June, 2007
It's with great sadness that we share the news regarding a fire that consumed Relient K's bus
yesterday morning. According to an article in The Times-Reporter, the band had left Creation East Festival in Pennsylvania
where they had just headlined the opening night and were in transit to Cornerstone Festival in Illinois, when their
bus caught fire and the band had to evacuate their vehicle (thankfully no one was hurt). Article author Dan Kane writes of the accident,
"The blaze and attendant smoke and water damaged or destroyed the band’s instruments, sound equipment and tour
merchandise, plus the members’ laptop computers, cell phones, cameras, iPods, clothing and other personal items...
[Matt] Thiessen said his items alone, including a laptop containing about 100 unfinished songs, tallied up to about $7,000."
Kane's article goes into greater detail about the accident, including quotes from the band and an account of the incident,
and explains that the band had to cancel their Cornerstone appearance but hope to perform their scheduled date in Greeley, Colorado
this Saturday. For the full article, click here! Please keep the band in your prayers during this incredibly trying time!
(details from The Times-Reporter; tip from InReview.net friends; report by Jesusfreakhideout.com)
In follow up to his very successful fall 2006 tour, co-headlining WinterJam, sold out shows at
House of Blues locations across the country this past spring, and headline spots at major summer festivals,
Award-winning and 2 million-plus-unit-selling artist Jeremy Camp is
pleased to announce his fall 2007 tour, “An Evening with Jeremy Camp and Band - Live Unplugged” with special
guest Mainstay. Hitting nearly 30 cities in the U.S. and Canada, tickets will be available for
pre-sale on July 7th to members of the Jeremy Camp fan club (fans can sign up at www.jeremycamp.com by 7/5).
Tickets will go on sale to the general public on July 14th.
In what will surely be a special time during each concert, Camp has decided to let the audience be a part of each evening as he fields questions from the audience during intimate Q&A sessions.
“My fans are such a huge part of what I do – they make it possible,” comments Camp. “Therefore I just thought it would be great to get to know them better and also continue to make the evening very relaxed and personal.”
(from The M Collective)
Rocketown Records’ latest signing, New Orleans singer/songwriter Jake Smith
has linked up with the National Breast Cancer Foundation to help raise awareness about early detection and
treatment of the disease. Launching next month, Smith will sponsor an information campaign online as well as at
his concerts. Having experienced breast cancer’s devastation in his family, Smith is eager to help fight the
battle. “My mother has beaten breast cancer twice now,” says Smith. “Her success is due largely to regular
check-ups and early treatment. The public needs to be informed so that they can look out for themselves, their
sisters, daughters, wives, and friends.”
Smith created nationalbreastcancer.org/mynbcf/members/jakesmithmusic to show
his support for the organization and will be including a link to the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s web
site on jakesmithmusic.com. Smith also plans to distribute NBCF literature while on tour and has invited representatives to his CD launch party later this summer to record several audio and video public service announcements for the group.
“Jake is a remarkable person and an extraordinary musician,” says Janelle Hail, founder of the National Breast Cancer Foundation. “We are thrilled that he has partnered with the National Breast Cancer Foundation to get the message out about the importance of early detection.”
Smith’s July 31 debut release, Real, offers soulful, groove-based pop that blends seamlessly together
to create a sound reflective of New Orleans’ richness and eclecticism. Drawing from recent trauma in Smith’s
life, this very personal record is infused with the genuine hope and optimism that surrounds Smith himself. For more information on Real, and a list of tour dates, visit jakesmithmusic.com or myspace.com/jakesmithmusic.
(from Provident Label Group)
Finally! We can break our silence and freely confirm those rumors you've been hearing about! Both Switchfoot and
then Relient K announced from the main stage at Creation East Festival last night that they will be touring together
this Fall! Switchfoot and Relient K will be hitting venues all across America latest this year in support
of their newest records, marking the second time the bands are on the road together! More to come...
(from Switchfoot; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
SONICFLOOd led a standing room-only crowd of over 6,500 in worship
during the opening night of the NYPENN Franklin Graham Festival on June 8th. The event took place at the
Binghamton University Event Center in Binghamton, NY, as part of a three-day festival.
Binghamton’s Press and Sun-Bulletin commented, “The music turned edgier when the pounding bass began for
Grammy-nominated Christian rockers SONICFLOOd as they took the stage. You'd think their sound would have turned
off some of the older people in the crowd. Not so. [The crowd] stood up like rock concert veterans and pumped
their "rock fists" at the beckon of the lead singer, the David Bowie-esque Rick Heil.”
SONICFLOOd also had the privilege to take part in a morning devotional with popular preacher and Samaritan’s
Purse CEO Franklin Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelical Association (BGEA) team.
The NYPENN festival saw over 21,000 in attendance at the BU Event Center throughout the festival, and approximately 1,500 people responded to the altar calls during the weekend.
(from SONICFLOOd)
As previously announced, Jump5 will disband at the end of 2007 -
but not before hitting the road one last time. Sponsored by The Kingdom Kidz Club and Shoutlife.com, The Hello &
Goodbye Tour will take Jump5 to 30 major markets from September through the end of the year, including stops in
Houston, Seattle, Evansville, Morristown, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Louisville, Little Rock, Atlanta, Orlando,
Tampa, Denver, Las Vegas, Bakersfield, San Francisco and Nashville.
Joining Jump5 on the tour will be Midas Records artist Jessie Daniels, who has scored numerous top 10's at
Christian radio with her self-titled debut album, as well as the new
teen pop group PureNRG, whose debut CD is currently on the top of the Christian sales chart.
Also on the tour is Canadian trio Carried Away, whose sophomore project on Glide Records
releases August 28th, and Sammy Ward, who will perform his own material as well as backing
Jump5 on an acoustic set - a first for the group.
"This tour is going to be the most original and most meaningful to us all," says Jump5's Chris Fedun. "We want
to show how much we have grown in these past years spiritually, vocally and as performers."
The tour will give the group the opportunity to say goodbye to fans with an all new live show packed with the
group's biggest hits, including early material that hasn't been performed on recent tours. And as with similar
family-friendly tours including High School Musical and Hannah Montana, this will be a tour that parents can be
completely comfortable bringing their families to.
"We are very excited about the upcoming tour this fall," said the group's manager Derek Bruner. "The lineup we
have for the tour is one that should appeal to any fan of pop music. The excitement that we've been seeing from
fans this far out from the tour has been very encouraging. This is going to be a show fans won't want to miss!"
To coincide with the tour, Jump5's final studio album, Hello & Goodbye, will be released September 25th
by Slanted Records, and includes all new studio recordings, including the title track, a cover version of the
classic Beatles song, "Hello Goodbye."
An aggressive marketing campaign includes a national publicity campaign, online promotion through KingdomKidzClub.com and Shoutlife.com, major radio and television appearances and promotions, an internet campaign featuring e-cards, retail tools and resources, and a pre-sale campaign through various Christian retail chains.
Jump5 hit the music scene in 2001, billing themselves as a family-friendly alternative to the PG-13 pop music that was exploding into the marketplace. Siblings Brandon and Brittany Hargest, along with childhood friends Lesley Moore, Chris Fedun and Libby Hodges (who left the group in 2004) quickly became a teen phenomenon, touring worldwide and releasing nine albums on EMI-owned Sparrow Records which collectively have sold over 1.3 million copies.
(from Nashville Publicity)
As his Portable Sounds continues to be a top 5 best-seller after more than 4 months of release, GRAMMY – nominated artist
TobyMac recently performed for over 10,000 fans at the virtual world for teen and
pre-teen girls and boys....Whyville.com. Thousands caught TobyMac live in concert at Whyville's Greek Theatre, featuring songs
from the new CD and a few of his old favorites too. In addition to the Citizens of Whyville promoting tobyMac on their own blogs,
there were several hundred hits generated by the three major search engines, MSN, Google and Yahoo!, while over 3,000 chat
questions were submitted during the concert, and over 4600 fans attended the Tailgate Party.
Also, on July 3rd, exclusively on YAHOO!, fans will be able to check out the World Premiere of TobyMac’s new music video for the
song “Boomin’’, filmed recently in LA.
TobyMac’s latest single from “Portable Sounds” is continuing to connect this artist with multi-format listeners, as “I’m For You”
is already Top 20 on Christian AC and Top 5 Christian CHR (No. 4) after only a few weeks. This week the song is up 10 slots on
the AC Monitored chart (R&R) at No. 18 (from No. 28).
(from The M Collective)
Blindside's new The Black Rose EP is out now and available worldwide only
in digital form. The price is only USD 4.99 for 8 songs. You can get it exclusivly online by going to the band's mp3 shop at
http://mp3.blindsideonline.com. About the EP, the band writes,
"Since all of this has Come Together very quickly with virtually no words from us we'd like to explain ourselves and our current situation a little bit.
When we got the word that there was no longer a record company behind us we have been putting all our energy into what you will soon have in front of you.
At this point we decided that we weren't going to let the circumstances stop us from doing what we love and keep going no matter how bad this timing was. Instead we spent our own money with a goal to release something with the heart on our sleeve, separated from record label drama and left alone in a room with nothing else than our love for music and our passion to move into new grounds, spiritually and musically: one vision, one mind, one EP...
Once we had the first and most important thing down; the music, we had to find a solution for the rest of the things you need to
release music. Finding the right record company and distribution company who would do this in the short amount of time we had, and
that we trusted, was not going to happen so we decided to find another way of getting this EP to you.
We are on the verge of a new generation of the music business. Things will be never become what they've been before. This is
exciting. Our vision with 'The Black Rose EP' is to release our music with no middle man, simply from our hands to your hands. That
is why we are selling this EP through our webpage, to anybody who's interested, anywhere in the world.
This is an experiment. We know we will not be reaching as many people as we would if we had the big record company-machine pushing
money into marketing and trying to get songs on the radio and with a distribution company working it into the stores.
This is as indie as it gets. What we have; is you: our loyal fans and friends, our myspace, our webpage and our promotions crew.
This will officially be a project built from scratch on word of mouth. We know this music will be on all the peer to peer, pirate-sites before we know it. However we also know that you have a choice here. There's no middle hands taking your money, it goes, more or less, straight to the band to finance our tours and possibilities to do the merchandise and artwork we always dreamt of doing without anyone trying to compromise or change it before it gets to you.
We hope you will enjoy this musical effort and that you will come and see us when we come to your town soon. Thanks for your time, your prayers and your support."
(from Blindside)
Gospel Music Channel has tapped Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell, Out of Eden’s
Lisa Kimmey and up-and-coming singer/songwriter Brandon Heath
to host their exclusive national concert coverage of the two-day 94.9 KLTY/Interstate Batteries Celebrate Freedom 2007.
The largest free concert event in the country has been held at Southfork Ranch in Parker, Texas (just outside Dallas) for 17
years. For the first time in 2006, the Gospel Music Channel was invited to broadcast the concert on the nation's only 24-hour, all
Gospel/Christian music television network. The network returns in 2007 to capture the two-day concert event on June 29 and 30 to
be broadcast in four, two-hour concert specials which will premiere on July 7 (4:00 pm Part 1, 8:00 pm Part 2)
and July 14 (4:00 pm Part 3, 8:00 pm Part 4) and be seen throughout the month.
The 2007 line-up for 94.9 KLTY/Interstate Batteries Celebrate Freedom 2007 boasts the biggest line-up ever – nearly 40 artists,
including some of Christian and gospel music’s top artists such as Casting Crowns, Natalie Grant, Aaron Shust, TobyMac, Avalon,
Nichole Nordeman, Krystel Meyers, Marcos Witt, Bebo Norman, Rebecca St. James, Salvador, Superchic[k], Michael English, Anthony Evans, and many more.
Littrell, Kimmey and Heath will host the Gospel Music Channel’s special coverage with Kimmey and Heath hosting the first day of the
event and Littrell and Kimmey covering the final evening concert.
Littrell, already a multi-platinum artist as part of the Backstreet Boys, has become a Christian and gospel fan favorite since
releasing his Reunion Records’ solo debut, Welcome Home in 2006. Kimmey is
one-third of sister group Out of Eden, but has recently become a television personality in her own right as a regular host for
Gospel Music Channel’s Hot List. And, Heath has been a respected writer in Nashville for years often collaborating with Bebo
Norman, Matt Wertz and Dave Barnes. He released his debut CD, Don't Get Comfortable, last fall.
(from Spinhouse PR)
Our Heart's Hero, the newest band to ink a deal with Gotee Records, is poised to
unveil their self-titled debut on September 18th.
