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JFH Music News Archive

February, 2004



*Friday, February 27th, 2004*


RSJ Grammy Award winning singer Rebecca St. James is among those who have had the privilege of an advance preview of The Passion Of The Christ, as it reaches theaters this week. She believes Mel Gibson has made a monumental film and that he is being used, to quote Ms. St. James, as "an instrument of God." "The Passion of Christ is definitely the most faith deepening film I have ever seen. I wept and empathized with Jesus like never before." noted the Australian born singer in an interview Wednesday. "I now understand almost as if I was there, what he went through for me." About the film's creator, Mel Gibson, who spent a portion of his childhood growing up in her native Australia, St. James commented. "I truly believe Mel Gibson has been used as an instrument of God in reaching out to Christians and non-Christians alike with this film." Nominated for a Dove Award as "Female Vocalist Of the Year," St. James is currently on a national concert tour, "Adoration: The Tour," that launched February 12th with Newsboys and Jeremy Camp and has consecutively sold-out its' first two weeks of performances in major markets. She herself last fall portrayed the role of a modern day version of one of "The Passion's" leading characters-- Mary Magdalene--in the controversial rock opera musical, "!Hero." Having played Magdalene, Rebecca is especially sensitive to role of the film's other Mary-this one the mother of Jesus. "The most gripping scene for me was the part where Jesus has just stumbled underneath the weight of the cross. Mary His mother rushes to reach out to Him and the film flashes back to when Jesus was a little boy and fell-we see her running to Him then too. I wept at that point as it was such a powerful scene. What really gripped me was that Jesus turned to her in the midst of His pain and said, "Mother, see I make all things new." I loved the power in those words and the realization that that's indeed what He came to do to make all things new for all of us-to breathe life in us and give us new hope. I was greatly impacted in what I saw on the screen."

We at Jesusfreakhideout.com are very proud to announce a new devotional book series releasing next month that will feature devotions written by Jesusfreakhideout.com's own J.M. Farro! Harrison House Publishers will be releasing the brand new Life On Purpose devotional series debuting Farro's first three publications: Life On Purpose, Life On Purpose For Men, and Life On Purpose For Women. We urge you all to check out these publications and support J.M. Farro's extraordinary ministry that you saw take root first at The JfH! Life On Purpose hits bookshelves everywhere in March!

Last Friday it was announced that EMI Christian Music Group (EMI CMG) is reorganizing, including the formation of a new EMI CMG Label Group, and a centralized marketing unit, it was announced today by Bill Hearn, EMI CMG President and CEO. In addition, EMI CMG's Chordant Distribution Group will be renamed EMI CMG Distribution and EMI Christian Music Publishing will become EMI CMG Publishing. The moves will increase the resources the Group devotes to music creation and artist development, to the creation of new revenue streams and to the development of interactive consumer relationships. "Consumers are clamoring for new ways to enjoy music. We believe our strategy will allow us to maintain our leading position in music and publishing, create compelling music, grow our sales and maintain strong profitability," said Hearn. "I believe our new goals, strategies and structure realign our business to better respond to the music consumer, while maintaining our commitment to EMI Christian Music Group's creative and business partners and to our employees and their families." New EMI CMG Label Group A new division called EMI CMG Label Group has been created to consolidate all A&R, Artist Development, Creative Services, Promotion and Label Operations functions for ForeFront Records and Sparrow Records, as well as their affiliated labels. Peter York, who has been Sparrow Label Group President for eight years, will become President of EMI CMG Label Group and will report directly to Hearn. Both Sparrow and ForeFront artists will remain on their respective labels and will be served by the EMI CMG Label Group staff. Artists on Sparrow and ForeFront rosters include Steven Curtis Chapman, Stacie Orrico, Switchfoot, Toby Mac, Newsboys, Avalon, Rebecca St. James, ZoeGirl, Nicole Nordeman, Audio Adrenaline, Jump5 and Tait, among many others. Each label will continue to sign new artists to their respective rosters. "The focus of the new label group will be on creating the best music possible, developing artists, expanding production and song resources and exploring innovative partnerships with artists to build their brands as opposed to label identities," said York. "Quality music that is culturally relevant is our first priority and is our best response to the issues we face in the music industry today." ForeFront Records President Greg Ham has been promoted to the newly created position of Executive Vice President, Business Development for EMI Christian Music Group, effective immediately, and reporting directly to Hearn. In his new role, Ham will work with all company divisions to develop new business initiatives and market growth strategies and identify EMI global marketing and Film and TV music opportunities. Ham will also provide business and strategic support to existing company joint ventures with Gotee and Tooth and Nail Records / BEC.

Third Day Recently GRAMMY and Dove Award winning rock band Third Day celebrated its 20th No. 1 radio single, “Sing A Song,” the second from its March 4, GRAMMY nominated Offerings II – All I Have To Give. The band, currently working on a May 4 studio release, is also busy prepping for its highly anticipated 85-city Third Day Live tour which kicks off April 7 in Jackson, Tenn. World Vision, with a focus on its Hope Child Initiative, will title sponsor the Spring leg of the year-long tour that features tobyMac and debut artist Warren Barfield, while Chevrolet will maintain its role as the Official Vehicle of Third Day. Demand for tickets to this tour has been tremendous. Within three days of sales, the Atlanta venue had already sold to capacity. In response to the incredible demand, Third Day added an additional tour stop in its home market. “We’re feeling a great sense of anticipation in the band for the upcoming tour,” says Tai Anderson. “Having done so little touring last year, we’re feeling refreshed and ready to go. We’re in the process of flushing out all the creative ideas for the show, which should be amazing! Seeing the incredible response in rapid ticket sales is definitely adding to our excitement. It will be great to see all our friends and fans again out on the road.” Promoters have a sense of anticipation for the tour as well. Gary Gentry of Premier Productions commented, “Premier Productions is excited about once again being involved in the promotion of many Third Day concerts across the country. What's not to like - the guys in the band are terrific and easy with to work with, their fans love the music, and the band is seriously committed to ministry.”

Audio A There is a familiar face...or actually a familiar mohawk back at the AudioA.COM office this week. The Will McGinniss (bass player, Audio Adrenaline) mohawk doll, which was purchased for $155 on ebay last December has been returned by the bidder. The doll had originally been sold as part of a charity auction for G.O. Ministries (a missions organization which is part of The Go Foundation co-founded by Audio Adrenaline and MercyMe) along with Will's Big House bass (which brought almost $1,200). The doll drew special attention from Adrenaline Junkies (AudioA fans) because of the unique mohawk that was manufactured with Will's actual hair. The returned doll came with the explanation: "I wanted my daughter to be able to see and play with the doll. She even took it to school with her, but I'm returning it. I want more money to be donated to aid missions in Haiti. Please auction the doll again and donate all the proceeds to G.O. Ministries. - Dale Bennett. The doll now bears a new signature, not only is the doll autographed by the band (Will, Mark, Ben and Tyler) but also by Dale Bennett who has helped pave the way for the gospel to be taken Worldwide. Vicki Rogers and G.O. Ministries would like to say "!dios le bendiga!" (God Bless You!)
-- AudioA.COM

Carried Me: The Worship Project, Jeremy Camp’s new album debuted as the #1 selling album in Christian Bookstores- and currently at all Family Christian Stores, with your purchase of Carried Me and Stay, you will receive a free Heart of the Artist bonus disc with 3 unreleased songs and an interview with Jeremy. Check out http://www.familychristian.com for the store location closest to you!

P.O.D. has announced that their headlining "Payable On Death" U.S. Theater Tour begins May 1st in Denver, CO. The tour will hit 40 cities including 5 or 6 major market Canadian shows! Blindside have been confirmed as direct support while, also confirmed for the tour, are the punk rock group, Hazen Street and Italy's much talked about export, Lacuna Coil.

In response to the movie The Passion of The Christ, Transformed Music artist David Taylor has released a final version of his original song "Undeserved" as a free MP3 download on his website. A demo version of "Undeserved" was released to MP3.com last Fall and reached the #4 position on the indie charts before MP3.com was shut down in the winter. "Undeserved" is a worship song that thanks Him for His sacrifice, while acknowledging that there is nothing we could ever do to deserve such a sacrifice. "I will never understand why a Holy God like You gave His life for a sinful man." Visit www.transformedmusic.com/davidtaylor/ to download and read David's take on The Passion.

