Third Day Garners Fourth Career Grammy Award
(1/31/2010)Atlanta-based rock band Third Day took home its fourth career GRAMMY Award at the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards held today at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The band was recognized in the Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album category for its 2009 project, Live Revelations: On Stage, Off Stage, Backstage. Third Day also received nominations for its song "Born Again" (featuring Lacey Mosley) in both the Best Gospel Song and Best Gospel Performance categories.
"Third Day has incredible fans; we didn't want to rest until we gave them the best record we knew we could make. On our last studio project, Revelation, Howard Benson challenged us to make the best music of our career. When we took it out on the road, we wanted to do it justice in our live performance. Live Revelation: On Stage, Off Stage, Backstage is an album we're very proud of and we're honored that the Academy would recognize it with a GRAMMY tonight." Tai Anderson
Third Day's prior GRAMMY wins, from eight previous nominations, include those for albums
Come Together (2002), Wire (2005) and Wherever You Are (2006).
For a complete list of 52nd GRAMMY Awards winners, please visit http://www.grammy.com/
About Third Day:
Over the past decade, the Atlanta-based, multi-Platinum rock band Third Day (made up of members Mac Powell, Tai Anderson, David Carr and Mark Lee) has racked up 27 No. 1 radio singles and sold 6.25 million albums. A recent Georgia Music Hall of Fame inductee, Third Day has garnered 24 career GMA Dove Awards, four GRAMMY Awards (from eleven career nominations), an American Music Award, three American Music Award nominations and multiple ASCAP honors for songwriting. As a credit to its songwriting, Third Day's memorable "Call My Name," off its Revelation project (7/29/08), was selected by country star Keith Urban as a bonus track on his Defying Gravity project.
As a top-ranked touring band, according to Pollstar magazine, Third Day has played for audiences reaching into the millions. Because of its mass appeal, Third Day has been featured by top media outlets including "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (NBC), "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (CBS), "60 Minutes" (CBS), ABC's "Nightline," USA Today, the New York Times, and even graced the cover of Billboard magazine (June 7, 2008). For more information on Third Day, please visit: www.ThirdDay.com.
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Thousand Foot Krutch's Hit Song 'Fire It Up' Rockets Into NFL
(1/28/2010)Football fever is at a high as the 2010 Super Bowl XLIV nears on February 7, 2010. Thousand Foot Krutch's music will be present at the Miami football party as the band's hot song "Fire It Up" will be used in the arena on the jumbotron to pump up the crowd with a highlights video. This month, NFL Network has also used the song on NFL Total Access, NFL Nike Rewind and NFL Game Day Morning (see link below).
"Fire It Up" has also been featured in recent months in the summer blockbuster movie trailer for "G.I. Joe," ESPN's NASCAR Nationwide series, the Versus Network IndyCar race as well as a pre and in-game song for various sports teams (New York Islanders, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, Seattle Sounders and Seahawks, UFC, and many others). This single has also brought chart success, giving TFK their fourth Top 20 hit on Active Rock radio including current top 10's in Seattle, WA (KFNK), Santa Rosa, CA (KXFX), Burlington, VT (WLFE), and Denver, CO (KBPI), Chicago, IL (WIIL), Dallas/Fort Worth, TX (KEGL), Las Vegas, NV (KOMP) and Fresno/Visalia, CA (KRZR), and many other stations increasing spins.
As their most recent studio album "Welcome to the Masquerade" catapulted the band with many song placements, radio singles, year-end album mentions and reviews, TFK has also risen to the occasion on the touring market. With new booking agent Pardiagm Agency, the band has landed a tour with Breaking Benjamin in March (dates below). TFK is also replacing the Newsboys at the January 29 Winter Jam Spectacular Tour in Cleveland, Ohio. Also, starting March 25th, TFK will start their headlining tour through April 9th including special guests Since October, The Letter Black and Write This Down.
For more information on TFK visit their website (www.thousandfootkrutch.com) MySpace (www.myspace.com/thousandfootkrutch) Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/thousandfootkrutch) and Twitter - @officialTFK.
