, but at the same time, they can totally tell it's Avalon, which to us is the ultimate compliment."

One of the most instantly apparent changes comes in the credits, which for the very first time in the group's illustrious history unites the group with producer Ian Eskelin (All Star United, Krystal Meyers, Stellar Kart, Francesca Battistelli). It's a curious choice indeed considering his respected rankings in the modern rock spectrum, but one that helps cement Avalon's latest endeavor as arguably their most ambitious to date.

"This has been one of the most unique and fun recording projects I have ever been involved in," Ian Eskelin exclaims. "These guys are fearless and their vocals are killer. They are some of the hardest working, ready for anything, talented musicians I have worked with."

A tour is slated for the Fall to promote the new project. This is sure to be an exciting time on the road for Avalon as the group is more than ready to share their new songs with fans across the country.

For the creation of Reborn, Avalon partnered with the label E1 Music. Along with the new venture came a completely open creative canvas where the group was encouraged to stretch itself further than ever before. Previously known as Koch Records, E1 Music has hosted the diverse likes of The Beatles' Ringo Starr, Ashley Cleveland, Twila Paris, and Bishop E. Long.

"They took all the reigns off and basically said, 'you've been doing this for awhile, so just do what you do,'" recalls Greg of the E1 experience. "No one was ever looking over our shoulders talking to us about core demographics, which gave us the chance to just focus on the artistic side. We love our history and are grateful for everything God's given us, but that type of freedom also allowed us the opportunity to experiment and have a lot of fun in the process."

Reborn offers aggressive melodies tied with atypical harmonies and guitar-driven moments. The new sound is sure to give dedicated Avalon fans a new twist on the group's well-known formula, while expanding its appeal to a wider audience than ever before.

"Over the last three years, we released a hymns record, a covers record and a retrospective record, plus had some members change," Janna reflects. "Between that and the fact that life was just happening right alongside it all, there's a pivotal change and evolution. Sure, the vocal standpoint is consistent with the Avalon sound, but the rest is much more varied. This is definitely not your Mom's Avalon record!"

Thousand Foot Krutch song "Fire it Up" available at iTunes

2009-07-28T12:23:00.001-07:00

With a little over a month until fans will get their hands on the fifth studio album "Welcome to the Masquerade" from rockers Thousand Foot Krutch, a new single from the forthcoming project is made available today on iTunes. The single "Fire It Up" is the second single fans have heard from the new CD as the first single, "Bring Me to Life," was a free download with the Taco Bell "Feed The Beat" program earlier this Spring.

"Fire It Up" is a high-energy, crunchy riff-filled, rock song that is being featured in a major movie trailer for "G.I. Joe", two upcoming video games (MX vs. ATV Reflex and upcoming EA Sports NHL 10 (game releases September 15th, soundtrack July 31st)), used on ESPN's airing of the NASCAR Nationwide series feature on Kyle Busch and on the Versus Network during the Edmonton IndyCar race this past weekend.

Terry Lingner, IndyCar on Versus Producer had this to say, "IndyCar Racing is all about power and sound and we are flat to the floor with Thousand Foot Krutch's material. Talk about a great mix. TFK in your face and the power appeal of land rockets!"

Click here to buy the song on iTunes today!

Hawk Nelson's Live Life Loud CD cover revealed!

2009-07-28T12:18:00.001-07:00

"Live Life Loud is really about encouraging our fans to do just that. To live your life loud, to embrace all that life brings your way and experience every moment of it to the fullest extent. This is the message we want our fans to come away with after they hear the album." -- Hawk Nelson bassist Daniel Biro.

Recorded in Nashville, TN, Hawk Nelson enlisted producer Steve Wilson to craft what was to become a 12-song set that sweeps from the manic to the mellow and all points in between. Live Life Loud was recorded in two separate sessions, due to a hectic touring schedule, and marks the first time the band wrote songs together by just jamming as a band. The album also features collaborations with Chris Stevens, Matthew Gerrard, TobyMac, Trevor McNevan and Bart Millard. This fourth studio album release from the band hits fans' hands on September 22nd. The first two singles "Live Life Loud" and "Meaning of Life" are currently available on iTunes.

Also make sure you pick up your pair of TOMS Shoes to help the band get their goal for their Haiti shoe drop. For every pair of shoes purchased via Hawk Nelson's website equals a pair of shoes that TOMS donates to a child in Haiti towards the band's ongoing involvement with the Hands & Feet Orphanage. Check out the YouTube video.

1. Live Life Loud
2. Never Enough
3. Eggshells
4. Meaning Of Life
5. Alive
6. Ode To Lord Stanley
7. Long Ago
8. The Job
9. Shaken
10. Lest We Forget
11. Tis So Sweet
12. The Final Toast

Thousand Foot Krutch's Trevor McNevan has emergency appendectomy... cancels Creation NorthWest appearance

2009-07-23T11:35:00.000-07:00

Tooth & Nail Records' Thousand Foot Krutch sadly announces that they will not be performing at Creation Northwest this Friday due to frontman Trevor McNevan's emergency surgery late yesterday evening. McNevan was taken to the emergency room for appendicitis, which resulted in an routine appendectomy around 8 p.m.. The band issued this statement about their unfortunate cancellation of their Creation appearance.

"We are saddened that we're not able to rock out with our fans at the beautiful Gorge Amphitheater. One of the highlights of festival season is Creation Northwest and the fans that come out to support us and all the amazing artists. However, right now Trevor needs to rest and recover. We would appreciate prayers for Trevor and Erin as he heals." Thousand Foot Krutch

Creation Festival issued this statement:
"Thousand Foot Krutch guarantees for an amazing show and they are a festival favorite, so we are saddened to hear they won't make it this year to Creation Northwest. We are praying for Trevor and his wife, Erin. We wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to having him and the guys out on tour this fall." Nick Kulb (Creation Festival)

Fireproof Soundtrack Now Available

2009-07-17T10:17:00.000-07:00

The FIREPROOF songs that you've fallen in love with are available in one place: The FIREPROOF Original Motion Picture Soundtrack!

The soundtrack features the full score, which was composed by Mark Willard, Sherwood's musical minister. And it has these songs from popular artists that you hear in the film:

Leeland's "Brighter Days"
Third Day's "This Is Who I Am"
Casting Crowns' "Slow Fade"
John Waller's "While I'm Waiting"
Grey Holiday's "You Belong To Me"
Warren Barfield's "Love Is Not A Fight"

There's even a special bonus track: the FIREPROOF Remix of John Waller's "While I'm Waiting," which features sound clips from the film interspersed with John's beautiful song.

The FIREPROOF Soundtrack is available starting today, July 14, at your favorite Christian store and online retailer. Be sure to let your friends know by utilizing the Soundtrack banners, available online.

Buy it at Amazon.com
Buy it at CBD.com
Buy it at iTunes

Christmas album coming from downhere!

2009-07-17T10:16:00.001-07:00

Downhere, one of Christian music’s premiere rock bands, is scheduled to release their first full-length holiday album, How Many Kings: Songs For Christmas, October 6, 2009. The new project was produced by Downhere and will be distributed by Word Distribution.

The idea to record their first Christmas CD grew over the years for Downhere as they performed several holiday concerts in their hometown of Franklin, TN, beginning in 2001. (Glenn Lavender is the only band member who still resides in Canada). Then the thought grew to fruition with the success of the single, “How Many Kings,” which went to #4 on the Christian AC charts in 2007, followed by the Bethlehem Skyline tour last year with their labelmates on Centricity Music.

How Many Kings: Songs For Christmas features the timeless classics of the Yuletide season that are recorded with the Downhere style. “Basically we made a giant list of Christmas songs and narrowed them down to our top choices, realizing that every one of them was at least a hundred years old,” says lead singer, Marc Martel. “We all really resonate with a love for good lyrics, the classic ones that are going to last, so we do a lot of really old Christmas carols. However, we also tried to make the old stuff sound new.”

How Many Kings: Songs For Christmas kicks-off with “How Many Kings” and flows into Christmas standards such as “God res Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “Silent Night,” “What Child Is This,” and “We Wish You A Merry A Christmas,” to name a few. The songs are a mixture of fun and religious tunes but the majority of songs resonate with the true meaning of the season.

“We didn’t want to pack a whole Christmas record with ‘Jingle Bells,’ ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ or anything that was considered all that fluffy,” explains drummer Jeremy Thiessen. “We were very selective in wanting to pick songs that actually said something than simply ‘it’s Christmas let’s party!’ We’re just trying to get people to pay attention and unplug from all of the running around.”

Mark Schultz releasing new studio album in August!

2009-07-10T10:56:00.000-07:00

Platinum-selling, Dove Award winning recording artist, Mark Schultz, releases his long-awaited, fifth studio album, Come Alive, Aug. 25 on Word Records. One of Christian music’s most acclaimed singer/songwriters, Schultz’s first new studio album in nearly three years is also his most personal recording to date, inviting listeners to “come alive” through these songs birthed by stories of hope, loss, joy and redemption.

New for Schultz, working with more than one or two producers for an album, Come Alive features the distinct and masterful touches from multiple GRAMMY Award winner Brown Bannister (Amy Grant, Third Day, CeCe Winans), Shaun Shankel (Beyoncé, Hilary Duff), Bernie Herms (Natalie Grant, Avalon) and Paul Mills (Third Day, Bluetree). The album also features collaborations with such hit making songwriters as Bart Millard and Barry Graul of Mercy Me, Matthew West, Joy Williams and Herms. The combination of talent and Schultz’s own vision for this album results in his most thought-provoking, musically diverse project to date.

“I would hope that when people listen to this CD they can identify with the struggles within the songs, but at the same time know that God is the same God through the struggles as He is during the triumphant moments. Christ, who began a good work, will finish a good work. It may not be on your own timeline or not even the way you imagined it, but He promises He will. There’s a bigger picture out of our control, but God has made these promises and I want to hold onto that.”

“He Is,” the first radio single from Come Alive to release July 10, is an expression of this hope that was inspired by the stories of two families battling cancer.

“Payton Cram was a girl who came to one of my concerts in Michigan with her dad,” recalls Schultz. “I was really amazed at her maturity for her young age, even as she had cancer. When the cancer started to get bad, I flew up and spent a day with her and prayed with her and her family. She was a beautiful girl. She was never going to blame God for her cancer. She never asked ‘Why me?’ She just always knew there was a bigger purpose in it.”

During the same time Payton was fighting cancer, Mark learned from his wife, Kate, about a missionary family whose fourth child was born on a Friday and on Sunday they found out the mother had terminal cancer. “The father of the family said, ‘Well, we can’t praise God on Friday and curse him on Sunday…We have to trust that He knows what’s going on,’ and that’s when the idea of ‘He Is’ was born,” says Schultz. “He is, He was and always will be. It’s a pretty important message–no matter what kind of rough road you are riding through.”

Another poignant song on the album, “What It Means to Be Loved,” is “the only song I’ve ever played in concert that received a standing ovation before the end of the first chorus was over,” recalls Schultz. Kate was again a source of inspiration for the song: “My wife said to me, ‘Since you are adopted, I think we should adopt kids too. I think we should adopt kids with special needs…maybe someday we adopt kids with special needs that doctors know are only going to live for a year or two,’” recalls Schultz. “I replied, ‘Honey, why would we do that?’ She answers, ‘Because, before they go to heaven, I want them to know what a great Christmas is like and what a great birthday is like and let them know they were loved well before they get to heaven.’ That’s the kind of wife I’m married to.”

This conversation was sparked by the story his wife told him about a family who was expecting a child and were told that tests revealed health issues that meant the baby probably wouldn’t live long. Although the doctor’s suggested terminating the pregnancy, the mother decided she would love the child as long as she could. Schultz channeled those emotions into the “What It Means to Be Loved” lyrics: I want to give her the world / I want to hold her hand/ I want to be her mom just as long as I can and live every moment until that day comes/ I want to show her what it means to be loved. Schultz’ clear, compelling voice conveys the sense of sadness, yet shares the spirit of hope and abundant love that lie at the heart of the song.

“As Christians, we are called to be love,” says Schultz. “If that means loving a baby that will be here seven minutes or 70 years, it doesn’t make any difference.”

Pulling from real life experiences for the new record, many of the songs on Come Alive were also inspired when Schultz rode his bicycle from coast to coast to raise over $250,000 to benefit the James Fund, which provides assistance for widows and orphans. Along the way he learned much about himself, the human condition and God’s sovereignty. Those revelations reverberate throughout his new album.

“The album is a powerful work of art, full of emotion and featuring the most prolific and moving work Mark Schultz has ever written,” says Mark Bright, Word Entertainment President and CEO. “His ability to capture life’s most fragile moments in song, and lead people closer to God by revealing His glory in every situation, is what makes Mark Schultz such a gifted artist.”

Taking the songs from Come Alive on the road, Schultz will debut new music and fan favorites on a 40-plus-city tour beginning with the festival circuit this summer and leading into his “Come Alive” tour featuring platinum-selling group Point Of Grace that launches Sept. 10 in Decatur, IL. For the latest list of tour dates, visit www.markschultzmusic.com.

Lauded at No. 1 on Billboard’s “Hot Christian Adult Contemporary Songwriters” list and with nine No. 1 radio hits, Schultz was the centerpiece of the U.S. Army campaign “Letters From War,” named Christian Music Today’s Male Vocalist in 2003, and featured on the national TV programs, 48 Hours, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, CNN and more. His 2005 release, Mark Schultz Live…A Night of Stories & Songs, sold RIAA certified Platinum and garnered Schultz his first GMA Dove Award.

For additional information on Mark Schultz, visit www.markschultzmusic.com or www.wordlabelgroup.com.

Jeremy Camp Headlining tour with Natalie Grant and Bebo Norman

2009-07-10T10:47:00.000-07:00

Making his passion known this past year with the release of "Speaking Louder Than Before," BEC Recordings artist Jeremy Camp is introducing his fall tour named after the recently released CD and with a purpose at hand. As his first headlining tour in almost two years, Camp will be joined by reigning Dove Female Artist of the Year Natalie Grant and label-mate Bebo Norman. The "Speaking Louder Than Before" The Tour is kicking off in Florida on September 10th (dates below). The tour will also be sponsored by Compassion International.

Tickets for the anticipated tour will go on sale Friday, July 10th in addition to a special iTickets / iTunes promotion. For those who purchase tickets via iTickets from July 10th until July 24th, they will receive a code for two free downloads at iTunes ("Beyond Measure" by Jeremy Camp and "Never Saw You Coming" by Bebo Norman). The codes will be given out for each ticket purchased (not per order).

Earlier this year, Camp and his management company began a ministry called "Speaking Louder Ministries," a direct correlation to his recent release, which produced his seventeenth No. 1 radio single ("There Will Be a Day"). The purpose behind "Speaking Louder Ministries" is tri-fold: bringing a raised awareness to the local outreaches in the cities that Jeremy Camp performs, helping equip the church body and local community to get involved in ministry together, and impacting the needs of the community/organization with physical goods. For more information and specific local market info go to the ministry homepage.

On the fall tour, Speaking Louder Ministries will partner with a local radio station to promote the local outreach. At each concert, there will be a booth present as a distribution point to draw a larger awareness for the ministry organization.

This 30+ city tour will make a huge impact in each market, and Camp is thrilled about this opportunity. "I'm really looking forward to the tour and to what's being planned with Speaking Louder Ministries," shares Camp. "We'll have unique opportunities in each and every town that we play on this tour to be a part of local ministry. I'm hoping to see the body of Christ engaged and fired up to help local ministries in need. This will be more than just a typical concert experience, we will be working and worshiping together for the Kingdom of God."

See below for the tour dates as well as additional information regarding each artist on the "Speaking Louder Than Before" The Tour. Tour publicity contact also listed below.

About Jeremy Camp: Since his debut BEC Recordings' project in 2002 (Stay), Jeremy Camp has made a definitive mark in the industry with his ability to compose hit songs and capture audiences of all ages selling more than three million records. Following his Gold-selling debut, Camp has released four additional studio projects, which have garnered a total of three RIAA Gold-Selling albums. With 17 career No. 1 radio hits under his belt, Jeremy Camp is clearly a powerhouse on the radio waves nationwide across all formats (CHR, AC, INSPO, and Rock). Jeremy has the most consecutive No. 1 singles at AC Monitored since 2003 when R&R began their Christian chart. His debut single from "Speaking Louder Than Before," "There Will Be A Day" hit the top on three formats on AC Indicator (16 weeks), CHR (10 weeks) and AC Monitored (6 weeks). Jeremy Camp has also been honored with multiple Dove-nominations and five awards, a 2007 American Music Award nomination, and three-time ASCAP Christian Music Awards "Songwriter of the Year" (2008, 2006, 2005) winner including "Song of the Year" (2006). In 2008, Jeremy Camp was voted for the fifth consecutive year in a row by readers on Christianity Today's music site as the "Best Male Artist."

About Natalie Grant: One of the genre's biggest names and GMA Dove Award Female Vocalist of the Year for four consecutive years, Curb recording artist Natalie Grant is among a select number of artists to have also achieved a formidable foothold at mainstream media and radio. A powerhouse vocalist, heart-gripping songwriter and charismatic performer, she's eager to push boundaries and thus has become Christian music's top selling Adult Contemporary female solo artist in 2005, 2006 and 2008. Recently, Grant received RIAA Gold certification of her 2005 breakthrough album, Awaken. In addition to her music, she is an outspoken advocate for victims of human trafficking. The Home Foundation, which Grant created in 2005, has raised over a quarter of a million dollars to fight the trafficking of women and children for the purpose of sexual exploitation. For further information, visit www.thehomefoundation.net or www.nataliegrant.com

About Bebo Norman: Norman's 1999's national debut, Ten Thousand Days, received much acclaim for a new artist. The follow-up, Big Blue Sky, was voted No. 1 Christian album of 2001 by the editors at Amazon.com. Myself When I Am Real (2002) earned seven Dove Award nods and charted the defining hit, "Great Light of the World." In 2007, Norman partnered with Seattle's BEC Recordings to release his first Christmas project that garnered him another Dove nomination. In 2008, he released his self-titled album, which was said of Billboard as "the beginning of a vibrant new chapter in an already distinguished career." For more information: www.myspace.com/bebonorman

Ayiesha Wood's song Happy in My Life in Ruins movie

2009-06-05T07:47:00.000-07:00

GRAMMY- nominated singer Ayiesha Woods’ hit song “Happy” will be used in the movie My Life In Ruins, which begins showing in theaters nationwide today, June 5th.

My Life in Ruins is romantic comedy film set amongst the ruins of ancient Greece, starring Nia Vardalos, Richard Dreyfuss, Alexis Georgoulis, Rachel Dratch, Harland Williams and British comedy actor and impressionist Alistair McGowan. The film is about a tour guide whose life takes a personal detour, while her group gets entangled in comic situations among the ruins, with a series of unexpected stops along the way.

Woods’ sophomore release Love Like This streeted last September 9th and has joined the highly merited ranks of her power-packed Gotee Records album Introducing Ayiesha Woods. The debut offering garnered Woods a GRAMMY nomination for “Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album”, as well as nabbing her an additional nod in the Dove Awards “New Artist of the Year” category. CCM Magazine also followed Woods’ career as one of three emerging musical talents for 2006 in their “Band Wagon” column, and MTVU.com’s URGE service (www.urge.com) picked Introducing Ayiesha Woods in their 2006 TOP 10 year-end list for Inspirational music. Woods, a favorite on the Women of Faith touring circuit, continues to perform throughout this year at festivals and on dates nationwide.

Read our interview with Ayiesha Woods.

