1. art and entertainment
2. shows and events
3. concert

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The Year
of the
NEW ARTIST
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contents
April 2006
31
The ! Factor
!
If you’re wondering what all the excitement is surrounding this year’s issue, then
you’re not alone. This month CCM breaks down both who and what is hot right
now...and should be in the year to come. So, head on over to our cover story and
find out if your faves made our ! lists! Pictured: Three-time nominee for GMA’s 2006
“Song of the Year” Award, Chris Tomlin.
features
44
52
The New Breed
in review
81
88
Books: A thirteen-year-old gives Margaret Becker new perspective.
Upper Level Management
92
Tour: One “Indescribable” night with Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman and
Louie Giglio.
artist, NEEDTOBREATHE. Plus, the verdict’s in on surprising new
discs from MercyMe, Hawk Nelson and Sanctus Real.
Ever wonder just exactly what a manager does? What role he or she
plays in an artist’s career? DEBORAH EVANS PRICE introduces you
to five managers who work with some of your favorite Christian artists.
58
Music: CCM weighs in on the debut from this month’s cover
Have you been impressed by the new artists that have already hit the
scene this year? Well, wait until you see what the rest of ’06 has in
store. Namely, a boatload of new talent! And industry veteran JOHN J.
THOMPSON is here to give you a thorough overview of the new—and
very different—freshman class.
Bono’s Prayerful Invitation
First U2’s Bono was invited to be the keynote speaker at this year’s
National Prayer Breakfast with President Bush and other world
leaders. Then, in turn, the singer invited eight “faith editors,” including
our very own JAY SWARTZENDRUBER , to attend the breakfast and
join him for an on-the-record conversation. (You’ll have to read it to
believe it!)
departments
06
From the Editor:
11
The Insider: Check out CCM’s GMA Music Awards predictions
and this year’s Grammy Awards recap. Plus, learn why BarlowGirl is
the “next” even bigger thing and hear all about new act Monday
Morning’s fast start.
22
The Writer’s Block: Join Matthew West on a songwriter’s
94
96
98
By the Numbers: Jeremy Camp
Is there hope for AC Pop?
journey along with this month’s guest, Mark Schultz.
A Personal Perspective by Sara Groves
HistoryMakers with John Styll: The history of the Doves.
CCM_04.06_Editorial.v5
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fromtheeditor
by Jay Swartzendruber
“Please Don’t Abandon
AC Pop Artists!”
—A plea to the Christian music industry
This month’s “From the Editor” column is, in many ways, an open letter to the
Christian music community. I’m writing it because I’m concerned—even alarmed.
If you told me five years ago that I would be making this plea, I would
have let you know in no uncertain terms that you were nuts. Back then, as
the communications manager for Squint Entertainment, I represented artists
such as Sixpence None the Richer, Chevelle, L.A. Symphony and
Waterdeep. Needless to say, our beloved artist roster
wasn’t exactly in the Christian music mainstream. In
those days, CCM Magazine’s cover repeatedly featured
artists such as Avalon, Steven Curtis Chapman, Amy
Grant, Plus One, Jaci Velasquez, Michael W. Smith
and Point of Grace. No surprises there—these super
talents owned the album sales charts and Christian pop
radio. If any genres of Christian music needed an
advocate at the time, they were hip-hop and punk
rock—not AC (Adult Contemporary).
That was then.
It’s been public knowledge for quite a while now that
the Christian music scene these days is defined primarily
by one genre—rock & roll. From the artists impacting
the mainstream (Relient K, Underoath, Switchfoot) to
modern praise’s rock-embracing worship leaders (Chris
Tomlin, David Crowder). And pretty much everything in between? You bet—
Jeremy Camp, Third Day, BarlowGirl, Kutless, Hawk Nelson, Jars of
Clay…the list goes on. Thus, few were surprised when popular standouts
MercyMe, Rebecca St. James and Building 429 chose to take their new
albums in a decidedly more rock & roll direction. And have you seen Casting
Crowns in concert lately? Not only has the ensemble become quite the tight
live band, folks, but that’s the unabashed influence of modern rock you’re
hearing there—from the guitar techniques first innovated by The Edge to the
“for-best-results-hit-harder” display by Casting Crowns’ drummer Andy
Williams. If that’s what you call safe as milk, then I want more calcium!
And therein lies the problem—fans like you and me. We want to rock. Yes,
and the Christian record labels know it.
But they also know most of us like thought-provoking, hook-driven AC
pop, too—right? Isn’t it obvious? I mean, Nichole Nordeman and Natalie
Grant, for example, have anchored themselves on the Christian retail charts
for the past year. And here at the magazine, we weren’t at all surprised by
CCM MAGAZINE
Your Christian Music Magazine Since 1978
volume 28 issue 10
For those whose lives are strengthened through faith-informed
music, CCM Magazine goes behind the scenes to celebrate the
artistry of Christian music.
CCM Magazine is a publication of Salem Publishing,
a division of Salem Communications.
•••• •••••••
CCM Magazine
Publisher Jim Cumbee
Associate Publisher & Editor in Chief Roberta Croteau
Editor Jay Swartzendruber
Managing Editor & Web Editor Kristi Henson
Editorial Assistant Lindsay Williams
Art Director Mary Sergent
subscribers’ favorable responses to AC artists in this year’s CCM Music Fan
survey. We asked you how interested you are in “pop/contemporary” artists
and listed Natalie Grant, Michael W. Smith and Sara Groves as examples. An
impressive 55 percent of you indicated you are “very interested” in the genre.
Good. So AC pop remains a significant player in Christian music and will
remain so for the foreseeable future, yes?
Um, not exactly. As a matter of fact, if you’re a fan of Adult Contemporary
music, you might want to take a seat before you continue reading…
Even though there’s a slew of new artists—as in more than 40—being
introduced between now and the end of ’06, there’s a virtual black hole where AC
pop artists are concerned. In fact, when you check out John J. Thompson’s
expansive new artist preview, “This Year’s Model” (which begins on page 44), you’ll
discover that none of the major or independent Christian labels John approached
are planning to introduce even one straight-up AC pop artist. Not one.
Did you ever imagine a time when
aspiring AC artists would have to go it
alone or rely solely on smaller indie labels
to reach such a sizeable fanbase? Or what
about Christian AC radio stations? Not
only are they responding to listeners’
increasing appetites for rock by adding pop
rock singles from the likes of Kutless and
even Disciple into rotation, but now it
appears they hardly have the option of
breaking new AC artists.
This calls for drastic measures.
I’m willing to risk being labeled
“melodramatic.” That’s why I opened this
editorial with my plea up front: “Please
Don’t Abandon AC Pop Artists!”
If we as an industry do, I shudder to think what this will mean for the most
brilliant aspiring singer/songwriters. And what about the female artists of the
future? Will they have to be “chick rockers” to get a deal? If you’re a
gatekeeper at a Christian label, I’m begging you, please don’t lock the door
to a future Nichole Nordeman, Matthew West, Natalie Grant or MercyMe.
Not just because it would be a disservice to great artistry but also because—
even in sheer business terms—a significant fanbase for Christian AC pop is
still out there, and will be for the foreseeable future. Christian rock may have
started this industry, but AC pop built it.
SAVE
POP!
Jay@CCMmagazine.com
Production Director Ross E. Cluver
Contributing Editors Andy Argyrakis, Margaret Becker, Michael
Card, Paul Colman, Russ Long, Gregory Rumburg, John Styll,
Chris Well, Matthew West
Contributors Christa A. Banister, Beau Black, Andree Farias,
Sara Groves, Michael Janke, Mark Joseph, David McCreary,
Kate McDonald, Brian Quincy Newcomb, Robin Parrish,
Doug Van Pelt, Deborah Evans Price, Andrew Schwab, Tony Shore,
Mark Stuart, John J. Thompson
Circulation Director Joan Dyer
Customer Service Representatives Amy Cassell, Emeka Nnadi
Fulfillment Manager Leesa Smith
Senior Director of Advertising
DeDe Tarrant 805/987-5072
Account Executive Blake Jackson
Account Executive Brian Lawing
Account Executive Pat McAbee
Advertising Coordinator Carol Jones
Marketing Manager Callie Johnson
Administrative Sales Assistant Melissa Smart
Main Office 104 Woodmont Blvd., Suite 300, Nashville, TN 37205
615/386-3011 (ph) • 615/386-3380 (business fax)
615/385-4112 (editorial fax) • 615/312-4266 (advertising fax)
Subscriptions/Customer Service CCM, 104 Woodmont Blvd., Ste 300,
Nashville, TN 37205, 800/527-5226 or subscriptions@salempublishing.com.
Annual subscription rates: United States, $19.95/one year, $35.95/ two
years, $53.95/three years; Canada, (U.S. funds) $27.95 per year; all other
countries, (U.S. funds) $33.95 (surface) or $67 (airmail). For address
changes or other inquiries, please include both old and new addresses and
mailing label. Allow four to six weeks for new subscriptions to begin.
Cover design: Mary Sergent
NASDAQ SYMBOL: SALM
6 ccm april 06
ccmmagazine.com
CCM_04.06_Feedback.v4
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feedback
more humble, kind group of guys in
any band. These guys truly care
about their fans and what may go on
in their lives. As far as being voted
the best new band, heck, I say
they’re just the best band, period.
God Bless you.
Kathy Luby,
Missouri Valley, Iowa
READERS’ CHOICE WORDS
OK, it’s now official: Canadians kick
butt!!! I mean it!!! It’s great to see
Hawk Nelson on the cover of CCM
(“2006 Readers’ Choice Awards,”
February). They really deserved it.
They are some of the greatest guys
ever. Great issue! But it is kinda
bittersweet for us Canucks…We now
have to share our Hawk boys with the
rest of the world. Congrats boys!
Peace, love and hockey pucks,
Jessy Beck,
Loring, Ontario CANADA
I’m not your typical Hawk Nelson
fan—I’m a mom of two daughters
(ages 12 & 17) who basically never
heard of the band before I bought
their CD, Letters to the President, for
my oldest girl. At first I was a bit
reluctant to listen to it, but after I
did, it wasn’t long before I was
playing it more than my daughter! In
the past year, we have been
fortunate enough to see them six
times (yes, six!) in concert, and I can
tell you hands down there is not a
I just want to say that I was
absolutely thrilled to see Hawk
Nelson on the cover of your
magazine. I have been hoping to see
them on one soon. I am very happy
with the overall results and am glad
to see my favorite band on the cover
of my favorite magazine. I really
enjoyed reading the “A Personal
Perspective” article by [Hawk Nelson’s]
Jason Dunn. I am excited to see that
they are promoting their new CD in an
awesome way! Thanks for always
putting a smile on my face!
Karlee Blanchard,
Wilmington, OH
I got the Readers' Choice issue of CCM
the other day and was so excited! When
I saw Hawk Nelson on the cover, I
screamed! My brothers were like,
“What’s wrong?” And I said,
“Nothing...Everything’s right!” I love
your magazine, and I love Hawk Nelson.
They rock! I just wanted to say thanks—
it’s awesome that there is such a great
Christian magazine out there.
Jordan Hooper,
Mooresville, NC
I’d like to compliment the readers of
CCM for voting Johnny Cash into the
“Hall of Fame.” It is interesting that
the same year the readers decide to
start voting for punk rock artists and
HAWK NELSON
rap duos, we also get an artist that
their grandparents listened to. It is
heartening since Johnny Cash blows
everyone else who won in various
categories out of the water. Oh, and
regarding the Harry Potter pick and
disclaimer…As a big Harry Potter
fan, I was happy to see the second
place slot for the newest book.
However, I was looking forward to all
of the nasty letters to the editor, so
the little disclaimer was a bit of a
disappointment. Anyway, thanks for
letting me stand on a soapbox for a
few minutes with this letter.
Jacob Gehman,
Lancaster PA
Hey Jacob! You want to know another
cool thing about our readers voting
Johnny Cash into our Hall of Fame?
Ballots closed before Walk The Line
hit theaters. In other words, CCM
readers didn’t need a new bandwagon
to give him the credit he deserves!
GRITS
8 ccm april 06
ccmmagazine.com
I just wanted to say how glad I was to
see Superchic[k] get in the top three in
a lot of the catagories. Like getting
second in who would break into
mainstream was cool because they
would be the group to keep their goals
on the right things if they did. I’m a
major Superchic[k] fan and am not
afraid to admit it either. This is the best
Readers’ Choice I’ve seen yet!
