Jesusfreakhideout.com Music News: August 2003

August, 2003

*Friday, August 29th, 2003*

Pillar will be playing a FREE live acoustic show in Oklahoma for all the hardcore Pillar fans! This live acoustic set (5 songs) will be recorded for the Pillar Broken Down EP which releases Nov 18, 2003. They will also be filming a music video for "Further From Myself" at the performance. Tyler Burkum from Audio Adrenaline will be sitting in on the jam and the guys might even get a quartet for the acoustic "Further". This is a FREE event and open to all Pillar fans. Since this is for a video and recording, the guys might have to play the songs more than once. This really will be a special opportunity for you to be a part of something really huge. Event info is as follows:
"Pillar Broken Down and Unplugged"
Wednesday, September 17, 7pm
Doors open at 6pm
The Otherside
Tulsa, OK
See www.tulsacomedyclub.com for directions
In other news, Pillar will be going on a headline tour this October 30 to November 23. The tour will be entitled "The Underground Uprising Tour" and feature special guests Disciple, Spoken, and new act Kids In The Way! Pillar we will be performing some new stuff- The U2 cover "Sunday Bloody Sunday", a new Pillar song, and an acoustic song or two.

Bleach offered this update recently on the band since the recent loss of two of the members' brother in Iraq... "Please continue to remember the Byers in your prayers. Milam and Jared are spending lots of time with family, and the guys are pushing on with some great friends filling in. The world famous Tedd Foxx has been taking over guitar duties while Yogi (Holland), and Dan Lake have been working the drums. For the rest of August, our dear friend Ethan Luck from the Supertones will be rockin¹ the drums. It has been awesome seeing our friends jump in and work with us while the Byers are away. Looks like Milam and Jared will be picking back up on Sept. 12th in Latrobe, PA. What an awesome time that will be!" Bleach¹s fifth release, Astronomy, will be in stores October 21st!

Alisa Girard, Chrissy Conway and Kristin Swinford of ZOEgirl recently spent a day in the bottom of El Mirage, a dry lake bed in the Mojave Desert. The crew was there to shoot a video for their current single "You Get Me", from the September 16 release, Different Kind Of FREE. The single is presently moving up the charts at #3 on AC and #8 on CHR R&R with steady momentum. The day was complete with extreme wind and an actual temperature of 108 degrees in the daylight hours. “You Get Me,” the DVD single, includes a compelling live performance as well as spectacular twilight horizon shots. The video single will release in mid-November. Other videos directed by Stan Morse include The Elms, Sanctus Real, Skillet and the Avalon Live DVD, which releases this fall.

Passion Conferences announces the launch of its 31-city major market Passion Experience Tour 2003. The highly anticipated tour will feature critically acclaimed sixsteps/Sparrow Records’ artist-worshippers Chris Tomlin, David Crowder Band and Charlie Hall performing music from the highly successful Passion albums, which have sold nearly one million units to date, as well as selections from each of the lead worshippers’ solo projects. “We are looking forward to worshipping with the thousands of people all across the nation who will be joining us in making His renown known,” says Passion founder and director Louie Giglio. Following the release last week (August 19) of the newest Passion album, Passion: Sacred Revolution- Songs From OneDay03, and the September 16 release of a companion DVD, Passion: Sacred Revolution- Live From OneDay03, the tour will begin September 29 in Los Angeles. Traversing the nation through mid-November, the tour also stops in such major markets as Sacramento (10/2), Seattle (10/4), Denver (10/6), Austin (10/9), Dallas (10/10), Houston (10/11), Atlanta, (10/17), Indianapolis (10/18), Minneapolis (10/21), Chicago (10/31), Cincinnati (11/1), Washington DC (11/2), Boston (11/5), Nashville (11/8), and Louisville (11/9), among others. A full itinerary can be found below.

New Ardent Records artist, Todd Agnew, claims the No. 1 position on R&R’s Christian CHR chart for the sixth straight week with “This Fragile Breath (The Thunder Song).” From his critically acclaimed, July 22 release, Grace Like Rain, “This Fragile Breath” is the most successful single from a new artist this year. Chosen by all formats of reporting radio stations as a Top 5 New Artist in R&R’s recent “Christian New Music & New Artist Spotlight,” R&R’s Christian Editor, Rick Welke, says, “When a new artist hits the top of any chart, it is a huge accomplishment. When that artist stays there for several weeks, you know that they not only have done something very few people in the industry have done -- they have hit a chord with the listener. Expect even more great things from Todd. He is an artist that is here for a reason for this time in our industry."

It’s been a phenomenal run for Toronto newcomers, FM Static to capture the #1 position on Radio & Records’ weekly Rock Charts! In just 4 short weeks their single, “Crazy Mary” has burst onto playlists everywhere, establishing the band as a hit to nearly everyone who has been captivated by the song’s catchy chorus and heartfelt sentiment. "You know a song is spin-worthy when you can hum the tune after hearing it only once,” explains Kelly Downing of WMKL, “That doesn't happen too often." But writing hits seems to come natural for the band that also holds two members of already successful rock act, Thousand Foot Krutch, who, just two weeks prior to FM Static’s #1 held that same position with their single, “Bounce.” And with the July 22nd release of FM Static’s full length album entitled, What Are you Waiting For? growing in popularity and the upcoming release of Thousand Foot Krutch’s long awaited album, Phenomenon, releasing September 30th, expect to see and hear these Canadian rockers everywhere for a long time to come!

Reunion Records artists are hitting the road this Fall. NewSong is preparing to kick off their fall More Life tour on September 18th in Greenwood, South Carolina at the Greenwood Civic Center. Hitting more than 20 markets this fall, the show will also feature Cross Driven Records artist Kelly Minter and Ardent Records Todd Agnew. Michael W. Smith will be going out this Fall with Mercy Me on "The Celebration Tour" and Joy Williams will be hitting the road this fall with Gotee recording group, The Katinas. Finally, newcomers Casting Crowns will take to the road on their first tour with ForeFront Recording artist Rebecca St. James. More details to come soon.

Inpop Records’ Phoenix-based rock group Sky Harbor is gearing up for the September 2 release of their debut project, Who Would Have Guessed. The group has seen their momentum grow as “In Stereo,” the first single from the project, has quickly risen to the #9 spot on the R&R rock radio chart. In addition, the band will have performed over 30 concerts in the six weeks leading up to the release of Who Would Have Guessed and their appearance on this year’s Festival Con Dios tour, beginning September 12. “It’s easy to see that these guys are passionate about their music and message,” said Inpop Records general manager Steve Ford. “They love what they are doing and people are responding, whether that’s through radio or at their live events--this band is connecting with fans. I think they’re building a strong foundation for a successful career in Christian music.”

