Jesusfreakhideout.com Music News: October 2006

JFH Music News

October, 2006

*Tuesday, October 31st, 2006*

Pivitplex’s much-anticipated album [and continuously delayed] The King in a Rookery, produced by GRAMMY award-winning producer Jason Burkum (Audio Adrenaline), will be in stores on November 14. The five-piece group from Montana will be playing 13 shows across six states—California, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and Iowa—during November to support the album’s release. With every pre-order purchase of the album, Pivitplex is giving away an autographed companion devotional containing two-page devotionals for every song on the album written by pastor and author Steve Mathewson. In a rave review in CCM Magazine, Tony Shore described the album as “an unbelievable alternative power-pop masterpiece”, going on to say “Pivitplex has delivered its answer to Sgt. Pepper and Pet Sounds.” Paul Colman also said he loved the album and agreed that it was a “one of a kind.” “Themes of praise, admiration, and dying to one’s self are all on display loud and clear,” says a JesusFreakHideout.com review, which describes the album as a “toe-tapper when it speeds up, and a piece of art when it slows down.” The King in a Rookery is Pivitplex’s independent sophomore release. In 2003 the band released their debut Under Museum Quality Glass on BEC Recordings. Its radio favorite single “You Know” still receives national radio play. “I don’t think I’ve known a band to change and mature this much between releases,” says Tony Shore in the CCM review. “The songwriting, production and performance are light years beyond that debut.” Vocalist Scott Brownson says the band took a very different approach when it came time to record the new album. “Constant touring and three years of trials and joys fueled the content of the new songs. Being away from family, the sudden death of my brother-in-law, my daughter’s recovery from a coma—I have had some joyous highs and sad lows." Listen out for the radio singles, “I’m Alive,” “Hello Monday” and “It’s Our Time” coming to a station near you! For more information on Pivitplex, check out their new ecard. (from Recah)

Kids in the Way and Flatfoot 56 are heading back in the studios to record their new albums coming in 2007. Kids will be joining forces with David Bendeth (Breaking Benjamin, Hawthorne Heights, Paramore) for the new record while the 56ers' rough it up with Dan Spencer and Ethan Luck. Look for bigger and better sounds in the coming year... (from Flicker Records)

Wondering what Hawaiian pop/punk rockers Olivia The Band have been up to since releasing their self-titled Essential Records debut last year? Olivia has just released a brand new EP entitled Back To Friends Where Summer Never Ends EP. The EP is independently released by the guys and available only at their live shows and through online orders! For more info and to hear portions of the EP, visit www.oliviatheband.com (from JFH)

*Sunday, October 29th, 2006*

Everyday Sunday is back, beginning promotions for their upcoming 2007 release Wake Up! Wake Up!. The pop/punk quartet has released new PureVolume and MySpace pages featuring the title track from the pending junior release, new photos, and new page layouts. To hear the new song now, visit www.myspace.com/everydaysunday! (from Everyday Sunday; JFH)

Leigh Nash is celebrating Christmas a little early this year by releasing a brand new Christmas EP in digital format only through online vendors. The EP entitled Wishing For This releases November 14th and includes Nash's original title track as well as such favorites as "Baby It's Cold Outside," "Maybe This Christmas," "Last Christmas," "O Holy Night," "Hard Candy Christmas," and "Eternal Gifts!" (from MySpace.com/LeighNash; JFH)

Slanted Records recording artist DecembeRadio left the crowd on its feet recently at the Warner/Elektra/Atlantic Corporation's (WEA's) national meeting which was held at the Carefree Resort in Carefree (Phoenix), Arizona. The band performed a set that included their crowd-pleaser "Love Found Me" and their current radio hit, "Drifter," which jumped to #25 on the AC indicator chart this week (R&R) and climbed to #8 on the CHR chart (CRW). "Drifter" debuted this week on the AC monitored chart at #29 (R&R) and also gained spins on the R&R CHR chart. The group's new rock single, "Dangerous," which was inspired by John Eldredge's top-selling book Wild at Heart, debuted on the rock charts at #28. "DecembeRadio's crunching guitar riffs and stellar rock vocals made for the perfect party for opening night at the WEA convention in Phoenix," described Keith Stancil, vice president, general markets/ international for Word Entertainment. "They were absolutely amazing!" The current hit "Drifter" is the 78th most downloaded inspirational song on iTunes, where the group has also been featured as a Discovery Download. The group is scheduled to perform this Sunday, October 29th, in Hampton, Ga., at NASCAR's Bass Pro Shops 500 race. The band will perform the national anthem as well as a complete set of songs prior to the starting time of the race. Around 180,000 attendees are expected to gather to watch the nationally televised and highly publicized event. On October 27th, the band will join Atlanta's J93.3 radio station and the Revolve Tour from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at Arbor Place Mall's food court where the band will perform and sign CDs. DecembeRadio's self-titled release is distributed exclusively by Word Distribution/WEA and digitally through EMI CMG Distribution. (from Springhill Music)

Following the success of his 2004 gold-selling Arriving album and the new See The Morning set that debuted at #1 last month, worship artist Chris Tomlin will see the re-issue of his first two studio efforts as a combined two-disc, budget priced set entitled The Early Years on November 21 via sixstepsrecords. In one package, The Early Years features the original recordings and artwork/liner notes from Tomlin’s 2001 debut, The Noise We Make, and its breakthrough 2002 follow-up, Not To Us. The release gives new fans an easy and affordable way to catch up with the first works from the Gospel Music Association’s 2006 Artist and Male Vocalist of the Year. Among the favorite modern worship songs included here are “Forever,” “The Wonderful Cross,” “Famous One,” “Enough,” “Be Glorified,” and “Wonderful Maker.” Tomlin is now touring in support of See The Morning, featuring the hit, “Made To Worship.” Christian Music Planet describes the project, saying “Tomlin serves up 11 more probable church classics . . . (his) voice truly shines and proves once again why he is one of the most revered worship leaders in recent years.” For upcoming concert dates, tour blogs, music news, and more, check out www.ChrisTomlin.com. (from Sparrow Records)

In just three weeks following the release of their critically-acclaimed project Comatose, Atlantic/Lava/Ardent/SRE recording artist Skillet is continuing to garner some of the best momentum in their history, including Top 10 SoundScan sales and Top 40 itunes Rock album sales. For five consecutive weeks the band’s debut R&R Christian Rock single, “Rebirthing,” has held at No. 1, received nearly half a million plays on their myspace page, and moved up to No. 19 on R&R’s Christian CHR chart. In addition, their mainstream Active Rock single, “Whispers in the Dark” continues to get key adds, recently gaining stations in Seattle, Columbus and Salt Lake City, with spins increasing each week in markets including Chicago, Little Rock, Phoenix, Albuquerque and Madison, WI. Skillet has also been confirmed to perform at two Active Rock station’s events: one in Albuquerque for KTEG’s “Toys for Tots” holiday fund raiser show and the other in Salt Lake City for a concert hosted by KHTB “The Blaze” in December. (For more information on the Salt Lake City concert click here.) (from The M Collective)

Dead Poetic's latest record Vices streets on Tuesday, but you can hear it in its entirety right now at The Fuse. Follow this link to get connected right to the player and get an early taste of Vices! (from Dead Poetic)

“Glorify Your Name,” the first radio single in several years from multi-Dove winner Wayne Watson, signifies the official return to radio of the man and voice who helped define Christian music throughout the ‘80’s and ‘90’s. Released by Patton House Entertainment, the single, originally featured as a track on Watson's Living Room album, is now going for adds at Christian AC and Inspo radio formats. Wayne Watson’s connection with his listening audience has to date produced a history of 23 #1 singles at Christian radio—including such memorable classics as "Friend Of A Wounded Heart," "When God’s People Pray," "Watercolour Ponies," and "Home Free"—the latter of which became the most played song at Christian radio in 1991. Picking up a prolific pen and guitar these days, Watson is poised to write an entirely new chapter in his remarkable career. After several years of dedicating his giftings to his role as a musical director at a major church in Houston, Texas, Wayne is now re-opening the mines of his creativity with a full time re-commitment to his career as an artist and songwriter. He is expected to be back in the recording studio in early ’07 for work on his next album project—most of which will be self written. Recently signed both with Patton House Entertainment for artist management and with Compassion International as a major spokesperson, Wayne Watson will embark on the The Home For Christmas Tour, to be presented in ministry partnership with Compassion International. Co-headlining fellow artists Kim Hill and Phil Keaggy, an anticipated schedule of more than a dozen dates between November 24th and December 16th is being set. For more info about Wayne, visit www.waynewatson.com! (from Morning Star PR)

*Thursday, October 26th, 2006*

The United Nations reports a staggering 143 million children identified as orphans. Answering the call on his own life and family to orphans and making known God’s instruction about caring for orphans, Steven Curtis Chapman has become a spokesperson for adoption. Now he continues to encourage others to step up and recognize the worldwide crisis in November for National Adoption Awareness month. In response to the miracle they saw in their own family through adoption and with a desire to help eliminate the obstacle of finances for many families they knew, Chapman and his family established Shaohannah’s Hope Foundation in 2000. Then in 2002, as opportunities to financially assist families ready to adopt far outpaced the Chapmans’ personal abilities to fund, the foundation began accepting donations to raise further financial grants for willing families. Arriving at a milestone this month, Chapman and Shaohannah’s Hope are thrilled to announce the 1,000th grant awarded. “This landmark number gives us reason to celebrate what God has done, but when you think of the need, it motivates us to roll up our sleeves and work even harder to look ahead and help the next 10,000,” shares Scott Hasenbalg, director of Shaohannah’s Hope Foundation. “This number is incredible, especially when thinking about where we started, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. To us, we rejoice in this number because it gives us a chance to say thank you to the many supporters who have given to our adoption assistance program. It is clearly a joint effort, as we are just one part of the body.” Shaohannah’s Hope receives approximately 150 applications a month, with funding capacity, currently, to award 30-40 adoption assistance grants with an average amount of $3,000. Chapman has become a voice for this cause, with fans and strangers responding with over 7,000 donors giving to the foundation. His message has impacted others, and a web of influence has been created through the foundation. Recognizing that the severity of today’s orphan crisis is bigger than any one organization, FamilyLife Today, Focus on the Family, and Shaohannah’s Hope are joining forces this fall to launch a long-term, nationwide campaign called Voice of the Orphan. This campaign went live with the launch of the website VoiceoftheOrphan.org, which is a central location for people to learn more about getting involved in caring for orphans. This resource serves as an excellent additional companion to the extensive HowtoAdopt.org and ShaohannahsHope.org. Voice of the Orphan will officially kick off with the landmark collaborative effort between the two family broadcasts of FamilyLife Today and Focus on the Family the week of November 13th. Each radio program ministry will simultaneously devote daily content to bring awareness to the issue at hand for a week long broadcasting blitz. Included in the scheduled (below) will be the rebroadcast of Chapman’s appearance on both shows, one of the most successful programs to date for both national outlets. Taking the message this holiday season, Shaohannah’s Hope is partnering with SEPIA Photo Promotions, IPI and WorldWide Photography, an organization that provides the “Santa” photo experience in more than 150 shopping malls across America. Parents purchasing photos of their children with Santa will be given the option to donate $1 to support adoption and given further information about adoption and how to make a difference. To view Chapman's video for his adoption-themed Christmas song, "All I Really Want For Christmas," click here! (from The M Collective)

