*new as of Wednesday, March
31st, 2004*
5 Minute Walk Records have just signed former Five Iron
Frenzy frontman, Reese Roper, to a new record
deal. His new band will be called Roper and will most likely be a four
piece with music that will be very fun, upbeat, pop-punk in
style, and will have the same great lyrical content Reese is
known for! Reese will head into the studio with producer
Masaki Liu in May to record the album, and hopes to have the
CD release in early October. Reese is really excited to work
on new material and get back on the road. Speaking of
Five Iron Frenzy, the
band's CD, The End Is Here, will release to stores in
three weeks. The End Is Here double-disc features the
live recording from Five Iron’s final show (to an
over-capacity crowd in Denver on 11/22/03), their final studio
album, The End Is Near (which was only available
online and on the farewell tour), plus a new song, “The Cross
of St. Andrew,” from the studio recordings. The first disc
includes 19 live tracks and disc two with 14 tracks. The album
packaging features a thirty-two page booklet with
illustrations by celebrated artist Douglas TenNapel and a
collector's poster with live shots from the farewell tour last
Fall. And for those wondering about Reese's former project,
Guerilla Rodeo, they are still deciding what
to do with that band, but Reese has decided not to be a part
of it so that he can work on Roper full time.
Eight years into what has been a whirlwind career for the
Orange County natives, Project
86 are returning to their roots, releasing
their fourth studio album entitled, Songs to Burn Your
Bridges By, June 1, 2004 on Tooth & Nail Records. The
band, begun in early 1996 as young musicians bonding in their
common musical interests and personal beliefs, was almost
immediately a hit, garnering label interest not only in
California, but also as far north as Seattle, Washington,
where Tooth & Nail owner Brandon Ebel recognized and
signed the group in 1998. From that point, Tooth & Nail
hosted Project 86’s successful premiere self-titled album
(1996), and followed it with their hit sophomore release,
Drawing Black Lines. (2000) which also brought
attention from major labels such as Atlantic Records, who
eventually licensed Drawing Black Lines as a joint
effort with Tooth & Nail. Their third album, Truthless
Heroes, a darker, follow-up to their previous effort,
came next. Though with the timing of it’s release, in 2002, as
record companies were struggling, and paying little attention
to actual new artist development, Project 86 seemed far from a
priority for Atlantic. In 2003 the band parted ways not only
with both record labels, but with their management company as
well. From there the band worked independently, gaining new
management (Zambooie Artists Management), beginning their own
production company, “Team Black Recordings,” and started
recording a new record themselves, eventually persuading Matt
Hyde (Slayer, No Doubt) to join them in their efforts. Seeming
more like an evolution from Drawing Black Lines than
the ominous direction Truthless Heroes took, Ebel
recognized the transformation as a welcome change. And from
there the band and label began talks, first in healing their
relationship and joining forces for the upcoming project.
“’Drawing Black Lines has been my favorite Project 86
release, and I love the new direction this album is taking, as
a continuation to that Drawing Black Lines, “ Ebel
explains, adding, “We are very excited to put out Songs to
Burn Your Bridges By, and we feel honored that Project 86
chose us again and is trusting us with their future career.”
Lead vocalist, Andrew Schwab shares Ebel’s sentiment saying,
"In a time when the music industry is dying rapidly, Tooth and
Nail is one of the only labels that is having any success. We
were very blessed to mend our relationship with them and move
forward to get our music out to the world. I feel like this
move, as well as many others that have been happening
internally in our band, is a return to our roots both
spiritually and mentally. We talked to many labels about
distributing our record, but Tooth & Nail was the one that
offered us the most advantageous situation. We feel that our
fans will appreciate the fact that both sides made huge
efforts to move forward from the past into a successful
future."
Here's an update from Skillet's John Cooper about the
pending rerelease of their 2003 release Collide...
"As most of you know we are gearing up for a mainstream
release on Lava Records. I have never been this excited about
the band before because this will be the first chance we have
had to be played to a big audience. It's still all about the
message and the mission, and it always will be. The release is
going to be May 25. There will be new song added to the
release called "Open Wounds." The track was just recorded
about two weeks ago in Chicago. It will be the third song on
the record right after "Savior." It will also probably be our
second mainstream radio release. The new album will also have
some exclusive video footage. This is basically a mixture of
live performance video and backstage shots, as well as a few
interview segments about the record. In addition to the
release, "Savior" is getting released to mainstream radio in
about three weeks (April 12). This is only a few days after my
birthday... no point in saying that really (but bring me
toys)."
GRAMMY Award winning Audio
Adrenaline has once again struck a chord with
listeners with their latest single, “Leaving 99,” which
claimed the #1 spot on CHR charts this week and continues to
climb landing on #3 on AC radio (R&R). This song is based
on the parable of the lost sheep (Matthew 18:12-14) and the
lengths The Father would go to find you! The effect of
“Leaving 99” goes beyond the radio waves, as an AudioA fan who
was moved by the meaning of the song recently launched a
nationally recognized website aptly titled HITList99.com. Katy
McWhirter is the individual behind this grassroots campaign to
track the penetration of AudioA’s song among listeners
worldwide. The website houses listeners’ testimonies, the
band’s inspiration for the song, a media page, and many other
features. “I decided to create a website that will track God’s
impact of the song “Leaving 99” on the people who hear it,”
Katy says. “The band has helped me in so many ways, so I
thought it would be cool if I could help them somehow. My
desire is that this site will draw people in, and that they
can see how much of a blessing “Leaving 99” really is.” The
emotional testimonies stand out as being life-changing
experiences. One listener writes, “During my senior year, I
attempted suicide, but thanks to God, I survived. The summer
after I had graduated, I went to see Audio Adrenaline, but I
wasn’t in the best emotional state. But then ‘Leaving 99’
started playing, and that was all I needed to hear. I just
broke down…He’d kept me alive even when I was willing to
sacrifice everything to escape the life he’d given me. He DID
come back to find me!” Check out http://www.HITList99.com for
more testimonies and the impact of “Leaving 99.”
Tooth & Nail Records wants to know... Can you
make ringtones? The label recently announced a new contest in
their latest newsletter, "Are you up for the challenge? We're
asking both new and old Dead
Poetic alike fans to create a ringtone for the
first single, "New Medicines." Listen closely to "New
Medicines" at purevolume.com and then email your ringtone to
us. The best sounding ringtone will be posted on this site and
the winner will receive a huge Dead Poetic prize package!
Check out the New Medicines site for more info!
http://www.new-medicines.com" Sounds cool so get ringin'!