Led by front man and guitarist Nick Joyce, Our Heart?s Hero includes Jason Nattier (guitar), Jeremy McKnight (bass guitar) and
Ricky Holbrook (drums). The self-titled debut effort hails 11 songs of heartfelt, soaring pop-rock, all penned by Joyce, with
eight of the songs being produced by Brent Milligan (Audio Adrenaline, ZOEgirl, Rebecca St. James) and Ian Esklelin taking
credit for three songs. Sonically, Our Heart?s Hero is being likened to Switchfoot, Sanctus Real, Jimmy Eat World, and Delirious.
"Gotee is thrilled to have Our Heart's Hero as the newest artist with our team," said label co-founder, Toby McKeehan. "We love the
music and the hearts of this band. Not only is their music top notch, but these are guys who pour their lives into the kids they
play for and walk through whatever life brings to them with grace and wisdom. I can't wait for people to meet this band."
Our Heart's Hero has spent the last couple years touring extensively with over 150 dates a year nationwide. Fans can anticipate
additional performances as the band joins the Rock, Paper, Scissors Tour this summer, as well as late summer dates as part of the
Revolution Calling Tour with Red, GRITS, and Falling Up. Our Heart?s Hero also performed in 20 cities earlier this spring with The Afters.
With a major grassroots following and over 20,000 friends on myspace.com site, Our Heart's Hero has sold 20,000 copies of their
independent album to date. The first radio single ?Because Of The Blood? is currently going for adds at CHR radio.
For more information on Our Heart?s Hero, check out www.gotee.com or their official artist website at www.ourheartshero.com as well
as www.myspace.com/ourheartshero
(from LB PR)
GRAMMY-nominated Red’s third single ever, “Break Me Down”, has climbed all the way
to the top, coming in at No. 1 this week at R&R Christian Rock Radio. “Break Me Down” marks Red’s third straight No. 1 single at
R&R Christian Rock Radio. “Breathe Into Me” was the band’s first No. 1, followed by “Already Over”. All three songs are from Red’s
debut album, End of Silence.
After learning this news while on the road, somewhere in the middle of California, Red guitarist Anthony Armstrong commented,
“Seriously, thanks to every single one of you that have helped get our music on the airwaves all around the country. As we travel
from town to town, it is a big part of what keeps us going. We can feel the support when we are performing, and it is an honor to
see the crowd singing along with our songs. Radio is a huge part of all of this.”
RadioU Program Director, Nikki Cantu, shares in the excitement, “Congratulations to Red on going No. 1 with “Break Me Down”!!
Talk about a band that deserves it. They have made such a name for themselves in such a short time. I could not imagine RadioU, or
our industry, without them.” “Break Me Down” has also entered the Top 5 at CRW Christian Rock Radio.
Red will be a part of “The Revolution Calling” Tour, with Grits, Falling Up and Wavorly, among others, which runs Monday, July 16 through Wednesday, July 25, 2007. Red also has multiple upcoming dates with multi-platinum Breaking Benjamin. Visit www.myspace.com/dropofred for a complete list of upcoming tour dates.
(from Provident Label Group)
Midas Records and Evidential Productions have been recognized with a Silver Telly Award (the highest honor) in the Commercial
Online Media Promotion category, by the 28th annual Telly Awards association. The award was presented in recognition for Midas
Records' band Rush of Fools and its video electronic press kit (EPK), directed and
produced by Billy Brown of Evidential Productions. For over a quarter century, the Telly statuette has been a symbol of creative
excellence in film, video, commercial, broadcast and non-broadcast media. Other Telly Award winners this year include HBO,
Discovery Channel, Christian Broadcasting Network, FX Network, Geico, Disney-Pixar, New Line Cinema, 20th Century Fox, PBS,
Columbia Records, NBC and Warner Bros. The four-minute EPK features footage from the group’s high definition (HD) music video of it’s #1 record-breaking, hit radio
single, "Undo," plus behind-the-scenes footage, which includes live performances and in-studio shots of the band recording their
self-titled album. Band members, Wes Willis and Kevin Huguley intimately share throughout
the EPK, details of how the group was started and in-depth conversation about their hearts, ministry and passion for their
listeners to experience worship and like them, “rush in to the throne of God.”
The Telly Award is one of the most sought-after awards by industry leaders, from major international firms to local production
companies and ad agencies. This year, over 13,000 entries were received. For more information about the Telly Awards, click here.
(from LAB Media)
Award winning and Platinum-selling Word recording artist Point Of Grace is set to
release its 11th studio project, How You Live, nationwide on August 28, 2007. The highly anticipated project is the first
new studio release in almost three years from one of the most notable and successful female groups in Christian music history.
After performing in front of hundreds of thousands of fans and selling over five million albums, Shelley Breen, Leigh Cappillino,
Denise Jones and Heather Payne deliver a compelling collection of songs that invite the listener to examine their priorities and
take stock of their lives on How You Live.
“This record is a constant reminder for us to celebrate life---to celebrate it in the good and to celebrate it in the bad,” says
Cappillino. “It urges us to walk along those paths with our friends and family, as well as with strangers and to recognize God’s
goodness in all things. My hope is this record will motivate people to be captivated by God.”
For 15 years, Point Of Grace has built an unprecedented career, delivering songs of substance. While the groups’ lovely voices and
soaring harmonies have entertained, its songs have illuminated the complexities of the human spirit and spurred listeners toward
closer relationships with each other and with God. In the process, the group has taken the church by storm, winning eight Dove
Awards, two Grammy nods and garnering two platinum and five gold records as well as 29 No. 1 singles, 24 of which were consecutive.
"We are honored to get to serve Point of Grace in the calling that they have had on their lives through music,” says Rod Riley, Sr.
VP of Marketing, Word Label Group. “Their music has been an inspiration to so many people over the years and this record continues
their calling in a vibrant way.” With producer Brown Bannister (Amy Grant, Building 429, Steven Curtis Chapman) at the helm, How You Live unites Americana
musical influence with the classic vocal sound that has made Point Of Grace one of the world’s most identifiable groups in any
genre. The first single, “All the World,” is a perfect example of the signature harmonies that have defined the group since its
early days at Arkansas’ Ouachita Baptist University. The song’s upbeat message urges believers to look beyond their immediate
circles to spread the gospel and “shine their light for everyone to see in all the world.”
For years, the Point Of Grace members have never ceased to be a positive impact on this generation and culture, ever mindful of
their position as role models to young women around the world (their Girls of Grace conferences alone draw tens of thousands each
year and continue to grow). They have been obedient to God in using that platform to uplift and encourage other believers and share
news of His mercy within a hurting world. Through it all, they also made personal choices, each marrying and having children,
learning along the way to deftly juggle family and faith with ministry and music – making them even more relatable to their fans.
In support of How You Live, Point Of Grace will perform on July 10th at The International Christian Retail Show in Atlanta, Georgia and will embark on a national promo tour later this summer. A national tour is also scheduled to kick off on the heels of the group’s upcoming album release in the Fall of 2007, followed by the annual “Winter Wonderland” Christmas tour. The group will also kick-off its new season of nationally recognized Girls of Grace conferences, with an unprecedented launch in February, 2008.
For more information, visit www.pointofgrace.net, www.girlsofgrace.com, www.wordrecords.com and www.myspace.com/pointofgrace.
(from LAB Media)
Fervent Records’ award winning three-sister rock band, BarlowGirl, is launching
their online “Speak Out” initiative this week to raise awareness and encourage fans to take a stand in what they believe and become
more active in their faith. In support of their appropriately themed and titled July 24 CD release, How Can We Be Silent,
the Internet campaign is a call to action for fans to “speak about hope, truth and love to a world in need” by sharing their own
stories of brokenness and healing. The Speak Out website and mobile blog section is accessible through
www.barlowgirl.com. In addition to inviting fans to “speak out,” the campaign
will offer complementary elements in the future including behind-scene-videos, devotionals and more.
Speak Out is the result of Rebecca, Alyssa and Lauren Barlow’s personal communication with fans since their music ministry began three years ago.
“Night after night fans pour out their hearts and we realize more than ever the hurt, abandonment, guilt, pain and disillusionment
this generation is experiencing,” says Lauren. “We’re standing up. We’re not afraid to fight for what we believe in, and we’re not
going to back down. This is who we are. God has put so much in us; we can’t shut up about it. How can we be silent when we have so
much truth to heal a wounded spirit?” In addition to the Speak Out campaign, Fervent Records is providing one of three free ringtones to fans that preorder How Can We Be
Silent at www.barlowgirl.com. Each ringtone is featured on BarlowGirl’s new project, including the current chart-climbing
radio single, “Here’s My Life.” Each pre-ordered CD will also be signed the band and accompanied by a CD sampler with enhanced
BarlowGirl content and music from other Word Label Group artists.
[Look for more on JFH about How Can We Be Silent soon!]
(from Bozeman Media)
“An Epiphany,” the first radio single from premiere Tooth & Nail Record’s band The Send,
with frontman Joe Kisselburgh (recently with Falling Up), garnered the #1 position on R&R’s Christian Rock National Airplay
Monitored chart this week. The chart-topping single is part of the band’s highly anticipated debut record, Cosmos that will
release nationwide on July 31, 2007 through EMI Distribution.
“An Epiphany,” has been rapidly climbing the charts and quickly gaining attention for its soaring
melody and articulate lyrics. In conjunction with radio adds and chart success, the premiere video for the single also debuts this
month to video formats such as VH1, MTV and the Gospel Music Channel. Garnering rave reviews and attention on YouTube and MySpace,
the video is produced by world-renowned film veteran, Greg Pymm (Straylight Run, Juliana Theory, Starflyer 59) of fashion bleeds in New York.
In support of its highly-anticipated debut album, The Send recently embarked on an unprecedented, 32 date Minor & Major League
Baseball venue tour with punk-pop label mate, Hawk Nelson, on the TCAA Sports Presents The Faith Nights Hawk Nelson Summer Baseball
Tour 2007. The tour has seen strong ticket sales numbers in all markets and runs throughout the summer months. The tour will make stops at four Major League Baseball parks, with concerts following games with some of the most respected teams in all of sports, including the LA Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers and Kansas City Royals.
(from LAB Media)
18-year-old Krystal Meyers is gearing up for a busy fall, including performing at
multiple Acquire the Fire conferences across the nation, with dates in Chicago, Detroit and Atlanta, among others. In addition, the
songwriter recently shot a campaign for Journeys shoes that will premier in national teen magazines this fall. Next up for Krystal
is a performance at Celebrate Freedom, the two day worship and celebration event held at Southfork Ranch outside Dallas, Texas on
Friday, June 29. Last year the event drew over 200,000 attendees.
(from Provident Label Group)
Having co-written nearly a dozen radio hits, winning 2 GRAMMY Awards and 10 years of touring under his belt, former
Audio Adrenaline guitarist/songwriter Tyler Burkum has a solid base on
which to build a successful solo career. Burkum is doing just that with the release of his debut solo EP, adequately titled Demo LP, which is available now on iTunes.
In his first solo outing, Burkum offers a small taste of what is to come with a collection of intimate, heartfelt and homesick narratives written during the last year of touring with Audio Adrenaline. He recorded in hotels, parks, or any area that was immediately available.
“The bulk of the EP was me and a guitar with a laptop and a borrowed microphone,” shares Burkum. “It’s only a demo but I wanted to get it out there and show a more personal side [of my music].”
For something he downplays as ‘only a demo,’ the music ebbs and flows, carrying the listener along on a strikingly mature and self-actualized journey—a journey that provides poignant, quiet moments, and a fair share of insight into the ‘family photo album’.
Having joined Audio Adrenaline at the tender age of 17, Burkum holds a ‘dream come true’ musical story. He joined Audio Adrenaline in 1997, which enabled Burkum to contribute to the recording of the GRAMMY nominated and Dove Award winning album Some Kind of Zombie. With Burkum’s new sound added to the band, they went on to release three more highly successful and award winning albums until the band’s retirement in 2007.
In addition to his contributions to Audio Adrenaline, Burkum has also contributed his talents by playing guitar and touring with Mat Kearney (Columbia Records) who has opened for such noted acts as John Mayer and Sheryl Crow.
For more information on Tyler Burkum, please visit www.tylerburkum.net or www.myspace.com/tylerburkum.
(from BookEnd Media)
Bebo Norman made an announcement yesterday about some upcoming touring plans... "I'm going to be touring this fall with some
friends that you may know... Shane & Shane and Shawn McDonald. Fun times. We're still booking dates but you can see what we have
planned already. The dates are posted on my myspace page and on my website. Tickets will be available for purchase through
itickets.com in the next few days. So, keep checking back for more info." Sounds good, stay tuned...
(from Bebo Norman; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
We reported this news on Sunday, but here's the official press release...