Rebecca St. James is adding additional “behind the song” ministry value to her music in the form of free audio downloads of devotionals inspired by the songs from her latest EMI/Forefront album, If I Had One Chance To Tell You Something. The sixty second devotionals recorded by St. James are being presented as free programming content resources to radio for airing. Built around the concept of songs such as "Take All Of Me," "You Are Loved," "God Help Me," "Alive," and "Lest I Forget," the spots are designed as a free standing inspirational minute geared to fit multiple radio formats. Produced by Chris Coppernoll of the Soul2Soul Radio Network, which also hosts the site, radio wishing to resource the free RSJ audio downloads can do so online at: www.s2sradio.com/rebeccastjames.html (from Morning Star PR)

With Audio Adrenaline's final days approaching, the band is making some of their gear available to fans. Next Tuesday (Halloween) drummer Ben Cissell will be putting his Risen drum kit up for bids on eBay. The Champagne Sparkle Risen drum set was used during summer festivals and on the Diverse City Worldwide Tour (2004-2005) with TobyMac. The kit is in great shape and proceeds of the auction will benefit Rocketown, a venue in Nashville where Ben has served on the Board of Directors and will soon be working full-time. (from Myspace.com/Audioa; JFH)

Hey Jonezetta fans, want to show off your remix skills and win big? Here's your chance. Tooth & Nail Records and Jonezetta are giving fans the opportunity to remix their song "Get Ready (Hot Machete)" and win prizes. Head over to hotmachete.com, read up on how to get started, and give it a shot! The Grand Prize winner gets a Roland SP-404 Sampler, Roland RH-300 Headphones, Jonezetta t-shirts, their Popularity CD autographed by the band, the soccer ball used in the album cover artwork, and more! Also, if you haven't yet, check out the band's debut Popularity, now in stores. (from MySpace.com/Jonezetta; JFH)

SRE Recordings’ Decyfer Down rocked South Carolina as they performed for over 5,000 in attendance at the Fallout Festival with Crossfade, hosted by alternative rock station WARQ on October 7. Since the show, WARQ has increased spins for Decyfer Down’s “Fight Like This” by 25 per week. Along with this station, radio everywhere is showing support for Decyfer Down. R&R Christian Rock chart places Decyfer Down’s “Break Free” at No. 5 w/bullet this week. Matt Lee, WARQ Music Director’s says “Not that I’m surprised about it, but once again Decyfer Down rolled through Columbia and left a smoking hole in the ground. What I saw was the thousands singing [their] songs right back to them.” New York City made room for Decyfer Down back in September as they shot their newest video for, “Fight Like This” with well-known director Dale Resteghini. Dale has directed videos for Mudvayne, Hawthorne Heights, Fall Out Boys and several more. Be sure to check out the video here at: www.toasterinthetub.com/video/fight_final.mov About the shoot, Resteghini says, “When Decyfer Down showed up on set [in] New York City, they showed up ready to rock this city! The guys were all pros and all about making the best video possible, so they worked their butts off jamming, screaming, jumping and just going off take after take....” The band is also set to rock this fall, as they head out with Pillar, Day Of Fire, and The Showdown on the “Days of The Reckoning Tour” starting today in Minneapolis, MN. For more information on this tour, go to www.pillarlive.com. (from The M Collective)

Legendary guitarist and songwriter Phil Keaggy has announced the upcoming release of Dream Again, his first new vocal project of original compositions in six years. Since releasing his last vocal project, Inseparable, in 2000, Keaggy has focused on producing instrumental projects, including Jammed! and Roundabout, both of which released this year to much acclaim from fans and critics alike. Dream Again will release on Strobie Records on January 30, 2007. Leaving behind the electric guitars of Jammed! and the improvisational elements of Roundabout, Keaggy wanted to give the music of Dream Again more of a homespun feel. To that end, he has paired very personal, insightful lyrics with acoustic arrangements that lend an intimate feeling to the entire project. The result is an album that is intensely close to Keaggy's heart. "The album was inspired by people in my life who are near and dear to me," Keaggy says of Dream Again. "It¹s a relationship album‹about our relationship with God and with those who are near in our lives." Dream Again is definitely a family affair, including songs about Keaggy¹s family and close friends, in addition to those that come out of his own struggles and experiences. He even goes a step further, featuring vocals from daughter Alicia on "Micah 6:8," as well as vocals and guitar from son Ian on the songs "Why" and "Revive Me." Two of the songs from the album, "Kathy¹s Song" and "How Can I Thank You," were penned for his sisters, and "Love Is The Reason" was written as a wedding gift for a friend. "It¹s You and Me" is a love song to his wife Bernadette, and Keaggy dedicates "There With You" to his daughter Olivia. Other songs included on the album are the title track, which was inspired by a conversation with a friend, and "Revive Me," which recalls the spiritual energy Keaggy felt when he was saved. Keaggy crafted the song "Redemption" utilizing two poems written by his friend Todd Albertson, whose lyrical content was also used on "Thank You For Today," a song he considers a gift for Albertson. Keaggy comments, "I think it¹s an album that states what¹s important, what¹s on my mind here and now in my life." Keaggy has enjoyed immense success over his career, which has spanned more than three decades. Having first entered the music scene as the co-founder and guitarist for '70s power group Glass Harp, Keaggy has since released close to 50 albums and has made appearances on countless others. Widely recognized for his guitar playing, he has received numerous accolades and awards for his music, including seven Dove Awards and a Grammy nomination. Keaggy continues to sell out concerts all over the US with his ever-changing style, ranging from rock n' roll to fully orchestrated instrumental compositions. (from McCain PR)

As a way of saying thanks to their fans, Disciple is offering you a special gift. If you order their new record Scars Remain from their own store, you can get two copies of the record for the price of one! You can pre order the new album for just for $15 -- making each copy only $7.50 each. Go in together with one of your friends, or even better, you can give the second copy away to someone who doesn't know the Lord. Anyway you slice it, this is a deal that is almost unheard of and we hope that you'll take advantage of this opportunity. Need help deciding? Check out the Jesusfreakhideout.com PReview of Scars Remain here! (from Disciple; JFH)

Acclaimed debut pop and rock act Needtobreathe continues to swing for the fences. Fox Sports chose the band’s song, “Don’t Wait For Daylight,’ to use in its television coverage of the Major League Baseball 2006 World Series between the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals. And that’s not the only recent sports highlight for Needtobreathe. The South Carolina-based quartet got to meet renowned wrestler and reality TV star Hulk Hogan during a music festival in their home state just before taking the stage at Littlejohn Coliseum. In fact, Hogan introduced the band to the crowd! “Hulk is probably the single biggest celebrity (referring to both the amount of fame he wields and his actual physical mass) we’ve ever met,” the band said on a MySpace post. A lot of people are excited to meet Needtobreathe these days as well. The band’s first album, Daylight opened to rave reviews this past spring, landing NTB on the cover of CCM magazine and high up the charts with the hit single, “You Are Here.” Now the group is touring clubs throughout the United States. Check out Needtobreathe concert dates, music samples, and sporty new t-shirt offers at www.Needtobreathe.net. (from Sparrow Records)

*Tuesday, October 24th, 2006*

Dove Award-nominated rocker Krystal Meyers has spent much of 2006 gracing the covers of magazines (Nylon Magazine Japan, Bounce Magazine, Brio Magazine), appearing on television (MTV Japan, The Logan Show), and taking her music halfway around the world, to Japan. Now Meyers is taking her music to prime-time as her song “Together,” from her second album Dying For A Heart, is scheduled to be used by NBC to promote its new, hit drama “Heroes” via television and radio spots over the coming weeks. “Heroes” airs Mondays on NBC at 9 PM ET. “I am so excited that NBC selected my song, ‘Together,’ to be a part of their new show, ‘Heroes’,” comments an excited Krystal Meyers. “As soon as my record label told me I freaked out! It's an awesome opportunity and I am very thankful for it.” Since the release of her self-titled debut on Essential Records (2005), eighteen year-old Krystal Meyers has garnered a Dove Award nomination for New Artist of the Year, landed the #1 spot on general market radio in Japan (“Anticonformity”), had five Top 10 singles in the U.S. (“The Way To Begin,” “My Savior,” “Anticonformity,” “Fire,” and “Collide”), and performed before more than 400,000 people. Dying For A Heart, the second record from Meyers, landed in stores September 2006. For additional information on Krystal Meyers, visit www.krystalmeyers.com. (from )

A few months ago, Ohio-based hip hop artist John Reuben announced the underground promotions of a possible new satirical reality series about his exploits, entitled Professional Rapper. While the trailer has circulated the web and can be seen on YouTube, Reuben's Myspace, and JFH's Myspace, John has made three brand new "shorts" available as well! Can we say "Brilliant?" Check 'em out at: www.myspace.com/johnreuben (from MySpace.com/johnreuben; JFH)

Word Records, in partnership with New Line Records, announces the October 31st release of The Nativity Story: Sacred Songs, a collection of music inspired by the highly-anticipated film, The Nativity Story, from New Line Cinema. The compilation project will feature 13 songs from accomplished Christian and Country artists! Artists appearing on the album include: Jaci Velasquez, Point of Grace, Amy Grant, Natalie Grant, Jill Phillips & Andrew Peterson, Selah featuring Plumb, Jo Dee Messina, Kenny Rogers & Wynonna, Nicole C. Mullen, Mark Schultz, LeAnn Rimes, and BarlowGirl. A brand new recording, "The Virgin's Lullaby," produced by Bernie Herms (Natalie Grant, Avalon, NewSong), and performed by some of the top names in Christian music (Point Of Grace, Natalie Grant, David Phelps, Todd Smith and Allan Hall of Selah, Mike Weaver of Big Daddy Weave and Michael Farren of Pocket Full of Rocks), will be sent out to Christian and mainstream AC radio on Nov 3, just in time for the Christmas season! The film itself will chronicle the miraculous pregnancy and arduous journey of Mary and Joseph leading to the history-defining birth of Christ. The New Line Cinema major motion picture, The Nativity Story will open December 1st on thousands of screens worldwide. Word Distribution will additionally release The Nativity Story: Original Score, music composed by Michael Danna, on December 5th. For more information on the upcoming movie, visit www.thenativitystory.com. (from Word Records)

As December 26th continues to draw closer, Switchfoot has released the title track of their upcoming album, Oh! Gravity, on iTunes along with an exclusive band interview and album preview included. Check it out here! (from Switchfoot; JFH)

Indie label Inpop Records claimed three of the coveted Top 10 spots on Radio & Records Christian Hit Radio chart last week with songs from artists Superchick, Jimmy Needham and newsboys. Superchick tops the chart with “Stand In The Rain,” its third consecutive No. 1 hit from 2005’s breakthrough project Beauty From Pain, while debut artist Jimmy Needham’s first radio single, “Lost At Sea,” is one slot behind at No. 2. Newsboys rounds out the three with its debut single from forthcoming album GO, “Wherever We Go,” at No. 7. Radio promoter Donna Del Sesto of IHS Promotions, who has worked both the Needham and Superchick singles, comments, “The road to success is one well-traveled and INPOP is traveling that road in style these days, with the No. 1, No. 2, and No. 7 Billboard/R&R CHR radio singles.” TOP5PROMOTIONS’ Michael Johnson, Needham’s champion at CHR radio, says “Honestly, Jimmy Needham doesn’t sound like everything else that’s working at Christian radio today. And that’s why I think he’s working.” “Radio has been very kind to Inpop,” says Dale Bray, Inpop Records president. “Tree63 had a No. 1 single just a few weeks ago, and now we have the No. 1 AND No. 2 CHR songs in the country with Superchick and Jimmy. It’s an amazing effort for an indie label. It speaks highly of the quality of these artists and the partnership they have with radio.” (from Savvy Media)