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Tobymac Donates 100% Off His Royalties Of 'Get Back Up' Single To Haiti Relief
(1/28/2010)As we near the street date for TobyMac's upcoming album TONIGHT, (Feb. 9/Forefront Records), iTunes® has teamed up with the GRAMMY Award ® winner and 2010 nominee, and is offering an exclusive opportunity to purchase and download a new single every week leading up to the release of TONIGHT.
This week the single is "Get Back Up," and due to the devastation in Haiti, TobyMac has decided to donate 100% of his artist royalties from first week sales to relief efforts. Proceeds will be divided up amongst the Hands and Feet Organization, Restore Haiti, and Compassion International.
"The world is responding in a beautiful way to this tragedy haitians are experiencing," he says. "If I am going to create art that speaks of compassion than I must live that out. I wanted my new release "Get Back Up" to benefit Haiti in their tragedy and I am blessed to use my music to help as your purchase becomes our gift. "
To purchase the single go to: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/get-back-up-single/id349759576
For information on the relief efforts and these organizations, visit:
http://www.compassion.com/contribution/giving/disasterrelief.htm?referer=105910
http://www.restorehaiti.com
http://www.handsandfeetproject.org
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KJ-52 Sets Out To Find 'Modern Day Heros'; Co-headline Tour With Group 1 Crew
(1/21/2010)After releasing his popular "Five-Two Television" last fall, KJ-52 is seeking out "Modern Day Heroes." He is joined by Group 1 Crew for the upcoming co-headlining tour the "Modern Day Heroes," which will kick off next month, February 2010. This tour will be filled with vertical rhymes, high energy dance moves, and possibly even a few surprises. As with all things that KJ-52 is involved with, this will not be the average concert, but include elements to reach out to the local youth and "heroes."
The "Modern Day Heroes" tour involves two facets making this an unique experience for those attending. First, those fans that purchase their tickets online will have entry into a pre-show Firestarter Bible Study. Secondly, fans can nominate a local "Modern Day Hero" in each market online powered by HearItFirst.com at www.moderndayheroestour.com. The chosen "Hero" will have free access to the show and be honored by KJ-52 and Group 1 Crew.
Local "Hero":
This person needs to exemplify dedication to ministry, his or her community, and others around the area. The selected hero will be honored in their city when the "Modern Day Hero" tour hits their town. Nominations for the heroes can be made online by clicking "Nominate Your Hero."
Firestarter Bible Study:
KJ-52 and Group 1 Crew will implement and lead a Firestarter Bible Study walking through the book of Luke for local youth groups in each tour market. Interacting on a spiritual level and studying scripture prior to the concert is for those that purchase tickets prior to the show online. Purchase tickets at www.moderndayheroestour.com. By purchasing tickets online, your name will be on the Will Call list granting entry to the study.
Tour dates are being revealed daily at www.moderndayheroestour.com. The tour is sponsored by Compassion International and Hearitfirst.com.
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Tobymac & Skillet Join Forces For Awake Tonight Tour
(1/20/2010)In what many are already calling one of the best line up's in the history of Christian touring, two of the industry's biggest acts, SKILLET & TOBYMAC, have joined forces for the AWAKE TONIGHT tour this spring (see dates below).
Sure to be an evening of pure adrenaline and energy, the tour will hit over 20 cities throughout March and April, kicking off on March 5th in Indiana (current tour routing below). Both John Cooper of Skillet and TobyMac recently spoke about the fun they'll have out on the road together and their excitement about the tour in CCM Magazine's new digital issue, featuring TobyMac on the cover, which can be seen at: http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/salem/ccm_201001/
"Every year people say this is the "must see" tour," comments Awakening Events' Dan Fife, who is promoting several shows on the AWAKE TONIGHT tour. "This Spring the TobyMac & Skillet pairing has created the ultimate concert EXPERIENCE. With two headliners on the same stage, that have this much energy to offer night after night, all I can say is go get a ticket. You don't want to be the unlucky person that spends the rest of their life wishing they were there."