Aaron Gillespie has been best known for his bone-crunching vocals and talent behind
the drums in the Florida-based band, Underoath. Now, his newer project, The Almost,
lets Gillespie put a different, more melodic side of himself on display. Essentially a solo effort, the project has evolved into a
full band with Jay Vilardi (guitar), Dusty Redmon (guitar), Alex Aponte (bass) and Kenny Bozich (drums) rounding out the lineup.
The debut album, Southern Weather, was released April 3rd via Virgin/Tooth &
Nail, and has sold over 72,000 copies since its debut at #29 on the Billboard 200.
After wrapping up a successful spring tour with Paramore, a string of shows with Say Anything and a stint at the Bamboozle festival,
The Almost will perform on the majority of the Vans Warped Tour this summer (except 6/21, 7/21 and 7/22), alongside Underoath.
For this music-obsessed songwriter/singer, giving his fans a double-dose of his music at the highly-anticipated tour is nothing but a dream.
Check out the latest e-card from The Almost here.
Gillespie has a busy - and very “warped” - summer ahead of him. Not only will the
singer/songwriter rock the drum set and vocals with Underoath, but he will also
fill his position as frontman of his latest project, The Almost. With varying music
in each of the two bands, Gillespie will truly be in two “places” at once. Both bands will play at this
year’s Vans Warped Tour, with 47 tour dates, kicking off on June 29 in Pomona, CA.
For more info, visit www.thealmost.com.
(from Fanscape, Inc)
DIRECTV, the nation’s leading satellite television provider, adds a burst of patriotism to the programming line up with
Songs of Praise for America, a musical celebration in honor of our nation’s birthday. Hosted by NASCAR
legend Darrell Waltrip and Dove Award-winner Natalie Grant, the special will debut June
30 and run throughout the 4th of July holiday on DIRECTV’s exclusive and inspirational Channel 103.
A follow-up to the tremendously popular Songs of Praise series debut last year, Songs of Praise for America will take viewers on a
musical celebration surrounding the 4th of July. During the 60-minute special, DIRECTV viewers will be treated to Michael W.
Smith’s performance of "There She Stands," Nicole C. Mullen’s rendition of "Freedom," and Mark Schultz singing "Letters from War."
The special will also include inspirational performances from the USMA Cadet Glee Club, Prestonwood Baptist Church Choir and the
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Throughout the program, viewers will watch everyday citizens share their memories of the holiday, and what it means to be Americans.
“We’re celebrating the 4th from sea to shining sea with performances from the nation’s most inspirational artists and choirs,” said
Eric Shanks, executive vice president, DIRECTV Entertainment. “We’ve got Darrell Waltrip, Natalie Grant and some of the nation’s
finest servicemen to celebrate this great nation, and we’re letting our customers join in the spectacular with an unprecedented five-day broadcast.”
Songs of Praise for America is part of an ongoing DIRECTV initiative to present more family-friendly and faith-based programming to DIRECTV subscribers. The special will air alongside Sunday Masses from Notre Dame on DIRECTV’s Channel 103.
Songs of Praise for America is produced by DIRECTV Original Entertainment in conjunction with Propeller Consulting and Triple Horse Entertainment for broadcast exclusively on DIRECTV and is available at no additional cost to all DIRECTV subscribers.
For more information on the artists and choirs performing in Songs of Praise for America, visit www.directv.com/songsofpraise
(from The M Collective)
Looking ahead to the September 25 release of its fourth studio album, The Remedy,
David Crowder*Band is sending fans on a mysterious treasure hunt for sneak preview
details about the new set at seven summer music festivals around the country.
In an online post, the MSN 2006 Artist of the Year act writes, "summertime: sunshine, lemonade, music festivals, treasure hunts...
we have left something for you, a gift. So, pay careful attention."
Remaining festivals participating in the "search for The Remedy" include Cornerstone (June 27; Bushnell, IL), Creation
Northeast (June 28; Mt. Union, PA), Sonshine (July 12; Willmar, MN), Creation Northwest (July 28; George, WA), and Spirit West Coast (August 2; Monterey, CA). Click here for more clues about how to find the gift at these select festivals, and don't forget to say, "I have been sent by David Crowder*Band for one of the seven remedies."
Finally, be listening for the first radio single from The Remedy, "Everything Glorious," which hits airwaves starting June 22.
(from Sparrow Records)
Finally Blindside has broken silence (ha!) about the upcoming release of some new music. "We know it has been too long and we
thank you for you patience and your passion in hanging in with us," the band announced this week.
"We had planned on recording a brand new full length album this February when we found we had to pull up the anchor and leave our
partnership with the record label. We didn't want to quit writing in the middle of the process, so we went into the studio to
record a few songs we were working on to get you all some new music."
The Black Rose EP was recorded partly in our Stockholm rehearsal studio and partly in Decibel Studios. "We had Stefan
Glaumann (Rammstein) and Stefan Boman (Kent, The Hellacopters) mix the record and we are very pleased with the results."
Five brand new songs lead the way, including: "The Way You Dance," "Slow Motion," "Pretty Nights," "The Color of My Eyes," and
"The Black Rose." Followed by those are recordings from the Hultsfred Festival last summer, including: "My Alibi," "Fell in Love
with the Game," and "When I Remember." The Black Rose EP will be available for download on Blindsideonline.com
for a mere $4.99 starting next Tuesday, June 27th. You can also download the artwork with lyrics as a .pdf file from the webpage.
Can't wait to hear the new music? No problem. The band has also uploaded the five new studio cuts to their myspace! Check them out
now here!
(from Blindside; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
Leigh Nash recently cut a new song intended for a Lifetime television show but the station has decided not to use it. Interested in hearing
the song? Nash has made it available for streaming on her myspace page despite the disappointing news. Leigh writes,
"Just wanted to alert you to the new song on my page. I wrote it with Trent Dabbs (see top 8), he is great!~ Anyway the song was
written for a Lifetime show called State of Mind. I don't think they're using it though. Sad, sad eyes because of this.
Thanks a lot Lifetime, all the hours I put in with my sister watching movies with Judith Light or Meridith Baxter Burney, and this
is what I get. Thank you. I'm still going to watch Golden Girls religiously, but still you get a scarcastic thank you. Anyway you
can maybe enjoy the song...if you like it, you'll enjoy it. That's just the way things work. I'm writing lots of songs and doing good!"
Visit www.myspace.com/leighnash now to hear her new song, "Bed Is Made."
(from Leigh Nash; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
Fans of Word Recording artist Building 429 turned up in droves for the band’s
recent “You Carried Me” contest promotion. Select winners will appear in Building 429’s forthcoming music video for current radio single, “You Carried Me.”
Kicking off on the band’s myspace page early April, fans were asked to submit personal stories describing how God had carried them
through difficult times in their lives. Selected essays were featured on the site, with one grand prize winner receiving a flight
to see Building 429 live in concert. Additionally, eight entries were chosen to be featured in an upcoming music video for “You
Carried Me,” the stand-out track from Building 429’s May 1 release, Iris to Iris.
The eight finalists traveled to Nashville on May 31, 2007, where they spent time with Building 429 before recording their stories
live on camera. One participant, Stephanie Kulp from Winter Park, Fla. commented on the day’s events, “Thursday May 31st was one of
the most amazing days of my life! I left that night feeling so blessed to have been a part of what B429 is doing, I can’t wait to see the final product!”
“You Carried Me” is scheduled to air via national television video outlets next month. Additional details on the video’s premier
are forthcoming. The video’s testimonies are available to view online at www.myspace.com/building429.
Produced by Brown Bannister (MercyMe, The Afters, Steven Curtis Chapman, Third Day) and mixed by F. Reid Shippen (India.Arie,
Johnny Lang,) Building 429’s latest project, Iris to Iris, has set a new standard for future Building 429 releases.
The first single from Iris to Iris, “You Carried Me,” is currently in the Top 20 at Christian Adult Contemporary radio. Also, the
band will be appearing at all major summer festivals including Collide Festival, Crossover Festival, Alive Festival, KLTY Celebrate
Freedom, Lifest, SoulFest, Spirit West Coast, Youth Fest, Revelation Generation 2007 and LifeLight Festival. For a complete list of tour dates, visit www.building429.com.
(from Savvy Media)
Fan favorite Canadian foursome Hawk Nelson headed out last week for their first
baseball park tour hitting the southern Minor League Baseball markets of Mobile, AL, Birmingham, AL, Jackson, TN, and Huntsville,
AL selling more than 6,800 tickets in the debut week. On the Hawk Nelson Baseball Tour, the band performs a full concert either
before or after the baseball game playing to fans who have purchased a concert ticket. The band will continue to play across the
country hitting more than 30 baseball stadiums including the Major League Baseball franchises with the Kansas City Royals (7/28),
L.A. Dodgers (8/19), and Minnesota Twins (9/15).
In addition to hitting the baseball diamonds, Hawk Nelson will be partnering with Major League Baseball for a fun and creative
promotion featuring the band on MLB.com, where the site receives nine million hits a day. The band will be visiting the New York
headquarters for a studio performance and interview to be used throughout the baseball season.
Hawk Nelson won the hearts of fans and media nationwide since their debut release in June 2004 with “Letters to the President.”
Most recently, the band premiered the music video for the radio single “Zero,” which addresses teen suicide. The single is
currently at No. 21 at Christian Rock and jumped nine slots to No. 17 at CHR. The video debuted on their MySpace receiving more
than 150K plays in 72 hours. “Zero” can be viewed at this link.
(from The M Collective)
Amarillo-based duo Monk & Neagle will release its sophomore album,
The Twenty-First Time—its first on Reunion Records— on Sept. 18. With this new project, the singer/songwriter pair
delivers a storyteller’s delight, full of deep spiritual conviction, high-octane fun, passionate imagination, and sincere,
heartfelt worship. Produced by Ed Cash, Gospel Music’s 2007 “Producer of the Year,” the duo’s phenomenal vocal work is powerfully
evident, while the mark of distinction is found in the lyrical depth and meaning that permeates the record.
“These stories, these songs were born in the everyday,” Michael Neagle says, “from the conviction that comes out of personal
experience, faith in the middle of doubt, and our desire to unbox the Gospel. To show how relevant it is to where we all live.”
Teaming up with Cash, The Twenty-First Time exceeds the John Mayer/Jack Johnson/Bebo Norman jazz/acoustic-pop fusion
established on Monk & Neagle’s 2004 self-titled debut with even more irresistible hooks and melodies.
“I’ve worked on a lot of great records,” says Cash, “and the special ones you can usually identify. From the beginning, the songs
to me on this record are simply at another level… It’s been amazing, watching these guys bring them to life.”
Monk & Neagle will be on the road this fall as part of the highly-anticipated MercyMe tour featuring Aaron Shust. For more
information on Monk & Neagle, please visit www.monkandneagle.com or www.reunionrecords.com.
The musical partnership of Monk & Neagle sprang to life organically in Texas out of a 12-year friendship between Trent Monk and
Michael Neagle. Crafting lyrics that reveal stories about ordinary life and celebrating extraordinary love and relationships remain
front and center for the guys. The Twenty-First Time is the follow-up to Monk & Neagle’s self-titled debut, which was
released by Flicker Records in 2004.
(from Provident Label Group)
Until June, new pop/rock band on Flicker/Sony-BMG, will be featured on the upcoming
third season edition of Grey's Anatomy box set collection, with their song “What I've Done,” which will be used on the
promo spot of the hot television series' new spin-off, Private Practice. The DVD collection will be released on September 11.
Until June, featuring brothers Josh Ballard and (vocals/keyboards) Dan Ballard (guitar); joined by Daniel Dempsey (drums) has
crafted a CD that represents the virtue of pushing through one's fears, no matter what. Their sound, and their songwriting is
uniquely their own -- creating tunes that will remain with the listener long after they've heard it for the first time.
Says Garcia: "I immediately felt a sense of connection with the band when first hearing their music; especially their infectious melodies! I also recognized the potential Josh had with his unique vocal delivery and I hoped to play a part in assisting the band to realize that potential."