Stephen Newby
via email
Having been a CCM subscriber for a
couple of years now, I was excited to
see new faces win the Readers’
Choice Awards this year! Finally,
others have voted in what I have read
in the “Feedback” section for so
long—that we want a more diverse
magazine covering all artists. Sure,
Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Steven
Curtis Chapman and the like have had
their share of the spotlight for years
now, but this generation is tired of
hearing about them and wants more.
CCM_04.06_Feedback.v4
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9:08 PM
As a person living in the
Seattle/Tacoma area, I have one
Christian music radio station to listen
to, and they would rather play the
Michael’s and the Amy’s over and
over. I need CCM to be a springboard
to help me find new artists or new
CDs coming out because I don’t have
the luxury of hearing them on the
radio. When I see something I might
like, I rush to iTunes to listen to just a
30-second sample of something new!
I do want to see more hard rock,
alternative, gospel, worship and rap
artists featured in your magazine. And
judging from the readers’ poll, I think
a lot of other subscribers do, too.
I do understand that your magazine
is titled Contemporary Christian Music,
but I think this generation is done with
that label and wants to move into
something more. That seems to also
be the theme a lot of artists are
singing these days...wanting so much
more to this life...CCM hear thy
people, they have spoken!
Marcie Kahler-Davis,
Puyallup, WA
Hi Marcie! Based on your letter, we’d
say this issue is full of all kinds of
good news for a fan of your tastes. We
don’t want to ruin any surprises
though, so we’ll just direct you to
Page 9
John J. Thompson’s article “This Year’s
Model”—an excellent overview of the
new artists still to come in 2006—
which begins on page 44.
FAN-O-RAMA
I’m 14, and I’m not a subscriber, but
I always eagerly read my older sister’s
CCMs from cover to cover as soon as
they come. One of the reasons I like
your magazine is because it lets me
know about all of my favorite artists’
new CDs. Probably my favorite part of
CCM is “Chris Well’s CCM List-ORama.” I love Chris’ sense of humor!
…Februar y’s “List-O-Rama” about
songs having to do with love was
probably the best one yet.
On a side note, I totally agree with
Bradley Allen Vaughn’s letter about
the disappointing coverage of
Christian hard bands in CCM
(“Feedback,” Februar y), but I
understand that it’s hard to please
everyone. I’m also pleased to see
that GRITS, one of my favorite hip-hop
artists, was voted “Favorite Group” in
the 2006 Readers’ Choice Awards. It
was quite a surprise, but it’s really
awesome! Hopefully we’ll see more
recognition like this for great Christian
rap/hip-hop artists in the future.
Michael “MJ” Koprucki,
Louisville, KY
SUPERCHIC[K]
MXPX
CORRECT CHANGE
Greetings to a wonderful magazine! I
have been receiving CCM for a few
years now, but for the last two issues,
I have been particularly amazed. I
have always loved “Sightings” by
Chris Well, but the last few times I
have read it, I have truly wanted to
read every single word on the page
and still want more! I would also like
to commend you on your “In Review:
Music” section because the artists
featured actually have talent and are
ones that interest me. I have bought
six CDs, supporting your excellent
reviews, since January of 2006.
The only thing I find lacking,
however, is information on concerts
and festivals…I am not finding much
more than advertisements on them! I
love Creation Fest West, but all I have
seen in your magazine is a full-page
advertisement. CCM is my one and
only source for Christian entertainment
news, but with concerts, you seem
somewhat absent. Why not tell us
more about it? I am quite sure my
fellow readers will agree with me.
Overall, great job, CCM. You have
changed (or I have!) in such a great
way that has led me to truly
appreciate your magazine so that I
felt imposingly compelled to write to
you. By the way, your February cover
[Hawk Nelson] was very clever!
Kaitlin K. Smithson,
Port Angeles, WA
Thanks for all your kind words, Kaitlin.
And regarding your question about
festivals and concerts, you have ironic
timing. Each year we include a special
festival “advertorial” previewing the
summer's biggest fests. And as it
turns out, this year’s model is in this
month's issue! We were also pleased to
preview Celebrate Freedom--the largest
one-day Christian music concert in
America--in last month’s CCM.And as you
know, each issue of CCM includes a
concert review on our “Standing Room
Only” page. To find up-to-date concert
listings, simply go to CCMmagazine.com’s
searchable tour database.
STANDING OVATION
I enjoyed the “Standing Room Only”
concert review in your January issue.
I love MXPX, and that was the first
time I’ve seen
them
in
your
magazine since I
subscribed. I went
to the “Panic with
a K Tour,” and it
was awesome to
see two great
bands play in one
show. Thank you so much for writing
about them and a remarkable
concert! Also, thanks for making
such a cool magazine—I love
opening up my mailbox to find one of
CCM’s issues!
Michelle DiTullio,
Souderton, PA
We welcome your comments.
Address your letter to Feedback,
CCM Magazine, 104 Woodmont
Blvd., Suite 300, Nashville, TN 37205;
fax 615/385-4112, Attn: Feedback; or
email feedback@ccmmagazine.com.
Always include your full name, address
and phone number. Letters may be edited
for length and clarity.
ccmmagazine.com
april 06 ccm 9
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insider
?
AND THE WINNER WILL BE …
MAYBE …
When the first week of April hits, that means it’s GMA MUSIC
AWARDS time—specifically, Wednesday night, April 5. And
each year in advance, CCM’s editorial team likes to offer a
couple of sacrificial lambs…lambs cocky enough to think they
know who’s going to win the biggest awards. This year’s selfdescribed “experts” are our editor, JAY SWARTZENDRUBER
(who didn’t learn his lesson last year), and our managing editor,
KRISTI HENSON (oh, to be so young and naïve).
And, they’re off…
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
[Nominees: Amy Grant, Bethany Dillon, Joy Williams, Natalie Grant, Nichole
Nordeman]
Should win:
JAY: Natalie Grant
KRISTI: Amy Grant
Will win:
JAY: Natalie Grant. It’s no secret that Nichole Nordeman’s artistry is on my
short list of faves, but the past year has been Natalie Grant’s year. Her latest
disc sold more than any of the other nominees’ albums. She’s the “most
improved.” She has the biggest reach across Christian and mainstream radio.
She uses her platform to give a voice to the voiceless—a true hero. And her
singing voice? Are you kidding me? It will slay you live.
>>>
Grammy Awards Recap,
BarlowGirl’s Yahoo!
Experience and More
KRISTI: Nichole Nordeman. Natalie Grant may have sold more than any of the
other nominees this past year, but she just doesn’t quite yet have that certain
unnamable something behind her that Nichole Nordeman does. My theory is
that Bethany, Joy and Natalie—while all great singers—will cancel each other
out, leaving Amy and Nichole. As far as why Amy should win, I loved the latest
installation of the Hymns project. And, obviously, I’m not alone...look who
picked up the Grammy this year! However, Amy’s too much of a legend in our
industry to win, and Nichole’s everywhere these days. She will walk away with
a big trophy.
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
[Nominees: Chris Tomlin, David Phelps, Jason Crabb, Jeremy Camp, Mark Hall]
Should win:
JAY: Chris Tomlin
KRISTI: Chris Tomlin
Will win:
JAY: Chris Tomlin. Check the top of the Christian pop radio charts, college
students’ iPods, Sunday morning worship services, compilation albums, other
artists’ CD players, the front of CCM Magazine...You name it, he’s there. And
when you look in his arsenal of talent, the only thing eclipsing his voice is his
songwriting.
KRISTI: Read Jay’s musings. Ditto for me.
GROUP OF THE YEAR
[Nominees: BarlowGirl, Casting Crowns, David Crowder Band, Kutless,
MercyMe]
Should win:
JAY: Casting Crowns
KRISTI: Casting Crowns
Will win:
JAY: Casting Crowns. Thanks to their greatly improved live shows, tough love
lyrics, befuddling “X factor” and authenticity so thick you can cut it with a knife,
the Crowns continue to win over even their most stubborn critics.
KRISTI: Casting Crowns. Were I allowed to play devil’s advocate here, I could
make pretty good cases for BarlowGirl, David Crowder Band, Kutless and
MercyMe. Despite the stiff competition, this just feels like Casting Crowns’
year—and a stellar one at that. Nonetheless, it’s an honor just to be nominated!
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
[Nominees: George Huff, Krystal Meyers, Mat Kearney, Stellar Kart, The
Afters]
Should win:
JAY: The Afters
KRISTI: George Huff
Will win:
JAY: The Afters. This critical and commercial favorite has made significant
strides in both the Christian and general markets.
KRISTI: The Afters. So why is it that George Huff should win? Come on,
people. He placed in the Top 5 on “American Idol”! Millions of rabid “American
Idol” fans can’t be wrong! If the Doves involved phoning in votes, there’d be
no competition. However, it’s not an afterthought…The Afters have what it
takes to grab the brass ring this year!
What’s up bro?: New INO/Columbia act The Jonas Brothers—featuring three siblings—watches their first
ccmmagazine.com
april 06 ccm 11
>>>
CCM_04.06_Insider.v4
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insider
GRAMM-atically
CORRECT
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
[Nominees: Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, Jeremy Camp, Natalie Grant,
Switchfoot]
U2 WASN’T THE ONLY ARTIST OF
FAITH THAT WON BIG AT THIS
YEAR’S GRAMMYS...
Should win:
JAY: Chris Tomlin
KRISTI: Chris Tomlin
Will win:
JAY: Chris Tomlin. While all five of these nominees would make a great “Artist
of the Year,” it’s Chris Tomlin whose work the Christian community cherishes
the most right now.
KRISTI: Switchfoot. While the Christian community may cherish Chris Tomlin’s
work most at present, our community also loves to embrace those acts who
achieve mainstream success. It appeals to the Roaring Lamb in all of us! So,
despite the copy-protected CD debacle, Switchfoot will walk away with a win here!
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
[Nominees: Brown Bannister, Ed Cash, Mark A. Miller, Otto Price, Vince Gill]
Should win:
JAY: Ed Cash
KRISTI: Vince Gill
Will win:
JAY: Ed Cash. Ed will take this one for the second consecutive year, thanks to
his excellent work with Bethany Dillon, Steven Curtis Chapman, David Crowder
Band and Paul Colman.
KRISTI: Mark A. Miller. Umm...Casting Crowns...hello??? Now, about my Vince
Gill props, hear me out! First of all, see my comment regarding Amy Grant in the
“Female Vocalist” category. Then, factor in not just Vinnie’s Christian effort but
also his production credits for his own hit records! The Next Big Thing, indeed!
SONG OF THE YEAR
[Nominees: “Cry Out to Jesus”--Third Day, “Friend of God”--Phillips, Craig &
Dean, “Held”--Natalie Grant, “Hide”--Joy Williams, “Holy Is the Lord”--Chris
Tomlin, “How Great Is Our God”--Chris Tomlin, “Indescribable”--Chris Tomlin
“Lifesong”--Casting Crowns, “Only Grace”--Matthew West, “Voice of Truth”-Casting Crowns]
Should win:
JAY: “Holy Is the Lord”
KRISTI: “Indescribable”
Will win:
JAY: “Holy Is the Lord.” Tomlin is his own worst enemy in this category—each
of the three songs he has nominated will steal votes from the other two. Call
me crazy, but I’m sticking with him anyway. (Look for Tomlin to also be named
this year’s “Songwriter of the Year.”)
KRISTI: “Cry Out to Jesus.” I must agree with Jay’s assessment of the
situation for multiple song nominees...up to a point. I actually think the
multiples will cancel themselves out by dividing the vote. For me, that leaves
the obvious choice of “Cry Out to Jesus.” After all, what are the Doves without
Third Day these days?
>>> video
old statuettes were handed out to the year’s top artists at the 48th
Annual GRAMMY AWARDS on February 8. Highlights of the
ceremony included U2’s Grammy sweep, in which they went 5 for
5 this year with wins in all the categories in which
they were nominated, including “Album of the Year” for
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (Island) and “Song
of the Year” for “Sometimes You Can’t Make It On
Your Own.” And, as expected, the Grammys
telecast featured several remarkable throw-down
per formances this year with especially
spectacular moments courtesy of divas MARIAH
CAREY (who won three awards this year including
“Best R&B Female Vocal Solo” for “We Belong
Together”) and KELLY CLARKSON (who picked up two
Grammys including “Best Pop Vocal Album” for Breakaway [RCA]) as well as
an understated and poignant acoustic performance of “Devils and Dust” by
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, a cut for which he picked up the “Best Solo Rock
Vocal Performance” award.
