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JFH Music News Archive

January, 2003



*Thursday, January 30th, 2003*


Michael W. Smith Michael W. Smith will be making guest appearances on two FOX NEWS Channel shows today Thursday, January 30, 2003! Here are the details: Fox & Friends (morning, news/talk show) The show starts at 7:00 AM Central Time. Michael will be interviewed at 7:50 AM. Also, check out Hannity & Colmes (evening, news/talk-show) This show starts at 8:00 PM Central Time and Michael will be interviewed throughout the evening. Also, Smitty’s Worship Again (released Oct. 22, 2002) was recently certified gold (sales in excess of 500,000 units) by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). This gold certification was made official in less than 90 days, driven by sales that surpassed the original, platinum-certified Worship album which released on Sept. 11, 2001. Congratulations Michael!

Third Day Third Day is in the studio finishing up their follow-up to the hugely successful, critically acclaimed and gold-certified Offerings: A Worship Album. The new recording, Offerings II: All I Have To Give, is set to release on March 4. Produced by Third Day and Monroe Jones (Chris Rice, Shaun Groves, Paul Colman Trio), the new Offerings II project continues the live worship experience captured on Offerings and also presents new ontemporary worship songs recorded in the studio that are destined to become classics. “We are a band that loves to both rock and worship and we are so thrilled that we can do both,” said band member Mac Powell. “After rocking on the Come Together album, it’s a natural for us to re-focus on worship with Offerings II. We also know that God is not done with Third Day when it comes to worship music.” Offerings II: All I Have To Give will feature six songs recorded live during the “Come Together” tour in 2002 and six studio cuts, including four written by members of the band. For a tentative track listing & preorder info, click here.

Relient K Well, besides the fact that there is 4 different limited edition covers for Relient K's new release Two Lefts Don't Make A Right, But Three Do, there are also 2 more reasons to buy the new RK album on March 11. Exclusive to the owners of the actual enhanced album will be private viewing privileges to the 8 week reality tv mini-series "Where the Buffalo And Cell-phones Roam?". This will allow you to view life through the eyes of each Relient K band member each episode. Insert your CD once a week for the first 8 weeks after the album is in stores and get access to the weekly continuation of this not to be missed "webisode" mini-series. After the first 8 weeks - continue to use the enhanced CD to access a weekly tour journal of the K guys as they are on the See Spot Rock Tour and more. Remember, this is exclusive to owners of the actual CD. Also, Gotee Records is giving away Relient K's limo - painted hot pink just for you! No purchase necessary. But you can increase your chances of winning up to 8 times! Every time you insert your CD into your computer to access the new webisode of "Where The Buffalo and Cell-phones Roam?" your name will be entered into a random drawing for the limo (only one entry a week is allowed). If you happen to get in from week #1 - you will have 8 chances to enter your name in!

Jason Martin and the Starflyer 59 crew are finishing up their new record entitled Old at the Compound Studio this week in Seattle. Those at the T&N office that have heard it say it's the best thing they have ever done. Stay tuned for a new mp3 at mp3.com and look for SF59 on tour!

Kathy Troccoli will be hosting her fifth annual KT & Friends Cruise that will set sail this Saturday, Feb. 1st, leaving for the Eastern Caribbean with guests Avalon, Greg Long, Scott Krippayne and Steve Bell. Almost 450 passengers will attend the cruise this year. The week is spent with morning devotions and private evening concerts mixed in with enjoying the ship and the ports.

*Tuesday, January 28th, 2003*


SCC In every copy of Steven Curtis Chapman's lovable new album All About Love that releases today, consumers will find a golden ticket. Sounds a little like Willy Wonka but this ticket works a little differently. Grab your All About Love album today, and use the instructions on the golden ticket inside. It's your invite that could register you for a very special, very exclusive event in select markets. In each city, only the first 400 to 600 people to register for that event will be admitted... so get your All About Love album as soon as you can! Each album only includes one opportunity to register. The sooner you register, the better your opportunity to be a part of this unique and intimate evening of surprises, conversation and a few songs with Steven!

EMI Gospel recording artist, Darwin Hobbs will delight gospel music fans with his forthcoming album, Broken, hits stores today! In the midst of what Hobbs' calls his "incredible journey," the album title itself captures where the much sought after vocalist is in his life both spiritually and creatively. Today you can get a sneak peek at the record as you can listen to Broken in it's entirety for 24 hours beginning today, January 28 at 12:00am EST at www.TheGospelZone.com. This release, Hobbs' third since signing with EMI six years ago, follows his 1999 debut, Mercy and sophomore follow-up, Vertical, released in 2001.

Rebecca St. James' new CD, titled "Wait for Me - The Best from Rebecca St. James," will include 18 songs with 2 new ones! "Thank You" and "Expressions" plus the never before released "Yes, I Believe in God." The record becomes within fans' reach on March 25th!