The #1 hit single for artist-worshiper, Jaime Jamgochian, “Hear My Worship,” just completed it’s run at the top of the Christian Radio Weekly chart after an incredible eight weeks, as well as the R&R chart for five. As a result of the song’s exposure, several Christian websites have reported how the song is connecting with fans, worship leaders, and Churches as they are seeing numerous requests for the single from various search engines. The popular song has also given cause to celebrate several firsts for many of the people and companies involved in the project. Besides being the first #1 single for Jamgochian as an artist, it was also her first as a songwriter and for her co-writer, Sam Mizell. At the same time, it was the first #1 charting song for new indie label Centricity Records, its publishing division, and for the track’s producer, Jeff Thomas. Jamgochian’s career began to gain visibility with her June 2006 debut CD Reason To Live. From flattering album reviews, cover stories in Brio & Beyond and In The Times, along with numerous TV appearances including Tennessee Mornings/Fox 17, At Home Live!, Celebration, and her recent Focus On The Family Chapel Service, Jamgochian’s heart and ministry still remains focused on leading the Church to worship. After a busy season serving as worship leader on the Girls Of Grace tour, Jaime is beginning the process of writing new songs for her sophomore project, tentatively scheduled for summer 2007. (from Bozeman Media)

Go Fish, an emerging force in family entertainment, brings their unique brand of music and humor to the airwaves with the launch of “The Go Fish Kids Radio Show.” In conjunction with His Kids Radio Network, the weekly half-hour program debuted on 22 Christian radio stations around the country and in Puerto Rico last week, and is also available via podcast. “The Go Fish Kids Radio Show” features music from the group’s recordings, Splash, Superstar, Snooze, and Go Fish’s family Christmas release, Snow. In addition, the program includes regular segments, such as the “Verse of the Week,” the “Go Fish Mailbox,” the “Ask Doctor Atom” science question, and other skits and jokes. “We’ve had a great time creating these shows and we’re finding that stations are eager to have a high quality production geared towards families with young children,” said Jamie Statema, Go Fish founding member. “Since our radio show is music based, it provides a unique way for stations to reach out to kids while still engaging their other listeners. Just like our CDs and DVDs, this is something we want parents and kids to enjoy together.” Go Fish’s Snow, a family Christmas album, released October 10, and the group will be hitting the road later this year for their popular annual Christmas tour. Snow is a 10-song collection of original and traditional selections that showcase the group’s acappella harmonies. The annual Go Fish Christmas Tour kicks-off December 3 in Jackson, Minnesota, and will hit a total of 11 cities, including a December 16 performance at Minneapolis’ Target Center. Founded in 1993 by Statema, Go Fish recorded a number of successful independent projects and developed an enthusiastic concert following before signing to inpop records in 2001, where they released two albums. In 2003 the group released Splash, their first recording for kids, and sold out their debut children’s concerts within hours. The overwhelming response from families led Go Fish to focus exclusively on creating “great music for kids that won’t drive parents bonkers.” Earlier this year, Go Fish’s Showtime DVD and Snooze CD released, and the group was highlighted on NBC’s “Today” Show. (from Turning Point PR)

*Friday, October 20th, 2006*

With the "offical announcement" of their final show set for April 29th, Audio Adrenaline is proud to join forces with Celebration Concerts to offer their fans a once-in-a-lifetime "Aloha Adventure". Mark, Will, Ben & Tyler invite you to join them for a five-day trip, April 26-30, to Waikiki, Honolulu. Open to Audio Adrenaline and MercyMe fans worldwide, the trip features: a private aloha welcome brunch, meet ‘n’ greet luau feast, surfing with the Audio A guys, tourist visits to Pearl Harbor and Hanauma Bay, breathtaking snorkeling and the best seats to the farewell concert at the Waikiki Shell. Manager, Scott Brickell, explains: “The idea for Audio A to do their farewell concert in Hawaii came from Mark, Will and the guys themselves. Most people know the guys love action adventure, so why not let fans who want to, join them in one of the surfing paradise settings of the world and enjoy the special moment of their farewell concert, too?” The inclusive trip covers airfare, four nights of lodging (at your choice of either a three-star or four-star Waikiki quality hotel on or near the beach), welcome breakfast, round-trip ground transfers to the hotel and concerts, as well as the best concerts seats available. Prices and availability are best when purchased early, so register soon! For more trip details and specifics, contact Christian Travel Finder at 1-888-518-7571. (from AudioA.com)

*Thursday, October 19th, 2006*

Arguably one of the industry’s greatest bands, DC Talk returns this December 26th with Jesus Freak 10th Anniversary Special Edition (Forefront/EMICMG). In celebration of what may be the biggest project in the history of Contemporary Christian music, the 2-Disc set will include both the original Jesus Freak disc, (remastered), as well as a 14-track CD with exclusive B-sides, remixes, and rarities (tentative listing below). “DC Talk has always been synonymous with musical innovation,” recalls former ForeFront executive and current EMI CMG Publishing President Eddie DeGarmo. “They created anthems that resonated with an entire generation who screamed every lyric at the top of their lungs. Jesus Freak was their cry.” Garnering one of the group’s four GRAMMY® Awards, the first time a rock song won a Dove Award for “Song of the Year” (“Jesus Freak”), a total of six No. 1 singles amongst Christian CHR, AC and Rock radio formats, Jesus Freak set many records, including entering higher on the Billboard Top 200 chart than any other Christian artist ever had (No. 16) in August 1995, selling over 97,000 units. Certified Gold within 30 days of release, the project sold over one million units before DC Talk joined forces in the general market with Virgin Records, and in its first week of release charted on Billboard’s Top 5 along with The Beatles, Garth Brooks, Bruce Springsteen and Vince Gill. Currently the project has sold more than 2 million units. General market radio success for Jesus Freak was also stellar, including the top 15 charting of “Just Between You and Me” at Top 40/Pop radio. The JESUS FREAK tour (with special guess Audio Adrenaline) was also one of if not the most successful tour by a Christian artist in the mid-90s as well, with shows selling out across the U.S. including Houston, Dallas, Columbus, Minneapolis, Boston and more. DC Talk’s members, TobyMac, Michael Tait and Kevin Max are all currently enjoying successful solo careers. TobyMac will release his third solo project with ForeFront/EMICMG in February 2007. (from The M Collective)

Some attendants of recent dates on Superchick's "Live Love Tour" may have noticed the absence of one of the opening acts. John Reuben and his band experienced some van trouble last Friday, keeping them from attending a couple of shows, including one in Montana on Tuesday. Ironically, Last Tuesday was on their way to the show as well and endured the failure of their as well, causing them to miss the show. Reuben's team wrote on MySpace, "Yesterday at 3:15, a lighting truss fell down and landed directly in the middle of the stage, which is exactly where us and Last Tuesday would have been standing if our vans had not broken down. The lighting truss is very heavy and everyone who was there said that it would have killed or badly injured either us or Last Tuesday had we been there. Many times in life we are in situations and we start to think 'why.' I just wanted to share that story with you all to let you know that there is always a reason even if we don't fully comprehend it at the time." Everyone here at JFH is thankful the guys are okay. And for those who haven't yet, be sure to catch the rest of the Live Love Tour featuring Superchick, Sanctus Real, John Reuben, and Last Tuesday. (from MySpace.com/JohnReuben; JFH)

Tune in to the AP Show on XM Radio's Fungus 53 channel this week to hear Relient K's exclusive three-song performance -- including a song off their new album, Five Score And Seven Years Ago, coming out March 6, 2007 (Capitol/Gotee), and a cover of Weezer's "Surf Wax America" -- and interview with AP music editor Scott Heisel. You can tune in on Saturday, October 21 at 6 p.m. EST! (from LB PR)

Modern rock band Red is proving that the intense live performance they are becoming known for does not stop when the lights go down. Its second single, “Already Over,” is off to a stellar start, launching as this week’s highest debut, highest spin increase, and most added at Christian Rock Radio. “Already Over” follows Red’s debut single, “Breathe Into Me,” which went #1 at Rock Radio and stayed there for five consecutive weeks. Randy Armstrong comments, “We are so blessed to be a new artist and have this type of response to our music. It means a lot when fans are e-mailing us and telling us how our music is affecting their lives, and we are very thankful that radio is supporting that vision and movement.” Guitarist Jasen Rauch wants to emphasize the message behind “Already Over.” According to Rauch, “This song has a dual meaning. It's about both sides of temptation. On the one hand, it’s about how weak we can be as human beings giving into temptations. Often when the first ounce of temptation comes our way, it’s ‘already over’ – we’ve already decided to give in. At its worst, it’s an addiction controlling us, ‘suffocating’ us, to which we tragically ‘offer up our souls.’ On the other hand, this song is about the moment we finally allow Jesus’ power to overcome our temptations – when we trade the allure of sin for God’s righteousness. The moment we finally offer up our souls to Jesus, it’s ‘already over,’ the darkness fades, our sins are washed away, and we can rest in His peace.” By the end of 2006, Red will have played well over 250 concerts. And with currently more than 37,000 fans on MySpace (www.myspace.com/dropofRed), the band makes it a priority to write each and every fan back personally and let them know how much their support is appreciated. The five-member band (Mike Barnes, lead vocals; Anthony Armstrong, guitar; Randy Armstrong, bass; Jasen Rauch, guitar; and Hayden Lamb, drums) released its debut project on Essential Records, End of Silence, on June 6, 2006. End of Silence was produced by Dove-nominated producer/songwriter Rob Graves and mixed by Ben Grosse (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fuel, Sixpence None the Richer). (from Provident Music Group)

Modern rock band Monday Morning have begun recording for their second album, expected for release in mid-2007. Monday Morning's national debut album, Fool's Paradise, released in February this year, earned a #1 on the CHR chart for an entire month with its second single '”Wonder Of It All”, which gained international radio play across Europe and Australia, and was the most requested song for over a month on South Africa's premiere radio station, 5FM. The single is still receiving consistent radio play across the US. The first single “Sunshine” and its video was widely played on rock radio and video shows across the US, including high rotation on MTV Latin America. Alternative Addiction summed Fool’s Paradise up when they called it "a classy debut" and "one of the year’s essential albums". Vocalist Derrek Stipe says it was the band’s many song ideas that led to them beginning recording for their second album. ”We really felt it was time to get them down and get the creative process in motion. We set up a basic Pro-Tools rig with a Digi 002 in our rehearsal room and before we knew it we had 10 songs tracked, and we have at least another 10 close to completion! It has definitely been artistically refreshing!" Monday Morning manager Sid Blythe says the band has many exciting plans for 2007, including spending time touring the west coast, as well as getting across to Europe. "They have gone from strength to strength this year and the live show is better than ever. We did a great photo shoot in New York and have just finished off a new e-card.” You can see the new e-card by clicking on this link: http://www.mondaymorningmusic.com/ecard_II (from Recah)

