March, 2006 *Friday, March 31st, 2006* BEC/Tooth and Nail Rock band Kutless is headed into GMA Week after completing the most successful week of their 4 year career. Hearts of the Innocent, Kutless' 4th album scanned 21,8881 units, landing the band at #1 on the CBA charts, #2 on the overall Christian charts, and #45 on the Billboard top 200. Hearts Of The Innocent, which almost doubled first week sales of Kutless’ Strong Tower in Feb. of 2005, gives Tooth & Nail/BEC Recordings their second highest first week scans in label history. Brandon Ebel, President and Founder of Tooth and Nail/BEC states, "We are elated about the great first week for Hearts of the Innocent, which nearly doubled first week sales of Strong Tower. Kutless has really evolved as a band, both artistically and as performers, and we couldn't be more proud of them. And while the new album is heavier, it still contains the key CHR and AC singles that radio programmers have come to know and love, and we expect it will only take the band to even greater heights." Not only has Kutless been noticed on the charts but they have made it to the small screen as well. On Tuesday night’s episode of the NBC hit Scrubs, the song “All Of The Words” from Kutless’ third album Strong Tower played for almost 2 minutes during the pivotal scene of the season on the popular comedy. Tuesday night’s episode hit an 11 week ratings high, and is among the first Scrubs episodes that can be downloaded on iTunes. Laura Hutfless from the William Morris Agency says, “Placing the Kutless song, "All the Words," on Scrubs was truly a team effort. We at William Morris were all very pleased with the way the song was incorporated into the television show and are thrilled that millions of Americans have now been exposed to this incredible band. I'm confident that this is only the beginning for Kutless as they continue to give their audience captivating and inspirational music and win new fans everyday. " Kutless’ ground breaking video “Shut Me Out” has been placed on an exclusive Microsoft/Wal-Mart DVD give-a-way. Consumers who purchase X-box’s new game The Apprentice, featuring Donald Trump, will receive a copy of Kutless’ new video. This is estimated to be in the hands of 350,000 gamers. Plus, Target Stores announced that the “Shut Me Out” video will play nationwide in all stores on Target TV (Red Channel) beginning in May. (from Big Machine Media) Dove Award winning and GRAMMY nominated rock band Day of Fire is readying for the release of its second studio album Cut and Move on Essential Records, June 6. Cut and Move was produced by Pete Thornton with lyrics penned by lead singer Josh Brown and music written collectively by the five-member band. When asked about Day of Fire’s new project, Brown muses, “Cut and Move is about identifying with the pain and insecurity that we all feel, and finding hope in the love of God. We are all in a desperate and constant need of that love. It’s our intention to reach out to listeners about topics such as addiction, abuse, and abandonment.” Before Day of Fire, Josh Brown was front man for Island-Def Jam band Full Devil Jacket. Ever since the day that God rescued Josh from life robbing addictions, he has been reveling in the miraculous change in his life. According to Brown, “now more than ever I want to share my story with as many souls as possible, especially those I encountered prior to running to God.” Day of Fire will be on the road this spring on its headlining tour Reborn with Red (Essential Records), Fighting Instinct (Gotee Records), Decyfer Down (S/R/E Recordings), and Common Roy, followed by major festival dates this summer and further touring opportunities in the fall. The ten track Cut and Move consists of the following songs: “Love,” “Run,” “Hole In My Hand,” “Cut and Move,” “Regret,” “When the Light,” “Wake Me,” “Frustrating,” “Far and Gone,” “Reborn.” [track listing subject to change] (from Provident Label Group) *Thursday, March 30th, 2006* Recently voted “Favorite Festival” in CCM Magazine’s Reader’s Poll, the Creation Festival announces an opportunity for even more Christian music fans to experience the highlight of the summer. Creation Southwest will be added to the 2007 Festival line-up and will be held June 7-9 at the Willowood Ranch in Texas. "The Lord has blessed the Creation Festival over the past 28 years and impacted thousands of lives on the East and West Coast through these events,” explains Pastor Harry Thomas, Festival Co-founder. “There have been numerous requests for Creation Fest to come to the Southwest through the years. We are grateful for the invitations and the Lord opening the doors in Texas. We are delighted to announce Creation Southwest '07 at the beautiful Willowood Ranch!” Located a few short miles from Sherman, TX and just 50 minutes north of Dallas, Willowood Ranch is the perfect location for Creation Southwest. With more than 450 acres of rolling terrain with lakes, wooded areas and hiking trails, the Ranch is an amazing backdrop for this Tribute to our Creator. The Ranch offers the best of both worlds—out in the country with a good size town next door. The quick jaunt from Sherman offers many restaurants, fast food stops and even a Super Walmart, with the road ending in the tranquil beauty and endless peace of Willowood Ranch. Artists, industry personnel and the community of Sherman, TX are excited about the new addition to the family of Creation Festivals… “We have been playing the Creation Festival for 18 years, and after all this time of touring, Creation remains one of the best music festivals in the world, Christian or otherwise,” says Newsboys’ Jeff Frankenstein. “We are very excited about the addition of a third event in TX and can’t wait to be a part of another amazing Creation experience!" Mike Snider, President of Third Coast Artist Agency expresses, “Its been a long time coming and we are excited to finally have a major festival in Texas, especially a Creation Festival. This is good news for everyone!” Creation Northeast 06 will be held June 28th – July 1st at the Agape Farm in the beautiful mountain ranges of Mount Union, PA. Celebrating its 9th year, Creation Northwest 06 will be held at the amazing Gorge Amphitheater in George, WA July 26th –29th. (from Springboard Entertainment) Hip-hop collective, L.A. Symphony will hit the road on the “Driven By The Facts Tour” this April 15th – May 26th with a total of 35 shows. The tour, sponsored by myspace.com and World Vision, will criss-cross the nation from Los Angeles and Seattle on to Florida and ending up back in Los Angeles for the final show and party at The Knitting Factory on May 26th. Avatar/Universal recording artist Deux Process will be the opening act on the tour, with surprise guests slated for the final show date. L.A. Symphony is just finishing up the “Hawaiian Islands Tour” which ran from March 23rd to March 29th. This tour was also sponsored by myspace.com. At radio, L.A. Symphony’s “Timeless,” from their current Disappear Here album, is at the number one spot at Rhythmic Radio. The single “Dance Like” has also just been serviced to Christian radio. Their video “Timeless” is also simultaneously being added nationwide, including heavy rotation in all Journeys and American Eagle retail stores nationwide. It is also receiving play on MTV On Demand. Other tour plans for L.A. Symphony include three Acquire The Fire appearances this spring, as well as performing at the Youth Specialties/National Youth Workers Conference in both Washington D.C. and Los Angeles. This summer L.A. Symphony will do a mini-tour with BEC recording artist Manafest. The group is newly signed to booking agency Topshelf Music. L.A. Symphony’s Disappear Here marks the group’s second release on Gotee Records. Their discography includes 2003’s The End Is Now (Gotee/Basement), as well as the independently- released The Baloney EP in 2001, and Composition #1 (Eartube Empire) in 1999. Call It What You Want, was completed and set to release on the now-defunct Squint label in 2000, but was never officially released to retail, although a leaked version made the rounds on the Internet. L.A. Symphony is comprised of MCs/Producers FLYNN, Sharlok Poems, Joey the Jerk, UNO Mas, and Cookbook. The conglomerate, who delivers thought-provoking lyrics with both passion and humor, has shared the stage with names like Jurassic 5 and Black Eyed Peas. L.A. Symphony has played major events like the NBA/Yahoo Rhythm and Rims Tour, the Van’s Warped Tour (Los Angeles show), and The Night Hip-Hop Stole Christmas. Disappear Here nabbed a Top 10 spot on CMJ’s 2005 year end college hip-hop radio charts. For more information on L.A. Symphony, check out www.gotee.com or the official artist website at www.lasymphony.com (from LB PR) Already one of the most critically-acclaimed new artists of the year based on the response to their upcoming debut Daylight, new Lava /Atlantic/Sparrow band Needtobreathe got a huge wave of support from CCM magazine as they placed the band on the publication’s April cover – definitely a rare moment for a brand new band. The April issue is is CCM’s second annual ‘!’ issue, which “highlights the artists, music, trends, events, entertainment, activities and more that are “!” in and around the world of Christian music.” Kicking off the magazine’s section entitled “The Year of New Artists,” CCM chose Needtobreathe as the band to lead what they call the “remarkable freshman class of 2006.” (from The M Collective) Starfield, Canada's top award-winning modern worship/rock band, is now sneak previewing the May 16 release of its second album, Beauty In The Broken, with the My Generation EP at iTunes.com. The three-song offering includes the album's first single, "My Generation," another new song called "Captivate," and an alternate recording of Starfield's breakthrough hit, "Filled With Your Glory." Beauty In The Broken was produced by Ed Cash (Chris Tomlin, David Crowder*Band) and Matt Bronleewe (Jars of Clay, Plumb) and also features a modern musical reinterpretation of the classic hymn, "How Great Thou Art." Starfield singer Tim Neufeld says, "The underlying theme of the CD is the idea of looking through the everyday and into the sacred... the idea that the sacred IS the reality, and not the earthly. It's about us fitting into God's reality and not the reverse." Learn more at StarfieldOnline.com. (from Sparrow Records) Red (Essential Records) will release its first nationally distributed project End of Silence on June 6. Musically influenced by artists such as Linkin Park, Chevelle, and Muse, Red brings a unique blend of roiling guitars, epic string arrangements, strong melodies, and passionate vocals. The songs on End of Silence deconstruct struggles that listeners face, while painting a picture of redemption in the midst of brokenness. According to lead vocalist Mike Barnes, “‘Red’ stands for the blood of Christ and what it represents: passion, pain, but ultimately, redemption.” The End of Silence track listing includes: “(Intro) End of Silence,” “Breathe Into Me,” “Let Go,” “Already Over,” “Lost,” “Pieces,” “Break Me Down,” “Wasting Time,” “Gave It All Away,” “Hide”, and “Already Over, Pt. 2.” The five-member band (Mike Barnes, lead vocals; Anthony Armstrong, guitar; Randy Armstrong, bass; Jasen Rauch, guitar; and Hayden Lamb, drums) has been tirelessly developing the eleven-track album with Dove-nominated producer/songwriter Rob Graves over the past two years. End of Silence was mixed by Ben Grosse (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fuel, Sixpence None the Richer). Bass guitarist Randy Armstrong, identical twin brother of guitarist Anthony Armstrong, hopes their music communicates to listeners that they are not alone in their struggles. “You never know what people are dealing with in their everyday