Year in review

It has been an exciting year here at JTindie.com We have had out share of Successes and our share of failures over the year and I wanted to take this chance here to thank all of you for rejoicing with us in our successes and putting up with our failures. Before I go on to talk about what I have planned for the coming year I wanted to quickly go over what we accomplished last year.

41 Weekly Episodes
8 – Special Episodes
6 – AutoMat Episodes
30 – Reviews
4 – Interviews

Bethany’s Fire
This year we also added Bethany and her weekly (mostly) article. So far Bethany has written Fourteen articles and I always look forward to a new article and her enlightening view on living a christian life and the wonder of the all consuming fire that is our savior.

Moment’s Of Dave
Moments’s of Dave while a recent addition to jtindie.com is something I have been working towards for quite a while now. Pastor Dave Jones, Aside from being my pastor, is also one of my closest friends. Each Episode of the Moment of Dave gives you just a small sermonette. Think of it as the espresso shot your faith needs in the middle of a long trying week.

Podcast Awards
This year JTindie.com was nominated for a Podcast Award in the Field of Podsafe Music and while we didn’t win, I count it as an honor to be nominated. over 3500 podcasts were nominated and the top 10 in 22 fields were chosen. That puts JTindie.com in some pretty special company. For all of you who voted I want to say Thank You from the depths of my heart.

2010
You might be wondering what is in store for 2010? well that is a good question and I want to let you know what I have planned. First off the episodes will continue unchanged. I will still be bringing you the best Indie Christian Music I can Find. What I am adding to the Mix is even more reviews and finally Audio Interviews with the artists you hear on the shows. I have my goals set on bringing you more music, reviews, and interviews than ever, as well as continuing to bring you Bethany’s Fire, The Moments of Dave and Various bits and peices of news from around the musicverse.

My other goal is to Grow the listener base of the show. I would really like to see the numbers of the listeners double over then next year and I am going to need your help to do that. I really need all of you to start spreading the word about the podcast, I can’t do this all by myself. I need your help to make 2010 the year that JTindie.com Explodes on the Christian music Scene. Our Listeners double this year and I’m counting on all of you to make 2010 just as exciting and sucessful.

Thank you all and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Faith Hope Love
JT

Cornerstone Festival (one of the largest Christian Music Festivals) Has announced (in Part) the Line-up for the 2010 festival.

The Bands Listed on their webpage (http://www.cornerstonefestival.com/bands.php)
tobyMac
Skillet
David Crowder Band
Switchfoot
The Devil Wears Prada
Red
Phil Joel
Demon Hunter
August Burns Red
The Parachute Band
Iona
Flatfoot 56
Haste the Day
John Reuben
Glen Kaiser Band
Reilly

BILLBOARD NAMES MERCYME CHRISTIAN SONGS ARTIST OF THE DECADE
“WORD OF GOD SPEAK” NAMED SONG OF THE DECADE
BANDS’ REMARKABLE DECADE OF MUSIC SHOWN ON MULTIPLE RADIO AND ALBUM CHARTS

NASHVILLE, TN….12/17/09….With their year-end and decade charts out this week, BILLBOARD has named MERCYME’s “Word Of God Speak” the #1 Song of The Decade and the group the #1 Christian Songs Artist of the Decade. MercyMe earns an additional #1 in the Christian AC Song Artist of The Decade category.

“MercyMe’s career has always been about writing songs that we believe will share the love of Christ and make him known,” lead vocalist Bart Millard. ”We continue to be blown away by the support radio and fans give us, and strive to continue to write music that can move your heart toward God. Here’s to the next decade!”

