December, 2006
Can't wait for the February 20th release of Anberlin's new record Cities? Head over to the iTunes music store and
download the band's brand new Godspeed EP right now. This is the only place you can hear the first track from Cities.
The album track "Godspeed" and an unreleased Cities b-side, "The Haunting," are available for only $1.98.
Visit this link to hear clips now and order!
Also, you can visit the band's page on PureVolume.com to see a trailer Cities -
it's definitely worth a watch!
(from MySpace.com/Anberlin; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
On Jaunary 22nd, Everyday Sunday fans will be able to preorder the band's third release,
Wake Up! Wake Up! and get a brand new 3-song EP containing tracks from the new record!
Featuring the songs "Wake Up! Wake Up!," "Find Me Tonight," and "I'll Get Over It (Miss Elaineous)," you will receive the
EP for FREE right away and you will get the whole new album the week it comes out. Sounds good to us! Keep your eyes and ears open
for more preorder information on the way...
(from MySpace.com/EverydaySunday; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
Family Force 5's Diamond Edition releases March 20th and will feature 4
brand new songs added to the original 2005 Maverick/Gotee debut Business Up
Front, Party In The Back. The band, who performed as part of this year's Journeys Backyard BBQ Tour and Van's Warped Tour,
is slated to go on the road with Disciple in February and TobyMac in March.
(from Gotee Records)
Following in the lead of solo artist Derek Webb who gave away his most recent record Mockingbird online in download form
as part of a "Free Derek Webb" campaign, our friend and former Guardian frontman Jamie Rowe is offering his 2004 indie record
Songs For Heaven & Earth for free to download as well! Only available a little while longer til January 6th,
you can visit FreeJamieRoweMusic.com to get the album now!
(from Jesusfreakhideout.com)
The Showdown's Temptation Come My Way, produced by Paul Ebersold
(Three Doors Down, Saliva), streets February 20th. These heavy metal rockers will tour their sophomore release in Europe this
January and February with Norma Jean, He Is Legend, and label mates Maylene and the Sons of Disaster. Past tours have taken them out
on the road with acts like Flyleaf and Blindside. More to come...
(from Gotee Records)
Christmas may be over, but it's never not the time of year for Natalie Grant news...
Motive Entertainment and Warner Home Entertainment recently announced a holiday partnership with critically acclaimed
GMA Female Vocalist of the Year, Natalie Grant and Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree program,
surrounding the 2006 release of the dazzling family Christmas classic, The Polar Express Special Edition DVD.
In partnership with this year’s special release, Natalie Grant kicked off her annual Christmas tour with a performance at the world
renowned Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade atop The Polar Express float, singing “Believe,” from the Polar Express motion picture
soundtrack. Her highly acclaimed holiday album Believe also releases this Christmas season, supported by Grant’s nationwide Believe
Tour, which made its way to 13 U.S. cities and ran through December 17.
In addition to the cross promotion with Natalie Grant, Motive Entertainment and Warner Home Entertainment are proud to join forces
with Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree program this Christmas in support of their remarkable efforts of meeting the physical, emotional,
and spiritual needs of the families of prisoners. Warner Home Video will also provide 1,000 promotional copies of the Polar Express DVD
for giveaway to churches and Angel Tree children in need. Nearly half a million children of prisoners will receive Christmas gifts in
the name of their incarcerated parent, along with the Gospel message of faith, hope, and love through Angel Tree this year.
As a part of the partnership, when The Polar Express Special Edition DVD is purchased from Amazon.com by clicking here,
a portion of all purchases will benefit the ministry of Angel Tree. Angel Tree will likewise coordinate with their network
of nearly 12,000 partner churches on behalf of Warner Brothers in support of The Polar Express release.
Angel Tree has helped more than half a million children of prisoners each Christmas across the United States and continues to give
year-round with volunteer based programs including outreach and mentoring. For more information on the pairing of Angel Tree and
The Polar Express, visit www.angeltree.org/polarexpress.
(from Motive Entertainment)
Jaime Jamgochian ends her debut year with out standing success.
She was named Radio & Record’s #1 Inspo artist for 2006, which means she was the most played performer in the format.
According to the R&R year-end chart, “Hear My Worship,” was the 9th Most Played Song of the Year; “Love Rains Down,” was the
31st and “Reason To Live,” was in the top 100. All three songs are from Jamgochian’s debut release on Centricity Records,
Reason To Live.
Christian Radio Weekly rates “Hear My Worship” at #4 on the Inspo Top 100 and “Love Rains Down’ at #34. Jamgochian ranked #3
in overall impressions for the year and #3 for the number of weeks at the top of the chart. “Hear My Worship” stayed in the #1
position for an incredible nine weeks!
The website, CCMSingles.Net, polled its readers for the top artists of 2006. Jamgochian came in second for Inspirational Single of
the Year on “Hear My Worship” and the song came in third for Radio Single of the Year for a female artist.
“What a thrilling year 2006 has been,” says Jamgochian, “and it’s so powerful to see the result of God’s words and music.”
“Although I’m very happy with the year-end results of Reason To Live, everything that has happened in my life is not anything
I could have planned or mapped out. God has really ordered every step and when I look back on things, it’s amazing to see how He has
really directed each step along the way.” And Jamgochian adds, “More than anything else, I hope I can continue to encourage and lead
other people to worship through my music.”
“All of us at Centricity are incredibly excited for Jaime,” states Steve Ford, Vice President, Marketing, Centricity Records.
“She has worked hard over the past year to let people know about her songs and the debut CD, traveling all over the country on her
tour dates and on radio and media visits. The hard work has paid off and we are proud of Jaime and the team around her for the diligence
and dedication to her career and music.”
Jamgochian came out strong on her debut CD this past June with radio, press, and fans embracing the talent and heart of this
artist-worshiper. Following her out-of-the-box cover story on May’s Brio & Beyond, Jamgochian received major reviews, television
appearances, and features in high-profile media. In total, Jamgochian had three singles from Reason To Live with each song
climbing higher on the charts each time….until “Hear My Worship” struck a chord with everyone. The song came from Jamgochian’s heart
as she struggled with becoming the obedient servant that Christ wanted her to be during a very busy period in her life.
“This song was written during a time when God was really challenging my heart to be honest and real with Him,” says Jamgochian.
“I was in the middle of a writing period for the new CD, Reason To Live, with numerous co-writing appointments and I started feeling
stale and kind of on a treadmill to get the songs finished quickly for the new album. During my frustrating writing season, I was at
my keyboard, playing, praying, and started singing this song to Him. My hope for this tune is that it will convey that every part of
our lives hopefully displays true worship to God.”
(from Bozeman Media)
We just received the P.O.D. official band newsletter which announced that original guitarist Marcos Curiel is back with P.O.D.!
While it doesn't say if this is temporary or if it's just one show, or if he's now the fifth member of P.O.D., the newsletter does
show an image of the five together and announces that the guys will play their first show altogether on New Year's Eve in Times Square, New York City.
Also, the band has a new record deal with details releasing shortly... stay tuned! We'll post more on this as we hear it!
(from P.O.D.; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
Want a sneak peak of Switchfoot's Oh! Gravity. before the December 26 release? MTV’s “The Leak”
is streaming the record in its entirety at www.mtv2.com/#leak/switchfoot.
Also, be sure to tune into The Late Show with David Letterman on January 4 to see SWITCHFOOT perform its current single, “Oh! Gravity”!
Finally, you can now purchase the abstract video for "Oh! Gravity" right now available on iTunes. For Jesusfreakhideout.com's 'PReview'
of Oh! Gravity., click here. And be sure to look for the full review this weekend!
(from Hoganson Media; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
GRAMMY-nominated party rock supergroup All Star United announces a partnership with
Indiana-based indie label 7 Spin Music for the release of its latest record. The album, Love & Radiation, will be available at national
Christian retail outlets March 20. Fronted by acclaimed producer/songwriter Ian Eskelin (Krystal Meyers, Stellar Kart), All Star United is legendary on the Christian music
scene with a career spanning ten years, 20 countries and 1000 live shows. Boasting four previous projects, All Star United has achieved
phenomenal radio success across a number of genres with its tongue-in-cheek musings and instantly accessible hooks. The band teams up
with 7 Spin Music for what is being referred to as a smash return to the best of what first prompted All Star United’s international recognition.
Eskelin comments, “This band is a creative outlet that I absolutely crave. Making an All Star project is an excuse to reunite with
friends around the globe and make some noise together, something exciting that doesn’t have a lot of rules. We are thrilled to come
alongside 7 Spin Music in our greatest endeavor to date.”
“It was refreshing to meet with Ian and discover that he abides by the same adventurous, inventive philosophy we have claimed for
7 Spin,” says Peter Khosla, president and founder of 7 Spin Music. “I am eager to watch All Star United usher in the next phase of
7 Spin’s creative and professional growth, and we are happy to welcome them to our label family.”
The eleven-song Love & Radiation was again written and produced by Eskelin. Additional details are forthcoming. Listen
for the project’s first radio single in January. For more on All Star United, visit www.allstarunited.com.
To find further information on 7 Spin Music and its artists, check out www.7spinmusic.com.
