As Come Home launches next month, Luminate has been bolstered by acclaim for its successful, self-titled EP that has built anticipation for the full-length album. iTunes championed the EP, saying, “Luminate pack an authentic punch and show the potential to become an influential player on subsequent releases.” HearItFirst.com agreed that “Luminate will be a band to keep an eye on in the future…” as JesusFreakHideout.com declared the EP a “solid debut” and CrossRhythms gave the EP 9 out of 10 bars, saying, “There is not really a weak song here and you quickly get the impression that the band are stretching their wings, and are about to fly.”

Produced by Paul Moak, Ed Cash and Ben Glover, the band’s Come Home opens with the compelling lead radio single and title track that has received significant national and regional aiplay on K-LOVE, The Joy FM Radio Network, KCMS (Seattle), KSBJ (Houston), WPOZ (Orlando) and many more.

“We were writing the song ‘Come Home’ about a relationship I was in,” says Luminate frontman Sam Hancock, “but the further we went with the song, the more I realized the song was not about her, but about me! I was the one that needed to ‘Come Home.’ I realized I was avoiding my destiny and the call on my life. I lost the original vision and was pursuing fame. A little bit of recognition and I started building my own empire under the guise that God was using me, when in actuality my light was growing dim. It was then I realized that I had to exchange my broken empire for my part in the Kingdom of God, the kingdom that will never fail.”

The album continues with a set of worshipful, emotion-filled songs that draw from personal journeys of overcoming fear (“Hope Is Rising”), fighting apathy (“Innocent”) and finding hope, peace and purpose in Christ (“New Beginnings”).

“All my insecurities are on this record and they are not hidden in any artistic, poetic way,” says Hancock, “Our hope is that we’re not the only ones that deal with this stuff over and over, so we’ll share our stories to spark something in others.

“We all have a purpose and destiny in the kingdom of God,” continues Hancock. “We have to choose to be a part of it. And we want everyone to be a part of it.”

Luminate formed organically in 2005 as Hancock met Dusty Jakubik (bass) at the Visible School of Music in Memphis. Jakubik, who was looking for a fresh start after the group he was in fell apart after signing a major label deal, liked the music Hancock was writing, and while he wanted to start a band, he was wary of working with someone who still had some growing up to do.

“Sam was coming out of a period of rebellion in high school,” recalls Jakubik, who decided to consult with his friend Cody Clark (Luminate guitarist) in their mutual hometown of Tyler, TX. “I already knew I wanted to work with Cody. We both shared the idea that we wanted a band that was a brotherhood. We wanted to be close and for the Lord’s hand to be in everything we did. I told Cody, ‘I don’t know about this kid, Sam, but he’s incredibly talented.’”

As the band members began writing and playing music together, there was a sense that God was unifying the band and leaving no doubt that they should work collectively. With the addition of then 17-yearold Dustin DeLong (keyboards) and Aaron Matthew (drums), who had performed with By The Tree and Kari Jobe, the pop/rock band was completed in Fall 2005. Luminate (meaning, to shine light into darkness) began non-stop touring with its first appearance at Cornerstone Festival in 2006. In 2007, the band met an A&R representative from Sparrow Records at the festival. This relationship eventually led to Luminate signing with the label in March 2009.

Having toured the country with well-established acts like Superchick and Sanctus Real, Luminate is gearing up now for Come Home ‘street week’ release events, as well as a tour with Big Daddy Weave and Chris Sligh in Spring 2011.

For all the latest on Luminate, including a new 8-part, behind-the-scenes video series of the making of Come Home that the band is revealing each Tuesday leading up to the release of the album on it’s YouTube channel, see these links:

For more info on Luminate, visit the JFH Artists Database.