Fervent Records, label home to Big Daddy Weave,
BarlowGirl, By The Tree and Jill Phillips, is proud to
announce the signing of new pop trio Palisade to its roster. “We are very
excited to have Palisade as part of the Fervent family,” says
Susan Riley, founder and president of Fervent Records.
“Jeremy, Brandon and Ashley are extremely talented, and they
have a genuine passion for spreading the Gospel through their
music. We look forward to standing beside them and taking them
to the next level in their ministry.” Recently signing to GOA,
Inc. for booking, the trio’s self-titled label debut, which
releases July 20, was produced by Jeromy Deibler of FFH and
features songs written by Palisade, Deibler and other
acclaimed writers including Reuben Morgan, Mark Schultz and
Scott Krippayne. “After I heard Palisade for the first time, I
just had to work with them because they had such great
potential,” says Deibler, who has become a mentor to the trio.
“The band has amazingly tight harmonies, and their blend of
high-energy pop and power ballads are sure to make a splash
with listeners across the nation. It is truly a pleasure to be
working with these guys.”
Enter The Worship Circle and Grassroots
Music Distribution announce the March 18 release of
Chair and Microphone Vol.
1 featuring Ben Pasley,
the creative force behind the previous Enter The Worship
Circle recordings, which have sold more than 100,000 units
combined. Continuing in the development of eclectic music that
blends spiritual conversations and modern music, Chair and
Microphone Vol. 1 spotlights the songwriting and performing
talents of Ben Pasley, 100 Portraits, who not only wrote all
of the songs on the album, but produced them as well with no
overdubs and only a handful of microphones. Describing the
vulnerable nature of such a recording Ben Pasley says, “For a
musical era where slick production, vocal pitch correction,
and glossy promo is the norm, doing a project like Chair and
Microphone, Vol. 1 is both frightening and freeing. I have
written songs in the quiet of my living room for years, but I
usually imagine, even during the writing process, the other
instruments and the other artists, that will accompany the
final song. To write songs knowing they would have to
stand-alone was a challenge both to my musical ego and to my
musical ability. I have a great admiration for those
singer-songwriters who, as a creative commitment, write and
perform in the vulnerable loneliness of the ‘Chair and
Microphone’ styling. “On the other hand,” continues Pasley,
“being able to write a song, record it in the same hour and
then change it on a whim the next day without concern for any
greater arrangement was an incredibly freeing experience.
Several songs were recorded right from the loose, hand-written
notes of my journal, filled out in front of the microphone
improvisation ally, and then simply left alone because they
felt complete. This is the way I like my concerts, and now, I
can say, that it also is an intense way to make a record.”
*new as of Friday, March 26th,
2004*
Newsboys are
offering a very limited edition, live 2-CD set, from each of
four of the shows from the sell-out Adoration Worship Tour!
Only 2,000 individually numbered, high fidelity, premium
packaged CD collectible recorded sets per show will ever be
produced! You can secure yours today in advance for $22 at DiscLive.com or purchase
your copy during the show at one of the DiscLive merchandise
stands! The dates for these recordings are March 25 in
Milwaukee, March 26 in Chicago, March 27 in Minneapolis, and
March 28 in Minot!
Hard to believe, but Caedmon's
Call has been around for just over a decade
now and to commemorate this milestone, Essential Records is
proud to introduce the limited-edition release of
Chronicles in stores April 6th. Chronicles
gathers the best of Caedmon's Call to date into the ultimate
collector's package. It includes rarities, remixes, live
favorites, and two brand-new songs. Featured titles on this
special project include "Lead of Love," "Hope to Carry On,"
"Thankful", the radio version of "Hands of the Potter" and
lots more. Don't forget- it's a limited release, so once it's
gone, it's gone! You can pre-order your copy of Chronicles now
at MusiChristian.com!
Grammy Award winning singer Rebecca St. James, who was Hollywood
bound this week for a performance at the presentation of the
12th Annual “MOVIEGUIDE® AWARDS,” guested on MSNBC’s
“Scarborough Country” this past week to talk about The
Passion Of The Christ, and Mel Gibson’s recent
announcement that his next project may center around the story
of Hanukkah’s historical origins in the Bible. “Mel is getting
people to think beyond the here and now into the eternal with
The Passion, noted the 26 year old singer who
describes Gibson’s movie as “one of the most loving movies
that’s ever been created. When we see graphically how Jesus
suffered to take the sins of the whole world on His shoulders
— that’s passionate love,” commented the singer on MSNBC. She
applauds Mel’s plans for more biblical projects. St. James
believes that Hollywood’s most successful ‘epics’ to come are
buried within the pages of the Bible—and that the next wave of
blockbuster entertainment may well be found in unearthing
them. The 26 year old Australian is herself about to hit
Hollywood with her own portrayal of a Bible character. She
comes to the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles on April
23rd as lead actress in the controversial rock opera musical
“!Hero,” which will re-launch on national tour on April 13th.
A first run of performances last fall produced sell-outs. The
character St. James portrays is “Maggie”-- a modern day Mary
Magdalene—a much different reading than the Mary Magdalene
currently portrayed by Monica Bellucci in Gibson’s The
Passion of The Christ. “‘!Hero’ is set in a bleak,
godless post modern New York of the future,” noted St. James
in a recent interview. “My character of Maggie is a drug
addicted girl of the streets with shattered dreams and no hope
of a future until she encounters Jesus. The setting is
different but the wonderful story of the transforming and
redeeming power of meeting Jesus is the same,” said Rebecca
St. James.
Multiple Dove-nominated Word Records band downhere is preparing to launch the
philanthropic "Will Play for Food" national tour, together
with co-headliners Jonah33 and
Pivetplex. Presented by Air1 Radio, the tour
will begin April 3 with appearances in California and Arizona,
and continue to an additional 25 cities nationally in Fall
2004. The "Will Play for Food" Tour is being presented to
encourage fans to express their love for those suffering from
hunger, poverty and disease. Concert-goers will be encouraged
to put their faith in action by sponsoring a child, going on a
short-term mission trip or serving as a volunteer with
world-relief organization and tour sponsor, Food for the
Hungry. downhere and their fellow tour mates hope to inspire
others to give up some luxuries in order to express their love
for the poor, and will lead by example through foregoing
hotels and restaurants to stay with host families, and serving
meals to fans during the tour. Food for the Hungry, a
Christian international charity, is devoted to helping people
throughout the world overcome physical and spiritual hunger.
The organization helps impoverished people secure clean
sources of water, educates them on various agricultural
techniques, and promotes community development by providing
small business loans. "Everyone has needs, but Food for the
Hungry is something that people can grasp onto as a practical
way to step outside of themselves, take a risk, and give,"
downhere's Marc Martel said. He hoped the bands will connect
with others on the "Will Play for Food" Tour who will join
them in the fight against the apathy, cynicism and materialism
that mark much of today's modern lifestyles, even that of
Christians.