lives, but I am willing to bet that at some point, we all have experienced the same feelings of anger, sadness, and confusion. Our music addresses a lot of those experiences; those feelings, and the situations that caused them. I hope our music inspires people to ask questions and seek God, and know that they are not alone.” Already touring heavily in the mid-west and west coast, Red has quickly made many fans along the way. With more than 20,000 friends on MySpace ( www.myspace.com/dropofRed), this band has made it a priority to write each and every fan back personally. Red is serious about the relationships they enjoy with their fans and strive to stick around after every show until the last person has left the venue. Red will be touring its dynamic, energetic show this spring with Day of Fire on the Reborn tour through April and May. They will also be playing many major festivals this summer and will continue to tour into the fall. Red has toured with Spoken, The Fold, and Dizmas, among others. (from Provident Label Group) Award-winning singer/songwriter Russ Lee recently returned from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, where he completed the first leg of his “I Will Go” World Tour, which is slated to stop in six continents and 50 states. In partnership with World Vision, HCJB World Radio, International Bible Society, Go Global Entertainment, Soul2Soul Radio, New Vision Baptist Church and Karolina Koaches, the Tour is part of a broader missions initiative Lee is implementing to help educate and challenge the local church to reach the world for Christ. Back in the U.S., Lee will be performing at several events during Gospel Music Week in Nashville, which begins Saturday. Lee and his wife, Mary, will also be hosting their second annual “Focus First” gathering for artists and industry personnel on Tuesday, April 4, at the Hilton Suites. (from Turning Point) *Wednesday, March 29th, 2006* One of the hottest female, pop/rock bands, BarlowGirl, will be the focus of an Associated Press (AP) story hitting the wire April 3 or 4, 2006. Complete with an AP photo from BarlowGirl’s recent Knoxville, TN concert, the feature will focus on the three sisters’ incredible success in the mainstream and Christian music industries, including their five major Gospel Music Award nominations. Being presented Wednesday, April 5, during the Dove ceremonies held in Nashville, BarlowGirl received Gospel Music Association nods for Group of the Year, Rock Recorded Song of the Year (“Let Go”), Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year (“Mirror”), Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year (Another Journal Entry) and Special Event Album of the Year (WOW Christmas Green). Additionally, NBC’s Today show will once again include BarlowGirl in a segment on this morning’s show that will focus on teens and their faith. Proving that BarlowGirl has a strong connection with their fanbase and are strong role models for teens, their website, www.barlowgirl.com, has over 500,000 postings from teens looking for advice and support from Rebecca, Alyssa and Lauren Barlow. “Every night, teens will come up to us and say, ‘What you said tonight changed my life,’” says Lauren. “We pour over the letters and emails that we get.” On top of the AP feature and Today show appearance, BarlowGirl will be interviewing with FOX News Channel during the network’s visit to Nashville for GMA events next week. This comes on the heels of their recent Yahoo! Music “Who’s Next” win over three other mainstream rock bands, two-page spread in Sophisticates Hairstyles, a Today show feature in December, Brio cover story for May and being one of the top downloads for iTune’s “Single of the Week.” (from Bozeman Media) With sold-out concerts, record sales approaching six million, and an enormous and active fan base, two-time GRAMMY-winning rock band Third Day is choosing to not rest on its laurels. Instead band members are intensely dedicated to making a difference in a tragic situation occurring across the globe in war-torn and poverty-stricken Uganda, and bringing this urgent message to over 150,000 fans they will meet on its current tour. During its current, record-breaking “Wherever You Are Tour,” this Atlanta-based band is working to raise money and awareness to address the “Child Soldier” crisis in Gulu, Uganda. Third Day’s bassist Tai Anderson described the band’s involvement, “Last year we were introduced to a film called Invisible Children: Rough Cut that documented the tragic situation in Gulu in which children are taken from their homes, armed with machine guns and sent into rebel warfare for the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army). We immediately wanted to bring resolution, aid and awareness to this issue, and we knew our fans would want to be involved as well. We are grateful to have the opportunity to come alongside World Vision's ‘Children Of War’ campaign that exists to rehabilitate these kids and give them a hope and a future.” World Vision, a Christian humanitarian relief and development organization, estimates that nearly 30,000 children have been abducted from their families over the course of this conflict. Abducted children are brutalized, indoctrinated and manipulated into becoming weapons of terror against their own families and communities. They are forced to serve as soldiers and porters. Young girls, often pre-teens, are regularly given as sex slaves to adult commanders. When the LRA is actively hunting new soldiers, the children who live in the remote villages of Gulu will travel (sometimes many kilometers) by foot at night to seek refuge in the city center. At times 6,000 or more children, also known as the “Night Commuters,” will arrive at safe locations such as World Vision’s Noah’s Ark to find safety in numbers. At each concert and online, the band is encouraging its fans to sign up for a monthly pledge of $20 to raise money for the Children of War Rehabilitation Center in Gulu, which reaches out to escaped LRA children, giving them medical treatment, counseling, and spiritual aid. The Center has helped more than 13,000 formerly abducted children to recover from their trauma, prepare for a productive future, and in most cases, return to their families and communities. Anderson traveled to Gulu to visit this Rehabilitation Center just prior to the start of the tour, and documentary footage from his visit is shown each night of the tour, in addition to the trailer for the Invisible Children: Rough Cut film. For fans that wish to write letters and communicate directly with a specific child affected by AIDS and poverty, sponsorship packets of children from Uganda and other nearby countries in northern Africa are also available at their concerts. Because the need for education and awareness about this situation is so great, Third Day is also encouraging their audience to support the Invisible Children: Rough Cut movie that will release in 2007, as well as their upcoming Global Night Commute on April 29, 2006. The Global Night Commute is a project in which Invisible Children is asking people to commute—without use of a car or public transportation—to a central location in their city and spend the night—just like thousands of children in Uganda do every day. The purpose is to “get our government’s attention to let them know that we want this war to end,” said Jason Russell, filmmaker and founder of Invisible Children. “We’re asking people to lie down, for one night, and close their eyes so that we can open the world’s to an unseen war.” If that weren’t enough, the Wherever You Are Tour expects to raise nearly $150,000 for various non-profit organizations through a “dollar per ticket” fundraising campaign. A portion of the monies raised will go directly to benefit the children in Uganda through various non-profit organizations such as Blood:Water Mission and Hands In Service. The remaining funds will go to other US and overseas organizations such as Habitat For Humanity, Teen Challenge (Minneapolis, MN) and the India Christian School (Rajahmundry, India). (from Provident Label Group) For a limited time, you can download Sanctus Real’s new hit radio single “I'm Not Alright” for FREE and pass it along to all your friends. Go to http://sanctusreal.com/static/download/ now! Also, visit Air1 right now to catch the premiere of the band's new music video for "I'm Not Alright!" The band's brand new record The Face Of Love hit streets on Tuesday, April 4th! (from Hoganson Media) Singer/songwriter Warren Barfield recently performed new songs off his sophomore album Reach for a live studio audience on the nationally-syndicated show Live from Studio B. The performance is set to air tomorrow, Thursday, March 30. Live from Studio B is a half-hour music show featuring artist performances and stories behind the songs performed live to a studio audience. The program airs on the LeSEA Broadcasting Network, DirecTV and various syndicated affiliates. New album Reach features a soulful-pop sound and captures the intensity of Barfield’s signature concert vocals. Barfield penned all 10 songs with three co-writes including the first radio single “Saved,” co-written with renowned Country music artist Bryan White. Warren Barfield was one of the most successful acts to break in 2003, with his self-titled debut delivering two top ten singles with “My Heart Goes Out” and “Mistaken,” along with being voted the No. 1 New Artist of 2003 by R&R Magazine. For a listing of affiliates, visit www.livefromstudiob.com. For more information on Warren Barfield, visit www.warrenbarfield.com. (from Provident Label Group) "Don't Wait For Daylight" from new rock band Needtobreathe’s critically acclaimed debut, Daylight, will be featured on ABC’s new hit show, The Evidence, today, March 29th 9:00 CST/10:00 EST! The album hits stores Tuesday April 4th. (from The M Collective) For the first 10 weekends of the new year, an average of nearly 8,000 concert-goers attended each show of Winter Jam '06, the most successful JAM tour in the event's 10-year history, announced Troy VanLiere, partner in VanLiere-Wilcox, tour producer and manager for Integrity Music's NewSong, which founded and hosts Winter Jam. When the tour wrapped up in Little Rock, Ark. on Sunday, March 19, the paid attendance totaled 245,548 with an average of 7921 per show. Last year's Winter Jam played for 21 dates and averaged 5,750 in paid attendance at each show with only one show surpassing 10,000. The average paid attendance increased 38 percent. The 2006 JAM tour saw seven of the 31 shows exceed 10,000 in attendance including its biggest crowd of 15,034 paid concert-goers in Greensboro, N.C. in February. Dates in St. Charles, Mo., Columbus, Ohio; Greenville, S.C.; Valdosta, Ga.; Norman, Okla.; and Ft. Wayne, Ind. also surpassed 10,000 in attendance. With several shows, the venues had to close the doors before the show started due to capacity crowds. "Winter Jam '06 was definitely the most successful JAM tour in the past decade, an astonishing feat when you look at how tough it can be out there on the road these days, especially right after the holidays," said Roy Morgan, partner in The Premier Group and JAM tour promoter. "We appreciate the commitment of the artists and speakers who made every JAM show a memorable and uplifting experience for all the fans." "We had a great time touring and loved playing our music alongside Newsboys, tobyMac, ZOEgirl, Hawk Nelson, and Krystal Meyers, but we are forever humbled by who God brought to the shows and the lives that were impacted during Winter Jam," Said Eddie Carswell of NewSong. (from Spinhouse PR) New RKT Music signing Hyper Static Union recently announced a slate of 30+ concerts for Spring/Summer 2006. In April, HSU will join Building 429 and Tait for the Rise Tour, followed in April