(from Savvy Media)
With Christmas rounding the corner, music fans are getting in the spirit by downloading
Relient K Christmas songs, as well as putting a little hip in their holiday hop with
Grits’ song “Ooh Ahh” via the iTunes.com Music Store.
Relient K sold over 15,000 digital tracks last week alone at iTunes.com as sales of their Christmas songs soar. The band was also featured in the site’s “What’s Hot” section last week.
Relient K’s Five Score And Seven Years Ago, the band’s follow up to
their third consecutive Gold album mmhmm, streets on March 6th on Gotee/Capitol. Sneak peaks of the album, produced by Howard Benson
(Less Than Jake, My Chemical Romance, the All-American Rejects), are available online with the first single “Must Have Done Something
Right” available at all digital retailers, as well as a bonus track “Fallen Man” (not on forthcoming album) available as an MP3 file on
the band’s website ---www.relientk.com. 2004’s mmhmm, Relient K’s first joint Gotee
Records/Capitol release, debuted at #15 on the Billboard 200 and at #1 on the internet chart that year. Praised by Alternative Press as
“one of the best pop-punk releases of the year,” mmhmm touted the Top 20 singles “Be My Escape” and “Who I Am Hates Who I’ve Been” and
put the band on the road non-stop, including tours with Good Charlotte, Simple Plan, MXPX and a main stage slot on the 2005 Vans Warped
Tour. The band also garnered appearances on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” as well as “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”
Grits’ “Ooh Ahh” digital single has sold nearly 50,000 downloads in the past four months. The track has been in the top-10 of the
Christian/Gospel Digital Track chart for 14 straight weeks, while the ring tone for the song is available by texting GRIT2 to 66555.
The song, from their 2006 release simply titled 7, was used on the big screen in both The Fast And The Furious: Toyko Drift, as well as
Big Momma’s House 2 featuring comedian actor Martin Lawrence. The dynamic duo of rappers Coffee and Bonafide have seen their
music grace the movies before with the single “Here We Go” featured in Something’s Gotta Give starring Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton,
as well as music used in independent films including “Devious Beings”, “Lockdown”, and “Road Dogz”. Their songs have also been used extensively on television including shows like “MTV CRIBS”, “The Real World”, “Pimp My Ride”, “Tough Enough”, and “Boston Public”.
The latest musical offering from Grits, Redemption, released on November 21st.
(from LB PR)
Christmas has come early for Integrity Music’s NewSong who received a gift in the form of
their 20th #1 radio hit this week as the group's single "Before The Day" from their live worship album Rescue, tops R&R's Inspirational chart.
NewSong is finishing up its "Christmas Hope" tour with artists Todd Agnew and Rachel Lampa. The tour is in support of NewSong’s recently
new critically-acclaimed seasonal release, The Christmas Hope. That record is seeing strong radio airplay as well, with their
classic “Christmas Shoes" again climbing mainstream AC charts. A fresh rendition of this song plus 12 other tracks including original
music and sacred carols are offered on their The Christmas Hope now available in stores. The title track is also one of the
most active new songs on the Christian AC charts, according to R&R.
After a brief break for the Christmas and New Years, NewSong goes back on the road to kick off their annual Winter Jam tour spectacular
featuring Steven Curtis Chapman, Jeremy Camp among others. For more about NewSong, visit www.newsongonline.com.
(from Spinhouse PR)
Project 86 will be recording their new studio album in
January 2007. Throughout the fall, the band has been writing new material and have over twenty new songs,
the best of which will compose the new record. The album will release in late spring. Guitarist Randy Torres
had this to say about the new material:
“Six albums deep, we want people to feel a little unsettled when they put on this record. Whereas
...And the Rest Will Follow was a small jump from
our previous releases... more melodic and emotional, etc., this album will both fulfill and destroy previous
expectations. We want to balance our staple sound, memorable songwriting, and patented energy with a lot of
experimentation. I think old fans will still have enough to grab a hold of, but preconceived notions of our
sound will be redefined.” In the meantime, two exclusive new takes of ...And The Rest Will Follow tracks will be made available in the next
few days on MySpace. The first, “From December,”
features Joey from Anberlin on guitar and Timmy from UnderOath on drums. The second, “Something We Can’t Be”
is a pulverizing interpretation of the song, and no less exciting. Check back often to hear the remixes!
(from Project 86; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
R&R’s most played Christian rock band of 2004 and recipient of 2005’s Modern Rock Album of the Year GMA
Award, Sanctus Real adds to its long list of accolades becoming
2006’s most played artist at CHR radio (R&R).
One of the top Christian rock bands of today, Sanctus Real launched three national CHR radio singles,
“I’m Not Alright” and “The Face of Love,” both from the current, best-selling
The Face of Love CD, and “Closer” from the acclaimed 2005
release, Fight The Tide. A multi-format hit,
“I’m Not Alright” also landed at No. 1 and No. 5 respectively on the CRW and R&R yearend Christian Rock
charts after spending six full weeks at No. 1 and becoming the band’s first MTVu video.
The band’s third single from The Face of Love, “Don’t Give Up,” goes to radio today.
“2006 has been another banner year for Sanctus Real at radio,” says Grant Hubbard, EMI CMG Label Group
VP National Promotion. “Already established at Rock radio, The Face of Love has not only become the
band’s best selling album to date, but has broadened the band’s appeal, winning fans at Rock, CHR and AC radio.”
Sanctus Real released its third national studio album, The Face of Love, April 4 to wide critical
acclaim. Inspired by real-life heartache and rediscovered joy, the emotions behind each track on
The Face of Love are vulnerable and undisguised, making this album the band’s most accessible project
of their career and exhibiting the band’s progression both musically and lyrically. Embraced by fans, the
album jumped back on the Billboard Top 200 earlier this month, landing at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers
chart as the band prepares to embark on the 34-city Winter Jam 2007 Tour Spectacular that launches Jan. 12 in Johnson City, TN.
Sanctus Real is about tangibly being the “face of love,” not only with friends and family, but reaching
outside of that comfort zone. Since Sanctus Real broke on the national scene, the band has looked for opportunities
to partner with charitable organizations. They most recently joined forces with African Leadership after realizing the
incredible need in Africa. For all the latest Sanctus Real news, a chance to win an iPod, touring information
and more, go to www.sanctusreal.com.
(from Hoganson Media)
Anberlin's junior release Cities will be in stores
everywhere on February 20 and as sort of a pre-release sneak peak at the record, the band is offering a
digital EP on sale through iTunes starting on December 28. The EP will have one song from their upcoming new
album Cities called "Godspeed," as well as a song not included on the record called "The Haunting."
This is only for a reasonable $1.99. Next up on the news agenda, the band asks for fans to keep them in your
thoughts and prayers as Deon, Stephen, Knate and Anberlin's tour manager, Seth, are heading to Calcutta, India
in January. They are going with a group of other musicians with an organization called Ten and they will be
working to help build a new wing of a safehouse where women who have recently come out of the sex trafficking
industry can make items such as arts and crafts to sell and sustain a life outside of slavery.
For the latest on Anberlin, visit myspace.com/Anberlin.
(from MySpace.com/Anberlin; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
Superchick is preparing for their follow up to their successful
release Beauty From Pain fresh off of their Fall Live Love Tour.
Superchick DJ Matt Daly recently posted a band update online for the fans...
"What's going on everybody, first wanted to say thanks for all of you who came out to the LIVE LOVE
tour this fall. It was a huge success! It's amazing being able to play for all of you dedicated fans out
there. We truly have the best fans in the world. But now we have switched gears and are gearing up to write
our first official Columbia Records release! It has been such an exciting year and amazing things are still
happenening everyday to make this the BIGGEST Superchick year EVER!! And you have a lot to do with that
success. "Stand in the Rain" is still at #1 on the Christian CHR charts, so keep on calling those stations
and requesting it!! Now that we are off tour, we are so pumped to be writing for our new record that is due
out in the spring. Columbia is going to push this like crazy and it will be the greatest Superchick record to
date. And you can help... if you have any inspirational stories that you think we need to hear to give us
some fuel for writing, please let us know. Send us a message with "inspiration" in the subject box. We will
be checking our messages regularly and would love to find out what kind of battles (good or bad) you have
had this past year. We are also finalizing our Spring tour plans so keep checking our list of tour dates
because we will be playing in a city near you soon. Thanks so much again for being the
best fans in the whole world! Have a safe and merry Christmas and please keep in mind what this Holiday season
it really about. Much love and God Bless, Matt."
(from MySpace.com/Superchick; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
The five member power house band from INO Records, Echoing Angels,
is closing this year with anticipation for the January 30 release date of their debut album, “You Alone.”
Traveling all over the country on a 30+ city radio promotional tour, the group is geared up and ready for 2007
following performances at festivals including Atlanta Fest in their hometown of Atlanta in front of over
30,000 and performing just before platinum act Casting Crowns at Rock The Universe in Orlando, FL to over 55,000 audience members.