Up-and-coming pop-rock band Cross Culture entered the retail charts this month with a bang—climbing to #29 last week on the Nielsen Christian SoundScan’s Rock/Alternative Overall Top 50, and to #49 on the Gospel-Christian Retail Overall Top 100. And to add to the month’s excitement, guitarist Dan Harrass's wife Trish gave birth to their first child, Daniel James II, on Friday evening. Cross Culture have just completed a 42-date tour with respected music group VAST. Among the highlights of the tour were sold out shows at legendary club CBGB’s in New York City and the Viper Room in Hollywood, CA. It has been a whirlwind seven months since Cross Culture released its debut album Proof Positive in February this year. The band has grown its fanbase to over 26,000 MySpace friends, achieved a Top 15 radio single, and performed at festivals across the country including Altanta Fest, Rock The Light, Crossover Music Fest and Cornerstone. The eclectic Latin-tinged pop-rock sound of Cross Culture is described as energetic, deep and intricate, and as reminiscent of Thousand Foot Krutch, 311, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Pillar. "Our versatile sound goes hand in hand with the band's name," comments guitarist and bassist Justin David. "We cross traditional cultural boundaries by mixing hard, melodic rock with jazz, gospel and funk." (from Recah)

Spring Hill Worship recording artist Anadara will soon be appearing in the critically acclaimed, multi-award winning production of !Hero-returning in live concert for a 2006 run, which includes a six-day December run at The Majestic Theater in Dallas. Described as 'Broadway meets video game,' !Hero features Anadara in the role of Maggie in addition to Michael Tait, who is back in the starring role. The singer/songwriter just released her solo debut Into the Unknown, available in stores nationwide and online; and her talents are drawing early comparisons to such artists as Amy Grant, Joni Mitchell and Nichole Nordeman. Anadara began writing songs for Spring Hill Worship compilations a couple of years ago and has since been featured on numerous nationally released worship releases including Songs from the Bennett House, Beautiful Wounds, Back to You, The Glorious Impossible and The Rocks Cry Out. The song "The Name" (featured on The Glorious Impossible and on The Name compilations), which Anadara co-wrote with Billy Sprague and Beck, was nominated for Best Scripture Song in 2005 at the Worship Leader Magazine Praise Awards. The song "To the One," which she penned with Stephanie Lewis, is currently featured on the Worship Leader Song Discovery program; and the first single from the album, "Go," is playing at inspirational radio. For further information, visit www.anadara.com. (from Spring Hill)

*Tuesday, October 17th, 2006*

Nova Productions will offer an exclusive concert event: "John Schlitt and Bob Hartman of Petra in an intimate evening of acoustin music and personal testimony." Featuring Schlitt's vocals and Hartman on acoustic guitar, this concert is not just for fans of Petra's music, but is also for those who enjoy lyric-oriented, praise and worship arrangements. "So many people are used to seeing us up on stage as Petra-with all the big production, the big sound, the lights and all," Schlitt said, "But this will be just Bob and I-his guitar and my voice-in a very intimate setting, which I believe will allow our listeners to see another side of us and our music." Hartman said, "We'll share more because there will not be such a rush to get though a show. They'll get to know us as people through our songs and testimonies. This, we believe, can affect people in a positive way." Promoters are responsible for travel, production, meals and lodging. The tour began as a request from one person in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, who wanted an opportunity for adults to hear firsthand John's testimony, not sponsor a rock concert. But Schlitt's booking agent, Sue Dempster of Nova Productions thought the event should have music, too. Since Schlitt does not play an instrument, Dempster invited Hartman to acompany him. "We had our one concert in Sheboygan and that was all it was ever meant to be," Dempster said. But as word got out about this event, others began inquiring about booking a similar show, comprised of classic Petra songs, praise music and the sharing of testimonies and stories from Petra's 33 years of ministry. This event is the first time that Schlitt and Hartman of the Christian rock band Petra-winner of four Grammy awards, 10 Dove awards and the first Christian rock band inducted into the Gospel Hall of Fame--have played together since Petra retired in 2005. (from Nova Productions)

Stellar Kart's "Me And Jesus" has been at #1 for seven weeks! The hit single from the band's sophomore album We Can't Stand Sitting Down has remained at the top of CHR on both R&R and CRW charts, and shows no signs of slowing down. The group recently finished a music video for the song. Stellar Kart's rock single "Activate" is currently activating at radio, where it has jumped into the top ten at rock stations across the country! If you haven't seen the awesome video for "Activate," rush over to the band's MySpace page to find out where you can watch it! (from Word Records)

Texas pop-rock sensation, Dalton, is opening for Sonicflood’s 54-date This Generation tour, in support of their national debut release Taste the Sky. The brother-fronted foursome, whose album Taste the Sky was released to rave reviews in May this year, bring melodic power pop with the infectious hook-laden singles, “Taste the Sky”, “City Lights” and “Life Afraid”, to the extensive US tour. This Generation is Sonicflood’s sixteenth tour since their debut in 1999. Their many celebrated worship anthems including “Open the Eyes of My Heart Lord” and “I Could Sing of Your Love Forever” have led to a GRAMMY nomination and two Dove Awards. It was at another celebrated worship band’s concert six years ago that the now nineteen- and twenty-year-old Dalton brothers from New Braunfels, TX, heard the call of music. The “more-than-memorable” Delirious concert ignited a fire of “this is what we want to do” inside of them. Among the rave reviews of Taste the Sky, JesusFreakHideout.com said it was "rare to find this much talent brimming from such a young band", About.com described it as having “infectious hooks, some hypnotic rhythms, and soaring vocals”, ChristianityToday.com called it a “rockin’ worshipful album”, and Renown Magazine said the “anthemic upbeat songs and atmospheric acoustic ballads keep you coming back”. (from Recah)

Dynamic inspirational speaker, vocalist and author Kathy Troccoli, who will be celebrating her 25th anniversary as a recording artist in 2007, is co-hosting CBN’s Living the Life broadcast on October 30 and November 8. Kathy and Living the Life hosts Terry Meeuwsen (700 Club host and former Miss America) and Broadcast News Journalist Carolyn Castleberry, will be interviewing one of the top Christian comedians in the country, Anita Renfro, about her latest book, “If It’s Not One Thing, It’s Your Mother” on the October 30 show, and then author and speaker Ellie Lofaro on November 8, who will be co-hosting “Spaghetti for the Soul” conferences for women with Kathy from the fall of 2007. Kathy says viewers can look forward to "humor and honesty and encouragement for women needing wind blown in their sails" from both pre-taped shows. Produced by Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), Living the Life, which has seen its ratings double in one year, airs on ABC Family channel to 84 million homes. The morning talk show is filmed in Virginia Beach in front of a studio audience. It is Kathy’s vibrant humor, heart and diverse talent that has led to her highly successful career as vocalist developing into the unique women’s ministry she has today as a sought-after conference speaker and singer, as well as author. In recent years she has logged countless performances and speaking engagements at Women of Faith, Extraordinary Women, Time Out For Women and Heritage Keepers conferences, reaching audiences in the millions. Kathy also has nine books to her credit including Falling In Love With Jesus which, to date, has sold more than 250,000 copies. Having struggled with depression, bulimia and the death of her parents, she brings a powerful message of hope and God’s redemption. In a reader’s poll published in the March/April 2003 issue of Today's Christian Woman magazine, Kathy was named one of the top four women, alongside Joyce Meyers, Stormie Omartian and Beth Moore, who had made the greatest impact in reader’s lives over the previous five years. Amid non-stop touring as an author, speaker and vocalist, Kathy is set to deliver her 18th studio record The Story Of Love on November 14. (from Recah)

*Saturday, October 14th, 2006*

Rock band Pillar debuted on sales charts this week with its fourth studio album The Reckoning (10/3) making an impressive impact on sales charts overall, this week, debuting at No. 70 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, with more than 14 thousand in sales its first week at retail. On the Nielsen SoundScan charts, the band claimed an impressive No. 6 on the Hard Music Chart Overall; No. 3 Record Label Independent Current Album chart; No. 19 on the Alternative chart Overall and No. 47 on the Internet Album chart. With multiple adds at radio, the band is readying for its eighth national headlining tour, the “Days of The Reckoning” tour featuring Day of Fire, The Showdown and Decyfer Down. Opening in Minneapolis on Oct. 26, the tour will visit more than 30 cities through mid-December. Among those major markets are Chicago, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix and Seattle. Already, industry gatekeepers are billing this tour as the “loudest tour this fall.” (A complete tour itinerary is available at www.pillarmusic.com) In other Pillar news, congratulations are due to frontman Rob Beckley on becoming a father! "Well in case some of you are wondering why Pillar hasn't been on the road lately----babies!" said Beckley in a band newsletter. "Yes we know we have a record out and we know we have some work to do, but we also know that our families come first. With that being said, the new edition to the next Pillar generation is Hudson Cash Beckley. He was born on Oct 8th at 9:20am. 8lbs 14ozs and 20in. My wife is a complete champion. I am so amazed at this whole thing and have seen things through a different set of eyes. Thank you so much to all of you who have kept us in your prayers. It has been much appreciated. It was quite a pleasure getting to see friends and family together. My dad got to come and be there for his second grandson. He was in Iraq when his first was born and he drove all night to get there in time for Hudson's grand entrance. We had a few visitors come up to see us as well. Actually we had a lot!! The funniest was 'Uncle' Beau. He looked so afraid of Hudson, but he'll get the hang of it soon. I actually forgot that we had a record coming out this past week. My wife told me congratulations on Tuesday and I said, 'for what?' She had to tell me that it was for the record. We were so focused on getting ready for this little guy." Congrats to the Beckleys! (from Savvy Media; Pillar; JFH)

The Gospel Music Association (GMA) announced yesterday that the 38th Annual GMA Dove Awards (www.doveawards.com) will be presented on Wednesday, April 25, 2007 (8:00-10:00 p.m. CST) at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn., hosted by Dove-winning artists Natalie Grant, Brian Littrell and Donnie McClurkin and broadcast in national syndication during the month of May. Tickets for the live show will go on sale through TicketMaster on Friday, December 1. GMA’s Dove Awards is Christian and gospel music’s biggest night of the year, where top artists from every style of gospel music come together for a national night of music and celebration as the GMA bestows the industry’s highest honor -- the Dove Award. Nominations for the awards will be announced on February 20, 2007. “Six months out, everything is already falling into place for a fantastic Dove Awards show in 2007. Natalie, Brian and Donnie make a striking trio of hosts who will be engaging, smart and entertaining and we are excited each accepted our invitation to host the show,” said John W. Styll, president of the GMA. “Also, our television syndication plan is well underway, and in terms of broadcast confirmations, we are already well ahead of last year. There’s a building enthusiasm for the GMA Dove Awards just as the national spotlight on Christian and gospel music’s positive impact on our country and culture continues to radiate.” ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox broadcast affiliates in Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Cleveland, New Orleans and Nashville are among the more than 50 television stations that have already cleared the GMA Dove Awards for the 2007 broadcast. The broadcast taping of the GMA Dove Awards will begin at 8 p.m. and feature artist performances and the presentation of a number of key Dove Awards. The opening ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m. and will include the announcement of most of the 44 categories of Dove Awards. Tickets to the show include seating at both events. (from Spinhouse PR)

INO recording artist and critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Derek Webb began his "Free Derek Webb" campaign, giving away his entire Mockingbird album for free just under 30 days ago, and already over 50,000 people have downloaded the album. This bold campaign started on when Derek launched freederekwebb.com, a place where anyone can go online and not just hear, but actually download, keep, and share Mockingbird completely for free. Due to the buzz FreeDerekWebb has created, media nationwide have picked up on the story, including The LA Times, Billboard and The Tennessean. Audiences at Webb’s concerts have also grown, nearly double in several cities, and in addition to their presence, Webb says his goal of engaging them in conversation regarding the issues presented in the songs on Mockingbird has become a reality. Mockingbird tackles many sensitive issues including poverty, war, and the basic ethics by which we live and deal with others. "I'm so encouraged by the response to freederekwebb.com” remarked Webb. “It’s exciting to watch Mockingbird find its way out there, out into all the cracks and corners. And it's amazing to see just how far out its going. Audiences are consistently hanging around after shows for conversation about the topics on the record. It's definitely having the desired affect." In regard to using today’s digital means to create and implement such a campaign, Webb comments, "The technology is such a huge part of making this campaign work. And this is a chance for this type of technology to really show its worth. After all, who needs peer-to-peer when you can have artist-to-fan. Basically, I think we're discovering that the same technology that we once believed could bring our industry down, may well be the same technology upon which our industry could be reborn." (from The M Collective)