Skillet It has proven to be many "1st's" for Skillet this past year: 1st tour bus, 1st baby (John and Korey's little Alex), and their 1st DVD! So what better way to kick off 2003 than by selling 100,000 units of Alien Youth, their first album to sell this many copies, making it their best selling album to date! Give it up for Skillet! Speaking of albums, rumor has it that the band has finally returned to the studio and has begun preliminary tracking for their 5th studio album! No word on a release date yet.

FFH Acoustic-pop band FFH looks ahead to the release of its fourth full-length Essential Records project, Ready to Fly, April 15. The upcoming album maintains FFH's signature sound, while incorporating several new stylistic elements, including inventive instrumentation and songs of a more personal nature. Co-produced in conjunction with Scott Williamson (Lincoln Brewster, Point of Grace), David Hamilton and Jeromy Deibler, Ready to Fly ventures into uncharted territory for the foursome, boasting piano-based melodies, emotive strings, '60s-influenced horns and lyrics that explore the vulnerable side of life. "FFH definitely stepped out of the box on this project," comments Bob Wohler, Essential Records' vice president of A&R. "Jeromy wrote many of the record's songs on piano rather than on guitar. This was a key component in creating the album's unique sound. Jeromy also played a huge role in the production of Ready to Fly, while Michael contributed several self-penned songs and Brian recorded his first solo. This was truly a group effort."

A new audience is experiencing what RollingStone.com calls “…one of the year’s ultimate sensory experiences…” with DJ Andy Hunter’s debut Exodus receiving massive attention in Hollywood. Hunter’s unique style has been featured on several films and TV shows, which have included the likes of ABC’s hit drama Alias and Warner Bros. film Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever. Another big screen name can be added to this list with The Recruit, which stars Al Pacino, with Hunter’s song “Go” as the musical bed of the movie trailer starting immediately.

Come Alive Ministries is pleased to announce the schedule for their 25th Anniversary celebration of the annual Creation Festival. The Creation Festivals, which were featured on CBS News Sunday Morning in September 2003, were founded in 1979 by Pastor Harry Thomas and Tim Landis and have grown to be two of the most popular Christian music festivals in the nation, with approximately 80,000 in attendance at Creation East 2002, and 20,000 at the West Coast festival. "We are excited about Creation 2003 - our 25th year," says Thomas. "When we started 25 years ago, it was our purpose to 'Give Tribute to Our Creator.' That purpose has not changed with the years or with the size of the crowd. We are expecting the Lord to be glorified and for the lives of all those attending to be touched by the Lord. God has great things in store for Creation 2003!" For more info, visit www.creationfest.com

Big Idea Everyone's favorite singing veggies are back with two new releases in the best-selling VeggieTales Sing-Alongs! series of children's music from award-winning Big Idea Productions. O Veggie, Where Art Thou? and On the Road with Bob & Larry will be released to Christian bookstores on March 25, 2003 at the suggested retail price of $6.98 (CD) and $4.98 (Cassette). Comprised of 30 minutes of upbeat, themed music from the delightful VeggieTales characters, children and families can sing-along with songs from O Veggie, Where Art Thou? and On the Road with Bob & Larry. These two new children's albums follow the best-selling tradition of the previous VeggieTunes music by featuring classic songs that everyone know and loves...and can sing along to, plus original songs from Big Idea's gifted songwriters that are sure to become favorites!

Here's an update from one of CCM's classic metal bands of yesteryear: "Bride is in the trenches writing for the next CD. There is no release date set thus far but the band expects to take their time putting this project together. 2003 will be an exciting year for Bride. The prospects of touring, the recording of the new CD, and putting together a team of people who pursue the band's vision have refueled the band. Several songs have been recorded for preview and the word is heavy! Some fans have expressed their desire that Bride add some ballads on the new project. "Your wish is our command!" Bride will write a ballad or two for this project. Bride understands how much a song like "I miss the rain" meant for so many people. Even though Bride is a heavy metal band, they also have a sensitive side too. But, no more than two slow tunes at the most. The band wants to reestablish themselves and bring back memories of songs like, "Rattlesnakes" "Would you Die for me" from the Snakes in the Playground CD."

*Friday, January 24th, 2003*


Supertones The See Spot Rock tour gets underway on Feb. 8th in Iowa. Speaking of the tour, Dan Spencer and Ethan Luck of the Supertones will be teaming up with Ben Pearson (photographer for Hi-Fi Revival and Live Vol.1) and Steve Taylor to put together a See Spot Rock Tour DVD. The guys have met together and shared a ton of ideas according to a report by Ethan on the band's official site. "So whatever show you go to," says Ethan, "be sure to look for Dan and I filming because we have a lot of fan involvement planned!" And an update on a long form video or new material? "Don't worry, the long form DVD will still come out at some point, we still have to edit it down more. We have talked about recording another record very soon! There has not been a set date but we will let you know ASAP! Even further in the future, we have brought up the subject of Live Vol. 2. I don't know when that will happen but again, I will keep everyone posted!" And so will we!

delirious Delirious? is offering a little shout out to their UK fans next week. Here's the report from a recent newsletter: "We’ve just announced that Delirious are to play a once-in-a-lifetime, one-off, get-yourself-there-at-all-costs gig next Tuesday [28th January] in London. This is stuff that rock biographies are made of: a tiny venue [the Camden Underworld: capacity 500], an army of raging fans and a big-sound band sweating their hearts out for all to see. Oh yes, tickets are £2 - the reason? A special 10th anniversary thank you to our fans: you pay the same price as the old Cutting Edge gigs back in 1993 - but in 2003... And as if that wasn’t enough, the web site currently has the best ever sale on: all Delirious cds [excluding access:d and libertad] are £10 until the end of the month with free p+p." For more info visit the site at www.delirious.co.uk or to order tickets go to www.wayahead.com.