The fall was filled with a high-profile West Coast run with stops at influential churches such as Harvest
Christian Fellowship in Riverside, CA, Cornerstone Fellowship in Livermore, and the Horizon Christian Fellowship
in San Diego, CA. After swinging through the West Coast, Echoing Angels made their way to Teen Mania’s Acquire
the Fire event in Chicago, singing six sets for over 2,000 people.
Not only has this group been burning up the pavement in 2006, but they have also have been burning up radio
as well with their first single, “You Alone,” reaching No. 9 on the R&R Christian AC Monitored Chart.
For more information on this band, log onto www.echoingangels.com,
www.myspace.com/echoingangels, or go to www.inorecords.com.
(from The M Collective)
As he prepares to launch his third solo project, Portable Sounds, on February 20, 2007, one of the most
successful artists in Christian music history, TobyMac celebrated the RIAA Gold
certification of his first two solo endeavors, Momentum (2001) and
Welcome to Diverse City (2004) at BMI in Nashville Wednesday night.
Thanking the team around him including management, record company personnel, his band and more, he left his biggest salute to his
wife of 14 years, Amanda, commenting, “all of this is impossible without you.”
With solid radio success, sales power and critical acclaim ever present over his career with DC Talk as well as a solo artist,
TobyMac is also universally recognized as a creative force, artistic maverick, prophetic voice for racial reconciliation,
social justice and a fierce devotion to faith and family. His rampant eclecticism and consistent excellence have set the bar very high,
and on Portable Sounds, he delivers an increased commitment to melody and soulful singing, while his now trademarked
rock/funk/hip-hop side hits deeper grooves and catchier hooks than ever before.
“Working with TobyMac is always an incredible pleasure for all of us at Forefront Records/EMI CMG,” remarked Peter York, President
of EMI CMG Label Group. “He consistently delivers culturally relevant songs that challenge us with compelling lyrics and haunt us with
contagious musical hooks. Like his previous gold selling records, TobyMac’s new project “Portable Sounds” has all of those same elements
only I believe it is destined for even greater success. We look forward to introducing this record to the public and feel honored to
work with an artist of Toby’s caliber.” The man Christianity Today called “one of the fifty most influential evangelical leaders in America” sets a new standard with the release
of Portable Sounds. His solo career took off from the first notes, with two GOLD albums, six number one singles, two
Grammy® nominations and widespread critical acclaim, but to hear TobyMac talk about the passion and drive he has for Portable Sounds,
he has nothing left to prove, and a lot more to say. “As I approached this project,” he offers, “the main pressure I put on myself was a
commitment to make a record that was true to what God is breathing through my life. What’s going on? Am I struggling with my human
relationships? Are my friends struggling with me? What’s going on socially? Where are the conflicts? Where are the struggles? Where are
we overcoming? Where are we getting the victories? That’s what I like my writing to be about.”
As a result, a new lyrical flavor developed on a few of Portable’s tracks. “I wanted to write a few songs that would be like
prayers,” he adds. “There have been a few prayers that I have been very consistent with over the years; like ‘Help me to remember what
this is all about.’ I really believe that this record can touch peoples lives....not because of me, but because God is breathing through
me on this project – that was my prayer every day in the studio.”
The resulting album is the most dynamically diverse collection of TobyMac songs yet. “Made to Love” opens the set up with its
inspirational lyric and irresistible melody and then there’s “Boomin’”, a huge rock / funk spectacle in the tradition of his best jams.
The diversity continues with generous helpings of edgy funk-rock driven tracks, (“Suddenly,” “I’m For You,” “Fly,”) groovy disco /
reggae pop (“One World,” “No Ordinary Love,”) and richly textured pop “All In,” “Face of the Earth,” and “Soul.”
With the holidays approaching as he finishes up his second WinterWonderSlam tour, TobyMac is taking time off to spend time with his
family before into full album promo mode, which includes a headline tour beginning March 8th featuring Thousand Foot Krutch, Building 429 and Family Force 5.
(from The M Collective)
Entering the studio with legendary musicians and first time SCC producer partner
Matt Bronleewe in Los Angeles last week, Steven Curtis Chapman began work on his upcoming studio album. They tracked at LA's Conway Studios where
Billy Idol and Dave Matthews Band have previously recorded. After the tracking session, Steven flew back to Nashville to pack and head
to Disney World for his 4th consecutive year hosting Candlelight, a Christmas Celebration at Disney's Epcot.
As far as his newest project's progress, tracking is step one in the recording process where studio players lay down the instrumental
parts of the tracks for the record. Matt and Steven tracked fourteen songs in five days. Steven will likely track up to ten more songs
before overdubbing and vocals begin on the album -- which is quite a bit to track for a final album that will likely only
contain about half of those total cuts.
(from Steven Curtis Chapman; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
Aaron Shust, Christian music’s most successful new artist, is giving fans the
gift of free music this Christmas. Shust’s version of the Christmas hymn “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” is being offered as a free
download via Shust’s website, www.AaronShust.com, and is quickly climbing the
radio charts, receiving airplay across the country on both mainstream and Christian radio stations.
This original version of the familiar Christmas hymn follows Shust’s string of hit radio singles, including this year’s multi-format
smash hit “My Savior, My God,” the second single from his debut project, Anything Worth Saying. “My Savior My God” reached
#1 on five different radio charts and spent a remarkable 30 weeks—over half the 2006 calendar year—in the Top 5 of R&R’s AC chart.
Shust’s unprecedented radio success has resulted in retail sales of Anything Worth Saying reaching over 120,000 units in under
11 months. Digital download sales of “My Savior My God” have topped 75,000 copies with the song holding the #1 spot on the iTunes
Christian and Gospel chart for over three months. Shust and his music has been covered in a variety of media outlets, including
appearances on TBS’ Storyline, Focus on the Family’s Family News In Focus, and American Family Radio, as well as features and reviews in
a variety of publications such as The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, CCM Magazine, Christianity Today.com, Brio Online, CBN Online,
Christian Music Planet, The Wichita Eagle, Worship Leader/Song Discovery, Aspiring Retail, Creative Loafing, and more (*including
this particular media site!*). Additionally, Aaron’s performance at the first-ever “Faith Days” with the Atlanta Braves was featured on
national media outlets such as CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, and ESPN’s Outside The Lines.
“Offering this song as a free download is a very small way for me to say ‘thank you’ to everyone who has been so supportive of me and
my music,” said Shust. “It’s been an amazing year in so many ways, and I’m very grateful for the response to these songs.”
For the last five years, Aaron Shust has served as a full-time staff member and worship leader at Perimeter Church, a progressive,
27-year-old congregation in Atlanta. Beyond that community, Aaron leads worship throughout the United States at new churches, adult
retreats and youth camps, placing his songwriting fingers firmly on the pulse of the church’s devotion. Shust, who has toured
extensively throughout 2006, recently completed the Fall leg of the “Dreaming True” Tour with Bebo Norman. Aaron is currently in the
studio recording songs for his next project, set to be released in Spring 2007.
(from The WMG)
And joining Shust in the spirit of Christmas giving, for a limited time, Brandon Heath
is offering a FREE DOWNLOAD of his brand new Christmas song, "Glorious, Wonderful, Emmanuel." This track isn't available for sale, so this is your one and only chance to grab it!
If you are already signed up for Brandon's mailing list (and you most likely are if you're getting this e-mail!), all you have to do
is enter your e-mail address to gain access to the mp3. For those who are only on the Reunion Records mailing list, all you have to do
is enter your information to sign up for Brandon's list, confirm your subscription, and download your free track!
Click here to get started or visit BrandonHeath.net.
(from Provident Music Group; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
Pillar had to cancel a recent show in Colorado Springs due to bus troubles. The band announced in a newsletter earlier
this week, "The Colorado Springs Show has to be cancelled tonight. Due to the bus
breaking down we're stuck in MT. Here is an excerpt from the blog,
'Because of the breakdown the Colorado Springs show is having to be
rescheduled. Yes, Colorado got jacked on this tour. Sorry. Three more
shows to go then home for Christmas.' If you want to read the full
story please check out the blog. Continue to keep the entire tour in
prayer and were sorry that another CO show had to be cancelled, we
will try and make it up to you as soon as possible. Looks like March
11 will be the reschedule. We will keep you all posted. The cold
weather is taking it's toll so we would appreciate your prayers for
our travels and our bus and all the other vehicles on this tour."
(from Pillar; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
Gospel greats Yolanda Adams and Fred Hammond
will be honored by U.S. performing right organization BMI at its 8th Annual Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards Luncheon on Friday,
Jan. 12, 2007. The ceremony will take place at Rocketown (401 6th Avenue South) in Nashville. Held in conjunction with and prior to the
Stellar Awards, the invitation-only celebration will host gospel music's premier songwriters, recording artists and music industry
executives, as well as the genre's legends.
Yolanda Adams, who was recently nominated for two Grammys, earned a living as a school teacher in Houston, Texas, during the 1980s,
while her striking beauty also supplied her with work in the modeling industry. Adams' debut album, Just As I Am, hit shelves in 1988,
ushering in a bright new star on the forefront of gospel music. 1996's Yolanda Live in Washington earned the soulful singer her first
Grammy nomination, while her next album, Mountain High Valley Low, snagged the performer her first Grammy Award. Since 2000, Adams has
delivered the Lord's message to the masses on two more beautiful albums, showcasing both her unparalleled talent and devotion.