2006 GMA Music Award winner Matt Redman will release an all-new studio album, Beautiful News, via sixstepsrecords on December 26, 2006. The worship-driven set is led by first single “You Never Let Go,” already a top ten hit at adult contemporary Christian radio. Redman won the Praise & Worship Album of the Year GMA Music Award last April for Blessed Be Your Name The Songs Of Matt Redman: Vol. 1, featuring live versions of his widely known modern church favorites including the title track, “The Heart Of Worship,” “Let My Words Be Few,” and “Better Is One Day” among others. In addition to “You Never Let Go,” some of the other new tunes on Beautiful News will include “Thank You For Healing Me,” “Shine,” “A Greater Song,” and “Fearfully & Wonderfully Made.” The British-born Redman is sure to perform many of these selections at the Passion 07 worship conference that will be held January 1 - 4 in Atlanta, Georgia. Learn more at www.268generation.com. (from Sparrow Records)

Slanted Records recording artist DecembeRadio will soon take their signature, guitar-driven rock sounds to the races as they are scheduled to perform on October 29th, in Hampton, Ga., at NASCAR's Bass Pro Shops 500 race. The band will perform the national anthem as well as a complete set of songs prior to the starting time of the race. Around 180,000 attendees are expected to gather to watch the nationally televised and highly publicized event. DecembeRadio's current single, "Drifter," continues to bound up the charts, currently at #14 and climbing (CHR radio) and is making its way up the Top 40 on the adult contemporary charts, according to R&R and CRW Magazine. On October 27th, the band will join Atlanta's J93.3 radio station and its Revolve Tour Rock Paper Scissors Tournament from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at Arbor Place Mall's food court where the band will perform and sign CDs. Tickets will be given away to attend the Revolve Tour on December 1st and 2nd in the Atlanta area. Named an artist to watch for 2006 by BILLBOARD Magazine, DecembeRadio left the crowd on its feet recently when it opened for Kid Rock at the Anderson District Managers Conference in Dallas, Texas, and the group continues to receive glowing reviews from major industry and consumer media nationwide and abroad. The band has been a highlight of this year's national SHOUTFEST tour and enjoyed prime time positioning at AtlantaFest, Rock the Universe and other summer festivals. DecembeRadio has been featured on the eyeplay/earplay in-store promotion in over 3,000 general market stores in addition to their exposure through iTunes' Discovery Download program as well as key positioning in around 400 Wal-Mart stores. Their self-titled debut remained in the Top 10 inspirational downloads on iTunes for weeks following the album's street date. (from Bozeman Media)

Check exclusive performances of Leigh Nash's "My Idea of Heaven," "Along the Wall," and "Kiss Me" at The Blue Room. Also, Leigh talks about her new album, songwriting, Nashville and more! Click here to view. (To access Leigh's performances after entering The Blue Room's site go to "Live Performances" on the left hand side of the webpage and then click on "Leigh Nash".) (from Myspace.com/LeighNash; JFH)

Autumn Records brings together eight of today's top guitarists on the new Christmas album, Christmas Treasures, A McPherson® Guitars Instrumental Collection, releasing October 18, 2006. The world-class guitarists featured on this collection of instrumental Christmas classics include Grammy nominee and Dove Award winner Phil Keaggy, Mark Baldwin (Whitney Houston, Kirk Franklin, Amy Grant), Dave Cleveland (Little Big Town, Steven Curtis Chapman, Sara Groves, Rebecca St. James), Bruce Gaitsch (Michael W. Smith, Madonna, Peter Cetera), Tom Hemby (BeBe Winans, Faith Hill, Brian McKnight), Michael Hodge (Sawyer Brown, 4Him, Lakewood Church), Matt McPherson (founder and designer of McPherson® Guitars) and Michael Ripoll (Nick Lachey, Patti LaBelle, Kirk Whalum, Avalon). Christmas Treasures takes a new look at some of world's most beloved Christmas carols, each performed on an acclaimed McPherson® acoustic guitar. The legendary guitarists offer up fresh interpretations of songs such as "Away in a Manger," "Coventry Carol," "Deck the Halls," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "Little Drummer Boy," "Silent Night" and "We Three Kings." The remarkable sonic beauty of the McPherson® guitars is faithfully captured with the finest vintage and modern microphones, and the stellar production adds piano, Irish whistle, harmonica, drums, bass, electric guitars, percussion, organ and live strings. "Our goal was to create a Christmas album that would lighten hearts and lift spirits, and the guitarists featured on this album definitely know how to make uplifting music," says Don Boyer, president of Autumn Records. "McPherson® guitars have an amazing sound, and they record beautifully, especially in the hands of these world-class guitarists." With a revolutionary sound hole technology and unique cantilevered neck design, the McPherson® guitar is the guitar of choice for many professional musicians on the scene today. CMA Award winner and Grammy Award nominated country sensation Brad Paisley refers to the McPherson® guitar as a "work of art." Other recording artists and studio musicians who have embraced McPherson® Guitars include Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Steven Curtis Chapman, Carrie Underwood, Peter Cetera, Caedmon's Call, Richard Marx, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Kenny Loggins, Delirious? and MercyMe. For more information on McPherson® Guitars, visit www.mcphersonguitars.com. Christmas Treasures, A McPherson® Guitars Instrumental Collection will be released and distributed through Autumn Records. (from McCain PR)

*Thursday, October 12th, 2006*

With the highest SoundScan debut in the band’s history, Grammy®-nominated band Skillet seized over 18k scans this week, entering the Billboard overall Christian soundscan chart at No. 3 and an impressive entry on the Billboard Top 200 chart at No. 55 for the critically acclaimed project Comatose (Atlantic/Lava/Ardent/SRE). In addition, the album debuted on the itunes overall album chart at No. 19 last week, was its No. 6 best-selling rock album, and was the No. 1 selling Christian Digital album of the week. “These scans exceeded all our expectations, and definitely prove that Skillet fans were more than ready for music from this band after three years,” remarked the band’s manager, Zach Kelm of Q Management Group. “The set up for Comatose has been fantastic in both markets by Atlantic/Lava and SRE/Ardent, its reception at radio and media incredible, and after just one week we can now add retail to that as well. We’re excited with all the great momentum happening for Skillet but are focused and ready to push forward towards the best selling record Skillet has ever had.” With “Rebirthing” a No.1 Christian Rock song for three consecutive weeks, the song building at Christian CHR (No. 22 this week), their mainstream active rock single “Whispers In the Dark” the second most added single its first week and also No. 15 on XM Satellite Radio’s Rock chart, rave reviews across the board and more, Skillet shows no signs of stopping this Comatose train. Currently on a promo tour across the country, the band has hit major market radio, retail and media in Dallas, Houston, Columbus, Chicago, Minneapolis, Atlanta and more, drawing hundreds of fans in each city for live acoustic instore performances. In addition, furthering the band’s desire to bring light to issues addressed on Comatose, the ONE Campaign is currently featuring the song “Looking for Angels”’ from Comatose on their front page this week. Go to www.one.org to listen. (from The M Collective)

TobyMac wants your help in selecting the title of his new record, due out February 2007. Visit TobyMac.com to choose your favorite title of the following: Portable Sounds, The Color Of We, or Feelin' So Fly. Voice your opinion now at tobymac.com/contest_poll.aspx Hurry! Voting ends soon! (from TobyMac.com; JFH)

The Fold are the latest to join the throes of re-releases and special editions. The band is releasing a "Special Edition" version of their debut This Too Shall Pass exclusively to iTunes on November 7th. This edition will include four new tracks: "Away," "Seasons," "Rid Of Me (demo version)," and "Once & For All (acoustic)." (from MySpace.com/TheFold; JFH)

Another member of DecembeRadio walked down the aisle of marriage on September 23. Brian Bunn, lead guitarist and vocalist for the group, wed Emily Nester at Christiansburg Baptist Church in Christiansburg, VA. It was a joyous occasion with lots of family and friends, and Brian even admits to getting teary-eyed watching his bride-to-be walk down the aisle. They were high school sweethearts, and the best moment for Brian was when the preacher said “you may kiss the bride” because now it meant that she was Brian’s mate for life. It was a DecembeRadio musical affair at the wedding as the full band sang an acapella version of Jeff Healey’s song “Angel Eyes” and then Brian turned it a little bit country when he sang a George Strait tune “I Cross My Heart.” Josh Reedy, a childhood friend of Brian’s and bass guitarist/lead singer for the group, performed “A Page Is Turned.” “Drifter” didn’t exactly fit in with the wedding theme, but it’s the current Top 15 single on the R&R CHR chart from DecembeRadio’s critically acclaimed self-titled CD on Slanted Records. (from Bozeman Media)

The Christmas Hope Tour featuring Integrity Music’s NewSong and Ardent/INO Records’ artist Todd Agnew will visit select cities between Thanksgiving and Christmas, announced Troy VanLiere of VanLiere-Wilcox, management for the tour and the artists. Joining NewSong and Agnew will be former Dove Award New Artist of the Year nominee Rachael Lampa and New York Times best-selling author Donna VanLiere. NewSong recently released its second Christmas CD, The Christmas Hope, on September 26 and Agnew released his first holiday recording Do You See What I See? on October 3. The tour will feature music from both releases including classic Christmas carols and holiday favorites sung by NewSong, Agnew and Lampa. VanLiere joins the tour reading excerpts from three of her NY Times Bestselling books in “The Christmas Hope Series”: The Christmas Shoes (2001), The Christmas Blessing (2003) & The Christmas Hope (2005). “We’re thrilled to be doing another Christmas tour,” said NewSong founding member Eddie Carswell. “There’s nothing more magical than this time of year. Getting to perform for our fans the songs from our new Christmas album along with great holiday classics we grew up with is nothing short of joyous.” The Christmas Hope tour has confirmed the following dates and cities with additional shows to be announced (see www.newsongonline.com for details). (from Spinhouse PR)

*Tuesday, October 10th, 2006*

Gotee hip-hop duo Grits has captured the latest musical chapter of their decade-long career with Redemption, set to release November 21st. The 12-song album, co-produced by Grits and a host of collaborators, features titles including “We Workin”, “Holla At Ya”, “Heyyy”, “Not The Same”, “Tight Wit These”, “Soul Cry”, “Ambitions”, “You Said”, “We Ride”, as well as “Memories”, “Open Bar”, and “Right Back”. The album also features special appearances by Pigeon John, bTwice, Antonio Neal and Can-I-bus. "This album is what hip-hop is meant to be and what it means to be a voice of and for the people,” says Bonafide, “Redemption, the rise of a new era, songs of freedom.” Coffee echoes the excitement and describes the album as, "Grits in its rawest form… Passion unraveled and unrivaled, can't wait to see what the industry does with this!” While their first three albums established Grits as underground icons, it was their breakthrough fourth album Art Of Translation that solidified the group's assent as one of hip-hop's hottest new rising stars. Grits cracked MTV2’s Top 10 Most Requested and Top 5 Handpicked and received favorable media coverage in the pages of XXL, Spin, Vibe, Billboard, The Source, URB and other major publications and media. Over the course of their career, Grits has shared the stage with OutKast, Jay-Z, Nappy Roots, Ice Cube, DJ Shadow, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Goodie Mob, and Monica. They have a Billboard Video Award, 3 Dove Awards, and 2 GRAMMY nods to their credit. Their music has been showcased in multiple big screen movies including this year’s The Fast AndThe Furious: Toyko Drift, and Big Momma’s House 2, as well as on television shows like MTV CRIBS, The Real World, Pimp My Ride, Tough Enough, and Boston Public. (from LB PR)

