JFH News: Matthew West Shares Call To Action with "UNTOLD"

AWARD-WINNING ARTIST AND SONGWRITER MATTHEW WEST SHARES A HEARTFELT CALL TO ACTION WITH "UNTOLD," HIS NEW MUSIC VIDEO

NEWS SOURCE: Merge PR
January 20, 2016

20 January 2016 ... A letter from Matthew West:
"For years I've been using my platform of music encouraging people to realize how each one of our lives is a story in the making, and how each of our stories can have a great impact on the world. Sadly, we live in a world where many stories are ended before they even have the chance to begin.

I was reminded of this when asked to perform a benefit concert for a crisis pregnancy center in Dallas, Texas. While there, I was moved by the stories of how many lives had been saved by their work. Weeks later, I received a thank you letter from the organization and one sentence they wrote struck me. 'We hope that you might someday feel inspired to tell the story of the unborn.' That experience at the pregnancy center and their compelling request moved me to write 'Untold.'"

But I wanted to go even deeper than just a song. I wanted to highlight some true stories that provide each one of us with a window inside the difficult choice many are faced with. My hope is that this song along with the stories and resources will be a positive and sincere voice offering people a greater understanding of the value of life and the hope each child should have for a future. I also pray it will serve to honor and inspire ministries, churches, organizations, and individuals who courageously share hope and life-affirming options to all those in need, along with forgiveness and compassion for those who seek it.

Why now? For many churches, the month of January is one where they focus on the sanctity of life. It's also a time where we as a nation are reminded of the anniversary of the controversial Roe v. Wade case, which seems to thrust the topic of abortion into the spotlight each year.

I've found that music can be powerful and often times cuts through to the heart of the matter.

We see this as a way to approach a difficult topic in a sincere and heartfelt way, which is why I felt the time was now for a song like this to be heard.
Sincerely,
Matthew West

For more information, please visit IAMUNTOLD.ORG and be sure to check out Matthew's story on TheBlaze.com.

"Here is what the music video gave me: a lump in my throat, tears in my eyes, a smile on my face, a fire in my heart and a resolve to speak up for those whose story is untold. Other than that, I was unaffected." - Max Lucado, best-selling Christian author and pastor

ABOUT MATTHEW WEST: Matthew West is a four-time GRAMMY® nominee, a multiple-ASCAP Christian Music Songwriter/Artist of the Year winner and Dove Award winner and, and was awarded an American Music Award (2013) and a Billboard Music Award (2014). West was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy® Award for Original Music & Lyrics for "The Heart of Christmas" from the film of the same name. In addition to his own recording career, West has more than 100 songwriting credits to his name, including cuts by Rascal Flatts, Scotty McCreery, Casting Crowns, Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, and Mandisa, among others. Selling more than 1.2 million albums to date (TEA), West's discography includes acclaimed releases: Live Forever (2015), GRAMMY-nominated Into The Light (2012), The Story of Your Life (2010), Something to Say (2008), History (2005) and Happy (2003). Matthew West, well known for communicating stories through song, has received more than 40,000 stories from around the world. His latest album, Live Forever, continues that storytelling theme and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Christian Sales Chart. West has obtained numerous No. 1 singles, achieving a record-setting No. 1 for 17 straight weeks at radio with "Hello, My Name Is" and "The Motions" for 15 weeks. On the road year-round, he has headlined many of his own tours, such as the Live Forever Tour that ran through Fall 2015. West will co-headline 2016's WinterJam Tour Spectacular, the No. 1 tour in the world, which he first joined in 2013. Matthew West can also add author to his name, writing four books to date: Give This Christmas Away, The Story Of Your Life, Forgiveness, and Today Is Day One. To find out more, please visit www.MatthewWest.com.

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For more info on Matthew West, visit the JFH Artists Database.