Detroit native Fred Hammond is one of the most beloved praise and worship leaders in the gospel music genre. His studio albums take on
the alive, emotive feel of a concert. Like so many before him, Hammond developed his passion for song in the church choir at age 12.
After playing bass and supplying vocals for the Winans during the early 1980s, Fred joined the group Commissioned, where he showcased his
unique arrangements and grew as a producer, vocalist and songwriter. While Fred remained a member of Commissioned, intricately crafted
solo albums I Am Persuaded, Purpose By Design and In Case You Missed It...And Then Some hit shelves, cementing Hammond's position as one
of recent history's premier gospel music artists.
The 22nd Annual Stellar Awards will be held on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007, at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. The awards show,
celebrating the year in gospel music, is produced by Chicago-based Central City Productions. Nominations are received and voted on by
the Stellar Awards Gospel Music Academy (SAGMA), made up of members who encourage and promote gospel music worldwide.
(from BMI)
During the past three months over 80,000 people in more than 6,800 US cities (cities including Houston, Dallas,
Los Angeles, Atlanta and Chicago amongst the top 10) in all 50 states and over 170 countries around the world visited
freederekwebb.com and downloaded Derek Webb’s critically acclaimed CD
Mockingbird as a part of his bold freederekwebb.com campaign, where anyone could go online,
download and share Mockingbird completely for free. In addition, more than 325,000 emails were sent out inviting friends to do the same.
Audiences at Webb’s concerts also grew throughout the past few months, nearly double his normal turn out in several cities, and in
addition to their presence, Webb’s goal of engaging them in conversation regarding the issues presented in the songs on Mockingbird
became a reality. Mockingbird tackles many sensitive issues including poverty, war, and the basic ethics by which we live and deal with others.
“This has certainly been an unexpected and overwhelming response to what started as little more than a grand experiment, remarked Webb.
“I can't thank everyone enough for participating with us in this and I certainly hope they're enjoying the songs on Mockingbird.
I can't stress enough how urgent it is that people from all backgrounds and ideological persuasions join in meaningful dialogue about
what it means to truly care for our neighbors and just who those neighbors are. I can only hope that freederekwebb.com has played even
a small role in starting a few of those discussions. I hope to see many of you on the road and in the marketplace, and to join with you in this continuing conversation."
Webb is now preparing to record songs for his next studio project, scheduled for release in May 2007.
(from The M Collective)
Award-winning singer/songwriter Kathy Troccoli is excited to announce her debut symphony
performances this December. As the sole vocalist performing with the symphonies, Kathy will be singing a selection of Christmas
songs—many of which are off her Christmas album, A Sentimental Christmas.
“It has been my musical desire for years to work with symphonies and do some torch/jazz music. In fact my new CD, The Story of Love,
has elements of that on it. So it is with great delight, in this time of my life, that I am getting these wonderful opportunities to do
what I love,” says Kathy. The songs she will be performing—after the first half of the orchestras’ Christmas music—include
“Sleigh Ride,” “It's the Most” (which Kathy sings with Andy Williams on A Sentimental Christmas), “I'll be Home”, and “Let it Snow”,
“Pick Yourself Up”, “The Christmas Song”, ”Somewhere over the Rainbow”, as well as “Goodbye for Now”, “Have yourself a Merry Little
Christmas”, “Winter Wonderland”, and “My Life is in your Hands.”
On Thursday, December 14th, Kathy will be performing with the Symphony Arlington at the MetroCenter in Arlington, Texas, then she will
be performing with the Garland Symphony Orchestra at the Granville Arts Center in Garland, Texas, on Friday, December 15th, and on
Saturday, December 16th, she will be performing with the Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra at the Irving Arts Center in Irving. To watch
ICTN 1 & ICTN 2 click here. The Las Colinas show will be aired on ICTN 1 (Channel 16—Time Warner / Channel 30—Verizon) on Tuesday,
December 19th at 9:00 p.m., Sunday, December 24th, at 9:30 p.m., Monday, December 25th, at 5:30 p.m., and Thursday, December 28th, at 7:30 p.m.
(from Recah PR)
Building 429 is currently working on their follow-up to their 2006 sophomore effort
Rise, tentatively titled Iris To Iris. The band
debuted some new songs for a Word Records conference audience last night, which Jesusfreakhideout.com
also attended, playing songs like "Majesty"
and "Power Of Your Name," displaying a more alternative worship sound than their previous efforts. The
Brown Bannister produced record is looking at a May 2007 release... More to come!
(from Jesusfreakhideout.com)
Fans of late night television will be getting a chance to see Switchfoot in action performing
their latest single. About the turn-of-the-new-year performance, the band
announced, "our good friend David Letterman (OK, we've only met once for about 10 seconds,
but there was a real connection) has invited us to perform our newest single "Oh! Gravity" on his classy
late night show, appropriately titled, The Late Show on January 4. The cool thing about
Letterman is that even our friends in Australia can join in the fun."
(from Switchfoot; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
Following a successful fall tour with numerous sell outs, MercyMe has announced the line up for the
spring leg of their “Coming Up to Breathe Tour”. Again featuring
Audio Adrenaline as they complete their final tour dates as a band,
the spring leg also features worship leader and songwriter Aaron Shust, whose hit song
“My Savior, My God,” has made him what many are calling an “overnight sensation.” The tour will hit
approximately 40 cities, of which are listed below.
MercyMe is also consistently garnering success at radio with “Hold Fast” bulleted in the Top 5 at
R&R/Christian and CRW AC and "No More, No Less" hitting the Top 20 on Christian CHR as the general market
Mediabase Christmas Chart has "Christmastime Is Here" at #16 this week.
For more information on the tour, go to www.mercyme.org
(from The M Collective)
sixstepsrecords/Sparrow Records’ GMA Artist and Male Vocalist of the Year,
Chris Tomlin, and Passion visionary leader and author, Louie Giglo,
unite for a 32-city major market tour this winter. Special guest, sixstepsrecords/ Sparrow Records’
Matt Redman, joins for select dates on the tour.
Launching in Phoenix Jan. 25 for two concerts on back-to-back days, the How Great Is Our God Tour concludes
March 23 in St. Louis after traversing the US into cities such as San Jose, Las Vegas, Dallas, Houston,
Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Birmingham, Atlanta, Orlando and more. The full
itinerary is listed at www.ChrisTomlin.com.
The tour name was derived from the tour’s focus and from the 2006 GMA Song and Worship Song of the Year,
“How Great Is Our God,” written by Tomlin and featured on his RIAA certified Gold-selling album,
Arriving. As one of the fasting rising songs in the church,
it went No. 1 on the Song Select Advanced chart last month, becoming the most downloaded of any digital
products offered by CCLI to the 51,000 participating churches.
“‘How great is our God’ is not just a title of a song, or a name for a tour,” says Tomlin. “Instead the simple
phrases sing with me and all will see is the heartbeat of the tour – every night, a room filled with people
seeing and singing of the greatness of God. I am so honored this year to share that night with good friends, Louie Giglio and Matt Redman.”
This month Tomlin received his first and second GRAMMY nominations for the 49th Annual GRAMMY Awards.
Announced December 7 by The Recording Academy, Tomlin was given nods for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
for See The Morning, his No. 1 selling, critically
acclaimed album that released Sept. 26, and Best Gospel Performance for “Made to Worship,” his current,
record breaking single that has topped Christian radio charts for three consecutive months.
Inspired by the psalmist who describes God’s ongoing work as provoking new beginnings, Tomlin’s
See The Morning debuted at No. 1 on the SoundScan® compiled Christian retail charts and No. 15 on the
Billboard Top 200 with 47,420 units sold in its first week. On Oct. 23, Tomlin became the first Christian
artist to eclipse 20 million impressions in one week at radio for the Christian format (Christian Radio & Retail Weekly).
(from Hoganson Media)
Relient K have announced that they plan to tour with Mae and Sherwood this March, and
are offering their fans and friends the first crack at the tickets!
If you haven't already, you can add the band as friends on Myspace and then check your bulletins for
one from them on 12/14, 12/15, and 12/16. Each of those bulletins will include a link to an exclusive page to
get tickets before anyone else can. Consider it a holiday gift from Relient K. Visit www.myspace.com/RelientK to
befriend them!
(from Relient K; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
Ohio-based modern rock band Everyday Sunday announces
today it has signed with newsboys’ label Inpop Records. The band will release its debut project on
Inpop, Wake Up! Wake Up!, May 22.
Comprising Trey Pearson (lead vocals), Jesse Counts (guitar), Dan Hunter (bass) and Chris Hines
(drums), Everyday Sunday hails from Columbus, Ohio. Attracting a national audience with its 2001
independent Christian Hit Radio single, “Just a Story,” Everyday Sunday joined Flicker Records’
roster in 2002. The band released two successful projects with Flicker,
Stand Up and
Anthems for the Imperfect, while raking in
numerous accolades, including being named among CCM Magazine’s “Favorite New Artists of 2003,”
as well as “Best New Artist of the Year” by TVU Music Television. Also in 2003, Everyday Sunday made
an impact as one of the Top 10 “Major Impact Artists” for CHR, and its single “Hanging On,” from
Stand Up, was the No. 6 most played CHR song of the year.