Switchfoot San Diego rock group Switchfoot continues to dominate Billboard's Modern Rock Top 10 with their breakthrough single "Meant To Live." "Meant To Live" has been on Billboard's Modern Rock & Alternative charts for over 28 weeks and is now crossing over to Top 40 with an impressive debut at #36 this week, including airplay on the nations #1 station, Z100 in New York. The video for the song can currently be seen on MTV, MTV2, Fuse and Canada's Much Music Channels, and was directed by Laurent Briet, who helmed the lens for Radiohead's "Like Spinning Plates." Before kicking off their spring tour in Anaheim, CA on March 15, Switchfoot will perform their newest single "Dare You To Move" live on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Friday, March 12 and On Air with Ryan Seacrest Tuesday, March 16. The tour is scheduled to run through May 30. March 23 will see the release of the band's Live In San Diego DVD. Live In San Diego was recorded at San Diego's fabled punk rock venue Soma and features a scorching set of tunes from Switchfoot's Columbia/Red ink debut The Beautiful Letdown. Live In San Diego will also take fans behind-the-scenes of the "Meant To Live" video shoot, feature exclusive and candid interviews with the entire band, as well as exclusive photo galleries. The Beautiful Letdown is Switchfoot's fastest selling record to date and was certified Gold by the RIAA in December. The album is quickly approaching platinum status and is currently #81 on Billboard's Top 200 album chart after over a year of being released.

Cool Hand Luke is just about finished with their sophomore album The Fires of Life with Steve Hindalong, Marc Byrd and Skye McCaskey. Similar in style to their Floodgate debut Wake Up O Sleeper, this album will have a lot more piano - so there will be a fourth person on the road in the near future. The title of the album is inspired by Isaiah 43:2, but the album theme is Psalm 30:5.

Last week was an exciting time for conservative comedian Brad Stine, as on Thursday he flew to Washington, DC and met with White House staffers and members of the Republican Conference. The Republican Conference invited Stine to DC for the meetings because of the conservative patriotic message he delivers in an edgy, humorous package. Last Friday, Stine headed to Atlanta for an appearance at the mainstream comedy club, Punchline. He also served as MC for the radio and television star, Sean Hannity, as his radio show was broadcasting live from Atlanta that day. Hannity invited Stine to appear on his program and called him "a great comic and a great friend."

BHT Entertainment’s debut artist, Trevor Morgan, recently visited key radio markets Tulsa and Dallas in support of his anticipated May 4 freshmen bow, Wonderlight, and the project’s first single, “Upside Down,” going for CHR and AC radio adds this Friday, February 27. In addition to performing acoustic sets for KLOVE Network’s Jon and Sherry Rivers and Dallas’ KLTY, Morgan visited with Tulsa’s KXOJ, which already added “Upside Down” into its rotation last week. As further stations add the single this week, more radio fans will catch a glimpse of Morgan’s Wonderlight. “We all want to be found,” says Morgan about “Upside Down.” “We want someone to pursue us, to unravel our mysteries and discover the person that lurks behind our shield of hair gel and cologne. This can be experienced in various relationships, but the most powerful example is found between Creator and creation – God pursuing those who are unworthy and unfaithful, doing for us what we could never do for ourselves, and truly turning our worlds ‘upside down’ with unconditional love.”

Industry veteran Hugh Robertson announces the formation of Franklin, Tennessee-based Waterfront Records, a division of Waterfront Entertainment, LLC. The new label will focus on developing quality concept, compilation and value projects. “I've spent my career doing high profile artist development projects,” says Hugh Robertson, “but as the industry and market has changed, I've identified a need and an opportunity to develop high value concept projects. If you take a look at the European market, where compilations drive the market, and how song-driven the US market has become combined with the market’s current pricing confusion, it seems logical that song driven projects at a value price make a lot of sense in today's environment.” The debut releases from Waterfront Records’ Value Concepts line are the Modern Worship Collection titles Contemporary Classics, Women Together in Worship, Worship Alive and The Spirit of Worship. Each title features 10 of the top worship songs of today. In fact, the recordings include 20 of the top 25 CCLI charting songs, including “Open The Eyes of My Heart,” “Lord I Lift Your Name on High,” “Shout To The Lord,” “God of Wonders” and more. (CCLI is an organization that monitors the music played in churches across the U.S. and internationally.) With covers that are designed for impulse purchases and an aggressive price point ($4.99 MSRP), the Modern Worship Collection is designed for volume.

You can get a FREE MP3 of Building 429's brand new single "Glory Defined" when you pre-buy the limited edition EP for only $6.97 using the following link from MusiChristian.com! Limited Edition EP streets April 6th.

Word Records artist Salvador was recently nominated for a Billboard Latin Music Award and two Dove Awards. The band's Latin Billboard nomination is for "Latin Christian/Gospel Album of the Year" for Con Poder, their first all-Spanish project. The Billboard Latin Music Awards honor the most popular albums, songs, and performers in Latin music, as determined by the actual sales and radio airplay data that informs Billboard's weekly charts during a one-year period from the issue dated February 15, 2003 through this year's February 7 issue. The 2004 Billboard Latin Music Awards, produced and broadcast by Telemundo, will air Live from the Miami Arena April 29th and a list of winners will be available online April 30th. The two Dove Award nominations are for "Praise & Worship Album of the Year" for Worship Live, and "Spanish Language Album of the Year" for Con Poder. The Gospel Music Association's 34th Annual Dove Awards will be held April 28th in Nashville, TN. "It is a true honor and a humbling experience to be nominated for Billboard Latin and Dove awards," says frontman, Nic Gonzales. "We have always played music and lived our lives not seeking recognition or accolades, but to work hard to reach that place where God wants us to be musically, spiritually and in our personal lives. We are thankful to Billboard and the Doves for being gracious to us." Salvador is currently in the studio recording a new project slated to release this Fall. In addition, they are gearing up for an exciting touring season this year. Nationally they are participating once again with the Billy Graham Crusade in Pasadena CA in July, as well as various Promise Keepers events across the country and their many Salvador tour dates across the country. This year Salvador will also visit the Netherlands, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Mexico, St Vincent in the Grenadines as well as other international markets.

Mourning September is working hard preparing to head in the studio with James Wisner to record their debut album for Floodgate Records! Wisner has been recording some huge records lately, including Further Seems Forever, Dashboard Confessional and Glasseater. March 10 is the big start of the recording... and since the studio is in Orlando, you can be sure somehow they will figure out how to get Disneyworld in their budget!

We previously reported on former Raze member Mizzie's new solo project on InPop Record sometime late last year. Sadly, rumor has it the project has been abandoned and will not be released in any form this year.

*Friday, February 20th, 2004*


Sixpence NTR CCM Magazine recently printed a letter from the band Sixpence None The Richer regarding the future of the "Kiss Me" stars. Founding members Leigh Nash and Matt Slocum wrote the following... "Dear Friends... This letter we're writing is meant to be our sign on the door for the establishment known as Sixpence None the Richer. While we would never consider Sixpence an institution in Nashville by any means, or even an institution in the music community at large, we do look back and see there were many people who enjoyed and identified with the words and music we both composed and performed. So we write to say that after much soul-searching we have decided to no longer continue as the band Sixpence None the Richer... After 10 years of music, we are closing up shop and moving on. We have enjoyed being a part of your lives. And thank you for being a part of our lives--without you, the listeners, the fans, the enthusiasts, we would have been gone a long time ago. The ways many of you reached out to us in a personal way will always be a part of our memories--like Beatle Bob, for example. He showed up nine years ago at a small club in St. Louis in Austin Powers garb and, no matter what the tempo or feel of the song, kung-fu danced the whole concert. It made us all really happy, and he continued to come to shows in the St. Louis area for years after. Or Dick Luebbe, who showed up in Chicago with very expensive first editions of C.S. Lewis books as gifts for the band. We remember a fan in Philadelphia who sat in the front row in his wheelchair and was so moved by the music that he tried to lift himself out of it. There were those who brought birthday cakes, flowers, sent books, wrote letters, stood in the front row singing all the words to all the sings (even ones that had not even been recorded yet), started Web sites, etc. One listener made us a trophy for exemplary songwriting! Again, thank you. So what's next for us now that Sixpence has closed for business? Well, there's not really a definite answer to that question yet. I, Leigh, have become a mother(!) and plan to focus on family life for awhile. I, Matt, am taking some time to travel the world and may go back to school. As far as we know, Word Records will be releasing a collection of songs that didn't make it on to Divine Discontent, as well as songs from different compilations we have appeared on. Some of the B-sides for Divine Discontent sound pretty good--we hope you enjoy them. Again, we have enjoyed being a part of your lives. Thank you to all listeners, friends, producers, engineers, musicians, publicists, managers, booking agents, promoters, record labels, media outlets and radio stations that have made our career possible. You know who you are. We could not have done it without you. Goodbye for now.
Love,
Leigh and Matt"
We wish the members of 6p the best in their future endeavors. Their presence in music will be greatly missed!