While in Nashville celebrating the release of the band’s first-ever all-Spanish album, Con Poder, Salvador frontman Nic Gonzales was honored at Gibson Guitars’ Valley Arts, where he was presented with a rare Chet Atkins SST 12-string electric acoustic guitar, worth an estimated $10,000. Made a handful of times in Gibson’s history, the guitar has only been created twice in the past five years, the other belonging to country music star Travis Tritt. “Wow! I cannot believe how beautiful this guitar is. It’s amazing,” exclaimed Gonzales as Gibson’s Bob Workman first opened the case. Eager to play the guitar, Gonzales says jokingly, “We have a gig tonight, right? If not, we’re going to make one up!” Endorsed by the guitar giant, Gonzales first approached Gibson about obtaining a 12-string Chet Atkins guitar when the band was entertaining the idea of doing an all-Spanish album. A user of Gibson guitars for years, Gonzales desired the rich harmonics produced by the 12-string to create the full sound often associated with Latin music.

Nearly 3 weeks after the band Side Walk Slam celebrates their 5th birthday (end of this month), their 3rd album, titled, ...And We Drive, is due to be released on September 16. Here's what their lead singer and bassist, Josiah Curtis, had to say about it: "Back in April we recorded our 3rd full length album for Tooth & Nail Records. It was recorded with Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore at The Blasting Room. Those guys are the hardest workers around. We had so much fun recording this album and feel it's our best material yet. The release date is set for Sepember 16TH, so make sure you watch for it." After their CD Release Party, in Evansville, IN, Josiah says that they will be "Hitting the road, hard, in support of the new album." He also adds, "Please come to as many [shows] as you can! We'd love to see you!" If you've ever been to a Side Walk Slam show you'll agree that these guys not only rock and love the the Lord, they also love to hang with their fans at their merch table, or as they recently did at a show in Michigan, on an outdoor basketball court. Lets just say its a good thing God gave them so much musical talent -- their basketball abilities are just for fun! Download their new song, "Time Will Pass You By," here! http://www.mp3.com/sidewalkslam

The debut album from the Fighting Jacks, The Dying Art Of Life, will be in stores everywhere on October 21st! Produced by Sylvia Massy (Tool, Red Hot Chili Peppers), the album contains 11 songs of pure rock power and fury. The band recently shot a video for the song "Commons and Robbers." Stay tuned for more news about that... and in the meantime, get introduced to the Fighting Jacks by downloading the song, "Commons And Robbers," here! http://www.mp3.com/fightingjacks

*Friday, August 22nd, 2003*

Third Day guitarist Mark Lee recently offered some insight to the fans about their forthcoming new studio project dropping next year. Lee announced, "This is a hotly debated topic going on right now, and a topic that I, for one, happen to enjoy. It's very interesting to see what you folks want to see us do musically. The thing that never ceases to crack me up is the desire for us to make an album along the lines of Conspiracy no. 5. It sometimes feels like more people talk about owning that album than there are copies of it in print, but that's another topic for another discussion. Based on the songs we've been working on up to this point, the songs break down neatly into two camps. There are several that sound like vintage Third Day. Think "She Sings in Riddles" or "Can't Take the Pain". Then there are a few which are like nothing we've done before and which I won't describe here because, honestly, the point of this post is to whet your appetite for some new music. Trust me, though. You will dig it. I promise. So look for a new record sometime in 2004..."

On the heels of INO Records sophomore release from the Rock ‘N’ Roll Worship Circus, A Beautiful Glow, the band has announced an exclusive and unique web site. This site is not only extremely interactive, but also fashioned especially for their dedicated fan base. This northwest roots-based rock worship band - Gabriel Wilson, Blurr, Eric “The E” Lemiere and Zurn P. Praxair – reveal Cirque de Plastique. Cirque de Plastique, a website accessible only through the purchase of A Beautiful Glow, which hits shelves August 26, 2003 unveils a special encryption contained on the music CD and is not accessible by way of disc burning. By placing the CD in a computer, fans acquire Cirque de Plastique, which will feature a changing library of MP3 songs that were originally B-sides from the Worship Circus’ independent projects as well as other songs not included on their Vertical Records project. Also incorporated will be free tab sheets and chord charts for most of the songs from A Beautiful Glow and Welcome to the Rock ‘N’ Roll Worship Circus as well as worship leader resources and extended month-to-month information about the band. Cirque de Plastique will also feature numerous Circus oddities such as the "Momma Tells All" section, allowing fans to email the band member's moms and ask them any questions that they'd like answered. There will be monthly various Top Ten lists, as well as the biggest Circus oddity of all - the Worship Circus' own online tabloid, featuring far fetched stories about the members of the Worship Circus, in true tabloid fashion. Wilson explains, "The tabloid is pretty fun! I mean, you gotta have a good sense of humor to get it. So many people take themselves way too seriously. We figured that if we made fun of ourselves in front of our fans, it would help us keep some perspective. There's nothing better to keep you humble than a bunch of people laughing at you, right?" Be sure to pick up this amazing record on Tuesday!

Plumb recently spent some time in Montreal finishing the video for her second single, "Boy's Don't Cry." The first single off Beautiful Lumps of Coal, "Real", is still climing the charts and has reached 28, and is currently #1 all over Asia. The video for "Real" should be available for your viewing pleasure soon at Plumbinfo.com.

On September 13th, 2003, Penn State University will be Invaded! "The Rock Invasion" will be a FREE event in the heart of the secular Penn State University Campus. The concert will be held on the Student Center HUB Lawn on two stages. Featuring some of Christian Music's hottest and upcoming bands such as Skillet, Luna Halo, and Jeff Deyo, "The Rock Invasion" is sure to shake up Penn State in a way that only God can! It's free so bring everybody you know!

Vineyard Music and Sparrow Records released Lord Reign In Me, the definitive collection of Vineyard worship songs, on August 19th. Featuring worship leaders such as Brian Doerksen, Brenton Brown and David Ruis, the CD also includes a full “resource tool” with chord charts and overhead lyric masters. Compiled from various Vineyard Music projects over the past 5 years (1998-2003), Lord Reign In Me highlights songs that have impacted UK worship as well as within the US. While almost half of the songs featured on Lord Reign In Me are placed on the US CCLI chart, many of these songs are new classics for millions of churchgoers each week. Some of the new classics included on this 15-song compilation are “Come, Now Is The Time To Worship,” “Lord Reign In Me,” and “Hungry” as well as the up and coming “All Who Are Thirsty,” “Hallelujah (Amazing Love),” and “Surrender”. “For several years, the UK has been known for it’s cutting edge worship expression and Vineyard Music were pioneers in this regard,” states Chris Whitelock, Vineyard Music General Manager, UK & International Development. “Responding to demand from the marketplace we decided to gather the best of the best onto one CD for the listener to enjoy all in one go.”