by an opening slot on An Evening of Compassion, featuring Bebo Norman, Caedmon’s Call and Geoff Moore. Throughout the summer, Hyper Static Union will be joining their friends Third Day, whose members signed the band to their own Consuming Fire Productions, on various festival appearances. Booked by Creative Artists Agency, HSU will also be performing a number of solo dates throughout the next few months. HSU was discovered by members of Grammy-winning band Third Day, who brought the album to RKT to market and distribute. HSU’s debut, Lifegiver, is set for a May 9, 2006 street date. Hailing from the Northwest, Hyper Static Union formed in 1998, and its members have spent the past eight years honing their craft and creating a style of music that’s one of a kind. Band members Shawn Lewis (guitar/vocals), Ray Burnham (drums), Bryan Albrechtson (guitar) and Mike Jackson (bass) first met in high school, and the four indicate a variety of musical influences, everything from Seal to Sting to Sade to Steely Dan. Hyper Static Union frontman Shawn Lewis said, “We feel inclined to produce music that requires people to ‘tune-in’ mentally and spiritually. We want the audience to consider certain things about their salvation, the state of the world, their hearts and their relationships.” (from RKT Music) An exclusive, DIRECTV original one-hour Easter special entitled Songs Of Praise is scheduled to feature performances from several inspirational gospel artists and choirs across the country. The special is hosted by NASCAR legend Darrell Waltrip and Grammy-nominated and Dove Award-winning vocalist Nicole C. Mullen, with appearances by Kirk Franklin, Point of Grace, some of the country’s most renowned church choirs and more. Songs Of Praise will premiere on DIRECTV channel 103 at 6 a.m.EST/3 a.m. PST beginning on Friday, April 14th, continuing with back to back airings throughout Easter Weekend. (from The M Collective) *Saturday, March 25th, 2006* It's official. Provident Label Group has announced their acquisition of Flicker Records, its catalog, and its children’s label, Big House Kids. Flicker Records (which was founded by Audio Adrenaline's Mark Stuart, Bob Herdman, and Will McGinniss) is home to artists including Pillar, Kids in the Way, T-Bone and new artists Fireflight, Until June, eleventyseven and Flatfoot 56. “Troy Vest, Mark Stuart, and Will McGinniss are very talented and have a solid track record of attracting and developing indie rock acts,” comments Terry Hemmings, Provident Music Group President and CEO. “We’re thrilled for them to join our company and looking forward to working with them to further develop the artists on the Flicker roster.” “Terry Hemmings and the Provident Label Group are committed to artist development,” comments Troy Vest, VP Marketing, Flicker Records. “This transition is a natural progression for our artists in that it will allow us to not only work with the best A&R and marketing team in Christian music but also work hand-in-hand with Provident-Integrity Distribution, Red Distribution and the Red Strategic Marketing teams. We couldn’t be more excited.” Mike Craft, COO/SVP of Administration, Provident Music Group, adds, “Flicker has operated very effectively as an independent label within a unique subculture of Christian Music. We believe this is an area that has strong promise for the future. The affiliation with Provident Label Group should give Flicker’s artists an opportunity to accelerate their growth to a higher level.” “We are very excited about this new relationship with Provident Label Group and the opportunity to work with the A&R and marketing teams at Flicker Records,” says Bob Morelli, EVP & GM of Red Distribution. “Their success over the last several years has shown that this is a label to be watched. Red Distribution and the Red Strategic Marketing are looking forward to helping Flicker develop their talent in the mainstream marketplace.” Provident-Integrity Distribution will commence solicitation of Flicker new releases within the CBA market and Sony Red will commence solicitation of Flicker new releases in the General market effective March 17, 2006. Beginning April 3, 2006 all sales of Flicker Records titles will be handled by Provident-Integrity Distribution and Sony Red. EMI CMG Distribution will continue to process all catalog orders for Flicker Records titles through Friday March 31, 2006. Provident-Integrity Distribution and Sony Red will begin processing catalog orders Monday April 3, 2006. (from Provident Label Group) After being one of the most added singles for more than a month, singer/songwriter Chris Rice has hit No. 17 with a bullet, moving upward this week on the R&R Monitored Mainstream AC chart making this his first Top 20 AC hit with the song “When Did You Fall (In Love With Me).” Rice’s single continues to hold strong at No. 6 on the Friday Morning Quarterback AC chart http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16693. This song also continues to climb the R&R Indicator AC chart in the Christian market landing at No. 23 this week. "When Did You Fall" is a breath of fresh air,” says Chip Arledge Program Director WYSF/The Rick & Bubba Station and WZRR/Pure Classic Rock. “A great song, hook and great listener response." “Realizing that someone is in love with you is a surprising twist in life, and it made a fun topic for this song,” Chris Rice states about his song. “It was important to me musically to capture the old romantic comedy feeling with a little jazz and crooner influence in the chords and melody. It’s a feel-good song that makes me laugh.” Traveling across the country visiting radio stations introducing his single, Rice recently returned from Washington D.C. where he interviewed with XM Radio, WASH FM and WGTS. He also traveled to Memphis, TN for WRVR’s charity event. This concert was in partnership with Wal-Mart to raise money for America's Second Harvest—The Nation's Food Bank Network, which is the nation's largest charitable hunger-relief organization. "We had the pleasure of having Chris perform for our listeners this last weekend for a charity fundraiser. We had little idea of how much of a built in audience he already has!” states WRVR On-Air Personality/Music Director Larry Wheeler. “By the time Chris played his first song, it was standing room only. 'When Did you Fall' is a great song, that women fall for, nearly immediately. The song, only scratches the surface of how talented Chris is. Put him in front of your listeners, and you will agree." In addition to traveling across the country to promote his radio single, Rice participated with the Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback Kurt Warner’s “First Things First Foundation: Ultimate Football Experience” event. The weekend event included a dinner, auction and a flag football tournament. Rice also performed for the chapel service prior to the event. "I have been a fan of Chris' music for several years,” states Super Bowl XXXIV MVP and two-time NFL MVP Kurt Warner. “While playing in NFL Europe, I was given his CD. It has definitely helped me in my spiritual walk. It was a pleasure to have him play in the fantasy football weekend. But, more importantly, I was thrilled to have him perform at our chapel service on Saturday morning." (from The M Collective) Award-winning rock band Building 429 continues its streak of success with chart-topping first week sales numbers for sophomore release, Rise. The album, in stores March 14, debuted in the Top 5 on three major Christian Soundscan charts. On the "Christian/Gospel- Christian Retail" chart, Building 429 came in at No. 2 . Rise additionally ranked No. 2 on Christian Soundcan's "Adult Contemporary" sales chart and No. 4 on its "Christian/Gospel-Overall" chart. "It has been nearly 20 months since the release of Building 429's debut album, Space In Between Us, and there was a lot of anticipation for this new album." says Ronn Tabb, vice president of marketing for Word Records. "Building 429 started previewing material from Rise on the Casting Crowns tour last fall, and we began to feel the momentum build for this new release. They put a lot of time and effort into creating an album that represents who they are both musically and spiritually, and they are excited to have their fans finally get to hear it." Building 429 is also seeing great momentum again at radio, with its first Rise single, "Fearless," holding the No. 8 position this week on Radio & Records' Christian Hit Radio chart. The band will be headlining a "Rise Tour" this spring, featuring Michael Tait, Tim Scott and Will Decker of "Travel the Road," and special guest Hyper Static Union. Details are forthcoming. For more information, visit: www.building429.com. (from Savvy Media) Four years ago, the dcTalk vocalist walked away from formulaic security after selling over 8 million albums. Kevin Max found himself in the uncertain, often harsh territory of artistic adventure and freedom. Kevin Max has continued to expand the sphere of his range and audience – Moving to Los Angeles and playing churches one night and clubs the next. Unlike many artists from similar backgrounds who have become confined to church lingo and prescription lyrics, Max has explored his art and his faith in the arena at large. Performing alongside artists like the Church, Warren Cuccurullo of Duran Duran, Psychedelic Furs, The Young Dubliners, and Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes, Max has made his point loud and clear: He wants to make music that moves everyone. The result of this desire is an ear-opening, poetic, alt-rock juggernaut he calls The Imposter, released on the Northern Records label in October. "The idea of The Imposter comes from Brennan Manning’s The Ragamuffin Gospel and Abba’s Child," Max reveals. "dcTalk did weekend retreats with Brennan, and we’d get to talk. He’d explain that the imposter is in all of us—it’s that fleshly part that isn’t willing to give up the ghost, that part that wants to take over the spirit in us. That’s what this album is about—the fight between the flesh and the spirit." One track that captures elements of that battle is the first single, "Sanctuary," a pulsating, careening tune full of chiming rock guitar—courtesy of former Prayer Chain guitarist and producer of The Imposter, Andrew D. Prickett—and Max’s instantly recognizable tenor. It’s also a metaphor for Max’s recent sense of homelessness—and his ultimate hope for a heavenly home: "So hand me the keys to your kingdom/give me back my Garden of Eden/ lead me to a place that I can call my own, a home, a sanctuary." Los Angeles has been good to Max. Electing to stay close to home with his wife and new baby daughter London, Max took a residency at the legendary Viper Room, performing seven shows there in recent months. The appearances drew capacity crowds and big name talent such as Christian Slater, Tom Arnold, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and Gene Simmons of KISS. "Kevin Max is fast becoming the Viper Room's answer to Robbie Williams for sheer entertainment value," says Joe Rinaldi, the club's main talent buyer. With last week's launch of the Walking the Imposter Tour, the down time has come to an end. The spring leg of the tour will hit 40 cities this spring, before touring overseas and making main stage festival appearances this summer. Kevin also returns to radio this month with the follow up singles "Confessional Booth" (Rock) and "Your Beautiful Mind" (CHR). Also, the brand new book of poetry from Kevin Max entitled PO.ET.RY will release on Monday April 17th, and will be available exclusively at shows. Although it will be available for online order in the near future as well. (from Nashville Publicity / KevinMax.com) Award-winning vocal group Avalon - featuring Janna and Greg Long, Jody McBrayer, and