Unfortunately, the “Gospel” categories are somehow always presented in
“ceremonies held earlier”…but that still doesn’t lessen the excitement! This
year, CECE WINANS’ “Pray” picked up the trophy for “Best Gospel
Performance” while YOLANDA ADAMS’ “Be Blessed” was dubbed “Best
Gospel Song.” In the “Best Rock Gospel Album” categor y, AUDIO
ADRENALINE took top honors for Until My Heart Caves In (ForeFront), insuring
that a rock act actually won the “Rock” category in which three hip-hop/rap
acts were also nominated. Umm…do you think the
Recording Academy needs to add a few categories
to the “Gospel” segment so that hip-hop and rap
artists don’t have to be thrown in with the “Rock”ers? But, I digress. Lifesong (Beach Street) from
CASTING CROWNS nabbed “Best Pop/
Contemporary Gospel Album,” and AMY GRANT
picked up “Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album” honors for
Rock of Ages…Hymns & Faith (Word). In the “Best Traditional Soul Gospel
Album” category, DONNIE McCLURKIN’s Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs
(Verity) took home the trophy, while CeCe Winans picked up Grammy #2, for
“Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album” with Purified (Wellspring/INO).”
Rounding out the gospel categories, legend GLADYS KNIGHT’s work with the
SAINTS UNIFIED VOICES on One Voice (Many Roads) won the Grammy for
“Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album.”
KRISTI HENSON
G
(“Mandy”) voted into Top 5 of MTV’s TRL two months before pop-punk debut, It’s About Time, releases
12 ccm april 06
ccmmagazine.com
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>> pop/rock
OT
THEY’VE G
NEXT!
YAHOO! YELLS WOO-HOO FOR
BARLOWGIRL
They laughed. They talked. They bragged about
their parents. They spoke about their faith. They
even got to rock a little bit afterwards.
It was almost like a regular day meeting the
press for BARLOWGIRL—sisters Rebecca, Alyssa
and Lauren Barlow—except this wasn’t your typical
Christian music outlet or radio station.
The trio actually got to hang out, tape an interview
and record an exclusive performance of their hit
“Never Alone” with megaportal Yahoo! Music, whose
visitors picked BarlowGirl as the January winner for
the site’s monthly “Who’s Next?” talent competition.
After garnering 38 percent of the votes—and beating
out newcomers Limbeck, The Willowz and
Morningwood in the process—the sisters had the
honor to be prominently featured at the high-profile
website for a whole month.
Though they’re not exactly sure how they got into
the competition to begin with, they’re extremely
grateful that their label had enough confidence in
them to get behind them in the contest.
From left: Alyssa Barlow, Neil Weiss (Producer “Who’s Next,” Yahoo! Music), Rebecca Barlow, and Lauren Barlow
“We weren’t really seeking to win because the
bands that we were up against had huge pull,” says
Rebecca. “We were just thankful to be in the running.”
But the win isn’t what excites her the most.
“It’s awesome that we won, but the blessing for
me is that we got to meet those people at Yahoo!
and got to connect with them because they don’t
have Christian bands going there that often,” she
says. “They were open to what we had to say about
God. They let us speak about whatever we wanted
to speak about. And they let us say whatever was
on our hearts. They supported that. That was
awesome for us to see.”
MONDAY MORNING
SEVEN DAYS A WEEK
CHRISTIAN POP RADIO’S NEW FAVES GIVE “MONDAY MORNING” A
GOOD NAME.
While Monday mornings tend to get a bad rap from America’s 9 to 5’ers, that’s starting to change
for the thousands whose radio dials target Christian pop music. If their local station boasts the
Christian Hit Radio (CHR) format, they’re enjoying the moody, melodic rock of new Selectric Records
artist MONDAY MORNING. In fact, “Wonder of It All,” the lead single off the band’s debut album,
Fool’s Paradise, took only 9 weeks to go No. 1 on the charts according to Radio & Records.
Lauren, the youngest of the three, agrees “We
kind of went into it thinking, ‘There are going to be
some boundaries,’” she says. “There’s going to be
someone who is going to say, ‘Well, our audience
is such and such.’ [But] they just said, ‘Share your
heart. Share whatever you have.’ And I really
respected them for that.”
Even if the Yahoo! folks would’ve asked them to
“tone down” their message, Lauren admits they
wouldn’t have done a good job of it.
“We’re not too good at doing that,” she says. “We
can’t beat around the bush. We have to say it like it is.”
ANDREE FARIAS
“I was really blown away,” says Monday Morning lead
vocalist DEREK STIPE. “We’d hoped and expected it to do well,
but, being our first release, to see it shoot up the charts so fast
with Switchfoot [“We Are One Tonight”] and Jeremy Camp
[“Breathe”] on our heels—both great artists—it really came as
quite a surprise.”
Monday Morning and Selectric Records—the label recently
founded by industry veterans DINO and JOHN ELEFANTE—are
off to quite a start. The band is Selectric’s debut artist, so
“Wonder of It All” is the first single for both Monday Morning
and its label. At press time, “Wonder of It All” had claimed the
CHR chart’s No. 1 spot for three consecutive weeks.
Americans aren’t the only ones enjoying “Wonder of It All.”
Explains Stipe, “South Africa’s largest mainstream pop/rock
station has picked us up, and we’re already on their Top 40 chart.”
So Monday Morning connects with radio, but how are
audiences responding at concerts? “Really well!” he says
enthusiastically. “People are really diggin’ our live show, and I
couldn’t be more stoked about it.”
Will Monday Morning be coming to a concert venue near
you? “We have a lot of spot dates and are planning a tour for
April and May,” says Stipe. “This summer, plan on seeing us
at almost every festival around. If it ends in ‘fest,’ we’ll
probably be there.”
JAY SWARTZENDRUBER
Find out more by visiting mondaymorningmusic.com and
myspace.com/mondaymorningmusic.
May 2 • Chic[k] it out: Superchic[k]’s Max Hsu announces on his blog that his band is "going to be on
ccmmagazine.com
april 06 ccm 13
>>>
>>>
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insider
Kutless & Disciple (Trumann, AR)
Steven Kanika (Dalton)
Michael Neagle (Monk & Neagle)
Mark Kibble (Take 6)
GRITS (Jonesboro, AR)
PALM SUNDAY
Ben Davis (By The Tree)
Justin Cox (Fireflight)
Matthew Hayes (Overflow)
Leigh Cappillino (Point of Grace)
Noah Henson (Pillar)
Christine Dente (Out of the Grey)
Glenn Drennen, Jr. (Fireflight)
David “Pop” Winans
Chris Wright (Cross Culture)
Sanctus Real (Lincoln, NE)
Ginny Owens
Natalie Grant (Spokane, WA)
Tooth & Nail Tour
Emery, Anberlin, The Fold & more
(Jacksonville, FL)
Danielle Young (Caedmon’s Call)
Thousand Foot Krutch & Hawk
Nelson (Lisle, IL)
Jordan Messer (Stellar Kart)
NEEDTOBREATHE (Charlotte, NC)
Rebecca St. James & Evie
(Hunstville, AL)
ccmmagazine.com
Keyboardist JIM BRYSON and
his wife, Misti, recently welcomed
Jack Philip Bryson into their
home on January 19. At 6 lbs., 6
oz. and 19.5 inches long, this
little fellow spent the first 10
days of his life in the hospital.
Thankfully, Baby Bryson is now
healthy and safe at home with
Mom, Dad and big brother, Riley.
A few days later, on January 23,
drummer ROBBY SHAFFER and
wife, Margaret, added another
baby to the MercyMe family with
the birth of their son, Levi
Troy. Just a tad smaller than
Jack, Levi weighed in at 6 lbs., 1
oz. and 19 inches.
ARTISTS SAYING “I DO”
Casting Crowns & Nichole
Nordeman (St. Paul, MN)
14 ccm april 06
With a much-anticipated record dropping this month,
one would expect the MERCYME boys to be basking
in the gratification of a job well done. However, their
new release, Coming Up to Breathe (INO, April 25), is
nothing compared to the pride felt with their most
recent accomplishments—two new baby boys.
Justin Abilla (Olivia the Band)
GOOD FRIDAY
Records
20-City Holiday
Tour
>>>
>>> Columbia/Sony
BREATHING EASY
Dan Harrass (Cross Culture)
Lester Estelle (Pillar)
Josh Schwartz (Seventh Day Slumber)
fanfare
To top it off, front man BART MILLARD and his wife are
expecting again and will be welcoming their third child
into a growing family later this month.
fri.
Mark Breazeale (Overflow)
thurs. wed. tues. mon. sun.
37th Annual GMA Music Awards
(Grand Ole Opry House), 8 p.m.
Check local listings for dates & times.
Chrissy Conway (ZOEgirl)
Alisa Girard (ZOEgirl)
fri.
GMA Week
Switchfoot (Baltimore, MD)
EASTER
Sara Acker (Inhabited)
sat.
GMA Week
thurs. wed. tues. mon. sun.
GMA Week
DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME BEGINS
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
sat.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
GMA Week Begins (Nashville,TN)
Third Day/David Crowder Band
(Nashville, TN)
Gerald Wolfe (Greater Vision)
sun.
sat.
fri.
thurs. wed. tues. mon. sun.
sat.
fri.
thurs. wed. tues. mon. sun.
sat.
APRIL
Keep track of upcoming artists’ birthdays, key concert dates,
events, HOLIDAYS, and other seasonal fun right here each month.
Life on the inside of JADON LAVIK’s
world is pretty sweet right now as
he marries his lovely bride,
Stephanie, on April 23. In addition
to celebrating his marriage, Jadon
is also excited about his latest
album, Life on the Inside (BEC),
released in March. You can catch
Jadon on tour with Rebecca St. James and
BarlowGirl throughout the spring.
New 7Spin artist RED UMBRELLA
recently celebrated the marriage of
its keyboardist/guitarist, DENNIS
MICHAELIS. Dennis and his wife,
Cr ystal, were married at the
beginning of 2006. Red Umbrella’s
debut album, Wishing for Boardwalk,
hits stores April 4.
LINDSAY WILLIAMS
from
on” •Chance
Live Atmovie
Greenbelt:
’80sMichael
fave After
the Fire
2004 Greenbelt
• Thenow
Second
(starring
w. smith)
now announces
set to hititstheaters
in >>>
>
CCM_04.06_Insider.v4
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rock/pop
>>
www.GraceUniversity.edu
Christ-centered education that empowers
your future career and your life-long walk with Christ.
5
Questions
with KEVIN
YOUNG of DISCIPLE
Before Disciple released last year’s popular self-titled album
(Epic/S-R-E)—its first for a major label—the hard rock band had
already logged six No. 1 rock hits and four Dove nominations. And
with the higher profile, the acclaim only grew. Last year alone
Disciple claimed two more No. 1 singles with “The Wait Is Over”
and “Into Black.” But that’s not the half of it. According to Radio
& Records, “The Wait Is Over” was the No. 1 most-played song of
the year at Christian rock radio. And now? The band’s third single,
“Rise Up,” is shooting up the charts. More Dove nominations
have flown Disciple’s way as well. Front man Kevin Young & Co.
are up for GMA Music Awards nods in the “Rock Album of the
Year” (Disciple) and “Rock Recorded Song of the Year” (“The
Wait Is Over”) categories.
1.
If you could visit any
place in the world, where
would it be and why?
I have always wanted to visit
Italy because there is so
much Christian history there.
2.
What’s your most
embarrassing moment
onstage?
I have fallen down several
times. Each time was quite
humorous, but I remember
one time in particular...I
used to play bass guitar,
and I was spinning around
on stage. I got really dizzy,
and I fell into the drums
and knocked some cymbals
and a drum over and, then,
just lay there laughing.
3.
As a kid, what did
you want to be when you
grew up?
Believe it or not, I wanted to
play in a Christian rock band.
My youth pastor turned me
on to Christian rock when I
was twelve, and from that
Arts??????????
Festival
>> >>>
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student graduates with a major
in biblical studies and one of 14
undergraduate academic programs.
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Extensive faculty interaction with
students in small, personalized classes.
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Lower tuition costs than most private
colleges and universities, plus financial
aid is available.
“ Grace gives me a real-world education from a
Christian perspective.”
“Grace has nurtured my faith and provided me
with a solid education.”
“The education I have received, and the
relationships formed at Grace have changed
my life.”