Until June's CD is available nationwide and debuted in the Top 100 "New Artist" chart. The band plans to embark on a U.S. summer tour in August; specific dates to TBA. For more information regarding Until June please log on to: www.myspace.com/untiljune or www.untiljune.com
(from The M Collective)
The Elms are prepping for a new album. Frontman Owen Thomas writes, "We're up to a
new song count of nearly 30 now. We'll be in the studio for the first two weeks of July beginning the process of making sense of
it all. Just when we think we've written all there is to write for these recording sessions, 3 or 4 new tunes pop out of the sky,
and we all convene to see how they live when we all get together to bang them out. Problem is, they all sound great... Sometimes
the toughest part is letting go of some of the ones you love for the sake of the collective. We've all sort of vowed to keep very
hushed about the material we're creating, and the parameters under which it will be released. But I'll say again that we
(The Elms) are operating on a very special level right now, fueled by our belief in one another and in these songs. I'll get more
transparent with you as days roll on. For now, I'll just say that I'm so proud of Chris, Thom, and Nathan, and the songs in the
making now are the most collaborative and special that they've ever been for us." For the latest on the band, visit
www.myspace.com/theelms
(from The Elms; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
Big Idea, Inc., home to VeggieTales, the world’s most popular faith-based kids brand,
announces the upcoming release of God Made You Special, a landmark collection of four delightful VeggieTales stories all
on one DVD. With 75 minutes of running time and an SRP of $14.99, this DVD collection releases nationwide August 11 and 14, 2007
in Christian and general market stores respectively.
God Made You Special will be supported by a far-reaching marketing and promotions campaign that will target both the
Christian and general markets. In addition to extensive grassroots promotions along with print, radio, Internet, retailer, and
billboard advertising, Big Idea, Inc. will partner with Desert Glory Nature Sweet Vine Ripened Tomatoes for the first time.
“We are delighted to present this landmark collection inspired by our well-known and much loved tagline ‘God made you special,
and He loves you very much,’” says Big Idea Senior VP of Marketing Greg Fritz. “And as part of our extensive marketing and
promotional campaign, we are pleased to announce the exciting new partnership with Nature Sweet.”
“We are thrilled to partner with VeggieTales on the release of God Made You Special, “ says Desert Glory Marketing
Director Kathryn Ault. “There is a natural connection between our two companies, as we each serve families with a product that
promotes a healthy lifestyle, growth and overall well being.”
Nature Sweet will run a special cross-promotion on five million Nature Sweet Tomato packages beginning this August. Each package
will feature a $3 mail-in-rebate offer with the purchase of the God Made You Special DVD and one Nature Sweet Tomato
package. Account-specific IRC offers are also planned, resulting in one free package of tomatoes with the purchase of the
God Made You Special DVD.
Featuring the all-new adventure “Bob’s Vacation,” three classic VeggieTales stories and two Silly Songs, this fun-filled collection
will help kids understand that they are unique and special just the way God made them. In addition to the hilarious and
heart-warming VeggieTales content, the DVD is jam-packed with bonus features, including several personal and inspirational stories
from VeggieTales fans. Big Idea is also featuring many other fan stories on its website, www.bigidea.com.
(from Hoganson Media)
Featuring three stages of performances from some of the hottest bands impacting the music scene today, as well as an art
gallery, skate park, paint ball and top speakers from across the country, Purple Door Festival announces
the official line-up for its 2007 event, to be held at Ski Roundtop in Lewisberry, PA August 17-18.
Hosting a healthy diet of favorites and a diverse array of critically acclaimed newcomers, the 12th annual edition of the Festival
boasts nationally known artists such as Relient K, Anberlin, mewithoutYou, Haste the Day, Norma Jean, As Cities Burn,
Colour Revolt, Sherwood, Denison Witmer, Red, The Devil Wears Prada, Derek Webb, Family Force 5, Leeland, and Cool Hand Luke as
well as local favorites August Burns Red, Kheris and Farewell Flight.
"We are very pleased to have such a varied group of heavy-hitters on our schedule this year," explains Chris Strayer, festival
director. "Many of these bands are leaving a significant mark on today's music scene and will bring out a new audience to the
event. This, of course, is in addition to our thousands of loyal supporters who have been attending over the past 12 years.
Over a dozen of the bands performing have had albums hit Billboard's "Top 50" or "Heatseekers" sales charts this year, plus many
bands on our bill are slated to perform on this summer's premier national stages including Vans Warped Tour, Lollapalooza and
Ozzfest. We're very excited about the quality of this year's lineup."
Timothy Eddings, program director, adds, "Our goal is to not only provide quality entertainment for those attending, but to
showcase what Christians are doing in today's music and art world. We hope to let today's youth culture know that creativity has a place in the context of the church."
Purple Door also presents top speakers from across the country, including Eric Simmons who will present a gospel message and Rev.
Eric Timm who will talk about meeting the needs of the world's hungry.
In addition to being one of the Northeast's larger new music festivals, a continuing tradition of the event is the Purple Door Art
Gallery. The Gallery serves to encourage both young and emerging artists to use their talents as a careful, well-considered
expression through various visual media, as the artist relates to the surrounding world at large. This year's plans also include
a collaborative installation featuring work from professional artists from Lancaster, Philadelphia, Ohio and Tennessee.
In the vein of cultivating talent, Purple Door also gives artists the opportunity to showcase their musical ability through the New
Band Showcase stage, sponsored by Mono Vs Stereo. Interested bands can submit a three song demo cd, along with a band bio for
consideration and a panel of judges will choose the three of the most promising acts to perform on the Gallery stage on the Friday night of the Festival.
For more information about Purple Door, a complete list of artists performing and details on submitting demos or artwork for the New Band Showcase and the Art Gallery, please visit www.purpledoor.com.
(from Springboard Entertainment)
In an article written by Deborah Evans Price and posted on Yahoo! Music from Reuters/Billboard, Price reported on
an exciting new venture for Jars Of Clay...
"After 12 years on Essential Records, Jars of Clay is exiting to launch a new imprint, Gray Matters, under the Nettwerk Music
Group umbrella. "Having our own imprint will give us the opportunity to be more spontaneous and more prolific in how much music
we kick out," Jars of Clay's Stephen Mason said. The first Gray Matters release will be a Christmas collection, due October 17,
which Jars will support via a Christmas tour with Third Day. Mason said the band also plans to record a soundtrack for a
documentary a friend is making about the African village of Lwala. Mason and bandmates Dan Haseltine, Matt Odmark and Charlie
Lowell rose to prominence in the mid-'90s in the Christian market and gained mainstream success with the multiformat hit
"Flood." They have continued to appeal to both markets. Last fall, they released Good Monsters,
which has scanned 134,000 units, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Jars' former label, Essential, is part of Provident Music Group, Sony BMG's Christian music arm. Provident will distribute Gray
Matters product to Christian retailers, and Sony BMG will take releases to the mainstream market.
"We're excited there's so much more we can involve ourselves in," Mason said of the opportunity, under the new deal, to exert
more control over the band's career. "Things that most people are happy to turn over to someone else, we love that minutiae."
(from Deborah Evans Price; Yahoo! Music)
Veteran recording artist, performer and worship leader Michael W. Smith was honored
recently by the Recording Academy at the “GRAMMY Salute To Gospel Music” event at the Lincoln Theater in Washington, DC., Friday,
June 8. Smith, along with The Clark Sisters and Dr. Bobby Jones, was presented with the Recording Academy President’s Merit
Award which recognizes the contributions that key individuals have made in the music industry and the impact their efforts have
had on music and the business of music.
The GRAMMY Salute To Gospel Music event recognizes those who have made significant contributions to gospel music, while
supporting the history and importance of the genre. Last weeks event featured performances by four-time GRAMMY winner Yolanda
Adams, soulful gospel singer Vanessa Bell Armstrong, award-winning gospel singer Byron Cage, honorees The Clark Sisters,
contemporary Christian music singer Crystal Lewis, two-time GRAMMY winner Donnie McClurkin, contemporary gospel singer Kierra
“Kiki” Sheard, gospel composer/pianist/arranger Richard Smallwood, honoree Michael W. Smith and four-time GRAMMY winner BeBe
Winans. Performances were under the leadership of award-winning musical director Donald Lawrence.
During Smith’s portion of the evening, Crystal Lewis performed a moving version of “Breathe” before a very interactive crowd.
Donnie McClurkin then took stage and sang, “Place in this World” followed by the Michael W. Smith classic, “Friends.”
Smith humbly accepted the Recording Academy President’s Merit Award and then sang, “Above All” before an audience on its feet.
(from Provident Label Group)
If you've been waiting for Project 86 vocalist Andrew Schwab to take revenge on his band for trying to "kill" him in the outrageous
video "The Spy Hunter" and found the surprisingly redemptive "My Will Be A Dead Man" to be a rather unsatisfactory follow-up, you just might get
some guilty pleasure out of seeing the band's latest video for "Evil (A Chorus Of Resistance)." Of course, this one is clearly
the band's silliest and most ridiculous video, which involves a pot of hot coffee, a milkshake, and a whole lot of condiments...
To check out the spastic new video, visit their myspace here.
The band's sixth studio album (and new DVD), titled Rival Factions, hits streets this Tuesday, June 19!
(from Jesusfreakhideout.com)
“You,” the first radio single from premiere Sparrow Records artist, Britt Nicole,
landed at #8 on the CHR chart this week as reported by Radio & Records. The debut single is from Britt Nicole’s debut project,
Say It, which released May 22, 2007 with an overwhelming support from fans, industry,
consumers and critics alike. Up two spots from last week, “You” continues to climb the charts and is also ranked as “Most Added
Overall” on AC Radio. “You” has also garnered success on the AC Monitored and AC Indicator charts, landing at #16 on both. The single currently holds the title of most added overall at AC with 4 total adds this week alone, including adds at highly respected stations including K-Love, Fish/LA, and The Joy FM/Tampa-Sarasota, among others.
Following closely behind her current and increasing radio success, Britt will also appear on the cover of the upcoming July issue
of Focus on the Family’s BRIO magazine, which is centered around teaching, entertaining and challenging teen girls toward a
healthy self-concept and closer relationship with Jesus Christ – exactly in line with what Britt’s personal message is all about. Britt’s inherent and natural heart to minister to the teens of this generation is heard through her music, seen through her life and solidified through the strong, positive media support she has already been receiving.
Britt will also headline a special concert event on July 4 in Miami, FL, held specifically for the Brio staff and a summer Brio
missions team comprised of teen girls and guys from around the country. The special event will kick off BRIO magazine’s annual mission trip and will serve as a “send-off” for the 600 teenage girls and guys as they prepare to minister in Peru.
She is also consistently currently touring the country in support of Say It, performing at youth camps, churches and at
major festivals throughout the summer months. She can be seen this summer at CreationFest Northeast, CreationFest Northwest,
Spirit West Coast, 94.9 FM KLTY’s Celebrate Freedom Festival and numerous other high profile concert events.
For more information about Britt Nicole, please visit www.myspace.com/brittnicolemusic and www.brittnicole.com
(from L.A.B. Media)
Big Daddy Weave's "Every Time I Breathe," the title cut from their late 2006
release, climbed to the top of R&R's AC/Monitored chart this week.
In addition to claiming the No. 1 spot at AC/Monitored, the single is currently No. 2 on the AC/Indicator, Top 10 on INSP and
rising on CHR charts. "Every Time I Breathe" is Big Daddy Weave's third No. 1 career single.
Big Daddy Weave instantly hit the spotlight in 2002 when One and Only debuted in SoundScan's Christian Top 5, the highest debut
for a new artist that year. Garnering its first CHR No. 1 at radio with "Audience of One," other hit songs include "In Christ"
(One and Only), the No. 1 "You're Worthy Of My Praise" (What I Was Made For), and "Fields Of Grace," the title track from Big
Daddy Weave's 2003 release. Big Daddy Weave has additionally been featured on several special event albums such as: Dove Hits,
WoW Hits, WoW Worship, WoW Christmas and the Absolute series.
(from Word Records)
Crunk-rockers Family Force 5 have won Yahoo! Music's "Who's Next" May contest
promotion. The much-coveted voting program, fueled by the fan's favorite picks, found Family Force beating out competitors
including The Almost, Kaiser Chiefs, and Electric Soft Parade for the month-long run of online voting. As the winning band,
Family Force 5 will tape an exclusive performance and interview at the Yahoo! Music studios in Los Angeles, as well as being
featured for a full month online.
Family Force 5 was most recently showcased on Gospel Music Channel's one-hour "Front Row Live" performance on May 19th.
Other highlights to date have included performances on CBS TV's The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, two performances on
DIRECTV's CD USA, and music video play on MTVU.com. Christian radio has responded as well with two #1 rock radio hits "Replace Me"
and "Love Addict." Fans can anticipate Family Force 5 on this summer's Vans Warped Tour, of which they'll play 27 dates on the
Hurley Stage. They are also confirmed on all the major summer music festivals including Creation East, Cornerstone Festival,
Creation West, Ichthus, and Spirit West Coast.
The band's current release Business Up Front, Party In The Back:
Diamond Edition (March 20th), includes three new songs and expanded packaging added to the original 2006 album.
The Diamond Edition debuted on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart at #12. The album has now sold over 60,000 copies since release.