Don't miss MercyMe
in their Big Screen Concert Premiere - One Night Only -
Tuesday, April 13 at 7:30 pm only in select Regal movie
theatres near you! This inspirational evening includes
never-before seen footage from MercyMe’s “The Imagine Tour”
and features inspirational insights from Max Lucado, best
selling author of “It’s Not About Me” and “Next Door Savior”.
MercyMe's brand new album Undone streets April 20th!
Sara Groves has
good reason to be excited to be back out on the road in 2004.
After nearly a year off the road, Sara is touring with special
guest will be Joel
Hanson of PFR fame who has
been writing and singing some of the best music of his career
during this independent season. Groves will be traveling with
a full band this time around so you won't want to miss it
(keys, guitar, drums, hand percussion and bass)!
For a few more weeks a limited edition CD is available
free when you purchase Jeremy
Camp's Stay album or new Carred
Me: The Worship Project from Family Christian Bookstores
(you can check out www.familychristian.com for all locations
near you). The CD features an interview with Jeremy, plus 3
exclusive songs!
Christian recording group, Go
Fish, kicked off a recent Marriage Rally in
Minneapolis by singing the national anthem to an estimated
crowd of three-thousand people. The event was attended by
Minnesota Governor, Tim Pawlenty, who was also a keynote
speaker. The rally was in support of a proposed constitutional
amendment that defines marriage partners, as a man and a
woman. Also on hand for the event were the bill’s co-sponsors,
Minnesota State Representative, Mary Liz Holberg and Minnesota
Senator, Michele Bachmann.
With an incredible introduction at retail and radio,
BarlowGirl holds the
second highest first month Christian retail sales total for
all new artists releasing since January 2003, according to the
Nielsen SoundScan charts. Fervent Records' BarlowGirl is on
track to become one of the best selling new artists in recent
years. "The excitement for BarlowGirl is still gaining
momentum at retail," said Don Noes, sr. vice president of
distribution for Provident Music Distribution. "Retailers love
these girls because their music is relevant to kids and their
message is music to parents' ears! We expect BarlowGirl to be
one of our biggest Christian retail success stories for 2004."
"Fervent Records is proud to be a part of the growing story of
BarlowGirl. As we see the girls out on the road and visiting
retail and radio, we are grateful to see the blessings that
follow them," said Susan Riley, owner/president of Fervent
Records, which is establishing a strong track record for
debuting new artists. Fervent is also home to Big Daddy Weave
who holds the best first month sales for a new artist in 2002
at Christian Retail for its Fervent debut One &
Only.
Following Christafari's 2003 European tour,
founder and lead vocalist Mark Mohr and his
wife Avion followed the Lord's undeniable lead and moved to
Trinidad and Tobago, a twin island country in the southeastern
Caribbean. After about a month in Trinidad, it became clear
why God had brought them there. "After studying the Christian
churches of Trinidad I found a major void," said Mark. "While
many churches may have a good youth group, when a teenager
finishes high school, he/she is stuck with two choices: become
a youth leader, or attend their church's general service which
can be tough for a 17 year-old teen who watches more BET than
TBN." After this realization and much prayer, the Mohrs set
out to plant "The Gathering" in the city of St. James. The
Gathering is redefining the Christian church for today's young
adults in Trinidad and Tobago. "It's kind of a Church 2.0,"
says Mohr. "Before starting The Gathering, I studied the
Gospels, the book of Acts, and the Epistles. Comparing that
Biblical church model to the typical church of today, it
didn't take long to realize most of today's churches carry a
lot of excess baggage, jam packed with empty traditions." The
Gathering is founded on four key pillars: Worship,
Instruction, Fellowship and Evangelism (W.I.F.E.). Climbing
the stairs to the Gathering for their Monday meetings, one
quickly realizes it's not a typical Trinidadian church. There
are no pews, no pulpit, and no steeple. There are a few chairs
in the back, but most attendees recline on a couch or a
pillow.
ILLECT Recordings is proud to announce the signing of
L.A. Symphony member Flynn to a solo album contract with
the new Northwest based hip-hop label. The new album In
Like Flynn will hit stores later this spring, on May 4th.
Guest appearance by fellow members of his crew, L.A. Symphony,
join Flynn on his third solo effort. As one of the founding
members of the highly renowned L.A. Symphony crew (currently
on Gotee Records), and also as an accomplished solo artist and
producer, Flynn stands out as one of the premier residents of
Hip-Hop’s left coast. With this latest solo effort, Dove award
nominated Flynn offers the listener more of what the fans have
come to expect from him over the years: intricate, neck
jerkin’ beats, seasoned with just the right amount of honest,
insightful and plainly innovative lyricism. In Like
Flynn is impassioned and refined - an album that's grown
out of many dues being paid and life lessons being learned. On
the journey of discipleship, it’s not unusual for us to be
brought down low in order to be brought up high. It’s all
about a deeper rooting in the truest joy, the kind that only
comes from knowing Christ beyond our sometimes-difficult
circumstances. When all's said and done, Flynn is an artist
and performer that takes to heart the words of the 37th Psalm:
"Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the
desires of your heart". This album is his unique invitation to
the listener to meditate on that certainty.
Casting Crowns,
the “fastest-selling new artist of 2003,” continues to see a
rise in sales as its self-titled debut once again claimed the
No. 1 position on the Nielsen SoundScan Top Christian Album
chart. This is the second consecutive week for the No. 1
position and the 9th time since its release on Sept. 30, 2003.
The album also saw a No. 1 position on Billboard’s Heatseekers
chart the week of March 13 and is now sitting at No. 80 on its
Top 100 Albums chart (for the week ending April 3.) The band’s
second single, “Who Am I” has been gaining momentum at radio.
The single was the most added for two weeks straight at on the
Christian Adult Contemporary chart and this week broke into
the Top 10 on both Radio & Records and Christian Radio
Weekly’s AC charts. “Who Am I” is currently No. 9 on R&R
and No. 6 on CRW charts. The song is impacting close to 6
million listeners. Andrew Patton, vp of national promotions,
Provident Label Group, notes, “After only three weeks of
airplay, ‘Who Am I’ is already the No. 1 testing song at KLOVE
and WAY-FM's ‘Total Axxess’ syndicated show. Like ‘If We Are
The Body,’ this single has taken on a life of its own, finding
exceptional listener acceptance from the first spin.”