“I have been trained to succeed in life and grow
spiritually.”
“College is a time to develop your relationship
with Christ.”
“Small class size, diverse majors, Christian
fellowship, preparation for life.”
moment, I tried to go to see
as many of my favorite bands
in concert as I could. In the
late ‘80s and early ‘90s, it
seemed that bands were a
little more evangelical in their
approach, and I was really
moved as a young person by
their boldness.
4.
What’s one goal you
have as an artist?
I don’t think I have one goal in
particular. Achievements are
wonderful, and I would be
lying if I said that I didn’t like
them; but I truly believe my
goal is to simply sing and
write songs that will have a
positive impact on people’s
lives. I believe if we stay
dedicated to that, then
achievements will come, now
and later.
Visit us on the web at www.GraceUniversity.edu
5.
1311 South 9th Street
Omaha, NE 68108
What’s one question
you’d like to ask God when
you get to heaven?
Now what?
performance will now be
>>>
>>>
You can experience
the Power of Grace
Call us at
(800) 383-1422
CCM_04.06_Insider.v4
3/10/06
1:32 AM
Page 16
sightings
by Chris Well
THE AFTERS ALL OVER
Big news for Dove-nominated band THE AFTERS:
The song “Beautiful Love” was confirmed for the
Lindsay Lohan film Just My Luck, which hits
theaters May 12. “Beautiful Love” is also the
theme song for MTV’s “8th & Ocean,” which airs
this spring. In addition, the group was recently
featured in online contests for both
“Entertainment Tonight” and “The Insider.”
ROLLING
WITH
— BEFORE THEY WERE
(CHRISTIAN) STARS— DYLAN
The new DVD documentary, BOB DYLAN 1975-1982: Rolling Thunder & The
Gospel Years (MVD), shines the spotlight on a period when Dylan made three
Gospel albums and began preaching from the stage—alienating fans and
enraging critics. Director and producer Joel Gilbert weaves the story through
revealing insider portraits, exclusive photos, live concert video clips and TV
footage from 1975-1982, and by including visits to Rundown Studios, the
Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, the Vineyard Church and the Fox Warfield
Theatre. Find more info online at highway61ent.com.
BRING YOUR DADDY
TO WORK DAY
Billy Ray Cyrus returns to TV with the
brand new comedy series “Hannah
Montana.” Billy Ray plays the dad
and manager of a preteen who lives a
secret life as a pop star. And, lo and
behold, the part of his daughter is played
by none other than real-life daughter Miley
Cyrus, who records original music for the show.
The show premiered March 24 on the Disney network.
No-cable schlubs like me can watch the show Saturday
mornings this fall as part of the ABC Kids lineup.
THE MAN BEHIND NARNIA
New to DVD is C.S. LEWIS: BEYOND
NARNIA. The hour long docudrama, filmed
in many of the actual locations in England
where Lewis studied, lived and worked, is a
dramatic reenactment of his life. It explores
the inspiration behind his children’s literary
masterpiece, The Chronicles of Narnia, and
other works. Edward J. Murray of Faith &
Values Media, which produced the film,
says it “explores the events in Lewis’ life
which not only led him to accept the
existence of God but also to accept God as
a central part of his life and his writings.”
>>>
Several Christian entertainment personalities started
out in the world of sitcoms—now available in
convenient DVD box sets!
Before he was “Bibleman,”
WILLIE AAMES was wacky friend
Buddy Lembeck on “Charles in
Charge” (1984-1990). Charles in
Charge: The Complete First Season
came out in February. Mr. Aames
recently launched the new teen
DVD series, The Public Life of Sissy
Pike (Tommy Nelson), which he
writes, directs and produces.
Before he brought the Left
Behind character Buck Williams to
life in a series of DVD adaptations,
KIRK CAMERON came to national
fame as eldest son Mike Seaver
on “Growing Pains” (1985-1992).
Growing Pains: The Complete First
Season also came out in February.
Before she became a Christian
author and spokesperson for
homeschooling, LISA WHELCHEL
played preppy rich girl Blair Warner
on TV’s “The Facts of Life” (19791988). The Facts of Life: The
Complete First and Second Seasons
comes out in May. (Bonus points: Lisa is the only one
of the three to record the Steve Taylor-penned song
“Good Girl,” on her 1984 Christian pop album All
Because of You.)
[
]
WOULD YOU LIKE
SALVATION WITH THAT?
A new short film pokes fun at the
over-commercialization of the
Gospel: THE McPASSION is a 4minute faux infomercial for the latest
crass “Jesus junk” product tie-ins.
The film, which has already
screened at film festivals, started
streaming online March 1 (Ash
Wednesday). And, as with most fast
food promotions, it will only be
available for a limited time—40 days
and 40 nights, in fact. Find the film
online at themcpassion.com.
NO SNOW JOB
The Denver Post and
Sports Illustrated both filed
nice write-ups on Olympic
pioneering snowboarder
KELLY CLARK—who, win
or lose, puts her faith in
more than the next award. From DP’s Mark
Kiszla: “Imagine the double-takes when, after
finishing a disappointing fourth place in the
finals, Clark said: ‘I love Jesus. It’s more joyful
knowing him than all that snowboarding stuff.
And so being able to snowboard for Him is
amazing.’” And her music of choice during her
biggest Olympics event? Clark rode her
snowboard accompanied by DAVID CROWDER’s
“‘O Praise Him (All This for a King).”
President’s
released on Council
DVD; two-hours
on Service
of footage
and Civic
will include
Participation
hit single
• Gotee
“Der Records
Kommissar”
unveils
• Hello:
twoP.O.D.’s
digital
“Goodbye
EPs with
for Now”
>>>
16 ccm april 06
ccmmagazine.com
CCM_04.06_Insider.v4
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LISTEN TO THE WORD
In the past, listening to the Bible meant flipping through a
whole stack of CDs or audio cassettes—but now the folks
at BIBLES ON DVD (biblesondvd.com) have created a
lineup of audio Bibles on convenient DVDs. Listen to the
KJV, NKJV or NLT. Read along with scripture on your TV
screen and also see crisp photos of the Holy Land. Go to
Chapter and Book with a touch of your remote.
The company has also created Bibles on DVD for kids
and the Bible Challenge Q&A Game.
SO LONG, PA KENT
Following the death of his character on the 100th
episode of the popular WB series “SMALLVILLE,”
actor JOHN SCHNEIDER told TV Guide why Pa
Kent’s death was necessary: “It’s the catalyst that
actually causes Clark to become Superman. Clark
has to fill the void of this tremendous role model
that he’s had in his life. He’s trying to become his
dad in a world void of his dad.” Schneider also
remarked: “I’ve really appreciated the opportunity
on ‘Smallville.’ The [respectable] father figure really
has been absent [on television].”
…DON’T POLLUTE
Hitting theaters in April is the Walden Media
production HOOT, an eco-friendly tale adapted
from Carl Hiaasen’s Newbery Honor-winning
young adult novel. With original music by
JIMMY BUFFET, the film is a mysteryadventure revolving around three middleschoolers who take on greedy land developers
and corrupt politicians to save endangered owls.
FIT BELIEVERS
Get aerobic with the new music video game DANCE
PRAISE (Digital Praise), the premier “Christian-Themed
Dance Arcade Game for PCs.” Dance Praise offers top
hits from Christian artists—ranging from AUDIO
ADRENALINE to 4TH AVENUE JONES to ZOEGIRL—
with lyrics onscreen as you dance along.
With multiple speeds and
settings available, the dance pad
plugs right into the USB port of a
Windows or Macintosh
computer so anyone
in the family can start
dancing right away.
SOUND ADVICE
AUDIO ADRENALINE’S
This month
front man Mark Stuart reviews
The Phantom of the Opera DVD.
THE PAST TWO TO THREE YEARS have seen pop culture and the silver
screen infiltrated by a literal barrage of adapted theatrical productions.
The success of projects such as Chicago, RENT and newly released The
Producers follows the new trend of classical theater permeating our
seemingly shallow, over-sponsored and sound bite driven lives.
That said, we arrive at Andrew Lloyd Weber’s timeless contribution to
theater-—and now cinema-—The Phantom of the Opera. A hauntingly
beautiful story of love, loss and the journey of the human heart, Phantom
is a must-see for people of all ages and persuasions.
Gerard Butler (the Phantom) leads
an amazingly talented cast of
singers/actors. As the resident ghost
of Opera Populaire—Paris’ most
prominent late 1800s venue—the
Phantom is a musical genius of the
highest level. The Phantom secretly
loves Christine Daiea (Emmy
Rossum) a young chorus girl with a
heavenly, almost Siren-like voice.
Patrick Wilson plays Raoul,
Christine’s childhood love and new
benefactor of the Opera Populaire.
The tormented triangle of passion
and attraction that is woven leaves
you wondering who should win the
young woman’s heart for all time.
The acting is good; the singing is divine; and the story speaks for
itself based on longevity alone. The most attractive feature of this
movie was the stunning accuracy used to bring a third dimension to a
stage production. The sets, dialogue and choreography are true to
stage form—just as I remember it from Her Majesty’s Theater in
London’s sleepy West End.
Own this DVD! Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber has packed it with extras
including: the conceptualization of the original play, making the movie,
extra commentaries and a new song written just for the movie version
of The Phantom. If you are a lover of the new musical revolution in film,
or if you are a theater purist looking to explore a new twist, The
Phantom of the Opera on DVD is worth owning, sharing, gifting and
definitely watching over and over.
By the way, go see the play while you can. Don’t be that, “I saw the
movie but will not read the book (or see the play, in this case) person.”
Keep up with the latest “SIGHTINGS” at CCMmagazine.com.
”>
Goes No. 1 on MTV’s TRL in February, making it the band’s 4th No. 1 MTV clip • Cashback: Rolling Stone
ccmmagazine.com
april 06 ccm 17
>>>
CCM_04.06_List.v4
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4
6
1 235
12 9 8
17
13
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19 11 16
15
*
arched” musings
A compendium of arguably useless and “rese
20
-O-Rama
st
Li
M
C
C
S
U
IO
IC
-L
-A
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V
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Chris Wel
4
YOU LIKE ME, YOU REALLY LIKE ME:
5 BIG WINNERS IN GMA HISTORY
As any self-respecting Christian music fan knows (and, frankly, so do most of
the self-loathing ones), the Christian music industry comes together once a
year for Gospel Music Association Week. The 37th Annual GMA Music
Awards will be held April 5 and televised in national syndication April 15 to
May 21. In that spirit, here are five artists who have made that trip to the
podium again and again and again…
JAMES BLACKWOOD
1.
2.
With seven Doves for “Male Vocalist of the
Year,” Southern Gospel music legend James
Blackwood (1919-2002) ties for the most
awards in this category with—you guessed it—
Steven Curtis Chapman. Not that the two
gentlemen ever had to arm wrestle for it: Mr.
Blackwood won his between 1969-1975,
whereas Mr. Chapman won his between the
years 1990-2000.
4.
THE IMPERIALS
3.
STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN
In the categories of “Artist of the Year” and
“Songwriter of the Year,” Steven Curtis
Chapman has been loaded down with more
trophies than anyone else (six and nine,
respectively). In fact, all told he has
collected an unbelievable 49 Dove
Awards—more than any artist in history.
With three nominations for the upcoming
awards, he could very well pass the 50trophy mark this month.
There was a time there when
contemporary Christian music fans
wondered whether “Female Vocalist of
the Year” should be renamed “The Sandi
Patty Award.” Ms. Patty won an
astounding 11 consecutive times in this
category—from 1982 through 1992.
If you combine the stats for “Group of the
Year” (which has only existed since 1981)
with the proto-category “Male Group of the
Year,” legendar y gospel group The
Imperials has been awarded no fewer than
eight times between 1969 and 1983.
Special shout-out to the Speer Family, who
won “Mixed Group of the Year” eight times
from 1969-1977.
BROWN BANNISTER
In the “Producer of the Year” category, which has only existed since 1994, the prolific Brown
Bannister has been awarded five times. And he’s hardly finished: in this year’s nominations,
he is up seven more times, including once more for “Producer of the Year.”
WAYS TO MAKE THE GMA AWARDS
MORE INTERESTING
(1) Less emphasis on who gets the most votes, more
emphasis on who’s wearing the best rub-on tattoo.
(2) Before accepting awards, winners must each
successfully race through the Gauntlet of Death
and Marshmallows.