“We could not be more excited to sign with Inpop Records,” comments Trey Pearson, Everyday Sunday
frontman. “Inpop is bigger than ever before, and they have genius people working over there who are
extremely driven to make this record blow up. We have made the record of our dreams; we really feel
like we have found ourselves with this album. It’s by far the best thing we have ever done. It’s been totally God to see how all of this has happened, and we are extremely stoked to sign with Inpop as we take things to the next level.”
“The guys in Everyday Sunday are motivated and passionate about their music and ministry, and we are
honored to be partnering with them,” says Dale Bray, president of Inpop Records. “Ian (Eskelin) and
the band have produced a brilliant record: the production is world class, the songwriting has true
artistic merit and the band’s performance is exceptional. It’s a record that stands on its own.
Everyday Sunday is a great addition to Inpop’s high quality artist roster.”
Kujo, of Nightvision Artist Management, couldn’t agree more, “After getting to know the Inpop staff,
we were quickly impressed with their heart and vision for this new record. It became very obvious
that this was the perfect place to launch the next phase of this band.”
Produced by Ian Eskelin (Krystal Meyers, Stellar Kart, All Star United), Wake Up! Wake Up!
delivers the same diversity and solid pop sound that has come to define Everyday Sunday’s music.
The album’s first singles, “Find Me Tonight” at CHR and “Wake Up! Wake Up!” at Rock will be released to radio Jan. 19. Additional information on the project is forthcoming. For more information on Everyday Sunday, visit: www.everydaysunday.com
(from Savvy Media)
It’s not hard to decipher the reasons why SRE Recording’s rockers,
Decyfer Down, are doing so well at year’s end. With two
consecutive No. 1 Christian Rock radio hits under their belt, in just their debut year, Decyfer Down
is already proving their staying power in the music industry.
Their national debut album, End Of Grey, hit shelves
on June 6 and has since released two hit singles, “Life Again,” which went to No. 1 on the R&R
Christian Rock chart in July and now “Break Free” which is currently at No.1 on both CRW chart and
the R&R charts this week. Regarding Decyfer Down’s radio successes, V.P Promotions, Dan Michaels
comments, “When you combine great songs from remarkable artists with good promotions, things are
bound to go well. I’m so proud of Decyfer Down and I’m grateful to radio for supporting this right
out of the box.” “Their success has also crossed over from the Christian market to the mainstream
market with stations like WARQ in Columbia, S.C, playing them at 20-25 spins a week, making Decyfer
Down one of the station’s top ten acts.
The North Carolina rockers success also goes beyond radio, and into venues across the U.S.
Playing in front of sold-out crowds at festivals with mainstream groups like Crossfade, and
currently on the “Days of Reckoning” tour with rock group Pillar, Decyfer Down is winning over crowds
in every capacity.
In this year alone, Decyfer Down has toured in over 165 cities, and has greatly widened their fan
base along the way. The start of the new year, 2007, looks to be no different with a tour already
confirmed with Disciple, kicking off on January 18 in Wichita, KS and the launch of their first
CHR single, “No Longer.” For more information on all things happening with Decyfer Down, log onto
www.srerecordings.com or www.decyferdown.com.
(from The M Collective)
Midas pop-rock artist Jessie Daniels has been
commissioned to record the theme song for Lifetime Television’s upcoming Christmas movie,
“A Christmas Wedding.” In keeping with the season, Daniels also recently released her version of the
Christmas classic “Little Drummer Boy” to be played at Christian radio during December.
Premiering Monday, December 11, at 9:00 pm (ET/PT), the Lifetime Original Movie features Daniels
on “Christmas Isn’t Christmas Without You,” co-written by Sharon Vaughn and Grammy Award winner
Dennis Matkosky (Michael Sembello “Maniac,” Diana Ross, Eddie Money, Boz Scaggs, Keith Urban,
Chicago), who also produced the song. Recorded at his home studio in Nashville, Tenn., Matkosky was
impressed with newcomer Daniels, “It was a pleasure to work with Jessie. She is an amazing talent
…truly a beautiful instrument.”
Vice president of music for Lifetime Television, Marianne Goode, additionally comments, “Lifetime is
thrilled to have Jessie’s recording of this song in the film. She put the finishing touch on this
fantastic song with her beautiful vocal.”
“A Christmas Wedding” stars Eric Mabius, Sarah Paulson, and Dean Cain. Additionally, you can
listen to “Christmas Isn’t Christmas Without You" by clicking here.
In true holiday fashion, Daniels also recorded an original version of the popular Christmas tune
“Little Drummer Boy” to be played throughout December. The song was arranged and produced by Scott
Davis, who produced her Midas Records debut, at Life of Rhyme Studio in Nashville.
(from Savvy Media)
Even more GRAMMY nom buzz... Platinum-selling artist and soulful-voiced guitar hero,
Jonny Lang, is turning heads again with his critically
acclaimed, fifth studio album, Turn Around,
released Sept. 19 on A&M Records. The album garnered a 49th Annual GRAMMY Awards nomination
for Best Rock Or Rap Gospel Album. Lang’s first GRAMMY nomination was received for 1998’s Wander
This World. In 1997, Newsweek listed Lang in the Century Club of the 100 Americans expected to
be influential in the next millennium. Ten years into his recording career, Jonny Lang is fulfilling
the promise critics hailed at the outset of his career. He has garnered platinum certifications,
headlines sold-out concerts around the world and has shared the stage with the Rolling Stones, U2,
Aerosmith, Sting, B.B. King and more. His recordings and live performances have seen him exploring
his own creative vision and developing his talents as a singer/songwriter. Lang’s latest release,
Turn Around, reveals him to be an artist of extraordinary musical and spiritual depth.
On Turn Around, Lang confidently employs the songwriting craft he introduced on 2003’s
Long Time Coming, the first album on which he had written or co-written nearly all of the
songs. Though, as a guitarist, he had long studied and eventually shared the stage with the likes of
Buddy Guy and B.B. King, Lang’s own songs fit more accurately under the broader rubric of soul music.
For official Jonny Lang news and information go to www.jonnylang.com.
(from Hoganson Media)
Punk act Last Tuesday has joined the latest lineup of bands that were. Steve G, guitarist
and vocalist for the band, released the following letter this past week...
"As many of you know, last June I got married to a wonderful young woman from Texas.
Since that time we have been out on tour meeting all of you fabulous people.
However, at this point we feel a need to begin a new chapter in our lives. So as of this January,
I will be stepping away from the life of touring...
To all of you who have known of Last Tuesday since I started the whole thing in 1999, and all of you
who heard us for the first time last night: Thanks. I sincerely appreciate all of the encouraging
words, emails, letters, blogs, and comments you have given this band. I am going to miss all of
you. All of you have made this decision very difficult.
When I quit teaching in 2002 to tour full time, I did it because I knew that is what I must do to
fulfill my convictions, and now I feel myself being pulled in another direction, and I in turn must also follow that desire.
As far as the band goes... Carl, Chris, Ben and someone to be named later, will do a final Last
Tuesday tour in February. Unfortunately, because of another opportunity, I will not be able to
join them. Please go out and support them... This will be terribly difficult for me to not be a
part of, as I am the only original member, and the only one to have played every show from the very
beginning 7 years ago. After that tour the band Last Tuesday will be no more. I am sure the guys
will be informing you in the new year what they will be up to, and I wish them all the best.
Again, this decision is about my wife and I taking on a new challenge, and has nothing to do with any
ill feelings towards anyone. I will miss the band immensely, as I will miss all of you. Please
stay in touch on my personal myspace at myspace.com/stevetuesday.
Thanks much, Steve G" We wish the guys in Last Tuesday the best as they pursue other interests.
(from Myspace.com/LasTuesday; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
Award-winning and chart-topping local rockers Tree63 return to their
homeland in March 2007 for their first tour of South Africa in over
two years. Tree63 relocated to Nashville, Tennessee in recent years to live the
life of which so many outstanding SA artists only dream, and have
been writing, recording and touring the world constantly for over 5
years. Over this time, the band has had numerous number 1 hits in the
USA and South Africa and have performed for thousands of fans as far-
flung as Australia, Scotland, Canada and practically anywhere in the
United States you may care to mention.
With the recent return of drummer Darryl Swart, Tree63 is currently
riding a wave of critical praise of both the band's new material and
their live shows. Says songwriter, vocalist and guitarist John Ellis:
"We've had an exciting last couple of years, and it's great having
Darryl back - we're all playing really well and this particular
chemistry is unbeatable for Tree63". Daniel Ornellas rounds out the 3-
piece on bass guitar and backing vocals.
In the lead up to the live shows, one of Tree63's most well known
hits, "Treasure" off the 63 album, will see a fresh radio release
in a brand new remixed version, a distinctly South African "kwaito"
flavour highlighting the bands love for their home country.