(from LB PR)
Brad Avery, of GRAMMY-winning and multi-Platinum-certified Christian rock band Third Day,
has co-penned “Thank You,” a stirring anthem selected as the new theme song for A Million Thanks, www.amillionthanks.org. Written
with friend, Scott Thomas, “Thank You” is a stirring anthem written from the perspective of someone back home, writing a letter
of gratitude to a soldier fighting somewhere across the globe. The song shares a common focus with this unique, charitable campaign.
The inspiration for “Thank You” began at an airport when Scott Thomas met a soldier who was departing for Fallujah after a two
week visit with his family in the U.S. After a moving conversation, Scott felt led to reach out in some way, but didn't know what
to do. With all of the negative news coverage of the war, none of which focused on our soldiers and their sacrifice, he decided to
write a song to show his gratitude. With help from his good friend, Brad Avery, they put their thoughts and feelings to music.
Avery and Thomas hope to encourage soldiers and their families by letting them know the gratitude felt for their sacrifice for our
country and our freedom. “We also hope to incite others to express their thanks verbally and through random acts of kindness to
soldiers and their families,” shares Avery.
Another person moved to reach out in thanks to our soldiers is Shauna Fleming, a recent high school graduate from Orange, Calif.
and founder of A Million Thanks. The year-round campaign was launched when Shauna was a freshman in order to show our U.S.
Military Men and Women, past and present, appreciation for their sacrifices, dedication, and service to our country through our
letters, emails, cards, prayers, and thoughts.
When Shauna heard “Thank You,” she loved it and decided to make it the campaign’s theme song. “‘Thank You’ is exactly what the A
Million Thanks organization is all about,” she says. “The song lyrics match what Americans say in the millions of thank you
letters that we have received and distributed to the troops around the world. We pray for them, we miss them and we want to thank them.”
A Million Thanks has collected and distributed over three million thank you letters and cards to U.S. military members since March, 2004. Along the way, Fleming has partnered with General Motors to further the efforts
of her organization. GM featured Fleming in a series of national commercials aired during the month of May,
National Military Appreciation Month. In the ads, Fleming asks viewers to thank our military men and women by writing a thank you
letter and depositing them in special A Million Thanks mailboxes at all 3,500 Buick, Pontiac and GMC dealers across the country.
Their goal collecting one million thank you letters during the month of May was achieved.
In February, Fleming flew to Washington, D.C. to present the program’s 2.6 millionth letter to Army Command Sgt. Maj. Willam J. Gainey, senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The total represented the number of men and women in the nation’s active and reserve-component forces. She also visited Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s Fisher and Mologne houses to visit with recovering service members, bringing with her about 600 letters, thank you cards and Valentine’s Day wishes she received through A Million Thanks.
Fleming has also established the “Wounded Soldier’s Wish Foundation” to raise funds to help wounded soldiers returning from duty to obtain some things they need most. It is similar to the Make-A-Wish charity, but will focus specifically on the needs of those wounded during the War on Terror.
“We’re thrilled to be a part of what Shauna is doing,” says Avery. “She’s a leader and has such a passion for our soldiers. I hope we can communicate our deepest gratitude to our troops for their sacrifice. We’re proud of them and are very aware of their battle on behalf of our country, each and every day.”
For more info on A Million Thanks, visit www.amillionthanks.org.
(from Provident Label Group)
Jeremy Camp performed before a sold out crowd of 5500 people at the Gibson
Amphitheater in LA during an Evan Almighty sponsored benefit concert for Habitat for Humanity this past Monday night.
Switchfoot, and Relient K also performed. The show will air this Saturday, June 16th on the Gospel Music Channel and TBN.
The day before the concert, Camp was invited to attend the LA premiere of the film. His attendance on the red carpet was captured
on Ieading film industry site IESB.net and Themoviereporter.com here.
In true Jeremy Camp fashion, his latest best selling record, Beyond Measure
continues to turn out hit radio singles. With eleven back to back No. 1 singles under his belt, including his first two releases
from Beyond Measure, “Tonight” (CHR) and “What It Means” (AC), Camp’s latest singles, “Give You Glory” and “Let It Fade”
are continuing to solidify Camp as a cross format hit machine. “Give You Glory” is #1 on R&R AC Indicator, #3 AC Monitored, just
debuted on the INSPO charts, and “Let It Fade” just hit top ten at CHR.
This summer Camp is headlining numerous summer festivals and is planning an acoustic tour for the fall.
(from The M Collective)
Midas Records band Rush Of Fools continues to make history with its unprecedented
radio chart success as “Undo” repositions itself once again at the #1 slot on the R&R Christian AC Monitored chart this week.
The band’s debut single also remains at the #1 slot for the sixth consecutive week on the CRW Comprehensive chart and holds at #1
for the eighth consecutive week on Billboard’s Mediabase Christian AC chart.
Garnering radio adds at a number of highly respected stations around the nation, “Undo” will be featured this weekend as a brand
new add on Air 1 and Way-FM networks.
With an astounding 100% of AC reporting stations in the country currently playing the single, Rush Of Fools has had rapid success
with “Undo.” After going for adds at radio on January 12, 2007, the debut single quickly climbed radio charts and immediately
garnered the highest score in history on “20 The Countdown Magazine’s” listener poll. My Space has been flooded with messages
describing incredible life-changing stories of hope and inspiration from listeners that share personal stories about how lives
have been impacted by the lyrics, heart and message of the song.
(from LAB Media)
The wait is almost over as the three-sister band, BarlowGirl, is scheduled to release
their highly-anticipated third project on Fervent Records, How Can We Be Silent, on July 24.
The new album features 10 original compositions by Barlow members, Rebecca, Alyssa, and Lauren, and showcases deeper, more mature
lyrics that signify the strength of this new project. The songs are a bold approach in standing up for God and fighting for what is
right, with the cover artwork featuring the group in a boxing ring. The album even sports a song entitled “One More Round,” which
is one of Rebecca’s favorites.
“It was inspired by a teaching on a Focus on the Family radio broadcast,” she recalls. “The guest was an ex-football player and he
talked about boxing and how our spiritual life is like being in a boxing ring. It doesn’t matter how many times we are knocked
down, we need to get right back up and keep following what God has for us.”
To further support the album, BarlowGirl will launch their “Speak Out” campaign to encourage this generation to become more vocal
in their faith. The campaign begins June 15th at www.barlowgirl.com/speakout and offers various songs from How Can We Be Silent as
streaming audio, in addition to a video song-by-song, Speak Out devotionals, voice message access, text sign-up, ringtones, email
sign-up, Speak Out themed t-shirts and more. Spreading the Good News to everyone’s communities, homes and schools, BarlowGirl hopes
the information on the website will encourage everyone to be a leader, a world changer and be one to SPEAK OUT.
The first single from How Can We Be Silent, “Here’s My Life,” was serviced to CHR radio on June 8 and will be serviced to
AC radio on June 22. The song is autobiographical about how the Barlow sisters overcome the difficulties of life on the road by
surrendering their lives to God’s call to ministry. And on July 6, Rock radio will receive “Million Voices,” a favorite for Lauren
and an anthem for this generation.
“We’re standing up, we’re not afraid to fight for what we believe in, and we’re not going to back down. This is who we are. God has
put so much in us; we can’t shut up about it. How can we be silent when we see the brokenness in people’s lives and we personally
know the Creator and Savior of the world? That title is to challenge our generation. You can’t be silent anymore.”
(from Bozeman Media)
Best-selling Inpop Records duo and one of the most sought after bands on college campuses and beyond,
Shane & Shane, is poised to release their first studio album in nearly three years,
Pages, August 28. Their sixth album features 13 impassioned songs, plus a bonus track, and was co-produced by Shane Everett and Shane Barnard
alongside Will Hunt (Bethany Dillon, Shawn McDonald, Robbie Seay Band). Recorded at Shane & Shane’s very own Spaceway Studios in
Dallas, TX, Pages was named for a reference to the journal pages on which Barnard wrote much of the album and features the radio
single currently climbing the charts, “We Love You Jesus.”
“I was looking out a coffee shop window, and I just got surprised with this song,” relays Barnard grasping for words to describe
the experience. He had just finished writing all the songs for Pages when “We Love You Jesus” presented itself. “I’m sure that
this song, if it’s playing in the heavens, is much better than I’ve relayed here, but the song came so fast, it felt like it happened without me.”
Opening up his Bible after “hearing” the song, he turned to 1st Corinthians Chapter 15. “Death oh death, where is your sting, it
has been swallowed up in victory,” read Barnard. He did not realize that the verse and the song would come to mean so much to him
as shortly thereafter his father, a new believer, died. “I remember singing this a week after my dad died and I had this moment of
praise. While I hope the song does well on radio, I feel like the reason this song happened is because God let me see that my dad
is getting to see Him for the first time with unveiled eyes. I feel like the song has been a sweet gift from the Lord.”
"What manner of love is this that you would say / Your sin is mine - I'll take it to the grave (then rising) /
Death oh death, where is your sting today? / Death is swallowed up in victory / We love You, Jesus!"
“‘We Love You Jesus’ - the title alone conjures up so much emotion,” says Steve Etheridge, KPEZ (Austin, TX) music director.
“Shane & Shane have managed to capture that emotion and deliver a beautiful song both lyrically and musically.”
One of the industry’s biggest concert draws, Shane & Shane will be playing “We Love You Jesus” and other fan favorites spanning its
repertoire of hits while in concert this summer at numerous festivals, conferences, colleges and churches. Widely known for its
engaging live performance, the duo also headlines the Pages 60-plus-city fall tour with acclaimed special guests Bebo Norman and
Shawn McDonald. The tour begins mid-August and runs through mid-November.
Shane Everett and Shane Barnard formed the duo Shane & Shane soon after a mutual friend asked Everett if Barnard could borrow a
guitar for a concert in 1997. In December 2001, they signed with Inpop Records, home to such notable acts as newsboys, Superchick,
Mat Kearney, Tree63 and others. Since then, the acoustic-guitar wielding pair has become a college-circuit favorite with five
label releases to its credit, hundreds of thousands of albums sold, Dove Award nominations, plus countless hours logged on the
road, including headlining tours with Mat Kearney, David Crowder Band, Bethany Dillon, Robbie Seay Band, among others. The duo can
also be found leading worship for the college bible study at Grand Prairie Bible Church in Grand Prairie, TX.
For more information on Shane & Shane, the latest tour itinerary, etc., visit www.shaneandshane.com, www.inpop.com or www.myspace.com/shaneandshane.
(from The M Collective)
TAG Artist Group is proud to present a special summer concert series at Puckett's
Grocery and Restaurant (120 4th Ave. South, Franklin, Tenn.) displaying the talents of the extensive TAG artist roster, which
includes mainstays of Christian music as well as up-and-coming artists. The concerts take place each Thursday night in June
beginning at 6:00 p.m. CST and are open to the public. Admission is by donation. For more information on this event, please call
Puckett's Grocery and Restaurant at 615-794-5527.
GMA Dove Award winner Cheri Keaggy, along with special guest and acclaimed independent singer/songwriter JJ Heller,
kicked off this special concert series on June 7, 2007, celebrating the launch of Keaggy's new album, Because He First Loved Us,
which released June 12, 2007. Darrell Mansfield, one of the world's premiere blues harmonica players, will commemorate his 30+ year
career and the upcoming release of his new album, Shades, by taking the stage on Thursday, June 14, 2007, with special
guests GMA Dove Award nominee Rick Cua, acclaimed bassist Jackie Street and the Dan H Band. Dove Award-winning singer/songwriter
Mitch McVicker will showcase songs from his upcoming CD, Love Will Rise, the following week on June 21, 2007. Then Rick
Cua will wrap up the June series on June 28, 2007, by introducing the audience to songs from his upcoming CD, Won't Fade Away,
and he will be joined by special guest JJ Heller.
(from McCain PR)
Traditional spirituals, turn-of-the-century New Orleans Gospel, and a slice of influence from Johnny Cash describes the
musical portrait from INO Records’ artist Mike Farris, whose musical background stems
from founding the Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies to touring with the likes of Blues Traveler, Sheryl Crow and the Allman Brothers Band.
Farris’ INO debut, Salvation in Lights, is set to release June 26th.
Mike Farris’s music and soulful voice is capturing the likes of iTunes, today it is the featured Discovery Download where you can
download “Sit Down Servant” for free at this
link.
Farris will wow Music City with two local performances during street week.
Farris shares the excitement and anticipation on the upcoming release, "These are the best days of my life!! A year ago at this time I was
recording the basic tracks for what was to become the album Salvation In Lights. I have every reason to be anxious, worried,
scared and full of fear, but today, as I write, yours truly is worry free. We have incredible things happening that I would have
never dreamed would happen. All in all I have been blessed in so many ways and given so many things that I honestly thought was
beyond reach! I have to remind myself that it wasn't that long ago that wondered if I would ever get to play music again, and now
here I am, having the chance to play my favorite music in the world with the best musicians and singers in the world, enjoying what
is truly, the best days of my life.”