MercyMe has garnered an astonishing 22 #1songs in their career, six of which are reflected on the Billboard radio charts for this decade, continuing to show the impact their songs have on listeners across the country:

#1 Christian songs artist of the DECADE
#1 Christian AC song artist of the DECADE
#1 Christian song of the DECADE with “Word of God speak” as well as:
#16 “Here With Me”
#19 “God With Us”
#35 “You Reign”
#48 “In the Blink of an Eye”
#49 “Bring the Rain”

In addition to their radio singles, MercyMe’s debut album, “Almost There” captured the 4th Christian Album of the Decade slot, as well as placing MercyMe as the #4 Christian Album artist of the Decade. Also, their 2004 release,“Undone” took #38 on the Christian Album of the Decade chart, with “Spoken For”(2002) not far behind at #46.

MercyMe is currently in the studio with producers Brown Bannister and Dan Muckala recording their sixth studio project, scheduled to release May 4th, 2010.

###

www.mercyme.org

NEWS SOURCE: Provident Label Group
December 7, 2009

Red (NASHVILLE, Tenn.) Dec. 07, 2009 — Essential Records GRAMMY Award nominated rock band RED announces the launch of its 2010 “Nothing And Everything” tour. The tour will additionally feature fellow hard rock band and label mate, Pillar and special guests The Wedding and Me In Motion.

Kicking off Jan. 14 at Fort Smith Event Center, in Ft. Smith, Arkansas, the tour is a meeting of two rock powerhouse bands: RED, who established itself among the upper echelon of rock bands in just three short years, and Pillar, who helped to pioneer the Christian hard music movement. Touring together for the first time, both bands will bring their signature brand of rock to one stage for a riveting concert event.

Randy Armstrong of RED, comments, “At our shows, we always play off the energy and enthusiasm of the crowd. We know how enthusiastic our fans are and imagine Pillar’s fans are just as wild. The combination is going to be explosive. This will be the rock tour of all rock tours.”

“RED has a similar stage dynamic, which makes this a powerful ticket,” says Pillar frontman Rob Beckley. “We are excited they asked us to be a part of the tour and look forward to putting on a show our fans, and theirs, can be proud of.”

A tentative tour itinerary follows this release. For the most up to date list of tour dates and to buy tickets for the “Nothing and Everything” tour, please visit: www.redmusiconline.com or www.pillarmusic.com

Nashville-based RED, made up of Michael Barnes (vocals), Anthony Armstrong (guitar) Randy Armstrong (bass), and Joe Rickard (drums), has logged an impressive 1,000+ live shows since releasing its debut album End Of Silence in 2006.

RED’s GRAMMY nominated sophomore project, Innocence & Instinct (2/7/09) released with more than 40,000 in first week sales and climbed its way to the Top 5 on iTunes Top Albums chart. To date, the band has earned eight consecutive No. 1 radio singles, the last three of which are from Innocence & Instinct. The band simultaneously released a Deluxe Edition of Innocence & Instinct that includes four bonus tracks and a DVD featuring the “Death of Me” music video, a “making of” documentary and more. For more information about RED, please visit: www.redmusiconline.com.

Since the 2006 emergence of End Of Silence RED has maintained a near-constant presence on the road, touring alongside notable rock names such as Three Days Grace, Flyleaf, 3 Doors Down, Breaking Benjamin, Seether, Papa Roach, Buckcherry, Saving Abel, Sevendust, Staind, Kutless, Trapt, Third Day, Switchfoot and others, and rave reviews for the band’s live shows have poured in via both print and online outlets alike.

Over its 10 year career, Pillar has reached nearly 1 million in album sales (including two albums with sales exceeding 300,000 copies each), performed for more than three million people and tallied 10 No. 1 radio singles, 13 Top 5 hits, a GRAMMY nomination, four Dove Awards, nine national headlining tours. Confessions, Pillar’s sixth studio album — debuting the talents of new members, bassist Rich Gilliland, drummer Taylor Carroll and new producer, Rob Graves (Red, Wavorly) — released Sept. 22, 2009. The album has inspired Pillar frontman Rob Beckley to write a book elaborating on important themes from the record. Co-produced with the American Bible Society, the book, aptly titled “Confessions,” will be available free of charge on January 14 at www.pillarmusic.com/confessions or at Pillar concerts.