New Relient K music coming soon

2009-06-05T07:43:00.000-07:00

The guys are heading out on a string of spring/early summer tour dates so they can start playing some of their new songs live. As you may know, the band is in the final stages of recording their next (and sixth!) studio album, tentatively titled, Forget and Not Slow Down. This new one will be released on Mono Vs. Stereo - a label that they started which will run thru Gotee.

They've been giving fans a peek into the world of recording their new record via some studio updates that can be seen here: http://vimeo.com/relientk.

Tour dates are as follows:
May 26 Pomona, CA The Glass House
May 27 Bakersfield, CA The Dome
May 28 Orangevale, CA The Boardwalk
May 29 Eugene, OR Indigo Distric
May 30 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
May 31 Seattle, WA Neumo's
June 2 Spokane, WA Knitting Factory
June 3 Boise, ID Knitting Factory
June 4 Salt Lake City, UT Murray Theatre
June 22 Ashville, NC Orange Peel
June 23 Raleigh, NC Lincoln Theatre
June 26 Rochester, NY Water Street
June 29 Green Bay, WI Riverside Ballroom
June 30 Duluth, MN Grandmas Sports Garden
July 2 Lawrence, KS Granada Theatre
July 3 Omaha, NE Slowdown

Behind the Scenes with Mat Kearney Part 1

2009-05-18T09:48:00.000-07:00

Part 1 of a series in which Mat Kearney talks about the making of his new album City of Black & White.

Stryper to preview "Murder By Pride" on iTunes

2009-05-11T10:00:00.001-07:00

BIG3 Records has announced plans to “preview” Stryper's upcoming studio album Murder by Pride at iTunes.com. With this groundbreaking new promotion, Stryper fans will have an opportunity to purchase the album song-by-song, one week at a time, until the album's release on July 21, 2009.

Every Tuesday beginning May 5th, a new song from the upcoming album will be released at iTunes – for one week only – until the album's July 21st release date. Each week, the song will be replaced by another, giving fans a chance to purchase the complete album one song at a time until the album hits stores.

Murder by Pride iTunes Release Schedule:
Tuesday, May 5 - "Eclipse of the Son"
Tuesday, May 12 - "Murder By Pride"
Tuesday, May 19 - "4 Leaf Clover"
Tuesday, May 26 - "The Plan"
Tuesday, June 2 - "Alive"
Tuesday, June 9 - "I Believe"
Tuesday, June 16 - "Love Is Why"
Tuesday, June 23 - "Mercy Over Blame"
Tuesday, June 30 - "Run In You"
Tuesday, July 7 - "Everything"
Tuesday, July 14 - "My Love (I'll Always Show)"
Tuesday, July 21 - FULL ALBUM IN STORES AND AT iTUNES

Murder by Pride also includes a cover of the BOSTON song "Peace of Mind" featuring BOSTON guitarist Tom Scholz. “Peace of Mind” is already available at iTunes.

Stryper will hit the road this fall with a 25th Anniversary Tour, hitting 50 cities in North America before going international in January and February 2010. Launching in September, the tour will be a two-set show. The first set will feature new Stryper material and include current bassist Tracy Ferrie, along with original members Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet and Oz Fox. The second set will feature all four original members, including original bassist Tim Gaines, wearing the original yellow and black stage outfits and performing the band's hits from the last 25 years.

In 1984, Stryper broke on to the scene with their debut EP Yellow and Black Attack, and have since gone on to sell 8 million albums and tour the world spreading an inspirational message through their branded sound of rock songs, heavy guitars and pristine harmony vocals. The group's unprecedented 1986 album To Hell with the Devil went platinum and was named one of the “100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music” by CCM Magazine.

In 2008, Michael Sweet joined legendary band BOSTON on vocals and guitar for their 54-city summer headlining tour of North America, performing the band's classic hits like "More than a Feeling," “Peace of Mind,” “Amanda” and “Don't Look Back.” BOSTON has sold over 30 million albums worldwide, including the band's 1976 self-titled debut, which has sold over 17 million copies to date and was the highest selling debut of all time. Sweet is currently in the studio recording the upcoming BOSTON album, due next year.

Jimmy Needham creates music video for "Firefly"

2009-05-11T09:45:00.000-07:00

CAPTION: Inpop Records singer/songwriter Jimmy Needham partners with director Chris Corrado ("Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," "Charlie Wilson's War," NBC series "Life") to shoot the music video for his song "Firefly" at a Los Angeles coffee shop on April 15, 2009. "Firefly," from Needham's current release Not Without Love, was written for Needham's wife Kelly, who makes a guest appearance in the video.

Read our interview with Jimmy.

Stryper Announces 25th Anniversary Tour

2009-05-06T09:12:00.000-07:00

Legendary Christian rock band Stryper has announced plans for a 25th Anniversary Tour, hitting 50 cities in North America this fall before going international in January and February 2010. Stryper's upcoming studio album Murder by Pride (Big3 Records) will be released in July.

The 25th Anniversary Tour, scheduled to launch in September, will be a two-set show. The first set will feature new Stryper material and include current bassist Tracy Ferrie, along with original members Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet and Oz Fox. The second set will feature all four original members, including original bassist Tim Gaines, wearing the original yellow and black stage outfits and performing the band's hits from the last 25 years.

"After recently learning about how precious life is and how often we take for granted the time that we have here on earth, I realized that this tour may very well be the most important tour in the history of Stryper," said Michael Sweet. "Tim, Robert, Tracy, Oz and myself are all stepping out together to show the importance of unity and forgiveness and the only way to show this is to live it. We've been faced with challenges over the past 25 years but two things have remained certain within our hearts and within our lives - the power of God's love and the beauty of God's grace."

The tour will be a family project, with Michael Sweet Jr's band Flight Patterns opening all dates. Their debut album will release on Fifty Three Five Records in July.

In 1984, Stryper broke on to the scene with their debut EP Yellow and Black Attack, and have since gone on to sell 8 million albums and tour the world spreading an inspirational message through their branded sound of rock songs, heavy guitars and pristine harmony vocals. The group's unprecedented 1986 album To Hell with the Devil went platinum and was named one of the “100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music” by CCM Magazine.

In 2008, Michael Sweet joined legendary band BOSTON on vocals and guitar for their 54-city summer headlining tour of North America, performing the band's classic hits like "More than a Feeling," “Peace of Mind,” “Amanda” and “Don't Look Back.” BOSTON has sold over 30 million albums worldwide, including the band's 1976 self-titled debut, which has sold over 17 million copies to date and was the highest selling debut of all time.

Murder by Pride will include a cover of the BOSTON song "Peace of Mind" that features BOSTON guitarist Tom Scholz on the recording. Ironically, Stryper had recorded "Peace of Mind" and planned to put it on their 2009 release long before Michael Sweet was even considered as a new member of BOSTON.

In 2008, BOSTON's Tom Scholz and Gary Pihl joined Stryper on stage to perform “Peace of Mind” for VH1 Classic's After Math: The Station Fire Five Years Later – a televised benefit concert also featuring performances by John Rich, Dierks Bentley, Gretchen Wilson, Aaron Lewis (Staind), Tesla, Twisted Sister, Winger and more.

"This record is a true miracle," said Michael Sweet. "We began rehearsing the new material in 2006 and now here we are looking at a 2009 release. It's been an extremely difficult process yet through this came one of the most powerful records that we've ever made. We decided to go back to what we were known for - vocal harmonies, guitar harmonies, solid grooves and melodic melodies and arrangements. We put our hearts and souls into making this record and we can only hope that it changes a few lives along the way. If so, it was all worth it!"

Everyday Sunday counts down to new album!

2009-05-06T09:09:00.000-07:00

Everyday Sunday returns with its second Inpop Records release, Best Night of Our Lives, June 16, 2009. Produced by Mark Lee Townsend (Relient K, Jennifer Knapp, Supertones) and mixed by JR McNeely (Paramore, Jeremy Camp, tobyMac), Best Night of Our Lives finds the band exploring a more aggressive rock approach.

The follow-up to Everyday Sunday’s Inpop debut, Wake Up! Wake Up!, Best Night of Our Lives makes a power play in rock ’n’ roll with its booming title track “Best Night of Our Lives” about life-long friendship, and the full-force “Breathing for Me,” an anthem of surrender. The fullness of sound and lyric on “Where I Ended” reveals a passionate plea for escape and identity in God, while “Here With Me” strips down the sound to a pure acoustic melody.

“There will be no doubt in anyone’s mind that this is a rock record,” says Everyday Sunday frontman Trey Pearson. “It’s more forceful in a lot of ways; it’s definitely more mature. It’s just the best album that any of us have ever been a part of.”

“Everyday Sunday has become a Christian music mainstay over the years due to relentless touring and incredible radio support,” says Shara Katerberg-Hsu, director of marketing at Inpop Records. “We look forward to the band’s continued success with this great new album that once again raises the bar for Christian rock music.”

The project’s first two radio singles, “Best Night of Our Lives” and “Where I Ended” began vying for adds at Christian Rock and CHR, respectively, on Friday, March 27. The band has been playing music from its new record on the Acquire The Fire “Here Comes Trouble” tour, currently running through May.

Comprising Trey Pearson (lead vocals), Tyler Craft (bass), Kevin Cramblet (drums) and Nick Spencer (guitar), Everyday Sunday hails from Columbus, Ohio. Attracting a national audience with its 2001 independent Christian Hit Radio single, “Just a Story,” Everyday Sunday joined Flicker Records’ roster in 2002. The band released two successful projects with Flicker, Stand Up and Anthems for the Imperfect, while raking in numerous accolades, including being named among CCM Magazine’s “Favorite New Artists of 2003,” as well as “Best New Artist of the Year” by TVU Music Television. The band’s Inpop Records debut, Wake Up! Wake Up!, released May 22, 2007, yielding the No. 1 CHR hit “Find Me Tonight” as well as Rock chart-topper “Wake Up! Wake Up!”. The album’s title track was additionally named 2007 Rock Song of Year by Radio & Records. For more information on Everyday Sunday, visit: www.myspace.com/everydaysunday.

2009 Dove Award Winners!

2009-04-24T10:01:00.000-07:00

And the winners are:

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Steven Curtis Chapman

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Tenth Avenue North

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Steven Curtis Chapman

SONG OF THE YEAR song title; writer; publisher (award to the writer and publisher)
“Give Me Your Eyes”; Brandon Heath, Jason Ingram; Sitka 6 Music/Essential Music Publishing (ASCAP), Peertunes Ltd. (SESAC), Grange Hill Music (SESAC), Windsor Way (SESAC)

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Brandon Heath

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Natalie Grant

GROUP OF THE YEAR
Casting Crowns

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Bernie Herms

RAP/HIP HOP RECORDED SONG (song; album; artist; writer; label)
“Do Yo Thang”; The Yearbook; KJ-52; Jonah Sorrentino; BEC Recordings/Uprok

ROCK RECORDED SONG
“Lost”; End Of Silence; Red; Jasen Rauch, Rob Graves, Chad Cates; Essential Records

ROCK/CONTEMPORARY RECORDED SONG
“Washed By The Water”; The Heat; NEEDTOBREATHE; Bear Rinehart, Bo Rinehart; Atlantic Records

POP/CONTEMPORARY RECORDED SONG
“Give Me Your Eyes”; What If We; Brandon Heath; Brandon Heath, Jason Ingram; Reunion Records

INSPIRATIONAL RECORDED SONG
“A New Hallelujah”; A New Hallelujah; Michael W. Smith; Michael W. Smith, Debbie Smith, Paul Baloche; Reunion Records

SOUTHERN GOSPEL RECORDED SONG
“Reason Enough”; Dream On; Ernie Haase & Signature Sound; Ernie Haase, Joel Lindsey, Wayne Haun; Gaither Music Group

BLUEGRASS RECORDED SONG
“They’re Holding Up The Ladder”; We Are Family; Jeff & Sheri Easter, Lewis Family, Easter Brothers; Russell Easter, James Easter, Edd Easter; Daywind Records

COUNTRY RECORDED SONG
“I Wish”; How You Live Deluxe Edition; Point of Grace; Cindy Morgan, Phil Madeira; Word Records

URBAN RECORDED SONG
“Get Up”; The Sound; Mary Mary; Warryn Campbell, Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell, Eric Dawkins; Columbia Records, Integrity Music

TRADITIONAL GOSPEL RECORDED SONG
“Free At Last”; Down In New Orleans; The Blind Boys of Alabama; Traditional; Time Life Music

CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL RECORDED SONG
“How Great Is Our God”; How Great Is Our God; LaRue Howard; Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Ed Cash; EMI Gospel

WORSHIP SONG
“Mighty To Save”; Ben Fielding, Reuben Morgan; Hillsong Publishing

RAP/HIP HOP ALBUM (album; artist; producer; label)
Ordinary Dreamers; Group 1 Crew; Andy Anderson, Christopher Stevens, Sam Mizell; Fervent Records

ROCK ALBUM
Satisfied; DecembeRadio; Scotty Wilbanks; Slanted Records

ROCK/CONTEMPORARY ALBUM
Never Going Back To OK; The Afters; Dan Muckala; INO Records

POP/CONTEMPORARY ALBUM
Revelation; Third Day; Howard Benson; Essential Records

INSPIRATIONAL ALBUM
Great God Who Saves; Laura Story; Ed Cash; INO Records

SOUTHERN GOSPEL ALBUM
Lovin’ Life; Ernie Gaither Vocal Band; Bill Gaither, Guy Penrod, Marshall Hall, Wes Hampton; Gaither Music Group

BLUEGRASS ALBUM
We Are Family; Ricky Jeff & Sheri Easter, Lewis Family, Easter Brothers; Jeff Easter, Sheri Easter; Daywind Records

COUNTRY ALBUM
Around the Bend; Randy Travis; Kyle Lehning; Warner Bros. Records

URBAN ALBUM
The Fight of My Life; Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin; Zomba Gospel

TRADITIONAL GOSPEL ALBUM
Down In New Orleans; The Blind Boys of Alabama; Chris Goldsmith; Time Life Music, Integrity Music

CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL ALBUM
Change the World; Martha Munizzi; Aaron Lindsey, Israel Houghton; Martha Munizzi Music

INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM
Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian; Various; Harry Gregson-Williams; Walt Disney Records

CHILDREN’S MUSIC ALBUM
Absolute Modern Worship for Kids 4; Various; Chance Scoggins; Fervent Records

SPANISH LANGUAGE ALBUM
Rescatame; Seventh Day Slumber; Alejandro Allen, Susana Allen; BEC Recordings

SPECIAL EVENT ALBUM
Passion: God of This City; Chris Tomlin, Charlie Hall, David Crowder*Band, Christy Nockels, Kristian Stanfill, Fee, Matt Redman; Nathan Nockels; Sparrow Records, sixsteps Records

CHRISTMAS ALBUM
Peace on Earth; Casting Crowns; Mark Hall, Mark A. Miller; Beach Street

PRAISE & WORSHIP ALBUM
A New Hallelujah; Michael W. Smith; Michael W. Smith; Reunion Records

MUSICAL (title; creator; publisher (award given to creator)
God Bless the USA; Sue C. Smith, Joel Lindsey, Russell Mauldin; Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing

YOUTH/CHILDREN’S MUSICAL
An Island Christmas; Wayne Haun, Shelby Haun, Joel Lindsey; Lillenas Publishing Company

CHORAL COLLECTION
I’ll Say Yes; Carol Cymbala; Brooklyn Tabernacle Music

RECORDED MUSIC PACKAGING (product; art director; graphic artist; illustrator/photographer; label)
Revelation (Third Day); Tim Parker, Becka Blackburn; Tim Parker; David McClister, RW Sims; Essential Records

SHORT FORM MUSIC VIDEO (title; artist; director; producer; production company; label)
"Slow Fade"; Casting Crowns; John Erwin, Andy Erwin; Erwin Brothers Motion Pictures; Beach Street

LONG FORM MUSIC VIDEO ( title; artist; director; producer; production company; label)
Alive and Transported; TobyMac; Eric Welch; Tameron Hedge, Dan Pitts; Broken Poet Productions; ForeFront Records

Needtobreathe to release "The Outsiders" this summer

2009-04-02T11:36:00.000-07:00

Atlantic/Word rock group NEEDTOBREATHE’s highly anticipated third studio album, The Outsiders, is set to release this coming summer. The band co-produced the entire album, along with producers John Alagia (Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer), the legendary Jim Scott (Tom Petty, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Wilco) and once again Rick Beato, who co-produced several tracks on the band’s sophomore release, The Heat.

The band is also excited to announce the addition of David Leonard (Jackson Waters) to their live touring band on keys and backing vocals. For more information, please visit www.needtobreathe.net or www.myspace.com/needtobreathe.

Kevin Max & Wife Announce Birth of 3rd Child

2009-04-02T11:32:00.001-07:00

Kevin Max's wife Amanda has given birth to their third child, Knightly Christobal Max, who came into the world at 9:23 p.m. on March 24, 2009, at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. Knightly, who joins big sister London and big brother Wilder, measured 20 inches long and weighed 8 lbs. 3 oz.

"We decided to name our third child, Knightly Christobal, after both of our affection for medieval art and history," said Kevin Max. "But all in all, he is looking to be the most modern of all our children, being of raven black hair and sharp blue eyes. I believe being a father is my greatest artistic accomplishment, and Amanda and I look forward to watching him grow and connect to his older brother and sister."

With dcTalk, Max accrued album sales exceeding 8 million, as well as numerous Grammy and Dove Awards. In recent years, Max has explored his art and his faith with several critically acclaimed solo projects, and live performances worldwide. His recently released EP, Crashing Gates, is available now at iTunes.

Integrity Music Launches First Ever Christian Artist iPhone Application

2009-04-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

Integrity Music launches the first ever Christian artist iPhone Application in support of multiple GRAMMY, Stellar and Dove Award winner, Soul Train Award winner and double RIAA certified Gold-selling artist Israel Houghton and his critically acclaimed album, The Power Of One, releasing March 24 on Integrity Music/Columbia Records. Launching this week and available for FREE at the iPhone App Store, Israel’s app is on a short list of recording artists that have their own apps, including Akon, David Cook, P!nk, Fall Out Boy and only a few others.

Millions of iPhone or iPod Touch users can now take advantage of the advanced capabilities of their user interface to discover new music from Israel Houghton, and much more. Included in the application are direct iTunes store links to buy Israel’s The Power Of One, as well as purchase Israel’s entire discography. iPhone users will also be able to listen to 30-second previews of every song spanning Israel’s catalog of six acclaimed albums, read real time updates on Israel’s touring and other news from his website, see and share video streams from YouTube, such as song stories, live performances, etc., and flip through pictures of Israel. Additionally, users will have access Israel’s blogs and social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

The app further allows users to access Israel’s new social justice site, http://didyoumakeyourmark.com, where people are encouraged to be “the power of one” and share their videos about what they have done to create positive change in their communities.

“As a media company, we strive to serve our customers through new media technologies,” says Mike Coleman, Integrity Media CEO/Founder. “The iPhone application store is a new frontier that allows us to deliver a unique mobile experience. I believe we are seeing the beginning of a new media channel that will continue to grow.”

“We are thrilled to be the first Christian Music label with an artist iPhone application,” adds John Coleman, Integrity Music VP. “We will continue to serve our audience with these rich media experiences. This is a focus area of development for our artists that I believe will bring a new level of exposure while using a compelling technology.”