With all three of TobyMac's solo projects receiving GRAMMY® nominations, and his live CD/DVD taking home a GRAMMY® award, the much-celebrated and acclaimed artist is now celebrating his fifth consecutive GRAMMY® nomination with his new single, "City On Our Knees" receiving a nod for Best Gospel song. The track will be included on TobyMac's February 9th release, "TONIGHT," and has topped the sales and radio charts faster than any of his previous singles, spending 8 weeks at #1 on the Christian Audience Chart.
Each of TobyMac's studio releases, "Momentum" (2001),"Welcome to Diverse City" (2004), and "Portable Sounds (2007)," were awarded RIAA Gold Certification, with "Portable Sounds" making his highest solo debut ever on the Billboard Top 200 chart (No. 10), and hitting No. 1 on SoundScan's Contemporary Christian Overall chart in its first week with over 50k in sales. Along with sold out tour dates, back-to-back radio hits, being named the GMA Dove Award's 2008 Artist of the Year, and R&R's Christian CHR Artist of the Year in 2007, TobyMac was nominated for a 2007 American Music Award as Favorite Inspirational Artist. His song "Ignition" was also chosen to play during the 2009 Superbowl as The Arizona Cardinals entered the stadium in Tampa, FL. For more information on TobyMac, go to: http://www.tobymac.com
Skillet's latest, AWAKE, continues to propel the incredible momentum the rock outfit has going for them with a blockbuster debut at No. 2 on Billboard's Top 200, selling over 67,000 units and peaking at No. 1 on iTune's "Top Albums" chart and "Top Rock" chart. Already over 300k in scans in just 20 weeks (more than double that of the GOLD selling COMATOSE), AWAKE was Amazon.com's best selling Christian CD of 2009, and boasts the No. 4 mainstream Active Rock single in the country with "Monster," which was also AOL Music's No. 4 mainstream rock song of last year, and the No. 1 Christian CHR & Rock single, "Hero," which has been used all season long by the NFL in their, Sunday Night Football and NFL Weekend Kickoff promos.
Skillet has toured with the likes of mainstream megastars Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, Seether and Flyleaf, and headlined a slew of major Christian festivals, all followed by solo tours that ranked within Pollstar's Concert Pulse Top 50 Tours. Along the way, the two-time Grammy®-nominated alternative rockers also scored seven consecutive number one Christian radio singles, a 2008 GMA Dove Award for "Rock Song of the Year," and a 2009 nomination for Artist of the Year. Along with a trio of singles on Billboard's Mainstream Rock charts, a pair of BMI Songwriting Awards, and being chosen as Reader's Poll favorites on several top ccm websites, they also released their first ever concert CD/DVD combo pack "Comatose Comes Alive."
For more information on Skillet, go to: www.skillet.com
###
AWAKE TONIGHT TOUR (ALL DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE):
3/4 Aurora, IL ACS Gymnasium
3/5 West Lafayette, IN Elliot Hall of Music University of Perdue
3/6 Valparaiso, IN ARC at Valparaiso University
3/7 Murray, KY RSEC at Murray State University
3/12 Evansville, IN Roberts Stadium
3/13 Bristol, TN Viking Hall
3/18 Lancaster, PA Giant Center
3/19 Baltimore, MD 1st Mariner Arena
3/20 Johnstown, PA War Memorial Auditorium
3/21 Toledo, OH Lucas County Arena
3/25 Tallahassee, FL Civic Center
3/26 Ft. Meyers, FL Germain Arena
3/27 West Palm Beach, FL Cruzan Amphitheater
3/28 Auburn, AL Beard-Evans Memorial Coliseum
4/1 New Orleans, LA UNO Lakefront Arena
4/2 Tyler, TX Oil Place
4/3 Jackson, MS Mississippi Col
4/9 Huntington, WV Big Sandy Superstore Arena
4/10 Lynchburg, VA Liberty University
4/11 Asheville, NC Civic Center
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New TobyMac Song 'ShowStopper' Available Now
(1/19/2010)TobyMac's new record Tonight releases February 9, 2010 and is the highly anticipated follow up to the best-selling album Portable Sounds. Continuing Toby's unique ability to blend musical influences Tonight has an amazing mix of rock, pop, urban and hip hop sounds and styles. It features the smash hit single "City On Our Knees" which has topped the radio airplay and digital single charts faster than any other TobyMac single.