*Tuesday, August 19th, 2003*

Here's the latest on the forthcoming !Hero Rock Opera straight from a recent Fusebox band newsletter, "Billy Buchanan, the lead singer of Fusebox, has just been cast in the rock opera "Hero." If you haven't heard about it yet, check this out. It's a play based on the story of Jesus set in modern times. Jesus is born in Bethelehem, PA and raised in Brooklyn, NY. He plays the character Kai. He's based on Caiaphas, the high priest who was the leader of the Sanhedrin in the Bible. He's a bad dude! He uses his power to put Jesus on trial, and eventually puts Him to death. Other casts members include Michael Tait from DC Talk as Hero (the Jesus character), Rebecca St. James as Maggie (the Mary Magdelene character), and Mark Stuart from Audio Adrenaline as Petrov (the Peter character). This thing is going to be huge! Every major publication in the country is going to do an article on it. The soundtrack comes out on Sept 2nd. They're also releasing comic books, books, and touring the production. They'll be touring the states throughout the month of November. It's our prayer that a lot of young lives are going to be changed because of this. Billy feels so privileged that not only was he considered for the part, but they gave it to him. He was the last person cast for this. It's truly an answer to prayer. Billy did a lot of acting in junior high and high school, and always wanted to get back into it. Check out the website, herouniverse.com. He just got the call this week, so He's probably not mentioned on there yet. Within the week or so they should update it." Congrats on getting the part Billy!

A site user sent in the following news report regarding Daily Planet, "I was talking to a friend of mine who caught the Daily Planet show this weekend, I think at Covina Assembly of God out here in CA. She said about 20 minutes into it the lead singer broke his ankle on stage." If the rumors are true, we wish a speedy recovery to Jesse Butterworth. In other Planet news, the band recently made the following announcement regarding the exit of a member on their official website, "After six years of rockin and rollin with Daily Planet, Bobby Reinsch is stepping down to spend more time with his wife and baby girl. He will be greatly missed. Send him your best wishes at bobby@dailyplanetmusic.com"

On August 11, Rebecca St. James appeared on the television show, 700 Club. The feature looked at her ministry and particularly featured her Wait For Me CD and the book by the same name. To view a transcript of the show go to www.cbn.com and type "Rebecca St. James" in the search field. In other RSJ news, look for an article about Rebecca in the August issue of Billy Graham's Decision Magazine.

Recently, we reported the exit of Slow Coming Day's drummer and the start of a search for a replacement. Here's the band's latest update on their search, "As many of you know our drummer Jason Sheets has left the band. As of right now, Jason O'Donell will be playing drums for us on our upcoming tour. Make sure to come up and say hi to him if you come out to one of our shows. We are excited to have a drummer again and we have also been writing some new material which we will be playing a little of on this next tour."

Rocketown Records is currently looking for a few good men and women to help pass the good word about their artists. The label is looking for more street team help in the following cities: Nashville, TN; Los Angeles, CA; Portland, OR; Cleveland, OH; Anaheim, CA; Albuquerque, NM. If interested, e-mail team@rocketownrecords.com with the following information: Name, Address, City, State, Zip, Telephone, & your E-mail Address.

*Friday, August 15th, 2003*

Be sure to tune into MTV today at Noon Central to catch Stacie Orrico during her fourth appearance on Total Request Live (TRL)! Her video for "More To Life" is still rockin' in TRL's Top 10!

As the rumors continue about whether or not Earthsuit is pushing forward with a new band or splitting, the answer is... yes?! Paul released this message via email yesterday... "As you know, in addition to touring, we’ve spent the last two years writing and recording, and as you can guess, there is a lot of material waiting to be released. When Adam and I looked at all the music objectively, we realized there was an obvious outcome lurking in the near future which was both inspiring and painful. Inspiring because we would create two new bands to release most of this music, and painful because of the realization that earthsuit as we’ve known it was over. This may be hard to understand, but a big portion of the past two years was Adam and me beating our heads against the wall trying to make “earthsuit” music. It just wasn’t happening naturally anymore, and the majority of our collaborations were feeling forced. What did feel natural, however, was when Adam would write a song and say exactly what he felt, and then I would support it and help him cultivate his idea instead of trying to make it a song that I could sing or rap on. And of course it worked both ways... when I’d bring an idea to the table, Adam would help me develop what I was feeling instead of trying to turn it into a song that he felt comfortable singing on. This was a different form of writing than we had ever done in the past but we both couldn’t deny that it was producing better songs. As a result, this created a clear distinction of two different sets of songs with two different visions that should properly be housed as two separate bands. One headed up by Adam (Macrosick) and the other by me (Math). We are both very proud of all the music and know that this has been designed by God to escort us to the next season of our lives. So rest assure that we don’t view earthsuit as a failure, but realize it has been a form of transportation for everyone involved. Adam and myself are also determined to keep earthsuit alive as the arena for when we are inspired to collaborate and create using all of the earthsuit elements. We may not be feeling it right now but who’s to say what the future will hold. So I’ve said all of that to say, we will do another earthsuit CD, but this one will be a bit different. The purpose of this CD will be to commemorate everything we’ve grown to love about earthsuit and show our gratitude to God and the fans through it. This CD is not about a band trying to blow up or go to the next level, but more about reflection and embracing the journey. There will be five new studio cuts and a load of bonus tracks including some live performances, practice recordings, B side demos from Kaleidoscope Superior, and some special video footage on the enhanced portion of the CD. Also for you Hutch fans, we’ve dug out of the archives some session recordings of Hutch letting out some steam freestyling on the drums (it’s quite amazing). For this CD I wanted to make sure we’ve included tracks that purely represent earthsuit from the time we hit the road in the summer of 2000 to most recently; giving a place to both the polished and the raw. I also wanted to document all of the drummers who have honored us with their playing, so this CD will include tracks with Hutch, Mo, and Darren on the drums. A record label would never release a CD like this, but we think it’s important for everyone who’s been a supporter of earthsuit to hear and see this. So we’re putting this one out our ourselves. We’re aiming to make it available October 8th. Since we probably won’t get distribution, we’re planning to sell the CD’s through the internet and at Math and Macrosick shows. I’ll be sending another email to you within the next week describing all of the contents of the CD and giving instructions on how and when it can be purchased.
Thanks for your prayers and support
Much Love
Paul"

Congratulations to Jennifer and Jeromy Deibler of FFH on the birth of their baby boy, Jeremiah Hutchenson, "Hutch," on Monday, July 21!