“As a digital marketer, I’m always looking for ways to deliver our content in new and innovative ways,” says Chris Estes, Integrity Music director of digital sales and marketing. “I believe if you can hear it, you should be able to buy it. That is why I’m thrilled to use a new technology that facilitates that experience. The iPhone platform gives us a way to directly connect with fans with a device that is always with them. This application has harnessed all of the multimedia content into one place so the consumer experience is meaningful. When you tie in the easy touch points for consumers to purchase, this really becomes the best of both worlds...a great marketing tool with a solid sales channel built in.”

Israel Houghton is currently on a national major market, 37-city tour with Chris Tomlin that began Jan. 22 and has already logged 10 sellouts, including at Houston’s Berry Center, San Antonio’s Municipal Auditorium and Los Angeles’s Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk. With other venues across the country at, or near capacity, the latest tour information can be found at http://www.myspace.com/israelhoughtonmusic.

Israel’s The Power Of One marks his first solo studio offering after a string of highly successful New Breed live concert projects and features guest vocals from such genre-leading artists as tobyMac, Martin Smith of Delirious?, Mary Mary and Chevelle Franklyn. From its genre-blending roots reggae and heavy rock to sanctified funk and power pop, the album features songs of hope, redemption and revelation.

Active as worship leader in his local church, Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church, Houston, Israel has written or co-written 11 CCLI Top 500 favorites, served as worship leader at Hillsong conferences, Franklin Graham crusades and is a featured CompassionArt songwriter and artist. Israel also ministers through concerts in the U.S. and around the world, including accompanying Alicia Keys at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards for a performance of George Michael's “Freedom '90,” and as a performer at the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards, taking part in a segment saluting Gospel music.

In 1995, Israel and Meleasa Houghton founded New Breed Ministries, an organization they continue to run and that is comprised of noted musicians and singers who serve within their respective churches and together serve the Church at large. Since then, Israel has amassed a legion of followers that bridges generational lines with popularity across African American, Latin and Caucasian listener lines. While blasting down barriers, he has been fittingly graced with 2 Gold-selling albums, 6 Dove Awards, 2 Stellar Awards, a Soul Train Award and 2 GRAMMY Awards, one for “Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album” for A Deeper Level and one for “Best Traditional Gospel Album” for Alive In South Africa. He also penned his first book with New Breed, A Deeper Level (Whitaker House), and wrote a chapter in the recently released The Art of Compassion charity book.

Israel Houghton is signed to Integrity Music, distributed to Christian retail by Provident-Integrity Distribution and to the general market by Columbia Records/Sony Distribution. For more information, go to www.israelhoughton.net.

Michael Sweet's wife dies

2009-04-02T11:12:00.001-07:00

Kyle Rae Sweet has passed on and is now at peace with her Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. Please continue to pray for the Sweet family. We ask that if you wish to express your sympathies within an e-mail that you send them to the following e-mail address: thesweetfamily@michaelsweet.com.

Kyle was diagnosed with cancer in February 2007. She passed away at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 5, 2009.

Kyle's life was dedicated to caring for her husband and home-schooling their two children. Her heart's desire was for their children to attend college. To best honor Kyle's work as a home-school mom there has been a fund set up called The Sweet Children's College Fund.

Donations to this fund can be made payable and mailed to:
Sweet Children's College Fund
Sovereign Bank
50 Cohasset Avenue
Buzzards Bay, MA 02532

A private funeral service will be held in the coming days.

Michael Sweet is a well-known musician and vocalist, best known as the co-founder and frontman of the band Stryper. Sweet is also a guitarist and vocalist for BOSTON.

Jeremy Camp launches "Speaking Louder" Ministries

2009-03-18T11:56:00.001-07:00

Staying true to his heart and passion with the recent release, "Speaking Louder Than Before," BEC Recordings Artist Jeremy Camp launches new ministry aptly titled "Speaking Louder Ministries." The debut of this ministry is a direct correlation to the November 2008 release, which has already sold more than 120,000 units. In addition, digital downloads exceeding 100,000 singles of the emotional radio hit song "There Will Be a Day," which resonated strongly with listeners. This week the song remained at No. 1 for the 13th week at AC Indicator. It also stayed at No. 1 for 9 weeks at CHR.

The purpose behind "Speaking Louder Ministries" is two-fold: Bringing a raised awareness to the local outreaches in the cities that Jeremy Camp performs. Secondly, helping equip the church body and local community to get involved in ministry together impacting the needs of their community.

Last weekend marked the first outreach in the local markets for Speaking Louder Ministries. Jeremy performed concerts in Sioux Falls, SD, Minneapolis, MN, and Fargo, ND. At each local level, the partners with Speaking Louder promoted the concert and a local organization to meet the needs of the community. Through the site, volunteers were recruited and greeted concertgoers collecting the goods that were requested for the organization.

In Sioux Falls, SD, the Speaking Louder Ministries raised awareness for the McCrossan Boys Ranch. This boys' ranch houses more than 60 young men ranging from ages 10-17 years old, who have been displaced by family or lost a parent. After visiting the ranch, Camp and the volunteers gathered winter clothes for the boys at the concert that evening.

The following night in Minneapolis, MN, the ministry joined with the Minneapolis Children's Hospital. Camp visited with the children and families as well as performed songs at the hospital. The community was asked to bring Valentines of some form (stuffed animal, card, candy, etc). The overwhelming response generated in more than 30,000 Valentine's items being donated. Such a huge amount collected that the local radio station KTIS was able to take items to needy schools and daycares. Finally in Fargo, ND, Churches-United Homeless Shelter received more than 1,000 pounds of food donated through the concert.

This ministry will be an ongoing outreach to the communities Jeremy Camp visits throughout the year and specifically as he tours in the fall. Beginning March 17th in Billings, MT, Jeremy will be touring on The Rock & Roll Worship Roadshow featuring MercyMe, Hawk Nelson and Tenth Avenue North and Addison Road. Tour dates found on Jeremy's site.

Speaking Louder Than Before: The pinnacle of 2008 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.

About Jeremy Camp: Since his debut BEC Recordings' project in 2002 (Stay), Jeremy Camp has made a definitive mark in the industry with his ability to compose hit songs and capture audiences of all ages selling more than three million records. Following his Gold-selling debut, Camp has released four additional studio projects (Carried Me: The Worship Project, Restored, Beyond Measure and Speaking Louder Than Before), which have garnered a total of three RIAA Gold-Selling albums. With 17 career No. 1 radio 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. His most recent single "There Will Be A Day" hit the top on three formats on AC Indicator, CHR and AC Monitored. Jeremy Camp has also been honored with multiple Dove-nominations and five awards, a 2007 American Music Award nomination, and three-time ASCAP Christian Music Awards "Songwriter of the Year" (2008, 2006, 2005) winner including "Song of the Year" (2006). In 2008, Jeremy Camp was voted for the fifth consecutive year in a row by readers on Christianity Today's music site as the "Best Male Artist."

For the first time---cast your vote for the Dove Awards!

2009-03-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

Casting Crowns, Steven Curtis Chapman, Fireflight, Marvin Sapp, Third Day, TobyMac and Chris Tomlin have been nominated by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) membership for Artist of the Year at the 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards on April 23, 2009 in Nashville.

Those artists were among the Dove Award nominees announced at a press conference today at the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau Visitor Information Center. The GMA Dove Awards, gospel music’s biggest night of the year, featuring artists from every style of gospel/Christian music coming together for a night of music and celebration, will be broadcast nationwide live on the Gospel Music Channel from 8 – 10 p.m. (ET/PT) on Thursday, April 23, 2009.

"Christian and gospel music expresses itself in many different ways and we applaud all nominated artists for their unique contributions to the music landscape,” said John W. Styll, president of the Gospel Music Association (GMA). “The powerful messages of redemption, hope and joy found in the music of our Dove nominees come during a season in history when our country and the world need inspiration and encouragement.”

For the first time, fans will become stakeholders in the Dove Awards with an opportunity to vote for the winner of Artist of the Year along with New Artist of the Year, which includes nominees Addison Road, Francesca Battistelli, Fee, Jonathan Nelson, Remedy Drive, Chris Sligh and Tenth Avenue North. Fan voting, which will be conducted through the Gospel Music Channel website (www.gospelmusicchannel.com) and at www.doveawards.com, will open on February 26, the same day online voting opens for GMA members. The cumulative fan vote, which will continue through the live Dove Awards broadcast, will account for one-third of the total vote in those two categories.

The 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards will be handed out at Nashville’s famed Grand Ole Opry House. Tickets to the 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards are on sale now at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 615-242-0303.

While the awards are the purpose of the show, music performances will definitely share center stage at the Dove Awards, showcasing some of gospel music’s hottest and most diverse artists. In addition to the exclusive live broadcast, Gospel Music Channel will present back-to-back encore broadcasts that night and additional re-airings following. Gospel Music Channel’s rapid growth has made it the fastest growing network in television for the past two years and GMC is now available in more than 43 million homes in all major markets on the major cable systems as well as on DIRECTV on Channel 338.

The top artist nominee for Dove Awards is current three-time Male Vocalist of the Year Chris Tomlin, whose seven total nominations include Artist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year for “Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone).” His latest CD Hello Love was nominated for Praise & Worship Album, while “Jesus Messiah” from that project earned a nomination for Worship Song of the Year. Tomlin was also included in the Special Event Album category for his participation on the Passion: God of This City compilation album and in the Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song category for gospel artist LaRue Howard’s recording of Tomlin’s “How Great Is Our God,” which was the 2006 Song of the Year recipient.

Two female artists have the next biggest impact, with Natalie Grant and newcomer Francesca Battistelli each receiving five nominations. Grant, the current three-time Female Vocalist of the Year recipient, receives another nomination in the category, along with a nod for Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year for Relentless, while the No. 1 radio hit from that record, “I Will Not Be Moved” was nominated for Song of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year. The Grant-penned “Breathe on Me” rounds out her five nominations in the Worship Song of the Year category.

Battistelli, the New York-born singer songwriter and now Dove Award Female Vocalist and New Artist of the Year nominee, burst on the Christian music scene with her summer 2008 hit “I’m Letting Go.” That song has now received Dove Award nominations for Song of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year, and her debut CD My Paper Heart was nominated for Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year.

Four-time Group of the Year Dove Award winners Casting Crowns will go for five with another Group of the Year nomination in 2009. The worship band’s total of five nominations includes Artist of the Year and Christmas Album of the Year for Peace on Earth. Casting Crowns also earned nods for Short Form Video for “Slow Fade” and for Long Form Video for “The Altar and the Door Live.”

Among the other Artist of the Year nominees, Steven Curtis Chapman has previously won this award seven times, the last one in 2000. Chapman, who has been touring with Michael W. Smith on the United Tour, has had renewed spotlight this past year centered on the Song of the Year nominee “Cinderella” which became an anthem for fatherhood not only on Christian radio, but worldwide. “Cinderella” is also nominated for Pop/Contemporary Recorded song and Chapman’s co-write of Bart Millard’s “You Reign” is another Song of the Year nominee.

Fireflight is recognized as Artist of the Year in the first year they have received any Dove Award nominations. The female-fronted (Dawn Richardson) rock band received national exposure as a favorite of TV networks like NBC, ABC and ESPN which have licensed their songs. Fireflight was also named one of the winners of Taco Bell's first "Best of the Beat" fan-voted contest and was named Gospel Music Channel's first "Listen Up Artist" last year. Now, they have four Dove Award nominations including Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year for Unbreakable, Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song for “Unbreakable” and Rock Recorded Song of the Year for “The Hunger.”

Artist and Male Vocalist of the Year nominee Marvin Sapp made history last year when his single "Never Would've Made It," from the gold-selling CD Thirsty, became the longest-running No. 1 single ever across all radio formats, spending a staggering 47 weeks at the top of the gospel radio charts. Earlier this year, Sapp was honored with eight Stellar Awards.

TobyMac, the current Artist of the Year recipient, finds himself nominated again this year. The headliner of the popular Winter Wonder Slam concert series, TobyMac recently won his first solo GRAMMY Award for Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album with Alive and Transported. The concert DVD of that CD is also nominated for a Dove Award for Long Form Video of the Year.

Rounding out the Artist of the Year nominees, Third Day earns its nomination after a successful year with the release of Revelation, which is nominated for Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year. That CD debuted at No. 6 on The Billboard 200 chart in July, landing the band on the cover of Billboard magazine. Third Day also toured with Switchfoot, Jars of Clay and Robert Randolph & The Family Band on the "Music Builds Tour" for Habitat for Humanity and performed on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”

Other artists receiving four nominations include Brandon Heath, Mary Mary, Laura Story and Michael W. Smith.

Producers and songwriters also enjoyed big nomination success this year with Ian Eskelin (Francesca Battistelli, Remedy Drive) and Wayne Haun (Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, HisSong) each receiving eight nods while Ed Cash (Chris Tomlin, Laura Story) came in with six and Jason Ingram (Brandon Heath, Meredith Andrews) and Warryn Campbell (Mary Mary, Kierra Sheard) each received five nominations.

Announcing the nominations today were Dan and Jackie Evans, the son and mother team from season five of NBC’s reality show “The Biggest Loser.” Additionally, Dan’s debut CD, Goin’ All Out, bowed at #7 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart when it was released last fall. They were joined by Lisa Kimmey, former member of Out of Eden and currently a host/reporter for Gospel Music Channel.

Dove Awards will be handed out in 43 categories. The Songwriter of the Year nominees were not announced today, but will be revealed prior to the GMA Dove Awards. Dove Awards nominations go to recordings released during the eligibility year November 1, 2007 through October 31, 2008 and voted on by the members of the GMA. The complete nominations list is at www.doveawards.com.

The American Bible Society (www.americanbible.org) is official charity of the GMA.

About GMA:
Founded in 1964, the Gospel Music Association serves as the face and voice for the gospel/Christian music community and is dedicated to exposing, promoting and celebrating the gospel through music of all styles including pop, rock, praise & worship, black gospel, R&B, hip hop, southern gospel, country, and more. The GMA community consists of more than 3,000 members including agents, artists, church leaders, managers, promoters, radio personnel, record company executives, retailers, songwriters and other industry visionaries. The GMA produces the GMA Dove Awards, GMA Music Week and the GMA Academy. For more information, please visit www.gospelmusic.org.

Michael Tait to join Newsboys!

2009-03-11T07:53:00.000-07:00

After 22 years and more than 2000 shows, newsboys frontman Peter Furler will no longer front the band in concert. Michael Tait will be touring with the band as lead singer with Peter making special appearances throughout the year.

Peter will continue with the band and his trademark songwriting and production will remain as he focuses his professional career toward future newsboys recordings.

Michael has been on the road with the band over the past weeks working alongside Peter in what has been a positive and enjoyable experience for both parties. It has been a graceful process that both Peter and Michael have worked through as they prepare to make the change in the coming weeks.

Peter states “newsboys to me has always been a mission, and I entrust Mike, Jeff, Jody and Duncan to continue all that is in store for us as a band. I’m looking forward to focusing on the band’s studio career and spending time in my own bed after many years in a tour bus and hundreds of thousands of miles on the road.”

Wes Campbell, newsboys manager explains, “While the decision to replace Peter on the road was a painstaking one, when the idea of dc Talk vocalist Michael Tait was presented it was a no-brainer to all of us. No one can replace Peter, but we know Michael will bring a new attitude, energy and vocal style that will thrill our audience. To be able to continue a world class show and still have Peter behind the scenes guiding the career and making of newsboys music is a huge opportunity for all of us. It’s amazing that after many years of touring with dc Talk in the 1990s that in 2009 our paths would cross once again. It’s an exciting time for all of us.”

“For years, dc Talk and newsboys have been family and thus shared the same loyal and adoring fans, says Michel Tait. “When I received the initial call from newsboys to consider joining the band as lead singer, I was speechless! I immediately sought wise counsel and flooded the heavens with endless prayers for insight and vision, and I soon received a clear and definite peace. Last weekend, I had the opportunity to perform my first show as newsboys’ frontman to an audience of 12,000 people. I was completely wrapped in love and support by newsboys’ fans, who are clearly the best fans on the planet. Now I know this is exactly where I belong in this new and wonderful moment in my life’s history. This is a definite highlight of my career and for my 20+ years of walking with Jesus, and I am humbled, proud and privileged to call myself a newsboy.”

In the coming days Peter will be releasing a personal statement on the band’s website in more detail.

The band has recently finished recording its new studio album, In The Hands Of God, which features Peter as lead vocalist on the entire album. Street date for this record is May 5th.

With five gold albums, sales exceeding six million units, more than 20 No.1 radio hits, and a mantle of Dove Awards as well as Grammy nominations, newsboys has achieved phenomenal success in its two decades together. Known for its amazing live performances and groundbreaking tours, the band continues to sellout festivals and concerts worldwide, satisfying diehard fans and winning new ones in the process.

Phillip Larue solo debut coming April 7

2009-02-12T06:55:00.001-08:00

Anxiously ready to release his solo debut, Phillip LaRue and BEC Recordings announces the April 7, 2009 street date for the freewheeling spirited album "Let the Road Pave Itself." This release is a masterpiece in the making as Phillip LaRue finished recording the organic collection of original songs this past fall in Nashville, TN. He will also head out on the road later this month to begin connecting with listeners. These dates will give fans a taste of this artist's authentic expression and passion (dates / markets listed below).

"I put in my CD the other day to take a quick listen since it has been a while since we finished it and I have to say that I am proud of what Paul Moak (producer) and I did," shares Phillip LaRue of his debut. "These songs are all close to my heart. There is not one that I don't feel deep within when I sing them. So I am excited to hear what folks think about it when it releases. I think the title "Let the Road Pave Itself" is perfect for where I am right now as a musician and personally. I just feel so blessed that I was able to make this and partner with companies that believed in what I have to offer. 09' will be fun to watch."

As an artist that is not new to the industry or the Nashville music scene, Phillip LaRue has filled the role of producer (Krystal Meyers, Tenth Avenue North) and songwriter (Brandon Heath, Tenth Avenue North) since his duo LaRue (with his sister Natalie) called it quits in 2003.

"I'm stepping back into this world, and I could care less about some of the details," he shares. "As far as being popular, I've kind of tasted and seen that. I still want great things to happen, but more importantly I just want to be me in the process. I still believe in the power of music and want people to find hope through this record. If I can throw a rock and make another ripple, then what a blessing."

Being himself and playing for a cause, Phillip will perform on February 17th for the Home Foundation Benefit in his residence city of Nashville, TN. This concert will be held at the historic Belcourt Theater in Hillsboro Village featuring HOME founder Natalie Grant, Brandon Heath and Tenth Avenue North. All proceeds will benefit the HOMES project to support shelters for domestic victims of sexual trafficking. Ticket information / times below.

About "Let the Road Pave Itself" and Phillip LaRue:
An organic set of songs for the digital age, it was tracked live in the studio to an old fashioned two-inch tape reel, warmly capturing the sound of Phillip and his friends playing real time rock that's only ever concerned with life's deepest matters of love and faith. Recorded in this manner, Phillip kept many of the first takes without fixing to keep the album as natural as possible. One such example is the debut radio single and opening track, "Chasing the Daylight," a stirring mid-tempo rocker that has seen dark times but still declares I want to chase the daylight like it's the last day of my life.

For more information on Phillip LaRue and this upcoming debut, check out his MySpace and EPK at: www.myspace.com/philliplarue. In addition to the EPK, you can check out the upcoming radio single and opening track " Chasing the Daylight" on his MySpace page.

Details for February 17th Nashville Show:
Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Doors @ 6:30pm  Show @ 7 pm 

Advance Tickets: $20 general;

$10 student on sale online or at the box office after 4 pm 

Day of Tickets: $25 general; $12.50 student  

The Home Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to the eradication of human trafficking specifically sexual slavery. The HOMES project, an initiation of the foundation, will help raise awareness and funding to support the efforts of shelters across the U.S. dedicated to the restoration of those victims identified in the United States. For more information on the work of The Home Foundation you can visit www.thehomefoundation.net.