(from The M Collective)
Kevin Max's wife Amanda has given birth to their second child, Wilder Liam Max,
who came into the world at 7:01pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2007, at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. Wilder, who joins big
sister London (age 2), weighed 8 pounds, 1 ounce.
The Max family recently relocated to the Nashville area, where Kevin is working on his upcoming album, The Blood, due this
fall from Infinity Music Distribution. With dcTalk, Max accrued album sales exceeding 8 million, as well as numerous Grammy and
Dove Awards. In recent years, Max explored his art and his faith with several critically acclaimed solo projects, and live
performances worldwide. For a photo of Kevin and Wilder, click here!
(from Nashville Publicity)
Underoath and Solid State/Tooth & Nail have confirmed the July 17, 2007 release of
777, which marks the band’s first-ever DVD offering.
The DVD package includes never-before-seen footage from the band’s major 2006-2007 tours that encompass the Vans Warped Tour,
Taste of Chaos International and Bamboozle Festivals as well as intimate shows spanning the last two years. Bonus features include
behind-the-scenes clips from several world tours and backstage home videos as well as a “Making Of” documentary for the group’s
current video “You’re Ever So Inviting” that was filmed in Sweden earlier this year. 777 includes select songs from the group’s
“MySpace Secret Show” live performance shot on location in Tampa, FL on June 20, 2006, the launch date of Underoath’s
ground-breaking third album Define The Great Line. 777 was produced by Michelle Caputo
and directed by Shannon Hartman of Art and Industry (Bastards Of Young). For more information visit: www.artandindustryinc.com.
Rarely does a monumental record find itself matched with the promise of commercial success, but the strength, intensity and
explosive lure of Define The Great Line--released via Seattle indie Tooth & Nail/Solid State Records--is undeniable. With
over 98,000 units scanned in its first week of release and charting at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 chart-- the highest chart debut
for a Tooth & Nail artist--Underoath proved they are here to stay, earning the first gold-certified album of their career.
In video news, Underoath’s video for their new single “You’re Ever So Inviting”-- lensed by the avant-garde Swedish production team
Popcore--has officially been added into rotation on MTV2 and FUSE and is now airing on MTV2 “T Minus Rock” and Fuse “Steven’s
Untitled Rock Show.” Underoath will also be the featured artist on MTV2’s "The Drop." On Saturday, June 16 “The Drop” will air
three songs from Underoath’s breakthrough Define The Great Line album--“Writing On The Walls” “In Regards To Myself” and
the new single “You’re Ever So Inviting”—alongside unique graphic visual effects. The songs will air a total of nine times
(three times each) throughout “The Drop” within MTV2’s Saturday Rock block from 7:00 PM-11:00PM EST/PST. Check it out online at:
http://www.mtv2.com/#the_drop. The explosive Underoath--known for their thrilling mix of mayhem and melody, catharsis and
experimental metal--have built their fan base from incessant touring and their unrelentingly intense live shows. Look for them to
perform on the main stage of the East Coast dates of the Vans Warped Tour this summer from July 23 through August 9. After their
Warped run, the group will launch their own headlining U.S. tour in September. To date, Underoath has sold over one million albums worldwide.
(from MSO PR)
GRAMMY-nominated and Dove Award-winning, Red’s debut release,
End of Silence, has entered the Top 10 on the Billboard Heatseekers Album Chart.
End of Silence released June 6, 2006. Red bassist, Randy Armstrong, is excited to see the album’s continuing success,
saying, “This is one more thing to add to an incredible year. We would wish this kind of year on any new band who’s trying to break
into the industry, and I would like to thank everyone who’s worked so hard to help us achieve the honors we’ve received so far.”
Red’s latest radio single, “Break Me Down,” is at No. 5 on the R&R Rock Chart, and is climbing the CRW Rock Chart and currently
holds the No. 8 position. On mainstream radio, the single is No. 12 with a bullet on the Active Rock Indicator Chart.
Red is currently on tour with Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin and Puddle of Mudd. The next stop on the tour is tonight in
Little Rock, Arkansas, for the KDJE Edgefest at North Shore. Red will be playing over fifteen festivals throughout the summer,
including concerts at Atlanta Fest, the Ichthus Festival, and the Alive Festival in June. Red will finish off the month with a
highly anticipated performance at the House of Blues in Los Angeles, Calif. (June 29). Visit www.myspace.com/dropofred for all upcoming tour dates.
(from Provident Label Group)
On Friday, platinum selling, award-winning Word Records recording artist, Mark Schultz,
took time out from his Across America benefit bike ride to be the special guest at the Klicks for Kids photo exhibit that features
the artwork of 67 Kansas children currently waiting to be adopted. Hosted by the agency from where Mark was adopted as a child,
The Kansas Children’s Service League, the event was held at the Meadowbrook Mall in Pittsburg, KS.
“Meeting these children, especially at this halfway point in the trip, was an amazing and tangible source of motivation and
continued encouragement for me,” says Schultz. “Just seeing the faces of these kids, their personalities and their amazing gifts,
is inspiring. I encourage those that are thinking about becoming a foster family and those that are thinking about becoming a
forever family for one of these children, and children like these, to take a leap of faith and make a lifetime of difference for these kids.”
Continuing his bike ride to benefit orphans and widows, Schultz will make a stop in Kansas City, MO to complete a live via satellite interview on CNN Sunday Morning. Mark will discuss his Across America benefit
ride, as well as his hopes and goals he aspires to accomplish through this cross-country journey.
In addition to the nearly $80,000 raised thus far through Mark’s bicycle trip across America, Schultz and the Family Christian Stores James Fund are partnering together to raise more support for widows and orphans through an online auction. Items up for bid include a Nolan Ryan autographed baseball, four different guitars signed by Alan Jackson, Amy Grant and Vince Gill, Brooks and Dunn, and Kenny Chesney, as well as many more autographed items from athletes and celebrities. The proceeds from the auction will go directly to support hands on work with orphans in the US and abroad, adoption assistance for families bringing orphans home to a forever family, and for quality of life improvement for widows who are in distress. To make a bid on an item visit http://markacrossamerica.org/auction.php.
On his way from California to New Hampshire, Schultz is posting daily video blogs documenting his Across America journey, as well as completing a daily 60-second update from the road that is being offered to radio stations across the country through Westar Media Group. To date, over 100 stations are using the updates to inform their listeners.
Schultz is also stopping along the way to perform concerts featuring music from his acclaimed, best-selling album, Broken & Beautiful (Word Records). More information about the Across America ride, including tour dates, how to sponsor Mark, video blog updates, and Mark’s progress can be found at www.markacrossamerica.org.
(from Hoganson Media)
Mute Math is going to the movies! The band has recorded a brand new version of the Transformers cartoon series' theme
song specifically for the upcoming major motion picture's soundtrack. The July 2nd film (the date was moved up for select showings)
is a mix of live action with CGI robots and was directed by Michael Bay (The Island, The Rock). Visit
www.myspace.com/mutemath now for a clip of Mute Math's take on the famous theme!
The Transformers: The Movie Soundtrack hits shelves July 3rd!
(from Mute Math)
Wonder what a few members of Five Iron Frenzy and Roper have been up to?
Nathan & Stephen isn't just the name of a new nine piece
band, there really is a "Nathan" and a "Stephen" in its ranks.
The band is somewhat of a family affair, consisting of three
brothers, and a wife that have joining forces with a barrage of childhood
friends, godparents, old roommates, ex-bandmates and a friendly neighbor.
The strong ties run as deep as the band's mutual passion for Swedish-influenced pop, Canadian indie rock and good old
fashion American rock’n’roll.
Centered around a driving rhythm section that holds down the
core of each song, the rest of the band is free to weave in and out with
an array of unique instrumentation. Everything from flugelhorns, trumpets,
saxophones, gang vocals, organs, strings and lead guitar lines swell
in and out in waves over the gravel-throated vocals pushed out to
produce catchy melody lines about life, love and dead goldfish.
The members of Nathan & Stephen have been playing what can
only be called a decade long game of musical chairs moving in and out
of bands, coming together to work on side projects, and
filling in when members grow up and move away until finally they’ve
found a seat for everyone. The band’s past is as varied and eclectic
as its members. Whether it was Lenore's long trek with Five Iron Frenzy, Jonathan and Stephen Till's excursions
with Roper, or the funky dance rock of the ill-fated Barbazon (featuring nearly half of Nathan and Stephen's cast of characters),
the music has changed, but the passion has remained the same.
For more information and to hear Nathan & Stephen, visit www.myspace.com/nathanstephen or www.nathanandstephen.com
(from Morning After Records; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
A former Shop at Home Network and America Online executive has been named to lead brand development and marketing for the
WoW® brand, announced by EMI Christian Music Group, Word Entertainment and Provident
Music Group. Ryan McNeary assumed the position of WoW Brand Director this month, and is charged with bringing
fresh focus to the brand that has sold more than 20 million albums and videos in the past 12 years.
In addition to driving the A&R and marketing process for all WoW titles, McNeary will be responsible for creating an overall brand
strategy that will allow for the continued growth of WoW music and print sales, the implementation of new digital and web
approaches and the introduction of potential product line extensions.
“WoW has been a proven best-seller and calling card for the Christian music category for more than a decade. In its
early years, WoW successfully elevated awareness of Christian music and always delivered on its promise to spotlight the
best Christian music had to offer. Even without a dedicated WoW advocate, sales have remained strong in today’s turbulent retail
environment, but WoW’s value as a brand has yet to realize its full potential. With his brand experience and impressive resume,
we believe Ryan can help us build WoW for the future,” said Bill Hearn, president and CEO of EMI CMG.
Prior to joining the Christian music industry, McNeary held key positions with Scripps Networks’ Shop At Home, first as vice
president of business development and most recently as vice president marketing/programming for the pioneering retail television
channel. He had been recruited to Shop At Home from American Online for the leading Internet service provider (ISP) in the U.S.,
where he served as program manager for operations and product development and as senior marketing manager for e-commerce.
“We are so fortunate that someone of Ryan’s caliber was not only available, but was seeking to take the next chapter of his career
journey to Christian music,” said Mark Funderburg, president of Word Distribution. “While his significant experiences at two
landmark media companies will be of immense and obvious benefit to his work in the Christian music industry, we look forward to
empowering him as he creatively looks at new ways to expand the reach of the WoW brand.”
Added Terry Hemmings, president and CEO of Provident Music Group: “The future benefit of the WoW brand as a both a music
product and an industry category driver will be to strengthen WoW’s relationship with consumers, giving root to new branches of
the WoW brand that will connect with Christian music fans in both traditional and non-traditional outlets and remaining flexible
and adaptable to an ever-changing retail environment.”
Among the initial assignments for McNeary will be to focus on pulling together the upcoming WoW releases already scheduled
for later this year, including WoW Hits 2008 and a WoW Gospel Christmas, both slated for October. He is also
following the progress of WoW Hymns, which released in March, and WoW Gospel #1s, which released this month.
McNeary will also be championing the first new product line extension – a DVD & Quiz game, created in the same spirit as the
popular Scene It and Trivial Pursuit games. For 2008, McNeary is looking at potential kids and rock-focused WoW projects,
part of an overall strategy to broaden the consumer base for the WoW brand. McNeary will maintain offices at each of the
WoW parties’ corporate headquarters, utilizing each depending on what WoW project he is managing.
Beyond managing the product releases, McNeary sees considerable opportunities for deepening WoW’s brand and sales impact,
such as making the brand available for the first time in a digital format as well as looking at web-based platforms that could make WoW a voice for the Christian music industry.
“I’ve always worked for companies with an entrepreneurial spirit, and am thrilled that the WoW parties view my role here
in the same way. WoW has been the most popular compilation series in the history of CCM, and I want to strengthen its
position by building it as a portal into the Christian music industry for new audiences. This will help current artists find new listeners, support up-and-coming artists, and continue to build consumer loyalty for the Christian music category,” said McNeary.
(from Spinhouse PR)
Resurrection, the critically-acclaimed sophomore solo recording from Curb artist Nicol Sponberg,
was recently re-released with the addition of a remixed song and bonus cut. Fueled by the mainstream AC radio success of
"Crazy In Love," which peaked at #13 on Billboard's AC chart and was one of the Top 30 most played AC songs of 2006, Resurrection
has produced a total of four Billboard chart singles to date. The re-released album includes the new “Piper Radio Mix” of the title cut,
which hit #1 at Christian Rhythmic radio, as well as the bonus track, "Love Will Bring You Home" (Piano Version), produced by
Bernie Herms for SoulFuel Productions and written by Chris Eaton, Brian White and Don Poythress.