*new as of Friday, March 19th,
2004*
Flicker Records’ modern rock band Everyday Sunday is preparing for the
release of Anthems For The Imperfect, the follow-up
to the band’s highly acclaimed 2002 debut, Stand Up.
To support the launch of the album, Everyday Sunday will hit
19 cities in only 20 days on the “Imperfect” promotional tour,
beginning May 14, with special guest and labelmate
Kids In the Way. Sponsored by leading guitar
manufacturer Epiphone, the tour will offer fans a chance to
win a custom “Everyday Sunday” Epiphone guitar every night of
the tour. Made up of Trey Pearson (lead vocals), Andrew Martin
(guitar), Dan Hunter (bass), Chris Hines (drums) and newest
member Jason Siemer (guitar), Everyday Sunday delivers the
same diversity and solid pop sound on Anthems For The
Imperfect that drew a multitude of fans for Stand
Up and made the band one of CCM Magazine readers’ top
three “Favorite New Artists of 2003.” The band adds a deepened
maturity to the new project, however, writing all of the
album’s songs themselves and working with returning producer
Quinlan (Rebecca St. James, Plus One, Margaret Becker), who
also co-produced Stand Up. From May 14 through June 1,
Everyday Sunday will aggressively promote Anthems For the
Imperfect on the “Imperfect” Tour, beginning in the
band’s hometown of Columbus, Ohio, and continuing to such
cities as Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Dallas, Minneapolis,
and Tulsa. On each night of the tour, a custom “Everyday
Sunday” guitar from Epiphone, played by the band at the show,
will be given away to one lucky fan. Fans can register to win
the guitar by pre-ordering their copy of Anthems For the
Imperfect at retail or online, or they can register at
the “Imperfect” Tour concert in their area, where they must be
present to win. In addition, radio stations around the country
will be giving away copies of Anthems... in the
Everyday Sunday win-it-before-you-can-buy-it promotion,
automatically registering any CD winner for the guitar
giveaway! Anthems For the Imperfect releases May
18th!
It's official! After going Gold in November 2003,
Switchfoot's latest
album, The Beautiful Letdown, has officially gone
Platinum (1 million copies). After enjoying 14 weeks in the
Billboard top ten with their debut single "Meant To Live,"
Switchfoot is preparing to launch their second single "Dare
You To Move" this month with the support of a brand new video
that is finishing up as we speak. Also, a 4-song Live EP from
the San Diego concert DVD, available exclusively at iTunes. If
you have iTunes, click
this link to go to the EP! Their live DVD, Switchfoot:
Live In San Diego releases Tuesday (March 23)!
For the third straight week, Integrity Music/Sony Music's
The Passion of The
Christ original motion picture soundtrack
remained atop the Billboard Contemporary Christian and
Soundtrack charts, selling 38,623 units for the week ending
March 14. The album was at #23 on the Billboard Top 200 Sales
charts. Meanwhile, the film also remains at #1 at the box
office. Its domestic gross tickets sales as of Mar. 15, 2004
were $267,680,889, moving The Passion of The Christ
to #22 on the all time box office charts. John Debney, composer of the
original motion picture soundtrack from The Passion of The
Christ, will appear on the "Today Show," on Good Friday,
April 9. The "Today Show" airs on NBC from 7-9 a.m. Debney's
appearance will be similar to that of his well-received
performance on the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno," last week.
According to Daniel McGuffey, chief marketing officer for
Integrity Media, the Passion
soundtrack will be certified gold by the Recording Industry
Association of America within weeks. Integrity Music and Sony
Music have already shipped more than 450,000 units to eager
retailers who cannot keep the CD in stock. "Obviously the
record, like the film, has taken on a life of its own. No one
could have imagined the impact that Mel Gibson's 'The Passion
of The Christ' might have on this country. It is an
understatement to say that we are all overwhelmingly humbled
by the response. We see no slowing down of consumer demand for
the record until well after Easter," said McGuffey. A "Passion
of The Christ" radio single, "The Resurrection," featuring
score and dialogue excerpts, goes for adds at Christian radio
on March 18. Early response from radio has been very positive,
McGuffey said.
On March 23, INO Records’ artist, Sara Groves will release The
Other Side of Something, and has partnered with CRW, INO
Records, and www.ProgramDirector.net to host “The One Thing I
Know” Free Concert Contest. This fun and in-depth contest was
a perfect avenue for Sara to show her support and appreciation
for Christian radio and its ability to touch listeners’ lives.
“In many cities, Christian radio is giving a voice to the body
of Christ in that area, and because music is
non-denominational, it sets the stage for a healthy
conversation among believers in that community,” Sara says.
“Troy and I have noticed that in communities that don't have
Christian radio, sometimes there is a lack of conversation
among the churches in that area. There can be four churches on
four corners, but there is no sense of community among them.”
The contest, which ran during the month of February, consisted
of a “virtual scavenger hunt” for radio programmers,
incorporating the Internet, email, and phone to find clues and
directions leading to the grand prize. The winning station,
WBSN New Orleans, was chosen from a random drawing of radio
programmers who completed the interactive steps in the virtual
scavenger hunt. “Christian radio has been a significant
partner with us since the beginning of my musical journey—I’m
excited to finally get a chance to take my show to New Orleans
and visit with WBSN/Lifesongs - plus, you just have to love a
name like Libby,” Sara says.
“Untitled Hymn (Come to Jesus),” the third radio single
from Chris Rice’s
highly popular Run the Earth… Watch the Sky, hit No.
1 in the past two weeks on both CRW and R&R Inspirational
radio charts, marking the 11th chart-topping song of Rice’s
career and the third Top 5 track from his current album.
Rocketown Records Chairman and Grammy-award winning artist
Michael W. Smith notes, “‘Untitled Hymn (Come to Jesus)’ is a
powerful and personal song of worship and hope. I performed
this song during the recording of my Worship Again
record, and I continue to be impacted by the simple, inspiring
lyric and beautiful music. Chris has written a masterpiece!"
Jon Rivers, the music director for the KLOVE Radio Network and
the host for “20 The Countdown Magazine,” adds, “’Untitled
Hymn (Come to Jesus)’ may well be a musical treasure that many
will miss because it seems like an unlikely ‘radio’ song (I
dislike that term—a great song is a great song). But it simply
must be heard and when it is, it captivates the audience.
They, after all, are the reason we exist."
Celebrated composer and performer Michael W. Smith is in the spotlight
again, this time as his song, the instrumental “Carol Ann” was
selected to run with the debut Bush-Cheney spot for the
President’s 2004 re-election campaign. The song is the third
track on Smith’s 2000 acclaimed instrumental CD titled,
Freedom. “I’m honored that the President would select
‘Carol Ann’ as part of his first ad campaign for reelection,”
notes Smith. “When I wrote the song, I never thought it’d be
part of one of the most followed campaigns in recent history.”