Upcoming Concerts: (with Bebo Norman)
2-25-09 Presque Isle, Maine
2-26-09 Frederction, New Brunswick Canada
2-27-09 Portland, Maine
2-28-09 Lewiston, Maine
3-01-09 Manchester, New Hampshire

Sanctus Real and Matthew West tour

2009-02-12T06:49:00.000-08:00

Award-winning Sparrow Records acts Matthew West and Sanctus Real will join WAY-FM and World Vision for the organizations’ first-ever national tour. Designed to bring World Vision’s ministry to the local station level, “The WAY-FM/World Vision ’09 Tour,” also featuring special guest Jason Gray, will kick off Jan. 28, 2009 in Charleston, SC, and visit 12 WAY-FM radio markets through Feb. 20, 2009.

“I’m ready to hit the road this spring with Sanctus Real,” says Matthew West. “WAY-FM has some of the greatest listeners in the world, and it’s going to be a blast visiting all these WAY-FM cities. Of course, the chance to team up with an outreach like World Vision is an honor, and we hope these concerts will be more than just music but a chance to change the world by teaming up with such an amazing ministry.”

“As we’re getting ready for the ‘WAY-FM/World Vision ’09 Tour,’ we see this as a unique opportunity for us to reach a whole new audience with our music,” says Sanctus Real frontman Matt Hammitt. “We’re great friends with Matthew West and so appreciate the ministry of both WAY-FM and World Vision. To be partnered with such great people is an honor and a pleasure. We know this will be a great tour on all levels and hope a ton of people come out and join us!”

“As the World Vision - WAY-FM partnership came together, we realized a national tour would be a great way to bring the story of the ministries of both organizations directly to our audience,” says Lloyd Parker, WAY-FM Chief Operating Officer. “Because both Matthew West and Sanctus have a heart for what we do, and they also receive a lot of airplay on WAY-FM, having them co-headline the tour made sense.”

“The World Vision Artist Associates Department has hoped for a tour with WAY-FM for many years,” says Jenny Lockwald, World Vision channel/product executive director, artist associates & volunteer programs. “This year along with the World Vision radio department we have produced a tour specific to the WAY-FM markets in conjunction with Maxx Live. The tour features Matthew West and Sanctus Real and introduces Jason Gray. We felt that the combination of these artists in concert would be attractive to the WAY-FM audience, as well as share World Vision ministry and need in serving the vulnerable and needy in over 100 countries on a daily basis.”

The WAY-FM/World Vision Tour ’09 itinerary:

January 28 Charleston, SC

January 30 Tallahassee, FL

January 31 Huntsville, AL

February 5 Panama City, FL

February 6 Ft Myers, FL

February 8 West Palm Beach, FL

February 10 Rome, GA

February 12 Bowling Green, KY

February 13 Clarksville, TN

February 14 Louisville, KY

February 19 Wichita, KS

February 20 Denver, CO

Storyside:B's Ron McClelland Dies

2009-01-26T10:56:00.000-08:00

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 questions regarding to what it says about Ron on our myspace. Yesterday January 18 Ron passed away. He was on a cruise with his wife Rebecca and 88.1 The Promise out of Jacksonville FL. He was playing basketball and suddenly collapsed, and they were unable to revive him. We are all shocked and deeply saddened of our brothers passing. Please keep his family and wife Rebecca in your prayers. We will be setting up a donation fund to help offset the cost of the funeral and to help support Ron's family. God Bless StorySide : 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

2009-01-05T08:01:00.001-08:00

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

2009-01-02T08:35:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-02T08:31:00.000-08:00

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!

Purple Door Festival 2009 Artist Lineup Announced - Lower Ticket Prices!

2008-12-09T16:22:00.000-08:00

In an ever-changing economy and music industry, Purple Door Arts and Music Festival, one of the nation’s premier Christian music events, is taking a bold approach to its 2009 Festival by offering more bands for a lower overall event ticket price. Additionally, the HM Stage will host
performances on Friday night as well as all day Saturday and most bands on all stages will play longer sets.

“Everyone at Purple Door knows that times are hard and we want to do our part to make things a little bit easier for our attendees, while thanking them for their support of the festival,” explains Purple Door Producer, Chris Strayer. “This year not only will we offer more bands and the addition of the HM stage Friday night but we will also offer lower ticket prices. All of the advance ticket prices are the cheapest they have been since 2005 and the gate price is the cheapest price since 2004.” In its 14th year, the annual arts and music festival will once again be held at Ski Roundtop in Lewisberry, PA August 14 and 15, and will play host to three stages of music, speakers an art gallery, skate park, paintball and much more.

Purple Door is also pleased to announce its initial line up for 2009. Artists slated to perform include:

Anberlin
Family Force 5
Mewithoutyou
Disciple
Project 86
Lecrae
Fireflight
Bradley Hathaway
Seabird
Nevertheless
House of Heroes
The Showdown
Spoken
Run Kid Run
Shawn McDonald
Deas Vail
John Mark McMillan
MyChildren MyBride
Becoming the Archetype
Reilly
Children 18:3
Capital Lights
Chasen
Esterlyn
B.Reith
Rainchildren

Speakers for the weekend will include Eric Timm of No One Under Ground and Renee Yohe, who inspired the organization To Write Love on Her Arms.

Tickets for the Purple Door Festival are available now and can be purchased online at iTickets.com

Ticket prices are as follows:
• December 8 – April 3: Advance Individual: $33.50 / Advance Group: $32.00
• April 4 – August 7: Advance Individual: $36.00 / Advance Group $35.00
• At the gate: All tickets $39.50

Additional announcements of highlights and new aspects to Purple Door 2009 will be forthcoming.

For more information about Purple Door Arts and Music Festival, including photos and videos from last year’s event, please visit www.purpledoor.com and www.myspace.com/purpledoorfestival.

Read our review and photo feature of the 2007 festival here.

New Recording from Kevin Max - Crashing Gates

2008-12-09T10:44:00.001-08:00

Kevin Max returns today with his latest recording, CRASHING GATES – an all-new 7-song studio recording that brings Max back to the passionate rock sounds that his fans have come to expect. This will be Max’s first release on the dPulse Recordings label.

"This is where THE IMPOSTER left off,” says Max about the new project. “I view this EP as a more focused collection of songs about the Apocalypse."

Joining with his frequent guitarists Erick Cole and Cary Barlow (of Luna Halo), and producer Jonathan Smith, Max recorded CRASHING GATES during a week of late-night sessions at X Marks the Spot Studios in the Green Hills area of Nashville.

“The process was interesting, more like a band than any other effort I have done, to date,” says Max. “We cut the songs, playing together, and sometimes found ourselves jamming into 10 minute long vamp sections.”

Max and his band will be touring the USA and Europe in support of CRASHING GATES, including upcoming dates in San Antonio, Dallas, Little Rock, Nashville, Bakersfield and Ballymena, Northern Ireland.

"Rock and roll has always been the most interesting music to me, because it is simple and yet undeniably emotional at the same time,” summarizes Max. “I am excited to see how this project connects."

CRASHING GATES - Track Listing:
1. Traveler
2. Baby, I’m Your Man
3. The Saint of Lonely Hearts
4. Future Love Song
5. Out of the Wild
6. Crashing Gates and Passing Keepers
7. Your Beautiful Mind (2009)

“We’re thrilled to be distributing Kevin’s latest work," says Robb McDaniels, Founder and CEO of INgrooves - the distribution partner for dPulse Recordings and Universal Music Group Distribution. "He’s a true musician and INgrooves is proud to have a role in getting his music heard.”

New Christmas CD from Alathea!

2008-12-09T10:39:00.000-08:00

The ladies of Alathea have brought us a wonderful folksy Christmas cd featuring terrific renditions of songs like "The First Noel", "What Child Is This", "Silent Night", "Tennessee Christmas", and more.

For a preview of some of the songs (including the above) visit their special Christmas CD Myspace.

Family Force 5 debuts new music video for "Radiator" on MySpace

2008-11-19T14:57:00.000-08:00

Watch the video below. Enjoy!
Radiator

Superchick making music video for "Cross the Line"

2008-11-19T14:53:00.000-08:00

CAPTION: Power pop-rock band Superchick stars in a music video for its newest single, “Cross The Line,” from the group’s current project, Rock What You Got. Filmed last month in Nashville, Tenn. the video, directed by Superchick’s Max Hsu, will be serviced to national media outlets early next year to coincide with the single’s release at CHR and Rock radio.

Read our review of Rock What You Got.

Relient K & House of Heroes Christmas Songs Coming Nov. 18th

2008-11-10T10:48:00.000-08:00

Relient K and House of Heroes bring their musical festive tidings to this year’s Christmas season on November 18th via digital music stores with three brand new holiday songs and an animated music video from Relient K, as well as label mates House of Heroes offering up their rendition of the classic “Silent Night”.

The three songs from Relient K will include “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “O Holy Night,” and “Silver Bells,” with an animated music video for the song “Sleigh Ride” coming as well. The Christmas anthems will be added to the platinum-selling band’s 2007 album, Let It Snow, Baby…Let It Reindeer, and upon purchasing online the customer will given a unique code and directions to download the additional three tunes. Fans can also anticipate extra gifts from Relient K upon purchase, including exclusive photos, downloadable wrapping paper, and a few other bonuses.

House of Heroes brings their powerhouse pop sound to “Silent Night” which is also available at all online music outlets on November 18th. The band, whose most recent album The End Is Not The End was delivered via digital stores, has seen an incredible response with the release making it to the #6 spot on the iTunes rock chart and #42 on the overall chart, with a #1 radio hit single and over 1 million plays on their MySpace page.

Relient K, who has toured with the likes of Switchfoot and Good Charlotte, has a GRAMMY nod, and three RIAA-certified Gold albums to their credit. The pop-punk band has performed on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” with their video for “Must Have Done Something Right” receiving airplay on mtvU, MTV Hits, FUSE's "Steven's Untitled Rock Show," Nickelodeon's The N, IMF and Music Choice. Relient K is comprised of lead singer/guitarist/pianist Matt Thiessen, lead guitarist Matt Hoopes, drummer Ethan Luck, bassist John Warne and guitarist Jon Schneck.

House of Heroes’ discography includes a 2005 self-titled debut and the re-release Say No More in 2006. Prior to signing a record deal with Mono Vs Stereo/Gotee, the band released an indie project What You Want Is Now (2002) to much critical acclaim and a large grassroots following. On the tour front, House of Heroes has opened up for the likes of Filter, Silverchair, Relient K, and MxPx, as well as full-blown tours with acts including Spoken, The Evan Anthem, Last Tuesday, Dropping Daylight, Love Arcade, and Kids In The Way. The band is Columbus-Ohio natives Tim Skipper (guitar/lead vocals), A.J Babcock (bass/vocals), Colin Rigsby (drums/vocals), and Jared Rigsby (guitar/vocals).

The Washington Projects release Christmas EP

2008-11-10T10:41:00.000-08:00

Following the success of their debut release earlier this year, The Washington Projects (formerly Souljahz) are pleased to announce the release of their Christmas EP. The six-song release is available now through online digital outlets.

Click below to buy at iTunes:

Christmas features three original songs, “Stay A While”, “Thank You For Christmas” and “This Christmas” as well as three instrumental tracks. The EP showcases the vocal talents of the brother and sister duo, Je’kob and Rachael Washington with a solo performance by Je’Kob on “This Christmas”, a song written for his wife, and Rachael performs solo on “Stay A While”.

"Christmas has always been our favorite holiday and season, from what it represents to how it makes us feel,” Je’kob and Rachael explain. “We bump Christmas jams and literally celebrate it all year round so it was only a matter of time before we cranked out some warm and fuzzy goodness for our listeners.”

The EP is available exclusively through digital online outlets, iTunes, Rhapsody and Amazon, as well as the Washington Projects' website.

Released in March of this year, The Washington Projects’ debut project, Commanders of the Resistance has seen great success, garnering critical acclaim from many media outlets. The video for “Take it to the Streets” remained at #1 on the Gospel Music Channel for five weeks and the “You Are My World” video is currently in rotation and holding the #3 spot overall, #1 in the Soul Category.

In support of Commanders of the Resistance, Washington Projects were part of the Dare2Share Tour this past year with Hawk Nelson, Sanctus Real, Lincoln Brewster, Stellar Kart and others. In December of this year Washington Projects will go out on a USO Europe/Mediterranean Tour to support the troops. Tour dates will be announced soon.

For more information about The Washington Projects and their Christmas EP, please visit www.WashingtonProjects.com or www.myspace.com/washingtonprojects.

Read our interview with the Washington Projects here.

Pillar bassist Michael "Kalel" Wittig leaving group

2008-10-13T10:25:00.000-07:00

Longtime bassist for Grammy nominated and Dove Award winning hard rock band Pillar, Michael “Kalel” Wittig recently announced that he will leave the group to pursue other opportunities. Among his new ventures are artist management/marketing/consulting company JMA Music, and Stars Go Dim, a band he created with former Pillar drummer Lester Estelle.

Wittig first informed fans of his departure from Pillar late last month on Facebook and MySpace. In a statement he said, “It’s been an amazing 10 years of my life that I will never forget … There are many reasons why, but it is just the right time … I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to be a part of something that has changed so many lives.”

In addition to spending more time with family, Wittig plans to focus his energies on JMA Music, a management/marketing/consulting company he developed with partner Joey Avalos in 2007. An astute businessman, Wittig has always had an interest in artist development as well as a desire to “give back to these younger groups and help them to be their best.” JMA Music’s current clients include emerging bands One Minute Halo (myspace.com/oneminutehalo) and A Road Less Traveled (myspace.com/aroadlesstraveled). For more information on JMA Music, visit www.jmamusic.com.

And while investing in up-and-coming artists, Wittig will continue to hone his own craft, joining up with former Pillar bandmate Lester Estelle, Joey Avalos (Justifide, Sky Harbor) and Chris Cleveland for pop/rock band Stars Go Dim, a significant departure from the Pillar sound. The group will release its debut EP October 21, 2008 in advance of a full-length project, Love Gone Mad, produced by Estelle, next year. Currently Stars Go Dim is booking dates throughout the Midwest. A tour itinerary will soon be posted at www.myspace.com/starsgodim. For additional info on the band, visit www.starsgodim.com.

“I am grateful for the early enthusiastic response to Stars Go Dim,” says Wittig. “It’s been exciting to work with this band from the ground up, and I am eager to move forward with our first record and tour.”

Michael “Kalel” Wittig began his music career more than 12 years ago. As a member of Pillar, whose career sales currently exceed 700,000 records, Wittig has toured internationally, produced six Radio & Records No. 1 hits, charted on Active Rock radio, won three Dove Awards, received a Grammy nomination and been spotlighted by major media outlets including Bass Player magazine, MTV, and Fuse TV.

Superchick's Melissa Brock visits Uganda

2008-10-13T10:21:00.000-07:00

Vocalist/guitarist for power-pop band Superchick, Melissa Brock visits with one of her sponsored children, Mumbere Kisonice, at a Compassion project in Masaka, Uganda last month. More than 2000 children have been sponsored since 2004 through Superchick's partnership with Compassion International.

(Click to enlarge photo)

Jars of Clay & Sixpence None The Richer Christmas Tour

2008-10-13T10:03:00.001-07:00

Grammy and Dove awardwinning band JARS OF CLAY are excited to announce LOVE CAME DOWN: A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT. Jars of Clay will be joined by the recently reunited SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER, along with Sara Groves and Leeland, as they embark on a 13city tour filled with holiday songs and stories in celebration of the Christmas season.

Last year, Jars of Clay gave their fans a Christmas gift. CHRISTMAS SONGS was the first holiday release from the band in their 12year career. The band brought new light to memorable Christmas songs such as "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "In the Bleak Midwinter," and broke new ground with their own original holiday songs such as "Winter Skin" and "Evergreen." When they decided to go out on tour this season, they asked their friends Leigh Nash and Matt Slocum of Sixpence None The Richer to come along.

Grammynominated band Sixpence None The Richer was in a similar position as Jars of Clay. Their loyal fans had been asking for a Christmas record for years, and they thought there was no better way to celebrate their reunion then with a special album for their fans. THE DAWN OF GRACE will be released on October 14 and is made up of 10 tracks: eight traditional Christmas songs, including "Angels We Have Heard On High" and "Silent Night," featuring guest vocalist Dan Haseltine of Jars of Clay, and two original Sixpence holiday tunes called "The Last Christmas" and "Christmas for Two."

Both bands are also in the process of recording new material to be released in 2009. Jars of Clay have been in and out of the studio with producer Ron Aniello (Lifehouse, Guster, Barenaked Ladies) to put the final touches on their upcoming album, due out in early 2009. They have already released the CLOSER EP on all major digital service providers in anticipation of the upcoming fulllength; the fivesong EP contains two brand new tracks ("Closer" and "Safe To Land"), as well as new versions of fan favorites including "Flood" and "Love Song For A Savior." They are currently in the midst of the "Music Builds" tour, which benefit local affiliates of Habitat For Humanity.

Sixpence None The Richer will hit the studio after the holidays to begin working on their first fulllength original record in over four years to be released in the summer of 2009.

Catch LOVE CAME DOWN: A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT on the following dates:

Dec 4 Montgomery, AL @ Montgomery Performing Arts Center
Dec 5 Longwood, FL @ Northland Church
Dec 6 Pompano Beach, FL @ Pompano Beach Amphitheatre
Dec 7 Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Echerd Hall
Dec 13 Grand Rapids, MI @ Sunshine Church
Dec 14 Merrillville, IN @ Star Plaza Theatre
Dec 17 Glenside, PA @Keswick Theatre
Dec 18 Plymouth, MA @ Memorial Hall
Dec 19 Lewiston, ME @ Androscoggin Bank Coliseum
Dec 20 Long Island City, NY @ Evangel Church
Dec 21 Harrisburg, PA @ Whitaker Center for the Science and Arts

pureNRG to release video "Here We Go Again" on Yahoo! Kids

2008-10-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

Fervent Records’ popular tween group pureNRG is scheduled to debut their highly-anticipated video, “Here We Go Again,” on the homepage of Yahoo! Kids this Thursday, October 9 at 12:00 pm PST.

Yahoo! Kids is one of the web’s leading resources for safe, fun, kid-appropriate information. Yahoo! Kids integrates great assets from the Yahoo! network – most notably games and music. The site is the destination for exclusive movie trailers and music video premieres from popular entertainers. In addition, the site delivers educational tools that are used in thousands of classrooms each month.

To view the video premiere, please visit http://kids.yahoo.com. For more information on pureNRG, please visit www.purenrgonline.com

Michael W. Smith Set to Launch Christmas Tour

2008-10-07T08:52:00.000-07:00

October 6, 2008 – GRAMMY® award-winning and multi-Platinum selling artist Michael W. Smith will celebrate this holiday season with the 16-show “It’s A Wonderful Christmas Tour.” Featuring “American Idol” alum Melinda Doolittle as special guest, the tour kicks off Nov. 29, in Youngstown, Ohio and will hit major markets like Dallas, St. Paul, Spokane, Portland and more before it concludes in Phoenix on Dec. 19.

The Associated Press calls Smith’s Christmas music “cinematic,” and this tour will showcase exactly why he has become one of the most popular holiday performers in the music industry today. Each tour date will feature Smith with a full symphony orchestra, performing selections from his three Christmas albums including his acclaimed 2007 release, It’s A Wonderful Christmas.