Things continue to heat up for Switchfoot as they continue early promotion of their forthcoming record Oh! Gravity. "We leave for tour next week, and can't wait to play these new songs live, along with the oldies but goodies," the band said in a recent MySpace bulletin. "Check out myspace.com/switchfoot to see when we're coming through your town. Shows are already selling out, so get your tix soon. We've also posted two brand new songs on our site, that will be on our new record coming out Dec. 26 (the day after Christmas). We're really proud of this new record, and think you'll like it too. Go check out the new tunes and tell us what ya think! We will be pre-selling the record through our website and also at shows, beginning Oct. 17th, and giving away a free 3-song EP of new unreleased songs with each pre-sale. We'll also ship the record to you early, and it will probably reach you in time for Christmas (even before the stores get 'em!). We're also throwing free listening parties in select cities around the country, where you can go and listen to the entire record a bunch of times through, and also get switchfoot stickers and stuff." Listening show cities include Portland OR, Los Angeles CA, Sacramento CA, Columbus OH, Denver CO, Chicago IL, Minneapolis, MN and Roseville, MI! For more info, visit myspace.com/switchfoot. (from MySpace.com/Switchfoot; JFH)

Dead Poetic just announced that they have had to drop off from their upcoming stint on the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Tour. "We are very disheartened to announce that we will not be on the upcoming Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Tour, and feel horrible about making the sudden announcement," the band said in a recent MySpace blog. "The tour will still go on, however, and we encourage you to make it out to the shows. Red Jumpsuit, Lorene Drive, and Madina Lake will all be on the US/Canada Trek... Again, we sincerely apologize for this, and several facotrs led to the decision. We will post a more in-depth explanation in the near future. Until then, we hope you will help us count down the days to the release of our new album, Vices in stores and online Halloween!" More to come on this... (from MySpace.com/DeadPoetic; JFH)

Mainstay has started writing for the follow-up to their stellar debut Well Meaning Fiction. "We are in the process of tracking 6 or 7 new tunes to demo for the next record, which we will hopefully be recording around the first of the new year," says frontman Justin Anderson in a MySpace blog posted yesterday. "We are excited because we are writing together as mainstay for the first time - last time around, we didn't have Scott or Dan, and it's been a great time cranking out these new tunes. We are super stoked for this new record, because we feel like it will be more "us" than ever before - we are dumping our hearts and souls into this stuff, and i have never been more excited to make music." Sounds good to us! We'll keep you posted. (from MySpace.com/Mainstay; JFH)

Award-winning Sparrow records band, Starfield, whose critically acclaimed CD, Beauty in the Broken, ran four consecutive months as the best-selling Christian recording in Canada, recently wrapped up its coast to coast 25-city tour of the country with youth speaker David Nasser. “This tour was transitional for Starfield, taking out a level of video and production they've never carried before, and packing out each city they visited,” says Starfield manager Chris Nichols. “The success of the tour is a testament to the band’s songs connecting with a generation of listeners longing to know and genuinely worship God.” While on tour, more than half of the concerts sold out as the band and Nasser helped to raise overwhelming support for World Vision Canada. “I believe Starfield and David Nasser just finished the biggest tour for World Vision's work in the history of the Canadian program…” said Mike Bowman, Director of World Vision Canada. Continuing with a heavy tour schedule, Starfield will spend the fall of 2006 and early 2007 on the Dare2Share (D2S) Tour with Superchick and youth speaker Greg Stier. The tour will hit major cities throughout the US focusing on the mission and calling of D2S, which is to raise the bar for teenagers, calling them to make a difference by taking the Great Commission seriously. The focus of the conference is to train and motivate the students to reach those around them by living and giving the life-changing message of the gospel in a contagious epidemic of love and truth. The tour kicked off September 29 in Nashville, TN, and continues all the way through March 2007. Details can be found at www.starfieldonline.com and www.dare2share.org. (from Hoganson Media)

Worship leader and songwriter John Waller joins the Beach Street Records artist roster, as announced yesterday during a press conference in Nashville. As the third artist signed to Beach Street, an imprint of Reunion Records, Waller is now labelmates with platinum-selling, GRAMMY Award winning band Casting Crowns, and breakout artist Josh Bates. Mark Miller, founder of Beach Street, comments, “Beach Street Records is all about music ministry and John Waller is a text book fit for the label. He is an incredible music talent and has an amazing heart for the Lord.” Waller’s debut album is slated for release March 6, 2007, and the first single titled “The Blessing” officially services out to Christian radio formats today. The song is written by Waller and features Mark Hall, lead singer of Casting Crowns. John Waller notes, “I am so excited to join the Beach Street and Provident family. The opportunity to share my music and what God is teaching me with a larger audience is an amazing gift. I am still pinching myself, what a God thing!” About the new song, Waller adds, “The Blessing’ is all about the idea of making the decision to encourage others and be a blessing to those around us, and to have Mark Hall singing with me is a blessing in and of itself.” Waller, 35, currently serves as the worship pastor at Southlink Church in Lone Tree, CO. He is married to wife, Josee, and they have three children, Baylee, 9, Hadlee, 5, and Sophee, 20 months. (from Provident Label Group)

Every Time I Breathe, the fourth album from acclaimed Fervent Records band Big Daddy Weave, debuted in SoundScan’s Top 10 “Christian/Gospel - Christian Retail” sales chart this week, following its release on Sept. 26. In addition to retail success, the album has also produced a Top 10 radio single with “Let It Rise,” which is nearing the top of both R&R and CRW AC radio charts. Additionally, “Let It Rise” was the #1 most downloaded song in the Word Label Group at iTunes for the album’s street week which helped keep Every Time I Breathe a Top 5 Inspirational album on iTunes for the entire week. Big Daddy Weave is currently supporting the release of Every Time I Breathe on the “Broken and Beautiful” Tour with fellow Word Records artist Mark Schultz. The band also made numerous appearances over the summer at Promise Keepers events and other festivals, and co-headlined the “In The Name Of Jesus” Tour with Todd Agnew earlier this spring. Every Time I Breathe features anticipated originals, the Big Daddy Weave version of “Let It Rise,” and a special presentation of Rich Mullin’s classic, “Hold Me Jesus.” The album is further enhanced with an “Audience of One” instructional guitar video, chord charts, MediaShout lyric files and additional video footage. Produced by member Jeremy Redmon, who also produced the band’s applauded albums Fields Of Grace and What I Was Made For, the worship-centered Every Time I Breathe is a continuation of what Big Daddy Weave has been all about since the band’s beginning—songs about God and their relationship with Him. (from The WMG)

*Saturday, October 7th, 2006*

The highly-anticipated Broken & Beautiful CD release from Platinum selling and Dove award winning artist, Mark Schultz, resulted in a record-breaking first week sales for the industry’s most renowned song storyteller. Released Sept. 26, Schultz’ fifth career project debuted in the Top 5 on SoundScan’s Christian and Top 10 on the general market retail charts, marking the strongest street week of his career. After the 2005 release, Mark Schultz Live…A Night of Stories & Songs, sold Platinum and garnered Schultz his first GMA Dove award, Broken & Beautiful became one of the most highly anticipated albums of the year. With his thought provoking lyrics and appealing music, Schultz’s latest effort is being heralded as his “career” album. The title track is the first single from the album and has already climbed to the Top 5 on R&R’s AC and INSP charts in addition to the Top 10 on Christian Radio & Retail Weekly’s AC and Top 5 on the INSP charts. Furthering Schultz’ success and national exposure, he has just returned from Washington, D.C. as a featured performer at the Angels In Adoption Gala. Here he shared the stage with Darryl “D.M.C” McDaniels, Representative Ginny Brown-Waite of Florida, Idaho Senator Larry Craig, and other D.C. VIPs and elected officials. Schultz performed “Everything To Me” that is the story of his own adoption that is available on Broken & Beautiful. In support of the album, Schultz is currently headlining the “Broken & Beautiful” tour that also features Big Daddy Weave and fiddler, David Klinkenberg. The tour kicked off in Decatur, IL on September 29 and will run through November. Response to the tour has been overwhelming with several shows already sold out. For more updates on the tour please visit www.markschultzmusic.com or www.wordlabelgroup.com. (from Bozeman Media)

Highly acclaimed songstress Michelle Tumes will release her self-titled fourth studio album on Levantar/Infinity this November 14th. The 11-song album features titles including "Introit," "Domine," "Fair Weather," "Lovely Day," "Gypsy Heart," "Let It Rain," "Caelum Infinitum," and "Far," as well as "Hold On To Jesus," and "Break Through." On the production front, the record finds singer/songwriter Tumes not only with the producer reins in hand, but also conducting the orchestra. Special guests that join the lineup include bassist Leeland Sklar (Phil Collins), rhythm master Vinnie Coliauta (Sting), and percussionist Bernie Dressel (Brian Setzer). Tumes also collaborated on writing "Domine" with Peter Vetesse (Annie Lennox, Jethro Tull) and wrote "Far" and "Gypsy Heart" with Stuart Brawley (Don Henley, Brandy, The Coors). Tumes, who debuted as a new artist in 1999, has spent the last few years enjoying a new season in life. "After the release of Dream my husband Doug and I moved to California where the climate is comparable to Australia and feels a little bit like home. I signed a publishing contract with Warner Chappell, wrote for other artists, and embarked on a musical journey that took me back to where it all began; a more classical sound that echoes my relationship with God," said Tumes. "In the meantime, I went back to University via correspondence to help hone the craft of song writing. I feel that God has taught me courage and patience during this time, because it has seemed like each day was an adventure into the unknown from a musical perspective!" (from LB PR)

David Crowder*Band will appear at seven Borders stores in October and November to sign copies of its new A Collision and B Collision albums, play some bluegrass, and discuss the new book written by David Crowder and Mike Hogan called Everybody Wants to go to Heaven but Nobody Wants to Die. Crowder says, “We are thrilled at the opportunity to talk about this project and positively giddy at being able to play some songs in a traditional picking and grinning fashion. It promises to be a great time. So come on! Let’s give these bookstores a hoedown party they won’t soon forget!” For a list of their tour dates with Third Day as well as the Borders in-store appearances, click here! (from Sparrow Records)

Copeland is eager to share their new album with fans. The new record entitled, Eat, Sleep, Repeat, has been made available via an online stream for a limited time at: www.spin.com/copeland. The record hits stores on October 31st. (from MySpace.com/Copeland)