(3) Have everyone dress up as his or her favorite
Charles Dickens character. Or robot.
>>>
SANDI PATTY
5.
PRANK DISASTERS
1.
The time we almost got kicked out of the “Star
Trek” convention. (We thought the Cylon
costumes were funny.)
2.
3.
The time I pretended to be a garbage collector
and got stuck working the whole route.
The ol’ “fake pink slips” gag of 2002.
(My boss decided to honor mine.)
Novelist Chris Well has never won a GMA Music Award. Of
course, he has never recorded any music, so his bitterness in
this matter is unwarranted. On a lighter note, you can pick up
Chris’ new book, Deliver Us from Evelyn now.
reports Johnny Cash’s family discovers “revelatory, stripped-down” never released recordings by Cash
18 ccm april 06
ccmmagazine.com
>>>
CCM_04.06_IndBeat_v4
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1:34 PM
Page 20
K
industrybeat
A conversation with
Mark Funderburg
by Jay Swartzendruber
consumer. In all of this, we continue to work diligently to keep retail strong, as
well, by helping retailers embrace new technologies, such as VMI [Vendor
Managed Inventory] and enhanced POS [Point Of Sale] systems.
Are there some key ways that Word Distribution, itself, has already
changed strategically during the past couple years?
We have made a conscious effort to bring family entertainment into our
business strategy. Our long-term relationship with Big Idea and new
partnerships with 20th Century Fox and Warner Home Video have allowed us
to offer quality family films to share with the CBA marketplace. This
diversification between audio, video and print music separates us strategically
from our competitors.
When you look ahead to the rest of 2006, what few releases do you
expect to be the strongest for Word Distribution?
Mark His Word
Mark Funderburg has been the president of Word Distribution since 1993.
While he landed his first “real” job at Musicland, he went on to work five
years for General Electric as a design engineer before joining Baker Book
House, where he grew their Christian music sales from zero to 30 percent.
He was eventually hired by Sparrow Records as a field sales representative
in Chicago, where he began working his way through the sales division,
becoming a regional manager and working with national accounts. He moved
to Nashville in 1991 to lead the sales and distribution marketing division for
Sparrow (now EMI-CMG). He served as Sparrow Distribution’s Vice President
of Sales & Marketing until taking his current position at Word.
As Word Distribution’s president, Mark oversees product distribution for
all the companies Word represents, including Word Records, Myrrh Records,
Maranatha!, Vineyard, Big Idea Productions (home of VeggieTales), Fervent
Records, Word Music (Word’s print music division), Curb Records, 20th
Century Fox Home Entertainment, Warner Home Video, Elektra/Atlantic,
Floodgate Records, Spring Hill Music, Taseis Media Group/LKS, Daywind
Music, Centricity Records and Indelible Creative Group.
How did you first become a fan of Christian music?
I have been a fan and serious collector of music and films for many years. I have a
collection of over 10,000 projects. Although I had grown up in the church, I had a bit
of a diversion from this upbringing in my mid-teens. After years of straying from the
values I had been raised by, I returned to the Lord in my mid 20s. A neighbor
introduced me to some music that he thought would help as I found my way back to
the faith of my youth. Some of the bands and artists that inspired me at that time
included The Imperials, Farrell & Farrell, Chris Christian, Dallas Holm and Don
Francisco. I began producing a radio program on WJQK in Holland, Mich., called
“Joyful Noise,” featuring Christian music I could identify with, such as DeGarmo &
Key, REZ Band, Randy Stonehill and White Heart, to name a few.
Looking back on your career thus far, is there a personal
accomplishment that stands out most for you?
While at Sparrow in 1990, I was honored to receive an award from the CBA
(Christian Booksellers Association) for “Salesman of the Year.” At that time, this
award was given to one salesman across all facets of the industry including
books, gifts and music. I was the first music salesman to receive this honor.
Do you see the look of larger distribution companies such as Word
changing over the next three to five years due to modern technology
and the way fans are choosing to buy their music?
Yes, it’s really changing so quickly now, and we as a company are embracing the
digital and ringtone world by exploring new avenues in delivering music to the
>>>
We are excited about all of our labels delivering strong releases and new artists
throughout 2006. Selah’s new duets project will make an impact later this
summer. This sincere, missions-minded trio connects with listeners and the
church on an astounding level. Furthermore, we anticipate continued attention for
BarlowGirl with even more media exposure, thanks to the efforts of Fervent
Records and Word Label Group, as well as with added support from Warner
Brothers. This label group has built a strong team and is guaranteed to launch
several breakout acts in the market this year along with hits from established
artists such as Building 429, Salvador, Amy Grant and Big Daddy Weave. Natalie
Grant continues to build momentum off
what many are calling the best song of
2005, the hit single, “Held.” Finally, we
have some wonderful new films coming
down the pike from 20th Century Fox
based on bestselling books by Frank
Peretti and Ted Dekker.
A Day Behind the
Scenes with Mark
6:00 Wake up
8:00 “My time”
8:15 Drop my daughter off at school
(best part of day!)—listen to
XM satellite radio on drive in
8:30 Answer emails/begin
scheduled calls
10:30 Christian Music Trade Assoc.
plans for next board meeting
11:00 Meet with artists or labels
12:00 A&R lunch/artist showcase
2:00 Staff meeting with direct
reports
4:00 Executive team meeting with
Jim Van Hook (CEO, Word
Entertainment)
6:00 Wrap up calls & emails
6:30 Drive home—listen to new
CDs from company
7:00 Dinner at home and down
time with family
9:00 Exercise/swim
10:00 Andy Griffith on UPN
10:30 Review next day & listen to
music to fall asleep
“No Broken Bones”
“As a representative for Sparrow, I was
attending the Cornerstone Festival in
1984 and happened to be on stage when
Steve Taylor was entertaining the crowd
with his usual enthusiasm,” says Mark
Funderburg, recalling a favorite memory.
And that’s when he saw it—Taylor’s most
notorious moment on stage. The highly
energetic singer was making his usual jump
off the stage during the song “Meat the
Press,” when, just as he launched himself,
he noticed a child had snuck under the rope
that kept the crowd back. In a midair
attempt to avoid landing on the boy, Taylor
adjusted his feet in such a way that he
landed awkwardly and broke his ankle. He
then crawled up the scaffolding back to the
stage and hopped on his left foot through
the rest of the set and an encore.
“[After he jumped], it took me a minute
to realize he wasn’t on stage before
several of us rushed to his rescue,” says
Mark. “Before we knew it, we were
accompanying him to the hospital. We
thought it would amuse him to poke fun at
the situation and had a custom shirt
made for him that parodied his ‘No
Clones’ tour shirts.”
[CCM Trivia: The young boy that Steve
Taylor narrowly dodged was none other
than the son of CCM’s longtime
contributing writer Brian Quincy Newcomb!]
from the early ‘70s; two-CD collection (49 songs!) titled Personal File to release in May.
20 ccm april 06
ccmmagazine.com
CCM_04.06_WritersBlock.v3
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thewriter’sblock
by Matthew West
facing a battle with cancer. One night at that old
chapel, Mark began writing that song. He described
to me what happened: “As I was writing, I began
second guessing myself, thinking, ‘Who am I to
write a song about this? I don’t have cancer, and I
couldn’t possibly know what it’s like!’”
He left the chapel frustrated and at a loss for
inspiration. But, later that night, Mark felt compelled
to go back to the chapel and write that song. “I sat
back down at the same piano, and the song just
began flowing out of me,” he remembered. After a
second time around, Mark found the inspiration to
write a song that has gone on to touch countless lives.
There’s a story in the Bible about some guys who
were having a hard time finding inspiration. They
weren’t songwriters. They were fishermen, and they
couldn’t find any fish. One day, Jesus had a little
SONGWRITING TIP #21:
WHEN YOU CAN’T
FIND INSPIRATION,
GO DEEPER.
GONE FISHIN’
WHEN MATTHEW WEST CONNECTS WITH SINGER/SONGWRITER MARK
SCHULTZ, THE GOAL IS INSPIRATION…
t is buried in the chapters of a book. It is covered under a conversation with a stranger. It’s riding on the
subway and hiding in the headline of the morning paper. It is living in the line of a movie. “IT” is everywhere
but still so hard to find. Inspiration is the elusive necessity that every songwriter craves. The life support
for the heart of a song. Inspiration is the deciding factor for whether that fresh, new sheet of paper gets dirtied
up with words and ideas today or left blank with a pencil by its side. Inspiration is everything to a songwriter.
So, what happens when a songwriter can’t find any inspiration? Well, what happens when Lance
Armstrong can’t find his bicycle? When Seinfeld can’t find his sense of humor? What happens when
Wolfgang Puck can’t find his taste buds? Nothing happens, that’s what…See, when you can’t find the
inspiration to do what you do, well, it’s pretty hard to do it.
I hooked up with singer/songwriter MARK SCHULTZ the other day to write a song. (Sometimes, in the
search for inspiration, two heads are better than one.) I met him in a beautiful old chapel in Nashville. That’s
where he always writes. As I stepped through the door, I saw the light sliding through the stained glass
windows, resting on the old wooden pews, and I heard the notes from the piano filling the chapel from floor
to ceiling. Talk about inspiring! In his career as a recording artist, Schultz has penned many No. 1 songs.
So, I asked him for his thoughts on this crazy little thing called inspiration.
He said, “I think songwriting is like fishing.”
Come again?
“Yeah, you know. You go fishing, and sometimes you catch something. But, sometimes you don’t.”
He went on to give me a powerful example. Mark’s song, “He’s My Son,” was inspired by a boy who was
I
talk with Simon. He said, “Go out where it is deeper,
let down your nets, and you will catch many fish.”
Simon was tired. They had just finished a long night
with no luck and no fish. So, he responded to the
Maker of the fish, “We worked hard all last night
and didn’t catch a thing.” Reluctantly, Simon took
the boat back out and did as Jesus said. And what
do you know? They caught so many fish their boat
started to sink!
Are you having a hard time finding inspiration
today? Maybe you’re struggling to find the
inspiration just to get out of bed in the morning.
The Lord knows, we all have those days! The next
time you go fishing for inspiration and come up
empty, remember Jesus’ words, “Go deeper.”
Look to the One who made you. Let Him guide
you. Let His love inspire you! When you do, you
will write the song of your life. A life in Christ is a
life filled with inspiration. Now, go deeper and
catch some fish!
P.S. I’m having no shortage of inspiration these days
as my wife and I celebrate the arrival of our little girl,
Luella Jane West. I call her “Lulu,” and I’ve never been
more amazed by the wonderful, intricate design that
only God could create! If you want to see pictures of
Lulu, you can check them out at matthewwest.com.
New dad and Universal South singer/songwriter Matthew West has found inspiration time and again writing songs recorded by Natalie Grant, Joy Williams,
Point of Grace and Rascal Flatts, among others. His latest album, History, released in June 2005. For more information visit matthewwest.com.
22 ccm april 06
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paulcolman’s onestowatch
THE LONELY HEARTS—which evolved from Tooth & Nail act
Holland—may have borrowed part of its name from a classic Beatles
record, but this is most certainly an American band. Comprised of
principal songwriter Will Holland (vocals/guitar/keyboards), his brother
Josiah Holland (vocals, bass), Jeremy Brannon (guitar), Timothy “Yogi”
Watts (drums) and Steven Barlow (guitar), The Lonely Hearts fought
hard through early influences to discover a fresh sound all its own. The
band’s songs are unpretentious, melodic and thoughtful, performed by
musicians who obviously believe in the songs and their messages.
Reviews of the debut record, The Paper Tapes (Tooth & Nail),
which released last month, have been glowing. For more information,
visit thelonelyheartsmusic.com and myspace.com/thelonelyhearts.
PAUL: Your name is obviously a nod to The Beatles, but you do have
your own distinct sound. Tell us how you found it.
WILL: Our name ended up being one we simply all agreed on. I wanted
something solid and fairly timeless sounding. I thought things like,
“What would Hank Williams name a band?” When it comes to our
sound, I think we started playing songs that we wanted to hear.
Blame it on personal tastes or regional upbringings or on a creative
itch that just needed to be scratched.
Family Force 5
“WHAT’S THE
PASSWORD?”
PAUL: What is the story behind your song “Passive Aggressive”?
WILL: I was really trying to find a stable place for myself during the
time I wrote that song—trying to figure out what kind of man I wanted to be and what kind of life I wanted to live. I guess you could say
it is about the pursuit of a life that contains minimal regrets.
