Jesusfreakhideout.com Music News, March 2011: Dove Award Winning Artist Laura Story’s “Blessings” Debuts at No. 1 on iTunes ® Christian Singles Chart

Dove Award Winning Artist Laura Story’s “Blessings”
Debuts at No. 1 on iTunes® Christian Singles Chart

Three-Time Female Vocalist Nominee Set to
Perform at 42nd Annual Dove Awards

NEWS SOURCE: The M Collective
March 18, 2011

Nashville, TN…March 18, 2011…Dove Award Winner and this year’s female vocalist nominee Laura Story released the title track from her upcoming album Blessings earlier this week on iTunes ® and in less than 24 hours, the track skyrocketed to No. 1 on the Christian Singles Chart. In addition, the single also placed in Billboard’s Top 200 Chart at No.155.

“Blessings” is the debut single off Story’s sophomore album set to release on April 12. The single has already gained attention from stations like KLOVE, American Family Radio, KSBJ Houston, WBFJ Greensboro and more. Radio stations across America continue adding it to their playlists each week. Early reactions to the song lyrics have proven to have significant emotional impact to those listening. In just one short week, a fan-generated video featuring the song has garnered over 80,000 views. (Lyrics to the song are listed below. The song can be heard at laurastorymusic.com.) The INO Records’ artist opens up about the song in this personal video.

Following in the footsteps of her freshman release, the critically acclaimed Great God Who Saves, Blessings, produced by Nathan Nockels (Passion, Philips, Craig & Dean, Chris Tomlin) is a worship project at heart with constant threads of pop energy and singer/songwriter warmth.

Shortly after the release of her new album, Story will perform at this year’s 42nd Annual Dove Awards. The event will be held on Wednesday, April 20 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA. Fans can tune in to watch Story take the stage on April 24 at 7pm (EST) on GMC. Tickets to the 42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards are now on sale at the Fox Theatre box office in Atlanta or at www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information on Story, please visit www.laurastorymusic.com.

Blessings
by Laura Story

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
As long as we have faith to believe

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not our home

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise
© 2011 New Spring (ASCAP) / Gleaning Publishing (ASCAP) (adm by Music Services)

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About Laura Story: Laura Story, a talented worship leader and songwriter known for penning hit worship songs such as “Indescribable” made famous by Chris Tomlin, made her music debut in 2008 with her first release Great God Who Saves (INO Records). Great God Who Saves garnered her four Dove nominations in 2009, at which she took home her first award for “Inspirational Album of the Year.” This year, she is also nabbed another nomination for “Female Vocalist of the Year.” Her hit single “Mighty To Save” earned a No. 1 Soft AC/Inspo and Top 10 AC hit at Christian radio as well, and now, on April 12, Story will reveal twelve new inspirational tracks on her sophomore release titled Blessings. Story teamed up with producer Nathan Nockels (Passion. Philips, Craig & Dean, Point of Grace) to deliver a worship project that exudes constant threads of pop energy and singer/songwriter warmth. For more information on Story, please go to www.laurastorymusic.com

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, Urban Gospel, R&B, Hip Hop, Southern Gospel, Bluegrass, Country and more. The GMA community consists of 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 Dove Week and IMMERSE. For more on supporting the GMA or becoming a member, please visit www.gospelmusic.org or contact the GMA directly at 615.277.1376.

About GMC:
GMC ( www.watchgmctv.com), the fastest-growing network in television and the number one digital network in perceived value (source: BETA Research), is America’s favorite channel for uplifting music and family entertainment. In 2010, The Parents Television Council™ awarded its Entertainment Seal of Approval™ to GMC for being “an authentic family-friendly cable network.” GMC was the only television network to receive the highly coveted honor last year.

GMC can be seen in nearly 48 million homes on various cable systems around the country, on DIRECTV on channel 338 and on Verizon FiOS on channel 224.

For more info on Laura Story, visit the JFH Artists Database.