Award-winning rock group Pillar was forced to evacuate the stage during their performance on August 9 at the Godstock Music Festival in Comstock, Neb. The group was performing the fifth song in their full set when the wind began to gather strength, and the group was told to evacuate the stage immediately. Less than a minute later, the wind picked up the stage sending the lighting trusses crashing to the ground and toppling the sound equipment. Pillar’s Kalel explained, “We didn’t know what to think. Since we were on the stage, it was hard for us to see what was happening. Someone screamed at us to ‘get off the stage’ and a few seconds later everything was trashed. It’s a miracle that no one was seriously hurt. There’s no other way to explain it.” He added, “I found a flier about the festival lying on the ground. It said ‘come feel the touch of the Master’s hand.’ I doubt they had any idea how true that statement would be.”

Amy Grant's Simple Things, her first new pop record in six years, hits stores next Tuesday, August 19th. In support of the record, Amy has just completed promo tour visiting Christian retail and performing at local area churches in nine cities; and earlier this week, she peformed a benefit concert in Jackson, Tennessee for victims of the May tornadoes there. On the national level, Amy is scheduled for several TV appearances over the next several weeks. Friday, August 22nd, Amy performs on the coveted summer outdoor concert series on NBC's the Today Show. She then appears on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on September 4th and visits her friends on ABC's The View on September 10.

The new Tooth & Nail DVD is set to hit the streets this Tuesday, August 19th! The DVD is jam packed with videos from Further Seems Forever, MxPx, mewithoutYou, Bleach, Kutless, and many others. In addition, don't miss all of the bonus footage, featuring office pranks, live concert footage, and more. This baby is easy on the wallet too... just $5.99! Pick it up this Tuesday!

Thousand Foot Krutch is dropping their new album, Phenomenon on September 30th, but you can score a FREE limited edition album teaser now! All you have to do is spread the word about the new album by putting a Phenomenon banner on your website. Click here for full details! http://www.toothandnail.com/tfk/banners.html

Ronnie Martin is at it again! That's right, he's already started work on a new Joy Electric album! You can get up-to-the-minute updates at the Joy Electric recording journal. Check it out here! http://www.joyelectric.com/new/recordingjournal.htm

When Smokie Norful sends his silky voice soaring, declaring to God: "I need you now," music lovers nod in agreement. They need the God of Norful's heartfelt prayer, and they need the spirit-soothing music that Norful delivers on his debut CD, I Need You Now. How badly do they need Norful? Since the release of his CD one year ago, the EMI Gospel recording artist has been making his presence felt in the Billboard Gospel Top 10 for more than ten months with the CD now taking the coveted #1 position on the Billboard Top Gospel Album Chart for the week ending August 10, 2003! To show his gratitude for the support he has received from his fans, the gospel industry, as well as the mainstream music community, the Chicago based artist will record a six-song EP at his home church, the Rock of Ages Baptist Church in Maywood, IL, on August 27th. Scheduled for release through EMI Gospel on October 21st, the EP, entitled Limited Edition will include four new live versions of songs from his debut CD including "I Need You Now," "Still Say Thank You," "It's All About You," and "Praise Him."

*Wednesday, August 13th, 2003*

On November 4th Gotee Records will release the new album from the label's all-time best-selling artist, Jennifer Knapp, and her fans are going to choose which songs go on the album! Yes, Jennifer’s next release -- A Diamond in the Rough: The Jennifer Knapp Collection -- will be a two disc set featuring both her very best, and her very rare. Disc 1 will showcase Jennifer’s finest as selected by her fans. The second disc will feature rare tracks like her contributions to various compilation albums, demos, out-takes and more. Does it get any better than that? Yes, actually. When fans visit the website to make their song selections, they will also have the opportunity to write the album’s liner notes! To do so, they will be invited to submit testimonials about the ways Jen’s music has impacted them personally. Gotee will then feature many of these responses as the actual liner notes of the album. Beginning this week, Jen’s fans are being invited to visit http://www.gotee.com/jenniferknapp and become virtual A&R reps.

It has been recently reported the hard rockers Blindside make an appearance in the new skating film Grind. For an image from the film's official site of the band on stage, click here. Speaking of Grind, the film's soundtrack also boasts P.O.D.'s 2001 hit song "Boom" (yet ironically does not include any of Blindside's tracks?) (Thanks to Daniel for the news tip)

Contrary to reports circling the rumor mill about the band's demise, Earthsuit has sent out the following message to their newsletter list: "We apologize for the site being down, but we've finally got our email list to work, so you're not left completely in the dark. ...there is a new earthsuit CD that will become available in the next two months that we will release independently. I'll be sending more details about how to get it in the very near future. Thanx for your patience; Paul"

Sanctus Real have just recorded a new song for an album called In The Name Of Love: Artists United For Africa" which is set to release this fall. It is a collection of U2 songs covered by Christian artists who are committed to raising awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Africa along side D.A.T.A., and organization set up by U2's Bono. The band recorded U2's more recent hit "Beautiful Day." A portion of the proceeds will go to D.A.T.A to help the crisis in Africa and also to The Awake Project, a local organization that connects the Church with facts and resources about the African AIDS emergency. Other artists appearing on the record include Delirious, TobyMAC, Sixpence None The Richer, Jars of Clay, Nichole Nordeman and others. To find out more about D.A.T.A, visit www.datadata.org.

Kutless is currently in the great city of Seattle working on their new album- due out Feb 24, 2004! They again are working with producer Aaron Sprinkle at Compound Studios and are promising a killer new album headed our way!

Having finalized a recording agreement with multi-talented pop artist, Paul Wright, Gotee Records is orchestrating a comprehensive marketing campaign to pave the way for his debut album. The full length CD, titled Fly Away, releases December 2 and will be foreshadowed in part by a six-song disc titled The Paul Wright EP, an enhanced CD linked to www.paulwrightmusic.com releasing September 16. Enhanced features will include the ability to hear sneak peaks of the full-length album Fly Away as well as watch live video clips of a life with Paul every week. Produced by Christopher Stevens and co-produced by Wright, the Fly Away full-length will showcase Wright¹s compelling fusion of progressive pop music and thoughtful lyrics. "Paul Wright is the artist I would have been if I'd done it my way,² reveals Toby McKeehan, Gotee¹s founder. ³He makes the kind of art I indulge in daily." Thanks to the release of ³Love Is In The House², the lead single from Toby¹s new Re:Mix Momentum album, Wright has an early start at radio success. Currently charting at #17 and climbing on the CHR R&R chart, the hit features Wright¹s songwriting and co-producing. The Paul Wright EP will showcase ³Your Love Never Changes,² the debut single from the 23-year-old artist. Impacting Christian pop radio in August, ³Your Love Never Changes² will be serviced to both AC and CHR stations. Wright has already hit the road for a successful five station West Coast radio tour in anticipation of the single release, and will visit nine more stations on a Florida radio tour in September. Get a listen now at: http://www.gotee.com/paulwright/ecard/

Ginny Owens has just started to build the foundation for a new album. Look for a release sometime next year...