“There is no greater thrill for me, as an artist, than to play with a symphony orchestra,” Smith explains. “Christmas is my favorite time of the year, and I love Christmas music. My goal every night is to make sure everyone leaves in the Christmas spirit. Having Melinda Doolittle there certainly helps. Her voice is amazing. The Christmas shows really are special and I can’t wait to take the stage every night.”

“This is my second year to have the honor of being with Michael W. Smith on tour,” Doolittle adds. “I am head over heels with excitement. I can't even describe how amazing it is to sing with a full orchestra each night and to share the stage with Smitty. And to top it all off, it’s Christmas music that will pull on your heart strings, lighten your spirit and remind you of why we really celebrate this wonderful holiday!”

Smith’s holiday tour will come on the heels of a whirlwind fall, during which he has teamed up for the first time with fellow artist Steven Curtis Chapman for the highly-successful “United Tour” and prepares to release his 21st album, A New Hallelujah (Oct. 28). The anticipated new worship project was recorded live before more than 12,000 in attendance, with a 250-voice choir.

Tickets for “It’s A Wonderful Christmas Tour” are on sale now. For more information on that tour and “The United Tour,” go to www.michaelwsmith.com.

Ruth's new album streeting October 28th

2008-09-24T07:49:00.000-07:00

After a successful debut in 2007 (Secondhand Dreaming) and extensive touring with Switchfoot and Relient K (2007 "Appetite for Construction Tour with Habitat for Humanity") as well as Emery, Ruth is proud to return with their sophomore release, Anorak, on October 28th.

Titled after the British slang definition of an obsessive enthusiast, Anorak is a reference to a person who has an unfathomable interest in something and feels compelled to talk at length about it. The project was produced by acclaimed roster of Aaron Sprinkle (Copeland, Anberlin), Chris Keene (Surrogate, Number One Gun), and Kelsey Smith. The album was also mixed by Ken Andrews (Mae, Pete Yorn) and JR McNeely (The Almost, Relient K).

"I would hope that the music we play is something a little more timeless," band's founder, singer/guitarist Dustin Ruth confesses. "Hopefully whomever gets one of our albums ten years from now, they're driving somewhere, and they can still listen to these songs and enjoy it. Our ten year goal for the band is that no matter what, we would still be real, that we would still be who we are, no matter how many records we sold."

Written primarily at rest stops and hotels, Anorak captures the emotions and experiences of watching dreams come true and others fall beyond reach. Ruth's music is liberating, freeing and uplifting, while at the same time avoiding the pitfalls of cliché and easy, safe or predictable melodies. Anorak is at once challenging and yet simple to understand, recalling the best of '80s radio, '90's English pop and contemporary indie without sounding derivative of any particular genre.

"This one feels more like a band album," Dustin says. "We had a lot more time to develop through a year and a half of solid touring. It made going into this album a lot different. As a songwriter, I put a lot more time and devotion into writing the songs that we really wanted on this album. These songs were written more intentionally for this album."

The band will also return to the touring sector with Decemberadio after a summer filled with dates. Check out their MySpace for updated dates.

Read our interview with Ruth here.

Leeland Hurricane Ike Update

2008-09-17T10:07:00.001-07:00

From the guys in Leeland...

Hurricane Ike Update

We can't thank you all enough for praying during this terrible time. Through comments on our blog, we know that hundreds of you are.

Baytown, Texas, on the east side of Houston, is our hometown. The entire area is currently without power. We have countless family and friends who will be without work for weeks to come. The financial toll that a disaster like Hurricane Ike leaves is unbelievable.

Somehow, the homes of all of us in Leeland are completely fine (as are we), but our home-church sustained significant damage. There is standing water in the sanctuary. The roof/ceiling leaked tremendously and lots of ceiling tiles caved in. We will be unable to have services at the church building for at least five weeks and the building will need major repairs.

We ask for your continued prayers during this difficult time.

Thanks for the love. God bless each of you.

Leeland, Jack, Jake, Mike and Matt (Leeland)

For more information, please visit our blog.

Newsboys release Live CD/DVD "Houston We Are Go" Sept. 30

2008-09-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

International pop/rock phenomenon newsboys captures the best of its explosive sell-out “GO” tour on the new CD/DVD project newsboys live: Houston We Are Go, releasing Sept. 30 on Inpop Records.

Filmed and recorded in Houston during the third leg of the “GO” tour this past spring, newsboys live: Houston We Are Go takes the band’s wildly successful tour and commits it to tape. “We felt on every level, this was our strongest tour to date, and we wanted to capture it,” says band member Jeff Frankenstein (keyboards).

The band credits the fans with making the tour exceptional. “The newsboys fan base is so diverse, from 3 to 93, different ethnic, economic, denominational and religious backgrounds. We have been fortunate to have the opportunity to grow up with our audience. From the times we played high school auditoriums in the ’80s to arenas in 2008. Every night they turned out in droves and we had a great time,” he says.

Inpop President Dale Bray agrees, “The newsboys ‘GO’ tour was a true music spectacular, featuring production values never seen before in Christian music. The song list was a complete history of the band’s depth of number 1 songs along with the energy and showmanship we have grown to expect from this world class band. Capturing this performance in both audio and visual formats was a must.”

The 95-city groundbreaking “GO” tour ran from Spring 2007-Spring 2008 and boasted sold out shows on all three legs. With an average audience of 3000, setting a record in Houston, TX where 8800 attended, the tour grossed seven million dollars, giving evidence that newsboys continues to innovate its live show and offer fans an entertainment experience that changes lives. This live CD/DVD showcases hits from both the current release GO (“I Am Free,” “Wherever We Go,” “Something Beautiful”), as well as classic newsboys tunes including “Shine,” “Breakfast,” “He Reigns” and “It Is You,” all from gold-selling albums.

The newsboys live: Houston We Are Go track listing includes:

1. Shine
2. Wherever We Go
3. The Mission
4. Something Beautiful
5. Blessed Be Your Name
6. Stay Strong
7. Amazing Love
8. Entertaining Angels
9. He Reigns
10. Breakfast
11. Your Love Is Better Than Life
12. Drum Solo
13. I Am Free
14. Peter’s Testimony

Read our interview with the Newsboys here.

Barlowgirl's Home for Christmas coming September 23rd

2008-09-10T08:19:00.001-07:00

Fervent Records' talented trio BarlowGirl is ready to spend this Christmas season with you, and many more to come, with their first holiday project, Home For Christmas. The CD is slated to release September 23rd, 2008.

Produced by long-time friend Otto Price (GRITS, dcTalk) and arranged by Price and BarlowGirl, Home For Christmas is a timeless recording of songs ideal for ushering in the holiday season. The eleven tracks, finely showcasing BarlowGirl's well-known seamless harmonies, offer full orchestral arrangements of Christmas favorites along with an original recording, "Hallelujah (Light Has Come)."

Before they even formed BarlowGirl, the rock trio - Rebecca, Alyssa and Lauren Barlow - have dreamt of making an album of their favorite Christmas songs since their youth. Blessed with joyous family holiday memories from singing carols to baking cookies for neighbors, BarlowGirl knows firsthand Christmas is a special time of year to bring joy to others, to reach out and help provide for those in need. With each of the tracks found on Home For Christmas, there is no doubt they uniquely capture what the holiday season is all about, making this a classic compilation to enjoy for years to come.

Home For Christmas song listing:

1. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
2. Carol Of The Bells/Sing We Now Of Christmas
3. I'll Be Home For Christmas"
4. Hallelujah (Light Has Come)
5. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
6. What Child Is This?
7. Panis Angelicus
8. Angelic Proclamation (O Come All Ye Faithful/Angels We Have Heard On High/Hark! The Herald Angels Sing)
9. Go, Tell It On The Mountain
10. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
11. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

In addition to their upcoming holiday release, BarlowGirl announced in July they are headlining their Million Voices Tour this fall, a unique 16+ market nationwide tour that will be sure to encourage concert-goers to speak hope, truth and love to others. Also continuing their partnership with Mercy Ministries - a program that provides young women hope and healing who are seeking freedom from life-controlling issues such as addictions, depression, eating disorders, and abuse - BarlowGirl will share with their audiences about the organization and encourage them to get involved. With the help of their fans, BarlowGirl has set a goal to raise $1,000,000 to build a new home for Mercy Ministries, whose waiting list is in the hundreds.

The Million Voices Tour starts September 10th and will run through mid-November. Joining the sisters on the tour is Jimmy Needham along with Brooke Barrettsmith. Tour dates are listed below and for the most updated tour information, please visit www.barlowgirl.com or www.myspace.com/barlowgirl. For more information about Mercy Ministries, visit www.mercyministries.org.

The Million Voices tour dates*:
9/12 The Woodlands, TX
9/13 Cleburne, TX
9/14 Waco, TX
9/16 Midland, TX
9/17 Los Cruces, NM
9/19 Parker, CO
9/20 Albuquerque, NM
9/21 Mesa, AZ
9/24 Oceanside, CA
9/25 Riverside, CA
9/26 Camarillo, CA
9/27 Bakersfield, CA
9/28 San Jose, CA
9/30 Redding, CA

10/2 Vancouver, WA
10/3 Wenatchee, WA
10/4 Spokane, WA
10/5 Kennewick, WA
10/7 Salt Lake City, UT
10/8 Casper, WY
10/9 Kearney, NE
10/11 Duluth, MN
10/12 Elgin, IL
10/23 Clarksville, TN
10/24 St. Louis, MO
10/25 Jonesboro, AR
10/26 Madison, AL
10/30 Sioux Falls, SD
10/31 Jamestown, ND

11/1 Minneapolis, MN
11/2 Iowa City, IA
11/6 Springfield, MO
11/7 Cincinnati, OH
11/8 Shippensburg, PA
11/9 Vineland, NJ

*Schedule subject to change. Please visit www.barlowgirl.com for the most updated tour schedule

Point of Grace re-signs with Word records

2008-09-10T08:08:00.001-07:00

Grammy-nominated and Dove Award-winning group, Point of Grace, re-signs with Word Records after 15 years with the label.

“We are excited to continue our longstanding partnership with Point Of Grace,” says Word Entertainment COO Rod Riley. “They have an outstanding ministry and an incredible work ethic; we are thrilled to be a part of this next chapter in their career.”

Pictured (front row) are Denise Jones, Leigh Cappillino and Shelley Breen; (back row) Mike Blanton (BHCC), Cheri Kaufmann (BHCC), Word Entertainment CEO Jim Van Hook, Word Entertainment COO Rod Riley, Word Entertainment Sr. VP of A&R and Publishing Susan Riley, Word Records A&R Director Conor Farley.

Third Day to offer Christmas Offerings DVD in October!

2008-09-10T08:06:00.000-07:00

Multi-platinum and GRAMMY winning Third Day is set to release its Christmas Offerings DVD October 7, 2008, a fourth work in its acclaimed Offerings worship series, which has scanned numbers approaching the 2.5 million unit mark, to date. Recorded live during the band’s 2007 “Christmas Offerings” Tour, the live concert Christmas Offerings DVD features a unique blend of Christmas classics, originals and some of Third Day’s most well known worship songs. The live concert DVD is sure to bring the spirit of the Christmas season, as seen and heard through the live experience of the remarkable Third Day, into homes everywhere.

Third Day’s lead singer Mac Powell shares, “We are so excited to have this opportunity to share the special and intimate moments of a Christmas-centered Third Day concert performance with our fans everywhere. The Offerings series has become such a special part of who we are as a band, and with the Christmas Offerings DVD, we really hope to reflect the hope of Christmas, one of the most special times of the year to all of us in Third Day.”

The Christmas Offerings DVD includes the following live performances (subject to change): “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “Do You Hear What I Hear,” “King of Glory,” “Born In Bethlehem,” “What Child Is This?,” “Christmas Like A Child,” “Show Me Your Glory,” “Angels We Have Heard On High,” “Your Love Oh Lord,” “Merry Christmas,” “O Holy Night,” “Jesus, Light of Wonder,” “God of Wonders” and “Creed.”

Third Day’s Offerings series comprises the following four projects: Offerings I, Offerings II, Christmas Offerings and the soon-to-be-released Christmas Offerings DVD (10/7/08).

Krystal Meyers song "Make Some Noise" selected to promote fall NBC lineup

2008-08-22T07:14:00.000-07:00

NBC has selected “Make Some Noise,” the title-track from Krystal Meyers’ upcoming September 9, 2008 album, as its theme song to promote the NBC 2008 Fall line-up. The first promo spot featuring “Make Some Noise” will air tonight (8/8/08) during the first half-hour of the 2008 Olympics opening ceremonies, and will continue on through the promotion of NBC’s new Fall 2008 lineup.

Jim Vescera, EVP On Air Advertising West Coast, NBC, shares, “When we at NBC decided to embrace the ‘beautiful noise’ of our chimes (G-E-C), we looked no further than “Make Some Noise” by Krystal Meyers when wrapping our entire entertainment line-up in one blow-out fall promo.”

In addition,“Make Some Noise” has been selected to be on the official 2008 Olympics album, Olympics 2008 – One World One Dream. The project was approved by the International Olympics Committee. Krystal Meyers’ song, “Make Some Noise,” will appear alongside music from artists such as Pink, Avril Lavigne, John Mayer, Natasha Bedingfield, Fireflight, Boys Like Girls, among others. The album will release in early August 2008.

Krystal’s international success continues with radio airplay of “Make Some Noise” in Indonesia (No. 1 on DJ-FM), Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.

Make Some Noise is Meyers’ third studio album. The 10-track project, entirely written or co-written by Meyers, was recorded in Brentwood, Tenn. at Dutchland Studio, and was produced by Doubledutch (Mat Kearney, TobyMac).

A beautiful young woman, always effortlessly fashionable, Meyers is almost an anomaly in today’s culture. In a world where young artists seem to continually wind up as troubled tabloid fodder, she’s a successful recording artist who is incredibly grounded and ever mindful of her platform as an influencer. She’s equally comfortable appearing on the cover of Nylon Magazine (Japan) or speaking to young girls on the Revolve tour, an outing she’s looking forward to this fall.

Read our interview with Krystal here.

Sanctus Real fall "We Need Each Other" tour

2008-08-22T07:09:00.000-07:00

Dove Award-winning modern rock band Sanctus Real will showcase music from its acclaimed February 2008 release, We Need Each Other, live on tour this fall. The “We Need Each Other” tour, additionally featuring Tenth Avenue North, VOTA and speaker Sammy Adebiyi, will visit more than 30 cities nationwide.

Kicking off Sept. 4, 2008 in Perrysburg, Ohio, the “We Need Each Other” tour will makes its way through 16 states from Maine to Florida, Pennsylvania to California, wrapping up on Nov. 8, 2008. Beginning July 18, fans who purchase their ticket at iTickets.com will receive a free download of an exclusive acoustic version of “Black Coal” from We Need Each Other. The promotion will run through Aug. 8.

“This tour is a chance for people to experience the best of what we've been building for over a decade,” says Sanctus Real frontman Matt Hammitt. “Every show is focused on strengthening the relationship between us and our audience. Together, we will accomplish something much greater than music or a concert. Together, we will change lives.”

“This Fall’s tour with Sanctus Real has shaped up to be extremely well-received among churches spreading as far North as Maine and even out to California and the Pacific Northwest,” says Kevin Huffman, artist agent for Third Coast Artists Agency. “Our contacts have embraced the vision of Sanctus Real and their heart for relief in Africa, along with the added support from Tenth Avenue North, Vota and speaker Sammy Adebiyi.”

One of the top Christian rock bands today, Toledo, Ohio-based Sanctus Real’s breakthrough album, The Face of Love, released in April 2006, landing at No 2 on the Billboard Top Heetseekers chart and amassing a string of radio hits including No. 1 songs “I’m Not Alright” and “Don’t Give Up.” While The Face of Love was inspired by real-life heartache and rediscovered joy, the band’s fourth studio release, We Need Each Other, marks a completion of that healing process and is a call for unity. Described by multiple media outlets as Sanctus Real’s best project to date, the record’s title track was a No. 1 hit on Christian Hit Radio. Popularly known for its captivating live performance, the group most recently toured with Third Day last spring. A complete “We Need Each Other” tour itinerary follows this release. For all the latest Sanctus Real news, go to www.sanctusreal.com, www.myspace.com/sanctusreal, and www.emicmg.com.

Tenth Avenue North, made up of members Mike Donehey (lead vocalist/acoustic guitar), Jason Jamison (drummer), Jeff Owen (electric guitar/background vocals) and Scott Sanders (bass guitar), has been featuring its brand of intellectual, melodic, pop-rock on tour in support of its single, “Love Is Here,” and its debut project, Over and Underneath. “Simply, our mission as a band is to know Christ and to make him known,” says Donehey. “It’s a grand adventure.” With one listen to the music of Tenth Avenue North, it becomes obvious that songwriter Mike Donehey and his bandmates have a gift for expressing truth in a way that simultaneously educates, enlightens and entertains. They are as much teachers, as artists, demonstrating this through their intellectual, yet vulnerably accessible songs that echo the heart of the human condition and the hope of the risen Savior. Discover more about this up-and-coming band at www.tenthavenuenorth.com.

VOTA, formerly recognized as Casting Pearls, is reinventing themselves with a new name, new sound and new record label. Bryan Olesen, Case Maranville and Scott Rutz wanted to distinguish themselves amongst the crowds and distinguish they did. VOTA signed to INO Records earlier this year and have been busy in Franklin, TN working with producer Nathan Dantzler for their upcoming self-titled album releasing digitally in late fall 2008 with retail release date in the beginning of 2009. They are excited for their fans, both new and old, to hear their newly recorded songs live and share in the next stage of the journey.

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Sam’s unlikely journey began in high school when two of his friends each had separate dreams in which they saw Sam preaching to a room full of white people. Since Sam only knew two white people growing up, he decided to follow these ‘dreams’ by applying to colleges in America. While in the U.S. he was presented with the opportunity to serve at a college ministry where he led and taught more than 100 mostly white college students. Last year, Sam led 35 college students to give $3700 in one night to build a well in Africa. Several months later, he challenged his home church of a few hundred people to follow Jesus in the same way, and they gave $7000 in one morning to build two wells. His crazy dreads, unique journey, passion for students and great storytelling are just a few of the many things that make Sam a unique and relevant communicator. He is currently on staff as the college pastor at the Vineyard Church in Toledo, OH where he lives with his new bride, Ashley.