Pillar’s previous studio album, For the Love of the Game (02/26/08), debuted at No. 4 on SoundScan’s Christian (overall) album chart. Since Pillar’s Dove Award-winning label debut Above in 2001, the band has graced the cover of numerous Christian and mainstream magazines with features in Rolling Stone, Spin, Bass Player, and Hit Parader. The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based band also won Fuse TV’s “Next Big Thing” award and has seen its music played on numerous ESPN sports programs, including SportsCenter, Baseball Tonight (during montage highlights from the 2007 World Series) and College Gameday, as well as CBS and FOX Sports. Find more information please visit: www.pillarmusic.com.

“Nothing and Everything” Tour Itinerary
(Dates subject to change- check websites listed above for updated information)

January 14, 2010 Thursday Fort Smith, Arkansas
January 15, 2010 Friday Dallas, Texas
January 16, 2010 Saturday Victoria, Texas
January 17, 2010 Sunday San Antonio, Texas
January 19, 2010 Tuesday San Angelo, Texas
January 22, 2010 Friday Monroe, Louisiana
January 23, 2010 Saturday Longview, Texas
January 24, 2010 Sunday Abilene, Texas
January 27, 2010 Wednesday Monterey, California
January 29, 2010 Friday Las Vegas, Nevada
January 30, 2009 Saturday Phoenix, Arizona

“Beautiful Things” is the title of the Cd from the once named Michael Gungor Band. Now called simply Gungor. I got an email that read

“Hi There,

Ironically, most of the music is not directly about caring for the poor and ministering to widows and orphans. Instead, much of the album addresses the spiritual journey and the understanding of God that happens when we do these acts.”

And below this was a link to listen to the CD that will be available on 02.16.10 so as I write this I am listening to what seems like a very different take on worship music than what I am used to. Led my Michael Gungor (Wiki Link) this band incorporates the idea that worship music needs not be traditional or contemporary but it should be interactive. When asked about the CD he responded:

“The story of God has gotten bigger to me,” relates Gungor, who is perhaps best known for co-writing distinguished songs like “Friend of God” and the Dove Award-winning “Say So.” “We had become ‘professional’ Christians. We got to the point where we needed to figure out how to be the church in a more honest way for us.”

Expect a Review from Jtindie.com soon. in the meantime you can pick up the single Beautiful Things – Single over at amazon

SKILLET’S “COMATOSE” CERTIFIED GOLD BY THE RIAA AS “AWAKE” SURPASSES 200K IN 12 WEEKS

Mainstream Active Rock Single “Monster” Hits Top 10 as Music Video Triumphs on MTV2 and FUSE

Band to Hit the Road in Early ‘10 with mainstream rockers SHINEDOWN AND PUDDLE OF MUDD

NASHVILLE, TN.
11/18/09

As their “AWAKE & ALIVE” tour packs houses across the U.S., Atlantic/Ardent/INO rockers SKILLET’s 2006 release, “COMATOSE,” has been certified GOLD by the RIAA, while their latest effort, “AWAKE,” which debuted on the Billboard Top 200 at No. 2, has surpassed 200,000 units in just 12 weeks. Likewise, “AWAKE” remains a top-ten charting Christian project, best-selling CD overall on Billboard’s Top 200, a top 30 best-seller on iTunes® Rock album chart, and boasts the No. 2 and No. 8 top Christian digital singles with “Monster” and “Hero” respectively.

**ACTIVE ROCK RADIO TOP 10, MTV2 and FUSE

-Along with album sales, mainstream Active Rock radio and video channels like MTV2 and FUSE are also propelling SKILLET:

**Active Rock radio has given Skillet a top 10 single with “Monster,” hitting No. 9 with a bullet on BDS this week and No. 10 with a bullet at MediaBase.

**MTV2: As their music video for “Monster” recently moved into MTV2’s ELITE 8, the band also hosted the network’s Rock the Deuce show and talked about their favorite videos and more.