INO Records’ artist, SONICFLOOd is keeping pretty busy these days. The band is heading out this fall to spend a weekend of worship with attendees of their upcoming SonicPraise events. Also on the roster is Ron Kenoly, James Ryle (co-founder of Promise Keepers), Everyone (new Furious? Artist), and Integrity vocalist, Leann Albrecht. The events, which consist of a Friday night service & a Saturday morning meeting, will take place in at least 4 major cities nationwide. The band has also recorded “Angels We Have Heard on High” with producer Pete Kipley (MercyMe, 4Him) for the upcoming iWorship Christmas album that releases on October 14th. Last but not least, lead vocalist, Rick Heil and his wife, CeCe, are the proud parents of a new baby boy, Jordyn Keith Noland Heil, who was born on July 24th.

Following the highly successful "CityWide" & "NationWide" events that have taken place over the past two years in various cities around the US, Worship Together announces the "NationWide" training conference that will take place at The People's Church in Nashville, TN on October 9th-11th. The "NationWide" conference is a three-day training summit for those who lead or influence worship in local churches such as church leaders, worship pastors, and ministry leaders. The conference will feature speakers such as Malcolm duPlessis, Rick Cua, and David Nasser as well as noted worship leaders such as Tim Hughes, Johnny Parks, Something Like Silas and many more. Also included are various seminars that have been divided into 3 varying skill levels: basic (for those just starting out), intermediate (for those with a fair knowledge of the basics) and advanced (for those with fairly high levels of competency). For a detailed list of seminars, please visit www.worshiptogether.com.

Today marks the seventh anniversary of the birth of Jesusfreakhideout.com! Thank you all for your support for all these years and for those of you who have just found us, we hope you'll be enjoying the Hideout for another seven years. :) God bless!

*Tuesday, August 12th, 2003*

Admired for its uncompromising musical integrity, multi-platinum and multiple Grammy Award-winning pop-alt band, Jars of Clay, was recently honored with its own signature model acoustic guitar by long time partner, Taylor Guitars. Bob Taylor, president and co-founder of Taylor Guitars commented, “Jars has got a great following. We’ve been working with them for a long time and of course, our relationship has transcended from a working relationship into a real friendship with the guys. They’ve supported us in the past and, when we were looking for bands that had a solid following that listens to music and watches what type of gear a band is using, Jars stood out to us. It made great sense to produce a Jars of Clay Signature Model.” Jars of Clay guitarist Matt Odmark noted, “I’m honored that Taylor created such a beautiful instrument on our behalf. It’s modeled after the prized 514ce I purchased seven years ago and has been the workhorse of Jars of Clay touring – an integral part of our live sound.” Maintaining a schedule that includes non-stop summer festival performances, an upcoming fall tour and the recording of its highly anticipated Nov. 4 release, Who We Are Instead, Jars of Clay still finds time to support humanitarian causes including African Leadership, World Vision, DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade in Africa) and the The Blood:Water Mission.

Regarded as one of the most unique and talented singer/songwriters of today, David Crowder, for the first time, asked fans to get involved in the creative process. The already concert favorite, “O Praise Him (All This For A King),” was named by David Crowder Band fans. The song will be serviced to Adult Contemporary and Contemporary Hits Radio for adds to rotation Aug. 22, and will be the first single from the highly anticipated new album, Illuminate, releasing Sept. 16. Having performed the song in concert before tens-of-thousands, as well as featured an MP3 of the song on its website, www.DavidCrowderBand.com, the band also placed an online poling center on its website encouraging fans to vote for one of four names suggested by band members. “There was some dissonance amongst band members over what the name of said song should be,” says Crowder, “and it was decided that the best way to reach a resolve was to let the people decide. In the spirit of democracy, four names were placed on the site from which to choose. Three of these were legitimate options, with the fourth offered up as a vain attempt at humor.” The song names to choose from were “O Praise Him,” “All This for a King,” “He is Holy,” and “Boot Scoot Boogie #2.” What the band did not see coming was the token throwaway choice becoming the leading candidate. “Early on in the race it stole first place from ‘All This for a King’ and quickly took a commanding lead. Needless to say, this series of events began to worry band members. They were forced to question whether or not placing power in the hands of the people was a wise choice after all. All of a sudden the Electoral College made perfect sense,” laughs Crowder.

Here's the latest on PAX217 from the band's official website... "If you didn't know, the 'Gone til November' tour will be the last tour for us this year. We've decided to take some time from the road and focus on the next chapter of PAX217. As of September 16th, (after Joey and I get married... not to each other... you know what I mean) we are locking ourselves in a room until album number 3 is written. Keep us in your prayers. We'll have news updates and video footage from the studio up on the site so keep an eye out! Thats all for now. Come to our last shows of 2003. Later!" Along with PAX on this tour is Falling Up and Break Dance Vietnam. Number One Gun will join them for the very last show! check out www.PAX217.com for more info and all the tour dates! Many of the shows are FREE.

Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and interl’inc have formed a unique partnership to combine two exciting and integral elements in a young person’s life, sports and music. Interl’inc has spent over 19 years helping youth leaders across the world use Christian music as a ministry tool and this summer will provide material to over 9,000 FCA school-based clubs. The material will include a variety of top Christian music and videos that correspond to Bible studies. Recently switching to themed material, interl’inc’s back-to-school “sports” box was a natural fit with FCA. The combination will allow youth ministers to see how Christian music and sports can go hand in hand in their ministry. Both interl’inc and FCA believe this partnership will allow more Christian resources to be put in the hands of youth workers and to help expand the resource base for more effective youth ministry. For more information on this exciting new partnership visit www.interlinc-online.com or www.fca.org.

Worship music veterans Vineyard Music and Sparrow Records will release Wash Over Me on September 16th, featuring an eccentric mixture of classic and new Vineyard worship songs. Blending a modern electronica sound with the straight-ahead worship style Vineyard has been known for, Wash Over Me brings together the talents of such worship leaders as David Ruis, and Chris Janzen. Produced by well-known worship leader David Ruis (Rita Springer) and former Sonicflood member Jason Halbert (Matt Redman, Tim Hughes, Nick Carter) Wash Over Me spotlights 8 classic Vineyard worship songs and 5 new songs. The album was recorded live at Industrial Revolution - a youth conference held annually at Muskoka Woods, north of Toronto, Canada. Wash Over Me captures the sound and expression of worship of the emerging generation by fusing new and familiar Vineyard Worship songs with the passion and energy of hundreds of worshipers.