###

“WE NEED EACH OTHER” TOUR DATES

Thu, Sep 4, 08
Perrysburg, OH
Cedar Creek Church

Fri, Sep 5, 08
Forest Park, OH
The Underground-OH

Sat, Sep 6, 08
Spring Arbor, MI
Spring Arbor University

Wed, Sep 10, 08
Elk City, OK
Pioneer Center

Thu, Sep 11, 08
Stillwater, OK
First United Methodist

Sat, Sep 13, 08
Kerrville, TX
Schreiner University

Sun, Sep 14, 08
Abilene, TX
Paramount Theater

Fri, Sep 19, 08
Pittsfield, MA
Taconic High School

Sat, Sep 20, 08
Bangor, ME
Abundant Life Church

Sun, Sep 21, 08
Souderton, PA
Calvary Church

Thu, Sep 25, 08
Wausau, WI
Wausau East High School Auditorium

Fri, Sep 26, 08
Minneapolis, MN
Club 3 Degrees

Sat, Sep 27, 08
Palos Heights, IL
Trinity Christian College

Wed, Oct 8, 08
Salina, KS
The City

Fri, Oct 10, 08
Lubbock, TX
Turning Point Community Church

Tue, Oct 14, 08
Phoenix, AZ
Desert Springs Bible Church

Thu, Oct 16, 08
Wildomar, CA
Cornerstone Community Church

Fri, Oct 17, 08
Santa Maria, CA
Pacific Christian Center

Sat, Oct 18, 08
Highland, CA
Immanuel Baptist Church

Sun, Oct 19, 08
Las Vegas, NV
Valley Bible Fellowship

Thu, Oct 23, 08
Portland, OR
Sunset Presbyterian

Fri, Oct 24, 08
Medford, OR
Mountain Christian Fellowship

Sat, Oct 25, 08
Redmond, WA
Overlake Christian Church

Sun, Oct 26, 08
Spokane, WA
The Service Station

Thu, Nov 6, 08
Muskegon,. MI
Frauenthal Theatre

Fri, Nov 7, 08
Port Huron, MI
McMorran Place Theatre

Sat, Nov 8, 08
Gaylord, MI
Gaylord E-Free Church

*Dates subject to change

Stryper lead singer Michael Sweet to perform with Boston

2008-08-08T07:06:00.000-07:00

Stryper frontman and accomplished solo artist Michael Sweet is touring with the legendary band BOSTON this summer on a headlining tour of North America. Sweet is sharing lead vocals and playing guitar, performing the band's classic hits like "More than a Feeling," “Peace of Mind,” “Amanda” and “Don't Look Back.” Boston has sold over 30 million albums worldwide, including the band's 1976 self-titled debut which has sold over 17 million copies to date, and was the highest selling debut of all time.

The tour kicked off in Thunder Bay, Ontario on June 6th, and will take the band to 54 cities throughout the USA and Canada before wrapping up in San Juan, Puerto Rico on August 31st. Joining Boston on the tour is equally legendary rock band Styx.

"The tour has been a breath of fresh air and yet so surreal," says Michael Sweet. "I'm standing next to Tom Scholz, trading guitar solos and having the time of my life. Boston is such a big part of my musical background and this music helped shape who I am as an artist, writer, producer and musician. It truly is 'More Than a Feeling!'"

Prior to the commencement of the 2008 Boston tour, Stryper put the finishing touches on a brand new studio record to be released in 2009 and titled "Murder By Pride." The album will include a cover of the Boston song "Peace of Mind" that features Boston guitarist Tom Scholz on the recording. Ironically, Stryper had recorded "Peace of Mind" and planned to put it on their 2009 release long before Michael Sweet was even considered as a new member of Boston. Stryper's "Peace of Mind" featuring Tom Scholz is now available on iTunes and other digital stores.

With Stryper, Sweet has sold more than 8 million albums worldwide. The group’s unprecedented 1986 album "To Hell with the Devil" went platinum and was named one of the “100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music” by CCM Magazine.

"I've been blessed with the opportunity to be a member of Boston," adds Sweet. "I feel that it's a new chapter in my life and I also feel that it's part of Gods plan upon my life at this time. My wife Kyle has been so supportive and it's quite astonishing - I couldn't do this without her."

Photo Credit: Andy Argyrakis, Charter One Pavilion in Chicago - July 23, 2008

Michael W. Smith to release A New Hallelujah Oct. 28

2008-08-08T06:52:00.000-07:00

On June 20, 2008 in Houston, Texas, along with more than 12,000 in attendance, Michael W. Smith recorded his third worship album, A New Hallelujah, which will be available everywhere October 28, 2008 (Reunion Records). A choir of 250, along with special guests, The African Children’s Choir and worship leaders Israel Houghton and Coalo Zamorano, led a two-hour worship event, yielding A New Hallelujah.

The upcoming record, Smith’s 21st, will offer a unique, moving worship experience through songs like “Mighty to Save,” “Amazing Grace/My Chains Are Gone” and “I Surrender All,” (song list subject to change) along with several new songs that Michael wrote especially for the project. The title track was penned by Smith, his wife Debbie and friend Paul Baloche. The album was arranged and produced by Smith.

“Since my last world tour a few years ago, I’ve been looking forward to recording a live worship project that reflected something more global than I’ve ever done before; a collection of songs and voices to translate what I experienced that year. I had hoped for an evening of worship that reflected the corners of our nation, and the world; I think we captured that,” shares Smith. “My great friend Israel Houghton, the world renowned African Children’s Choir, an incredible young worship leader named Coalo Zamorano and a 250-voice choir elevated the songs to amazing moments of praise and worship. It was more than I could have hoped for.”

Smith’s first worship album, simply titled Worship, released on September 11, 2001 and has sold more than a million-and-a half copies. It’s follow up Worship Again released September 19, 2002 and is nearing the 800,000 mark.

Throughout his 25-year career as a recording artist, Michael W. Smith has amassed an impressive catalog of achievements. His 20 albums have garnered multiple honors including an American Music Award, 3 GRAMMY Awards (from 13 nominations) and 42 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards and 33 No. 1 radio hits. In addition, he holds 16 Gold and 5 Platinum albums and career sales approaching 15 million.

Smith has scored several film projects, written 11 books and been named one of People Magazine’s Most Beautiful People. His tours consistently rank among the best attended in the country and he has performed to capacity crowds throughout the world. Constantly giving back to the community, one of his current projects is Rocketown -- a nightclub for teens in his hometown of Nashville, Tenn. -- which serves as safe place for young people to enjoy music and for artists to be discovered. He is married to Debbie Smith and they are the proud parents of five children.

Barlowgirl to release Christmas album

2008-07-28T07:52:00.000-07:00

According to Alyssa Barlow:

"We just finished up a Christmas album that will be out in September. It’s very “un” Barlowgirl. I hope people are ready for this. We didn’t play one instrument on the album. We worked for about a month arranging the songs. It’s all orchestral. They flew over to Prague and recorded a 68 piece orchestra. It’s beautiful. We decided to do a Christmas album to show people what we listen to, not necessarily what we play."

Read more artist news in our Overheard at the Creation Cafe feature here.

Read our interview with Barlowgirl here.

Delirious Breaking up in 2009

2008-07-07T14:50:00.001-07:00

Delirious has announced on their website that they will be breaking up in 2009. According to the press release the decision came about because of Martin Smith's desire to be released from the band to pursue other interests and spend more time with his family.

Read our interview with Delirious here.
Read article about Kingdom of Comfort here.

Barlowgirl to launch "Million Voices" Fall tour

2008-07-03T07:14:00.000-07:00

Fervent Records’ sister rock trio BarlowGirl is excited to announce their Million Voices fall headlining tour with fellow Christian artists Jimmy Needham and Brooke Barrettsmith. Starting in Texas on September 10, the tour will run through mid-November and focus on encouraging audiences to speak hope, truth and love to others.

BarlowGirl has also partnered with Mercy Ministries and will share about the organization at their live concert events, urging those in attendance to get involved and help support young women at Mercy who face life-controlling issues. The group plans on raising $1,000,000 to build a new house for Mercy Ministries, whose waiting list is in the hundreds. Each of the members of BarlowGirl has a heart that beats for the young people of this generation struggling with issues such as eating disorders, depression, etc. and is committed to ministering a message of hope to their audience. “We have such a heart for the broken and are honored to come alongside Mercy Ministries’ work in transforming the lives of young women from the inside out,” says BarlowGirl.

Since 1983, Mercy Ministries has provided life-changing services to young women who suffer from various debilitating conditions including drug and alcohol addiction, eating disorders, depression, physical and sexual abuse, self-harm and unplanned pregnancies. The residential program, which is free of charge, offers individualized programs, counseling, nutrition education, fitness instruction, life-skills training and educational opportunities to a diverse population of young women from various socio-economic backgrounds. It is Mercy Ministries’ goal to have each young woman discover purpose in her life and bring value to her community. Mercy Ministries is a global organization with locations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Peru. For more information about Mercy Ministries, visit www.mercyministries.org.

The Million Voices tour is already scheduled to make a stop in the following cities:

The Woodlands, TX
Waco, TX
Albuquerque, NM
Mesa, AZ
Oceanside, CA
Camarillo, CA
Bakersfield, CA
Redding, CA
Vancouver, WA
E. Wenatchee, WA
Spokane, WA
Kennewick, WA
Salt Lake City, UT
Clarksville, TN
Minneapolis, MN
Greencastle, PA

*More dates to follow*

Read our interview with Barlowgirl here.
Read our review of How Can We Be Silent here.

Krystal Meyers' Third Album "Make Some Noise" coming in September!

2008-07-02T06:51:00.000-07:00

Pop artist Krystal Meyers will release her third, in-studio album, Make Some Noise, on September 16, 2008. The 10-track project, entirely written or co-written by Meyers, was recorded in Brentwood, Tenn. at Dutchland Studio, and was produced by Doubledutch (Robert Marvin and Josiah Bell). “This music is fun and energetic and is going to be fun on stage,” says Meyers, who is already performing some of her new songs in concert to enthusiastic response. “It’s a different kind of energy. Some of the songs like ‘S.O.S.’ and ‘My Freedom’ are more guitar-driven, but there are other songs like ‘Shine,’ the first radio single, that are totally 80’s-inspired, fun, dance, pop/rock music. It’s a diverse record that defines my different musical layers.”

“I am really excited about the direction Krystal wanted to pursue with Make Some Noise,” shares Jordyn Thomas, Director of A&R, Provident Label Group. “She is growing into a beautiful young woman and continues to prove her talent as a songwriter and versatility as an artist. She challenged herself to take some new approaches on this record, and brought in new ideas that fully showcase the depth of her talent.”

Musically, the title-track, “Make Some Noise,” is a delicious pop confection, but lyrically it’s a bold call to stand up for what you believe. “It’s about getting out there and making a positive impact,” shares Meyers. “Many people say that my generation is a dying generation; that we’re hopeless and have nowhere to go, but I don’t agree. I think people are more involved. We care about the environment, social justice, politics, those in need - we care about things that are making a difference in our world. It’s important for us to make an impact, but the only way to make an impact is if you are loud about it. You can’t just sit in a corner and be reserved. Live out loud! Make some noise!”

“Shine” (the first radio single) is an upbeat song of encouragement. “That’s my favorite song on the record and it’s so fun to play live,” enthuses Meyers. “Recently, I’ve really learned that I have to be excellent in all that I do. I need to use the talents and opportunities that God has given me, to the fullest extent possible. The line from the song that says ‘nobody’s going to get in the way of my shine,’ definitely sums up what this song is about. I’m blessed to be on this exciting journey, and I’m not going to let anything get in the way of my shine.”

Make Some Noise comprises the following ten tracks (sequence subject to change): “Make Some Noise,” “Love It Away,” “Shine,” “S.O.S.,” “Feels So Right,” “My Freedom,” “Beautiful Tonight,” “Up To You,” “You’ll Never Know,” and “In Your Hands.”

As an artist who has recorded three albums before her 20th birthday, it’s obvious Krystal Meyers has a lot to say, but Make Some Noise reveals a young woman whose faith has grown exponentially over the past couple of years. “I have a more mature relationship with God,” Meyers states. “I’m 20 years old. That’s four years difference between my first record and this record. There’s a lot that goes on within those years---being a teenager and coming into adulthood and then being on my own for two years. There’s a lot of maturity that has happened and a lot of heart changes that have happened.”

A beautiful young woman, always effortlessly fashionable, Meyers is almost an anomaly in today’s culture. In a world where young artists seem to continually wind up as troubled tabloid fodder, she’s a successful recording artist who is incredibly grounded and ever mindful of her platform as an influencer. She’s equally comfortable appearing on the cover of Nylon Magazine (Japan) or speaking to young girls on the Revolve tour, an outing she’s looking forward to this fall.

Meyers first burst on the scene with her self-titled Essential Records debut in 2005, spawning her breakthrough hit “Anticonformity,” a song she wrote at camp before entering ninth grade. Her debut set spawned four top ten singles and also launched her career abroad. Her sophomore album, Dying For a Heart, solidified Meyers’ stature as one of the top artists in Christian music—earning her a second Dove nomination in the female vocalist of the year category--and boosting her audience overseas, earning her major pop star status in Japan. Meyers has performed before more than 400,000 people, and will be part of the Fall 2008, 16-city Revolve Arena Tour.

Download "Shine" at iTunes!

Read our interview with Krystal here.

Amy Grant 20th Anniversary Lead Me On tour

2008-07-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

20 years since the release of her landmark album Lead Me On, Amy Grant will be doing a 20 city tour in celebration. According to Grant, most of her original band will be touring with her.

So far the following dates have been confirmed on Grant's website:

For more information you can visit the Amy Grant website.

New! Read our interview with Amy Grant & Hawk Nelson here.

Read our review of Amy Grant's Greatest Hits CD here.
Read our review of Time Again here.
Read our review of Amy's book Mosaic here.

Meredith Andrews weds Jacob Sooter

2008-06-18T06:39:00.000-07:00

Word recording artist, Meredith Andrews, weds Jacob Sooter, keyboard player for Jeremy Camp, on May 24th in North Carolina. Meredith and Jacob are both on staff at Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicago. Meredith’s debut album The Invitation released April 29 and her first single, “You’re Not Alone,” is currently climbing the charts. The couple met last year at GMA.

Michael W. Smith to record live worship CD June 20

2008-06-18T06:37:00.001-07:00

Michael W. Smith is busy preparing for his next project; a live worship CD to be recorded June 20 at Lakewood Church in Houston, TX. Doors open at 6:30 PM and the free event will start promptly at 7:30 PM. Lakewood Church is located at 3700 Southwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77027.

Respected as a pop artist, composer, author and worship leader, Smith’s first two worship projects, Worship and Worship Again, garnered fans in the millions, worldwide. The upcoming album, Smith’s 21st, will be recorded with the African Children’s Choir as he leads worship for a group that is expected to exceed 15,000 in attendance. His song list will include familiar worship songs as well as new songs Michael has written especially for this project.

Title and release dates for the CD will be announced in coming weeks.

Throughout his 25-year career as a recording artist, Michael W. Smith has amassed an impressive catalog of achievements. His 20 albums have garnered multiple honors including an American Music Award, 3 GRAMMY Awards (from 13 nominations) and 42 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards. In addition, he holds 16 Gold and 5 Platinum albums, 33 No.1 radio hits, and has been named one of People Magazine’s Most Beautiful People. Smith has also scored several film projects and written 11 books. His tours consistently rank among the best attended in the country and he has performed to capacity crowds throughout the world. Constantly giving back to the community, one of his current projects is Rocketown -- a nightclub for teens in his hometown of Nashville, Tenn. -- which serves as safe place for young people to enjoy music and for artists to be discovered. He is married to Debbie Smith and they are the proud parents of five children.

For up-to-date information on Michael W. Smith, including tour itinerary, please visit www.michaelwsmith.com or www.reunionrecords.com.

Read our review of Michael's CD Stand here.

Krystal Meyers song "Shine" released to radio

2008-06-10T06:31:00.000-07:00

Pop artist Krystal Meyers made some big noise this week, as “Shine,” the first single from her September 16, 2008 release, Make Some Noise, received 9 CHR adds by its first week at radio. Meyers shares the inspiration behind the song that is making fast-impact. “That’s my favorite song on the record and it’s so fun to play live,” enthuses Meyers. “Recently, I’ve really learned that I have to be excellent in all that I do. I need to use the talents and opportunities that God has given me, to the fullest extent possible. The line from the song that says ‘nobody’s going to get in the way of my shine,’ definitely sums up what this song is about. I’m blessed to be on this exciting journey, and I’m not going to let anything get in the way of my shine.”

Download "Shine" at iTunes!

Read our interview with Krystal here.

Big Daddy Weave releasing What Life Would be Like July 22

2008-06-10T06:28:00.000-07:00

Celebrating a decade together as a band, Fervent Records’ Big Daddy Weave will release its fifth studio project, What Life Would Be Like, July 22.

While their previous and highly acclaimed album, Every Time I Breathe, was recorded to encourage people to view every moment as a chance to live in response to the greatness of God, What Life Would Be Like celebrates that response. Songwriter and frontman Mike Weaver further explains that the album’s content, including a cover of Phil Collins’ classic, “Another Day In Paradise,” was greatly influenced by a recent visit to poverty-stricken villages in Ecuador.

“God used that trip to re-ignite the fire in us as a group,” says Weaver. “We haven’t been the same since we got back. There is a passion that hasn’t been there before, and we know we will never see the potential unleashed as long as we hang on to our old ideas of what life and ministry and being the church is, rather than letting God just come and ‘be’ in us. I think the Lord really broke our hearts over who He loves, and that’s everybody.”

Because of Big Daddy Weave’s involvement with World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization that helps communities worldwide overcome poverty and injustice, the organization secured a grant that will provide poor villages $14 for every What Life Would Be Like CD sold. Fervent Records, along with other corporate entities, have partnered under the grant to help World Vision purchase and distribute food, water, clothing and medical supplies globally. The initiative will be supported at Christian retail and via an online campaign.

The first single and title track, “What Life Would Be Like,” has already gained momentum in just its second week at radio, claiming a total of 28 adds on stations across all formats.

What Life Would Be Like is produced by Big Daddy Weave member Jeremy Redmon, who also produced the band’s Fields of Grace, What I Was Made For and the 2007 album, Every Time I Breathe.

Media Statement from Nicol Sponberg & Selah

2008-06-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

Gregory Luke Sponberg, infant son of Curb recording artist Nicol Sponberg and her husband Greg, passed away Tuesday, May 27, at the family’s home in Georgia. The 2-month-old died in his sleep, apparently of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Nicol (formerly of Selah) and Greg also have a 2-year-old daughter, Summer. The family is grateful for your prayers and support at this time. Condolences can be sent to:

Sponberg Family
PMB 186
8161 Hwy 100
Nashville, TN 37221
sponbergfamily@gmail.com

Ayiesha Woods "Love Like This" streeting later this summer

2008-06-03T07:41:00.000-07:00

With an amazing string of successes with her 2006 debut, Gotee Records’ GRAMMY- nominated singer/songwriter Ayiesha Woods is poised to release her next musical installment with Love Like This, set to street late Summer 2008.

Love Like This features 11 songs produced by Chris Stevens (TobyMac, Mandisa) and Jamie Moore (CeCe Winans, TobyMac). Song titles include “Love Can't Wait,” “Because of You,” “Love Like This,” “New Beginnings,” and “One Day,” as well as “Transparent,” “Fight,” “Never Give Up,” “Refine Me,” “Take Me There,” and “Love Is Alive.”

Along with the first single “Love Can’t Wait” going for adds at both CHR and AC radio formats in June, Woods will be highly visible in the upcoming months. Woods is slated to perform at Creation East, Lifefest, Creation West, Life Light Festival, Music Boat Cruise 2008, Girls Get-A-Way Cruise 2008, and various other spot dates. A favorite on the Women of Faith and Revolve tour circuit last year, she will again join the cast for five dates this summer.

Woods has merited popular and critical acclaim for her power-packed Gotee debut Introducing Ayiesha Woods. The album garnered Woods a GRAMMY nomination for “Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album”, as well as nabbing an additional nod in the Dove Awards “New Artist Of The Year” category. CCM Magazine followed Woods’ career as one of three emerging musical talents for 2006 in their “Band Wagon” column, and MTU.com’s URGE service (www.urge.com) picked Introducing Ayiesha Woods in their 2006 TOP 10 year-end list for Inspirational music. Her hit single “Happy” was also used an ad campaign for the DVD release of the Russell Crowe film, A Good Year. Musically inclined since childhood, Woods has seen her share of accolades including a 2004 “Producer of the Year” award from the Caribbean Gospel Music Marlin Awards, and a Marlin Awards’ “New Artist of the Year” and “Contemporary Vocal Performance of the Year (Female).”