Blindside Swedish powerhouse Blindside has been swimming in the mainstream since the release of their album Silence on Elektra Records. But the band is headed for their first big tour of the new year with none other than potty-mouthed rock band Papa Roach. If the tour hits your area, you may want to catch up with the Blindside guys and support the group. Our suggestion: Skip the Roaches and pack plenty of Raid.

The Elms' video for “Speaking In Tongues” has been added to MTV2 "120 Minutes!" This isn’t the first time The Elms have been featured on MTV2…their first video “Hey, Hey” from their debut album The Big Surprise was regularly featured on the video show.

In May of 2000, Passion ConferencesOneDay gathering was the largest collegiate gathering of its kind in over 25 years, drawing more than 40,000 college students from all over the world. On Memorial Day Weekend, May 24-27, 2003, a completely new generation of college students will be able to experience this once-in-a-lifetime event during OneDay03. To be held on a private 400-acre ranch near Sherman, TX, OneDay03 is a solemn assembly, gathering college-aged people in worship and prayer for spiritual awakening in this generation. Hosted by Passion Conferences, the event will begin May 24 and build to the focal point, OneDay, on May 26. Prior to the final closing session Tuesday morning, May 27, various well-known worship leaders, bands and speakers will lead the students gathered at OneDay03 through movements of intercession, celebration, confession, reflection, adoration and repentance. Detailed schedule and registration information can be found at www.oneday03.com, with discounts for early registration by January 31.

The first three projects in the Devotion Worship Series from new label Devotion Music are in stores now. They are: Modern Worship (featuring songs by Steven Curtis Chapman, Billy Smiley and Matt Redman), Scripture Song, and Quiet Worship (featuring vocals by Nikki Leonti, Geoff Moore and more). Quiet Worship also features Lisa Cochran singing "Transform Us", which will be featured on the upcoming Time/Life Music release Songs For Life. New releases planned for 2003 include Scripture Songs For Kids and Gospel Extreme. "Devotion Music is a unique worship experience that focuses on the creativity and talent of those who directly influence what we sing in church every week," says producer Billy Smiley. "The heart of Devotion Music is to share with the body of Christ the new songs that are being written by worship leaders and musicians from various denominations around the world." Devotion Music was launched in 2002 by Billy Smiley, co-founder and member of the Christian mega-group White Heart.

Starflyer 59 is currently in the studio recording a new record at The Compound in Seattle, WA with Aaron Sprinkle. Head over to Starflyer 59's website to read their studio journal, check out new photos, and more.

Dogwood's third full length, Seismic, will be in stores in less than a week! That's right! The new album hits stores next Tuesday, January 28th! Check out the new song, "Conscience In A Cave," here: http://www.mp3.com/dogwood

Sara Groves recently filmed a new music video for "Less Like Scars," from her sophomore project All Right Here. Commenting in this poignant song, Groves’ states,“ ‘Less Like Scars’ was initially inspired by our new post-Sept. 11th life. With every experience in life, we have the choice to approach it saying "this is going to be the death of me" or "this is going to make me stronger." I didn't want to discount the pain people have experienced, but I also wanted to give God credit for how he transforms and redeems the dark times in our lives.” In continued support for All Right Here, Groves will hit the road for the “I Worship” tour March 13-30, joining notable talent including host Don Moen, Twila Paris, Chris Tomlin, ZOEgirl, Lincoln Brewster and more.

Justin McRoberts Justin McRoberts is gearing up to record yet another project! McRoberts says in a newsletter this week, "I have done quite a bit of writing towards a new project. I expect to have enough material to take into the studio mid-late May. I had originally planned on doing a musical trilogy about hobbits, but have recently been informed another author has done similar work ha ha. Nonetheless, I look I forward to sharing some new songs with you this Spring." For the latest from Justin, visit www.justinmcroberts.com

Further Seems Forever will be shooting a video for "The Sound" on January 26th in Atlanta, Georgia. Send an e-mail to band@furtherseemsforever.com for more info! The band's sophomore record How To Start A Fire hits shelves February 11th!