To view the spot, please visit: http://www.georgewbush.com/tvads
For those who haven't yet heard, here is the latest on the
future of rock band Further Seems
Forever... "Hello all,
After much thought
and receiving countless e-mails of support and encouragement
from our fans, we (Josh, Chad, Steve and Derick) have decided
to continue writing and performing music as Further Seems
Forever. We had previously announced our certain disbandment
to start a new project but changed our minds when an exciting
possibility arose. We began talking to a singer who we greatly
admired and after many phone conversations and meeting him
face to face to play music, we have decided to continue as
Further Seems Forever.
We are extremely excited to
announce that Jon Bunch, formerly the vocalist for the veteran
rock group Sense Field, will be taking over vocal duties for
Further Seems Forever. We can’t tell you how honored we are to
have a singer of this quality to make music and inspire people
along with us. We have been fans of Sense Field’s music for a
long time and are overjoyed to find out that Jon is not only a
great singer and lyricist, but also an even greater person.
Jon will be doing vocals for our up-coming album to be
released this summer on Tooth and Nail Records. We will be
touring and functioning as a working group once again. We
appreciate the support of everyone who has stood by us through
these recent events and look forward to being back bigger and
better than ever. Stay tuned to our website for exciting news
and tour dates.
We are just getting started,
Further
Seems Forever"
If your favorite track from Blindside's new record About A
Burning Fire happens to be the first single "All Of Us",
then you should visit the blindside artist page at MTV.com
where they have an exclusive new recording of the song for
download. Recorded by the band in Sweden, this is blindside
continuing to push the boundaries of what they do... a band
that never repeat themselves or allow compromise to cloud
their musical judgment. Download the new recording of 'All Of
Us' now – follow the link below.
http://www.mtv.com/bands/az/blindside/artist.jhtml
Fusebox is putting
the final touches on their long-awaited follow-up to 2002's
Lost In Worship. Their sophomore project, Once
Again, will be released by Elevate Records and Inpop
Records on June 15, 2004. "This is really my first album in a
lot of ways because it’s gotten to the point where I stand
behind it all," notes lead singer Billy Buchanan, who wrote or
co-wrote seven of the album's ten songs. "There’s something on
the album for everyone." Much of the album's versatility can
be traced to Fusebox’s tag team with a wide array of
producers, including Third Day’s Mac Powell, Otto Price,
Quinlan, Joel Smallbone, Ainslie Grosser, and Buchanan
himself. "My heart as a writer is to get the message out there
in a way that can be related to," says Buchanan. "From there I
surrender it to God and let Him take care of all the other
details." Marketing highlights for Once Again will
include heavy touring, an official street team, and extensive
promotion at Christian radio. The title track will be the
first radio single from the project (penned by Matt Redman).
Dove-nominated singer/songwriter duo Shane Barnard and
Shane Everett, collectively known as Shane & Shane, are preparing for
the release of a special, fan-oriented project titled
Upstairs. Releasing for Inpop Records on May 18,
Upstairs will offer the group’s fans six new songs
and four new versions of previously released favorites. “Shane
& Shane have a great fan following, due to their constant
touring over the last five years, and Upstairs is a
project for those fans,” said Steve Ford, general manager for
Inpop. “We pursued the concept of a more acoustic project
because the fans have been requesting it since Shane &
Shane have been with Inpop. This record reflects what you will
hear in a concert setting - sparse production, great acoustic
guitar performances and the amazing voices of Shane &
Shane.” Produced by Shane & Shane, Upstairs will introduce
six new songs to the duo’s fans as well as featuring new
versions of “Psalm 13,” “Beauty For Ashes,” “The Answer” and
“I Want It All.” Primarily acoustic in style, Upstairs offers
the prolific songwriters a chance to share their creative
passion in a unique way. “Honestly, it’s amazing that this
record even happened,” explained Barnard. “Choosing to do an
album ‘on the side’ during probably the busiest time of our
lives may have been a little ambitious. But something
happened, and once again, by God’s grace, we don’t really know
how. Over the course of six days, we began picking and tapping
on literally whatever was in arm’s reach, and hoped for the
best. We pray God will use these hodge-podge noises and feeble
words to highlight truth and deepen a longing and a
love-sickness for Jesus.”
The six Oregon natives, collectively known as
Falling Up have come a
long way since their inception five years ago while they were
still just high school freshman. Though spotted by the label
via fellow friends and now labelmates, Kutless, Falling Up are
proving they can stand their own ground, and perhaps stand it
even more strongly than their predecessors. In fact, it was
Kutless who, just weeks ago, held the record for all-time best
sales first week for a debut artist. That was, of course,
prior to Falling Up’s debut release, Crashings hit
stores February 24th and shattered the Kutless claim on the
record, scanning 3,396 copies in their first week out. But
their successes don’t stop there. Even weeks before
Crashings was released to stores, its debut single,
“Broken Heart,” was working itself up R&R’s Christian Rock
Radio Charts, acquiring more listeners and airplay as weeks
passed, finally taking the #1 position to mark their first
radio hit as a band. It was Kutless again who, just the week
prior, had held that position with their single, “Treason.”
Now working on maintaining their #1 position with the single,
the Falling Up members couldn’t be happier, and even joke
about the “rivalry” that has begun between the two groups.
“It’s like Proverbs 20:29,” explains vocalist Jesse Ribordy
with a laugh. “The glory of young men is their strength, gray
hair the splendor of the old. We just try and do something new
and exciting.” Then continues on with obvious sincerity,
“Seriously though, it’s an honor to be even compared to
Kutless or put in the same class as them. They’ve been our
friends for years and helped get us signed. We really owe them
a lot and they’re great guys. We feel privileged to be touring
with them too.”
The sophomore release from Dead
Poetic will be in stores on Tuesday, April
6th! New Medicines is being said to deliver the cure
in every way, shape, and form. Check out the band's new
website and then download the title track at purevolume.com!
http://www.deadpoetic.com/
| http://www.purevolume.com/deadpoetic
Combining her passion for God and an eloquent creative
vision, EMI CMG Label Group will release the highly
anticipated self-titled debut of singer/songwriter
Bethany Dillon April
20th. “Bethany possesses a rare honesty and genuineness as an
artist,” shares Brad O’Donnell, VP of A&R, EMI CMG Label
Group. “She is a deep well of creativity, which is the
hallmark of a great artist." Produced by Ed Cash (Bebo Norman)
and Josh Moore (Caedmon's Call), Bethany Dillon is an artist
whose music delves into the themes of the modern Christian's
heart and journey from the very first note. Her profound
song-writing and accessible acoustic-rock sound allows her to
connect with music listeners of all ages, with her thoughtful,
poignant and enriching music. Dillon has seen early success
with the limited retail release of her 5-song EP The
Beautiful Sessions, which features her first single
"Beautiful", and was the #1 top selling disc on Grassroots.com
for two weeks as well as the #1 selling EP for the month of
February. In addition, "Beautiful" is currently #16 with a
bullet on R&R's Christian CHR Top 30 chart and #14 with a
bullet on R&R's Christian AC Top 30 chart. This spring
Dillon will join Shane & Shane on a spring tour starting
mid-April going through mid-May. A complete list of dates will
be available on www.bethanydillon.com.