"We love and miss South Africa so much and can't wait to come home
and see our families, friends and fans. We've been dying to play in
South Africa for ages - it's going to be amazing," says Ellis.
Tree63 will play seven shows across South Africa in Durban, Cape Town,
Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Potchefstroom and
Bloemfontein between the 1st and 16th of March 2007. Tickets will be
available at Computicket (on-line and at all stores), at all Gospel
Direct stores nationwide, and at the venues on the night of the
performances. Venue details, show times and ticketing pricing will be
released on final confirmations.
(from MySpace.com/Tree63; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
Haste the Day is heading out on the road one last
time in the year 2006! The 12 Days of Christmas tour kicks off tomorrow, December 11th, in Lafayette,
Indiana at Downtown Records and wraps up in Nashville, Tennessee at Rocketown. Along side Haste the
Day will be Calico System, Heavy Heavy Low Low, and Flee the Seen.
Haste the Day is currently in the studio w/ critically acclaimed rock producer, GGGarth Richardson
recording their third release for Solidstate which is currently slated for a March 20th release.
The 12 Days of Christmas tour will kick off only days after the band finishess recording!
Expect to hear some songs off the upcoming release this December.
Artist Arena will be providing advance tickets to all shows on the tour and tickets purchased
in bundles of 4 will gain you access to a pre-show meet and greet with all 4 bands!
Get a list of dates and your online advance tickets here!
(from Solid State Records)
More individual GRAMMY news comes rolling in...
Integrity Gospel recording artist Israel & New Breed
received four nominations during The Recording Academy’s announcement of nominees for the 49th
Annual GRAMMY® Awards. This Dove and Stellar Award-winning group took home the most GRAMMY® Award nominations from among
the Gospel/Christian artists recognized today, joining artists like Beyoncé, Gnarls Barkley,
rapper T.I. and Justin Timberlake who also were among the top nominees with four each.
In addition to being nominated for multiple albums, lead vocalist Israel Houghton was also
recognized for his writing on Best Gospel Song. Their nominations are:
"Best Gospel Performance" for “Not Forgotten” from their album Alive in South Africa,
"Best Gospel Song" for “Not Forgotten,”
"Best Traditional Gospel Album" for Alive in South Africa,
and "Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album" for A Timeless Christmas.
“We are humbled, honored and appreciative of these highly esteemed nominations,” said Israel Houghton.
"The Alive in South Africa project was an unbelievable experience for us. I must say being
multi-nominated is a dream come true for me, New Breed and so many people who have labored to make
this project a success.”
The nominations make a total of six GRAMMY® Award nominations received thus far by this
ground-breaking group which defies categorization, winning over fans and critics of Gospel, Praise and Worship and Contemporary Christian music. In addition to their GRAMMY® nominations, Israel & New Breed are also winners of three Dove Awards, two Stellar Awards, a Soul Train Award and a NARM Award. Most recently, the group took home five nominations for the 22nd Annual Stellar Awards (to be held January 13 at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn.)
(from Spinhouse PR)
Boneyard Records/Flicker Records rap artist T-Bone
received a GRAMMY Award nomination in the category of Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album for his Sept.
2005 release, Bone-A-Fide. This is his second
career nomination in the category.
“Ever since my 2001 nomination for Tha Last Street Preacha, I’ve been eager for a second
chance at GRAMMY fame. I owe a lot to my fans as well as to the all-star team that was on board
for this record. Thanks also to The Recording Academy for this nomination”
The 49th Annual GRAMMY Awards will air Sunday, Feb. 11, 2007, from the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.grammy.com.
(from Savvy Media)
Slanted Records recording artists DecembeRadio have
earned their first GRAMMY nomination as the announcements for the 49th Annual GRAMMY Awards were
released last week. The Christian rock band is nominated in Category 53-Best Rock or Rap Gospel
Album for their debut, self-titled release, produced by
Scotty Wilbanks, which hit shelves last summer.
Named one of the ten acts to watch for 2006 by BILLBOARD Magazine and voted Breakout Band of the Year
at the Rock Summit radio event, DecembeRadio, of Blacksburg, VA, has been gaining momentum among
fans and earning respect among industry representatives for the past year, evidenced by this first
big nod of approval from The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc. (NARAS).
"One of the highlights of being a distributor is getting to experience an artist early on, realizing
just what terrific potential lies ahead," stated Mark Funderburg, president of Word Distribution.
"From the first time I heard DecembeRadio, I knew they had talent, charisma and that certain
'something special.' It is a thrill to be a part of this band's career...and to see others enjoying
the same great music that moved us from day one."
"We couldn't have done this without the support of our label and our team," stated band member Eric
Miker. "This is one of the pinnacles of what we hoped to achieve during our career, and we didn't
expect to reach this on the first album. We are blown away, humbled and honored."
The band's current single "Drifter" climbed to #3 this week on the CHR radio charts (R&R) while
climbing to #22 at AC radio. Their current rock single, "Dangerous," jumped to #20 on the CRW chart
and to #23 on R&R's listing.
(from Spring Hill Music)
Details on this year's GRAMMY nominations have begun flowing in... 
Multi-million-selling, GRAMMY and Dove Award-winning rock band Third Day
received its eighth career GRAMMY nomination for the RIAA Gold certified
Wherever You Are (11/1/05) in the Pop Contemporary
Gospel Album category. From its eight nods, the band has been awarded GRAMMYs for both Wire
(5/4/2004) and Come Together (10/17/01), each
RIAA Certified Gold. In addition, the band’s lead vocalist, Mac Powell, received his first nod for
co-writing the hit song, “Mountain of God,” a chart-topping track on Wherever You Are, with legendary
producer Brown Bannister. “Mountain of God” has maintained its place in the Top 5 on multiple charts
since its release on June 23, 2006. It hit No. 1 on R&R AC Monitored, R&R AC Indicator, R&R
Inspirational, CRW AC, CRW Inspirational and Billboard Hot Christian Tracks. Third Day has scored 23
No.1 radio singles, and made history this week by being the first artist to have three songs on the
chart in one week, the R&R Monitored Christian AC chart, with “Mountain of God” at No. 9, “Born in
Bethlehem,” debuting at No. 17 and “Oh Come All Ye Faithful,” debuting at No. 29.
Tai Anderson, Third Day’s bass player, notes, “I’m really overwhelmed by the support of the industry
and fans, throughout our career. It’s amazing to have the privilege to make a living doing something
you love. Receiving an honor like this is both humbling and exciting.”
“When we recorded ‘Mountain of God,’ we never imagined it would be recognized with a GRAMMY
nomination,” comments Mac Powell. “I’m incredibly humbled by all of this. This song is really
special. In concert it’s become a crowd favorite; we just love playing it live – it really connects.”
Recently releasing its first Christmas worship album,
Christmas Offerings (10/10/2006), and wrapping up a
successful headlining tour on Nov. 19, the band is excited about heading into 2007 with such strong momentum.
(from Provident Music Group)
sixstepsrecords/Sparrow Records lead-worshiper and 2006 GMA Artist and Male Vocalist of the
Year, Chris Tomlin, receives his first and second GRAMMY
nominations for the 49th Annual GRAMMY Awards. Announced by The Recording Academy, Tomlin was
given nods for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for
See The Morning, his No. 1 selling, critically
acclaimed album released Sept. 26, and Best Gospel Performance for “Made to Worship,” his current,
record breaking single that is No. 1 for the 12th consecutive week at Christian radio.
“What? Wow! God is amazing,” exclaimed Tomlin, caught off guard by the news. “It's an honor to be
nominated by my peers for a GRAMMY.” The past year has been filled with milestones for Chris Tomlin. In February, he was presented with
his first Gold record for his 2004 release, Arriving, which made radio history by producing three
No. 1 singles and three songs in the R&R AC top 30 simultaneously (two songs in the top 10). When
GMA Music Award nominations were announced later that month Tomlin led all artists with 10
nominations and two months later walked away with 5 awards, including the top honors for Artist of
Year, Male Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year. On Nov. 27, he was lauded by TIME magazine as
perhaps the most sung artist anywhere. Tomlin has written 17 Top CCLI songs sung by millions around
the world every week as people gather to worship, including “Forever,” “Holy Is The Lord” and “We Fall Down.”
Inspired by the psalmist who describes God’s ongoing work as provoking new beginnings,
Tomlin released See The Morning Sept. 26 to wide critical acclaim. Lauded by Billboard,
CCM, All Music Guide, Relevant Leader and numerous others, the album debuted at No. 1 on the
SoundScan® compiled Christian retail charts and landed Tomlin his highest Billboard Top 200 position
ever at No. 15 with 47,420 units sold in its first week. On Oct. 23, he became the first Christian
artist to eclipse 20 million impressions in one week at radio for the Christian format (Christian
Radio & Retail Weekly). Tomlin’s fourth No. 1 radio hit, “Made To Worship,” from See The Morning,
continues to strongly hold the top position even after 12 full weeks.