Melissa Greene - will perform this Sunday, March 26, on the Crystal Cathedral Ministry’s "Hour Of Power" television program. "Hour Of Power" is seen worldwide by an estimated twenty million viewers on various outlets including the Lifetime, TBN, and American Forces Networks. Check your local listings for times. Avalon will be performing "Love Won’t Leave You," the first single from its new album, Stand. JesusFreakHideout.com calls the project "a surefire hit." Learn more at AvalonLive.com. (from Sparrow Records) The world premiere of the new video from Anberlin is happening right now exclusively at MySpace.com! Be among the first people in the universe to see the amazing video for "Paperthin Hymn." Check it out right here! (from toothandnail.com) Earlier this year SRE Recordings announced the signing of North Carolina rockers Decyfer Down, and the release of their debut project, End Of Grey, to be April 4, 2006. However due to heavy touring opportunities throughout the spring, including dates with Day of Fire in April and May, the release has been rescheduled for June 6, 2006 to maximize their being in cities nationwide leading up to street date. About bringing Decyfer Down into the SRE fold, INO president Jeff Moseley, commented “Decyfer Down represent the kind of bands we want to work with. They have developed quite a following with their outstanding live show and musically are at the top of their game. Couple that with a very real approach to sharing the Gospel message and you have a blueprint for the kind of artists we love to partner with. We can’t wait to share what they do with the broadest possible audience.” A band for the just the past four years, Decyfer Down has already received solid airplay from mainstream modern and active rock stations in their hometown region of North Carolina, including WARQ in Columbia, South Carolina. Commenting on their early support of the band, the station’s Music Director Mark Lee remarked, “From the first time I saw Decyfer Down, I knew that they were something special. They had an incredible stage presence to accompany their brilliant live show. Previous to seeing them perform, there was a buzz brewing on the local music scene about them and they lived up to it. This is a band that "gets it" and will truly become great once given the chance. The have pulsing melodies with heartfelt, deep lyrics that ANY rock fan will be quickly turned on to. WARQ has been spinning Decyfer Down's "I'll Breathe For You" for a couple of months in our "Eleven O Clock News" feature to a wonderful response from our listeners.” (from The M Collective) Forever Changed has finished recording their new full length album Chapters a few days ago. "It goes off for Mastering next week and once we get that back we will be posting a few songs online," announced the band on MySpace.com today. "But you can now pre-order the album from our brand new online store. www.foreverchanged.net/store/ Because we are breaking up the album will NOT be in stores, only available online - through iTunes and at our last shows starting at Cornerstone, FL. But as soon as we get the cd in we will start shipping off all of the pre-orders which will be in Early May. So order now and be the first to get it. We are also only press a few thousand copies of this so order it now before they are all gone because they WILL sell out." (from MySpace.com/ForeverChanged) *Wednesday, March 22nd, 2006* Skillet is back in the studio working on the follow-up to their 2003 hit Collide. The band will be letting fans peek in on the recording process this time around, and right now you can check out the video of the first week in the studio (pre-production): http://www.skillet.com/inthestudio/ In this episode, frontman John Cooper reveals some tasty details about the forthcoming Fall release, including some dabblings in more synth-based rock, orchestration, and even upping the usage of female vocals. OK, they definitely have our attention... (from Skillet; Jesusfreakhideout.com) Rebecca St. James is on the march towards the wrap of a record breaking 40 city tour as her latest single, "You Are Loved" is launching a mid-March debut at national radio. The If I Had One Chance To Tell You Something Tour with guest artists BarlowGirl and Jadon Lavick has continually gained momentum, posting a steady schedule of sell-out concerts since its' February 3rd debut. Noted Jeff Roberts, President of Jeff Roberts & Associates, exclusive agent for the tour: "Rebecca's spring '06 tour is without question the strongest tour we've booked on her with a record number of sell-outs to prove it. Attendance has been consistently strong. The production and staging is as big as anything being staged today in Christian music." The majority of the concerts on the tour have turned in sell-out or near capacity audiences." Promoters have been equally positive. WAYK 88.3, a WAY affiliate station, produced an early tour success. "What an incredible night of ministry in Grand Rapids," noted Terri L. Borgan, Promotions Direction for the station. "Rebecca rocked the crowd one moment and then reached out with quiet, compelling prayer the next. The messages of purity, modesty, forgiveness, and total dedication to Christ were relevant and presented with honesty and conviction." The staging and elaborate light show and back screen projection fielded with St. James offers audiences a full-blown rock concert backdrop as a setting for her most ambitious tour to date-a tour built musically around her critically acclaimed lastest album If I Had One Chance To Tell You Something. The brilliance of her pairing with BarlowGirl on tour has given audiences non-stop reasons to rock as the tour has crossed the U.S. towards its' March 31st closing performance in Fort Myers, Florida. (from Morning Star PR) Globally relevant band Delirious? hits US soil March 23 in Fresno (Clovis, CA) for the first leg of its 23-city Stateside tour that features songs from its current and world-acclaimed album, The Mission Bell. The UK-based Delirious? travels through the country hitting such major markets at New York City, Los Angeles (Irvine, CA), Chicago (Barrington, IL), Philadelphia, San Francisco, Orlando and more. At venues throughout the world, Delirious? is bringing its message directly to the Church through The Mission Bell, delivering a call of action to all believers. There is a sense of urgency, a challenge to the Church to quit talking about what it believes and to take action with all it’s been given. In a recent stop in Norwich, England, Delirious? had the opportunity to ring its mission bell following a fire that destroyed the venue the band was set to play. Not thwarted, the band found a new venue and the message was carried. “Fire may have burnt down the original church venue for this concert, but nobody is ever going to put out the fire of the passion of God in people’s lives,” said Delirious? front man Martin Smith. “From the moment Delirious? walked onto stage there was an air of expectancy in the house; young people feeling free to express God in their own unique way,” says event host Jon Norman. “At the end of an incredible set, I gave the appeal for people to find God. Over 100 hands were raised. A new fire has started in Norwich, a fire which can never be put out!” Delirious?’s worldwide mission also includes a stop July 15 to headline the Calling All Nations event in the heart of Europe, worshipping with tens of thousands at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. For more information on this event, visit www.callingallnations.com. (from Hoganson Media) Project 86 will be headlining a new tour this April - May entitled The Hammers And Blades U.S. Tour (taken from a line in their popular song "Sincerely, Ichabod"), along with The Showdown, and August Burns Red! For dates, visit http://www.project86.com. Also be on the look out for the band's new music video that was filmed this past weekend in California and is rumored to be a continuation of their previous video for "The Spy Hunter..." In its first week of adds, MercyMe’s new single, “So Long Self”, from their April 25th project Coming Up To Breathe, has been wholeheartedly embraced by Christian radio, receiving a whopping 52 adds from R&R’s Christian AC indicator and AC monitored radio reporters. The single will debut at #25 on the AC Indicator R&R Chart next week. This record was originally set in 2005 by Joy Williams’ song “Hide”, which received a total of 45 adds on AC radio its first week out. "MercyMe just keeps getting better with every record and this one shows a whole new side of the band,” commented Kevin Peterson, R&R’s Christian Editor. “Radio must agree, with 'So Long Self' setting records for most adds in a week.” Also the most-added song of the week on R&R’s CHR radio chart, “So Long Self” is #1 on CRW’s SpinTracker charts with 27 adds, and will debut on the CRW AC chart at #18 as well. The single was CRW’s #1 Hottest Add, #1 Spin Accelerator, and #1 Hitbound song. According to lead singer Bart Millard, “the story behind “So Long Self” is really simple: It’s Not About Us. It never has been and it never will be. Just like when maybe you had to break up with a girlfriend or a boyfriend growing up, or maybe the same thing happened to you, the ultimate breakup in life is when we breakup with ourselves. Because Christ said you have to die to self to follow him. So if you take away anything from this song, just remember: it’s never ever been about us, but it’s only about Christ. Hope you enjoy it.” “The INO promotions team is very grateful and overwhelmed by the flood of support Christian radio has shown MercyMe and their new single,” remarked Dan Michaels, INO’s VP of Promotions & Marketing. “MercyMe's career is the textbook case on how much of a role Christian radio plays in breaking and supporting an artist.” For more information on MercyMe go to www.mercyme.org. (from The M Collective) Jadon Lavik, who released his sophomore effort Life On The Inside (BEC) on March 7th, will be recognized with an ASCAP award for the song “What If” as it is named one of the “25 Most Performed Christian Songs of 2005”. The award will be given out at this year’s ASCAP dinner ceremony on April 3rd. “What If” spent six weeks at the #1 spot on R&R Magazine’s INSPO radio charts. It also landed the #12 spot for 2005 on R&R Magazine’s AC Chart, as well as #6 on the year-end INSPO charts. The song was featured in the Billboard Radio Monitor as one of the most played songs of 2005 for their AC format. The PD Advisor named Lavik one of three artists in their 2005 “New Artist Of The Year” list, as well as “What If” landing the #12 most played song of the year spot. The song merited the #10 spot on the PD Advisor’s AC year-end chart and the #6 spot on the INSP year-end chart. “Changing Happy”, Lavik’s newest single, is currently climbing and at the #3 spot on the New and Active AC Monitored radio charts, as well as #19 on the AC Indicator charts. (from LB PR) (from Project 86) *Sunday, March 19th, 2006* Last week, the Christian Music Trade Association (CMTA), a sister organization to the Gospel Music Association (GMA) which specifically represent the interests of record companies, has issued official resolutions to the Commerce and Judiciary Committees of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, as well as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), urging their support in recognizing the importance of protecting music transmitted over digital broadcast radio, announced John W. Styll, president of the CMTA and GMA. The resolutions specifically petition for the advancement of HR 4861, a bill which would revise Section 114 of the Copyright Act, granting the FCC limited authority to protect digital audio broadcasts from illegal copying and redistribution over digital