Dove Award-winning and best-selling group Plus One is embarking on the “Exodus
‘04” Tour, the band’s first headline tour in two years.
Featuring Plus One’s revolutionized blend of Brit-influenced
modern rock and a five-piece live band, the “Exodus ‘04” Tour
will deliver songs from the band’s acclaimed latest Inpop
Records release, Exodus. Hitting 30 cities nationally
between April 15 and May 23, the “Exodus ‘04” Tour will
feature special guests Telecast, Hawk
Nelson and Jadon Lavik. The “Exodus
‘04” Tour will treat its audience to an aggressive mix of both
new songs from Exodus and transformed rock versions of the
songs that first took Plus One as a boy-band style pop act to
the top of the radio charts, along with bringing them a 2001
Dove Award for “New Artist of the Year.” The band has
reinvented both its sound and its approach to touring, putting
their focus now on creating an approachable, fan-oriented
concert environment. The tour will focus on markets with more
intimate venues like Christian universities, clubs and small
halls where Plus One can interact directly with their fans,
and where the band will deliver a powerful, full-scale rock
show while keeping the ticket price affordable for families
and students. To that end, “Exodus ‘04” Tour tickets will be
priced far less than the average rock concert, at $10.00 for
students and $12.50 for adults. “Peter [Furler] and I
completely believe in Plus One, and as a label, we’re
committed to seeing them succeed with this new direction,”
said Wes Campbell, co-owner and CEO of Inpop Records. “We’ve
invested in them on every level, and are expecting great
things for this tour.”
Top contemporary Christian pop act FFH kicked-off the third leg of the
“Ready To Fly” tour to a sold out crowd of hometown fans March
4 in Nashville, Tenn. Featuring Fervent Records’ Big
Daddy Weave and Creative Trust Workshop’s
Warren Barfield, the “Ready To Fly” tour will
visit over 20 markets in the next two months. FFH’s current
single “Good To Be Free” is heating up Christian Adult
Contemporary and Inspirational radio charts. Provident Label
Group is running a spring tour radio contest, “It’s Good To Be
FFH” in which winners get to perform on stage with FFH, join
the artists backstage for dinner and attend sound check among
other perks. Big Daddy Weave recently released its latest
single “Heart Cries Holy” to AC and CHR formats.
An instrumental version of the song “Thank You” from
John Reuben’s last
record Hindsight were featured on a recent episode of
MTV’s new show “Pimp My Ride”. Last night's show featured
several more John Reuben songs from Professional
Rapper such as “Freedom to Feel”, “Have No Opinion” and
“Jammin’ John and Mixin’ Manny”. Songs from Reuben's
labelmates Grits and LA
Symphony were also featured as well.
Casting Crowns,
boasting the title as the “fastest-selling new artist of
2003,” continues to gain momentum as its self-titled debut
broke into Billboard’s Top 100 Albums chart this week. Last
week Casting Crowns claimed the No. 1 position on the
Billboard Heatseekers chart. The band’s self-titled, debut
album, released Sept. 30, 2003, is also holding steady as the
No. 1 Year-To-Date Christian Album for 2004. Since its
release, Casting Crowns has scanned more than 200,000 copies.
The band’s second single, “Who Am I” is making a huge impact
at Christian radio. Last week it was, again, the most added
Christian Adult Contemporary song in the nation and the
highest debut on Radio and Record’s Christian AC chart and is
impacting more than 4 million listeners. The song also was No.
1 on the Top Christian Singles/Tracks chart.
Recently wrapping up their 9th Annual Winter Jam Tour with
record-breaking attendance, GRAMMY-nominated artist
NewSong announced that
they are parting ways with their label home at Reunion Records
to develop a new label venture, which has yet to be named.
“We’re grateful for the people who worked to make NewSong
successful for more than a dozen years at Provident and its
predecessors,” explains Eddie Carswell, one of NewSong’s
founding members. “Over the past 5 years, NewSong has been
discussing how we could produce and promote our own projects
and develop tomorrow’s Christian music ministries. Now we have
the chance to pursue these dreams. As these plans are
formalized, we look forward to announcing how we can better
serve Christ, His Church, and a waiting world.” “We know that
the industry is changing, and we’re excited about being part
of a new label model for the future,” explains NewSong’s
manager, Troy VanLiere of VanLiere-Wilcox. “Not only has the
Lord been planting these desires in NewSong for a long time,
but He has been preparing them along the way. During this
period, they have hired their own radio promoters, retained
their own national and tour publicists, and branded their ‘Jam
Tour’ and ‘Xtreme Conference’ events, in addition to
overseeing the production of their albums. As a result, their
past three albums have sold over three-quarter million units
and their concert ministry, evangelism outreach, and mission
impact has never been stronger.” News of this move comes upon
the band’s completion of their ninth and most successful
Winter Jam Tour ever with over 115,000 in attendance. Besides
NewSong, the tour featured an all-star artist line-up
including Audio Adrenaline, Relient
K, Todd Agnew, and new Sparrow
Records artist Jadyn Maria. Dubbed as the
“All New Winter Jam Spectacular,” the show’s format was
overhauled to give it a fresh appearance including full video
and performances by illusionist Brock Gill.
Taylor Sorensen,
the newest artist in the Rocketown family, is partnering with
Pura Vida Coffee in a promotional tour across the Midwest in
support of his full-length March 23 debut, The
Overflow. Sorensen will spend the latter half of March
visiting radio, retail and media gatekeepers along with
stopping at several college campuses to play concerts and
speak on behalf of Pura Vida Coffee, a Seattle-based,
charitably-owned specialty coffee company. The 23-year-old
artist is also currently celebrating his first No. 1 radio hit
with The Overflow’s debut single, “Love Somebody Else,”
topping the CRW Rock chart the week before the album streets.