Jaci Velasquez StreetAlliance.com has made the following announcement on their site this week... Word recording artist Jaci Velasquez is launching her own record label, Apostrophe Records, Billboard.biz has learned. She is currently negotiating a distribution deal for the new venture. Singer/songwriter Michael Cook is the first signing to Apostrophe. His debut CD is slated for release this fall and will be produced by former Petra member Pete Orta. Velasquez will serve as CEO of the label and has tapped family and music-industry associates for key roles. Her mother, Diana Stancil, will be Apostrophe's CFO, and Velasquez's brother, Dion Lopez, will be VP of A&R. Velasquez says marketing, publicity and radio promotion will initially be outsourced, with former Word executive Linda Klosterman handling marketing. A multiple Gospel Music Assn. Dove award winner, Velasquez signed with Word Records at 15 and became one of the Christian industry's top female vocalists. The 24-year-old has also achieved success in the Latin community through Sony Discos, and starred last year in the film, Chasing Papi. Velasquez is currently negotiating a new Latin music deal. She will remain with Word Records for her Christian music career.

The Supertones's Ethan Luck made this recent update regarding the title of their new June 15th release... ""We thought it would be cool to call the record Birth of a Nation, you know, like the first movie ever made? Well, we did some research on the movie and found out that it has ALOT to do with the KKK. So it looks as though we are going to change it. I'll post it when we think of something..."

Audio A Best-selling, award-winning, rock group Audio Adrenaline announced recently the signing of an exclusive concert booking agreement with Bridge Street Artists Agency. The company, co-founded by Flicker Records president Bob Herdman, will represent Audio Adrenaline for all live concert appearances and tours. “It’s a natural fit for us to be represented by someone who knows the music business from virtually every perspective,” said Audio Adrenaline lead singer Mark Stuart. “As a founder and former touring member of Audio A along with his instrumental role in the creation and success of Flicker Records, there’s no one else who understands our band more than Bob [Herdman].” With a total of seven studio albums to its credit, Audio Adrenaline is approaching sales of more than 3 million units and has garnered five GRAMMY Award nominations and multiple Dove Awards. The band’s newest project, Worldwide, contains the hit single “Leaving 99,” which was the most added debut single in Christian music history on the R&R radio charts.

Tree63 Inpop Records’ Dove Award-winning rock trio Tree63 is preparing for the release of the band’s third project, The Answer to the Question, hitting streets March 9. Two singles simultaneously released from the album are already climbing rapidly up the radio charts. Following its Top 10 AC debut, “Blessed Be Your Name” was the most added Christian AC song last week for Radio & Records (R&R) and is now at #8 this week on the Christian Radio Weekly (CRW) AC chart. The album’s title song enjoyed a #18 debut on the R&R Christian Rock chart, and has since rocketed up to the chart’s #9 position. Tree63 garnered a string of #1 and Top 5 singles with its first two releases, the band’s Dove Award winning self-titled debut and 2002’s The Life and Times of Absolute Truth. The trend looks to continue with The Answer to the Question as the album’s first two singles garner adds and praise from radio programmers across the country. In addition to charting in the Top 10 on both the Christian AC and Rock charts, The Answer to the Question is getting CHR airplay with “Blessed Be Your Name,” currently #30 on the R&R CHR chart. “Blessed Be Your Name” has been added at 32 stations since the two singles launched Jan. 9, including WAY-FM, KSBJ Houston, KXOJ Tulsa, the AIR-1 radio network and the K-LOVE radio network, whose morning on-air personality and vice president for programming management, Jon Rivers, commented on the song.

Holland is no more! Well... kind of... "Hello from Josiah Holland here, of the band formerly known as Holland. As some of you have heard, we have been forced to change our name due to the fact that there's another artist that's used the name longer than we have and there's all sorts of copyright infringements and legal mumbo jumbo involved. We just got word back today from our lawyers that we can use the name we submitted to them for copyright research and blah blah. So from here on out we will be known as The Lonely Hearts. The name change comes at a good time as the band is moving in a different direction musically, by going for a more of a roots rock, Americana kind of thing. We're excited and we hope you are too. I mean come on, it's a Beatles reference. Thanks for your continued support and look for our new album coming soon. We're finishing it up as I type out in Missouri with Oran Thornton. See you soon."

David Crowder Band Following its No. 1 selling sixsteps/Sparrow Records CD, Illuminate, the David Crowder Band releases its first live project for retail, The Lime CD, March 23. Highlighting the band’s introspective lyrical depth and creativity, The Lime CD offers six new live versions of concert favorites along with a compelling and rare instrumental, “End Of October.” The recording also features an “unplugged” David Crowder performing solo with his Crowdster Acoustic guitar on the demo version of “Heaven Came Down,” which was the pre-cursor to the studio version found on Illuminate. The Lime CD further features “Undignified” and “I Need Words / God Of Wrath” from the David Crowder Band’s critically acclaimed debut, Can You Hear Us?. Featuring more than 42-minutes of music, the eight-song CD, which will list for only $7.99 at retail, will be supported through a targeted marketing campaign featuring grassroots efforts, touring, publicity and more. The Internet campaign is slated to include a WorshipTogether.com promotion offering free songs, Bible studies, sheet music, interviews and other special offers. Focus at retail will include joint positioning of both The Lime CD and the band’s best-selling release ever, Illuminate. CBA retail stores will have the ability to take advantage of the momentum around Illuminate by offering both recordings for only $20.

Jeremy Camp ­BEC Recordings singer/songwriter Jeremy Camp released his new project Carried Me: The Worship Project February 10th, scanning a total of 19,331 units in its first week. Over 14,200 units were sold in the Christian market alone. The CD debuted at No. 1 on the Top Christian Charts and No. 2 on the Top Current Contemporary Christian Charts, marking Carried Me the highest single week scans ever for a BEC Recordings artist. This outstanding debut week arrives on the heels of the continuous impact of Stay, Camp’s debut project, still holding strong in sales and scanning over 4,300 units this week alone. As of this month, Stay has sold over 200,000 units since its release September of 2002. Over 103,000 of those units were sold in the second half of 2003 alone, averaging over 4,000 units scanned a week. Stay continues to scan that average weekly. Stay has also produced four No. 1 hits, with the current hit “Right Here” still at the top of the charts, holding the top spot four weeks in a row for CRW and two weeks in a row for R&R. "Jeremy’s story continues,” exclaims Brandon Ebel, President, BEC Recordings/Tooth & Nail Records. “God has blessed him with a new wife, and this album is an extension of his faith. We all believe in him and are very excited about what's to come. EMI CMG and Chordant have truly rallied around this project and we deeply appreciate all of their efforts. We believe Jeremy will continue to be a core artist in the years to come."

ASU All Star United's frontman Ian Eskelin is returning to doing things solo this Summer! Ian started out as a solo artist releasing a couple records in the early 90's before forming All Star United in 1996. You can now download a brand new song from Ian called "Taboo" at his official site http://www.ianeskelin.com. The sound is very much like ASU so fans will definitely want to check this out! His solo project releases this Summer on Inpop Records. As far as All Star United goes, the band hasn't broken up, but they are taking a break while Ian works on his solo music.

Inpop Records’ Phoenix-based rock group Sky Harbor will be featured on the 21-city “Hope In Anguish” Tour which began February 15 with EastWest (Floodgate Records) and Subseven (Flicker Records). Joining Sky Harbor for the first time will be new member Joey Avalos. Bringing the member count to five, guitarist Joey Avalos built a name for himself as a member of Ardent Records recording artist Justifide. Avalos adds a third guitar to the band, bringing a wider, more powerful range of sound to Sky Harbor’s live performances. "The addition of Joey really gives us what we've been looking for,” said Sky Harbor’s Garth Bostic. “The sound, the songs, the attitude – we're a complete band now." Avalos said, “I am excited to be a part of Sky Harbor and to see what this year has for us. Being the third guitarist makes Sky Harbor have this distinct wall of sound.” During their four-week appearance on the “Hope In Anguish” Tour, Sky Harbor will have a chance to unveil several new songs they have been working on since the release of their 2003 debut for Inpop Records, Who Would Have Guessed.

FFH Top contemporary Christian pop act FFH extends its well-received "Ready to Fly" tour to include 22 dates this spring. Nearly one year since the tour's debut, this leg will visit eighteen states in two months, featuring Fervent Records' Big Daddy Weave and special guest, Creative Trust Workshop artist, Warren Barfield. Launching March 4 at Brentwood Baptist Church in Nashville, the "Ready to Fly" tour anticipates another successful jaunt. Venues include churches, civic centers and universities from Florida to Maine. A complete tour itinerary follows this release. "The demand for this tour has been phenomenal," comments Greg Oliver, President of GOA, Inc. "FFH completed 46 cities last fall, and we still have offers filing in. It is our intention to reach some previously untapped markets with the spring launch." Traveling to 46 venues in 66 days, the tour's fall run was a challenging one. FFH frontman, Jeromy Deibler, however, believes that FFH is hitting its stride. "We feel more called to being out on the road now than ever before," says Deibler. "All four of us know that God has called us to evangelism and to reaching people in the name of Jesus. We can't accomplish that without being in front of people on a regular basis."