**TOUR SELLING OUT AND PACKING HOUSES COAST TO COAST:

**As their “Awake & Alive” Tour rolls across the U.S., the band has rocked sold out and capacity crowds in Chicago, Tulsa, Columbus, Boston, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, Boise, Denver, Minneapolis, Des Moines and more.

**Skillet recently announced they will be touring with SHINEDOWN and PUDDLE OF MUDD in January and February 2010. For tour dates and updates go to: http://www.skillet.com or http://myspace.com/skilletmusic.

**HOT TOPIC stores nationwide will be carrying Skillet merchandise in time for the holiday season.

** Along with NBC’s use of “Hero” for Sunday Night Football and NFL Weekend Kickoff promos, an exclusive video performance of “Monster” opening each week’s ACC College Football games with Raycom Sports, and WWE’s use of the song for NBC’s nationally televised 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania special and WWE’s new “Smackdown vs. Raw 2010” video, FOX recently picked up “Hero” to open the third game of the World Series. In addition, the popular soap opera “One Life To Live” has been using “Awake & Alive” in promos for the month of November.

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 within 24 hours of its release. Since 2006’s breakthrough RIAA Gold certified project “Comatose,” 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 and/or www.myspace.com/skilletmusic

From an Email from Amycourts.com

Greetings, Friends!

BIG NEWS!

If you know my music at all – or my history as an artist – you know my “musical mentor” (i.e. the artist whose music has most heavily and deeply influenced my own writing and performing style, etc.) is Jennifer Knapp.

You’ve also probably heard that she’s back (check out jenniferknapp.com ).

You may even know that she’s playing a show at Nashville’s Belcourt Theatre next Wednesday, November 18. Heck, you may already have your tickets (as well you should).

The BIG news, then, is…She has graciously invited me to sing some tasty acoustic numbers with her mid-set next Wednesday!

[pause for wild screams of joy.]

So. If you’re in Nashville, BE THERE! Jennifer’s is one of the best shows you will EVER see. And hey, I’ll be singing with her. Double whammy! Get your tix @ The Belcourt’s Website.

Hope to see you there! And if you can’t make it cause you’re out of state, no worries: I’ll be passing out cameras and flip cams to everyone I know to record the blessed event!

See you there!
a

I for one am looking forward to seeing amy get the exposure she has so richly deserved.

Thanks to Dr Matt over at the Transformed Podcast for letting me know about this so I could help him spread the love.

Grammy Award-winning, Christian recording artists Casting Crowns will release their fourth studio album entitled, Until The Whole World Hears on November 17th. Hear the complete album for free, a week before its release, exclusively on Yahoo!

Click here to listen

I listened in last night and yeah you can expect a CD review to drop as soon as I can find time between recording and begging for votes to write it.

From the Website Eowynmusic.com comes this report

Eowyn and her husband were called out of the music industry for a season, and in that time God taught them some amazing things. Although financial situations have not changed, God’s draw on their hearts to do it has.

“He has re-focused us and renewed our passion. We will not be moving forward with any other determination than to reach the youth as God allows us. Even if that means one show a year or 20 shows a month. Truly, whatever God allows, we will pursue.“~Eowyn

If you would like to book Eowyn in 2010 just write Russell at russell@deepwade.com Be ready for a live performance that’s honest and relevant, but of coarse one that will rock hard!

Nashville, Tenn., November 3, 2009 – Two-time Dove Award winning Paul Baloche releases his eighth collection of new worship songs, Glorious, today (Nov. 3) on Integrity Music amidst critical and peer acclaim. In addition to the CD, worship resources for Glorious include a print and digital songbook, CD trax and more.

Baloche’s peers, including Michael W. Smith, Israel Houghton and Martin Smith (Delirious?/CompassionArt), share their enthusiasm for Baloche and his new album as Worship Leader, Christianity Today, New Release Tuesday and other media offer critical acclaim:

“Paul Baloche is one of the most gifted writers I know,” says Michael W. Smith, who co-wrote with Baloche this year’s Dove Award winning song, “A New Hallelujah,” featured on Glorious. “He is an absolute joy to be with and his talent is immense. I’ve heard his songs performed literally all over the world. But most of all, I have been so blessed beyond measure to have been led by Paul in worship. Maybe one word to sum it up to describe my dear friend? – ‘Authenticity,’ which I believe the church and the world are starving for.”