(from Hoganson Media)
Modern rock band Red pulled in its first GRAMMY
nomination, receiving the nod in the Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album category for their debut End
of Silence, at a press conference in Hollywood, Calif. The nominations were announced by The
Recording Academy. Red guitarist, Jasen Rauch, shares the band’s reaction to the nomination, “We are so excited to do
what we love and be able to make music. Something like a GRAMMY nomination is so far above our
expectations it is hard to believe. We have a great label, agent, manager, and most of all great
fans. We want to thank everyone for all of their support from day one.”
(from Provident Music Group)
Project 86's followup to ...And The Rest Will Follow is shaping up. The band is currently
working on a new DVD and eyeing a Spring release... "So our trip overseas was GREAT! The flight over
to Germany was long but the show was well worth it," stated the band in a recent blog. "We had so
many fans come out from all over Europe and we made some amazing new friends. If you have any pics
please post them! We have also begun filming a new DVD for our next record so make sure and come out
to our shows in the next couple of months. You just might make the DVD.
The new record is coming along and looks like it is coming out in late spring. We are excited about
these new songs and our continued evolution as a band. We can't wait for you all you P86 faithful to
hear it." Sounds good to us! More to come...
(from Jesusfreakhideout.com; MySpace.com/Project86)
The Gospel Music Association (GMA) will host a GMA Academy event February 16-17, 2007 in
Dallas with Fo Yo Soul Entertainment/Zomba recording artist Kirk Franklin
and Ardent/INO Recording Artist Todd Agnew. The Christian
and gospel music industry’s official weekend training camp and talent competition for signed and
aspiring artists and songwriters, the GMA Academy event will be held at the Hyatt Regency Dallas.
Academy registration is available online at www.gospelmusic.org.
There is a deadline to register for the talent competitions, which is January 16.
The GMA Academy was originally established to encourage and train musical talent interested in
developing a ministry or career in Christian and gospel music. Through various seminars and critique
sessions, individuals receive in-depth instruction, covering practical business concerns to improving
artistic and songwriting skills, taught by music industry professionals. The event also includes the
industry’s oldest and most respected talent competition.
“The GMA Academy events are intensely rewarding. In one, focused, weekend, registrants will make
time to focus on their individual calling in music, learn more about the inner-workings of the
Christian and gospel music industry, network with influential industry executives and receive
valuable feedback about songwriting and performance skills. I cannot think of any more important way
to spend two days if I were an aspiring or independent artist or songwriter,” said John W. Styll, president of the GMA.
The GMA Academy Dallas begins on Friday, February 16 for two days of intensive training with tracks
for songwriters and performers. Artists Franklin and Agnew will participate in the GMA Academy
event as Artists-in-Residence and present a teaching concert on the first night, along with the GMA
Academy Regional SONG of 2007 Competition. The event concludes Saturday night with the GMA Academy
Regional ARTIST 2007 Competition and showcase performances of the winners.
Winners from the talent competition at GMA Academy Dallas will be invited to go on to the Artist & Song of 2007 National Competitions at GMA Music in the Rockies, held in August 2007 in Estes Park, Colo.
In addition to Franklin and Agnew, GMA Academy Dallas will feature influential professionals from all areas of the music business who serve as faculty for the weekend event. Additionally, author and speaker Reed Arvin will offer keynotes for each morning. Arvin is an accomplished author, with his legal thrillers published around the world in 13 different languages. His latest work, Blood of Angels (2006, HarperTorch), has been named to numerous Top 10 lists since its release. Prior to becoming an author, Arvin was an accomplished musician/producer touring with artists Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant and producing 12 #1 songs for the late Rich Mullins. Arvin served on the original GMA Academy Advisory Council as dean, and was the managing editor for the first GMA Academy music curriculum, which was published in 1999.
Complete information and details about the GMA Academy Dallas can be found at this direct web link: http://www.gospelmusic.org/events/summaryDetail.aspx?aid=17&pid=73.
(from Spinhouse PR)
The 49th Annual GRAMMY nominations are in! For the Best Rock Or Rap Gospel Album,
the nominations are DecembeRadio for their self-titled debut album,
Sarah Kelly, for her sophomore record, Where The Past Meets Today,
Jonny Lang, for his Christian market debut Turn Around,
Essential's new rock act Red and their debut End Of Silence,
and T-Bone's latest effort, Bone-A-Fide.
For the Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album category,
Leeland's debut Sound Of Melodies received a nod along with
MercyMe's latest pop effort, Coming Up To Breathe,
Third Day's Wherever You Are,
Chris Tomlin's latest worship venture, See The Morning
and Ayiesha Woods debut, Introducing Ayiesha Woods.
Third Day garnered a second nomination under Best Gospel Song
for "Mountain Of God," while Tomlin received a second nomination with "Made To Worship"
in the Best Gospel Performance category. For a listing of all 49th Annual GRAMMY Nominations, click here.
(from Jesusfreakhideout.com; Tehillah Enterprises PR)
INXS, Prince, Christina, Kenny... Crowder? MSN has chosen their top 5 artists of the year
for you to vote on and David Crowder Band is in the running! "So check this one out," said Crowder
in an online bulletin, "we were browsing the internet today, dreaming of sugar plums and what not
(what else is there to do on a brisk winter’s day in Texas???) and came across something that made
us gasp… and chuckle a little bit. Apparently MSN MUSIC has put us in the running for
ARTIST OF THE YEAR. Huh??? Didn’t see that one coming! We've sized up the competition and think
there just might be a chance. You might say it’s uhhh maybe one in a million… "so you're sayin'
there's a chance." Hmm. …Looks like we’ve got our work cut out for us... but I think maybe... just
maybe we might be able to mount a late push. It would definitely be a New Sensation, and heck…
we may just have to party like it’s nineteen ninety nine… VOTE FOR CROWDER!!!! WOOHOO!" Last time
we checked, Crowder & Co. DO have a chance! Head on over to music.msn.com/music/artistofthemonth
and vote for the best of the bunch (And you know that's DCB!).
(from Jesusfreakhideout.com; MySpace.com/DavidCrowderBand)
Tickets for the 38th Annual GMA Dove Awards
(www.doveawards.com) went on sale this week through TicketMaster (www.ticketmaster.com).
The GMA Dove Awards will be presented on Wednesday, April 25, 2007 (8:00-10:00 p.m. CST) at
the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn., hosted by Dove-winning artists Natalie Grant, Brian
Littrell and Donnie McClurkin. The GMA Dove Awards will be produced for broadcast in national
syndication during the month of May. The broadcast taping of the show will begin at 8 p.m. and
feature artist performances and the presentation of a number of key Dove Awards. The opening ceremony
begins at 5:30 p.m. and will include the announcement of most of the 44 categories of Dove Awards.
Tickets to the show include seating at both events. The direct Ticketmaster web link to buy tickets
is at www.ticketmaster.com/artist/1091675/.
GMA’s Dove Awards is Christian and gospel music’s biggest night of the year, where top artists from every style of gospel music come together for a national night of music and celebration as the GMA bestows the industry’s highest honor -- the Dove Award. Nominations for the awards will be announced on February 20, 2007.
(from Spinhouse PR)
Tooth & Nail and MxPx have joined forces to give you
the chance to win a massive amount of music gear. Ernie Ball, Samson, Pro-Mark, Mackie, Truth Custom
Drums, Meinl, Crate, Ampeg, Alvarez, InTune, Hartke, Zoom, Get Off My Case, Celestion, and Rocket
Guitar Pickups have all given loads of gear for you to kick off the new year in style.
Also, be sure to pick up your copy of the Let It Happen: Deluxe Edition which in stores now!
Check out all the amazing gear you can win here.
(from Tooth & Nail Records)
Mainstay is currently cranking out their follow up to their BEC debut Well Meaning Fiction.
Lead singer Justin Anderson writes in a recent blog, "We have been spending much time at the Mainstay
house (as we affectionately term it) in St. Anthony writing new tunes, and are sitting on an album's
worth of songs already! We are gunning for 5 or 6 more to have a CRAP load to choose from, in the
hopes that this record will be better than WMF... We will start recording more of the record in a
few weeks. We already have a few tracks done, and are pretty excited about them. We believe this
record will be more dynamic, more emotive, and our boldest statement of faith to date. So expect
a-plenty of rock and roll, a-plenty of tender acoustic songs, and a-whole-heaping-plenty of songs
about how badly I need Jesus. We hope you will like it. Expect it to drop sometime in spring of '07."
In the meantime, we suggest checking out Well Meaning Fiction if you haven't already!
(from MySpace.com/Mainstay; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
Family Force 5 is already in the Christmas spirit. The band has posted a brand new audio
Christmas blog on their MySpace page, offering a candid spontaneous medley of virtually any
Christmas song chorus that comes to mind. As the guys share their favorite - and least favorite -
Christmas carols, be sure to keep listening for Nadaddy's special rendition of "I Want A Hippopotamus
For Christmas!" And while you're on their MySpace page, check out the band's reposting of last year's
ultra goofy music video for the Family Force 5 rendition of "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer!"
(from Jesusfreakhideout.com)
A special Underoath DVD released to the UK is in
stores now! The DVD includes the brand new video for "In Regards To Myself," an amazing live
performance of "Writing On The Walls," an extensive photo gallery, and much more! Go pick up your
copy of the DVD at the following UK stores: HMV, Virgin and Amazon. Underoath's smash hit new album
Define The Great Line is available everywhere now.