Newsboys Adoration: The Tour, featuring co-headliners Newsboys and Rebecca St. James, with special guest Jeremy Camp, is generating momentum with 5 consecutive sold out dates and second shows being added in Ft. Meyers, FL and Spokane, WA. "Newsboys are seeing this tour hit a new chord with the fans,” states Wes Campbell, Newsboys manager. “Attendance at these sold out shows are averaging over 4,000 per show, and the fans are really coming with a committed heart for worship. The combination of Newsboys and Rebecca St. James is something we have tried to put together for a couple years now, and we are seeing why this package makes sense." “Worship is our love response to God’s love for us. It’s a constant part of our life,” notes Rebecca St. James. “What is interesting is that this more recent wave of worship in the U.S. is something Newsboys and I have experienced for years in Australia. Our hope is to serve the local body, and our prayer is that they will come prepared to experience a fresh encounter with God. We are asking for their prayers for the evenings.” For our review of the tour, click here.

Hey Switchfoot fans! The 2003 JfH Artist of the Year, as chosen by our readers, is filming a new video and they want you to be a part of it! The new Switchfoot video for "Dare You To Move" is shooting in Los Angeles on Tuesday, February 24! The time and place is forthcoming, so keep an eye on this page or Switchfoot.com for more details!

GRAMMY-nominated Artist/Producer Troy Sneed (The Preacher’s Wife, Georgia Mass Choir) recently announced the signing of new artist L. Spenser Smith & TESTAMENT to his newly founded label, Emtro Gospel. With the debut release of ASSIGNMENT No. 1 scheduled for June 8, 2004, Emtro Gospel will unveil what has been uniquely described as the group’s “neo-gospel” sound packed with tight grooves, original lyrics and well-blended vocals. Smith and the 20-voice ensemble known as TESTAMENT hail from Greater New Testament Church (GNTC) in Tuscaloosa, AL. Their introduction to the industry comes under the skilled production of newcomer John Jackson, who serves not only as Minister of Music of Greater New Testament Church, but also as the Musical Director for American Idol star Ruben Studdard and his band. “We are very pleased to have the opportunity to share the music and message of Smith and Testament with the release of Assignment No. 1,” says Emtro Gospel founder Troy Sneed. “Our vision for Emtro Gospel is to win souls through the gift of music.”

The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) is very pleased to announce its winners for the 2003 annual competition. Called "the songwriting competition to take note of" by the New York Times, ISC received over 11,000 entries from 60 countries in its sophomore year. ISC prizes include more than $100,000 (USD) in cash and merchandise and are shared by 68 winners in 13 categories. Winning First Place in the Gospel/Christian category is Peter Lawlor from Hampshire, England for his song “All That I Know”. An award-winning producer and composer, Peter’s songwriting achievements include the international #1 hit "Inside" which he wrote for British band Stiltskin. Peter also creates original music for television advertisements and has worked with companies such as Levi’s, Landrover and Ford. Taking Second Place honors is performer/songwriter Roma Waternan from Melbourne, Australia for her song “I Was Carried". Roma oversees the Melbourne Gospel Choir and has shared the stage with Grammy award winner dc Talk, and toured with the Newsboys, David Meece, Kenny Marks, and Margaret Becker. An accomplished songwriter, she received the Best Rock Song award at the 2001 MUSOZ Challenge. For more information and a complete list of winners, please go to http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners.htm

*Monday, February 16th, 2004*


Newsboys We just got back from the Adoration Tour in Bethlehem, PA, co-headlined by The Newsboys and Rebecca St. James with special guest Jeremy Camp. Anyone who has seen the Newsboys in recent months may notice a new face among the News members. Last Fall guitarist Jody Davis took a break from the band and allowed Bryan Oleson from the indie group Casting Pearls to fill his spot temporarily. We met up with Oleson after the show to find out what happened to Davis. Although no details were given regarding the reasons why Davis had left, Bryan did confirm that Jody will not be returning to the Newsboys lineup! Oleson was asked to stay as his permanent replacement. When asked about the future of Bryan's other endeavor, Casting Pearls, he revealed that the band intends to still work together and is in talks with a few record labels as we speak. Bryan also told us that the Newsboys have been working on some new material but no official recording or release dates have been set. While we're excited to welcome Oleson to the Newsboy team, we're sorry to see Davis go and everyone at the Hideout wishes him the best.

Supertones Here's the latest on the highly anticipated new release from the O.C. Supertones! Guitarist Ethan Luck wrote on the band's official website, "The new Record will be called Birth of a Nation and it will hit stores on June 15th! I will have a track order and song titles as soon as the album is done being mixed. Also, I think the new website will be launching sometime by April."

The rock band 12 Stones have parted ways with bassist Kevin Dorr. The name of the group's new bass player will be announced shortly. Led by the team of Paul McCoy, who recently won a Grammy for his guest vocals on the Evanescence worldwide smash "Bring Me to Life," and guitarist Eric Weaver, the band is currently in the studio with producer Dave Fortman (Evanescence) recording the follow-up to their self-titled debut album which has sold over 300,000 copies according to Soundscan. On March 5th, the band will return to the road as the headliner of the new See Spot Rock tour, which begins in Birmingham, AL and continues through May 6th in San Antonio, TX.

Smalltown Poets Smalltown Poets recently answered a buring question on the minds on a number of their fans... where's The Waiting?? SP frontman Michael Johnston announced on the band's site, "Many of you have been asking about The Waiting since their website has been down for a while. They are still doing concerts and have material written for a new album. Todd Olsen told me that he hopes to begin recording soon. Also I recently dropped by to see Third Day and producer Paul Ebersold at the studio here in Atlanta where they were recording some new music most likely to be released just before the Smalltown Poets record."

Blindside Music Choice is airing the Blindside performance from last years Cornerstone festival. This is a full one-hour TV special including some behind-the-scenes footage from the recording of About A Burning Fire and the concert. This was one of the last shows on the Silence world tour and it was certainly one of the most memorable. Shot on July 4th at Cornerstones 20th Anniversary Bash this show features all your favorites from Silence including the hits “Pitiful” and “Sleepwalking” as well as “Caught a Glimpse” and “Cute Boring Love” (where the crowd threatened to sing louder than the band at times). It also features some older material including “Nara” and the epic “My Mothers Only Son” - complete with a string section! With temperatures rising well over 100 degrees on stage during the performance – it's possible that this is maybe where the title of the new record came from! Music Choice and Elektra Records present Blindside Live at 110 Degrees Airing February 16-29, Check your local listings! For more info, click here.

Inpop Records’ singer/songwriter duo Shane Barnard and Shane Everett will headline the “Carry Away” Tour accompanied by Rocketown’s Dove Award-winning Ginny Owens and multi Dove Award nominee Shaun Groves. A follow up to Shane and Shane’s successful 60-city leg of the tour last fall, the “Carry Away” Tour will hit 29 cities nationwide between March 3 and April 4 with average audiences of over 2500 per night. Shane Barnard and Shane Everett, known collectively as Shane and Shane, have experienced overwhelming success since releasing Carry Away, the duo’s critically acclaimed, best-selling sophomore project for Inpop Records in March. A Top 10 debut on SoundScan’s “Top Christian Albums” chart and #149 spot on Billboard’s “Top 200” pushed Carry Away to immediate sales success and helped drive the album up radio charts as well. “Be Near,” the initial single from Carry Away produced by Newsboys’ frontman Peter Furler, hit #3 on the Christian Radio Weekly (CRW) Inspirational radio chart and #14 on CRW’s Adult Contemporary chart. In the fall of 2003, the momentum for Shane and Shane built further with a successful 60-city tour while the duo continued to receive tremendous support from retailers and media. The worshipful urgency and artistic crafting of Carry Away prompted Worship Leader Magazine to call the album, “a highlight of the current contemporary Christian season and proof positive of a fresh wind of artistry blowing across the musical landscape.”

Big Idea Veggie Rocks! will be released on March 9, 2004. It's a great collection of songs made popular by the Veggie Tales gang, as performed by some of the hottest acts in Christian music: Audio Adrenaline, Paul Colman, Newsboys, The O.C. Supertones, relient K, Rebecca St. James, Sanctus Real, Skillet, Stevenson, Superchic[k], and TAIT! The official website will be along shortly, with lots of cool stuff to check out, so we'll let you know as soon as it's live.

Advance tickets are available now for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ! The film opens Ash Wednesday, February 25, 2004, but you can order your tickets for this film now! Why is it so important to order your tickets now? The more people who order advance tickets, the more theaters will carry it. The best way to show Mel Gibson your support for this important film is to get your tickets as soon as possible. For more information, you can call 1-888-728-6639 or visit the web.