What do you give the Christian super group that has ‘everything’ on the occasion of their final career concert? In the case of the September 23rd concert in Mobile, Alabama that marked the last concert on 4HIM’s acclaimed Finale Tour, concert producer Premier Productions celebrated their long running relationship with the multi-award winning group with a gift that will keep on giving. The Premier Foundation, the charitable arm of Premier’s entertainment based enterprises, made a formal donation at the Mobile concert of $4,444.44 to 4HIM’s ministry partner, World Vision, in honor of their history of concert promotions and personal friendship with the group. Noted Gary Gentry of Premier: “We at Premier knew the important role World Vision has played in the lives and career of 4HIM, as well as the thousands of lives impacted globally by this ministry. We wanted to do something special to bless both the four guys themselves and World Vision in respect to all 4HIM has meant to Christian music.” Premier owners Gary Gentry and Roy Morgan formed the Premier Foundation in 1999 as a 501(C) (3) federally tax exempt foundation that disburses grants to other non profit Christian organizations such as missions, churches, radio stations and pro-life ministries. To date more than $400,000 has been raised for the foundation’s work. (from Morning Star PR)

*Friday, October 6th, 2006*

Continuing with their stellar debut year, Octone Records/SRE Recordings rock band Flyleaf will perform on “Last Call with Carson Daly” tonight (check local listings for time). With the release of their self-titled debut, Flyleaf’s popularity has spiraled upward with their breakout single “I’m So Sick” on general market radio, which peaked at No. 12 on Mainstream Rock. Flyleaf released in 2005 and has made its home on the Billboard Top 200 for more than 32 weeks scanning 400,000 units. Flyleaf recently performed on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “CD USA” as well as being featured on MTV.com “Live”, mtv2 “All That Rocks” and the upcoming special on the video network FUSE with “Flyleaf Makes a Video” that highlights the making of “Fully Alive.” The FUSE special begins airing October 11; see Flyleafmusic.com for times. In addition to the media blitz, Flyleaf continues to tour relentlessly as they are just coming off the Family Values Tour and will be joining the Music As a Weapon Tour, which begins in November. Released to the Christian market through SRE Recordings, Flyleaf has been embraced by radio and media. On Christian Rock radio, all three radio singles have broke into the top 10 (“I’m So Sick,” “All Around Me,” “Fully Alive”) with two No. 1s. In an interview with MTV.com, Flyleaf’s lead singer Lacey Moseley shares openly about the band’s faith, “We all share the same faith. And so when we deal with the whole 'Christian band thing,' we kind of think about something P.O.D. says, like, 'If you're a Christian, it affects everything in your life. So if you're a plumber, does that make you a Christian plumber?' I don't know the answer. We're a band, it's part of who we are, so it comes out in our music, and it's the fuel for what we do. And finding faith saved my life. So I'm not ashamed of it at all. And most of our album reflects that.” For more information on Flyleaf and tour dates visit: Flyleafmusic.com (from The M Collective)

S/R/E Recordings/Columbia Records band Disciple returns with their major label sophomore effort Scars Remain - in-stores nationwide on November 7th. Filled with hard-rock and metal anthems and power ballads, it’s a heavier, meatier album than their previous self-titled release. Disciple, the foursome from Knoxville, TN, goes for broke with Scars Remain. The band incorporates exceptional songwriting with a level of intensity they haven’t displayed in years, while sticking to their rock roots. “I’m screaming as well as singing and the songs are so fun to play,” says singer Kevin Young. “The songs are a lot heavier than anything we’ve done in a while.” In the rock and metal scene, everyone displays power and volume. Disciple goes beyond that and also displays their eclectic style. From the chugging rhythms and muted licks exploding into a powerful riff of squealing harmonics on the title track to the political statement via head-banging guitars in “Game On” and the rock ballad of “After The World,” complete with acoustic guitars, Disciple leaves no genre omitted. Since their debut release in 2004, Disciple has been on the path to fame. Their previous albums have received much praise from the press. Billboard called the album “An impressive debut for these gifted musicians.” For the four men from Tennessee, who play venues from churches to ratty bars to arenas, the press is hard-up to find anything negative to say. Scars Remain is similar to the debut with “…hard-driving energy with infectious hooks (The Dallas Morning News).” “Big, grinding… maintains the edge,” as per Guitar World. But Disciple is aiming to prove HM Magazine wrong, when they wrote about the previous album “If this isn’t the most successful album of Disciple’s career, this reviewer will eat a bug.” (from Big Machine Media)

The highly anticipated and first new studio album from Chris Tomlin in two years, See The Morning, debuts at No. 1 this week on the SoundScan® compiled Current Contemporary Christian, Christian Retail and Billboard Christian Album sales charts with 47,420 units sold. The recording also lands at No. 15 on the Billboard Top 200, marking his highest debut on the chart and a 113 percent sales increase over first week numbers for Tomlin’s previous and RIAA Certified Gold-selling recording, Arriving. The sixstepsrecords/Sparrow Records lead-worshiper and GMA Artist and Male Vocalist of the Year released his fourth studio album, See The Morning, Sept. 26 amidst wide critical acclaim and radio support. In addition to rave reviews from Billboard, CCM, All Music Guide, Relevant Leader, ChristianMusicToday.com and many others, the album’s first radio single, “Made To Worship,” became Tomlin’s fourth No. 1 hit and continues to hold strong the top position for the third consecutive week. “The launch of See The Morning continues to affirm Chris' place as one of the leading songwriters for today's generation,” says Louie Giglio, sixstepsrecords founder and popular speaker/author. “While initial sales are certainly gratifying, and reflective of a great project from Chris and a concerted effort from our entire sixsteps/EMI CMG team, the bigger prize today is being a part of something that so powerfully celebrates the hope of the risen Christ and the life and light He brings.” “We could not be more proud of the record that Chris Tomlin made, or more thankful for the hard work and prayerful attention that went into its production,” says Peter York, EMI CMG Label Group president. “We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with sixstepsrecords and Chris, who continues to have such an incredible impact around the globe with the songs that he writes. It is an honor to be associated with an artist who carries the responsibility of the gift he is given so well.” Leading up to the release of the record, Tomlin made a stop sponsored by K-LOVE Radio Network and The River 102.3 at The Gibson Showroom in Austin, TX, as well as played at a Salem Radio Network sponsored Hard Rock Café appearance in Atlanta. In New York City, Tomlin met with several major media associates and played a concert for 100 contestant winners sponsored by WAWZ “Star 99.1” FM (Zarephath, NJ). Upcoming tour dates and more can be found at www.ChrisTomlin.com. As millions of people around the world are singing the songs of Chris Tomlin every week at collegiate gatherings, worship services and concert settings, Tomlin’s See The Morning offers easily embraced anthems awakened by the musical genius of producer Ed Cash. Cash also partnered with Tomlin on Arriving, which continues to find a massive audience long after its debut in 2004. The inspiration for See The Morning is found in the truth that God’s faithfulness is as certain as the dawn, birthing 11 tracks sure to give voice to a worshiping church and anyone seeking hope for every stage of life’s journey. “There is something about the morning that awakens the God who never sleeps nor slumbers; something about the dawn that causes our God to ‘arise’ all through our history,” says Tomlin. “In the scriptures, we find that God loves the morning. He loves meeting His people and displaying His glory and greatness in the morning. No matter how dark it gets, the morning will come. And the morning often brings freshness, hope and clarity.” For See the Morning, Tomlin road-tested many of the songs before thousands at concerts and collegiate gatherings like Passion 06. In addition to “Made To Worship,” the album includes “Glorious,” a studio version of the live song heard on Passion: Everything Glorious, a collaboration with Matt Redman and rendition of the 1860 song by Robert Lowry entitled “How Can I Keep From Singing,” and the Isaiah 40 inspired, Brenton Brown song, “Everlasting God,” which is already a staple chorus at Austin Stone Community Church (co-founded by Tomlin). The aggressive side of See the Morning comes through on “Let God Arise,” which is based on Psalm 68 and inspired by a message Tomlin heard from Pastor Jim Cymbala (Brooklyn Tabernacle) at a conference. Closing the album is “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone),” a new rendition of the classic hymn. Tomlin was named Artist of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year at the 37th Annual GMA Music (Dove) Awards this year, and received five Dove trophies in all. Tomlin received his first Dove Award in 2005 for Worship Album of the Year for Arriving. Tomlin has written 17 Top CCLI songs sung by millions around the world every week as people gather to worship, including “How Great Is Our God,” “Forever,” “Holy Is The Lord” and “We Fall Down.” (from Hoganson Media)

Rebecca St. James added yet another gold record to her collection last week with the official RIAA certification celebration at EMI of her Grammy Award winning studio album, Pray, which has surpassed the 500,000 mark in sales. Rebecca remarked at the gold party event: "Pray is consistently the album people will come to me after my concerts and mention by name--often citing the impact these particular songs have had on their lives at a time when they needed encouragement from music. It's a project that has obviously meant a great deal to many--and it's a wonderful encouragement for me to see it go gold." Congrats Rebecca! For a photo of St. James with her shiny new gold record, click here. (from RSJames.com)

Lava/Atlantic and Sparrow Records’ recording artist Needtobreathe is scoring big with their latest single “Shine On” from their critically acclaimed debut, Daylight. Opening in theaters nationwide this Friday October 6th (today), the new Dane Cook and Jessica Simpson film Employee Of The Month includes a featured use of “Shine On” in a triumphant moment for Cook’s character in the film. In addition, the single has been received with open arms from Christian AC radio, debuting on the R&R Christian AC radio chart this week at No. 29. “Shine On” follows the band’s hit CHR single, “You Are Here.” On the road recently with the likes of TRAIN, Collective Soul, labelmates Big City Rock and more since their debut in April, Needtobreathe continues to bring their rockin’ live show to fans across the country throughout the fall (see October tour dates at Needtobreathe.net). (from The M Collective)

Congratulations are also in order for Pillar who are experiencing success at the retailers already. Their new record The Reckoning hit shelves this Tuesday and Best Buy reported to the band that the Special Edition version of the record sold 192% of their target for the week! The band has also released their latest video online. Fans can check out "Everything" right now on YouTube.com here! (from Pillar; JFH)

To all those eagerly awaiting the December 26 release date of Soul P.’s highly anticipated first national project The Premiere, Beatmart Recordings is offering a 20-minute mixtape sampler of the album as a free download. Created by eminent Christian hip hop DJ Morphiziz, The Premiere Mixtape features a generous amount of time from all fifteen tracks on The Premiere (produced by Todd Collins), and includes Soul P. sharing his testimony and heart behind the album. Lisa Kimmey of contemporary Christian R&B group Out of Eden is featured on the song “Goodness” and adds background vocals to “I’m Here” and “Hey Young Man”. Already a hip-hop mainstay in the northwest, Soul P. brings a powerful testimony to his music, giving his lyrics and rhyming an authentic flavor. “Christ is the main message that I want to get across,” says Soul. “I’m here to give a message of hope to those like me who’ve dealt with their own struggles.” Mixtapes are a fundamental component of hip hop – a way to showcase new and exciting talent. They go back to the beginnings of hip hop. Mixtapes were the way new underground sounds passed through the streets, copied from tapedeck to tapedeck. Today, established labels and producers release mixtapes to display new artists. To download The Premiere Mixtape, click here! (from Recah)

*Wednesday, October 4th, 2006*

The Nintendo Fusion Tour is in high gear, bringing Relient K, Hawthorne Heights, Emery, Plain White T's, and The Sleeping across the nation. Come out to the show and hear all your favorite Relient K songs as well as new songs from their upcoming record. Visit www.relientk.com for tour dates and ticket info. And if you're looking for an alternate reason to celebrate on October 31st, you'll want to revisit two classic Relient K CDs that will be released on 10.31.06 - The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek (Gold Edition) and Two Lefts Don't Make a Right ...But Three Do (Gold Edition). These recordings have been remixed and remastered and will feature a gold-embossed outer cover. Anatomy includes "Sadie Hawkins Dance," always a highlight of the Relient K live show and Two Lefts includes another live favorite, "Chapstick, Chapped Lips, & Things Like Chemistry," as well as the radio hit "Getting Into You." Stay tuned to the band's official website or Gotee.com for pre-sale information. (from Gotee Records)

With the band readying a new song for their pending hits record from Rhino Records on November 21st, P.O.D. is ready to share something else new... their own sneakers! "Thanks to our homies from Tribal Clothing you can now order these kicks," the band announced yesterday in a newsletter. "You heard right, the shoes we worked so hard on for our Warriors are finally available to be purchased. Click this direct store link to purchase! This first batch is limited so once these sell out, they will order more and offer more sizes. Check the link out now and get your pair or buy a pair for a loved one!" Click the link above to check out the new shoe in three new designs, including a limited edition white one. (from P.O.D.)

