Produced by John Hartley (Matt Redman, Rebecca St. James, Miriam Webster), engineered and mixed by Derri Daugherty (The Choir, Jeremy Camp, Leeland), Defender gathers critical acclaim:

“Earlier this year we named worship artist Chris McClarney one of our Top 10 Artists to Watch in 2010, and with the release of his first full-length studio CD, Defender, you now have the opportunity to hear why…Defender showcases the rich, warm texture of McClarney’s vocals against the backdrop of driving, jangly guitars infused with a bluesy, folksy edge. That combination, along with McClarney’s impassioned delivery, fills up this CD to the brim with track after track of soulful, memorable and lyrically-strong songs that will easily become congregational favorites...This album should be at the top of your wish list.” – GospelMusicChannel.com

“Chris is one of the rising stars in the Christian music worship scene… expect a GMA new artist nomination for Chris and a worship song nomination for ‘Your Love Never Fails.’ Don’t miss out on this album if you like to discover new worship talent.” – NewReleaseTuesday.com

“Every once in a while something different happens, something that makes you pause, reflect and reassess. Chris McClarney is that ‘different thing.’ Unassuming, yet possessing a voice that could stop traffic, Chris McClarney has been blessed with a voice that is so full of life, so full of power and passion that it seems to come from within the listener themselves.” – Amazon.com

“McClarney’s album is a perfect addition to any worshipper’s collection. But it’s written not only for the individual, this album needs to be in the hands of every worship leader in the country. The songs are catchy, spiritually stimulating, solidly written, and theologically sound. McClarney has a bright future as a…worship leader who leads with humility, grace, and an unforgettable voice…” – TitleTrakk

“What grabs your attention…is how much of a strong soul voice Chris has, this really comes through in his songs...Chris has one of the best voices around at the moment; it’s powerful and has a texture and clarity...The album is full of astounding tracks…” – Louder Than The Music

A worshipper dedicated to drawing the eyes, hearts and minds of the church toward its heavenly Father, McClarney’s music drew acclaim after his Introducing Chris McClarney 6-song EP released in January. Sparking a Top 10 iTunes hit, the EP prepared the way for McClarney’s Defender, featuring 15-tracks and nearly 70-minutes of music, including the current radio single and McClarney penned song that the Jesus Culture movement popularized, “Your Love Never Fails.” The song is sung weekly in church services and concert settings worldwide, and is a ‘simple song of gratitude’ and a powerful message of God’s unwavering faithfulness.

The authentic, bluesy-voiced modern worship of Chris McClarney continues to gather acclaim as this unassuming lead worshipper’s music travels to the far reaches of Christian church worldwide. An “overnight” sensation after having led worship for 15-years, McClarney has spent the last seven years at Grace Center church (www.gracecenter.us) in Franklin, TN. He resides in nearby Nashville, TN with his wife Jasmine, and two young daughters.

For more information on Chris McClarney, visit www.chrismcclarney.com or www.kingsway.co.uk.

About Kingsway:
Tracing its music heritage to 1969, Kingsway today is known as a leader in Worship Music. As the creator of Thank You Music, and later in partnership with EMI, its catalogue includes songs such as “Here I Am to Worship,” “In Christ Alone,” “Everlasting God” and “Blessed Be Your Name” to name a few.

Kingsway’s songs are sung in more than 300,000 churches worldwide accounting for over 30% of CCLI’s (Church Copyright Licensing International) bestseller list. With writers and artists like Tim Hughes, Matt Redman, Delirious?, Graham Kendrick and Stuart Townend, Kingsway is dedicated to feeding the Church with songs that will change the world. As the music arm of David C Cook, a non-profit organization located in Colorado Springs, CO, a significant portion of the profits that Kingsway and David C Cook generate are used to provide discipleship and music materials free of charge to church leaders in developing parts of the world who wouldn’t be able to get them any other way.