“Paul Baloche has long been the standard by which other writers of worship music like myself strive to reach,” says Israel Houghton. “His ability to be profound yet accessible is unlike any other. This new project is loaded with those kind of songs.”

“Paul is the real deal. I’ve had the pleasure of working, writing and recording with him and his heart is made of pure gold,” says Martin Smith, Delirious? frontman and CompassionArt founder.

“Paul Baloche has done more than release a CD, he has fitted the Church with a full set list of prayers that will musically form the hearts of congregations for years to come…Baloche’s uniqueness has always flowed from an innate ability to speak the language of the heart and the language of heaven simultaneously.” – Worship Leader

“Widely recognized as one of worship music’s finest wordsmiths, Baloche should also become famous for his fine-tuned artistry. These songs are poised for church-wide acceptance and his artist career should benefit from Glorious’ A+ production and songs.” – Christianity Today Music.

“If you’ve liked past hit songs by Paul Baloche including ‘Open The Eyes Of My Heart,’ ‘Offering’ and ‘Your Name,’ then you’ll really enjoy Glorious…you need to add Glorious to your worship music collection.” – NewReleaseTuesday.com (Newreleasetuesday.com is also offering a free music download of the title track, “Glorious,” at this link.)

With an overall theme of intimacy with the Living God being reflected in Glorious, the album features songs co-written with Michael W. Smith, Brenton Brown, Meredith Andrews, Jason Ingram, Ben Gowell and Rita Baloche. Produced by Baloche and Gowell, the album also features the radio single, “Just To Be With You,” which is already garnering acclaim from radio programmers across the country.

Having served as the Worship Pastor at Community Christian Fellowship in Lindale, TX for 20 consecutive years, Baloche is regarded as one of the preeminent worship writers of the contemporary Church. He has written some of this generation’s most compelling worship songs, including “Open The Eyes of My Heart,” “Hosanna,” “Your Name,” “Above All,” “Offering,” “All The Earth Will Sing Your Praises,” “Our God Saves” and “Because of Your Love.” With 19 CCLI current Top 500 songs to his credit, his songs are literally sung by millions of people each week in churches around the world.

In addition to writing, recording, touring and serving as a worship pastor, Baloche has created a variety of instructional DVDs for worship leaders and musicians and has written a book, God Songs –How to Write and Select Songs for Worship. He is a contributing writer for both Worship Leader and Worship Musician magazines and a popular conference speaker, most recently serving as an instructor for Integrity Music’s “Deeper: The Worship Sessions” national seminars. Baloche is also a writer/artist for CompassionArt, a charity dedicated to seeing works of art generate income for the relief of suffering around the planet.

For more information on Paul Baloche, go to www.paulbaloche.com, www.leadworship.com and www.integritymusic.com.

SWITCHFOOT will kick off its fall headlining tour in San Diego on November 8 for 94.9’s Anniversary Bash. The band will then appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” performing on the outside stage on November 12th.

The tour will feature SWITCHFOOT playing Hello Hurricane in its entirety, followed by fan favorites from its previous records. The band will be collecting donations for local food banks along the tour route, so fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable items to the concerts. (See below for tour itinerary)

SWITCHFOOT is also launching a new website, http://www.theworldyouwant.com, which will spotlight goodness, beauty, and truth in everyday life. Fans are invited to contribute stories about people they know who are making this world a better place. The band will read some of these contributions from stage during the tour.

Recorded with producer/bassist Mike Elizondo (Rilo Kiley, Eminem, and Pink), Hello Hurricane is the group’s seventh full-length album and its first on Atlantic Records. Lead single “Mess of Me” is getting airplay at Modern and Active Rock radio stations and is climbing the Modern Rock radio chart. “The Sound,” another track from the album, has been tapped by Verizon Wireless for its national ad campaign for the BlackBerry® Storm™ 2.