*Monday, January 20th, 2003*


Plumb Curb Recording artist Plumb and her husband spent the day helping others during the rare Winter storm that hit Nashville, TN on January 16th. Nashville broke a record with an accumulation of 7.5 inches of snow. Plumb and her husband traveled around the city in their Land Rover towing nearly 20 vehicles out of ditches, helping change flat tires and assisting some that were out of gas and stuck on the side of the road. Plumb states, "It is a blessing to have a vehicle that is effective in this type of situation and more of a blessing to help those in need and see others assisting people in need." They are now home safe and Plumb prepares for the release of her new album, Beautiful Lumps of Coal on March 25th. The first single from this album, "Sink n' Swim," is at radio now and is one of the singles for the new upcoming Gwyneth Paltrow movie A View From The Top (releases nationwide in April 2003.) Also a part of the Paltrow movie is "Boys Don't Cry" from Plumb's upcoming album.

At 7:00 PM Eastern time this Monday, January 20th, Rebecca St. James will be available from Australia to chat live online, courtesy of Guidepost For Teens Magazine. Fans from all over the world will be able to log on to www.gp4teens.com to take advantage of the opportunity of chatting with Rebecca while she's "on break" in her native homeland.

This week, Geoff Moore will forge a deeper partnership with Christian child relief and development ministry, Compassion International, by hosting a series of concerts called "An Evening of Compassion with Geoff Moore." Joined by Word Artist Rachael Lampa and other friends of Compassion. The first show of the tour was Friday, January 17 in Carlinville, IL and was a sell-out! "I have been a long-time supporter of Compassion International," said Geoff. "The work they do to help poverty-stricken children around the world has made a tremendous impact and to be a part of what they do is an honor." Geoff and his family have sponsored several children through Compassion International over the years and during his live performances, Geoff has always advocated Compassion from stage, but these events take this partnership a step further. This month and next, Geoff will be traveling with the tour to Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. The tour was developed to educate new audiences about the importance and impact of Compassion International and to encourage them to sponsor a child of their own.

Skillet Ardent Records’ top rock band, Skillet, received a Dove nomination this week from the Gospel Music Association. The band’s third consecutive No. 1 hit single, “Vapor,” from Skillet’s best selling 2001 release, Alien Youth, was honored with a nod in the “Hard Music Recorded Song” category. Receiving two Dove nominations last year for “Modern Rock/Alternative Album of the Year” and “Rock Recorded Song of the Year,” for its No. 1 song, “Alien Youth,” this year’s nomination marks the third for Skillet’s fastest-selling album to date. As Alien Youth continues to garner accolades, Skillet’s recently-releases radio single, “Will You Be There,” mades its debut on R&R’s Top 30 Rock Chart last week.

Cornerstone Festival 2003 the mega Illinois fesitval has now branched off to include a new North Carolina August show in celebration of their 20th year! The lineup is pretty solid too, as it includes reuniting acts The Prayer Chain, Poor Old Lu, and a special performance from Steve Taylor to name a few. For more info and the full lineup, surf on over to http://www.cornerstonefestival.com/

Pop/rock band Paul Colman Trio celebrates its second No. 1 single, "Run," which recently grabbed the top position on Radio & Records' Christian Hits Radio Top 30 chart. This month marks multiple victories for the group, who garnered its first Dove and Grammy Award nominations as well.

Studio Report: David Crowder Band is currently in the studio recording their follow-up to their 2002 debut worship project Can You Hear Us?. On the opposite side of the stylistic spectrum, Thousand Foot Krutch is also working on their next project.

Another Olsen-twins watcher just stumbled on to this interesting CCM connection. A JfH fan's brother apparently rented Mary-Kate and Ashley's Getting There video and near the end he heard a familiar voice. The end credits revealed that the familiar voice was none other than Jars of Clay's song "Something Beautiful." Thanks for the report, Dan!

Embassy Music of Nashville, Tennessee in conjunction with Lifeway Christian Stores today announced its New Artist and Song Search will be held at Music City's Opryland Hotel and will be judged by leaders within the Christian Music Industry. The announcement came during their New Year's Writers' Retreat also held at Opryland Hotel which included several of Embassy Music's past seminar attendees and talent search winners. Now in its 9th year, The Ultimate Talent Search and Seminars will offer over $50,000 in prizes, which includes a single song-publishing contract for the grand-prize winning song. The grand-prize winning artist will have a single recorded and distributed nationwide to Christian radio. Finalists will also have the opportunity to perform live in Nashville in front of a panel of industry professionals comprised of producers, publishers, managers, and record labels. Entry forms for the Ultimate Talent Search are now available. All entries must be received no later than Friday, February 28, 2003. To receive additional information, visit http://www.embassymusic.com

*Wednesday, January 15th, 2003*


Dove Awards The 34th Annual Dove Award nominees are in! tobyMac scored a flattering six nominations while Third Day grabbed five and Jars of Clay, Audio Adrenaline, top 2002 JfH staff pick The Rock N Roll Worship Circus, and MercyMe all received four nods each. Many others were noticed, so surf on over to www.doveawards.com for a full list of nominations! The Dove Award ceremony will take place on Thursday, April 10th at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, TN.