Family Force 5 New EP "Dance or Die"

2008-06-03T07:36:00.001-07:00

On the brink of a highly anticipated sophomore release, Family Force 5 revs up with brand new material on iTunes, including both a three-song EP Dance or Die available this coming June 3rd, as well as Blingin’ Blogs Volume 1, a collection of 12 audio blogs with over 70 minutes of content available May 27th.

The Dance or Die EP will include three new songs available for .99cents each on iTunes. Fans will also be able to pick the packaged album up at tour dates beginning with the Warped Tour this summer. Blingin’ Blogs Vol. 1 will go for $5.99 on iTunes and offers a collection of 12 blogs with over 70 minutes of the world according to Family Force 5.

The upcoming sophomore album from Family Force 5 is slated to street Fall 2008, with 10-plus songs. In the meantime, fans can catch a preview of new music and their explosive live show on summer tour dates including Ichthus Festival, Alive Festival, Creation East, Kings Dominion, Rock The Desert, Power Light Festival, Lifelight Festival, and 40 cities nationwide on the Warped Tour running June 21st- August 17th.

Brand new Family Force 5 song, "Fever"

2008-05-23T07:43:00.000-07:00

Family Force 5 has recently debuted their song "Fever" off their upcoming June 3rd EP release on their MySpace page.

Is it the next "Luv Addict"?

We'll let you decide!

Head on over there to hear the song and let us know what you think!

Steven Curtis Chapman's daughter dies tragically in accident

2008-05-22T08:14:00.001-07:00

Steven Curtis Chapman released the following at his website yesterday:

MARIA SUE CHAPMAN, DAUGHTER OF STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN, DIES IN ACCIDENT AT FAMILY HOME

NASHVILLE, TN...5/21/08... At approximately 5pm on the afternoon of Wednesday May 21st, Maria Sue Chapman, 5 years old and the youngest daughter to Steven and Mary Beth Chapman was struck in the driveway of the Chapman home in Franklin, TN. Maria was rushed to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in Nashville, transported by LifeFlight, but died of her injuries there. Maria is one of the close knit family’s six children and one of their three adopted daughters.

More than five years ago, Chapman and his wife MaryBeth founded The Shaohannah’s Hope Ministry after bringing their first adopted daughter, Shaohannah, home from China. The ministry’s goal is to help families reduce the financial barrier of adoption, and has provided grants to over 1700 families wishing to adopt orphans from around the world. Chapman is a five-time GRAMMY ® winner and 54-time Dove Award winning artist who has sold over 10 million albums and garnered 44 No. 1 singles.

Stephanie Smith's "Not Afraid" streets May 27th

2008-05-15T08:08:00.001-07:00

Gotee’s pop-rocker Stephanie Smith is gearing up for the debut of Not Afraid this May 27th with rave reviews, major touring, and a new radio single “Renew Me” opening the doors for both her music and message. The release will be available exclusively on iTunes.com and at Smith’s concert dates.

This past weekend, the 24-year old Smith returned to perform at Agape Fest, the original stage that lead her to meeting TobyMac and eventually signing a deal with Gotee Records. Smith was the 2006 winner of her alma mater Greenville College’s talent search, which in return gave her the Agape Fest slot that originally caught Toby’s ear.

2008 is packed out with touring as Smith makes the festival rounds, as well as additional tour dates. Fans can catch performances at Rockfest (6/7), Ichthus Festival (6/12), AtlantaFest (6/21), Music in the Park (7/27), Kingdom Bound Festival (8/4), and Riverstages (9/20 San Angelo TX). Smith is also part of various conferences this year that include One Life of VA (10/20 Vansant, VA), Feedback Conferences (5/22-25 Asheville NC and 8/21-24 Dallas, TX), Secret Keeper Girl Tour (May and August runs www.purefreedom.org), Freedom Experience (various dates Aug-Nov. www.verticalministries.com), and the Asphalt Assault Tour (9/1-20 www.verticalministries.com). She will also join illusionist Brock Gill as part of the Florida-based SuperWow Camps, where nearly 350 individual youth groups attend each week.

Cmcentral.com highlights Not Afraid in a recent review that says, “Opening strong, moments of electronic whomping foretell an edgy momentum… Smith’s fierce vocals lay out restorative encouragement to those uncertain of their own worth.”

The song “Superstar”, also on the debut album release, is also currently being used as part of world-renowned surfer Bethany Hamilton’s GodTube video found at http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ebad92285b39141e40d9 .

Smith, who has a passion for reaching the youth culture, comments, "This is such an exciting time in my life; I don't want to take that for granted."

Grits new album Reiterate coming July 29

2008-05-13T15:31:00.001-07:00

Hip-hop emcees GRITS will release their eighth full-length album, Reiterate, July 29th, a debut of sorts on their own newly launched Revolution Art label. Major distribution to retail for this album and the ensuing label releases will go through the Provident–Integrity Distribution arm, a division of Sony-BMG.

In support of their Reiterate release GRITS will go out on the road for the 30 Day Tour, which will take them nationwide mid-July through mid-August. They also will be hitting the summer festival circuit including Agape Fest, Ichthus Festival, Crossover Festival, Rock The Desert, Spirit West Coast, and the NewSong Festival. Plans for the Art Attack tour are also underway for September where GRITS will be joined by other Revolution Art music acts.

Toby “TobyMac” McKeehan, one of their biggest champions says, “GRITS has changed the face of positive and spiritual hip-hop. They are relevant and have a knack for discovering talent that stretches our industry to places I love seeing it go.”

5-time Dove Award winners and 2-time GRAMMY nominated act GRITS has cracked MTV2’s Top 10 Most Requested and Top 5 Handpicked and received favorable media coverage in the pages of XXL, Spin, Vibe, Billboard, The Source, URB and other major publications and media. Over the course of their ten-year plus career, GRITS has sold over 500,000 albums and shared the stage with the likes of OutKast, Jay-Z, Ice Cube, Skillet, A Tribe Called Quest, and Monica.

The GRITS song “Ooh Ahh” remains a hot commodity as a digital single and has sold over 160,000 downloads to date. The song, from their 2006 release simply titled 7, was also used on the big screen in both “The Fast And The Furious: Toyko Drift,” and “Big Momma’s House 2” featuring comedian actor Martin Lawrence. Rappers Coffee and Bonafide have seen their music grace the movies before with the single “Here We Go” featured in “Something’s Gotta Give” starring Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton, as well as music used in independent films including “Devious Beings”, “Lockdown”, and “Road Dogz”. GRITS’ songs have also been used extensively on television including shows like “MTV CRIBS”, “The Real World”, “Pimp My Ride”, “Tough Enough”, and “Boston Public”.

Revolution Art has a solid roster already in place including Stefan Moss a.k.a The SYNTYST (Scientist), and 18-year old powerhouse JADE.

Krystal Meyers "Make Some Noise" video shoot

2008-05-09T10:11:00.000-07:00

(Click on pic to enlarge)

19-year old, pop artist Krystal Meyers will soon have a brand-new music video, accompanying the title-track of her forthcoming album, Make Some Noise, which drops September 16, 2008. Below is an image from the music video shoot, which took place this past weekend, in Nashville, Tenn.

Download the latest single "Shine" at iTunes!

Read our interview with Krystal!

Underoath releasing live DVD

2008-05-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

UNDEROATH will release their first-ever live CD and concert DVD SURVIVE, KALEIDOSCOPE May 27 on Tooth & Nail/Solid State. Recorded during the group's fall headlining U.S. trek at numerous tour stops and mixed by Beau Burchell, guitarist for Saosin, the 12-song live CD portion and features nine tracks from UNDEROATH's gold-certified breakthrough album Define The Great Line as well as "A Boy Brushed Red Living in Black and White," "It's A Dangerous Business Just Walking Out Your Front Door" and "Young And Aspiring"--all off of the group's They're Only Chasing Safety disc. The 65-minute live DVD concert film--shot in its entirety at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia, PA--is presented in 16:9 widescreen and offers fans a glimpse at UNDEROATH's unique stage and lighting set up for an ambient visual and audio one-time-only concert experience. The DVD--which features 14 tracks back-to-back--was shot by Art & Industry and edited by Ryan Gardner of the Audible Diversion Group. The audio was mixed by producer Adam Dutkiewicz, guitarist for Killswitch Engage.

"The footage on the live DVD came out far above our expectations, and Adam and Beau outdid themselves in the audio department," says UNDEROATH guitarist TIM MCTAGUE.

Currently working on the follow-up to DEFINE THE GREAT LINE, the FL-based sextet will release their as-yet-untitled fourth disc on September 2.

Following is the complete track-listing as well as the corresponding city in which the songs were recorded live for the SURVIVE, KALEIDOSCOPE 12-song live CD:

1) Returning Empty Handed (Sayreville, NJ)
2) In Regards To Myself (Buffalo, NY)
3) It's a Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door (Dallas,TX)
4) You're Ever So Inviting (Baltimore, MD)
5) To Whom It May Concern (Boise, ID)
6) A Moment Suspended In Time (Boston, MA)
7) Young And Aspiring (Norfolk, VA)
8) Writing On Walls (Chicago, IL)
9) Everyone Looks So Good From Here (Omaha, NE)
10) Casting Such A Thin Shadow (Baltimore, MD)
11) Moving For The Sake Of Motion (St. Paul, MN)
12) A Boy Brushed Red Living In Black And White (Sayreville, NJ)

Red & MXPX at GMA

2008-05-02T08:03:00.000-07:00

(photo caption): Michael Barnes (right), lead singer of GRAMMY-nominated, modern rock band Red, poses with Mike Herrera, lead singer and guitarist of MxPx (Tooth&Nail), during GMA 2008, in Nashville, Tenn. Red is currently on tour with Flyleaf and Seether. For all tour dates and information, visit www.redmusiconline.com or www.myspace.com/dropofred.

Switchfoot song selected for Prince Caspian movie

2008-04-30T08:58:00.000-07:00

The multi-Platinum selling rock band Switchfoot has recorded a new original song, “This Is Home,” for the highly anticipated Walt Disney Studios and Walden Media May 16 theatrical release, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. The song will be featured during the end credits of the film, and will appear on the Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack CD releasing on May 13.

Switchfoot recently taped a companion music video for “This Is Home” in Los Angeles with director Brandon Dickerson who filmed Switchfoot’s most recent video, “Awakening,” from its current, acclaimed studio album, Oh! Gravity..

“We are so honored to be a part of the Prince Caspian film with ‘This Is Home,’” says Switchfoot frontman Jon Foreman. “The Narnia stories have a really special place in my brother Tim and my lives. Our dad used to read these to us at bedtime when we were boys. Our imaginations were shaped on these amazing novels.

“‘This Is Home’ was inspired by the book after re-reading it for the opportunity to write for the film,” continues Foreman. “I am always taken by [C. S.] Lewis' ability to write about the bittersweet beauty in this world; this home we aren’t really made for but is the place we work out our humanity in the midst of our longing for our true home.”

“We are encouraged to continue our collaboration with Walt Disney Studios with the new Switchfoot song ‘This is Home’ for the new Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian film,” says Peter York, EMI CMG Label Group president. “The band continues to create thought provoking music and has been truly inspired by the C. S. Lewis series. It felt like a natural fit, and it’s an honor to continue to work with the Music/Creative team at Walt Disney Studios.”

“Going back to our first Narnia film, ‘The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe,’ Switchfoot was at the top of our creative list of artists whose sound and artistry we felt was a perfect fit,” said Mitchell Leib, President of Music and Soundtracks for Walt Disney Studios. “When approached for ‘Prince Caspian,’ Jon Foreman had a concise read on the story and delivered a stellar, important composition and record, which we feel reflects our film brilliantly. We are proud to have Switchfoot involved and to be working with our friends at EMI CMG once again.”

In conjunction with local market promotions around the film designed to build excitement toward the release of the new “Narnia” movie, EMI CMG Label Group will release “This Is Home” to AC and CHR Christian radio as Red Light Management/Entertainment works the single at mainstream AC and Triple A radio formats. Fans can also see the band debut the song live nationwide tonight (April 23) between 8 – 10 p.m. (ET) on the Gospel Music Channel television network as part of the 39th Annual GMA Dove Awards telecast.

Read our concert review of a recent stop on Switchfoot's Up In Arms tour with lots of photographs!

Jump5 members form new pop/rock duo, Guest

2008-04-23T10:30:00.000-07:00

Jump5 founding members Brandon and Brittany Hargest recently announced the formation of their new pop/rock venture, guest. The brother-sister duo will make their debut at Gospel Music Week 2008, performing live at B.B. King’s on Tuesday, April 22.

Having dedicated almost a decade to the dance-pop/contemporary tween phenomenon Jump5, which disbanded last fall after selling more than 1.4 million albums, Brandon and Brittany Hargest will continue to pursue their musical passion via a new outlet.

“Jump5 was one of the best experiences of my life…it’s the reason I am who I am today,” says Brittany. “But Brandon and I knew that Jump5 wouldn’t last forever, so about two years ago we came up with the idea of making music together. We both love straight-up, piano-based music, and we were ready for a change.”

Brandon comments, “I have been writing eagerly for the past 6 or 7 years, hoping to be able to perform music that came from us. We are very excited about the opportunity to move on and do what we want as musicians.”

Recently, the duo has been writing with Aaron Rice (TobyMac, Mandisa, Jump5) and Jamie Moore (TobyMac, Ayeisha Woods, Stephanie Smith), among other prominent songwriters. guest will play its new material for the first time live during Gospel Music Week on Tuesday evening, April 22, at B.B. King’s in Nashville, Tenn. An EP release is tentatively scheduled for late summer.

“Our goal is to create music that we enjoy while hopefully entertaining those who want to listen,” says Brandon. As always, we want to continue to reach people with our music, but ultimately, we love what we do, and we just want to play good music.”

For more information and to sample guest’s music, visit www.myspace.com/guestlive.

Brooke Barrett Smith signs with Essential

2008-04-23T10:25:00.001-07:00

Essential Records announces the upcoming debut release from newly-signed pop/rock artist Brooke Barrettsmith. The 26 year-old Chicago native has written a collection of uniquely crafted songs, melding her love of musical influences Jeremy Camp, Daughtry and Kelly Clarkson, with passionate lyrics reflecting messages of faith and encouragement. Produced by Aaron Sprinkle (Jeremy Camp, Kutless, The Almost) and Rob Hawkins (Fireflight, Jackson Waters), Brooke’s self-titled, 10-track album hits stores June 10.

“What immediately got my attention was Brooke’s powerful voice; she sings with a lot of passion,” says Blaine Barcus, VP of A&R for Provident Label Group. “That passion comes from a heart that desires to share the love of Jesus honestly with the world.”

When asked about her album Brooke Barrettsmith says, “I hope these songs inspire listeners to be bold and not ashamed of their faith in Christ because that’s a huge part of my live ministry—clearly sharing the Word of God and encouraging people to know Him better.”

Brooke’s first radio single, “Farewell” is currently impacting Christian radio and its already reaching 140,000 listeners on the CHR format in markets such as Nashville, Tenn.; San Luis Obispo, Calif.; Kalamazoo, Mich.; and Ponca City, Okla.. Plus, she’s currently playing shows with GRAMMY-nominated artist Pillar on the “For the Love of the Game” tour featuring Wavorly and Building 429.

Though only in her mid-twenties, Brooke has already dealt with her share of challenges including an early struggle with severe anxiety. As a teenager, she suffered from frequent panic attacks rendering her helpless at times. By renewing her mind in the Word of God daily and leaning on her parents for encouragement, Brooke was gradually able to overcome the attacks. This experience serves as one of the catalysts for writing her debut songs, and she speaks about it to teen and college women at regional events, including Unlimited Hope Women’s conferences. At home, Brooke is a youth group leader at her local church and studies at Moody Bible College.

In 2006, Brooke made it to the Top 40 contestants on Fox TV’s Season Five of “American Idol” (Chris Daughtry, Mandisa, Katherine McPhee). Adept at guitar and piano, as well as a prolific writer, Brooke’s musical heritage runs deep. Both her grandmothers were performers in Chicago, one a Broadway singer and the other an Italian opera singer. Her father, now a non-denominational Bible church pastor, was a professional blues drummer and played venues with legends like Buddy Guy and B.B. King.

For more on Brooke Barrettsmith, please visit www.brookerocks.com and www.myspace.com/brookebarrettsmith.

Delirious announces new drummer

2008-04-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

The UK-based, RIAA Certified Gold-selling, globally relevant band Delirious?, having released its most critically acclaimed album so far, Kingdom of Comfort, on April 1, announces its new drummer taking them forward, Paul Evans.

After more than 12 years together as a band, Stew Smith let fans know in February that he would be leaving the quintet that includes lead vocalist Martin Smith, guitarist Stu G, keyboardist Tim Jupp, and bassist Jon Thatcher. Helping the band choose his replacement, Stew said, “Paul is, in my opinion, one of, if not the, best drummer in our scene. He has passion, sensitivity, finesse and power. Most of all I love Paul for his heart, and that is the thing that will be evident when you meet him. He always has time for you, always has time to laugh and joke and these are the qualities you need to survive on the road.”

A natural choice for the band, Evans stepped in for Stew on the band’s tour of the U.S. in 2006, but his history with the band goes back even further. Evans explains, “My earliest memory of Delirious? was back in the days before they were even Delirious?. They used to do their Cutting Edge events in my school hall.”

Evans grew up in Littlehampton [England], and went full time as a drummer in 2004. In just a few years, he has notched a solid resume that includes tracks on over 40 professional albums, including projects by Tim Hughes, Matt Redman, Ben Cantelon, Graham Kendrick, One Hundred Hours, Brenton Brown, Cathy Burton and more.

“It’s a real privilege taking over for Stew,” Evans says. “He was a very big influence on me as I was learning; at one point I played exactly like him: the same fills and even buying the same Pearl piccolo snare! I’m going to have to get in shape to play with the same energy that Stew plays with, but I’ll probably stop short of the triathlons though!”

“I’m so proud of the things that Paul has already achieved but I’m more excited about the fresh new dynamics he will bring to Delirious?,” adds Stew.

“There’s nobody else we’d have covering our backs and beats,” says Stu G. “Evans has the skills, the passion and the heart to take us on. We’re looking forward to our future together.”

And Delirious?, currently on tour in Australia, will be touring the world in support of its eleventh studio album, Kingdom of Comfort, an album that questions everything, from cancer to consumerism, “five star” dreams to slums and poverty. It is an album that calls for sacrifice, social justice and love.

More information about the band can be found at www.delirious.co.uk, with even more content available by joining the band’s “Living Room” at www.delirious.co.uk/livingroom.

Read our feature story on Delirious' album Kingdom of Comfort here.

Family Force 5 Revs up for new album!

2008-04-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

Family Force 5, just named “Artist of the Year” by Jesusfreakhideout.com’s Reader’s Choice Awards, will hit the road for their 14-city Skeletour and the Rock-n-Roll Champions of the Universe tour. The Maine (Fearless Records) and Ivoryline (Tooth & Nail) will join them on the club circuit that kicks off on April 3rd in Dallas, TX and continues throughout the West coast ending in Portland, OR on April 20th. Full tour date listings and tickets can be found online at http://ymamusicgroup.com/familyforce5/skeletour2b.php

Following on the heels of their smash-success debut Business Up Front, Party In The Back, the next Family Force 5 album is slated for a late summer release. Fans can anticipate a preview of the new songs on the April tour run.