Produced by Mark Heimermann in 2004 for Fun Attic Productions, Resurrection features the title-cut, which was a #1 single
on both R&R and CRW's Inspirational charts, as well as the hit songs "Hallelujah" and "Safe.” In addition, “Anything And Everything”
is currently a Top 30 hit on CRW’s Inspirational chart, according to the publication’s June 4 issue. Sponberg co-wrote half of
the original 10 songs on Resurrection, the follow-up to her 2000 self-titled solo debut, and the project also features songwriting
contributions from Heimermann, Bryan Lenox, Tiffany Arbuckle Lee and Nate Sallie, among others.
Curb Record's SR VP/General Manager, Dennis Hannon, explains the decision to reissue the album, "We feel this is an excellent way
to call attention to the recent press and radio success the album has experienced in hopes that it will enable us to expand its
distribution and increase the overall visibility of this amazing record."
Bryan Stewart, VP A&R, concurs, "Most of the radio airplay success has been within the past year, and the buzz we’ve heard on
‘Anything And Everything’ reflects a renewed public interest and enthusiasm for this project, so it just makes sense to add the
remix and bonus track and hope that even more fans will discover this great album.”
“It’s ironic that the title of the record fits what is happening now, as the album gets a second chance to reach listeners,”
says Sponberg. “My sincere hope is that Resurrection—the title track especially—will be an encouraging reminder that we are never
beyond hope; there is a God who is able to take even the suffering in our lives, and as only He can, turn it into something He can use for good.”
Sponberg, along with Todd Smith and Allan Hall, co-founded the multi-Dove Award winning group Selah. In 2005, Selah’s recordings
featuring Sponberg reached a combined sales total of more than 1 million albums, while the group’s 2004 release, Hiding Place,
was recently certified Gold. Since her departure from Selah, Sponberg has continued to appear at churches and events around the
country, in addition to partnering in ministry with her husband, Greg, and giving birth to the couple’s first child last year.
“My husband and I are starting an itinerant team ministry, and our hope is that the Lord would use us to encourage the Body of
Christ and to raise awareness about the needs of two Africa-based organizations,” Sponberg says. “There is a great need for a
hospital on the mission station where I grew up in Congo (www.labanministries.org), as well as an orphanage in South Africa that
is being built for children who have lost parents to AIDS or have AIDS (www.africarevolution.org).”
(from Turning Point PR)
New Rocketown Records artist Jake Smith visited key Midwest Christian Hit Radio
stations last month on his first radio promotional tour.
His tour began in Chicago, catching a Cubs game at Wrigley Field with WONU-FM. Then it was on to WORQ-FM in Green Bay, Wis., for a
live interview and performance.
Jim “Kid” Raider, program and music director of WORQ noted, “Jake Smith was a breath of fresh air! I have many artists stop by our
studios to hang out, and Jake is among the best and most original. We’re enjoying the single, and I think it’s the tip of the
iceberg for him. Sometimes in this business artists can get lost in the thick of things; I hope radio will give Jake Smith a chance to shine!”
Leaving WORQ, Smith covered 335 miles to reach WJRF-FM in Duluth, Minn., for a second on-air appearance. From there, he traveled
to Iowa for a visit with KWOF-FM in Cedar Rapids followed by KZZQ-FM in Des Moines, Iowa.
Mid-week brought Smith to Missouri, as he finished up the 387 miles to KADI-FM in Springfield. Next, Smith flew to Detroit for an
outing with WYSZ-FM in Toledo, Ohio, and WAYK-FM in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Hopping a plane back to Nashville on his final day, Smith caught up with folks from the WAY-FM team, including Wally, host of
“Total Axxess.” “The thing I like about Jake is, his sound really cuts through and his musical ability is second only to his heart,” observed Wally.
For more information and tour dates, visit jakesmithmusic.com or myspace.com/jakesmithmusic.
(from Savvy Media)
GRAMMY and Dove Award nominated hip-hop group The Cross Movement will kick off their
three-month 36-city HIStory Tour on June 11, 2007, in Norfolk, Va., promoting what may be their last project--
HIStory: Our Place In His Story, which hit stores June 5, 2007. Joining the hip-hop pioneers will be labelmates
Da' T.R.U.T.H., Flame, Everyday Process and R-Swift; Cross Movement Records/Reach Records artist Lecrae; and Reach Records artists
Tedashii and Trip-Lee. The tour will make stops in markets including Orlando, Fla., Nashville, Tenn., Pittsburgh, Pa., Los Angeles, Calif., and Dallas, Texas.
On HIStory, The Cross Movement (consisting of members The Tonic, Phanatik, T.R.U.-L.I.F.E. and The Ambassador), taking
their cue from the writer of Hebrews who tells in chapter 11 about a host of people who faithfully played their role in the story
being told by God, stands to answer the call of the 12th chapter of Hebrews which says, "having such a great cloud of witnesses
that have gone before us, let us run the race that is set before us." Sonically, the album brings the hip-hop collective's artistic
sound full-circle and takes listeners back to the vibe of the earliest Cross Movement projects. Longtime fans will still find
tracks featuring the layered orchestral beats that have marked the group's recent projects, but HIStory is truly a piece of modern hip-hop.
One of the most recognized names in Christian hip-hop, The Cross Movement, based in Philadelphia, Pa., is comprised of four solo artists who share a common interest in communicating the Gospel message through hip-hop music. The Cross Movement has earned a 2005 GRAMMY nomination for Best Rock/Rap Gospel Album of the Year and two GMA Dove Award nominations for Rap Album of the Year in 2003 and 2004, as well as the highest street week scans in the history of Christian hip-hop. The group has been featured in national media including Time Magazine, The Washington Post and The Source Magazine. FEED Magazine, the premier Christian hip-hop magazine, offered four different covers featuring The Cross Movement on its January 2003 issue.
(from McCain PR)
Brian Littrell, Reunion recording artist and member of the Backstreet Boys, added
another award to his ever-growing list of accolades with the recent presentation of the Arvella Schuller Award, given by the
Crystal Cathedral Academy in Garden Grove, Calif. Littrell accepted the award in recognition of the lives he has impacted as a
positive role-model with his music in the global pop and Christian markets, combined with the countless lives he has touched
through his foundation, the Brian Littrell Healthy Heart Club for Kids.
Recipients of this award are selected by a committee that looks at the events of the past year and evaluates who has made a
notable stand in the media for Christ, positive family values, or who has overcome incredible difficulties and stood strong in
their walk with Christ. Since this award is dedicated at a school event, the candidates must have a commitment to encouraging
children to succeed in their dreams. Past recipients of this award include Dr. Laura Schlesinger, Tommy Lasorda, John Tesh, David
Phelps, Russ Lee, Nita Whitaker, Don Lafontaine, Ted Zigenbush, Lauren Kitchens, Dorothy Benham, Laura Wilkerson, and many others.
Brian Littrell is widely known as a 14-year member of the legendary pop group Backstreet Boys. He has contributed to worldwide
sales in excess of 80 million records and has amassed legions of fans around the globe. The 2006 release of his first solo album,
Welcome Home, revealed Littrell’s heart and recognizes his source of greatest
hope. He was recently presented with the President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizing his work with the Healthy Heart Club for
Kids and other volunteer efforts. He also received the 2006 Dove Award for Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year for his No. 1
hit “In Christ Alone.” Littrell has just finished the first-ever multi-artist “Glory Revealed Tour,” based on the album project of the same name. The
project’s first single featuring Littrell, “By His Wounds,” spent an astonishing eleven weeks at No. 1 on the Inspirational radio
chart. In the midst of this recent success, he also co-hosted the 38th Annual GMA Dove Awards, which is presently airing in
syndication around the country. He is currently writing music for his next solo album and recording the next Backstreet Boys album.
The Brian Littrell Healthy Heart Club for Kids educates children and their families regarding the benefits of adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle. Through education, promotion, and caring, the Brian Littrell Healthy Heart Club for Kids fulfills its mission of nurturing heart-conscious families while being instrumental in creating healthier communities. Littrell suffered with a heart ailment as a child and started this organization to help other cardiac patients.
For more information please visit www.BrianLittrell.com or www.healthyheartclub.org.
(from Provident Label Group)
Platinum selling, award-winning Word Records recording artist and Kansas native,
Mark Schultz, presented a benefit concert May 31 at the Dodge City Civic Center for
the city of Greensburg, KS. In the wake of one of the worst natural disasters to strike Kansas, Schultz donated 100% of the
concert and event merchandise proceeds to relief efforts in the Greensburg area, giving thousands of dollars to a town
devastated by an F5 tornado on May 4.
Growing up in Colby, KS and attending Kansas State University makes this both a homecoming for Schultz and a way to tangibly
stand with his fellow Kansans. “This really hits a home run for me,” says Schultz. “I wanted to be able to help out these
wonderful people in some way. It was a night that raised some money, but I really wanted to encourage the residents and the
community that they'll get through this.”
Schultz toured Greensburg the morning of May 31 and witnessed first hand the devastation the town is facing. He also saw the
community Come Together and help each other pick up after the mess that the deadly tornados had left behind.
“This morning we went to Greensburg and one thing I’m reminded of is that we’re here for one reason, and that is to lift up
those folks who went through that,” said Schultz at his concert on May 31. “It reminded me of the gospel as I walked through
there because God is about redemption and He’s about bringing about newness. I saw something in my own heart, and thought,
‘this town looks like the way my heart feels sometimes.’
“God is going to do something powerful and new over there,” continues Schultz, “the same way he does powerful and new things in our hearts.”
Raising nearly $80,000 for orphans and widows thus far on his cross-country bicycle trip across America, Schultz continues his
journey from California to New Hampshire. He is posting daily video blogs documenting his journey across the nation, as well as
completing a daily 60-second update from the road that is being offered to radio stations across the country through Westar
Media Group. To date, over 100 stations are using the updates to inform their listeners.
Schultz is also stopping along the way to perform concerts featuring music from his acclaimed, best-selling album,
Broken & Beautiful (Word Records). More information about the Across America ride, including tour dates, how to sponsor Mark, video blog updates, and Mark’s progress can be found at www.markacrossamerica.org.
(from Hoganson Media)
As the biggest-selling act in contemporary Christian music for the past two years, Casting Crowns
adds another Platinum accolade to their stellar list of accomplishments with the band’s Lifesong Live DVD
project (October 3, 2006) hitting RIAA Platinum status, recognizing shipments of over 100,000 units. This marks the band’s
fourth consecutive RIAA Platinum award for each of its four releases, including the group’s two CD projects, Lifesong and the
self-titled debut, Casting Crowns, and the 2004 DVD release Casting Crowns: Live From Atlanta.
This fall finds Casting Crowns releasing its third studio project, The Altar and The Door, on August 28th, and then
hitting the road on a massive headlining tour from September through December. With the combination of opening acts Leeland and
John Waller, the 36-city “The Altar and The Door” fall tour, presented by Aquasis, will be one of the year’s most impactful
live-music events. “The Altar and The Door” Tour will visit a total of 80-cities in 2007-2008.
Over its almost four-year career, Casting Crowns has been honored with a GRAMMY Award, two American Music Award nods and 12 Gospel Music Dove Awards. Casting Crowns has been the most played artist on all Christian radio formats combined, with six consecutive No.1 AC radio hits, and the group has sold more than 2.5 million albums to date. Lead singer and songwriter Mark Hall has been a student pastor for 16 years and currently serves on staff at Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church in Atlanta.
For more information, please visit www.CastingCrowns.com or www.reunionrecords.com.
(from Provident Label Group)
Cross Movement Records is pleased to announce that June 5 marked the release of HIStory: Our Place In His Story,
what may be the last project for GRAMMY and Dove Award nominated hip-hop group
The Cross Movement. Taking their cue from the writer of Hebrews who tells in chapter
11 about a host of people who faithfully played their role in the story being told by God, The Cross Movement
(consisting of members The Tonic, Phanatik, T.R.U.-L.I.F.E. and The Ambassador) stands to answer the call of the 12th chapter
of Hebrews which says, "having such a great cloud of witnesses that have gone before us, let us run the race that is set before us."
Sonically, HIStory brings the hip-hop collective's artistic sound full-circle and takes listeners back to the vibe of
the earliest Cross Movement projects. Longtime fans will still find tracks featuring the layered orchestral beats that have
marked the group's recent projects, but HIStory is truly a piece of modern hip-hop. "9-10" blasts with The Tonic's sharpest
social commentary to date over hypnotic keys and jagged snare breaks. Phanatik boldly revisits an early Cross Movement hit from
1998's Heaven's Mentality album on "Now Who's The Man?" T.R.U.-L.I.F.E. marches to the funky drum beat of "Louder" with the
untapped confidence of a lyrical soldier. The Ambassador, the hip-hop seminarian, unhinges his praise-driven verbal gymnastics
on the uptempo reggae funk jam "Trust in Him."