Avalon Congratulations goes out to Michael, Jody, Janna and Melissa of Avalon for winning the American Music Award in the category of Favorite Artist-Contemporary Inspirational Music at Monday night’s awards show, held live in Los Angeles and aired on ABC TV. Speaking of Avalon, get ready for Testify To Love: The Very Best of Avalon due March 25th on Sparrow Records. This greatest hits package includes 13 #1 hits as well as three new songs.

Relient K Relient K recently shot a new video in LA for the song “Chap stick, Chapped Lips, and Things Like Chemistry” from their new album. The video was directed by Elliot Lester (Grits “Here We Go”). The video took place at a retirement home featured 35 senior citizens, wheel chairs, walkers and moshing. By the end of the shoot, RK walked away with 35 more RK fans (their oldest fans!) On March 11 2003, Relient K will release their 3rd album Two Lefts Don't Make a Right... But Three Do. The release will mark the first CD in Gotee history to be released with multiple covers. The limited edition illustrated covers each depict a vehicle that has made a "bad" right turn. A limited run of each cover will be made (about 15,000 of each) before a final cover is decided. So hurry and collect all 4!

delirious Delirious? is cooking up some new tunes in their home country of the UK as they explain in a recent update: "We’ve already mentioned "Every Little Thing," but the Forum gig showcased another new track: the groove-led "Rain Down." Both of these tunes are the first in line to be recorded as part of the demo phase for the band’s next album. In fact, Martin & Stu G are already locked into their rehearsal room writing and polishing for the next week or two. As well as the conception of the album, the band are going to be getting creative as they prepare for the forthcoming spring tour. There will be new tracks, fresh visuals as well as all the usual good stuff you expect from a Delirious show." For more from this update, check out: http://www.delirious.co.uk/cst2.html

Jeff Deyo Jeff Deyo and his wife Martha are still celebrating the long anticipated birth of their first child. The proud parents welcomed their son, Roman Jeffrey Deyo, on Dec 18. He weighed in at 4 1/2 pounds and 17 inches, and is now home, healthy and "growing strong." Responded Jeff, "After 4 1/2 years of desiring a child and not seeing this dream come to pass, its amazing to be on the other side where God, in His perfect timing, blessed us so incredibly with this strong, healthy, child of promise! Roman is such a cool, wonderfully unexplainable part of our lives! Our one desire is that he know Jesus deeply and become exactly who God desires." Congrats guys!

On March 18, Reunion Records will release Dove Hits 2003: 15 of the Year’s Best Dove Award Nominated Artists and Songs. Previous compilations have included such artists as Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, Third Day, Rebecca St. James, Avalon, Nicole C. Mullen and Point of Grace. A full song list for Dove Hits 2003 will be announced following the 34th Annual Dove Awards press conference to be held in Nashville this week. In addition to offering 15 of the year’s best Dove Award-nominated artists and songs the collection will include an exclusive multi-artist version of the Michael W. Smith classic “Friends,” recorded in honor of Michael W. Smith’s 20-year anniversary as a Christian artist. “Friends 2003” will be available only on Dove Hits 2003. Also slated for inclusion on this edition are several bonus tracks featuring nominees from the 34th Annual Dove Awards New Artist of the Year category.

The artist Verbs (formally known as Knowdaverbs) has temporarily moved to Cape Town, South Africa to be involved with a local church plant. With a team from his home church in Nashville, TN, he left recently to spend the next 6 months doing outreaches in Cape Town. His upcoming new release Unlocked has been delayed in the USA, but will release it early Internationally and in South Africa. The USA street date for Unlocked will be 07.08.03. Stay tuned for more on Verbs and his trip to South Africa.

EMI Gospel turned out to be a big winner in the "18th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards" with 7 of the label's 19 nominations winning the prestigious award. "The 18th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards" airs in national syndication beginning January 18 through February 16, 2003. The two-hour show will air in Los Angeles on January 18th at 2PM on KCOP-TV (UPN) and in New York on February 8th at 8PM on WWOR-TV (UPN). Check your local listings for additional airdates and times in other markets.

There have been rumors floating about the net regarding the demise of Living Sacrifice. After almost 2 years of touring to support The Hammering Process Living Sacrifice came home worn out. The band chose to record their final record Conceived In Fire and were going to call it a day. After deliberating their future vocalist / guitarist Bruce Fitzhugh has decided to part way with the band. Bruce will be performing live with the band up to Cornerstone 2003. Guitarist Rocky Gray is still in Living Sacrifice but is currently also playing drums for Wind-Up Records artist Evanescence, you may have heard them on your local rock station. Drummer Lance Garvin will continue on with Living Sacrifice. For the most up to date information check out livingsacrifice.com The band has launched a brand new site, look for updates on a regular basis.

