JFH News: Zach Williams Releases Long-Awaited New Album, "Rescue Story"

ZACH WILLIAMS' LONG-AWAITED ALBUM, RESCUE STORY, OUT NOW

Willams Shares An In-Depth Look Into The Making Of Rescue Story With Billboard;
Headlining Fall Tour Kicks Off This Week, Stops At Nashville's Historic Ryman Auditorium

CLICK COVER TO ENLARGE

NEWS SOURCE: Merge PR
October 7, 2019

7 October 2019 - Franklin, TN - Rescue Story, the long-awaited album from GRAMMY® and GMA Dove Award ® -winning artist Zach Williams is out now. Supporting Rescue Story, which is the follow-up to his GRAMMY-winning album, 2017's Chain Breaker, is Williams' 21-city Rescue Story Tour, which kicks off next week from Syracuse, NY.

The ten songs found on t he aptly titled Rescue Story (courtesy of Sony Music/PLG) were produced by Jonathan Smith and are a reflection of where Williams' life was 20 years ago to now, to the moments and places that he didn't even realize God was involved. "I can see now He was putting these little things together and allowing me to live in these moments so I can write about it one day," Williams shares. "Rescue Story is the appropriate title for it all."

Writing music and playing guitar spanning for more than two decades, it was when Williams completely gave his life to Christ that everything changed and he knew he'd found his calling. He now has a renewed vision of who he is as an artist, a songwriter, and a performer, stating, “I have a lot to say about what I walked through to get to where I am."

Williams recently went in-depth with Billboard about his life story, while also sharing about his new songs, and about the fans. "I hear their stories, I hear their struggles," he shares. "They're the same as mine. I don't pretend to have it all together or try to be better than anyone else. I just wanted to write a record that felt real and honest. I think if you do that, the connections to the songs are going to be there."

Williams' interview, recorded into a podcast, is now live. Along with the interview, he also performed a special acoustic version of "Rescue Story," the album's first single. Listen to the full interview and performance here.

Leading up to release day for Rescue Story, a pre-sale campaign launched, offering the opportunity for fans to instantly download five of the ten songs prior to release date: "Rescue Story," "Walk With You," "Heaven Help Me," "Slave To Nothing," and "Baptized." Both "Heaven Help Me" and "Walk With You" are just two of the songs that came to Williams when he looked back on his life during the writing process. "So many times I was in the wrong places and making wrong choices, yet it was God who was keeping me safe, even when I thought he was too far gone," he says.

"There Was Jesus" continues that same theme, and is also a highlight for Williams as the song is a duet with the iconic Dolly Parton. "There Was Jesus" is slated as the album's second radio single.

"Rescue Story" is the album's debut single and overarching theme, and continues to climb the radio charts, currently No. 7 at AC Indicator, and No.10 on both AC Monitored and Christian Airplay charts.

"Over the past few years, I've met all kinds of people just like me, people who are dealing with addictions, cancer, suicide," Williams explains. "Everyone has a different yet such a remarkable story. These are the people I write for because they are me. I'm the average guy out there struggling just like everyone else, and the folks who are coming to our shows don't get a chance to share their own stories on a bigger stage. I feel it's a huge opportunity for me to write and share their songs."

Fans will be able to hear the new songs as well as "Chain Breaker," his GRAMMY-nominated and multi-week No. 1 single, and many more of his hits from the GRAMMY-winning album Chain Breaker, on The Rescue Story Tour. With support from Bethel Music's Josh Baldwin, the tour kicks off this Thursday, Oct. 10 from Syracuse, NY and will wrap Nov. 10 in Anderson, IN, with a Nov. 3 stop at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium. For the latest tour dates, visit his tour page.

Williams concludes, “When I gave my life to the Lord, I realized He never left me, even in the darkest times. For this new album, the title fits because every song has a rescue story. When you’re at your end of the rope, that’s when your rescue story begins. In my case, Jesus has been mine.”

Rescue Story track listing:

"Walk With You"
"Less Like Me"
"Rescue Story"
"Give Him Praise"
"Slave To Nothing"
"Under My Feet"
"There Was Jesus" (a duet with Dolly Parton)
"Heaven Help Me"
"Baptized"
"Face To Face"

MORE ABOUT ZACH WILLIAMS: As a husband, father, recording artist, and songwriter, GRAMMY® winner (Best Contemporary Christian Album, Chain Breaker, 2018) and multi-GMA Dove Awards winner, Zach Williams continues to make history. Achieving two consecutive radio No. 1 hits for 35 weeks as a debut artist ("Chain Breaker," "Old Church Choir") Williams' music comes from a place of humility and honesty as his songs are a direct reflection of God's redemption in his life.

"Chain Breaker," his record-breaking and first of three official RIAA®-certified gold singles, has impacted millions of people around the world, earning Williams his first GRAMMY® nomination in 2017 for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song, two Billboard Music Award nominations (Top Christian Song, Top Christian Album) and a 2018 American Music Award nomination for Favorite Artist - Contemporary Inspirational. He also received another GRAMMY nod in 2019 for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album, Survivor: Live from Harding Prison. The singles "Old Church Choir" and "Fear Is a Liar" are also both certified gold.

He's won four GMA Dove Awards (Artist of the Year, New Artist of the Year; Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year, "Chain Breaker" and Pop/Contemporary Song “Old Church Choir”) and a K-LOVE Fan Award (“Chain Breaker,” Breakout Single). Williams was also named Billboard's 2017 Top Christian Male Vocalist and New Artist of the Year, as well as CCM Fan Awards' Favorite New Artist Of The Year. Apple Music chose him as Artist of the Week (2016), while "Chain Breaker" was the top track of 2016 on iTunes' Christian Songs chart and also reached No. 12 on Billboard's Hot Rock Songs chart. Williams has also been awarded by BMI with four Citation of Achievement awards for his singles "Chain Breaker," "Old Church Choir," and "Fear Is a Liar," recognizing the songs for their national popularity and reach.

Williams toured this summer hitting all of the major festivals in the U.S. and Canada, and this fall he will headline "The Rescue Story Tour," which kicks off October 10. For the most updated schedule, please visit his tour page.

For more information, please visit ZachWilliamsMusic.com

###

For more info on Zach Williams, visit the JFH Artists Database.