Sorensen’s partnership with Pura Vida stems from his ongoing
interest in the Fair Trade movement and his firm belief that
love needs to be about action, an idea that is also the theme
of The Overflow. Pura Vida uses all of its resources
to benefit at-risk children and their families in
coffee-growing countries. The company is committed to carry
only certified Fair Trade, organic, shade-grown coffee which
helps to raise living standards for farmers and their
communities and protect the environment. Sorensen will be
playing songs from The Overflow and talking about
Pura Vida’s mission at nearly a dozen campuses across the
MidWest including Notre Dame, Bethel College, Loyola
University, Trinity International, Hope College, Valparaiso
and Calvin College. Sorensen will also be opening a show for
Over the Rhine at Indiana Wesleyan University during his
two-week promo run.
*new as of Tuesday, March 9th,
2004*
Skillet's voice,
John Cooper announced some pretty big band happenings
yesterday in their email list... "As I have mentioned in my
e-mails, there has been a lot of big things happening for
Skillet. There have been many changes and many struggles. I
also mentioned that there have been many great things
happening for us as well. I have been reluctant to announce
this until we were positive it was going to happen, and we are
now sure that it is the right time. We have been signed to
Lava Records, which is a division of Atlantic Records! What
that really means is that we are going to have a chance to be
played on mainstream radio and video shows. We have believed
for a long time that this move would be in our future. I have
prayed for many years that God would use my music to bring
hope to people. God spoke to me when I was young about this,
and I have known for a long time that in His time He would
open doors. The biggest reason that these doors have not
opened in the past was because of the message behind our
music. Well, we consider that to be our biggest strength, and
we continue to pray that we will be used to affect lives. We
will need your prayers and support more than ever now. I have
continued to thank you guys for praying for us and supporting
us. I have always known that you are the reason that we have
remained strong during hard times. We are asking God to use us
during this period, and I know that trials lay ahead. I also
know that there are going to be those who don't understand why
we are doing this and will have questions. There is no way
that I can answer all of those questions in this e-mail, but
let me say that we are certain that this is what God has
called us to do. I also would like to ask that you panheads
continue your support for us in terms of radio. We want to
come out strong with this release so that we can make a big
dent in the mainstream world. Speaking of radio, our first
mainstream radio release will be "Savior." It is getting
released to hard rock radio on April 11. The album
Collide will be released to mainstream retail on May
25. Sometimes you can find our albums in Target or Walmart in
the Christian music section, but now it will be available in
the rock section. The mainstream release of Collide
will have one extra song that has just been recorded. There
might also be some "behind-the-scenes" footage added as well.
This is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to
Skillet, and we hope that all of you are excited as well!!
Again, we thank you for your support! Stay strong. - john"
Congrats guys!!
Right now you can pre-order Third
Day's new album Wire
for a special low price! Yes, it is true. Not only can you
pre-order your favorite band's new project, you can do it at a
really low price! Plus, with your pre-order, you will get a
link to unlock some exclusive web content on ThirdDay.com!
Make sure to reserve your copy now for the May 4th release of
Wire.
Click here
for more info!
Last week, Ethan of the Supertones announced yet another
departure of an original member... "Hello Supertones fans,
Tonight we are in Houston, TX and I regret to inform you
all that tomorrow in Denver, CO will be Darren
Mettler's (aka the chief) last show with the
Supertones. I know this comes very sudden to everyone but it
also was sudden to all of us. The Chief has gotten a job offer
to be a Jr. High youth pastor in Southern California. This is
something that The Chief has had a passion for since well
before the Supertones even started. I can assure all of you
that this is best for The Chief as well as his family. The
selfish part in us doesn't want to see him go, but understand
that this is his calling. The circumstances could not have
worked out any better for all of us. As much as I don't want
the Chief to go, he is in a better place with his wife, 2 kids
and a new job. The good news is that Chief will be touching
kids lives still, only as a youth pastor. Another bit of good
news is that my good friend, who is a trumpet player, happened
to move in with me a week before the Chief told us this news.
This worked out perfect. My good friend Bret
Barker will be taking the Chief's place. Some of you
may remember Bret, as he was the trumpet player from
the W's. Bret is a great player and will add
a ton to the band both as a player and as a person. Later this
next week, I will post a letter from The Chief to all the
fans, because you are all the reason we do this. One last
thing, if any of you want to see The Chief play one last time,
we are planning an album release show for June and The Chief
will be playing this with us as his last OC show. More on that
later. Rest assured that we ARE going to continue on. This was
one of Chief's main concerns. Our purpose is ministry and it
is still happening in a huge way, so look forward to more
Supertones for a long while. Thank you everyone for bearing
through this, it was hard for me to write. Expect a letter
from Chief in the next week or so. God Bless you all!!
SUPERTONE TO THE BONE!!
Ethan Luck" We wish Darren and his
family the best in this new venture while welcoming Bret to
the Tones!
EMI/CMG’s eminent rock band, Switchfoot, continues to seize
mainstream radio as “Dare You To Move” becomes the No. 1
most-added song on Billboard’s Modern Rock Radio chart. With
22 adds this week alone, “Dare You To Move” surpassed all
other new singles, including Godsmack’s “Running Blind,” the
next most-added with 15. The song also jumps four places to
No. 20 and climbing this week on the R & R Christian CHR
Top 30 chart. In addition to modern rock success, Switchfoot’s
“Meant to Live” also maintains its current upward momentum on
Billboard’s Top 40 chart. The song moves up three notches,
from No. 36 to No. 33, and is garnering more airplay every
week. As Switchfoot’s critically-acclaimed 2003 release,
The Beautiful Letdown, quickly approaches Platinum
status after going Gold last November, the band is preparing
to launch its headline tour with The Jealous Sound and
Copeland later this month. Watch for upcoming Switchfoot
appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, March 12, and
On Air with Ryan Seacrest, March 16.
By The Tree is
entering the studio this week with plans to record a worship
record for a Summer 2004 release. The guys felt a redirection
to worship needed to be taken for their lives and recording a
worship record would be the best way to do it...
E.R.A.C.E., co-founded by tobyMac, recently released a
2004/2005 calendar called "Dream Kids." In conjunction with
the "I Have a Dream" Kirk Franklin/tobyMac tour, children of
all ages across the country were asked to draw a picture of
what their dreams looked like. The calendar features some
selections while also introducing some of the incredible
organizations out there giving kids of all ages hope through
education, mentoring, and love.
Congratulations to Blindside on the successful chart
debut of their February 24 release About A Burning
Fire! In an bizarre day the first chart position reported
early last Wednesday morning was #50 – the bad was all very
excited but then found out there had been an error in
reporting and we the album had moved into the TOP 40 for a
final position at #39. This was the highest Rock debut that
week!