In the decade since the Left Behind Series first launched and became a publishing phenomena, a new form of media -- video games-- has become one of the most powerful forms of entertainment in our culture, even out earning some major motion pictures. Yet, this medium is dominated by dark content. In November 2006, the video game industry will see change with the release of LEFT BEHIND: Eternal Forces, which combines the life-changing message found in the Left Behind books with a first-rate, entertaining PC game. Over the last four years, Left Behind Games Inc. has put together a team of 75 people in four countries to develop the highest quality Christian game the world has ever seen. Throughout the monumental process of creating an excellent real time strategy game, Left Behind Games has stayed true to its vision to develop a product that could serve as an outreach to the under-served game market. While not being overt in its content, LEFT BEHIND: Eternal Forces upholds the core values of the faith and inspires discussion on matters of eternal importance. Left Behind Games has found innovative ways to incorporate faith and values within the context of this apocalyptic title. For instance, it includes more than 40 articles representing the basic tenants of the Christian faith and reward screens that feature more than 20 Christian music artists through a licensing agreement with EMI Christian Music Group. In addition, players will be introduced to the evangelistic website www.dontbeleftbehind.com, managed by Campus Crusade for Christ. Understanding that video games are an integral part of the youth culture, Left Behind Games has made available to more than 1,500 churches free copies of the demo discs to distribute to their youth groups. To date, more than 10,000 discs have been requested. (from G Adams Group)

*Tuesday, October 3rd, 2006*

Kids In The Way have decided to drop off of the Pillar fall tour... "We wanted to let you know that we will not be a part of the Day Of Reckoning Tour with Pillar," announced the band on their MySpace page last night. "It's not all bad news though, as we are taking the time to write for our next record. We have a bunch of new material written, and new songs coming everyday. We cannot tell you how excited we are about the new music. It WILL be worth the wait. We apologize for not being in your town as soon as you may have expected, but trust you understand and are anticipating our next release as much as we are. We love you. ~KITW" More info to come! (from MySpace.com/KidsInTheWay; JFH)

Curb Records artist Natalie Grant will kick off the holiday season in grand style with an appearance in the beloved annual Macy’s Day Parade on November 23rd where she will be singing the song “Believe” on the Polar Express float. Two days later she’ll hit the road from November 25th–December 16th with her annual Christmas tour. A wonderful holiday event for the whole family, the show will feature holiday classics such as "Joy to the World" and "Let It Snow" as well as selections from Natalie's own hugely successful holiday album, Believe. This event is very special to Grant, “I'm the type of person who listens to Christmas music all year round and puts the Christmas lights up November 1st! I have a passion for the holiday, but more importantly, I have a passion for who the holiday represents.” Named “Female Vocalist of the Year” by the Gospel Music Association, Grant has sung for more than a million people in the past year and is one of the few Christian artists to receive mainstream radio airplay, introducing her to a whole new group of enthusiastic fans. This year’s “Believe Tour” will also feature Anthony Evans and local church choirs from each community. (from Big Machine Media)

Switchfoot is sharing the new musical love once again. Only a week after debuting new single "Dirty Second Hands" on iTunes, the band has released their single for listen on their MySpace.com page. The title track "Oh! Gravity." was released yesterday for fans to get another taste from the band's new December 26th release. Bassist Tim Foreman writes, "After posting 'Dirty Second Hands' last week, and getting such a great response, we figured why stop there? Here, for your listening enjoyment, is the lead single and title-track from our new album, Oh! Gravity. Hope you enjoy it! We'll see you on tour in a few weeks... can't wait to play these songs live!" (from MySpace.com/Switchfoot; JFH)

Gotee rock act StorySide:B recently went into the studio to record an acoustic set for Sony Connect, Sony Music’s digital jukebox and online download store. Sony Connect is currently offering six songs from StorySide:B, including “Everything And More,” “Off The Ground,” “Dance To Me,” “More To This Life,” “It’s Not Over” and “Miracle.” These recordings are currently being offered as exclusives for six months at www.sonyconnect.com. StorySide:B burst onto the scene with their debut project Everything And More last December 26th. The ensemble has heralded numerous accolades including the best new artist debut spot on Billboard Magazine’s Top Christian Albums chart, as well as landing at #77 on Billboard’s Heatseeker chart. The first radio single “Miracle” made a steady climb on the radio charts with a pre-Christmas peak at the #2 position at CHR Radio. The song also claimed the “Most Added” and “Highest Gainer” title during the climb. The follow up singles, "Everything and More" also moved up the charts, peaking at #2 on the CHR chart, as well as "More To This Life" landing at #14 on the AC format. Their music video for the hit song “Miracle” garnered a Telly Award for “Outstanding Music Video” at this year’s 27th Annual Telly Awards. Led by front man and guitarist Lucio “Lu” Rubino, StorySide:B includes band members Jordan Mohilowski (drums), Ron McClelland (bass/piano), and Preston Pohl (guitar/vocals). Along with their spring “More To This Life” tour, StorySide:B made the rounds at major summer music festivals including Spirit West Coast, Ichthus, Creation East, Hills Alive, and Creation West. The band has shared the stage with marquee artists including Jars Of Clay, Kutless, Toby Mac, Out Of Eden, Sarah Kelly, Grits, Matthew West, and Shawn McDonald. StorySide:B just concluded the Still Rising Tour with Disciple, Red, and Esterlyn and continues playing fall dates while preparing to record their second album in early 2007. (from LB PR)

Being recognized as one of Christian Music’s most talented voices, INO Record’s Sandi Patty shares her talent with millions as she performs “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” on the Dr. Phil show on Tuesday (TODAY), October 3. Featured core speakers from the Women of Faith Conference will also appear on show entitled “Ask Dr. Phil and Robin.” To check your local listings, click here and select your state. Patty says, “There are a couple of "selfish" goals that performers have in a lifetime. To meet a President, for me--to meet Oprah and for me to meet and be on the DR. PHIL show. WOW! I am still pinching myself. Dr. Phil and Robin were so amazingly gracious and their ENTIRE staff was one of the most professional and kind I have ever had the privilege of working with.” In August, Patty took part in taping her own Christmas special “A Salute to the Armed Forces,” which benefited “Feed The Children” with 350 of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir voices backing her up in front of a crowd of over 18,000 in Salt Lake City. Portions of the show will air on the Armed Forces Radio network (all over the world) as well as the Feed the Children network. For more details or airdates/station info, go to www.feedthechildren.org and click on Feed The Children on T.V. Patty has won 39 Dove Awards, five Grammy Awards, four Billboard Music Awards and is a member of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. She’s released 24 albums over the last 26 years, selling more than 11 million units. RIAA has certified three platinum and five gold of her recordings… (from The M Collective)

While The Afters are busy recording for their follow-up to their hit debut I Wish We All Could Win, the guys are taking in a little wildlife... literally. "So we are working on our new album. I am really excited about the new songs. I can't wait for you all to hear them," the guys wrote in a recent MySpace blog. "OK, enough with the formalities! So we were at Disney World a few weeks ago and me and John walked into our room and there were all these ducks outside the sliding glass door. So John says, "Hey open up the door and see if they'll come inside!" It was crazy, at one point they were eating out our hands. That is before Jack tried to grab one!" For a video of the Florida mallards interacting with the Texan boys, click here! (from MySpace.com/TheAfters; JFH)

Centricity Record’s Jaime Jamgochian was recently in Colorado Springs to perform at Focus On The Family’s Chapel service. The artist-worshiper performed her first #1 hit, “Hear My Worship,” that is still at the top of the charts for the sixth week and is from her critically acclaimed new CD, Reason To Live. While at Focus On The Family, Jamgochian did interviews for FOTF Radio and met with the staff from Brio. Jamgochian was the cover story for the May issue of Brio and Beyond. The day was packed full with media interviews and meetings while Jamgochian was in Colorado Springs. The day started off with interviews at KTPL Power 88 and sister station, KTLF, followed by a visit to the offices of Christian Radio Weekly where Jamgochian did a Q&A for the magazine. After her FOTF performance and interviews, Jamgochian met with Aspiring Retail. This fall/winter Jamgochian will embark on the Girls Of Grace tour that features Jamgochian as the worship leader. This is the second year that Jamgochian has been part of the GOG tour and Shelley Breen explains why she was asked back. "We have been the fortunate recipients of the amazing gifts of Jaime Jamgochian. As the worship leader for our ‘Girls of Grace’ conferences, Jaime has connected with the girls in a way that we haven't seen before. What an amazing sight to see teenage girls singing with all their hearts and worshipping God. We hope we never have to do another conference without her! As an artist, Jaime is the complete package-great voice, great musician, and most importantly, she loves people with all her heart, onstage and off. She will be around for a long time. Of this, I am sure!!” (from Bozeman Media)

Modern worship label, Myrrh Records, announces the latest addition to its growing family, St. Louis-based worship leader Mark Roach. His debut album is currently set to release in Spring, 2007. Since 2004, five of Roach's songs have appeared on a total of seven national compilation projects including Fervent Records' 2006 release Absolute Modern Worship 2 and SongDISCovery [vol. 53]. He has been featured at SongDISCovery.com, purposedriven.com/worship and myrrhworship.com. Roach has also already shared the stage with the likes of Mercy Me, Matthew West, and Jonah 33. “Myrrh Records and Word Music Publishing are thrilled to be partnering with Mark and look forward to introducing the worship songs he is writing,” says Tim Marshall, Word Label Group Sr. VP of Artist Relations & Music Publishing. “We believe wholeheartedly in Mark and we’re convinced that the accessible, familiar songs he is producing will be immediately embraced by the local Church. Within the next 12 months, no matter what church you attend, chances are you’ll be worshiping to a song written by Mark Roach.” As the worship pastor at Morning Star Church, one of the fastest-growing churches in Missouri, Roach was obviously born to share his music with the world. His relationship with Christ and exposure to modern worship has birthed in him a desire to write relevant, accessible, Christ-centered songs for the church. Roach comments, “My calling as a songwriter and worship leader is ultimately to be a resource to the church and the team at Myrrh share that same desire. It’s such an honor and privilege to have the label come alongside me and my ministry.” Roach’s debut album is being produced by Nathan Nockels, whose name has become synonymous with successful worship acts such as Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Charlie Hall and the Passion projects. For more information on Mark and his ministry, visit www.markroach.com or www.myspace.com/markroach. (from Word Label Group)

Planning on picking up Pillar's new album The Reckoning today? "For those of you that prefer the digital downloads, here are two options that will give you an unreleased bonus track," stated the band in a recent newsletter. "You will get 'Dangerous' when purchasing at iTunes. Or you will get 'Our Escape,' which is available when purchasing the digital download at Wal-Mart." Sounds cool! Check out the album as it hits stores everywhere today! (from Pillar; JFH)