3 Chord Records is happy to announce the release of the sound clip, "Bargain Bin" from ex-Petra frontman, Greg X Volz. Greg was Petra's lead singer from 1977 to 1986 and is a true pioneer in Christian rock music. This is the fifth sound clip from Liberty n' Justice's all-star project Welcome to the Revolution. Stop by the website and hear Greg X Volz like you never heard him before! www.3chordrecords.net

Mark Miller, founder and frontman of Country music super-group Sawyer Brown, announced yesterday the moniker of his recently founded Christian recording imprint under the Reunion Records and Provident Label Group umbrella. The label, home to flagship artist Casting Crowns, will be called Beach Street Records. "The name reflects the relationship behind the label," noted Miller on his friendship with both Steven Curtis Chapman and Provident Music Group president and CEO, Terry Hemmings. "Terry, Steven and I have been spending vacation time with our families at the beach for the past several years. It's where we first bantered about the idea of working together. It's finally happened and the name just fit." Casting Crowns' Sept. 30 self-titled debut, co-produced by Miller and Christian music veteran Steven Curtis Chapman, delivers rich-sounding edgy-pop that addresses key issues within the church through powerful and poignant lyrics crafted by lead-singer Mark Hall.

*Friday, August 8th, 2003*

Ardent Record’s rock band Skillet will return this November with their most ambitious project to date, Collide. Never ones to sauté the same sounds perpetually on each release, the members of Skillet are in the constant pursuit of variety, and as its name so appropriately implies, a sensory overloading hybrid of diverse tastes, scents, and styles. That said, Collide takes a decidedly different turn for the band musically, a sound that the few who have heard the project are praising. Collide is a punch packed collage of sounds marinating since we last heard from the group two years ago (with the top-selling Alien Youth CD and the subsequent concert/behind the scenes DVD The Unplugged Invasion). The lengthy break has paid off for Cooper and company, who not only had time to take fine comb all of the details on this career cornerstone release, but welcome the Cooper’s first baby. “With Korey pregnant, we took it easy for a bit and had time to really get into the meat of songwriting,” John explains. “By the time we were ready for the newest sessions, I had a solid 25-30 songs written and a backlog of others that we had time to fine tune and start from scratch on occasion.” Much of the ensuring songwriting superiority stems from the ongoing support and coaching by the project’s acclaimed producer Paul Ebersold, who after working with the likes of Three Doors Down and Sister Hazel sure knows a hit when he hears one. “He was able to challenge me and stretch me in ways I never was before,” Cooper relates. “After all he’s worked on in the past and the friendship we’ve built, I really trust his judgment and was open to him telling me flat out how he felt about every song I presented.” In the end, ten soon to be Skillet classics made it onto Collide, uniting around yet another stylistic direction for the band- one that sees its departure from keyboard driven sounds and delving into a grittier, guitar dominated pedigree. “It’s definitely a lot louder than ever before without any of the techno or industrial elements,” Cooper confirms. “In one sense it’s stripped down from the keyboard stuff, but it’s definitely more loud and aggressive than before.” Fans need not fear this new direction getting in the way of the band’s pre-existing chemistry as such thunderous instrumental clashes and deep-throated vocal roars propel the album’s adrenaline rushes from start to finish. Take for instance the deafening gun slinging guitars and husky vocal roars throughout “Forsaken,” the haunting energy spurts within “Savior,” and the eerie no nonsense barn-burner “My Obsession.” Other examples of genre variation include the progressive groove drenched “Cycle Down,” the retro influenced mayhem mechanism “Energy,” and the musically intense but lyrically beautiful love song “A Little More.” Besides that commitment filled stance, other heavy lyrical hitters include the epic title cut that references believers’ balance between maintaining a worldly presence and immersing themselves in God’s word, along with the belligerent bare knuckled blasts on “Imperfection,” during which Cooper delicately addresses self-esteem. Unlike the thematic similarities between tunes on Alien Youth, the cuts on Collide don’t have a specific concept or logo worthy antidote in mind, but there’s still a unifying thread. “The only real focus that I wanted to have for the record was to write songs that deal with modern day issues,” he concludes. “We’re addressing recurring situations that God’s put in our heart to help young people deal with them. Collide fits into our overall focus, which has always been singing passionate songs about God that people can relate to and be inspired by. It’s always been our hope that those who hear about Christ for the first time on one of our records will find something of life changing dimensions revealed to them.”

Get out the rattles, guys! Sixpence None the Richer frontwoman Leigh Nash is currently four and a half months pregnant with her and her husband, former PFR drummer Mark Nash's new baby! Nash can currently be spotted touring the states right now showing a little tummy. Congratulations Mark & Leigh!

Sparrow Records recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman has recently announced he will join FamilyLife’s new marriage conference, Rekindling The Romance. Chapman will be a guest speaker as well as the musical entertainment throughout the day-long conference that will be held in seven select cities nationwide. Mary Beth, his wife of 18 years, will also join Chapman as a guest speaker. Rekindling the Romance is a new conference from FamilyLife’s I Still Do events and will feature top marriage experts and speakers along with the musical entertainment. The Rekindling the Romance conference was created to focus specifically on reclaiming the loving relationship between spouses and is an event for couples to learn God's design for a fulfilling marriage. During the seminar, the Chapmans will have the opportunity to share with attendees about their own marriage as well as stories behind some of Chapman’s most famous love songs, especially those from his current project, All About Love. “I am excited about doing these conferences because the point of my album, All About Love, was to share real honestly about the journey of marriage,” remarks Chapman. “I love any chance I have to build on the theme of a record because there’s really so much that goes on below the surface with those songs. For me, this is a great opportunity to share more than just a four-minute musical version of it.”

Curb Records artist Nate Sallie will be the featured guest on “Dawson McAllister Live” this Sunday, August 10th! Sallie will join Dawson speaking to teens about peer pressure and “how to step out of your comfort zone!” Sallie has been traveling the nation speaking to teens about the importance of music in school and the anti-drug campaign that he is doing for both SupportMusic.com and Partnership For Drug Free America. Sallie has been making quite an impact with spreading his message of hope (www.drugfreeamerica.org/kids_teens/.)

The Christian Broadcasting Network's "700 Club" will next Monday (11th) aim their spotlight on the remarkable international raise in Contemporary Christian Music of Rebecca St. James, this year celebrating a 10th anniversary of her music and ministry. The Grammy Award winning artist arrived in the U.S. as a teenager with her family from their native Australia in 1991. Filled with the promise of hope in their new homeland, the family soon fell upon hard financial times. Little more than a short decade ago, Rebecca, the oldest of the family's seven children, was cleaning houses with her mother to help support the household. Discovered singing in church, she was signed to ForeFront Records in 1994. The rest of the story holds promise of being one of the most fascinating profiles the "700 Club" has ever unfolded for its' viewers. At 26, Rebecca's voice has been heard around the world-not only with her music-but with the profound influence for God that she's had with her generation. Often times referred to as "the voice of her generation," Rebecca St. James has consistently used her platform as one of the top artists in today's Contemporary Christian Music to challenge her listeners with an uncompromising commitment to stand boldly for Jesus.