Fans who pre-order Hello Hurricane will immediately receive a free download of “Mess of Me” and four videos. They have five pre-order options to choose from: the standard CD edition; deluxe CD/DVD edition with approximately 60 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage and studio performances; vinyl with CD; the Collector’s edition (Hello Hurricane CD, deluxe DVD, an additional CD with studio outtakes and more, limited edition poster and 84-page hardcover book); and the digital download edition. The deluxe CD/DVD and Collector’s edition are also available at Christian retailers nationwide. For additional information or to pre-order, visit ITunes or the band’s web site http://www.switchfoot.com. Fans can also enter to win a “flyaway” contest through the WAY-FM radio network to meet and surf with the band in San Diego. For more details, visit www.morningswithbrant.com.

At the end of October, SWITCHFOOT – comprised of Jon Foreman (vocals/guitar), Tim Foreman (bass), Chad Butler (drums), Jerome Fontamillas (keys/guitar) and Drew Shirley (guitar) – will take the stage for Yahoo! Music’s new live concert program, “Maximum Performance Guitar Hero 5.” Jon and Chad will be featured in an upcoming episode of “Road Trip Nation” airing on PBS stations in November. Check local listings or watch the episode at http://www.roadtripnation.com/watch/ anytime after its November 5th debut on KLCS TV in Los Angeles and Orange County. MySpace will premiere Hello Hurricane the week before its release and the band will be interviewed on “The MySpace Music Feed” on Monday, November 9th.

SWITCHFOOT is the subject of an upcoming Rolling Stone “In the Studio” feature and will be on the cover of Relevant Magazine’s November/ December issue. Jon has also penned two articles recently: his piece on charity in your own backyard will be in the November issue of Alternative Press and he’s written on the nature of heroism for The Huffington Post.

He also recently participated in filming an innovative online game called “The Climate Challenge,” for Oxfam (http://www.oxfamamerica.org/music). “When you play the game, you will feel the urgency. We have to start acting now on climate change. There is literally no time to waste,” says Foreman. The game will launch in late October at http://www.theclimatechallenge.org.

Hello Hurricane, SWITCHFOOT’s first studio album since 2006’s Oh! Gravity, which debuted at No. 18 on The Billboard 200, acknowledges life’s storms while managing to find an element of hope in them. The band tracked more than 80 songs at its self-built home studio before narrowing it down to the 12 that appear on the new album. (Fans can check out the four-minute trailer, “The Making of Hello Hurricane,” at http://www.switchfoot.com.)

THE HELLO HURRICANE TOUR:
Date City/State
11/8 San Diego, CA
11/11 Los Angeles, CA
11/13 Scottsdale, AZ
11/14 Tucson, AZ
11/16 Oklahoma City, OK
11/17 Dallas, TX
11/18 Austin, TX
11/20 Houston, TX
11/21 New Orleans, LA
11/22 Nashville, TX
11/24 Atlanta, GA
11/27 Anaheim, CA
11/28 Ventura, CA
12/3 Charlotte, NC
12/5 Richmond, VA
12/7 Baltimore, MD
12/8 New York, NY
12/9 Boston, MA

# # #
Facebook – www.facebook.com/switchfoot
Twitter – twitter.com/switchfoot
BroAm – www.switchfoot.com/bro-am/
MySpace – myspace.com/switchfoot
You Tube – www.youtube.com/switchfootpodcast
The World You Want – www.theworldyouwant.com
Band Site – www.switchfoot.com

(Nashville, Tenn.) October 23rd, 2009 – With her first-ever holiday offering Christmas Like This releasing November 10th, Ayiesha Woods is now slated to join Natalie Grant on the “Believe” Christmas tour during the month of December.