iTunes' Countdown to Toby's new record has begun! Starting today you can download a new single every week leading up to the release of Tonight. The pounding track "ShowStopper" kicks things off and is available now, "Get Back Up" comes Jan. 26th, and "Funky Jesus Music" drops on Feb. 2nd. Along with the new songs, you can also get a free podcast video for each song every week. And on release date Feb. 9th, you can complete your album for a special price.
In addition to the regular version, you can also purchase the Limited Deluxe CD+DVD Edition on Feb. 9th which features 3 new bonus remixes, behind the scenes footage and Gospel Music Channel's Faith and Fame. Click here to pre-buy the Deluxe Edition at Amazon.com.
Tonight Limited Deluxe Ed (Bonus Dvd) (Dlx)
Toby will be heading out on tour with Skillet this Spring. Click here to see a full listing of tour dates.
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Rebecca St. James To Appear On Hannity Supporting 'Sara's Choice'
(1/14/2010)Rebecca St. James is adding her voice and national media presence to those speaking out in favor of January's recognition as "Sanctity of Life Month."
St. James will be seen tomorrow (15th) on CBN's flagship "700 Club," speaking about the heartening acceptance accorded the release of her first starring role on film in "Sarah's Choice," –a movie with a strong pro life message.
Next week, Rebecca will be in New York for major mainstream media, including a Tuesday (19th) appearance on "Hannity," on the Fox News Channel. She will later next week be in Colorado Springs for radio tapings with Focus On The Family as well as the presentation of her music and message at their Sanctity of Life chapel gathering on Friday, January 22nd.
Long a passionate and outspoken advocate of abstinence from the global platform of millions of unit sales on her music and a chain of best-selling books, (her self-penned hit song, Wait For Me, has been an anthem for abstinence and birthed a franchise of books worldwide), the Australian born singer has in recent months turned her creative focus to films. Not just any films. Films with messages she hopes will positively impact lives.
The "Sarah's Choice" story line follows St. James in the lead role of a young career woman on the fast track to success in the corporate world when she discovers she's pregnant outside of marriage.
Rebecca feels that the raw 'reality of life' message in "Sarah's Choice" is one that holds promise of helping young women to choose "life" as the decision of choice in unplanned pregnancy.
She was personally deeply impacted by her role in the film, as she noted in a recent interview:
"I think the biggest thing the film imparted to me—both in researching the role and in portraying the character—was a real sense of empathy for women who find themselves in the situation my character found herself in," she commented. "My heart goes out to them as I have seen the extreme amount of pressure and fear that can come from outside sources at a vulnerable time such as this. Too often, young women choose abortion and subsequently suffer the immeasurable pain that often comes with living with regret and guilt. I came away from the movie with a real passion to impact this cycle with the message of God's heart for the unborn," St. James added.
In national screenings of "Sarah's Choice," reaction to the film's message has been consistently powerful.
"This is a film that delivers the message of God's love, forgiveness and grace on a subject matter thousands need to see and hear—it's a movie that every pregnancy center in America should have in their library and consider showing as a special event," noted Bill Donovan, executive directorship member of the CPC Pregnancy Center in Anchorage, Alaska.
St. James has in 2010 added a series of special presentation events for Crisis Pregnancy Centers to her already busy schedule of concerts and future film interests.
The DVD, of "Sarah's Choice," which features bonus content, including "The Making Of," "Trailers," and "Commentary," is available from Pure Flix Entertainment at national retail through EMI CMG Distribution.