After a four year absence, Christafari has returned with Gravity. The new release from Lion of Zion Entertainment debuted at #10 on Billboard’s Top Reggae Albums Chart in June - proving that their fan base was ready to welcome them back. Christafari embarks on a European tour this month, before returning to the U.S. for a stateside tour this fall. For more info, visit www.Christafari.com

Long before there was "American Idol," the Gospel Music Association (GMA) has been discovering the future recording artists of Christian and gospel music every summer in the Rocky Mountains. Last week, winners were named in the annual Academy of Gospel Music Arts (AGMA) National Competition Finals during the 29th Annual Seminar in the Rockies at Estes Park, Colo., with the Grand Prize winners earning the chance to record an album in Nashville. "We've been fortunate to find some great artists during these competitions in the past. Stacie Orrico, Jars of Clay and Nichole Nordeman are a few of the artists who found the spotlight through this event. Perhaps some of these talented winners will join them as future successes in Christian music,” said John. W. Styll, president of GMA. The AGMA National Competition saw nearly 1,200 entries from aspiring artists and songwriters from 48 states and several foreign countries. The competition is divided into three divisions: Spotlight Vocal and Instrumental for performance and Song for songwriting. Grand Prizes are named in each division along with first, second and third place winners. The Grand Prize winners receive prize packages which include musical equipment, free studio time and professional performance consultation. The total packages are worth thousands of dollars and offer priceless opportunities for these artists to pursue their musical goals.
AGMA 2003 National Competition Grand Prize Winners
Spotlight Vocal Grand Prize Winner
Kennedy Jones (Cleveland, OH)
Song of 2003 Grand Prize Winner
"God (He) Specializes," by Kennedy Jones (Cleveland, OH)
Spotlight Instrumental Grand Prize Winner
Isaac Agyeman (Minneapolis, MN)

Message boards were lighting up with news that the band’s The Death Campaign and Underoath both lost their singers in the last few weeks. The news is regrettably true but both band’s parted with their vocalist on good terms. Underoath will still be performing on the Atreyu / God Forbid tour with a fill in vocalist and will be auditioning vocalists once they are back home. Corey, the former bass player of The Death Campaign, is now handling duties for TDC and the band will be finding another bass player. Plans for the release of their Solid State debut have been placed on hold until a decision is made regarding vocal duties on the record.

*Thursday, August 7th, 2003*

Newsboys fans everywhere have, for years, wanted a re-release of the band's 1996 film Down Under the Big Top. In response to the demands, Newsboys frontman Peter Furler's little brother David has begun a rally to bring the movie to DVD. Here's a portion of a recent statement he released, along with instructions on how to join in! "Well into this post-stone-age-dvd-age century, it is time to petition the Newsboys and Steve to convince them we need a re-release of Down Under The Big Top. Complete with the newsboys and Steve Taylor commentary! Deleted Scenes! The whole lot! Please send this message to any newsboys fans you know. Ask them to send an email, with name and email address in the message body, to: admin@newsboys.com. Make sure the subject of the message is: 'DUBT petition'"

According to a recent article from MTV where they interviewed former P.O.D. guitarist Marcos Curiel, Curiel's bitterness towards the San Diego-based band has come out in song via The Accident Experiment. "The band's six-song debut EP, Arena, will be available in August through the band's Web site, www.theaccidentexperiment.net. The disc will feature the tracks "Scream to Breathe," "Seeds of Black," "Songs for You," "Nevermore," and "Million Dollar Hell." The latter addresses the three musicians Curiel once considered his best friends. 'It's about getting paid to be a fake," he said. "Once people hear it, they'll be like, 'Whoaaa.' With P.O.D. things were supposedly handled in the name of God, but they were actually handled in the name of greed.' The Accident Experiment aren't a religious rock band like P.O.D., but that doesn't mean Curiel isn't still motivated by spirituality. The group's name even comes from a vision that popped into his head as if beamed from above. 'I suddenly started thinking about the force inside an accident," he said. "The force of what happens when you fall to the ground or get into a car crash is really strong and it's something that no one can control. It's not really an accident that we got together, but there's a strong force there, and it's kind of an accident that I'm not with P.O.D. anymore.'" For the full article, visit http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1474790/20030725/pod.jhtml

Deep South Entertainment announces the 2003 Stryper Reunion Tour, the band’s first nationwide performance junket in more than 12 years, slated to kick-off October 3rd in Springfield, VA. The tour will run across the United States, playing approximately 30 concerts in all. While many markets and venues are still being finalized.

Controversial rockers Project 86 began preproduction for their then forthcoming EP with producer Matt Hyde (Slayer, Monster Magnet, Hatebreed) several weeks ago at The Square in Orange County ("The Square" is P86's home studio). When the material was laid out on the table everyone felt that not only was there enough for an entire album, but it would be the strongest album to date! The band is currently hard at work on their fourth record, Songs To Burn Your Bridges By, with an expected internet release of late September. This is album that will once again lay claim to truth and justice for all it touches.

When new artist Warren Barfield was 15 years old, he committed himself to Christ. Soon after he saw Steven Curtis Chapman's music video for "The Great Adventure" and his life's direction was set in motion. That, he could do, thought Warren! Make music he loved with lyrics that celebrated his relationship with Christ. Nearly ten years later, on the same day that his self-titled debut record arrives in stores, Warren opened for Steven at a WAY-FM Brown Bag concert in Nashville. As Steven closed his set, he invited Warren back on stage to sing "The Great Adventure" by his side! What a moment and what a way to spend your release date!

Essential Records' acoustic folk-rock band Caedmon's Call arrives at a milestone in its decade-long career this month; the group reached cumulative sales of more than one million albums. Frontman Cliff Young remains on the cutting edge of new talent, continuing his partnership with Watershed Records, while recently facilitating a record contract for Essential signee Silers Bald. With five acclaimed records to its credit, Caedmon's Call is one of the most successful Christian bands to cultivate the discriminating college and university circuit. Industry and fans gathered to celebrate the million mark at a recent event sponsored by Houston's KSBJ radio station. KSBJ helped to commemorate the occasion with a plaque presented to group members on stage after a local performance.

Drummer Jason Sheets has announced that he will be offically leaving new rock act Slow Coming Day. "We are sad to see him go and he will be greatly missed," announced the band on their website last month. "We are currently having tryouts for a new drummer. We are looking for someone that is from Southern California and that is between the ages of 19-25. You must have had experience playing in bands before and also some recording experience. IF you fit these requirments email us at slowcomingday@hotmail.com about trying out."

More To This Life... The Big Picture... These album titles mean something very significant for Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael W. Smith. Each album was the third release for the artists. And, they were the break-through projects that moved these male artist/songwriters to the top echelon of Christian artists, and arguably, the most important male vocalists in our young genres history! Now comes Stories and Songs, the third recording from Mark Schultz that releases on October 14. This is the album is said to propel this singer songwriter to towards the same level of artist achievement and commercial success as his fellow artists Chapman and Smith. Is this the case? I suppose we'll know after October 14...