The “Believe” tour kicks off December 1st in Montgomery, AL and goes on to Georgia, South Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Kansas, with the final show in Missouri on December 18th. Additional shows will be added in the upcoming weeks. Full tour details and ticket information can be found at http://nataliegrant.com/tour-dates/ .

“You know, Christmas time is my favorite time of the year,” exclaims Woods. “To be able to spend some of it on the road with one of my favorite persons in Christian music is nothing less than a great honor and a Christmas present from God to me!”

Woods’ Christmas Like This offers up nine holiday classics from the GRAMMY-nominated songstress. The album will be available as a physical CD product exclusively through MusiChristian.com with the digital album being available at all other online retailers. In support of the album, Woods will be making guest appearances on various national TV media outlets including Life Today With James Robison, TBN, and the Daystar network among others.

With her 2006 debut Introducing Ayiesha Woods and 2008 sophomore release Love Like This, Woods has garnered both critical and mass acclaim. The debut earned Woods a GRAMMY nomination for “Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album”, as well as an additional nod in the Dove Awards “New Artist of the Year” category. CCM Magazine also followed Woods’ career as one of three emerging musical talents for 2006 in their “Band Wagon” column, and MTVU.com’s URGE service (www.urge.com) picked Introducing Ayiesha Woods in their 2006 TOP 10 year-end list for Inspirational music. Woods, a favorite on the Women of Faith touring circuit, continues to perform throughout this year and 2010 at festivals and on dates nationwide.

www.ayieshawoods.com
www.gotee.com

SANCTUS REAL’S FIFTH STUDIO ALBUM RELEASES MARCH 9, 2010,

Nashville, Tenn., October 23, 2009 – Award-winning band Sanctus Real gives fans an early preview of its upcoming, fifth studio album with its brand new song, “Forgiven,” which is already a Top 20 hit at radio. While the full album is releasing on Sparrow Records March 9, 2010, “Forgiven” is available now as a digital download wherever you buy digital music,

“The working-out of forgiveness is so key to our growth and maturity as followers of Jesus,” says Sanctus Real’s Matt Hammitt. “The very idea that we have been forgiven for so much wrong moves, reforms, transforms and heals us. As we were framing ‘Forgiven’ around this concept, we realized that this was such a fundamental aim for all of us – to forgive and be forgiven.”

“Sometimes, we need to be reminded of how awesome God’s forgiveness truly is and who we are in Him,” adds Joe Buchanan, New Life Media Network music director. “Sanctus Real has done a phenomenal job doing just that with their great new song, ‘Forgiven.’ It’s already impacting our listeners in a huge way!”

That impact is also being felt on the band’s website, www.SanctusReal.com. Sanctus Real is streaming the song on its site and asking listeners to share their own stories of forgiveness. Numerous responses from all around the world have already poured in as people share stories of forgiveness, hope and redemption:

“I mustered the courage to go talk to my wonderful husband of 14 years and have a very difficult conversation after which I was sure he would tell me he was leaving me,” responded a wife on Oct. 7. “I got in the car and the first word out of the radio was ‘Forgiven!’ from your song. It was the first time I had heard it and the thought flooded me that God had forgiven me as soon as I had asked. My husband ended up forgiving me as well and we’re going to make it. Thank you for this song, it’s been a blessing to me over the past several days.”

“After eight years, four married, I found out my husband was a meth addict,” writes another wife on the site Oct. 9. “It was extremely hard to forgive him and accept him back into my life. But God has helped me to forgive and now my marriage is better than ever. My husband, through his addiction and rehab, has found God and the forgiveness He has for him.”

“I have come to a point in my life where I have had to forgive and let go,” writes Sunshine, who dealt with a father that abused her. “It wasn’t an easy life at all… I just couldn’t forgive him. God dealt with me, telling me that He had brought me from that difficult situation… I had to forgive him for everything and let him go…Hopefully one day my dad will see this and know that I forgive him!”

