After receiving over 10,000 personal stories from all over the globe for The Story of Your Life, the acclaimed singer-songwriter, who has been forever impacted by the outpouring of stories, felt as though there was even more for others to say during this season of his music. The new studio album, produced by Pete Kipley, features 12 tracks inspired by 10,000 new letters submitted after West invited people to, once again, send him their stories. The songs making up this sixth studio project were written mostly while he was on tour this spring. The tracks comprising Into the Light were inspired by stories touching on everything from the power of forgiveness, drug addiction, the rejection of apathy, domestic violence and many other topics. The album is now available for preorder on iTunes, featuring a bonus track acoustic version of "Forgiveness," as well as a behind-the-song video about the single: smarturl.it/intothelight.

Each of the storytellers who inspired these tracks were in attendence for West's Storytellers Weekend 2012 and were surprised with a special dinner, concert and commemorative plaques, presented by West, bearing handwritten lyrics to the song their story inspired. In addition, they were treated to a night at the Grand Ole Opry, where West performed.

The lead single from Into the Light, “ Forgiveness,” is continuing to surge up the charts at radio, with it claiming the No. 4 spot on the National Audience Chart, No. 4 at Christian AC Monitored, No. 2 at AC Indicator and No. 12 at CHR this week. In addition to already charting in the Top 5 on the National Christian Audience chart, the single garnered over 7.5 million audience impressions this week. "Forgiveness" also stands firm in the Top 10 on the iTunes® Christian & Gospel Songs chart, where it has remained most of the summer.

West kicks off his headlining "The Into the Light Tour" on Thurs., Sept. 20 in Dallas and will be hitting 33 markets through the fall. For a complete listing of tour dates and cities, visit http://www.matthewwest.com/tour/.

Renee Napier, who inspired the hit single " Forgiveness," with West, as he presented her with a commemorative plaque bearing handwritten lyrics to the song.




Matthew West

About Matthew West:
Lauded by The New York Times as "a vivid and compelling songwriter with impressive approaches to the familiar," two-time GRAMMY® nominee Matthew West’s discography includes acclaimed releases: Happy (2003), History (2005) and Something to Say (2008). His 2010 studio album, The Story of Your Life, was inspired by 10,000 stories from every state in the U.S. and 20 countries. The album released on October 5, 2010, and garnered attention from CNN Online, Fox News, Billboard, Country Weekly, American Songwriter and more. The Story of Your Life gave West the largest street week debut of his career selling over 10,000 units the first week landing at No. 3 on Christian Soundscan, and No. 41 on the Billboard Top 200. In conjunction with Harvest House Publishers, West teamed up with bestselling author Angela Thomas for “The Story of Your Life” book. The Heart of Christmas marked West’s first full-length Christmas project which also boasts the Top 10 mainstream AC radio hit "The Heart of Christmas." A multiple ASCAP “Song of the Year” winner, West has had four No. 1 radio hits including his latest GRAMMY®-nominated tune, “Strong Enough.” His songwriting credits include cuts by Rascal Flatts, Billy Ray Cyrus, Diamond Rio and more. Recently nominated for a Primetime Emmy® Award for Original Music & Lyrics for "The Heart of Christmas" from the film of the same name, West's sixth studio album, Into the Light, will be released on September 25, 2012.

[Get Connected with Matthew West]
www.matthewwest.com
www.facebook.com/matthewwest
www.twitter.com/matthew_west

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

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