FAMILY FORCE 5, from Atlanta, is all about energy, confidence and its
mission to make relevant, God-inspired music that engages both the
mainstream and the church. FF5’s three blood brothers—Solomon
(a.k.a. “Soul Glow Activator”), Jacob (a.k.a “Crouton”) and Joshua (a.k.a
“Fatty”) Olds—teamed up with Nathan Currin (“Nadaddy”) and Derek
Mount (“Chap Stique”) to create music that, according to their official
bio, blends “OutKast with Rage Against the Machine and Beastie Boys
with The White Stripes.” Their debut recording, entitled Business Up
Front, Party In The Back (Maverick/Gotee), released to mainstream and Christian markets last month. Visit familyforce5.com or
myspace.com/familyforce5 for more information.
PAUL: What is a Lonely Hearts show like?
WILL: We aren’t throwing guitars. We aren’t pounding our fists in the air.
We are sliding on our boots and dramatizing our solos. We are a good rock
& roll act. Don’t expect eye shadow, but do expect a good, tight live show.
PAUL: Is there any specific message behind your songs?
WILL: I’ve always tried to be honest with my songwriting. I write about
life experiences, good or bad. It is nothing new, but it is what has captivated listeners from the beginning of music. Every song is a different
story, complaint, regret, pledge or proclamation.
PAUL: It’s reported that you were chased by several mainstream
companies but would not sign unless they also released you in the
Christian market. Is that true? And if so, tell us why?
SOLOMON: It was important for Family Force 5 to sign with Gotee
because we refuse to deny who we are. We are Christians and from a
Christian background. While our band is a “pop” band, we refuse to
become one of those bands that gets in the mainstream and denies
their faith or tries to act like something they are not. We also felt that
Gotee had the relevance to deliver our music to the Christian market,
and they had experience in working with truly different styles of music.
PAUL: Do you have a different way of communicating your message
in “secular” and religious environments?
SOLOMON: Family Force 5 performs the same passionate, crazy live
show in every venue that we have the opportunity to play. We want
to take the message of Jesus everywhere we go and tear the house
down at the same time!
PAUL: Your new record is entitled Business Up Front, Party in the
Back. What’s going on at the party? Who is invited?
SOLOMON: Ever yone is invited to the Family Force 5 par ty because
this par ty is for eternity! We’re talking about a place where the
music goes all night long, people don’t stop dancing and the road
beneath your feet is made of gold. Talk about bling bling, yo!
That’s how G-O-D rolls!
24 ccm april 06 ccmmagazine.com
The Lonely Hearts
FOLLOWING THE
PAPER TRAIL
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paulcolman’s onestowatch
MAINSTAY is a rocking trio from Minneapolis comprised of lead
singer/guitarist Justin Anderson, drummer Ryan DeYounge and
bassist Dan Ostebo. The band came together as a punk outfit in suburban Minnesota garages and refined its sound to more mature
alternative rock while gathering a considerable following and significant record label interest. Mainstay eventually signed to BEC
Recordings and teamed up with acclaimed producer Aaron Sprinkle
(Hawk Nelson, Falling Up) for its first full-length CD, Well Meaning
Fiction, which released in February. For more information, check
out mainstayrock.com and myspace.com/mainstay.
PAUL: How would you describe your sound?
JUSTIN: Modern Rock. Some have said that we are Switchfoot meets
Acceptance. Others say we are Sanctus Real mixed with Anberlin.
PAUL: What’s the story behind your name?
JUSTIN: Basically, our name comes from the nautical term “mainstay.”
The mainstay holds the mast steady on a boat. It is not a one-to-one correlation, but we view God as holding us steadfastly amidst life’s storms.
PAUL: What’s your new album Well Meaning Fiction about?
JUSTIN: Well Meaning Fiction is mainly a broken-hearted plea for the
Jessie Daniels
JOYFUL NOISE
JESSIE DANIELS is a teenage singer/songwriter from New York City.
She grew up in a wonderfully passionate Italian family and, at a young
age, experienced a faith that was gritty, personal and real. Her first big
idea was to swim upstream culturally and go against the accepted
flow. She started writing songs, made a demo and is the first “faithbased” artist to get signed to mainstream label Midas Records. Her
self-titled debut album, featuring first single “The Noise” (which has
already gone Top 10 at Christian pop radio!), hits shelves June 6.
Check out jessedaniels.com and myspace.com/jessiedaniels for
more information.
PAUL: Apparently you made your TV debut when you were a child? Is
that true?
church in America to return to the biblical truth of the gospel. So many
churches are watering down messages to tickle people’s ears and leaving out the key points that being saved is about repenting of our sins
and trusting Christ to save us. Those are unpopular and unwelcome
words in many churches, and it’s extremely sad to us. An unclear
gospel is not the way to anchor someone’s soul to Christ. If people
don’t understand their desperate need for Christ, then Jesus becomes
a friend to help us through tough times–not a sovereign Savior worthy
of all of our lives. The gospel isn’t about accessorizing our lives with
Jesus, it’s the call to conversion–the call to hate sin and treasure Christ
above everything else.
PAUL: What is the bottom line message you hope your listeners receive
from Mainstay?
JUSTIN: We hope listeners will catch a glimpse of the glory of Christ
so that they see Him for who He really is...I feel so humbled in my
own life about how much I have failed to honor and obey God. And
this record is a call for me to be honest with my own sin and shortcomings, while realizing that Christ’s righteousness atones for me.
JESSIE: I was 11 when I first appeared on TV. I did a commercial for
Lifetime “Television for Women” on child education. It was such a
cool experience.
Mainstay
ANYTHING BUT FICTION!
PAUL: When did you start writing songs?
JESSIE: I started writing songs about three years ago when I first
came to work in Nashville.
PAUL: Who are some of your heroes?
JESSIE: Jesus and my parents—just to name a few.
PAUL: I understand that your label is mostly country artists? What a
privilege to be one of the few faith-based artists they have signed.
Is that cool? Are they supportive of you expressing your faith?
JESSIE: Yup, that’s true. Midas Records has a country division of
many artists and a Christian division which is me. (Laughs) I think
it’s awesome that I’m the only faith-based artist on my label. Midas
is very supportive of me expressing my faith, and they totally understood my vision as an artist and my calling as a Christian. I’m at a
great place with them, and you should expect great things to come!
26 ccm april 06 ccmmagazine.com
Singer/songwriter/author Paul Colman, the former frontman of Grammy nominated and Dove Award winning act Paul Colman
Trio, recently became the Newsboys’ new guitarist. The latest single from his current solo album, Let It Go, is “Holding On
to You.” Colman currently tours, speaks and performs internationally. For more information visit paulcolman.com.
CCM_04.06_Bible_v4
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livingthemessage
by Michael Card
“Many Samaritans from the village believed in
Jesus because the woman had said, ‘He told
me everything I ever did!’”
—John 4:39 (NEW LIVING TRANSLATION)
A Questionable Witness
at the Well
{
39 Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He
told me everything I ever did!” 40 When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay
in their village. So he stayed for two days, 41 long enough for many more to hear his
message and believe. 42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of
what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed
the Savior of the world.” John 4:39-42 (NLT)
Noon was a suspicious time of day for a lone woman to be coming to a well.
The cooler morning hours were reserved for carrying water, and this was a
task which the women of the town always did together. So why was she there
alone in the first place?
Jesus was tired. His feet were tired. His back was tired. And there was an
emotional weariness as well that was weighing him down that day.
“Some water, please?”
The only thing more unusual than a woman alone at the well in the middle of
the day was the sight of a Jewish rabbi speaking to a Samaritan and asking to
drink from her water jar. Any self-respecting Jew would not consider even
touching the water bucket of a Samaritan.
Racial hatred is a bizarre sort of blindness. Individuals, regardless of their
personal qualities, are lumped together and labeled “worthless,” “lazy,”
“deceitful.” It is amazing that even the Jews, themselves the object of so much
racial hatred from almost every other people group on earth, would embrace
such prejudice towards another race. It is a congenital flaw in all of us.
The Samaritan woman is put off, but not completely so, it seems. She
enters into a discussion with the unusually open rabbi. She is puzzled that
He should want to drink from her water jar. Most Jews avoided being touched
even by the shadow of a Samaritan. He asks for so little and, yet, is ready
to offer her everything.
“If only you knew,” Jesus says, “who is asking you for a drink.” “If only you
28 ccm april 06 ccmmagazine.com
knew...” John seems to be saying to every reader of his gospel. If only you
knew who this man is.
“If only you knew,” Jesus says. Then He offers her the water that is alive, the
Spirit, from the depth of His heart. Jesus is not trying to be obscure. In fact, He
is seeking to connect with her by using the objects close at hand. “You are here
at a deep well,” He says. “What if a fountain came to life inside your heart, leaping
with the Spirit of God. And all I ask is a drink, a cup of water.” (Could it be that
this incident was on His mind years later when he promised a blessing to all those
who would offer a cold cup of water in His name?)
“You do not even have a bucket,” she says, as if to write Him off. Her flat,
gray, narrow reasoning comes crashing against the deep, rainbow colored
Wisdom of God. He asks for little and gets nothing. Though He is the thirsty
one, still it is He who offers to meet her need.
“If you drink this water, you’ll be thirsty in a few hours, but if you will only
drink the water I’m offering, you’ll never be thirsty again, not for the ages to
come,” says the still thirsty Jesus.
At last the door opens a crack. “Give me this water,” she says, still not
knowing what she’s asking for. Her tone doesn’t seem completely sincere, and,
yet, it is not completely mocking either.
“Then go get your husband,” Jesus says.
She wonders to herself, “Perhaps He knows why I’m here alone in the
middle of the day. Maybe someone’s told him about the rumors. Is His
question an innocent one, or is He laying a trap?”
She offers the benign response, “I have no husband.”
Whether she meant it to be truthful
or not, the woman has answered
truthfully, and this amuses Jesus.
“Then they said to the
“You’re so right,” He says. The fact
is the woman has had five husbands, woman, ‘Now we believe, not
when even the most liberal rabbi says
just because of what you
the limit is three. But note the told us, but because we have
absence of condemnation in His heard him ourselves. Now we
voice. There is no name calling. This
know that he is indeed the
does not mean she is disqualified
Savior of the world.’”
from receiving the living water. As
—J
OHN 4:42 (NEW LIVING TRANSLATION)
gently as a doctor unwraps a wound,
Jesus exposes her life. There are five
deep wounds from past, broken
relationships, and, even now, there is an ongoing injury, living with a man
whose love will not embrace her as his wife.
She is discovered, uncovered, and the only thing left to do is throw sand in Jesus’
eyes and hope to get away. Religious talk is the grittiest, most irritating talk she
knows. “You disqualify me by saying Jerusalem is the only place to find God,” she
throws in his face. But His concern is relentless.
“It is not your mountain or Jerusalem that’s the point,” Jesus says. “It is a matter
of Spirit and Truth. That alone pleases God. Not my Jewishness nor your mountain.
He loves people who are true, the ones in whom His Spirit is able to bubble up and
overflow. That is the water I’m offering you.”
Her life has been laid bare, and yet she’s accepted. She has tried to
escape, but arms of acceptance hold her fast. There is only one more test.
The Samaritans had a different name for the Messiah. It was “Tahav,” the
Revealer. The subject of Christ comes from out of left field almost.
“I know when the Messiah comes, He will reveal everything to us,” she
whispers to the One who has just revealed everything to her.
“I AM,” He says looking down into her eyes.
Almost all of His witnesses are questionable. The shepherds who first
came to worship Him in the stable were disqualified by society from giving
testimony in a court as were women in general. And now His first
missionary to the Samaritans is a woman whose word was about as
valuable to the people as her empty bucket. It is an expression of His
}
}
CCM_04.06_Bible_v4
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Charlie Hall’s
Invisible Children Ministry
foolish Wisdom, His unlikely strength, that He
chooses unlikely men and women to tell His
unlikely, unbelievable story. So how could it be
that they still come running by the millions to
hear Him?
COMMIT:
Notice that Jesus refuses to
allow anything to stand between Himself and the
woman, not her ethnicity, not her gender and,
especially, not her sin. What is standing between the
two of you?
Ask for the grace to become as relentless in
your relationship with Jesus as He is towards you.
Pray that your life will become the overflowing
spring of the Spirit He promises it can become.