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Skillet Slams Into 2010 With No. 4 Mainstream Radio Hit
(1/13/2010)"HERO" CHOSEN FOR PROMOS IN UPCOMING 20th Century Fox Film "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief "
January 13, 2010
Atlantic/Ardent/INO rock outfit SKILLET has slammed into 2010 following an incredibly successful 2009 with their best selling project, AWAKE:
Already over 300k in scans in just 20 weeks (more than double that of the GOLD selling COMATOSE), AWAKE was a critic and fan fave last year, Amazon.com's best selling Christian CD of 2009, and now boasts the No. 4 mainstream Active Rock single in the country with "Monster," which was also AOL Music's No. 4 mainstream rock song of last year.
"Monster" has proven to be just that for Skillet, with fans purchasing so many digital copies over the holiday, their sales increased almost 300%.
In addition to all the success "Monster" is having, their No. 1 Christian rock and CHR track, "Hero," has been creating a great buzz as well:
'Hero" will be used in the upcoming trailers and promos for the new Twentieth Century Fox film, "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief," which stars Pierce Brosnan and Uma Thurman and is based on the best-selling book by Rick Riordan.
"Hero" has been used all season long by the NFL in their, Sunday Night Football and NFL Weekend Kickoff promos.
The WWE will use the song once again as the official theme song for WWE's Royal Rumble Pay-Per-View on January 31st. "Hero" was
also a featured as part of the soundtrack to the WWE's Tribute To The Troops TV Special, which aired just before Christmas on NBC. Skillet was promoted alongside other contributing artists including Bob Dylan, Bon Jovi, and Nickelback. WWE programming reaches nearly 16 million people per week in the U.S., and WWE.com
currently averages 14 million unique visitors worldwide monthly, providing more than 28 million video streams.
In follow up to their fall AWAKE & ALIVE tour, which, due to numerous sell out shows made Pollstar's Concert Pulse's Top 50 tours
for the fall, Skillet will hit the road with mainstream rockers Shinedown and Puddle of Mudd for the Sound of Madness 2010 tour beginning January 21st in Providence, RI.
In March and April Skillet will co-headline the AWAKE TONIGHT tour with TobyMac for one of the most anticipated tours of the spring for the Christian concert arena. Tour dates will be announced soon.
For tour dates go to http://www.skillet.com
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Jeremy Camp Live Unplugged Tour With Special Guest Adie
(1/13/2010)On the heels of the successful headline tour last fall, GRAMMY-nominated artist Jeremy Camp is kicking off 2010 to reach listeners with his music, message and ministry with another headline acoustic tour. Camp will launch his spring tour "Jeremy Camp Live Unplugged" with special guest and wife Adie on February 26th in Illinois (dates below). This tour was created with Camp's fans in mind, providing an intimate night of worship and fellowship with Jeremy as well as Adie, who is releasing a new album in March.
The tour will once again be sponsored by Compassion International and feature Speaking Louder Ministries, which involves Jeremy and team reaching out locally to a set outreach in each market.
"It has been a couple of years since we have done an acoustic tour," shares Jeremy Camp. "I love this type of tour because it is a very unique experience for everyone. The reason we are doing it, is it brings a different atmosphere all together. The night is more mellow and allows me to talk more about the songs and the purpose behind them. They are smaller shows, usually in churches, and it turns out to be an amazing night of worship. With Adrienne being out on the road with our two girls, Arie and Bella, it makes the tour a great family environment. Can't wait to see what God has in store this year."
Last year was a highlight year for Camp with the launch of his ministry "Speaking Louder Ministries," a fall headline tour, second American Music Award nomination and continued radio success. In addition, Camp ended the decade with Billboard recognition as the No. 3 Christian Artist of the Decade. Camp also had five songs in the Billboard Top 50 Christian Songs of the Decade (songs listed below). Rounding off the year and kick-starting 2010 was Camp's first GRAMMY nomination for his latest studio release "Speaking Louder Than Before." The awards will be held January 31st in Los Angeles, CA.