networks. The bill was introduced by Representative Mike Ferguson and co-sponsored by Rep. Marsha Blackburn, Rep. Bart Gordon, Rep. Edolphus Towns and Rep. Mary Bono. “Digital piracy has wreaked economic harm at all levels of the music business, including the gospel music industry. Now, with new recording devices capable of recording satellite radio broadcasts and digital broadcasts from terrestrial radio stations, we are concerned that further damage will be inflicted on copyright owners and in turn, the record labels, musicians, recording artists, recording engineers, record store owners and others employed in gospel music. As part of our advocacy responsibility, the CMTA was compelled to make these direct appeals to our legislators and the appropriate regulatory authority,” said Styll. The Christian Music Trade Association is a sister organization of the GMA which operates Christian SoundScan (www.cmta.com). Founded in 1964, the 4,000-member Gospel Music Association is dedicated to exposing, promoting and celebrating the gospel through music. (from Spinhouse PR) Curb recording artist and 2006 GMA Music Awards Artist of the Year-nominee Natalie Grant was a featured performer and presenter at the 14th Annual MOVIEGUIDE Faith & Values Awards Gala and Report to the Entertainment Industry, held recently in Los Angeles. Grant presented a special “Lifetime Faith & Values Award for Dedication to Redeeming the Values of the Mass Media of Entertainment” to Pat Boone. Pictured, following the ceremony, are (l-r) Grant’s husband, Bernie Herms; Grant; Boone; and Debby Boone. Grant also performed “Home,” from her watershed release, Awaken, to the audience of Hollywood executives, actors, producers, writers and directors, among other invitees. The MOVIEGUIDE Awards honor the best, most family friendly movies and TV programs of the year. The evening’s top winners included Disney and Walden Media's The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, WB's “7th Heaven,” ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” and PAX-TV's “Sue Thomas, FB Eye.” The top-selling female solo artist in Christian music last year, Grant is currently nominated for six GMA Music Awards, including Artist of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year. Her critically-acclaimed Awaken, which released in 2005, features the hit singles “Held” and “What Are You Waiting For.” (from Turning Point PR) Bernard's Floodgate Records debut, the A View Beyond The Cave EP, released exclusively to iTunes last week. Click here to download your copy for a special price of $6.93! As an exclusive iTunes bonus, those who purchase the record get two extra radio edits of songs "Too Far" and "To Those Of This World" for free. For more info on Bernard and A View Beyond The Cave, visit BernardMusic.com (from Floodgate Records) Vineyard Music launched its "Playlist" series last week with the release of Sweetly Broken, the follow-up to the award-winning album, Dwell. With the introduction of this series, new songs for corporate and personal worship are being provided from the Vineyard church. Sweetly Broken is a richly diverse collection of new songs emerging from the Vineyard church and features Jeremy Riddle, Billy Somerville, Ryan Delmore, special guest Rita Springer and others, plus a brand new mix of the title track by Grammy Award-winning mix engineer, Chris Lord-Alge. The title track, written and performed by Riddle, tells of the bitter-sweet experience of the cross, where love and loss collide. Newcomer Tony Sanchez offers the modern anthem "Bless His Name," which has already gained momentum in Vineyard churches across the country. A gospel choir and New Orleans' Crispin Schroeder lend their voices to Casey Corum's "We Need Your Touch," while the hymn-like "Fill Me Now" features the sounds of the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Worship pioneer Rita Springer, fresh off her latest solo project, is the featured voice on "If You Say Go," a love song of surrender and faith. The first single, "Sweetly Broken," was released to radio in early February and is currently positioned in the Top 20 on the Adult Contemporary chart and has received critical acclaim nationwide. Riddle has further been featured on a number of Vineyard Music releases and can be found singing his moving "More Than A Friend" on WOW Worship Red. In addition to leading worship, he serves as the middle school pastor at Vineyard Anaheim. (from Vineyard Music) Turn up the radio and get ready for the family “friendliest” version of “You Put This Love In My Heart,” the groundbreaking single from VeggieTales: Worship Songs. Featuring favorite Veggies Larry the Cucumber, Jimmy Gourd, Junior Asparagus & Mr. Lunt, perhaps better known as Boyz in the Sink, you can hear this newly recorded rendition of the classic hit made popular by the late legendary songwriter and recording artist Keith Green. As Big Idea Inc.’s first ever radio single, “You Put This Love In My Heart” will be serviced to both AC and CHR radio formats March 24. “Radio has always been very supportive of VeggieTales in helping to promote the faith, family friendly and values message of Big Idea, Inc.,” notes Terry Pefanis, COO of Big Idea, Inc. “Our hope is that ‘You Put This Love In My Heart’ will reach beyond our loyal fan base and establish an even stronger presence at radio, as well as introduce future fans to Bob, Larry and the rest of the VeggieTales characters.” “I about fell out of my chair when I first heard the VeggieTales’ version of this Keith Green classic,” adds radio promoter Michael Johnson of TOP5PROMOTIONS. “I can’t wait to introduce this to Christian radio. It’s a perfect addition to a fun morning show.” “You Put This Love In My Heart” will be available for morning show airplay at both AC and CHR formats March 31, as well as for afternoon drive times, children’s weekend shows, or “live” specialty shows geared to stimulate listener reaction. The song will also appear on the S-Disc of the GMA edition of CRW April 3. (from Hoganson Media) *Friday, March 17th, 2006* The GMA Music Awards will showcase 16 Dove-nominated artists in performances that will range stylistically from rousing soulful gospel to infectious guitar- driven pop to powerful quartet harmonizing to rootsy rock n’ roll to inspiring modern worship, yesterday announced John W. Styll, president of the GMA and executive producer of the 37th annual GMA Music Awards. The gospel music industry’s premier event will be held Wednesday, April 5 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville and will be broadcast in national syndication later in the month. Confirmed performers for the GMA Music Awards include leading Dove Award nominees Chris Tomlin, Israel & New Breed, Kutless and Third Day. Joining them in performances will be BarlowGirl, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Mark Schultz, Martha Munizzi, Natalie Grant, Sawyer Brown and The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Jeremy Camp, David Crowder of David Crowder Band, Casting Crowns' Mark Hall and Third Day's Mac Powell will join together for a special acoustic performance. Additionally, Kirk Franklin and Rebecca St. James, who were previously announced as hosts for the 37th Annual GMA Music Awards, will perform during the show. The 37th Annual GMA Music Awards will be produced by Steve Gilreath for SGTV, Inc. Tickets are now on sale for the awards and can be purchased at www.gmamusicawards.com or by calling the GMA office at 615-242-0303. Ticket prices range from $55 to $200. (from Spinhouse PR) Catch multi-Dove Award winner Nicole C. Mullen TODAY (Friday, March 17) on The 700 Club as she performs “Always Love You” from the End Of The Spear motion picture soundtrack. Check your local television listings for broadcast times. About the movie and song... In January, 1956, five families dared to make contact with the Waodani, the most violent society ever discovered, and their story changed lives around the world. 50 years later, the story, told from the tribe’s perspective, reaches another generation through End Of The Spear. Through her song, “Always Love You,” Nicole C. Mullen shares the story from the point of view of a wife and her husband, who risked the journey together in hopes that the larger family of God would include the Waodani. (from Word Records) We have a pair of track listings for two greatly anticipated releases both releasing June 20th. The first is Underoath's brand new album Define the Great Line from Solid State. The other is a final list for the upcoming dc Talk Jesus Freak tribute album on Gotee Records entitled Freaked! A Gotee Tribute to dcTalk's "Jesus Freak". For more info on the Underoath release, click here. For more info on the dcT tribute, click here! (from EMI CMG; thanks to Josh T.) Teen female vocalist Jessie Daniels has been selected by Radio Disney as its featured Incubator artist on March 11 – 24. Launched in May 2005, Radio Disney Incubator is the on-air and online program that features fresh, relevant musical acts under the age of 21. Fans are able to listen and vote for their favorite Incubator songs online as well as view photos, read bios and blogs from spotlight artists past and present. Daniels’ current hit single, “The Noise” will be introduced to the Radio Disney listening audience March 11. Fans can request “The Noise” on Radio Disney stations in their area. “I can’t even express how excited I am to be chosen as one of Radio Disney’s Incubator artists,” says Daniels. “It means so much to me that kids are hearing positive music and embracing who I am as an artist. Radio Disney has been a BIG help in the launch of my career. I appreciate everything they have done so far and look forward to continued work with such an awesome team!” Daniels’ self-titled debut label project will be available at retail June 6. Featuring 12 songs all co-written by Daniels, the album is fun and catchy with a pop-rock flare. Its debut radio single “The Noise,” reached Top 10 on Radio & Records Christian Hit Radio chart in only five weeks and currently reigns at No. 7 with upward momentum. Jessie will be touring in support of her release this spring and summer. Additional details are forthcoming. Eighteen year-old Jessie Daniels hails from Long Island, N.Y. An actress since the age of eight, Daniels has appeared in multiple independent films as well as commercials for MTV and Lifetime. In 2003, she began writing and recording her first music project, a 6-song EP that released via her Web site. The EP garnered Daniels national attention, and she was asked to perform at Radio Disney concert events nationwide. Additional dates followed with artists including Seventh Day Slumber, Kutless, Paul Wright, and Across the Sky, among others. Daniels has been featured by more that 60 media outlets and is endorsed by Transitions Optical and Daisy Rock Girl Guitars. For more information, check out her official Web site at www.jessiedaniels.com. (from Savvy Media) For those of you outside the tour zone for eleventyseven, now’s your chance to experience their live show as only eleventyseven can deliver. The guys have posted a video from the current tour on www.myspace.com/flickerrecords performing their song "More Than A Revolution." The band's debut record And The Land Of Fake Believe was recently delayed once more for a May 16th release date. (from Flicker Records) After only a month into the spring leg of Casting Crowns’ headlining “Lifesong Tour,” the show is reaching landmark success. To date, already half of the 18 played markets have sold out completely in cities including Nashville, Austin and Charlotte. This enormously popular concert features award-winning female artist Nichole Nordeman, plus singer/songwriter newcomer Josh Bates and speaker Tony Nolan. Performing to more than 