T.R.U.-L.I.F.E. says of this final project, "We get to end by telling our place in His story, and spur and encourage others in
finding their place in God's story."
The Cross Movement's HIStory is available on Cross Movement Records and distributed in the CBA market by Provident-Integrity Distribution and by Sony/BMG in the general market. For more information on The Cross Movement and their new album HIStory, visit www.crossmovementrecords.com.
(from McCain PR)
Any good storyteller knows it’s the second act where the action really picks up. The artistic, message-driven excellence of
Third Day’s second five years are captured on the latest piece of its two-part
Chronology series, Volume Two (2001-2006), releasing August 7.
Much like the companion Volume One (1996-2000), the two-disc CD/DVD
set presents many of the Atlanta-based band’s most beloved compositions, this time from the time period 2001-2006. The 18-track
audio disc features some of the band’s biggest hits, as well as a number of previously unreleased live tracks from the
“Wherever You Are” tour. Hits like “Show Me Your Glory,” “Come Together,” “I Believe” and “Nothing Compares” line up right
alongside powerful live recordings of classics like “God of Wonders,” “Cry Out To Jesus” and “Creed.”
The second disc is a DVD offering high-energy video footage, bootleg performances, home-movie clips and an hour-long,
in-depth documentary chronicling the past 10 years of music, ministry and life on the road with one of rock’s hardest working
and most celebrated bands, titled, Inside Third Day: The First 10 Years. Fans will see members of the band in
unguarded, personal moments as well as a variety of performance settings, from a coffee house in Tulsa, Okla. to sold-out shows
in the band’s hometown of Atlanta. A music video for “Tunnel” from Wherever You Are is featured, as well as comments from some
of Third Day’s biggest fans.
Taken together, the Chronology projects offer the most complete picture of the five-man rock unit’s creative impact,
both in the studio, on the stage and away from the spotlight.
Brad Avery notes, “It is probably the best chance for the inquisitive fan to get the inside scoop on all things Third Day. Never before has there been such an in depth and personal picture of the band and the detailed ups and downs of our lives together.”
“Paul Reeves, of Tangible Vision, who has done all of the ‘behind the music’ type specials on CMT, directed our documentary and we’re really proud of how it turned out. It’s comprehensive and flows well. Paul is such an amazing storyteller,” shares an enthusiastic David Carr. “The end result, for us, is reminiscent of perusing a high school year book. It’s humbling to look back and see where we started and how far we’ve come.”
The upcoming release of Chronology Volume Two (2001-2006) continues the active and award-filled 2007 for the band thus far, including its third career GRAMMY Award for the Gold-certified Wherever You Are, and its 23rd GMA Dove Award, given in the first-time category of Christmas Album of the Year, for last year’s Christmas Offerings.
As the spring turns into summer, Third Day will continue presenting its powerful live show during
selected festival dates in the U.S. and on headlining shows through mid-fall before heading back into the studio to complete work on its next studio project, scheduled for release in 2008.
(from Provident Label Group)
Fifty-Three Five Records will release the original demo recordings of legendary Christian metal band
Stryper, or Roxx Regime, as they were known in 1983. The CD, known as
The Roxx Regime Demos, contains no over-dubs or re-recordings, and includes the original version of the MTV and
Billboard hit song "Honestly," will be in stores nationwide through Infinity Music Distribution and Redeye Distribution, Inc.
"We're excited to release what the fans have always wanted - the original demos that got the band signed to Enigma Records,"
says lead singer Michael Sweet, who recently released a new solo project titled HIM. "Without the fans, we wouldn't be here and
this is a small way to say 'Thank you'. For all of you who have requested this time and time again, it's finally here - in
their original raw form!" Long before Stryper's multi-platinum albums and chart-topping videos, brothers Robert and Michael Sweet teamed up with
high-school classmate Oz Fox and local bass player Timothy Gaines to form a band that would forever change Christian music.
The group released a demo project in 1983 under the name Roxx Regime and started playing the local Hollywood club circuit.
They eventually caught the ears of Enigma Records and changed their name to Stryper before the release of their national debut
album, The Yellow and Black Attack, in 1984. Stryper would go on to sell more than 8 million albums worldwide, with several
projects striking RIAA-certified gold. The group?s unprecedented 1986 album To Hell with the Devil went platinum and was named
one of the "100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music" by CCM Magazine.
Starting today, Stryper fans can pre-order The Roxx Regime Demos exclusively at www.Stryper.com, where an original vintage Roxx
Regime T-Shirt will also be available. All pre-orders will ship on 7-7-07.
The group is currently writing and recording the follow-up to their successful 2005 release
Reborn. They anticipate a late 2007 release, with a world tour to follow.
For more information, visit the band's official website at www.Stryper.com.
(from Nashville Publicity)
The Fold ran into some vehicular and health troubles this week which caused them to miss last night's show in Detroit and will also
keep them from both shows this weekend. The band writes, "Due to severe vehicle problems, and health issues, The Fold will not
be playing June 1 in Detroit, June 2 in Cincinnati, and June 3 in St. Louis. Our vehicle has seen its last day, and we
physically cannot continue to travel in her anymore. We are going to bury it in Chicago and find new mean of transportation for
the rest of the tour. Aaron dislocated his shoulder 2 nights ago and has been performing in pain, but is getting checked out at
the hospital as we speak. We apologize to everyone in Detroit, Cinci, and St. Louis. It's heartbreaking to miss any show on
this tour. We'll see everyone in Chicago! Love, The Fold" Please keep the guys in your prayers during this trying time!
(from The Fold; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
With the release of the heart-tugging video to “How to Say Goodbye,” from his 11/06
Stand album, Michael W. Smith
continues to impact fans with music that connects. The video, which released only four weeks ago, has already been added in
heavy rotation on multiple regional outlets as well as on the Gospel Music Channel, Great American Country’s
“Positively Country,” CMT.com, YahooMusic.com and YouTube.com where it garnered “Director Videos” positioning and has been
viewed by more than 50,000 visitors on this site alone.
To view the YouTube.com "Director Videos" page, click here or
here
Written with long-time friend, Amy Grant, “How to Say Goodbye” was inspired by Smith’s oldest daughter Whitney, who will wed this summer.
For more information on Michael W. Smith, please visit www.michaelwsmith.com.
(from Provident Music Group)
Award-winning pop rock band, Building 429 returns to Nashville after a month-long
promotional tour, visiting 17 cities, in support of its latest project, Iris to Iris.
Released May 1, the album has received excellent critical reviews, praising Building 429’s evolved sound and new stylistic
approach. Kicking off street week, the group’s national media tour made stops in major markets including Dallas, Houston,
Chicago, as well as Atlanta, where Building 429 appeared on multiple television network shows, morning radio programs, and
performed locally for standing-room-only crowds. Among the campaign’s highlights was a visit with Jon and Sherry Rivers,
co-hosts of the KLOVE morning show, at their ranch in Forestburg, Texas.
Produced by Brown Bannister (MercyMe, The Afters, Steven Curtis Chapman, Third Day) and mixed by F. Reid Shippen (India.Arie,
Johnny Lang,) Iris to Iris has set a new standard for future Building 429 releases.
The first single from Iris to Iris, “You Carried Me,” is currently in the Top 20 at Christian Adult Contemporary
radio. Also, the band will be appearing at all major summer festivals including Collide Festival, Crossover Festival, Alive
Festival, KLTY Celebrate Freedom, Lifest, SoulFest, Spirit West Coast, Youth Fest, Revelation Generation 2007 and LifeLight
Festival. For a complete list of tour dates, visit www.building429.com.
Currently comprising Jason Roy (lead vocals, guitar), Jesse Garcia (guitar, keyboard), and Michael Anderson (drums), Building
429 released its national bow, Space In Between Us, in 2004. The
project’s debut single, “Glory Defined,” set multiple radio records and hit the No. 1 position on eight different radio charts.
The song climbed to number one on Christian Radio Weekly’s Adult Contemporary chart faster than any other single in the
publication’s history, remaining there for ten consecutive weeks. On Radio & Records, “Glory Defined” was the first single from
a debut artist to hold 100% of the Adult Contemporary panel all at the same time, and only the second time for any artist,
debut or veteran. Building 429 was also involved in 2004’s “Redeem The Vote” campaign with member Jason Roy acting as
spokesperson for the organization, garnering support through appearances on Fox News Live, CNN, ABC’s “Nightline,” and other
major network affiliates. In 2005, Building 429 was voted the Gospel Music Association’s New Artist of the Year, and “Glory Defined” received additional recognition as BMI’s 2005 Song of the Year. The band has toured with Jeremy Camp, Todd Agnew and Casting Crowns, among others.
(from Savvy Media)
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Brandon Heath is watching 2007 turn into a stellar
year as his newest radio single climbs all the way up to the No. 4 position on the R&R Christian AC Monitored chart this week.
“I’m Not Who I Was” is the second single from Heath’s debut album, Don’t Get Comfortable, (9/06)
and is surpassing the success of his top five charting first single, the Dove Award-nominated “Our God Reigns.” With momentum
impressively moving in his favor, “I’m Not Who I Was” is demonstrating consistent chart growth across all formats. The track is
currently the No. 1 testing song for Air 1 radio, and holds the No. 2 testing position at KSBJ radio.
Chart numbers aside, people are connecting with this song in a way that is truly special. It’s a phenomenon that could not be
manufactured, only captured. Chuck Pryor, broadcast veteran co-host of KSBJ’s Afternoon Show, shares, “Amanda and I promoted
the song and a show idea and asked listeners to call in with their ‘I’m Not Who I Was’ stories. We pre-promoted for a few days
and when we hit the air what followed was some of the most amazing radio I have ever been part of. We heard story after story
about God’s power and grace from real listeners, with real struggles, living real lives. It was three hours of non-stop story
after story of God’s power to heal, renew, forgive, and set free. We were exhausted after that show but we also knew something
very special had just taken place.” The station created a special remix of the song, including highlights from the calls they received.
“I’m Not Who I Was” has been described by Heath as one of his most personal songs, and is prompting a significant response from listeners and radio stations alike. “When we heard about the KSBJ remix, we decided to see if our listeners would respond the same way. They did!” comments Bob Thornton, the director of programming for KXOJ Tulsa. “We have created two special radio mixes and are working on a third.”
According to KSBJ’s Pryor, “This is also one of the highest testing songs on our station right now, so if you missed this one the first time around you may want to give it another listen because it really is something special.”
Brandon Heath has been a respected writer in the Nashville music community for years, collaborating with well-known artists like Bebo Norman, Matt Wertz and Dave Barnes, to name a few. The Nashville native first began writing at age 13 and credits the town’s legendary hotspot for songwriters, the Bluebird Café, as the place he first experienced music that moved him. “Music, for me, has always been about the songwriting,” Heath says. “When I listen to a song, I really want the lyrics to actually mean something.”
After opening for Bebo Norman and Aaron Shust last fall, Heath maintained a heavy touring schedule filled with leading worship for churches, and back-to-back brown bag concerts and radio appearances in major markets across the country including Seattle, Spokane, Portland, Tulsa, Kansas City, and Tampa.
After leading worship at several Young Life camps and hitting many of the major summer festivals, Heath plans to spend the fall of ‘07 touring the U.S. as a solo headliner as well as with the Robbie Seay Band.
For more information on Brandon Heath, please visit www.brandonheath.net.
(from Provident Music Group)
The digital music revolution continues this week with EMI's premium DRM-free, higher-quality download offering available
with our first retail partner, Apple iTunes. This week, Apple launched its iTunes
Plus option, featuring music from EMI artists -- including EMI CMG's entire digital catalogue -- in a higher quality DRM-free
format. Because the iTunes Plus downloads from EMI are free of DRM, that means they are now playable on range of different
devices and computers and can be burned to CD. iTunes is also offering customers a simple, one-click option to easily upgrade
their library of previously purchased EMI content to the iTunes Plus versions. EMI music videos are now also available in
iTunes Plus versions with no change in price.
From award winners Chris Tomlin, tobyMac, Nichole Nordeman and Steven Curtis Chapman to newcomers Mandisa and Britt Nicole,
every EMI CMG favorite is now accessible in DRM-free format via iTunes Plus, giving you increased usability and much better
sound when it comes to the music you love. To fully experience iTunes Plus, be sure you've upgraded to the new iTunes software (version 7.2).
(from EMI CMG)
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