Camp also began this year recording his next studio project, a worship-themed album with award-winning producer Brown Bannister. Follow Jeremy on Twitter for studio updates and YouTube videos (@JeremyCamp).
CAMP LIVE UNPLUGGED WITH SPECIAL GUEST ADIE
**All Dates Subject to Change**
Feb. 26 Crystal Lake, IL
Feb. 27 Valparaiso, IN
Feb. 28 Brookfield, WI
Mar. 18 Ocala, FL
Mar. 20 Lakeland, FL
Mar. 25 Syracuse, NY
Mar. 26 Barre, VT
Mar. 27 Lewiston, ME
Mar. 28 Wenham, MA
Apr. 24 New Bern, NC
Apr. 25 Franklin, NC
Billboard Christian Songs of the Decade (Jeremy Camp)
"There Will Be A Day" #8,
"Take You Back" #14
"This Man" #22
"Walk By Faith" #31
"Let It Fade" #34
Websites:
www.jeremycamp.com | www.speakinglouderministries.com
http://jeremycamp.typepad.com/adie/ | www.twitter.com/adiecamp | http://www.facebook.com/adiemusic?ref=ts
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Me In Motion Joins Red & Pillar 'Nothing And Everything' Tour
(1/8/2010)Centricity Music's powerhouse band, Me In Motion, will join RED on its 2010 "Nothing And Everything" tour that launches January 14th in Ft. Smith, Arkansas. The tour will also feature Pillar and special guest, The Wedding. This marks the second major tour for the newcomer band, Me In Motion, as they were featured on the Newsboys fall tour in 2009. Me In Motion will perform songs from their upcoming self-titled debut on Centricity Music that releases March 23, 2010.
"We are super pumped to share the stage with bands, Red and Pillar, on the Nothing & Everything Tour," says Seth Mosley, lead vocalist and guitarist for Me In Motion. "These guys have great hearts and a killer live show that doesn't hold anything back. It will be a super high-energy night where we are thrilled to introduce some of our new music to the crowds."
"Me In Motion brings energy and excitement to every performance, whether that's in front of fifty kids at a youth group or before thousands at a concert hall," says Steve Ford, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Centricity Music. "Either way Seth, Tim and Dexter give it all every time. The tour with Red & Pillar allows them to perform before numerous new fans and take my word for it, when you see them, you will become a fan."
Before heading out on the RED tour, Me In Motion, has headed back into the studio to record two new songs for their upcoming CD, "The God I Know" and "Seek Justice, Love Mercy. "We thought the record was done months ago, but Seth came in and played us these two new songs so we had to have them on the project," adds Ford. "We feel they are amazing songs that make the project even stronger."
The first single from the new album, "Losers," is already at #28 and climbing on the CHR chart and the video debuted on the Air1 website and is being distributed to video outlets. "The song is a banner for anyone who has felt rejected by their peers," says Mosley, "whether it's because of how they look, something that's different about them, or because they're trying to follow Jesus in a world that looks at that as strange. But the song is also a callout for us to open our eyes and see the 'least of these' that Jesus talked about who are all around us."
Me In Motion, which is comprised of Mosley, Tim Wilson (bass/background vocals) and Brian Dexter (drums/background vocals), was formed by Mosley after working two years in a recording studio following high school graduation. After realizing he didn't want to "sit in one place all the time," was when he brought Wilson and Dexter on board to begin the musical journey as Me In Motion. The talent of the group immediately brought them attention which led to 140 tour dates in 2008 and Me In Motion reached 165-dates in 2009. But more than playing Brit-influenced rock, it's the message that Me In Motion wants to impact with their audiences.
"I always find myself going back to the theme of wanting to make a difference," Seth explains, "to live out our faith, even when it might be the hardest thing in the world to do. My heart for myself, the band, the kids and families that hear Me In Motion's music is that all of us will be inspired to break out of these little bubbles that we so often find ourselves retreating into and to show everybody a little bit of Jesus' love every day."
For more information on Me In Motion please visit, www.myspace.com/meinmotion or www.centricitymusic.com.
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