93,000 fans so far, the “Lifesong Tour” is shaping up to be one of the most successful bills this year. Promoter Richard Young sold more than 16,000 tickets combined for his shows in Charlotte and Raleigh. He notes, “As a promoter you always look forward to a tour and an artist that has tremendous buzz and excitement in the public arena. Casting Crowns and the “Lifesong Tour” delivered just that. It truly was the concert tour that no one wanted to miss. It just does not get more exciting than that.” The tour continues through May 8th with plans to reach a total of 46 markets in support of the band’s GRAMMY Award winning, RIAA Gold Lifesong album. This spring run follows Casting Crowns’ highly successful fall 2005 ‘Lifesong’ leg which pulled in more than 150,000 people over 38 dates. (from Provident Label Group) Singer/songwriter Warren Barfield recently signed with top Nashville-based booking outfit Third Coast Artists Agency. With this new partnership, Barfield joins one of the industry’s most prominent agencies representing an exclusive roster of artists including Jeremy Camp, Nichole Nordeman, MercyMe and David Crowder Band. Mike Snider, president and owner of TCAA, notes, “We are extremely excited for Warren Barfield to join the Third Coast team. His new record is in heavy rotation here at the office and he is connecting every night on the road. Warren is a special guy and we are thrilled to be a part of his career.” Currently, Barfield is on the road with Shawn McDonald playing intimate venues across the country in support of the recent release of his sophomore album Reach on Essential Records. Recorded in Los Angeles with producer Marshall Altman (of Marc Broussard fame), Reach features a soulful-pop sound and captures the intensity of Barfield’s signature concert vocals. Barfield penned all 10 songs with three co-writes including the first radio single “Saved,” co-written with renowned Country music artist Bryan White. Warren Barfield was one of the most successful acts to break in 2003, with his self-titled debut delivering two top ten singles with “My Heart Goes Out” and “Mistaken,” along with being voted the No. 1 New Artist of 2003 by R&R Magazine. For more information and up-to-date tour listings, please visit www.warrenbarfield.com. For booking information, visit www.thirdcoastartists.com. (from Provident Label Group) *Wednesday, March 15th, 2006* The Gospel Music Association (GMA) announced the final nominees yesterday for the Dove Award for Songwriter of the Year, to be presented at the 37th Annual GMA Music Awards. The nominees are Mark Hall, Mac Powell, Laura Story, Chris Tomlin and Christa Wells. The recipient of the Dove Award for Songwriter of the Year will be named during the awards show on April 5 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. Tickets are available at www.gmamusicawards.com. “The Songwriter of the Year is an important honor in gospel music. We congratulate these nominees for their songwriting success in the past year, and more significantly, for the many lives they touched with their songwriting gifts,” said John W. Styll, president of the GMA. (from Spinhouse PR) JfH 2006 Artist Of The Year Switchfoot recently participated in an All-Star Concert to benefit "A Place Called Home" and to salute the legendary Les Paul at his 90th birthday bash at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. Playing along side greats like Merle Haggard, Alison Krauss, Steve Lukather, Joe Perry, Joe Satriani, Neal Schon, Shayna Steele and Edgar Winter, the charity event has been called one of the world's greatest gatherings of guitarists. “Stars” from Switchfoot’s critically acclaimed album, Nothing Is Sound, will be featured on Nick Records/SONY BMG Strategic Marketing Group’s Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice, a compilation CD releasing March 14 and featuring recent favorites from today's hottest teen and tween superstars. The compilation is set to come out in conjunction with the Nickelodeon's 19th Annual Kids' Choice Awards, which will air live April 1 at 8:00 pm ET. Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards will be seen in more than 200 million households on Nickelodeon's international channels across the UK, Europe, Russia, Israel, Asia, Australia, Latin America and Brazil, as well as the US. (from Hoganson Media) BEC/Tooth & Nail Records rock band Kutless is experiencing their biggest ticket sales of their career with The Hearts Of The Innocent Tour. In support of their upcoming release Hearts Of The Innocent on March 21st, Kutless, and openers Falling Up, Disciple, and Stellar Kart are playing to enthusiastic crowds and sold out shows as the 45 city tour is underway. Jon Micah Sumrall, lead singer in Kutless states, “We are really excited to see such a great response from our fans. Without them this tour could never have been a success. It’s been very exciting to play to a packed out crowd night after night. We would like to think everyone who has come out.” “Kutless has definitely emerged as the new rock headliner in Christian music,” says Charles Dorris, Senior Vice-President of William Morris Agency. “With most shows on the tour thus far selling out, Kutless is setting the stage for their next round of growth. We believe that within the next 18 months Kutless will be the preeminent rock tour brand in CCM.” (from Big Machine Media) This Spring, Kevin Max will be hitting the road in support of his sophomore release, The Imposter. Four years ago, the dcTalk vocalist walked away from formulaic security after selling over 8 million albums and having a Top 40 radio hit. Kevin Max found himself in the uncertain, often harsh territory of artistic adventure and freedom. Kevin Max has continued to expand the sphere of his range and audience ­ playing churches one night and bars the next. Unlike many artists from similar backgrounds who have become confined to church lingo and prescription lyrics, Max has explored his art and his faith in the arena at large. Performing alongside artists like the Church, Warren Cuccurullo of Duran Duran, Psychedelic Furs, The Young Dubliners, and Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes, Max has made his point loud and clear: He wants to make music that moves "everyone." The result of this desire is an ear-opening, poetic, alt-rock juggernaut he calls The Imposter (Northern Records). “The idea of ‘The Imposter’ comes from Brennan Manning’s The Ragamuffin Gospel and Abba’s Child,” Max reveals. “dcTalk did weekend retreats with Brennan, and we’d get to talk. He’d explain that the imposter is in all of us—it’s that fleshly part that isn’t willing to give up the ghost, that part that wants to take over the spirit in us. That’s what this album is about—the fight between the flesh and the spirit.” (from Provision National Booking) Sanctus Real bass player Dan Gartley and Amy Huffine married on Saturday, March 4 at Ecclesia church in Franklin, TN. Congrats to the Gartleys! The band's newest record The Face Of Love, also Gartley's first recording with the band, hits shelves on April 4th! (from Hoganson Media) Beach Street/Reunion Records' artist Josh Bates has celebrated a lot of ‘perfect days' in his career since the launch of his debut album Perfect Day last September. Latest milestone is the release of the album's second single "King Of Glory," now initially impacting both AC and Inspo formats at Christian radio. Josh returned in February as the opening artist on the highly anticipated spring edition of the Lifesong Tour with Casting Crowns, Nichole Nordeman, and speaker Tony Nolan. The tour will cover 46 markets between February and May. In support of the debut of "King Of Glory," Josh has in the last few weeks guested on Good Day the highly rated Fox affiliate morning show in the Dallas-Fort Worth television market. In late February he was back in Dallas in studio for an interview and performance on Family Net Television's popular morning talk format At Home Live! which reaches more than 80 million viewers nationally. He also recently taped a TV performance/interview segment for Nashville's thirty minute talk format, Bridges, which aired on March 9th. A full round of major media and radio interviews was also set for him at the recent National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) convention, including a USA Radio Network interview which is set to air nationally. (from Morning Star PR) *Friday, March 10th, 2006* Cool Hand Luke is in the studio right now working a new EP. This will be an internet exclusive release, that they will also be selling at their shows. Cool Hand Luke is hitting the road with labelmates The Myriad this spring. Visit www.coolhandlukeonline.com for dates! Look for the bands setlist to include favorites from the past plus new material from their upcoming fall release. (from Floodgate Records) The JC-TV network will launch a full-fledged reality show based exclusively on Selectric recording artist, Pivitplex. The series premiered yesterday, March 9th 2006 (3:30pm PST / 6:30pm EST). Viewers will also be able to catch a repeat every Saturday at 3:30pm PST / 6:30pm EST. Each week, the network will air a new episode showcasing the trials and triumphs of the band as they learn what it takes to make it. "I¹m excited to be working with Pivitplex. The band has already established a huge and growing fan-base and we¹re honored to be a part of the journey. The true-life adventures highlighted in the show are sometimes comical, challenging and rewarding but are always real and unscripted," said JC-TV Vice President of Programming, Mark McCallie. Originally created as an up-and-coming rock band documentary, the reality show will air worldwide. The series is a first for the Christian market. "What we do is far from glamorous but in every situation we¹re driven to glorify God and we¹re ready to share those moments with our fans and JC-TV viewers," lead singer Scott Brownson commented. Pivitplex¹s debut album, Under Museum Quality Glass, was released in 2002. The first single, "You Know," earned the band their first top 10 hit on Air One Radio Network. The album went on to sell over 20,000 units and supported over four years of solid touring. Currently comprised of Scott Brownson (lead vocals, guitar), Joby Rudolph (guitar, keyboard) and Josh Ogle (bass), Pivitplex will release their sophomore effort, The King In A Rookery, on Selectric Records July 11th, 2006. The record was produced by GRAMMY award winning producer, Jason Burkum (Audio Adrenaline, The Swift, Casting Pearls and Tree63). For more information on Pivitplex, visit www.pivitplex.com (from AristoMedia) Brian Littrell, one of pop’s most recognized and bestselling artists, is set to release this spring his debut Christian-market album Welcome Home on May 2nd. In conjunction with Jive Records, the Reunion Records project arrives on the heels of last summer’s No. 1 Christian radio single, Littrell’s remake of “In Christ Alone,” a Dove-nominated track off WOW #1s. The first single from Welcome Home will be its title track, which goes for adds on Friday, March 17. “This has been a dream of mine since I was a little boy singing in church in Lexington, Kentucky,” said Littrell, who grew up singing in various youth choirs at Port Memorial Baptist Church. With Welcome Home, “I hope to encourage people to stand up for what they believe.” Terry Hemmings, President and CEO of Provident Music Group, called Littrell’s signing—three years in the making—“one of the most unique partnerships ever to happen in Christian music.” Hemmings continued, “Throughout the course of making the deal I got to know Brian as a forthright, sincere person of God. This is what Brian was built to do. His enthusiasm for the record just oozes out of him.” Produced by Billy Mann (Jessica Simpson, Ricky