“I wonder, in my life, how many times I
have said ‘no’ to God. I wonder how
many times He would respond to me
with, ‘If you knew Who it was that asked
you...’ We miss out on the blessings and
opportunities that God has for us
because we don't recognize that He is
the one who is asking. We are too busy,
and, like the woman in this story, we
make all kinds of excuses. At the end of
the day, after all of our seemingly
reasonable excuses have fallen down, the
question remains, will you say ‘yes’ to
God or will you deny him?”
— John Cooper (Skillet)
Michael Card is an awardwinning scholar, musician and
radio broadcaster who resides in
Franklin, Tennessee. His new
album, The Hidden Face of God,
releases April 18. This enhanced
CD with a devotional booklet,
features songs of lament. Visit michaelcard.com for
more information.
getreal
{CARRIERS OF GOD’S PRESENCE}
IF YOU ARE A FAN OF MODERN WORSHIP, THERE’S A
GOOD CHANCE THAT YOU ENJOY THE MUSIC OF CHARLIE
HALL. CHARLIE’S HISTORY INCLUDES STUDENT LIFE
TOURS AND PASSION CONFERENCES ALIKE. THOUGH
YOU MIGHT BE A FAN OF HIS MUSIC, WHAT YOU MAY
NOT KNOW IS THAT CHARLIE HAS A HUGE HEART FOR
MISSIONS. AND THESE DAYS, HE IS STRIVING TO CREATE
AWARENESS FOR INVISIBLE CHILDREN (IC), A MINISTRY
CREATED BY YOUNG PEOPLE.
More than a year ago, Charlie and a friend decided to
proactively research mission-minded organizations
out of a desire to create a non-profit of their own that
would help raise money to pour back into mission
work. The results of their research turned up Invisible
Children, a movement started by three young people
in their 20s from California who, in the spring of
2003, took a trip to Africa. While in Sudan, these
twenty-somethings discovered children living in a wartorn town, abandoned, malnourished and sleeping
on the streets. So, they decided to do something
about it and filmed footage while on their trip that
they later turned into a powerful documentary.
Charlie immediately connected with the vision of
these young adults and decided to help promote the
mission of Invisible Children versus starting a nonprofit of his own. “We’re just trying to swap back
and forth and really trying to shine a light on
something that’s already moving—seems like it has
God’s hand on it already,” Charlie says.
The “swap” was a good one as Charlie had
recently written a song based on Micah 6:8, and
after viewing the documentary, he couldn’t erase the
images from his mind. He asked IC if they could
possibly use the song in an informational video. Now,
Charlie uses this 3 1/2-minute video every night
while he’s on tour, educating his fans about Invisible
Children and the kids this organization seeks to help.
In fact, Charlie’s new album, Flying into Daybreak
(sixsteps), fits in nicely with the mission of IC. Charlie
explains, “The message of the record has a lot of the
same reasons why we would support IC, so we’re
basically taking a full message that God’s put in us
and helping people digest it musically.”
Charlie admires these young adults for stepping
up to the plate and stepping out in faith. He says,
“They’re taking something they love—filmmaking.
So, they’re doing something that they enjoy, and
they’re using it to change the world. Doing
something creative…and doing it well and, then,
using it for God’s movement on the earth is a
beautiful thing to me.”
Creativity is the key word. Just one look at the
website, and you will realize that this is not an
ordinary missions effort. The lingo used online
relates to how these self-starters would carry on a
conversation with their friends. Perhaps this is what
makes this movement so accessible and intriguing.
In fact, this is one of the very facets that attracted
Charlie to the ministry. “Even just the look and feel
of it [IC] is just a lot more attaching than a lot of
mission groups out there.”
The goal of these youth is to get their documentary
seen by as many people as possible. Supporters
across the nation are getting behind this movement
by hosting house parties or screenings in their cities.
What’s more incredible is that the Invisible Children
documentary had been shown to the United Nations
Association, at the Carter Center and at the Capitol
Building in Washington, D.C. In addition, footage has
been televised on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” CNN
and the National Geographic Channel.
Charlie is encouraging students he talks to each
night to actively pursue change. “It’s not strictly
about Africa for me. It’s about stepping out and
doing something. We are the ‘carriers’ of God’s
presence and life,” he says.
“I spent many years praying for revival, but I
realize if I had cut my time in half and actually gone
to do a few things, toward people and toward the
world, trying to help make adjustments—even little
ones—even in my city…that’s how God’s presence
in the world moves—through His people,” Charlie
continues. “Even for young people. We may not have
a lot of money, but we have time [and] energy.”
For more information on how you can host a
screening in your city, visit invisiblechildren.com. To
learn more about Charlie Hall and his new release,
Flying into Daybreak, check out charliehall.com.
LINDSAY WILLIAMS
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“ ”
!
MARKS
THE SPOT
WELCOME TO CCM MAGAZINE’S SECOND
ANNUAL ! EXTRAVAGANZA. DIVE IN WITH
US AS WE HIGHLIGHT THE ARTISTS,
MUSIC, TRENDS, EVENTS, ENTERTAINMENT,
ACTIVITIES AND MORE THAT ARE ! IN AND
AROUND THE WORLD OF CHRISTIAN MUSIC.
FROM WHO YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT
AND WHO YOU WILL KNOW ABOUT TO THE
THINGS YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS ENJOY
MOST, IT’S ALL RIGHT HERE!
ccmmagazine.com
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The runaway leader (not only in sales but also through impact) in
today’s faith-based rock scene is, of course, SWITCHFOOT. The
band’s Nothing Is Sound (Columbia/Sparrow) CD topped
numerous critics’ picks lists last year and continues to earn
acclaim. The equally enthusiastic and slightly Southern-tipped
THIRD DAY also came out of the box with a bang thanks to
Wherever You Are (Essential), which made history as the band’s
highest street week debut, landing at No. 8 on the The
Billboard 200 sales chart. Essential label mates JARS OF
CLAY released its popular Redemption Songs a year ago,
which kicked off a stellar run that has seen the band perform
as part of the historic LIVE 8 concerts and the Rev. Billy
Graham’s last crusade, experience profound success with
its “1,000 Wells Project” for Africa and appear on ABC,
CBS, CNN, BBC, MTV, VH1 and other outlets.
Making what is easily the best artistic statement
of her career, REBECCA ST. JAMES recently
recorded If I Had One Chance to Tell You Something
(ForeFront), a return to some of her roots and a
departure from others. As she embraced the rock
& roll of her youth, she made great strides lyrically,
writing songs with an honest vulnerability more
reminiscent of King David’s Psalms.
The increasingly popular BUILDING 429
turned up the amps a bit for its brand new Rise
(Word) record, and, in the process, took a more
personal approach with its songwriting. “One
thing we never realized as a first-year band was
that we have the ability to be influencers of our
industry and be ahead of the world’s curve,”
says B429 front man Jason Roy. “Though it’s
nice to have a Christian alternative to
Metallica—and the people doing that may
have good intentions—the end result is the
art isn’t always up to par.”
SANCTUS REAL, meanwhile, offers The
Face of Love (Sparrow) this month as a
dramatic calling card in the world of real
life rock relevancy. And KUTLESS’ new
album, Hearts of the Innocent (BEC),
impresses, so look for the band’s
momentum to continue. Other acts
going full steam ahead? THOUSAND
FOOT KRUTCH, JEREMY CAMP and
BARLOWGIRL are all on the radar
with recent releases setting the
stage for another round of accolades
and rollicking rock romps.
ANDY ARGYRAKIS
<<
!ROCK
!
POP >>
PUNK
Pop Punk is nothing new. It’s been
around since the late ’70s, and, quite
surprisingly, Christian music wasn’t far
behind in the early ’80s with bands
such as UNDERCOVER and ANDY
MCCARROLL & MORAL SUPPORT. In
those days, it was not a commercially
successful format and was ignored by
the more mainstream labels and fans.
Now it’s the ! genre. Bands such as
GREEN DAY set the tone and brought it
back, but it’s really taken on a more
commercial appeal. And the current flock of
pop punk bands is more popular than ever.
The good news is that Christians are wellrepresented within this genre.
MXPX was the first Christian band to
make a name for itself on the pop punk
revival scene, is still putting out excellent
records and has a good fan base. But
RELIENT K and HAWK NELSON are leading
the current pack. Though released a year
and a half ago, Relient K’s latest album,
MMHMM (Capitol/Gotee), remains one of
Christian music’s Top 10-selling albums,
thanks to heavy touring and major general
market exposure at alternative radio and video
outlets such as MTV. Relient K’s humorous
lyrics, hooks and melodies continue to connect
with a growing fanbase. The band adds a twist to
the pop punk formula by adding BRIAN WILSONinfluenced vocal harmonies and lyrical twists that
sometimes border on novelty.
Hawk Nelson, meanwhile, has enjoyed a hit
debut record, movie and television appearances
and packed national tours. “We play the kind of
music that we like to listen to,” says Hawk Nelson
lead singer Jason Dunn. “We also work hard to give
the fans something they will want to hear over and
over again and sing along with. That’s what this
music is all about.”
There are so many other new bands on the Christian
pop punk scene it’s hard to keep track. STELLAR
KART and OLIVIA THE BAND both have a good buzz,
and the independent to watch is LAST TUESDAY.
DR. TONY SHORE
32 ccm april 06
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Leading the hard music way after its nearly runaway hit We’re Only
Chasing Safety (which was re-released in October with bonus
tracks and DVD) and successful stints on the “Van’s Warped”
tour (which it’s playing again in June), UNDEROATH is releasing
a highly anticipated follow-up on June 20, They Know
Destruction Is Coming (Tooth & Nail). Chris Lord Alge (P.O.D.,
Switchfoot, Green Day) was tapped to add his master’s touch
at mixing. Expect lots more cool keyboard transitions and
accents as well as oh-so-singable choruses along with all the
intense chaotic riffing the band is known for.
DEAD POETIC might make the biggest jump in popularity
and prominence with its forthcoming album, Vices (Tooth
& Nail). The band met up with legendary DEFTONES front
man, Chino Moreno, in Sacramento to craft some songs
that it then wrapped up in Seattle with Tooth & Nail’s
studio mastermind, AARON SPRINKLE.
“We’ve all been fans of the Deftones since junior
high,” explains guitarist DUSTY REDMON, “so it was
pretty surreal, especially in retrospect. We all were on
the same page with him and created and recorded a
song we’re super proud of.”
Vocalist BRANDON RIKE chimes in: “We’ve
been extremely lucky to work with two completely
different producers. Aaron Sprinkle [is] coordinating
the entire album, but also Chino Moreno [brings] to
us a more ‘out-of-the-box’ attitude toward song
structure. It’s extremely important to look at your
music from all angles, and we have definitely been
able to do that with this new album.”
MEWITHOUTYOU, who was recently added
to THURSDAY’s spring tour, should up the
ante of its growing fanbase with its new
album dropping in September.
Other bands that are still riding the long
waves of their 2004 releases and continue
to show up on MTV2’s “Headbanger’s Ball”
and major tours? NORMA JEAN (T&N is
re-releasing O’ God, The Aftermath with
bonus tracks + DVD), PROJECT 86, AS I
LAY DYING and DEMON HUNTER.
And hard music’s breakout newcomer?
Without a doubt, it’s Texas’ own
FLYLEAF. The band’s lead single, “I’m
So Sick,” charted first at Christian rock
radio and then quickly entered the Top
30 of the nation’s Alternative airplay
charts. Simultaneously, the band has
found itself hailed in the pages of
Metal Edge, Kerrang! and Revolver.
<<
!
HARD
MUSIC
!
Of all genres of Christian music,
hip-hop is the one style that still
largely remains the underdog. In
mainstream circles, rap music is a
goldmine and has been for many
years. Surprisingly, and despite the
hefty figures, hip-hop in Christian music
doesn’t get nearly the attention it
deserves. Just to put it in perspective,
TOBYMAC is the only artist who made
the year-end list of Top 20-selling albums
in Christian music—he came in at No.
20—and even he’ll admit his music is as
much rock & roll as it is hip-hop.
Regardless of its low numbers and lack
of promotion, there are a number of
ambassadors bringing awareness about the
genre—people such as GRITS, KJ-52, THE
CROSS MOVEMENT and DJ MAJ—all of
whom are leading a quiet revolution to raise the
banner for this nascent, yet promising, scene.