“I’ve been in Christian ministry (radio) for about 6 years now and can assure you I’ve talked about forgiveness or ‘preached’ it a lot,” says Ken, who shares about the healing power of forgiveness in his marriage. “My wife of 17 years now [and I] are slowly getting back together as we about blew up our marriage because we have both failed to forgive each other properly. We said the words but we really never acted it out…don’t just say the words – live it.”

Much like Ken implores, Sanctus Real is all about living out their lives as “real” Christians, not only on the stage and as they interact with fans, but in the quieter moments of their lives as husbands, fathers and fellow believers. The band creates compelling, authentic music that lives up to the meaning of their name: to be Holy (Latin meaning of “Sanctus”).

Taking that life attitude on the road, Sanctus Real recently played the song “Forgiven” and fan favorites spanning four acclaimed national recordings on the “Something Heavenly Tour.” The 21-city tour launched Sept. 10 in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada and saw packed venues as it worked its way through five Ontario cities and 12 States in the U.S. before wrapping up last week. Joining Sanctus Real on its tour in select cities were Addison Road, Jason Gray and Phil Wickham.

Sponsored by World Vision, the “Something Heavenly Tour” became the vehicle through which fans offered 402 children life-giving hope. “For every child that is sponsored, five others in the community are directly affected, so that’s essentially 2,010 people whose lives will be changed for the better!” said Taya Gray, World Vision representative. “We are so grateful for Sanctus Real and their heart for those around the world that need our help.”

Popularly known for its captivating recordings and live performances, Toledo, Ohio-based Sanctus Real’s breakthrough album, The Face of Love, released in April 2006, landing at No 2 on the Billboard Top Heetseekers chart and amassing a string of radio hits including the No. 1 songs “I’m Not Alright” and “Don’t Give Up.” While The Face of Love was inspired by real-life heartache and rediscovered joy, the band’s fourth studio release, We Need Each Other, marks a completion of that healing process and is a call for unity. The album’s title track became the band’s sixth No. 1 radio single.

For all the latest Sanctus Real news, go to www.sanctusreal.com, www.myspace.com/sanctusreal, and www.emicmg.com.

B.REITH DEBUT ALBUM UNVEILED LIVE TO MASSES VIA ONLINE LISTENING PARTY ON SEPTEMBER 21ST
TobyMac And Dave Barnes Slated As Guest Appearance For Worldwide Event

(Nashville, Tenn.) September 10th, 2009 – Fans worldwide are invited to tune in as B.Reith’s debut Now Is Not Forever is unveiled live via an online listening party at www.breith.com on September 21st at 8pm CST, with a special guest appearance by tobyMac and Dave Barnes.

The Nashville-based event will be broadcast over the web and feature new music from B.Reith’s full-length Gotee Records’ debut, as well as dancing, contests, and behind-the-scenes chatter. The premiere comes on the eve of Now Is Not Forever’s street date release, with the 12-song album being available in both retail and digitally on September 22nd.

Longtime champion of B.Reith’s music, tobyMac comments, “Brian is just naturally gifted from God vocally and his lyrics, when they hit tape, they sort of just ease into your heart.”

Since B.Reith’s introduction to the music industry with his 2008 five-song EP entitled The Forecast; the Milwaukee-native has been hailed as an artist who not only entertains, but speaks the relevant dialect of today’s culture. In addition, he’s found a knack for interviewing and hosting with his popular Something2Remember (www.something2remember.tv) video blog giving a behind the scenes look at recording, the marketing process, and insider interviews with some of today’s favorite Christian musicians.

Fans can anticipate B.Reith’s gripping live show as he heads out on the 30-city Creation Festival Tour with Jars of Clay this month, followed by a run on tobyMac’s 20-city Winter Wonder Slam with label mates Relient K and Stephanie Smith. The first single “Antidote” is currently going for adds at radio with a new music video underway.

“My vision is to use my gifts to build genuine connection with people,” says Brian. “I want people to not simply bob their heads to a song or sing along to a catchy chorus, but to share in my emotion and my experience. I want this music to be a dialogue with the listener- sometimes music has the power to communicate more that words could every say.”