Martin); Dan Muckala (Backstreet Boys, Mandy Moore); and the production team of Mark Kibble and Dave Thomas (Take 6, Mariah Carey, CeCe Winans). Welcome Home reveals Littrell’s heart and plants a stake in the ground recognizing his source of greatest hope. A straight-ahead pop record, lyrically the project illuminates God’s unequivocal love for humanity and outlines the possibilities for life when people dedicate themselves to a higher calling. “I’ve been writing Christian music for a long time,” Littrell said, “and now I have the opportunity to share some of those songs with others. I’m a family guy making music for the family. This really is like a dream come true.” Plans are coming together for Littrell to support Welcome Home at select Christian music festivals this summer. Brian Littrell is widely-known as a 13-year member of the legendary pop group Backstreet Boys. He has contributed to worldwide sales in excess of 75 million records and has amassed legions of fans around the globe. Last summer, Backstreet Boys released Never Gone, their first studio album in five years. Brian lives in Atlanta with his wife Leighanne and their three-year-old son Baylee. Littrell will continue to perform with Backstreet Boys and looks forward to sharing his solo album with fans. (from Provident / Sony BMG) On March 24, The Myriad will take a break from working on their new EP to head down to LA to shoot a video for “Stretched Over.” This is their first video and they are doing this one with Jonathan London. He’s new to LA, but not to music... most recently, he shot videos for Punchline, Hello Goodbye, Reggie and the Full Effect, as well as a Reel Big Fish DVD. (from Floodgate Records) Premier Christian Cruises, America's leading packager of Christian themed cruise events has joined forces with the nation's most read monthly publication for Christian women-Today's Christian Woman-to give the second annual ‘Girl's Get-A-Way Cruise' a new high water mark in the promotion of its' November 9-13th sailing. The alliance with Today's Christian Woman includes the magazine coming onboard as an official sponsor of this year's cruise-a partnership they are fully supporting with an ambitious print/promotional campaign. Part of the Christianity Today International (CTI) family of publications, TCW has a monthly readership base of 245,000 subscribers. As a special bonus, all cruise-goers will receive a full one-year subscription to the magazine. Noted Roy Morgan of the Premier Group: "We're very proud of the relationship we enjoy with Today's Christian Woman in this partnership. As the flagship publication for Christian women, they are the perfect compliment not only in reaching our target audience but in providing immense add-on value by leading their participation and promotional endorsement to the Girl's Get-A-Way brand." Following last year's initial sell-out on the cruise Premier has increased this year's event to include booking the entire cabin inventory aboard Carnival Cruise Line's luxury ship, Celebration. Since going on sale February 6th, over 25% of the cabin space has already been reserved. Onboard for the sailing will be a full shipload of top Christian music artists and comedians, nationally known speakers, specialty workshops and seminars, and the traditional promise of sun and fun on a five day-four night cruise package to the Bahamas with extended port stops in Nassau and Freeport. Talent for this year's cruise includes both top name and emerging newcomers in Christian entertainment. Musical guest artists set to perform include multi-platinum Grammy and Dove Award winner Sandi Patty, a recent inductee into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame; 2005 Dove Award winning group, Selah; newcomer Kristy Starling, winner of NBC-TV's "Today's Superstar" competition; former Gaither Vocal Band member, David Phelps who has launched his own highly successful solo career; and Brother's Keeper, currently impacting Christian radio with their latest album., Beyond Beautiful. Speakers set for the cruise include nationally known syndicated newspaper columnist and best selling author Shaunti Feldhahn; internationally in demand speaker and author, Gigi Graham; radio personality, magazine editor and best selling author on teens, Susie Shellenberger; Gold Medallion Award nominee and best selling author, Karen Kingsbury; DJ Tanner from ABC's hit sitcom "Full House", actress turned producer Candace Cameron Bure; and New York Times best selling author Donna VanLiere, whose last two books where developed as movie projects by CBS. For information on booking cabin space for the "Girl's Get-A-Way Cruise 2006," call toll free: 1-888-999-1099 or go to www.premierchristiancruises.com. (from MorningStar PR) *Thursday, March 9th, 2006* Floodgate Records' Forever Changed has decided to call it quits. Here is a portion of the band's announcement on their MySpace blog from Tuesday, "After the month of May of this year, the members of Forever Changed will be parting ways. We will play the remainder of booked shows that we have plus some farewell dates in some of our favorite places (including Cornerstone Florida), and after that, well we're not really sure, but Forever Changed will be no more. There are a million things to explain. To a lot of people, this might seem like the most inappropriate time to end a band - we were writing a follow-up record, we had just joined a great booking agency, we had all the gear, and we were playing better than we ever had before. For the past six and a half years, being in this band was all we really knew about. We had our whole lives devoted to this band. So trust me, we're all kind of in shock right now. So many thoughts are running through my head right now. I'm trying to explain everything the best I can without leaving any of you wondering why we are parting ways. One thing I want to say for sure is that in no way is this a negative thing. None of us are mad at each other, and to be completely honest, none of us were really expecting this either. It feels weird to even say that we're 'breaking up'. It doesn't really feel like that. God has placed new things in our lives to make us really re-think about what we're doing. The idea of splitting up started in February of this year. Dan realized that for a lot of reasons, he needed to make the appropriate decision regarding his family life. With that, came the idea of leaving Forever Changed. As difficult as it was to imagine, Dan knew he had to leave the band to focus more on his family future. Dan told the rest of us at practice and we spent the next week or so apart from each other thinking and praying about what we were going to do. We were excited for Dan the moment we heard the news. It was the last thing we were expecting him to tell us. We knew we had the option of continuing on as Forever Changed with a new lead singer, but after a lot of prayer, we felt it would just be best to end at Dan's departure... There is some exciting band news in all of this. We have spent the last three months writing non-stop for a new record, and we still have every intention of recording and releasing a final album. Those of you who have seen us perform in the past few months have heard some of the new songs played live. The album tentatively titled "Chapters" will be released in May of this year and will be available with limited edition packaging at all of our farewell shows, through mail-order, and downloadable through iTunes. The album will not be available in stores. Please check back soon for news on pre-order information. Pre-orders SHOULD be starting as early as next week. There is still so much to be said and so much to explain. For now I think this will be the end of my writing. Just as it started, I'm not quite sure how to wrap it up. There will be more blogs posted about this whole deal. Take the news however you will, but please know that all of us in Forever Changed are still friends, and even though we are all bummed out that things are coming to an end, we're really excited about what lies ahead. We truly hope you'll come out to see us one last time for our farewell shows in May. Thanks for reading, Nathan." For the full-length message from Nathan, visit http://blog.myspace.com/foreverchanged (from MySpace.com/ForeverChanged; Thanks to Scott CR) Want to be in the next Project 86 music video? You can be! "Ok everyone. We will be filming the brand new video on March 18 in Southern California," The band announced yesterday. "We need YOU to come to the shoot and be a part of it! That's right, we said we want YOU to be in our new video! Here's all you need to do: Wear Black. Show up at 1 PM on Saturday, March 18th at the following address: 13800 Sierra Hwy / Santa Clarita, CA. You will be looking for a place called the Sierra INN, basically in the middle of nowhere. Spots are limited, so make sure you are on time! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so you will not want to miss this... you will be given instructions when you arrive. (The details of the song and subject matter are still a secret, but if you show up you may get a sneak peak as to what is going on! Here's one hint: It's part II of the "Spy Hunter" video)!" (from Project 86) This April/May Pillar will hit the stage with the pioneers P.O.D., The Chariot, and Maylene and the Sons of Diasaster on the Warriors Tour II: Guilty by Association. The dates for this historic tour have been announced. Get your tickets now before they sell out! If the tour is not coming to your area, start making plans for a road trip. You can visit the tour website for more details at www.thewarriorstour.com. Check back soon for tour updates, information about the bands, and promotional tools. Pillar will not be on select dates due to previous engagements, so for the dates Pillar will be performing on the Warriors II tour, visit www.pillarmusic.com. (from Pillar) FM Static's long awaited sophomore release has a release date! The band posted the following message on their MySpace page this week, "Hey guys, first of all, we want to say thanks for all the encouraging messages and comments you guys have been sending us. You rock. Secondly, we know you're all on the edge of your seats awaiting the newest record release... The release date for our new album Critically Ashamed (this is the working title) is July 18, 2006. Stay tuned for more details... FMS" (from MySpace.com/FMStatic; Thanks to Joe P.) Mark your calendars, Bebo fans. Bebo Norman will be doing a LIVE chat on March 14th at 8pm central. This is an exclusive perk to Simpletons (Bebo's online community). If you aren't a "Simpleton," you can join now and chat it up with Bebo on the 14th! You can find more details here: simpleton.bebonorman.com (from Bebo Norman) One of contemporary praise & worship's most prolific songwriters, Paul Baloche, will release his new CD, A Greater Song, on April 4 on Integrity Music. The new CD features songwriting collaborations with Matt Redman, Graham Kendrick, Benton Brown and Sara Groves, resulting in a new collection of worship songs that are certain to find their way to churches all over the world. As Baloche prepares to release his new CD, his own worship favorites "Open the Eyes of My Heart" and "Above All" (co-written with Lenny LeBlanc), are currently No. 2 and No. 22 on CCLI's Top 25 Songs used in churches in the United States. "Paul has an incomparable ability to take an intimate and personal expression of love for the Lord and create music that connects in a worship setting. I believe A Greater Song is his greatest collection of worship songs yet with several songs destined to become classics," said Don Moen, president of Integrity Label Group. A Greater Song was recorded live at Baloche's home church, Community Christian Fellowship in Lindale, Texas, where he has