RSJ Grammy winning singer Rebecca St. James was in Washington Thursday to speak to members of the Bush Administration, amidst one of the highest profile weeks of her career. A strong, often controversial advocate of the abstinence message, whose book on the subject “Wait For Me,” has become an international best seller, St. James visited in the West Wing with senior administration advisors as well as fulfilling an invitation to speak to a lunchtime gathering of Bush staffers on the subject of her views of the spiritual and morals issues facing America. St. James, who openly admits to being a virgin from her concert stages, has raised eyebrows internationally for her outspoken declarations. She was last week quoted during a national morning guest appearance on Fox Friends First on the subject of the recent Janet Jackson-Justin Timberlake media firestorm: “It gave the message to the millions of kids and young people that were watching that what happened was cool. Abuse is never cool,” commented Rebecca. Earlier this week announcement was made in Nashville by the GMA that Rebecca St. James’ name appears in nomination for their highest honor--a 2004 Dove Award in the category of “Female Vocalist Of The Year”—a repeat honor for her. Rebecca recently launched what is expected to be her biggest U.S. concert tour yet—teaming with fellow Australians—multi-Grammy winners, multi-platinum Newsboys, on “Adoration: The Tour”—a 34 city run that will perform in major markets including Denver, Seattle, Chicago, Los Angeles, Orlando, Atlanta and Minneapolis before closing on April 4th in Detroit.

Word recording artist Kristy Starling was part of the Gospel Music Association's "Hall Of Fame" Induction ceremonies this past week as she honored renowned vocalist Sandi Patty. Starling sang "Love In Any Language" as part of the tribute to Patty, one of this year's Hall of Fame inductees. Starling was recently honored herself with a Dove Award nomination in the "New Artist of the Year" category.

SCC Sparrow Records artist Steven Curtis Chapman was the most nominated artist at the 35th Dove Award nomination ceremony with seven nominations including Song of the Year ("All About Love") and Male Vocalist, among others. Taking a break from recording his new studio record, Chapman was on hand to help announce the nominations at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, TN. 2003 was a break through year for Switchfoot. The band secured six nominations and an astounding 17 total nominations across seven categories (as a band and individually as songwriters and producers) including Song of the Year ("Meant To Live") as well as Artist of the Year, Group of the Year, and Rock/Contemporary Album (The Beautiful Letdown). Newsboys' most successful year to date continues to generate momentum with two nominations, including Group Of The Year. Their latest release Adoration: The Worship Album picked up a nomination for Praise And Worship Album Of The Year with front man Peter Furler receiving two additional nominations for the chart topping "He Reigns" (Song Of The Year, Worship Song). Following their 2003 Grammy nomination, Newsboys recently kicked off The Adoration Tour, their co-headlining tour with Rebecca St. James.

In press conferences held earlier last week, Word Records artist, downhere, received nominations for two Dove Awards and a Juno Award. The two Dove Award nominations are for the "Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year" for So Much for Substitutes, and "Modern Rock Recorded Song of the Year" for "Breaking Me Down". The Gospel Music Association's 34th Annual Dove Awards will be held April 28th in Nashville, TN. The band's Juno Award nomination is for "Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year" for So Much For Substitutes. The 33rd Annual Juno Awards are given by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and are the equivalent of the United States' GRAMMY® Awards. The 2004 Juno Award ceremony will be held April 4th in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. "Our Dove nominations are encouraging, as we are being associated with artists like Jars of Clay, Switchfoot, Audio Adrenaline and Todd Agnew...artists we have great respect for and that have influenced our music," states the band. "The fact that our home country has recognized our album with their highest music award is a great honor as well."

Singer/songwriter Jill Paquette was honored last week with a Dove Nomination by the Gospel Music Association for “Free (Take My Life)” in the Inspirational Recorded Song category. Paquette’s self-titled project, released July 22, 2003, was also recognized in the Recorded Music Packaging field. Paquette was also nominated today for a JUNO Award by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS). Her self-titled debut is up for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year. “It’s very humbling to be recognized for something that is so personal to me,” noted Paquette. “This album is a reflection of several phases of my life and it’s a privilege to be honored for something so close to my heart.” Born in British Columbia, Canada, with French-Canadian, European and Native American roots, Jill began training in classical piano at the age of three, learning to play by ear. The transition from classical piano to acoustic guitar at the age of 16 breathed new life into her love of music. While she composes on both the guitar and the piano, Jill says, “the acoustic guitar is easily one of the coolest instruments in the world. When I started playing that, it just felt like home.”

With an upcoming “Third Day Live” tour in sight, Third Day is currently dividing its time between Memphis and Atlanta, recording alongside renowned producer Paul Ebersold (3 Doors Down, Sister Hazel). The official release date for Third Day’s highly anticipated new studio project is May 4 on Essential Records.

Bebo Norman The 2003 eight-time Dove Award nominee Bebo Norman gathers his second consecutive Song of the Year nod for "Great Light of the World." The song continues to win fans nationwide, currently performed at sold-out venues along "The Imagine Tour." Featured on Norman's most successful record to date, Myself When I Am Real, "Great Light of the World" became the singer/songwriter's first Top 5 radio hit, holding its position on the Adult Contemporary chart for multiple weeks. In addition to a Song of the Year nomination, "Great Light of the World" was included among 2003's finalists for Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song. The success of Myself When I Am Real has placed Norman among contemporary Christian music's buzz artists, affording him such high profile opportunities as this spring's "The Imagine Tour." Boasting an all-star line-up, comprising MercyMe, Amy Grant as well as Norman, the tour has been packing out auditoriums across the southeast, instigating a rush for tickets in its first six markets. A complete tour itinerary can be found at www.bebonorman.com.

NavPress and Michael Card announced the release of a joint project for release this Easter season. NavPress will be releasing a limited edition version of The Rabbi’s Heartbeat that will feature an enclosed CD of an original recording by Michael Card. The song, "Rabbi's Heart", is only available in the limited edition of The Rabbi’s Heartbeat. The project will be available in stores March 2004. "Rabbi's Heart", written and performed by Michael Card was bred out of his interactions with Brennan and his writing. "I've long admired and respected Brennan Manning both as a friend and fellow author. I count it a privilege to be a part of this project and look forward to more opportunities to collaborate with him." The single will release to Inspirational radio stations this month. The Rabbi's Heartbeat limited edition is a devotional that fosters a deeper understanding and joy of an intimate relationship with Christ. Best-selling author Brennan Manning challenges readers of all ages to become real with Christ and live their lives without hiding or posing as perfect. This book is a daily reminder to live as we really are—as God's beloved children.

*Wednesday, February 11th, 2004*


Dove Awards Top nominees announced for the 35th Annual Dove Awards represent the wide range of artists in gospel music today. Contemporary pop’s Steven Curtis Chapman, mainstream breakouts Switchfoot and Stacie Orrico, traditional gospel’s CeCe Winans and rockers Third Day lead the diverse list of nominees. A complete nominations list is available at www.doveawards.com. Chapman and Toby McKeehan, a multiple nominee himself, announced the Dove Award nominations today at The Gaylord Entertainment Center, where the 35th Annual Doves will be held on Wednesday, April 28, 2004. "Gospel music expresses itself in many different ways and we applaud all nominated artists for their unique contributions to the gospel music landscape,” said John W. Styll, president of the Gospel Music Association (GMA). “Steven Curtis Chapman, CeCe and Third Day continue to elevate their artistry, making them perennial Dove favorites. At the same time, it is so great to see artists like Switchfoot and Stacie Orrico, while certainly not new to the gospel music community, have the breakout success they have experienced this year. They are all deserving of the recognition these awards are meant to show.” Sparrow artist Chapman garnered seven nominations, including several for his work on his latest record, All About Love. Additionally, Chapman earned a nod for producing New Artist of the Year nominee Casting Crowns’ self-titled debut record. Switchfoot’s six group nominations, including Artist of the Year, are for their breakout Sparrow/Columbia recording The Beautiful Letdown, which has been number one on Billboard’s Top Christian Albums chart for the first five weeks of 2004. Band members and brothers Jonathan and Tim Foreman also individually earned five and four nominations for their songwriting. Third Day’s Offerings II: All I Have To Give helped to produce six nominations for the Essential Records artist, as well as individual writing and production credits for the band members. Female Vocalist of the Year was one of five nominations for Winans, whose latest, Throne Room, was her first for Pure Springs Gospel/INO/Epic. ForeFront/Virgin artist Stacie Orrico became an MTV favorite this past year with the release of her self-titled sophomore project, which earned her five Dove nominations including Artist of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year. EMI Gospel’s Smokie Norful found success at gospel and urban radio with his debut album, netting him four Dove nominations. The title track from his debut, "I Need You Now," won a Top 5 slot at Urban AC radio while also becoming one of the biggest songs of the past two years at Gospel radio. Other multiple nominees include Mark Schultz, Mercy Me and bandleader Bart Millard, and Casting Crowns. Receiving four nods each are Todd Agnew, Jeremy Camp, Darwin Hobbs, KJ-52, Robert Randolph (of Robert Randolph and the Family Band), Connie Smith and T-Bone. The five artists vying for the coveted Artist of the Year are MercyMe, Orrico, Michael W. Smith, Switchfoot and Randy Travis. Male Vocalist nominees are Camp, Chapman, Millard, David Phelps and Schultz. Nichole Nordeman, Orrico, Rebecca St. James, Joy Williams and Winans are nominated for Female Vocalist. Artists up for Group of the Year are Jars of Clay, MercyMe, Newsboys, Switchfoot and Third Day. In addition to Casting Crowns, Across the Sky, Agnew, Camp and Kristy Starling are nominated for New Artist of the Year. Many of the nominated songs and artists will be featured in the upcoming Word Records’ release Dove Hits 2004: 15 of the Year’s Best Dove Award Nominated Artists and Songs. A full song list for Dove Hits 2004 will be announced in the coming weeks. The album releases on April 20, 2004. For a full list of this year's Dove Award nominees, click here!

