A vulnerable ballad about forgiveness that was inspired by his parents divorcing when he was in fifth grade, “7x70” is taken from the Texas native’s debut album for Fervent Records, No Far Away, an emotionally resonant collection of soulful pop-rock sing-alongs, touching balladry, and heart-on-sleeve lyricism that is proving to be one of the best-selling New Artist releases in the Christian genre.

“After I had written all the songs and was getting ready to record the album, my producer, Ed Cash said, ‘I still feel like you need a personal song, something that really tells your story. Go home tonight and write about what hurt you when you were a kid,’” August says. “He had no idea about my family history. So I went home and wrote the first verse of ‘7x70’ and played it for him the next day. He looked over at me and had tears in his eyes. He said, ‘This song has to be on your record.’ I thought he was crazy, but I’m so glad it is because writing it has helped me realize that only forgiveness could heal those relationships.”

To lend authenticity to the video for “7x70,” August and the crew traveled to Dallas to shoot in the home where August spent his entire life and where his father still lives. “The guitar, the bat, and the bike you see in the old-movie flashbacks look almost identical to the ones I actually had,” he says. “It was a very moving day.”

“7X70” is the follow-up to August’s debut single “Starry Night,” which hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Christian/AC chart in September and stayed put for six weeks, launching this self-taught pianist, guitarist, and producer as an artist in his own right. August had previously toured as the keyboard player and opening act for pop sensation Ashlee Simpson and worked with Ryan Cabrera, Brian McKnight, and Jessica Simpson before shifting his focus to a solo career. He has put his refined skill-set to work by co-producing No Far Away with acclaimed producer Cash. While he is not one to shy away from writing about his faith, August isn't afraid to embrace relationships and heartache in his songwriting and cites such influences as Stevie Wonder, John Mayer, and Gavin DeGraw on his work.

For additional information, please log on to: www.chrisaugustmusic.com, www.myspace.com/chrisaugustmusic, or www.twitter.com/ChrisAugust.

For more info on Chris August, visit the JFH Artists Database.