*Monday, January 13th, 2003*


Earthsuit They're back! Well, actually... it's just that we've found them! Earthsuit has finally put up a new website (webmastered by Hunz from the late Beanbag, coincidentally) and has recently left Sparrow records with plans to release their next project independently early 2003. Check their "sights and sounds" link for the latest sample downloads of new music, including a full-length mp3! The site also provides the following update info on the members: former bass player, Roy Mitchell has moved back to texas and is back in school full time; guitarist, Dave Rumsey got married (he wedding took place in Sydney, Australia); and Darren King can now be found behind the drums for earthsuit. The band is currently recording and writing restlessly; and for more than earthsuit. Adam is organizing another band, Macrosick, which will begin to make appearances late this year. Paul, Darren, and Dave have started a production team, "the Digitals", and are currently doing some songs for the new tobyMac album.

Taylor Industry veteran artist, producer, and former record co. exec Steve Taylor recently penned a much needed article for YouthSpecialties.com approaching the question "Are You a Minister or Entertainer?" In the lengthy yet vital article, Taylor says, "...this one argument that has largely defined the history of Christians in entertainment for the last 30 years, particularly when it comes to music. "Are you a minister or an entertainer? Are you here to minister to our kids, or are you just here to entertain them?" My answer is that I'm not going to answer, because I think it's a bogus question. And I've been hearing that bogus question for the last 17 years. People keep asking it like they're quoting scripture or something: 'Are you a minister or an entertainer? Thus asketh the Lord!'" For the whole article, please visit http://www.youthspecialties.com/articles/topics/culture/entertainer.php

The really cool fansite for worship band Fusebox, Fuseboxrocks.com, recently posted this breaking info: "On January 9th, Fusebox started recording their new album in Atlanta, GA. Mac Powell, the lead singer of Third Day, is producing a good portion of the record. The album is due out in the summer of 2003. The title of the upcoming release is still yet to be determined."

A happy belated birthday to Dan Haseltine, lead vocalist of Jars of Clay who turned 30 yesterday!

Orrico In preparation for her self-titled March 25 release, Stacie Orrico has been hitting the road visiting radio stations to share some of her new music with the staff and their listeners. Visiting both Christian and mainstream stations across the country, Stacie is receiving amazing response! KSBJ Music Director, Jim Beeler shared an e-mail that was sent to him from a listener after the station played Stacie's brand new ballad, "Strong Enough," which will be released to Christian radio on January 20. "God used this song to help me understand that God is strong enough to change a person's life. As soon as the song ended, I called my brother and told him that I loved him," the listener wrote. "Not only did this song help to heal a strained relationship, but it also reminded me that God is strong enough to fulfill his purpose for my life as well, in spite of the mistakes that I have made."

Audio A Here's some Audio A Worldwide trivia for you... The rockin' new Audio Adrenaline release, Worldwide, opens with the upbeat "Worldwide One," which is a song of encouragement to make a difference in the world around you. At the beginning of the song is a voice that seems to be a British air control officer landing a plane into London's famed Heathrow airport. That voice isn't British at all, as a matter of fact, that voice comes from a Texan! Its ForeFront's intern-turned marketing assistant, Lisa Apple. "I was actually on my way to the airport when I got a call from Audio Adrenaline in the studio," remembers Apple. "I thought it was a joke at first, but being the team player that I am, I happily obliged to help out!" As a matter of fact, the guys were so impressed with her performance, they asked if she would record it again so they could use it to open all of the shows on their upcoming "The Go Show" Tour! Look for Worldwide to hit stores on February 25 and "The Go Show" to kick off on February 20. Click here to see ForeFront's new talent posing with Audio Adrenaline lead singer, Mark Stuart - http://www.forefrontrecords.com/images/news/appleandstewart.jpg.

The guys from PAX217 recently took part in a canned food drive in Bakersfield, CA with their local rock station, KLLY and the local CBS affiliate. In promotion of the event, PAX's music was played on the station along with music from artists like No Doubt and Matchbox twenty. The event culminated in a concert that took place at the VANS Skate Park where PAX and other local favorites performed. In more PAX news, the guys are getting ready to play their first ever totally acoustic set this weekend. The show, "The Acoustic Engagement," will take place in Redlands, CA at The Upper Room. If you caught the first episode of MTV'S new reality show, The Battle of the Sexes, that pits former male and female cast members from The Real World and Road Rules against each other, you might have noticed the bright yellow PAX217 wristband that Julie from The Real World New Orleans cast was wearing. Turns out she is a fan of the band and has even met the guys! Sadly, Julie was voted off the show after the first competition.

Flicker Records’ Grammy nominated rap/hip-hop artist T-Bone had been invited to present at last night’s 18th Annual Stellar Awards at the Atlanta Civic Center. T-Bone represented the cast of the summer 2003 Paramount/MTV Networks movie The Fighting Temptations, starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyonce’ Knowles. This marks T-Bone’s first appearance at the Stellar Awards’ which features top performers in the gospel music industry. This year’s awards were hosted by Donnie McClurkin, Mary Mary and Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child. The show will air nationwide beginning January 18th thru February 16th.