Audio A Back by popular demand, The !Hero: The Rock Opera Tour is resuming this Spring! Herouniverse.com has released this Spring's tour dates and casting information! The only major change to the rock opera's cast is Audio Adrenaline's frontman Mark Stuart has decided not to reprise his role as Petrov. Unfortunately, Stuart found the schedule too grueling in addition to his AudioA responsibilities. Although Mark's presence will be greatly missed, we're still excited to say that our friend Jamie Rowe, former lead singer for the rock/metal band Guardian will be filling his shoes! Rumor also has it that a live recording for the Tour is in the works! For more information about the Spring !Hero Tour, visit Herouniverse.com! For our review of the fall tour, click here.

KJ-52 Essential Records is reissuing the debut album by BEC Recording artist KJ-52. Available to consumers Feb. 24, 7th Avenue features five previously unavailable tracks as well as contributions by several guest artists. KJ-52 debuted with Essential Records in April of 2000. Produced by Todd Collins, of Beatmart Productions and Gotee Brothers fame, 7th Avenue garnered industry acclaim, earning a Dove Award nomination that year for best Rap/Hip Hop Album. His mission to bring Christ's message to hip-hop communities nationwide first manifested itself with the release of 7th Avenue. Four years later, KJ's calling remains unchanged. In addition to his own version of dc Talk's "The Hard Way" and appearances by Knowdaverbs, Amani as well as Cross Movement, the' 04 edition of 7th Avenue boasts many new songs. Additions to the latest recording include "Lift Me Up," KJ's take on the hit tune "Flood" by Jars of Clay, and "All Around the World," featuring rapper John Reuben and former L.A. Symphony member Pigeon John. Also unique to the album are "Need Someone" with Parkway (formerly Silage) and "Twelve-Round Knockout," written and recorded for the feature movie Carman: The Champion. Bob Wohler, vp of A&R for Provident Label Group, comments, "KJ-52's popularity has risen dramatically since 7th Avenue. He has an established name and a national audience who love his music. Many newer fans are either unaware of or unable to get their hands on his first project. This album is for them as well as for KJ's longtime followers."

Our friends Sanctus Real are currently working on their second project which will be released this summer on Sparrow Records. Check for new pictures in the photo gallery at SanctusReal.com! If you can't wait for new music, be sure to pick up In The Name Of Love featuring Sanctus Real's U2 cover, "Beautiful Day".

If you're looking forward to the new Mel Gibson-directed Jesus film The Passion Of The Christ like we are, you won't want to miss a brand new interview in this week's issue of Newsweek magazine with the film's star James Caviezel (Frequency, The Count Of Monte Cristo). In the interview, Caviezel reveals that he was actually whipped by accident during one scene and struck by lightning in another! In this intriguing interview, Caviezel makes a bold statement about his faith in Christ. Read on here... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4212740/ The Passion Of The Christ release on Ash Wednesday, February 25th.

Moved to Hershey Park in Hershey, PA last year due to inclement weather, Creation East Festival will be returning home to the beautiful mountain ranges of central Pennsylvania and the Agape Farm in Mount Union. Creation East will be will be held June 23rd – 26th and Creation West will be celebrating its 7th year at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, WA July 21st – 24th. Featuring the hottest acts in music today, the main stage line-up will include Newsboys, Jars of Clay, Steven Curtis Chapman, Switchfoot, Stacie Orrico, TobyMac and Delirious, along with many other nationally known artists. “The Fringe” side stage will feature the best of the up-and-coming alternative Christian artists, including Kutless, KJ-52, John Reuben, Cool Hand Luke, Seventh Day Slumber and Thousand Foot Krutch to name a few. The Festival will also present many new artists, including Sarah Kelly, FM Static, Building 429 and Canadian band, Starfield. Speakers from across the country, such as Luis Palau, Josh McDowell, Eastman Curtis, Ryan Dobson, and Laurie Polich will take the stage throughout the day to challenge and encourage listeners. A few highlights for the 26th Annual celebration include a late night Comedy Club with special guest, Brad Stine, an illusion show with Living Illusions, the Creation Houseparty with Out of Eden, Cross Movement and Grits, a Fireworks display, candle lighting and communion services as well as “Youth Leaders Only” and Musician Seminars. Actor Stephen Baldwin, a Christian deeply committed to reaching teens, will take part in the Festival as a speaker as well as partnering with the Luis Palau organization to present his skateboard and BMX extreme sports teams. We hope to see you there this year! For more information about Creation, visit CreationFest.com!

RSJ Responding to years of appeals from fans, ForeFront Records’ Grammy Award winning and revered international Christian artist, Rebecca St. James, announces the release of her anticipated concert project, Live Worship: Blessed Be Your Name, February 24. “I’ve had a lot of people come to me at concerts over the years asking, ‘when are you going to do a live praise album since worship is a big part of your concerts,’” explains Rebecca. “I grew up around worship and listening to live worship CDs, so it’s naturally a big part of my concerts. This album is fulfilling a part of my ministry that I’ve hoped to do for some time.” Live Worship features nine songs including the new studio cut and recent radio release, “The Power Of Your Love.” The album’s concert recordings includes two new songs, “Blessed Be Your Name,” co-written by Matt Redman, and “I Adore You,” in addition to “Lamb Of God,” “Quiet You,” “Let My Words Be Few,” “Above All,” “Here I Am To Worship” and a hidden studio track, “Shout To The Lord.” For the JfH preview of Live Worship: Blessed Be Your Name, click here!

David Crowder Band David Crowder Band, one of the most sought after bands on college campuses and beyond, launches its first-ever headline tour. “The Illuminate Tour” begins Feb. 16 in Oklahoma City (Edmond, OK), and features both GoTee artist Paul Wright and BEC band Telecast. With their infectious melodic rock sound and engaging live performance, David Crowder Band traverses the country into 11 states, 18 cities nationally performing fan favorites, including new music from its critically acclaimed, No. 1 selling sophomore album, Illuminate.

BarlowGirl BarlowGirl, three sisters with a hope of sharing their faith and values through their music, will release their debut self-titled album, BarlowGirl, on Fervent Records on February 24. Provident Music Distribution will distribute the record to Christian and general market retail. “BarlowGirl is one of those unique artists with a definite sense of their mission. They are firmly committed to making great music and challenging their generation to live lives transformed by God, not by the world,” said Susan Riley, Owner/ President of Fervent Records. “Their music is contagious and the lyrics are thought-provoking; I think there will be a lot of kids who will respond to their music and message.” BarlowGirl (www.barlowgirl.com) is comprised of drummer Lauren (18), Alyssa (21) on bass and keyboards and guitarist Becca (24). The sisters, who grew up in the Chicago suburb of Elgin, IL., formed the band four years ago. They earned early notoriety from a song called “Barlow Girls” on Inpop Records’ Superchic(k)’s debut release Karaoke Superstars. Superchic(k) was inspired to write the song after meeting BarlowGirl at LifeFest Christian music festival in Wisconsin and being impressed by the sisters’ stance on purity and modesty. “Barlow Girls” has become one of Superchic(k)’s most requested songs in concert and has even inspired a website (www.Barlowgirl.net) for girls who call themselves “BarlowGirls.” For the JfH preview of BarlowGirl, click here!

LaRue For those wondering about what happened to LaRue, most are aware that the siblings both got married last year and have gone their separate ways. Phil is currently living in FL with his new bride and Natalie is married to Rob Murray, a youth pastor in San Clemente, CA. Click here for a photo of Nat & Rob. It's unknown whether or not Phil and Natalie will team back up for another release. One can only hope that in time they will...