(from Tooth & Nail Records)
Chasing Victory finished tracking their brand new
record last month with a plan for mixing in January. The new project, titled Fiends,
will hit stores sometime in early May 2007. More updates will be coming soon.
In the meantime, you can check out all of the band's studio video updates over at Zambooie.com
Just click on the "Get In The Studio" feature.
(from MySpace.com/ChasingVictory)
Premier Productions has announced the cancellation of the Winter Wonder Slam concert (featuring
TobyMac) scheduled for Thursday, December 7 at the Shrine Mosque in Springfield, MO. Gary Gentry
with Premier states "ticket sales have been slow and the huge snowstorm of last week put the concert
in further jeopardy by depressing sales even more for several days. We apologize for the inconvenience to
any fans who have purchased tickets and look forward to bring TobyMac and Winter Wonder Slam
back to the Springfield market..." For the latest on Toby and the Winter Wonder Slam tour, visit
Myspace.com/tobymacmusic
(from Myspace.com/TobyMacMusic)
Catch Nevertheless’ music video for their hit single
“The Real” in American Eagle stores this holiday season! You can view this video now at the
Nevertheless website under “media.”
The band has been hand selected to perform for the 2007 National Association for Campus Activities
National Convention. The convention will be held in Nashville February 17-21st featuring 80 artist
performances. Nevertheless will perform the evening of the 19th. NACA is the nation’s largest
collegiate organization for campus activities, with programs and services designed to reflect the
field’s increased responsibilities for student leadership development as well as entertainment
programming.
(from The M Collective)
Atlantic/Lava/Ardent/SRE band Skillet is continuing
to rock hard this fall as sales, radio and media continue to garner the band more success
in both the General and CBA markets.
With another great week of sales (over 8700 units sold in their 7th week of release, over 61k total),
Skillet currently graces the December cover of CCM, and is also featured inside general market
publication METAL EDGE (with cover line) as their smash No. 1 Christian Rock single “Rebirthing”
(seven consecutive weeks) is now preparing to take over the Top 10 on R&R’s Christian CHR chart
(currently at No.11). Their mainstream single “Whispers in the Dark” continues to get new adds
each week at Active Rock radio, this week increasing spins and moving up to No. 31 on that chart with
a bullet. The single is currently spinning in key markets including Chicago, Columbus, Phoenix,
Albuquerque, Spokane, Little Rock and Grand Rapids.
Currently performing one off dates through the end of the year, Skillet is set to tour with Flyleaf this coming March and April, with more details to be announced soon.
(from The M Collective)
Inpop recording artist newsboys supports its Oct. 31
album release, GO, with a mini-tour throughout
Scandinavia, Russia, Asia and Canada. On Sunday, Nov. 19, newsboys made history as the first CCM act
to play in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Headlining Finland’s Maata Nakyvissa Festival earlier this month, newsboys additionally held
concerts in Bergen, Norway and Aarhus, Denmark, before capping off its initial run abroad with the
Prishestvie Rock Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia. Performing at LDM Youth Palace, in the heart of
the city, newsboys drew an audience of nearly 1,000 youth. This is the first publicized public
appearance by a CCM artist in St. Petersburg.
“Jesus’ last words on earth were to ‘go and make disciples of all nations,’” comments newsboys
manager Wes Campbell. “Over the last few years, newsboys has made a serious effort to do just that,
bringing the excitement and passion they have in their live concerts to masses all around the world.
From Uganda to Morocco, Israel to China, the newsboys are bringing the message of salvation to everyone they can.”
This jaunt overseas along with dates in Asia next month and Canada come January preface the U.S. leg
of newsboys’ 2007 “GO” tour. Kicking off Feb. 16, the “GO” tour will visit more than 40 cities,
including Seattle, Minneapolis, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and Dallas. For more information, visit: www.newsboys.com.
(from Savvy Media)
Integrity Music’s renowned worship artist/songwriter Paul Baloche
will be featured on two upcoming Christmas television specials in December, including the annual
Billy Graham Christmas program.
The Billy Graham Christmas Special will be broadcast in syndication nationwide December 2-10, 2006.
On the special Baloche performs a Christmas version of his radio hit and popular worship song
“Offering.” Music videos are woven throughout the Billy Graham special, and in addition to Baloche,
include Michael W. Smith, Randy Travis and Erin O’Donnell.
The Billy Graham TV Special will air in over 140 markets in the US (and around the world) on various
top broadcast networks (CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX). Times will vary by market with dates through Dec.10 and
between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. The special will also air nationally on TBN, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. ET. TV
listings for the special can be found at http://bgea.org/TV_Index.asp.
Also for the Christmas season, Baloche is featured in a PBS special “Tim Janis: The American
Christmas Carol.” “The American Christmas Carol” traces world-famous carols back to their
beginnings. Composer Tim Janis is joined by Baloche and additional special guests with narration by James Earl Jones.
Baloche is also featured on a CD soundtrack for the television special. Airdates and times can be found by checking local PBS stations’ television listings or visit http://www.pbs.org/ to search for local PBS stations.
(from Spinhouse PR)
Audio Adrenaline recently counted down the band's top 20 moments and memories throughout the
last 15 years on the road for "20 the Countdown Magazine" during a recent visit to Jon & Sheri
Rivers' Ranch. Fans can visit www.20countdownmagazine.com to download the mp3s or from a recent
blog the band posted on their MySpace page.
The guys recently played their final show of 2006 last month in Canada, and are looking forward to their final
bow next April in Hawaii. Their final album, Adios: The Greatest Hits is in stores now.
(from MySpace.com/AudioA; Jesusfreakhideout.com)
EMI CMG Label Group is partnering with Walden Media and Bristol Bay Productions to release
Music Inspired By The Motion Picture Amazing Grace.
Opening in theaters on Feb. 23, 2007, the Samuel Goldwyn Films/Roadside Attractions/Bristol Bay
Productions film Amazing Grace stars Ioan Gruffudd ("Fantastic Four") as
William Wilberforce, the man who championed the abolition of slavery in the British Empire.
Wilberforce was aided in this quest by slave trader-turned abolitionist Rev. John Newton (played by
Albert Finney), who also is known for writing the poem "Amazing Grace" that developed into the
world-famous hymn known today. Newton was posthumously inducted into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1982.
The project features modern day versions of modern hymns performed by Christian and country artists,
including Chris Tomlin's new version of "Amazing Grace." Tomlin was asked to write a new verse to the
song, which he sings along with the Wilberforce University Choir, according to a press release.
The final version on the album also includes a resurrected verse that was a part of Newton's original
poem, but left out of more recent hymnbooks. Other artists featured on the project include Avalon,
Adrienne Camp, Jeremy Camp, Steven Curtis Chapman, David Crowder, Bethany Dillon, Natalie Grant,
Jars of Clay, Martina McBride, Shawn McDonald, MercyMe's Bart Millard, Nichole Nordeman, Smokie
Norful, Kierra "Kiki" Sheard and Marty Stuart. The album is scheduled to be released to both
general market and CBA retail on Jan. 23, 2007.
(from GMA)
The GMA is supporting an effort by the Country Music Association (CMA) this holiday season
in support of U.S. troops who are taking part in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Separately
each organization will be accepting donations of DVDs (new or used), CDs and adult clothing, which
will be sent to the Army Life Support Area at Ali Al Salem in Kuwait. This area serves as the
primary deployment hub for all troops who are serving in Iraq. Anyone who is interested in donating
something is asked to bring it to the GMA office (1205 Division Street, Nashville, TN) during
regular business hours (M-F, 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. CT) by Friday, Dec. 15.
This donation drive was launched after the CMA received a letter from CMSgt. Nelligan, who is the
Camp Commander Chief for the Army Life Support Area. Here's an excerpt from that latter: "One of my
primary responsibilities is to maintain and if possible, improve the quality of life for those
assigned here. We are at an austere location that does not have the creature comforts we as Americans,
have become accustomed to. Our troops live in small trailers or tents that house three members along
with all their combat gear in a space less then 200 square feet. There are no restrooms, TV or
internet access. The average workday is 12 hours long and for most members work 7 days a week. The
amazing thing to witness is these young Americans do not complain... they take whatever comes along
with a positive attitude and do the job they’re paid to do."
The two specific requests are for DVDs, for a camp DVD library, and a supply of civilian clothing.
The clothes would be given to those troops who have to return home for emergency leave situations,
which usually means an immediate family is very ill or has just passed away. Most troops who are
deployed to Iraq don't come with any of their personal clothes. Any clothing would be appreciated,
but the primary need is for pants and shirts for males and females.
Regarding this donation drive, GMA President John W. Styll commented, "Regardless of whether we as
individuals support the war in Iraq, all Americans have the privilege of providing tangible support
and encouragement to the men and women serving in the military and whose lives are on the line.
Having had a family member serve in Afghanistan, I have a personal sense of the importance of encouragement from home. And I believe the Gospel message compels Christians to action. That's why the GMA is supporting this effort."
(from GMA)
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iNTELLECT Roots [Polished Arrow]