DAVID: Ordinary Man...Extraordinary God, brings together six infamous male vocalists in Christian music today. Discovery House Music has united Bob Carlisle, Russ Lee, Clay Crosse, Greg Long, Scott Krippayne and Steve Camp for an intimate, yet profound musical portrayal of one of the most intriguing characters of ancient times. Along with the audio version of DAVID: Ordinary Man...Extraordinary God, Discovery House Music is releasing a companion DVD which is included free in this special release. Shot in the Nevada desert, the DVD features music videos of each song on the project. This special DVD is mixed in Dolby 5.1, making this one of the most ambitious projects to hit the Christian market in recent memory. DAVID: Ordinary Man...Extraordinary God is set to release on March 4, 2003.

With four Grammy wins behind them, The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir received their eighth nomination yesterday for Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album for their 2002 release “Be Glad.” The choir recently appeared on NBC's Today Show this past December 20th. The choir also started the year earning their first top 10 single on the R&R INSPO chart, receiving significant airplay on some of the top Gospel stations in the country, including major markets like Miami, Philadelphia, Boston, New York City and Washington D.C.

A friend of the Hideout just happened on this little fact. While spending time with his neice who was watching Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen on Fox Family, a familiar song caught his attention. On the show, the twins were going crazy to none other than Superchic[k]'s song "Big Star Machine" from their debut project Karaoke Superstar. Good ear, Nathan!

Reunion Records flagship artist Kathy Troccoli received another Grammy nomination for her 13th project The Heart of Me released on Sept. 24, 2002. This is the third Grammy nomination for Kathy since she began her music career. "I'm stunned, honored and amazed by this nomination. It is nice to have something you work really hard on receive this type of recognition but I hope more than anything that my life has a true impact on our culture and that is remembered more than awards and accolades," notes Troccoli.

*Thursday, January 9th, 2003*


Audio A More Grammys Coverage! During a recent press conference in New York City announcing the nominees for the 45th Annual Grammy Awards, it was revealed that ForeFront Records artists Audio Adrenaline and tobyMac received nominations for Best Rock Gospel Album for their current releases. Audio Adrenaline was nominated for their November 2001 release, LIFT, which received much critical acclaim and spawned three #1 singles on Christian radio, including their first cross-over hit with “Ocean Floor.” This marks Audio Adrenaline’s fourth Grammy nomination in this category. “We are honored and excited by our Grammy nomination,” said Audio Adrenaline frontman, Mark Stuart. “Let's hope that the fourth time is a charm!” Audio A's hot new record Worldwide hits shelves February 25th! We've heard it guys and let me tell you -- it'll rock your face off!

toby tobyMac was nominated for the first time as a solo artist for his fall 2001 release, Momentum, which has already sold more than 300,000 copies and garnered several Dove Awards in 2002, including Rap/Hip-Hop/Dance Album of the Year. No stranger to the Grammys, tobyMac has received four Grammy Awards in this category for his work with multi-platinum selling rock band, dc talk. “My first solo recording was truly a labor of love,” said tobyMac. “For it to be nominated for a Grammy… just blows my mind" tobyMac was also recognized for his production work with Gotee Records’ artists, Grits and Jennifer Knapp. Grits’ latest release, The Art of Translation and Jennifer Knapp’s The Way I Am were also nominated in the Best Rock Gospel Album category, both of which were executive produced by tobyMac.

POD When this year's Annual Grammy Nominations were unveiled, P.O.D. turned up with TWO award nods!
* Best Hard Rock Performance - "Youth of the Nation"
* Best Metal Performance - "Portrait"
Sonny, Marcos, Traa, and Wuv were all called Tuesday morning at their homes in San Diego. No one in the P.O.D. camp expected this... Congratulation to P.O.D. and to their families! In addition to this, P.O.D. have also been nominated for a prestigious Echo Award (Europe) for: "Best Hard / Alternative Group of the Year." Sonny and Wuv will be flying to Berlin, Germany to attend this years ceremony on Feb. 15th!

RSJ Rebecca St. James' two hour concert, taped last week at Allen Arena in Nashville, will help launch the new JC-TV Network, as it officially joins the broadcast family of the Trinity Broadcast Network. On Thursday, January 9th, Rebecca's concert will be broadcast on JC-TV as a first run concert special on the network, which is targeted to a young audience demographic. The telecast will be carried over the Dish Network affiliates with an estimated target audience of more than three million North American subscribers. Noted Mark McCallie of TBN's California production office: "We're very excited with the quality of programming set for the launch of JC-TV this week. Paul and Jan Crouch, founders of TBN, have been totally dedicated to bringing this network to reality. They specifically asked that the Rebecca St. James concert be a flagship of our initial broadcast programming."