Wondering what Sarah
Masen (aka Sarah Masen Dark) has been up to
lately? As of last week, Sarah can be seen in Nashville
starring in Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard! The
play is running from March 5-30 at the Darkhorse Theater on
Charlotte Ave in Nashville!
While moviegoers were headed to the theaters in record
numbers to see Mel Gibson's The
Passion of The Christ in its first two
weeks of release, the Integrity Music/Sony Music release of
the original motion picture soundtrack sold 48,777 units in
its debut week, according to Nielsen SoundScan, putting it
atop both the Billboard Contemporary Christian and Soundtrack
charts. The
Passion of The Christ original motion picture
soundtrack also entered the overall Billboard's Top 200 sales
chart at #19. Only two other score-driven soundtracks -
Star Wars, Episode I: The Phantom Menace and Star
Wars, Episode II: Attack of the Clones - have sold more
in their debut weeks. Directed and co-written by Mel Gibson,
The
Passion of The Christ dramatically and graphically
captures the last 12 hours of Christ's life on Earth as based
on the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Since its
February 25 release, the film has earned a record $212 million
as of March 7, according Box Office Mojo. "The response to Mel
Gibson's film has obviously been beyond everyone's
expectations, and we too were surprised, but pleased, as
retailers confirmed all week the high demand for the
soundtrack," said Daniel McGuffey, chief marketing officer for
Integrity Media. "'The Passion' is an incomparably powerful
and convicting movie and I believe that people are buying the
The
Passion of The Christ Original Soundtrack to keep
alive the powerful emotions that they experienced during the
film." Heading towards Easter, Sony Music Direct will
undertake a mid March Direct Response television campaign in
support of the soundtrack on national cable outlets while
Integrity Direct launches a national radio campaign. A
"Passion of The Christ" radio promotional montage featuring
score and dialogue excerpts is also in production. The
Passion of The Christ original motion picture
soundtrack is the only recording that contains the music from
the film. The film score, which was composed by John Debney,
brings an atmospheric texture that complements the
Caravaggio-inspired cinematography of the film. The soundtrack
also features haunting vocals and chants provided by Shannon
Kingsbury, Shankar and Gingger, the Transylvania State
Philharmonic Choir, The London Voices and Mel Gibson, who
co-produced the soundtrack with Debney. Debney, a three-time
Emmy Award winner, has produced numerous motion picture
soundtracks for box office favorites such as "Elf," "Bruce
Almighty," "Spy Kids," "Cats & Dogs," "The Emperor's New
Groove" and "The Princess Diaries."
Former ForeFront Records artist eLi is back with a brand new solo
album! Visit http://www.elinews.com/ now
for more information on how you can preorder his new record
Gratitude!
One of Christian music’s most celebrated artists and
revered leaders, Charlie
Peacock, will release Full Circle: A
Celebration of Songs and Friends today, March 9th,
commemorating his 20-year anniversary as a solo recording
artist. Special guest appearances by Avalon, Sara Groves,
Sixpence None The Richer, Bart Millard, tobyMac, and others
have joined in celebrating this special event by re-recording
his most beloved songs as well as two brand new recordings. As
an esteemed recording artist, songwriter, producer, author and
teacher, Charlie Peacock is universally recognized as a
respected voice within the Christian music industry. Among his
many accolades, Charlie has received both a Dove and GRAMMY
award as well as produced some of Christian music's most
recognized artists such as Switchfoot, Nichole Nordeman,
Avalon and Sara Groves. In conjunction with the release of his
album, Peacock returns to the publishing world with the
release of his second title, New Way To Be Human: A
Provocative Look At What It Means To Follow Jesus, which is
slated to hit stores on March 16th. Published by WaterBrook
Press, a division of Random House, Inc., the book examines the
Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry, providing readers
with a fresh framework for how to live as humans in the way
Jesus modeled. In addition, Peacock will be on the west coast
this spring promoting his new album and book at various
universities and churches. Combining his gifts in music,
writing, speaking and teaching, Peacock will spend several
days on university and church campus’ performing and lecturing
to students on assorted topics.
Revelation, the first solo project on Word
Records for multiple Dove and GRAMMY Award-winning male
vocalist David Phelps
made a Top 10 sales debut this week with over 7000 units
scanned. The project debuted at #8 on the SoundScan Christian
retail sales chart and #10 on the combined retail sales chart.
In addition, Revelation made its debut at #7 on
Billboard’s “Heatseekers” chart, all coming on the heels of
Phelps’ recent Dove Award nominations including “Male Vocalist
of the Year.” The first-week sales success of
Revelation follows a heavy week of promotional
activities for Phelps including a live online artist chat on
www.gaithernet.com, national radio and media appearances and a
video shoot for “Arms Open Wide,” the first radio single from
Revelation. The song, which has rapidly moved up the
radio charts since its release, is currently Top 10 and
climbing. Along with the project’s retail and radio success,
Revelation marks yet another milestone as Word
Records’ first project simultaneously released to traditional
retail along with all major legal online downloading sites
such as iTunes and Napster. “David’s vocal talent is
undeniable, so it’s easy to understand why there has been such
a quick and strong response to Revelation’s release,”
said Mark Lusk, vice president of marketing for Word Records.
“David has delivered a project that solidifies his place as
one of Christian music’s premier male vocalists.”
Industry Veteran Hugh Robertson’s newly formed record
label, Waterfront Records, recently announced its March 9
release of the Chillout series including
Chillout… A Time To Worship and Chillout… The
Worship Xperience. This series combines popular hits and
worship songs and transforms them into new relaxing
arrangements. Designed to help facilitate Psalm 46:10, “Be
still and know that I am God…” Chillout transforms popular
songs made famous by Mercy Me, dc talk, The Beatles, Bob
Dylan, and others, with such respective hits as “I Can Only
Imagine,” “Jesus Freak,” “Long and Winding Road” and “Serve
Somebody.” The new arrangements are designed to help the
consumer find some quiet and calm to worship and chillout.
Founder of Waterfront Records, a division of Waterfront
Entertainment, Hugh Robertson, says, “These days, it's not
enough to just throw 10-12 songs out with one or two hits.
There needs to be a compelling reason for a consumer to
purchase a whole album of songs: such as an artist with an
established consumer base and well-developed brand or an album
with multiple hit songs. Our first frontline project is the
Chillout series which combines hit songs and new worship songs
with a scriptural theme built around Psalm 46:10.” “The
Chillout recordings directly target music consumers ages 16-28
who identify with the songs on the albums due to their
popularity and exposure on the radio and in their church
groups,” continues Robertson. “They can hum along to these
familiar songs while focusing their full attention on
worship.”
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