Fans of Starflyer59 will be excited to know that a brand new SF59 mp3 is now available for download! Make sure download a song off of their brand new record I Am The Portuguese Blues, entitled "Wake Up Early." http://www.purevolume.com/starflyer59. The new album drops February 24th!

FiF Five Iron Frenzy has picked a release date for their final recording! The End Is Here should be in stores is April 20, 2004. It will be all of The End Is Near, which is their final studio album plus an extra song from the studio recordings, PLUS a second disc containing a live recording of the final show recorded on Nov 22, 2003 at the Fillmore in Denver, CO. PLUS all the original Douglas TenNapel artwork, plus additional special artwork. Word has it that the live recording is better than their previous record LIVE: Proof that the Youth are Revolting!

BHT Entertainment recently announced the signing of acclaimed independent songwriter and artist Trevor Morgan. The first artist to bow from BHT Entertainment, the new Brentwood-based independent label group, founded by industry veterans Mike Blanton, Dan Harrell and Steve Thomas, Morgan makes his industry debut with Wonderlight, May 4. “We couldn’t be more excited about Trevor and his new album,” says Blanton. “He is an artist that has been in the making for some time. Ultimately, there’s no one better prepared mentally, emotionally and spiritually as Trevor to enter the industry with total support.”

Word Records artist and Country music legend Randy Travis nabbed a GRAMMY Award at Sunday night's ceremonies with his gold-selling Rise & Shine release in the "Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album" category, rounding out his GRAMMY Award career-total to four. Travis has seen a gamut of successes over the past year including the RIAA gold-certification of Rise & Shine as well as multiple accolades for the No. 1 radio hit "Three Wooden Crosses". The hit single made music chart history by achieving No. 1 status at country radio (Billboard, R&R, and Music Row charts), an unprecedented achievement by a Christian record label on the Country charts. In addition, "Three Wooden Crosses" received "Song Of The Year" honors at the Country Music Association (CMA) Award show, as well as being named "Song Of The Year" by The Nashville Songwriters Association. Travis also garnered a 2003 Dove Award for "Country Album Of The Year" along with two Christian Country Music Awards for "Song Of The Year" and "Mainstream Artist Of The Year". "Randy's career has been characterized by a hard work ethic and loyalty to the fans," says Mark Lusk, senior vice president of marketing and artist development at Word Records. "It's no wonder that someone of his caliber, both as an artist and person, is receiving such recognition. No one deserves it more."

Kristy Starling will be part of the Gospel Music Association's "Hall Of Fame" Induction Ceremony tonight as they honor one of this year's inductees Sandi Patty. Kristy will be singing "Love In Any Language" as part of the tribute to Patty's impact on the Christian music industry. The Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) will tape the event for broadcast at a later date. And speaking of being honored... Kristy will be honored by SESAC for her vocal contribution to the #1 radio hit "Sending You A Little Christmas" with renowned pianist Jim Brickman. The radio single was part of Brickman's GRAMMY-nominated Peace Christmas album released late 2003.

Pop duo Ben Kolarik and Justin Unger, collectively known as Across The Sky, spent a day last week shooting their first music video for "Broken World" from their self-titled debut album. Across The Sky joins the Avalon/Mark Schultz nationwide tour later this month. Tour dates and additional information on the guys can be found at www.acrossthesky.com

Point Of Grace will be included in an upcoming edition of ABC's World News Tonight with Peter Jennings. ABC is spotlighting the new Revolve teen Bible and Point of Grace as well as their Girls of Grace conferences. The story, featuring the current trends that Christian teens are embracing, will air on ABC sometime this month. Look for a media alert on actual day/time in the upcoming days...

Leading Gospel label EMI Gospel is pleased to announce a newly formed alliance with Atlanta-based Holy Hip Hop Music. Under the exclusive arrangement, EMI Gospel will distribute Holy Hip Hop Music releases to the Christian marketplace through #1-ranked Chordant Distribution and to the General Market through EMI Music Marketing, as well as digital distribution through various new media partners. With the demand for Holy Hip Hop music at an all-time high, the alliance between EMI Gospel and Holy Hip Hop Music comes at a strategic time. "We're very pleased with our long term agreement with Holy Hip Hop," said Ken Pennell, President of EMI Gospel. "We believe that by working together we can expand the reach of Holy Hip Hop Music as they communicate the gospel message in the international language of young people."

Dexterity Sounds, the joint venture between Bishop T.D. Jakes and EMI Gospel, is celebrating their first Grammy win. During the 46th Annual Grammy Awards ceremonies, Bishop T.D. Jakes & The Potter's House Mass Choir were awarded with a prestigious Grammy in the category of Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album for their recording, A Wing And A Prayer. "We're delighted and excited to have a platform where the best in gospel music is received and recognized," says Bishop T.D. Jakes, CEO of Dexterity Sounds. "It is an awesome honor that the Potter's House Mass Choir has been acknowledged for their musical excellence with the Grammy win and we look forward to propelling more artists to the front of Christian music."

*Monday, February 9th, 2004*


Michael W. Smith Michael W. Smith picked up his third career GRAMMY win last night in the category of Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for Worship Again. “All of the nominees in this category--Jars of Clay, Third Day, Stacie Orrico and Newsboys--are amazing artists,” Smith comments. “I was thrilled to be included among them and even more honored to win.” Worship Again, Smith’s second collection of contemporary worship songs, released in October 2002 to wide acclaim among both Christian and general market circles, with Billboard noting the project “succeeds on all counts, deftly capturing the emotional essence of a powerful live event.” Smith’s previous GRAMMY Awards came in 1995 for I’ll Lead You Home (Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album) and 1984 for Michael W. Smith 2 (Best Gospel Performance, Male). The aforementioned wins are among Smith’s 11 career GRAMMY nominations. Congratulations also to our friends Audio Adrenaline who snagged their first Grammy award for Best Rock Gospel Album with their 2003 release Worldwide! Congratulations to both Smitty and AudioA! We're proud!

Pillar Pillar bassist Kalel and his wife Stacie welcomed their fist child, Kaden, to the world at 12:25am on February 4. Kaden weighed in at 9.13lbs. “My wife Stacie is amazing! This is something I could have never done--even if it was anatomically possible!” said Kalel. “We hope you will all say a little prayer for Kaden, that he grows up a kind, honest, and God-fearing man who will do great things.” Congratulations to Kalel and Stacie from everyone at the Hideout!

Further Seems Forever released this update on their status last week... "We (Further Seems Forever) regret to announce to you, our fans, that after 3 weeks of trying to come to an agreement between Jason Gleason and the rest of FSF, time has run out. It has become apparent that going on this tour at this time will be much more damaging than uplifting to all parties involved (including the listener). We had hoped that we could come to a resolution in order to bring our music to the people who matter most, our fans, but unfortunately Further Seems Forever will not be on the upcoming Tooth and Nail tour. We hope that all our fans will go out to the shows and support the other bands. We will be posting more positive information about the upcoming record and FSF in general very soon. Please keep checking the site for more information, and we promise that once everything is worked out we will post a complete statement that should cover everything that has gone on or will go on in the future. We truly appreciate all the positive e-mails and undying support that we have received during this trying time."

SONICFlOOd INO Records’ SONICFLOOd, ex-mafia boss Michael Franzese and opening band Building 429 will kick off the 25-city Fearless Planet Tour on March 6th in Southlake, Texas. This tour follows SONICFLOOd's lead singer Rick Heil’s recent return from filming a video in India. The Fearless Planet Tour is built upon the theme “Walk In Courage, Live in Faith” and the verse "If God is for us. Who can be again us?" - Romans 8:31. Every show will have a specific focus, which is to convey to the audience how to live a fearless life inspite of the constant state of fear our planet has come to know through various tragedies and events, such as 9/11. "Through this tour we want to challenge people to not live in fear by gripping their hearts with testimony and song that leads them to Christ," claims SONICFLOOd Frontman, Rick Heil.