EMI Gospel will be representing at GMWA in Tampa next week. I am in the process of setting up interviews with several of EMI Gospel artists, including Smokie Norful, Beverly Crawford, Lamar Campbell, Darwin Hobbs and Lil iROCC Williams.

The Urban Gospel Alliance recently announced the creation of the UGA Urban Gospel Industry Awards, scheduled to commence July 17, 2004 in Oakland Ca. Nomination proceedings will open February 1st, 2004 for the general public for categories ranging from best Gospel Hip Hop Album to Radio Personality and Ministry Of The Year. Go to www.urbangospelalliance.com for a complete list of award categories. All urban gospel music lovers are encouraged to log on and vote for their favorite artist.

One of the most beloved personalities in television history, Andy Griffith, will release The Christmas Guest, his third album on Sparrow Records, on September 30th. Produced by country music icon Marty Stuart, The Christmas Guest offers Andy’s unique take on the holiday with a collection of short story readings and songs that conjure the warmest memories of holidays gone by. A companion gift book of the same title will also release from J. Countryman Publishing on October 9th. As a small child, Griffith was captivated with a French Christmas story he heard on the radio called ‘The Juggler’. He fell in love with the story and for nearly seventy years has held it close to his heart, hoping one day to record the story himself. ‘The Juggler’ was the spark that put The Christmas Guest in motion, and indeed made a life-long dream come true for Andy Griffith. In addition to ‘The Juggler’ and three other moving spoken-word selections, all recorded with lush orchestrated undertones, The Christmas Guest features several Christmas carols with gorgeous bluegrass arrangements, courtesy of Stuart.

*Friday, August 1st, 2003*

It was just confirmed that Switchfoot will perform on The Carson Daly Show! It tapes August 27th and the band wants their crazy New York fans to join them. Just visit www.1iota.com and click the "Last Call With Carson Daly" event link! More details to come on TV airtime...

Sparrow Records groups Newsboys and Jump5 have made their mark on the latest video game from Activision, Inc., where they will both be featured on the upcoming Disney’s Extreme Skate Adventure video game. Newsboys “Live In Stereo” and Jump5’s “Spinnin’ Around” will be featured alongside other names such as Lil’ Romeo, Smash Mouth, and Grits. The game, which immerses kids in a skateboarding adventure through the worlds of “The Lion King,” “Disney’s Tarzan” and Walt Disney Pictures’ presentation of Pixar Animation Studios’ “Toy Story 2,” is expected to hit store shelves this summer and will be available on the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance. The videogame serves as prelude to the release of Jump5's new album, Accelerate due October 7. Their debut single, a cover of the Sister Sledge classic "We Are Family," has been the theme for Radio Disney's Summer Family Campaign. The group's 2002 album All The Time In The World debuted at No. 3 on Billboard's Top Contemporary Christian Albums chart. Most recently, Jump5 contributed the song "Shining Star" to the soundtrack of The Lizzie McGuire Movie. A Jump5 Vitaball imaging and CD sampler campaign is also underway this summer in 50,000 Wal-Marts nationwide.

Critically acclaimed Essential Records group FFH announces its significant major-market “Ready To Fly” fall tour in support of its fourth and fastest selling album to date, Ready To Fly. The 46-city, 27-state tour features Fervent Records’ best-selling band, Big Daddy Weave, and special guest, Creative Trust Workshop artist, Warren Barfield. FFH continues its “Ready To Fly” tour following its successful spring tour that boasted sellouts and capacity crowds nationwide. The fall tour will launch in Columbia, SC, Sept. 11 and traverse the nation through late November performing in Houston, Baltimore, Cleveland, Cincinnati, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Baton Rouge, LA, Detroit and Phoenix, among other cities.

And speaking of Big Daddy Weave, Fervent Records’ best-selling band garners the top spot on Christian Radio & Retail Weekly’s (CRW) CHR chart this week with “Audience Of One.” From the band’s critically acclaimed 2002 album, One And Only, which continues to rank in the top 20 for sales at Family Christian Stores, one of the nation’s largest retailers, the song’s climb also marks the first No. 1 ever for Big Daddy Weave and Fervent Records. Released to AC & CHR radio last Fall, the climb to No. 1 is significant for “Audience Of One” because the “CRW charts measure a songs true impact nationally. Each reporting station’s actual spins are multiplied by the station’s latest Arbitron AQH Person rating, giving us the Audience Impressions number,” explains Jim Veldhuis, CRW Managing Editor. “A song that gets played on stations with high ratings, or a network with many listeners, means that more listeners hear that song… it’s that simple.”

Ardent Record’s acclaimed new artist Todd Agnew becomes the highest charting new artist this week on SoundScan with his July 22 industry debut, Grace Like Rain, landing at No. 12 on the “Top Christian Albums” chart. Even currently without mainstream distribution, Agnew also claims a Top 30 position on the overall Christian and mainstream “Top Current Contemporary Christian” chart. Grace Like Rain continues to receive critical applause following its release. In addition to being this week’s No. 1 selling artist for Mardel Christian Stores, Agnew is currently featured as a musicforce.com “Street Week” artist and will be spotlighted in CCM’s Sept. “Insider” column.

Pioneering comedienne Chonda Pierce returns to the comedy stage this fall with the release of her newest and boldest CD/DVD on M2.0 Communcations, Have I Got a Story for You! Landing on store shelves Sept. 23rd, her fifth project features more of what Pierce’s audiences have come to know and love – sidesplitting humor and hilarious real-life stories delivered with her own signature, off-kilter wit and style. Recorded live at the historic Elkhart Theater in Elkhart, Ind., Have I Got a Story for You! offers some of Pierce’s funniest stories to date. Weaving too-real-to be fiction life experiences with her slap-happy point of view, Pierce tells how she managed to share a hotel room with a dead man, how her husband enjoyed a honeymoon package with someone else, and how a strange trip between NASCAR and the Holy Land can totally turn your life around. And she cleverly brings each story back around to its larger purpose.

On the heels of his successful 2002 release of A Deeper Faith, world-renown musician/composer John Tesh will release A Deeper Faith II on September 9th, 2003. Simultaneous with the release of this CD will be a devotional book with Thomas Nelson publishers, The Power of Prayer & Worship (An Invitation to a Deeper Faith). Produced by Tesh and Tom Laune (R.E.M., Point of Grace, Michael W. Smith), A Deeper Faith II features 17 new recordings, including well-known worship songs “We Fall Down,” “God of Wonders” and “Your Love Is Better Than Life,” as well as new arrangements of “I Can Only Imagine” and “Bring Me To Life” designed to create a personal and joyous worship experience.