Guitarist Chap Stique says, “We used to always say, ‘if theTransformers became a rock band, it would be Family Force 5.’ But the second record turns it up to 11. Now, we're more like the Delorean from Back to the Future...but the Delorean became a Transformer that slays dragons, travels through time, and kills monsters with mullets!”

With an escalating fan popularity since their 2006 debut Business Up Front, Party In The Back, Family Force 5 has been catapulted onto the music scene with a performance on CBS TV’s The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, two performances on DIRECTV’s CD USA, music video play on MTVU.com, and a win as Yahoo! Music’s “Who’s Next” contest. The band’s freshmen effort has sold over 110,000 copies while racking up two #1 rock radio hits, “Replace Me” and “Love Addict” at Christian radio. The band tours over 200 dates a year including 2006’s Journeys Backyard BBQ Tour, 2007’s Van’s Warped Tour and their Dance, Rawr, Dance Tour where they played 16 sold-out shows and awed over 16,000 people. 2007 was also punctuated with an online Family Force 5 surge including 1,200,000 views of the band’s “Really Real” shows on You Tube, over 200,000 person community on the Family Force 5 MySpace site, and 10,000,000 online music plays. Led by front man and guitarist Solomon Olds (aka Soul Glow Activator), Family Force 5 includes Solomon’s two brothers Jacob Olds (aka Crouton) on drums/vocal, and his twin Joshua Olds (aka Fatty) on bass/vocals. The force of five is rounded out by Nathan Currin (aka Nadaddy) on keyboard and Derek Mount (aka Chap Stique) on guitar.

Jeremy Camp to star in new web series

2008-04-08T07:54:00.000-07:00

Award winning entertainment company, Paulist Productions, is pleased to announce its new venture in the rapidly expanding world of internet television with the brand new web series, Tyler’s Ride. Acclaimed Christian singer, Jeremy Camp joins the cast in his acting debut, as Jesse, an aspiring Christian musician and mentor to Tyler, the lead character.

“Jeremy Camp is a natural for the role,” says Father Frank Desiderio, Executive Producer of the series and President of Paulist Productions. “Jeremy was our first choice of all actor/musicians we looked at for the role.”

Also starring Grant Alan, Natalie Wachen and Ker’in Hayden, Tyler’s Ride is the story of 23 year-old Tyler, super-cool, super-senior in college, who is living the dream life in LA. Tyler shows up for his birthday party expecting the keys to a new car; instead, his Dad, “Mr. Tough Love”, kicks Tyler out of the house and cuts off his credit cards. Reality soon hits him square in the face. Then he meets Jesse, a musician with a dream, courage and convictions.

“It was a joy to work with people in the film industry whose purpose is to share their Christian faith and really make a difference in the world,” exclaims Camp. “Tyler’s Ride was a blast!”

Web TV is on the rise with hit shows such as Quarterlife, Prom Queen and Roommates grabbing the attention of teens and parents across the globe. With this market virtually untouched by faith-based producers, Paulist Productions moved into the void and created the Tyler’s Ride series aimed at this demographic.

Desiderio explains, “I’ve been convinced since starting to work in Hollywood that there are lots of creative, Christian artists and a large audience for their work; but, the problem in the past has been connecting the two. Broadband media allows us to bridge the gap between them. Paulist Productions creates entertainment to reveal the presence of God in the human experience. We share God’s good news with new media; we aspire to lead the way in producing internet entertainment that helps people meet life’s challenges.”

YouTube and Axiom TV, a platform that is both family-friendly and technologically sound, will host the program.

Tyler’s Ride will premiere April 22 on YouTube and Axiom TV with new webisodes each week. The series will also appear on the show’s website at www.tylersride.com.

About Jeremy Camp
With sales of over 2 million units, three Gold records, 13 back-to-back No. 1 radio hits, American Music Award nominations and five Gospel Music Association “Dove” Awards, Jeremy Camp’s career is on a steady climb. He has been featured in nearly all major Christian media outlets and has also garnered consistent coverage from publications such as Pollstar, Billboard and R&R. In 2007, Camp branched out of his comfort zone of music and stepped into the world of television, hosting the Gospel Music Channel’s Christmas At Union Station concert series, and is set to make his acting debut on Tyler’s Ride. Camp is currently on the road with the “Boomin’ Beyond Measure Tour” with TobyMac.

About Paulist Productions
Since its inception, Paulist Productions has created projects for film and television that are incisive, illuminating and faith affirming. The company was founded in 1960 by the late Father Ellwood “Bud” Kieser to produce the syndicated series, Insight, which went on to win five Emmy Awards® in its 23 year run. Throughout its history Paulist Productions has won numerous other awards including the Christopher Award, five Gabriel Awards, the Toronto International Film Festival Award, International Film and Video Festival Certificate for Creative Excellence, the Aurora Gold Award and a Special Achievement television that are incisive, illuminating and faith affirming. The company was founded in 1960 by the late Father Ellwood “Bud” Kieser to produce the syndicated series, Insight, which went on to win five Emmy Awards® in its 23 year run. Throughout its history Paulist Productions has won numerous other awards including the Christopher Award, five Gabriel Awards, the Toronto Award in 2002 from CineMedia. Additionally, Paulist Productions has worked with a stellar line up of talent including Carol Burnett, Rod Sterling, Walter Matthau, Ed Asner, Martin Sheen, Jane Seymour, Ron Howard, Michael Crichton, Patricia Heaton and Blair Underwood to name a few. Continually striving to stay cutting edge with today’s media and technology, Paulist is pleased and excited to enter into the world of web-based television with Tyler’s Ride.

For more information about Tyler’s Ride and to preview the trailer, please visit www.tylersride.com.

Thousand Foot Krutch Hits the Ground Running!

2008-04-08T07:50:00.001-07:00

Tooth&Nail Records' rock band Thousand Foot Krutch continues to build with their single at Active Rock/Alternative general market radio as they head out on the road this week and begin a full spring tour. The band will also be appearing at numerous summer festivals, which will be followed by another major fall tour.

Two weeks ago Thousand Foot Krutch's Active Rock/Alternative single "Falls Apart" debuted in the Top 40 and continues to move upward currently at No. 33 with increased spins. This marks the band's third Active Rock/Alternative single to break into the Top 40 on the charts following the hit songs "Rawkfist" and "Move." The single is exposing the band to more than 1.9 million accumulated audiences on a weekly basis. In addition to the general market single, Christian radio is behind the new Rock single and title track "The Flame in All of Us," which is currently at No 12.

"This year's been nothing short of amazing," says lead singer Trevor McNevan. "We've been so encouraged by the support the new album ("The Flame In All Of Us") has received, both from a radio and live perspective. With the chart topping success of the first two singles ("Falls Apart"/"What Do We Know") in the CCM market, and a fast moving General Market single on Active rock and Alternative, we couldn't ask for much more."

Supporting their radio success, Thousand Foot Krutch will hit the road this Thursday, March 27th for the COMATOSE Tour with Skillet and special guests Decyfer Down. The tour will hit major cities such as Minneapolis, Chicago, New York City, Columbus and more. For a complete list of the tour dates see below. Following their spring tour, TFK will perform at nine major festivals this summer including Creation East, Creation West, Sonshine, Alive, Spirit West Coast (both), and Kingdom Bound.

TFK won't stop after their packed summer schedule as they are a part of the debut year for the Creation Festival: The Tour beginning in October (dates TBA). TFK will join Kutless along with special guests Pillar, Fireflight and Worth Dying For as well as MC KJ-52.

Expounding on the band's forthcoming tours, McNevan shares, "Touring wise, we're teaming up with long time co-horts Skillet to rock the U.S. for a 32 city tour. Then, following the intense summer festivals, we're heading out for the fall on the Creation tour with fellow Tooth&Nail mates Kutless (as well as Pillar, and a slew of other great bands on the one day traveling festival bill). We're sincerely thankful to everyone for their love and support, and to be a small part of what God's doing."

Thrilled to have Thousand Foot Krutch involved with this first-ever Creation Tour, Nick Kulb, tour producer, states, "We are extremely excited to have Thousand Foot Krutch join us on Creation Festival: The Tour in our first year. They have been a highlighted artist at the Creation Festivals for the past several years and having them as a part of the tour is a very logical tie-in."

Thousand Foot Krutch is comprised of Trevor McNevan, his childhood friend Joel Bruyere on bass guitar and Steve Augustine on drums. The Toronto, Canada natives have sold near a half-million copies to date of their albums Set It Off, Phenomenon, and The Art Of Breaking. The band hit the musical scene with their 2003 Phenomenon album, which landed them six stellar No. 1 songs on rock radio and branched into mainstream radio with songs "Rawkfist" (Phenomenon) and "Move" (The Art of Breaking). It was "Rawkfist" that became the first great sports anthem of the 21st century being heard everywhere from sports stadiums to commercials (NHL, NFL and major league baseball, ESPN) to the WB's Smallville. In 2007, Thousand Foot Krutch released their newest Tooth&Nail Records' studio project, The Flame in All of Us, which has received media acclaim saying the project "marks a bright new chapter for Thousand Foot Krutch." Flame has already produced the band's eighth No. 1 Rock hit for three straight weeks ("Falls Apart") in addition to the third Top 5 CHR hit ("What Do We Know"). For more information on Thousand Foot Krutch, visit: http://www.thousandfootkrutch.com .

For more information on the Creation Festival: The Tour click here.

Compassionart songwriters record in Nashville

2008-03-31T11:08:00.001-07:00

Compassionart songwriters, Paul Baloche, Steven Curtis Chapman, Andy Park, Martin Smith and Michael W. Smith continued to record songs last week that were written during a retreat in January. Meeting at Pentavarit Studio in Nashville, the studio hummed with activity as the songwriters were joined by guest vocalists tobyMac and Leeland Mooring (of the band Leeland), each putting down their signature vocals on tracks that were started at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London. Friends like Charlie Peacock and Eddie DeGarmo dropped by to spend time with the songwriters, as well as listen to the progression of the Compassionart songs. Guiding the tracks at the production helm for this recording session was Matt Bronleewe (Natalie Imbruglia, “Evan Almighty” [Soundtrack], dc Talk, “Heroes” star Hayden Panettiere) and Paul Moak (Mat Kearney, Shane & Shane, Derek Webb), and engineering was Andy Hunt (Jars of Clay, Good Charlotte, Buddy Guy).

Nashville’s top daily paper, The Tennessean, broke the news Wednesday about the recording session and a meeting that Compassionart founder and Delirious? frontman Martin Smith was to have with record labels about jointly releasing the upcoming Compassionart album. Martin was quoted as saying, “This is a challenge for the industry, as I am talking to the labels now about how to put this album out together.” Following the meeting that included EMI CMG President and CEO Bill Hearn, Provident Music Group President and CEO Terry Hemmings and Integrity Media Chief Marketing Officer Daniel McGuffey, Martin was encouraged, saying, “There was a real spirit of wanting to work together.” The resulting Compassionart studio album is being planned for a late fall release.

Compassionart, a charity based in Littlehampton, England and dedicated to seeing works of art generate income for the poorest of the poor, hosted a songwriter’s retreat in Scotland, UK. Working together toward a common goal involving no personal gain, the songwriters set out to write 10-12 songs and, by the end of the retreat, had completed 22 new songs. In addition to those recording this week, Compassionart songwriters include Stu Garrard (Delirious?), Israel Houghton, Tim Hughes, Graham Kendrick, Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, and Darlene Zschech. Together the songwriters account for at least 42 million albums sold, 82 No. 1 songs, 10 GRAMMY Awards, 110 Dove Awards, two Stellar Awards, two American Music Awards, and 98 current CCLI Top 500 songs sung by millions in churches around the world.

The first Compassionart song that will be released is “So Great,” recorded by Michael W. Smith, Christy Nockels and Israel Houghton and to be featured on the WOW Hits 1 release in April.

In addition to the songwriters, the publishers, managers, copyright institutes and agents involved have all waived their rights and are donating their efforts on this project to Compassionart. The songs are to be given through Compassionart to the world not just to sing, but also to raise money for the relief of suffering around the planet. One half of the monies received over the songs’ lifetimes will go to the songwriters’ charity of choice, and the other 50% will go to a charitable project agreed upon by all the songwriters involved.

For more information on Compassionart, go to http://compassionart.co.uk/.

PHOTO CAPTION: Compassionart founder/Delirious? frontman Martin Smith greets tobyMac at Pentavarit Studio in Nashville.

Creation Festival the Tour

2008-03-31T11:04:00.000-07:00

Creation Festival, the nation’s largest Christian music festival and the premier name in Christian music events, is pleased to announce that it is expanding its brand once again to launch Creation Festival: The Tour. Kicking off in October, the “mini Creation on wheels” will allow fans across the country to experience a taste of the annual 4-day events held in June and July in one night of music, teaching and fun.

Headlining this one-of-a-kind event is BEC Recordings band, Kutless, with special guests, Thousand Foot Krutch and Pillar. The line up is rounded out by female-fronted rockers, Fireflight, as the opening band and Integrity’s Worth Dying For providing a time of praise and worship. KJ-52 will also perform and serve as MC for the night. World-renowned speaker, Bob Lenz, will share the gospel each night, with Pastor Harry Thomas, Creation Festival director and co-founder and Teen Mania’s founder, Ron Luce, also joining the tour on select dates.

A special Tooth & Nail Records “pre-show” will kick off the event, featuring performances by Run Kid Run, Esterlyn and Children 18:3.

“We are excited to be a part of this ground-breaking tour,” exclaims Jon Micah Sumrall, frontman for Kutless. “It has been an amazing experience to play Creation ? a festival we attended with our youth group when we were in high school ? and now, to be invited to headline Creation Festival: The Tour, we could not be more honored! We are looking forward to heading out on the road and impacting lives together with the Creation folks and the other bands.”

As well as providing an exciting evening of great music, Creation Festival: The Tour is also very ministry oriented, with a local community outreach planned for each date. While the type of outreach will vary by date and may include activities such as clothing drops and food drives, every city will take part in having a direct positive impact on their community.

Pastor Harry Thomas, Creation Festival co-founder, explains: “Whenever Jesus came to a town, people became aware of God's love for them. Our vision for Creation Festival: The Tour is to bless people spiritually and in practical ways. We want to go beyond the venue walls into the community with a touch of God's love and good news!”

Several companies have partnered with Creation to make the Tour possible. Compassion International will serve as the ministry sponsor and Tooth & Nail Records, BEC Recordings and Interlinc have also come on board. Additional sponsors and their contribution will be announced soon.

“Our vision for this tour is to brand the Creation Festival model in a new and fresh way,” says Nick Kulb, tour producer and Creation Festival director of marketing & sales. “We have spent countless hours in creating not just another concert, but an event that has unique features and focuses heavily on the ministry component, which is the foremost purpose of everything we do.”

Creation Festival: The Tour will be routed and booked by William Morris Agency, with dates and cities to be announced soon.

Additional elements and highlights will be added to the tour, with many announcements forthcoming. For up to the minute information about Creation Festival: The Tour, please visit www.creationfesttour.com.

Read our review (with tons of pics) of Creation East 2007.
Click here.

Alathea's song "Hurricane" wins John Lennon Songwriting Contest

2008-03-20T08:40:00.000-07:00

Alathea's song "Hurricane" selected as a winner in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. Visit www.jlsc.com for details...

Visit Alathea's website here.

House of Heroes unveils three new songs

2008-03-18T08:08:00.001-07:00

Powerpop rock band House Of Heroes is giving away three new songs free to fans as part of a digitally-aggressive campaign by label home Gotee Records with the full album The End Is Not The End available at iTunes.com on April 15th for just $9.99.

The site, www.freeHoH.com, allows fans to download three new House Of Heroes songs free of charge in return for providing five email addresses of other people who they think may enjoy the music as well. Those email addresses will only be used by the label to send the link to the House Of Heroes download site.

“When you set out to make a record, you have certain hopes and expectations as far as how you expect the final product to turn out. I can honestly say that we exceeded every single one of those with this new music, “says lead vocalist/guitarist Tim Skipper. He adds, “It's an exciting time for music with the developments we have in technology, especially communication. We're ready to try something new! Hopefully this thing spreads very organically, with friends telling friends and so on.”

House of Heroes has two major label releases to their credit including their 2005 self-titled debut and Say No More in 2006. Prior to signing a record deal with Mono VS Stereo/Gotee, the band released an indie project What You Want Is Now (2002) to much critical acclaim and a large grassroots following. On the tour front, House Of Heroes has opened up for the likes of Silverchair, Relient K, MxPx, and music legend Stryper, as well as full-blown tours with acts including Spoken, The Evan Anthem, Last Tuesday, Dropping Daylight, Love Arcade, and Kids In The Way. Plans for extensive touring this year include a recent headlining club tour in markets including St. Paul, Chicago, Columbus, NYC, Nashville, Atlanta, Orlando and more.

The band is Columbus-Ohio natives Tim Skipper (guitar/lead vocals), A.J Babcock (bass/vocals), Colin Rigsby (drums/vocals), and Jared Rigsby (guitar/vocals).

Cross The Line tour poster (Superchick, KJ-52, Disciple, Britt Nicole, Starlitplatoon)

2008-03-14T14:28:00.000-07:00

Click the poster to enlarge and see if the bands are coming to a town near you!

Robbie Seay Band's "New Day" on Oprah's "Big Give"

2008-03-14T14:25:00.001-07:00

“New Day,” from Sparrow recording artist Robbie Seay Band, will be featured on episode three of “Oprah’s Big Give,” which will air this Sunday, March 16 at 9 pm ET on ABC. “New Day,” showcased on Robbie Seay Band’s critically acclaimed 2007 release, Give Yourself Away, is slated to be the group’s next Christian radio single, following their Top 5 hit “Song of Hope.”

The March 2 premiere of "Oprah's Big Give" drew 15.7 million viewers, the largest audience in primetime that week for any program other than "American Idol," according to Nielsen Media Research. On the show, participants compete to find the most creative ways to multiply a given amount of money and other resources before giving them away to help others.

In addition, FOX recently featured Robbie Seay Band’s “Rise” on four national television promotional spots for its hit show “American Idol.” The song was used in promotion for the seventh season of “American Idol,” which premiered January 15 and 16.

Give Yourself Away released August 28 and was one of the top 25 Christian albums downloaded on iTunes for over 18 weeks. The album features the hit single, “Song of Hope,” which charted 18 weeks in the Top 5 on R&R’s Christian CHR National Airplay chart and Top 10 on R&R’s Christian AC National Airplay chart. The song was also one of the Top 20 Christian CHR/pop singles of 2007, according to CRW’s year-end charts.

Read our review of Give Yourself Away here.

Avalon travels to Nicaragua

2008-03-12T09:39:00.000-07:00

Photo by: Ben Pearson

CAPTION: Avalon visits with students from Ruben Dario school in Nandaime, Nicaragua on Feb. 22. Having helped secure sponsorships for more than 20,000 children as a World Vision partner since 1998, Avalon witnessed first-hand how money raised on behalf of the child sponsorship organization has improved education in that part of the country.

Read our interview with Avalon here.
Read our review of Another Time, Another Place here.

Jul 12	Carnation, WA
Jul 19	Miami, FL
Jul 28	Colorado Springs, CO
Sep 19	Sioux City, IA
Sep 20	Des Moines, IA
Oct 12	Augusta, GA
Oct 17	Irvine, CA
Oct 18	Bakersfield, CA
Oct 19	Visalia, CA
Oct 22	Escondido, CA
Oct 23	Morgan Hill, CA
Oct 25	Wendover, NV
Nov 18	Greeneville, TN
Nov 20	Hershey, PA
Nov 21	Morristown, NJ