Geoff Moore Beginning in February, Compassion International will extend their successful “Evening of Compassion” tour into Spring 2004, and Geoff Moore will once again host these evenings of music and ministry with special guests TAIT and Erin O’Donnell. “Being a part of these Compassion events was a highlight of 2003 for me,” said Geoff Moore. “The response has been overwhelming and I am very excited about 2004 and the opportunity to tour with friends and label mates TAIT, as well as Erin O’Donnell.” The “Evening of Compassion” concert series was created in the spring of 2003 to increase awareness of the work and mission of Compassion International. With Moore as host and special guest Rachael Lampa, the series traveled across the United States, playing 35 dates in front of more than 20,000 people. Not only was the concert series successful at introducing Compassion International to new audiences, but the tour also resulted in 3,000 sponsorships of children around the globe. Kicking off on February 21 in Lancaster, PA, the 2004 “Evening of Compassion” dates will run through July 2004. For a complete tour listing, click the following link: http://www.forefrontrecords.com/news/default.aspx?news_id=229413

After performing more than 100 shows in 2003 and landing the No. 1 spot on year-end Inspirational charts with the song “Smile (Just Want to Be With You),” Chris Rice and his current album, Run the Earth… Watch the Sky, continue to impact mass audiences in 2004. The latest catalyst for this album comes with the growing adds of “Untitled Hymn (Come to Jesus)” at Christian radio and the unparalleled response the song is getting from programmers, test audiences and listeners alike. Currently, the song is at No. 3 with a bullet at Inspirational radio in R&R (No. 5 at CRW) and Top 20 with a bullet at AC in CRW (New and Active on R&R). Jon Rivers, the music director for the KLOVE Radio Network and the host for “20 The Countdown Magazine,” said, “’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."

*Tuesday, February 3rd, 2004*


dctalk dcTalksolo.com made the following report late last week clarifying longtime rumors circulating about Kevin Max's private life... "Over the past year, rumors have been flying around about a possible divorce between Kevin Max and his wife, Alayna. On Tuesday, Kevin confirmed these rumors by issuing the statement on his message boards (posted below)... "The question of my marriage to Alayna and where it stands has been asked of me over and over again and I feel the need to tell you as my friends and supporter's the truth of the matter. I spoke to Alayna about it and she was willing to let me speak about it to you. The truth is, as an artist, I have always been very outspoken about most of my private life but when it comes to a marriage bond, some things should remain in privacy. However after much prayer and thought, I wanted to let you know that Alayna and I are no longer married. We both made the decision after much counseling by pastor's and spiritual guidance counselor's. We have been divorced for awhile now but did not feel the need to expose it to the public. We are still friends and constantly praying for God's direction in both of our lives. The decision was mutual and was also made out of love and not hate, we continue to keep in touch and invite your prayers for the both of us. ... I am in a better place lately and I believe that I have been healing, I am constantly surrounded by people who care and have a vested interest in my life. I constantly am in awe at the grace and mercy that the Lord shows us." As our friends at dcTalksolo.com stated, we too support Kevin as a brother in Christ and we urge you to keep him and Alayna in your prayers.

Switchfoot It's big time on the small screen for Switchfoot! The highly creative spiritual rock band's "Meant To Live" video has just been added to MTV, and its first concert DVD will hit stores March 23. Featured on Switchfoot's nationally acclaimed fourth album, The Beautiful Letdown, "Meant To Live" became a mainstream rock radio hit in 2003 and landed the California quartet on late night talk shows and in Rolling Stone. Now, the song is reaching pop outlets and is close to breaking the Top 40 on Radio & Records' contemporary hit chart. Switchfoot is currently embracing the support with a promotional tour of radio stations around the United States. In other radio news, on February 6, a new single from The Beautiful Letdown, "Dare You To Move," will be released to Christian radio and then to mainstream alternative stations March 2. On March 23, Switchfoot will release its first concert DVD, Live In San Diego, filmed in the band's hometown. A new concert tour begins in March as well. You can support Switchfoot by casting a vote to MTV for "Meant To Live." To vote, check tour dates, and learn more about The Beautiful Letdown or Live In San Diego, then click over to Switchfoot.com.

Recently, Mel Gibson responded to Third Day's David Carr in a recent Q&A. Read as Mel shares his heart about his latest project, The Passion Of The Christ (releases Feb. 25), and the importance of this film... http://www.thirdday.com/spotlight/passion.htm

Avalon Avalon, Mark Schultz and Across The Sky will hit the road this February through April, performing in approximately 35 markets nationwide, including Pittsburgh, Grand Rapids, Dallas, Chattanooga and Miami. The tour kicks off in Pensacola, Florida, on February 27. Avalon, considered a standard in Christian music since 1996, releases The Creed, their sixth studio release, on February 24. Closely approaching sales of over 2 million worldwide, The Creed, displays an incomparable range of harmony and the unforgettable melodies for which Avalon is known. Avalon enjoyed a very memorable 2003, beginning with the collection of an American Music Award in January and ending with a recent CCM Readers Choice Award for Group Of The Year. Some of Avalon’s most notable career credits include a total of 20 #1 singles, 3 Dove’s, 20 Dove Nominations, two Grammy nominations and an American Music Award in 2002. R&R recently credited Avalon as the fourth most played artist on all of AC Christian radio in 2003, ranking Everything To Me and New Day - the only new singles featured on Testify To Love; The Best Of Avalon - in the AC Top 25 on R&R for 2003, and Everything To Me, second on R&R Inspo Top 25 for 2003.

One of the newest and most anticipated bands on Solid State Records has just finished up their new record with Barry Poynter (Zao, Living Sacrifice, Dead Poetic). Haste The Day's Burning Bridges will be available on March 9th! Check out their website at www.hastetheday.com and look for them on tour in a city near you!

Dead Poetic is just wrapping up the final editing of their new video for "New Medicines," the first single of their upcoming full length, with director Derek Dale (Demon Hunter, Himsa, As I Lay Dying) and should be airing on MTV in the upcoming months! Demon Hunter will be shooting their video for "Not Ready To Die" in March with Derek Dale and they need YOUR help! Check out www.demonhunter.net for more details on the shoot.

UnderOath is entering the studio this week with James Paul Wisner (Further Seems Forever, 238, Dashboard Confessional) to record the much anticipated follow up record to The Changing of Times with the June 15th release, They’re Only Chasing Safety. With a new singer and a new drive in the band, this record is sure to blow minds and let kids know who rocks on Solid State.

For a limited time you can order the all-star project, Liberty n' Justice Welcome To The Revolution from www.3chordrecords.net, and it will include all "18" tracks! This is a limited run of these CD's and they are selling them for $15.00 each plus s/h. This is your first chance to buy it before it hits the stores in North America which only has 15 tracks. The CD features guest lead vocals by... Lou Gramm of Foreigner, Bob Carlisle, Michael Sweet of Stryper, John Schlitt of Petra, Greg X Volz of Petra, Robert Fleischman of Journey, Jamie Rowe of Guardian/ London calling, Scott Wenzel of White Cross, Doug Phelps of The Kentucky Headhunters, Harry Hess of Harem Scarem, Jeff Fenholt of Black Sabbath and TBN, Ken Tamplin of Shout, Mitch Malloy, Mitch McVicker, Dale Thompson of Bride, Rick Florian of White Heart, Mike Roe of The 77's, and Paul Q Pek of One Bad Pig. This is your first chance to own a part of Christian rock history before anyone else. Tickets are still available for the March 20th show in East Peoria with Lou Gramm, Bob Carlisle, John Schlitt, Mitch Malloy, London Calling, and Liberty n Justice. info is available at www.3chordrecords.net.

*Sunday, February 1st, 2004*


Pc3 Last nite, some surprise big (and potentially sad) news was released by Paul Colman Trio... "G'day from pc3! This is a BIG piece of news (that you may have heard already). Make sure you're sitting down. Four studio and two live albums, a Grammy nomination, a Dove Award, hit singles in the US, Australia and New Zealand, countless festival shows and tour dates, travels all over the USA, to Canada, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, New Zealand and our home of Australia and much, much more! From late 1998 to February 2004, pc3 has had a lot of good times and some wonderful successes that we are incredibly thankful for. All that said. It is with more than just a little sadness that, as of Feb 21st 2004, pc3 will be taking a break as a recording/performing band. We've had a great time, but primarily due to financial and family considerations we cannot continue working together- at least at this stage. We are reluctant to call it a 'break-up' because we all love each other and do not want to close our minds to whatever opportunities may come up to work together in the future. So what will we all be up to if we're not doing pc3? Grant will be staying in Nashville pursuing songwriting and bass playing opportunities. Phil has returned to Australia to produce and engineer records. Paul will be based in Nashville and is continuing on as a solo artist. His live performances will be either Paul on his own with an acoustic guitar or with a backing band. If you are receiving this email, you have probably been a part of the wonderful journey with us. Thanks heaps! But mostly we are thankful to God for blessing three eager blokes from Melbourne, who simply wanted to make music that honoured Him and share it with as many people as possible. What an amazing, tough, joyful, exciting, rollercoaster ride we've had for the last five years. Thanks God! God bless Paul, Grant and Phil"

Right now you can hit Lifeways online store and purchase Kutless' first single from their Sea of Faces album, "Treason" for only $0.99! And with it, you get another song for free. Click on this link for more info. http://www.lifewaystores.com/lwstore/default.asp?dept=LAD


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This Friday, March 22, 2024
ALBUMS
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Next Friday, March 29, 2024
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The Rocky Valentines Erase [Velvet Blue/Tooth & Nail]

SINGLES
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