served as worship pastor for more than 15 years. Groves and Northern Ireland's music treasure Kathryn Scott appear on A Greater Song, helping to express the theme of community and friendships that Baloche wanted to affirm with this record. "The beginnings of the album were rooted in friendships with people that I've know over the years but never had the chance to work with," said Baloche. "Then, when we finally recorded the album, I also invited worship leaders from all around my area to come and sing on the project to try and capture a sense of community." In addition to his new CD, Baloche has recently published "God Songs - How to Write and Select Songs for Worship," a new book co-written by Baloche and Jimmy and Carol Owens. The book, which is distributed by Integrity, is a "How-To" book about turning prayers into songs. (from Spinhouse PR) Inpop Records announces the signing of Houston, Texas-based, singer/songwriter Jimmy Needham. Needham, a college student at Texas A&M, has made a name for himself on the independent circuit for the last two years with his soulful pop sound and passionate evangelical focus. Reminiscent of Jason Mraz and Marc Broussard, Needham combines his strong, accomplished vocals with a bluesy acoustic guitar and meaningful song lyrics for a sound all his own. His forthcoming Inpop Records debut, Speak, showcases Needham's singer/songwriter style while exposing the rock, pop and jazz-influenced side of his art as well. Needham, along with producer Troy Warren, Jr., crafted the 11-song disc to illuminate his musical chops and ministry objectives. While the music is driving and upbeat, Speak delivers thought-provoking content that explores the redemptive nature of Christ and the freedom found in following Him. "Jimmy has true artistic talent and amazing songwriting ability," says Inpop Records President Dale Bray. "There is something unique and genuine about his music. As a songwriter, he captures the simplicity and complexity of life all in one song. Inpop is proud to partner with Jimmy's ministry and music in the days ahead," he says. For the past year and a half, Jimmy has been heavily involved in street evangelism in the College Station, Texas, area. Jimmy now leads a street evangelism team on a weekly basis. Evangelism is an area of ministry which Jimmy remains committed to as a part of his ongoing vision. "I am looking forward to my new friendship with Inpop," says Needham. "I love the artists, and I love the staff. I have the privilege of honoring the Lord together with them. It's going to be good," he says. (from InPop Records) Word recording artist Building 429 films the video for its current radio single “Fearless” at a ranch outside of Orange County, Calif. The video was produced by Michael Scott, as well as duo Tim Scott and Will Decker of “Travel the Road” ministries. The band will be partnering with “Travel the Road” on its upcoming spring “Rise Tour.” You can view the video at http://www.wordrecords.com/media/misc/200602/fearless_28467470.wmv (from Savvy Media) For the first time ever, singer/songwriter Derek Webb and author/speaker Donald Miller are joining together for a live audio web chat event, which will be held next Tuesday, March 14th, at 9pm CST / 7pm PST. The two friends, both known for speaking what is on their minds and hearts, are sure to make the evening an exciting one by talking about everything from politics to social justice, while giving the listener an opportunity to be a participant. By visiting either www.derekwebbchat.com or www.donaldmillerchat.com, listeners can submit a question by March 13th for Webb and Miller to answer during the 90-minute chat (due to time restraints not every question will be answered), to be hosted by Mike Parker. The listener will also be able to hear more about their latest projects, Webb’s new CD Mockingbird and Miller’s upcoming book, To Own a Dragon. (from The M Collective) The Red Letters Project is like no other. It’s the Book of Matthew. Word for Word. Put to music. Rock Music. Created by Mario Canido and Duncan, TRLP came to life after Mario saw a young girl singing a rap song in the back of a car. She probably didn’t know what the words meant, but they were crass and rude and Mario thought he just needed to do something. So he started a project bringing the words of Jesus to rock and roll. And The Red Letters Project was born. The project consists of 34 tracks on 2 CDs and is mixed by Brad Gilderman (Madonna, Motley Crue, Destiny’s Child). A tour like the market has never witnessed setting up for 2007. The Red Letters Project isn’t just a band. It isn’t a rock opera. It’s an experience. You can get a taste of the project at www.myspace.com/theredlettersproject. The project will be releasing nationwide late summer 2006 with touring starting in 2007. (from Biscuit PR) Gifted, America's search for Christian music's brightest new star will hold Super Regional auditions March 20-29 in Dallas, Nashville, Cleveland and Costa Mesa, CA with a possible appearance from host and recording artist Brian Littrell. After weeks of reviewing thousands of auditions from over 20 cities, Gifted producers, including manager Johnny Wright (Janet Jackson, Backstreet Boys, Jonas Brothers and Justin Timberlake) have selected close to 100 competitors who will advance to the Super Regionals and compete to be one of only eight finalists. "I have been through a lot of auditions in my life," said Gifted producer Johnny Wright. "Whether it be for artists that are on my roster or the auditions we went through for MTV's 'Making the Band 3,' the audition process for Gifted and the quality of talent that has come out of it make my knees buckle - in a good way! And it takes a lot for my knees to buckle." Once chosen, the eight finalists will be flown to Los Angeles where they will compete on national television to secure their place as the nation's most gifted vocalist. The show is set to air on Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) in May and will be hosted by Brian Littrell. Littrell was on his way to study for the ministry and to becoming a youth pastor when he was recruited as a founding member of the Backstreet Boys, so his return to Christian music is a return to his roots. Gifted was formed by a partnership with Johnny Wright (founder, Wright Entertainment Group), the manager who helped bring Britney Spears, *NSYNC, the Backstreet Boys and Justin Timberlake to massive international fame, and Matthew Crouch, founder for the successful independent film company Gener8Xion Entertainment. Together, they've formed Wright Gener8Xion Entertainment with the goal of creating pop-positive, family friendly entertainment, concerts and television productions. With the help of concert promotion giant AEG Live, they look forward to bringing Gifted into households nationwide. The winner of Gifted will receive a major-label recording contract, management by the Wright Entertainment Group and day-to-day support from Wright Gener8Xion Entertainment. The winner will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact with an invitation to open for Brian Littrell on the road. Additionally, a $10,000 donation will be made to the church where the winner originally auditioned. The Gifted project began with a series of local competitions in Jan. and early Feb., all held at mega-churches across the United States. Competitors 18 and over were invited to sing a cappella versions of classic hymns from an established list that included such standards as "How Great Thou Art," "Amazing Grace," "Blessed Assurance" and "Holy, Holy, Holy." At the upcoming Super Regionals, competitors will perform any Christian or gospel song. "There's been an explosion in popularity of singers and groups coming out of the Christian music community recently," says Philip McIntyre, producer of Gifted, citing the popularity of hit Christian rock acts Switchfoot, MercyMe and Casting Crowns and Christian country singer Carrie Underwood. "That's only the tip of the iceberg, really. There's so much more talent out there yet to be heard." "The people involved in Gifted are known for having their finger on the pulse of American pop culture," says McIntyre. "They want to be leaders in this movement toward upbeat, inspirational entertainment." For more information on Gifted go to www.giftedtalentsearch.com, www.myspace.com/giftedtalentsearch or call 323-874-9888. (from Kaleidoscope Media) *Tuesday, March 7th, 2006* This weekend, a Reuters/Billboard music news article announced that last September, Mute Math and Teleprompt Records (co-founded by the band's frontman Paul Meany) filed suit against Warner Brothers Records and Word Records for negligent misrepresentation for marketing their music to the Christian market. The article goes on to state that although members of Mute Math are openly Christians, they did not want their music marketed to the Christian community by Word because they wanted mainstream credibility first, and to market the Christian industry after being successful in the mainstream. Billboard quoted** Jesusfreakhideout.com founder John DiBiase in the article from a blog the writer had posted on the site's official MySpace page. Because of the impact that Mute Math is having on both the Christian music industry (desired by the band or otherwise) and the secular industry, the JfH has felt a responsibility to its readers to continue to review the band's music from a Christian perspective. It was made clear to Jesusfreakhideout.com when Teleprompt was marketing the band's Reset EP to the Christian industry in September, 2004 that the site's support of the band was desired and appreciated. Whether or not the band and the label's feelings have changed toward Jesusfreakhideout.com, the site wishes the band the best in their endeavors within or without the Christian industry, although they regret to see this issue developing the way it has. For the Jesusfreakhideout.com review of the band's new independent release, click here. For the complete Reuters article, click here. (**Note: The article incorrectly refers to Jesusfreakhideout.com as a "web store." JfH does sell Mute Math's EP through its affiliate MusiChristian, but has no control over whether the affiliate store carries the product or not) (from Jesusfreakhideout.com / Billboard) EMI/Gotee Records hip hop crew Grits will take the road with a new tour. “Dem Tennessee Bwoys Tour” will consist of 11 dates that will take them around the US. On tour with Grits is Pettidee, Comedian Coy Lasone, and introducing 5E artist IZ. The group had a very busy career having 10 #1 Christian hip hop singles, Dichotomy A/B selling nearly 120,000 copies, sharing the stage with Outkast and Jay-Z, receiving a Billboard Video Award, 4 Dove Award’s (Christian Grammy), and most impressively their Dichotomy B album was nominated for Best Rock Gospel Album of the Year at this year’s Grammy Awards. Grits has been recognized by such media as The Source, XXL, SPIN, VIBE, and many more. Their songs have been featured on MTV Cribs, The Real World, Pimp My Ride, Made, Boston Public, Kevin Hill as well as such feature films as Something’s Gotta Give, The Perfect Man, and Big Momma’s House 2. With the great success that Grits has had so far this year I am excited to see what the rest of the year holds for them. (from Big Machine Media) “My Savior My God,” the second Top 10 radio single from Atlanta-based worship leader Aaron Shust’s highly anticipated debut project, Anything Worth Saying, has experienced overwhelming listener response resulting in a rapid climb up the Christian radio charts. The single is currently at #6 and was last week’s most added song on R&R’s Monitor AC radio chart. Listener response led Sue Wilson, program director of Cleveland’s 95.5 The Fish to state, "Every once in a while, a song c