*Wednesday, January 8th, 2003*


Grammys What a great new year it is for this year's Grammy Award Nominees for the Gospel category! The following artists were nominated for the Best Rock Gospel Album: Lift by Audio Adrenaline, The Art Of Translation by Grits, The Way I Am by Jennifer Knapp, Come Together, Third Day, and Momentum by Tobymac. For the Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album: New Map Of The World by Paul Colman Trio, The Eleventh Hour by Jars Of Clay, The Christmas Shoes by Newsong, The Heart Of Me by Kathy Troccoli and finally See The Light from True Vibe. We have some news reports for select nominees which will be posted below. Congrats to all of this year's Grammy Award Nominees! The 45th Annual Grammy Awards will be held at Madison Square Garden in New York City and will air on the CBS Television Network from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (live in the East, tape delayed in the West), February 23, 2003.

JoC Multi-Platinum selling, multi-Grammy Award winning band Jars of Clay (Essential/Silvertone Records) adds another nod to its list of Grammy accolades this week. Receiving a nomination from the Recording Academy for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for its critically acclaimed 2002 release, The Eleventh Hour, this achievement marks the fourth consecutive Grammy nod for each of the band’s studio projects. “We are particularly honored by this Grammy Nomination,” says Jars of Clay’s Dan Haseltine. “This album was a labor of love as we struggled to put the full extent of our heart and soul into each line and note. When you labor so hard to communicate that which moves your heart so completely, it is all the more gratifying to know you have been heard.” Jars of Clay won its first Grammy for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album in 1997 with its Platinum-selling recording, Much Afraid, followed by a second consecutive win in the category in 2001 with its Gold-Selling, If I Left the Zoo. The band also received a Grammy nomination for Rock/Gospel Album of the Year in 1995 for its RIAA certified Double Platinum and self-titled debut.

Third Day Essential Records’ rock band Third Day launched into 2003 with news of their fourth Grammy nomination in the Best Rock Gospel Album category for their critically acclaimed and RIAA gold-certified album, Come Together. Following a successful year in the areas of album sales, record-breaking tours, national media exposure and philanthropy through humanitarian outlets including World Vision and Habitat for Humanity, the two-time reigning Gospel Music Association “Group of the Year” was thrilled to hear the announcement. Mac Powell, lead singer for Third Day, noted, “This nomination is an amazing honor for us. It’s our fourth Grammy nomination, so that element adds to our excitement. This nomination also caps off a great year for us in working with Habitat for Humanity on our Spring and Fall ‘Come Together’ tours and the ‘Come Together and Worship Tour.’ What an unbelievable way to round off the year.”

Pc3 Essential Records' pop-rock band the Paul Colman Trio, received its first Grammy® Award nomination this week. The nomination marks the culmination of a phenomenal debut year for the group, who toured as part of Third Day's best-selling "Come Together" tour and was named among the Top 10 breakthrough artists of 2002. Nominated in the category of Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for its debut label release New Map of the World, pc3 was the only new artist among the group's nominees. "This nomination was definitely unforeseen, which makes it all the more enjoyable," comments frontman Paul Colman. "The guys and I couldn't be more pleased with our reception here in the U.S. and are moved that the Academy has recognized our efforts."

Reunion Records pop group NewSong has added another accolade for their critically acclaimed The Christmas Shoes album with a 2003 Grammy nomination for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album. NewSong had a whirlwind 2002 with a CBS movie-of-the-week in December 2002 based on the song "The Christmas Shoes." The movie ranked No. 1 for CBS and pulled in 17 million viewers. In addition to the movie, NewSong had appearances on "The Wayne Brady" show and "CNN Headline News." The group was also featured in several print outlets including People, The Washington Times, and The Tennessean. NewSong was recently featured in a special on NBC's "The Today Show" highlighting the growth of Christian music. "It is remarkable to see how God has used this song and record to touch so many people through not only the music, but also the movie and the book. From day one I have called The Christmas Shoes a 'God thing' and He continues to amaze us." notes Eddie Carswell, NewSong member.

true vibe Essential Records' pop quartet True Vibe received word yesterday of its nomination in the category of Best Pop/Contemporary Album for See The Light, released last August. The honor adds to the group's growing list of accolades since its entrance onto the Contemporary Christian music scene less than two years ago. "It is such a neat feeling to receive an honor of this magnitude," comments Jonathan Lippmann, founder and member of True Vibe. "When I heard the news this morning, my wife and I were completely caught off guard. We've been thanking God all day long and calling everyone we know!"

New artist Sarah Sadler may not have been nominated for a Grammy this year, but she did have this exciting news to share in a recent newsletter: "Well, I wanted to share some exciting news with you all! My first single 'Beautiful' is in a new movie called Just Married starring Brittany Murphy and Ashton Kutcher that arrives in theaters on January 10th! I went to see a sneak preview of it last night and really laughed, really cried and totally loved it! I promise that's not a bias opinion either! It was an amazing feeling to hear my song in a movie that hopefully millions will see! Check out the film's website and download some clips of the flick! Hope all is well and Happy New Year!"

New Tooth and Nail Records artist Anberlin just got their trailer stolen! They lost everything and unfortunately insurance can't cover it. For those of you that know Anberlin and want to help, you can send donations to: Anberlin
ATTN:Trailer
6423 Chippendale Rd.
Lakeland, FL 33809
Please keep the guys in prayer through this trying time!


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