“I think hip-hop is definitely in a better position
than it was five years ago,” says TERON
“BONAFIDE” CARTER, one-half of best-selling
rap duo GRITS, which sold a combined 120,000
copies of its Dichotomy A and Dichotomy B
(Gotee) albums. “The growth has mostly been
within the talent and the quality of the music. A lot
more attention is being given to production,
packaging and, even, imaging. All of these are
things that are very important in music in general.”
And the industry is finally, but slowly, beginning
to respond as a result…Even before GRITS edged
out ZOEGIRL and AVALON to be named CCM
readers’ “Favorite Group” [“Readers’ Choice
Awards,” February], hip-hop was seeing a gradually
increasing amount of love from—believe it or not—
Christian pop radio. During the past year, artists
such as DJ Maj, KJ-52, 4TH AVENUE JONES and
JOHN REUBEN have been quietly appearing in the
Top 30 of Radio & Records’ CHR charts.
Even so, Bonafide says there’s still much work to
be done and significant inroads to be made. “On the
business side, there’s a little growth,” he adds. “It doesn’t
have the same effect that the general market has on young
people. We need people who live and breathe [hip-hop].
When you don’t have the people who know how to handle
it—people to guide it—when you don’t have those people in
place, it’s always going to be an after thought.”
HIP-HOP>>
DOUG VAN PELT
ANDREE FARIAS
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34 ccm april 06
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<<
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If you have yet
to dive into tod
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scene, what are
you
Christian music
soul? Well, that’s waiting for? A little bit of funk an
d a whole lot of
as good a starting
describe indepen
place as any. An
d it happens to
dent ar tist DAVE
BARNES (daveba
Nashville-based
rnes.com). This
singe
record, Chasing Mi r/songwriter is making a splash
with his third
ssissippi, which de
Top 20 Internet
bu
ted
at No. 19 on Billbo
Albums char t. Ba
ard’s
rn
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also ranks at No
stic ar tis
. 8 among
Then there’s SAND ts!
RA McCRACKEN
Touring both the U.
(sandramccracke
S.
n.com).
has shared her be and U.K. since 1999, this Nashvill
e folk ar tist
autifully crafted so
ng
a growing audienc
e. Sandra’s fourth s and insightful stories to
project, The Build
Architect, is an alb
er and the
um of mostly ori
ginal hymns produ
husband (and IN
O recording ar tis
ced with
t) DEREK WEBB.
deeply moving, yo
Simple and
u just might disco
ve
r it’s the best of
Remember THE RO
its kind.
CK N’ ROLL WOR
meet THE LISTE
SHIP CIRCUS? We
NING (thelistenin
ll,
g.com)—same ba
name. If you’re
nd, new
not already a fan
, that means yo
seen The Listen
u haven’t
ing in concer t. Th
e band’s captiva
show is some
ting
of the best of
modern rock…be live
melodies, hauntin
autiful
g
Listening’s self-title ambience and striking lyrics.
The
d album is now av
ail
able online.
Next up is ALLI RO
GE
RS
(al
liro
ge
rs.com). Those of
who fell in love
us
with the purity
of her voice an
honesty of her de
d the
but album, Alway
s Eden, are eage
awaiting its follow
rly
-up, Day of Small
does Alli have a
Things. Not only
new record comi
ng
soon, she is als
opening for SHAW
o
N McDONALD on
See her website
his spring tour!
for CD and tour
details.
Well-known on the
West Coast, the Wa
of LATE TUESDA
shington natives
Y (latetuesday.co
m) are preparing
release their fou
to
rth album in Ma
y. Recognized for
compelling writing
and beautiful harm
onies, all three of
these ladies sin
g an
throughout their live d play multiple instruments
sh
quirky) coffeehouse ow, creating a warm (and often
vibe.
JOSH GARRELS
(joshgarrels.com)
, meanwhile,
is a Midwestern
ar tist with a uniqu
e sound that
is hard to desc
ribe, although “ro
otsy” and
“organic” would
be accurate. His
gutsy voice
powerfully deliv
ers his poignan
t lyrics. Be
looking for Josh’s
third album, Over
later this spring
Oceans,
and, in the mean
time, pick
up Stone Tree—yo
u won’t be disap
pointed.
KATE Mc DO NA
LD
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!SONGWRITERS
Two words for you: MATTHEW WEST. In addition to
being prolific at his craft, he writes CCM’s
songwriting column, “The Writer’s Block,” each
month. You do the math.
NICHOLE NORDEMAN—So long, status quo. Her
lyrics from her most recent album, Brave (Sparrow),
really couldn’t be a more fitting way to describe
Nichole’s refreshingly honest approach to writing
songs. Rather than relying on the usual clichés,
Nichole’s songs dig deep into the ups and downs of
the faith journey.
Speaking of refreshingly honest, this trait is
probably the hallmark of DEREK WEBB’s songwriting.
His latest disc, Mockingbird (INO), is meant to spark
conversation on the uncomfortable issues that aren’t
often addressed in Christian music: politics, poverty
and senseless tragedy in society are just a few.
What can we possibly say about SARA GROVES
that we haven’t said already? Simply put, her songs
are exquisite reflections on faith that resonate with
warmth and the beauty of simplicity. “I think a good
song names true things and evokes feelings that
sometimes I don’t even know are there,” Sara says.
“In Walking on Water, MADELINE L’ENGLE says that
in writing, the story already exists, she just has to
uncover it. That is the closest thing I have ever
heard to describe my songwriting process—
something akin to lyric archaeology.”
As GMA’s reigning “Songwriter of the Year” for the
past two years and as a recent Grammy winner,
CASTING CROWNS’ MARK HALL clearly knows
something about writing songs that connect with the
masses. “I think a good song is just an honest one,”
he confides. “I think people are willing to listen to
the hard truth if you’re being transparent about your
own life, your own struggles with doubt and fear and
failure. My goal in writing is to confront hard issues
in the life of a believer through the brokenness of my
mistakes and through the forgiveness and
restoration that God has brought about (and is still
bringing about) in my life. The world doesn’t need
any more ‘rock stars,’ just broken people made
whole, telling their stories. All the songs I write are
simply about where we all live.”
Texas’ own CHRIS TOMLIN has quickly become
the go-to guy for congregational worship favorites.
Need more proof than the fact that you probably sing
his songs on Sunday morning? Just check out GMA’s
“Song of the Year” nominees this year—Chris has
three songs nominated, including two he penned.
And the future? You may recall last August’s issue
of CCM. “The Future” is exactly how we described
singer/songwriter BETHANY DILLON. And that she is.
CHRISTA A. BANISTER
<<
3/10/06
!PRODUCERS
This month, specifically, no Christian music producers
are more ! than BROWN BANNISTER, ED CASH,
MARK A. MILLER, OTTO PRICE and VINCE GILL. The
Gospel Music Association has selected these five
exceptionally gifted men as the finalists for 2006’s
“Producer of the Year” nod, and, on April 5, one of
them will walk away with that GMA Music Award.
Miller, who’s SAWYER BROWN’s lead singer, and
Gill may seem like the odd men out, since they
almost never produce other ar tists’ music, but
they’re being honored for their master ful production
on the latest albums by CASTING CROWNS (Miller)
and AMY GRANT (Gill).
But the studio whiz who truly is the odd man out—
as in the odd man left out—that’s none other than
producer extraordinaire AARON SPRINKLE. Consider
the production credits he had which were eligible for
this year’s GMA nominations: JEREMY CAMP’s
Restored, KUTLESS’ Strong Tower, ANBERLIN’s Never
Take Friendship Personal, KJ-52’s Behind the Musik
and EMERY’s The Question (Tooth & Nail), among
others. Sprinkle has become so prolific as a producer,
his versatility at the board is unmatched within the
Christian community.
Think about it…Can you name another person who
helms both critically acclaimed and top-selling pop, rock,
alternative, hip-hop and hardcore albums?
Exactly. But we’re preaching to the choir here. After
all, you, the CCM readers, recently named Sprinkle
your “Favorite Producer” in this year’s Readers’ Choice
JAY SWARTZENDRUBER
Awards. Bravo.
<<
<<
CCM_04.06_[!]Feature_v4
!TOURS
The current hot package tours in the world of
Christian music include alliances between the
rock of THIRD DAY and the DAVID CROWDER
BAND, the pop of CASTING CROWNS and
NICHOLE NORDEMAN, plus the worshipful
CHRIS TOMLIN and MATT REDMAN. And fans of
underground alternative music will want to check
out the “Tooth & Nail Tour,” featuring EMERY,
ANBERLIN, FAR-LESS and THE FOLD with special
guests THE CLASSIC CRIME and JONEZETTA.
With Christian market artists continuing
their crossover to the mainstream at
lightening speed, the number of Christian acts
opening for general market superstars
continues to increase. Consider singer/
songwriter MAT KEARNEY, who first made
waves on Inpop Records and now on
Aware/Columbia. He joins sophisticated
popsters THE FRAY on a club tour this spring.
On a more alternative note, concept rockers
MAE take up a support slot next to MTV
heroes YELLOWCARD, while THOUSAND
FOOT KRUTCH joins TRAPT and STRETCH
ARM STRONG teams with Victory Records’
bands SILVERSTEIN and SPITALFIELD.
In an interesting twist, Christian market
artists with major general market recognition
sometimes find themselves on the road with
mainstream opening acts. Take, for instance, the
recent double bill of RELIENT K and MXPX which
featured relative newcomer to the punk world
RUFIO. And SWITCHFOOT’s red hot jaunt behind
Nothing Is Sound (Sparrow) includes Warner
Brothers signee EISLEY, an ethereal pop troupe
of siblings who has also toured with COLDPLAY.
“The love between the bands has grown to a
heightened level,” writes members’ father Boyd
DuPree on the group’s official website
(eisley.com). “This tour is incredible… Switchfoot
will probably bring down the house. They are
very, very amazing.”
ANDY ARGYRAKIS
3/10/06
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<<
CCM_04.06_[!]Feature_v4
!MOMENTS
WHILE THE PAST YEAR WAS CERTAINLY MONUMENTAL IN TERMS OF WORLD EVENTS,
THERE WAS ALSO PLENTY TO TALK ABOUT IN CHRISTIAN MUSIC CIRCLES. HERE ARE
SOME OF THE MOST ! MOMENTS.
JARS OF CLAY HELPS MAKE POVERTY HISTORY
AT LIVE 8 IN PHILLY
Continuing in its efforts to help the poor, sick and
disfranchised in Africa, JARS OF CLAY joined the
likes of ALICIA KEYS, KANYE WEST, MAROON 5,
LINKIN PARK, DAVE MATTHEWS BAND and more
for the U.S.’s Live 8 concert in Philadelphia on July
2. As a result of the 10 Live 8 events, more than
30 million people from all around the world gave
their names for the Live 8 list that was later
presented to Tony Blair, chair of the G8, by
representatives of Live 8 and the Global Call to
Action Against Poverty.
HAWK NELSON GETS READY FOR YET ANOTHER
CLOSE-UP
While they aren’t exactly veterans on the music
scene, HAWK NELSON has certainly had some
amazing career moments already. Not only were
the rockers named CCM’s “Favorite New Artist” by
the fans, but the band also graced the cover. And
if that wasn’t exciting enough, the boys also made
their movie debut (playing a rock band, no less) in
Yours, Mine & Ours, which starred Dennis Quaid
and Rene Russo.
IS HIP HOP THE NEW ROCK?
Anyone who’s been following Christian music for
very long already knows that Christian hip-hop
doesn’t usually receive the attention it rightly
deserves. And that’s exactly why this year’s Grammy
nominations in the “Best Rock Gospel Album”
category were so surprising as three hip-hop acts
(GRITS, FRESH I.E. and THE CROSS MOVEMENT)
were nominated alongside AUDIO ADRENALINE and
DAY OF FIRE. And while AudioA took home the
Grammy gold, it was awesome to see Christian hiphop finally get some props—though some, including
this magazine, took issue with the awkwardness of
hip-hop landing in a “Rock” category.
ARTISTS RESPOND TO HURRICANE KATRINA
Immediately after Hurricane Katrina rocked the
southern coast of the United States, the
Christian
ar tist
community
responded
immediately and in force. In addition to the
several benefit concerts that were organized,
some artists’ individual efforts stood out. First,
THIRD DAY offered its new album’s biggest
song (“Cry Out to Jesus”) to churches, relief
agencies and fans free of charge for
encouragement and raised thousands of dollars
in concert donations for relief efforts. Then the
NEWSBOYS converted 20 of its own Festival
Con Dios tents into temporary housing for relief
workers in Gulfport, Miss. SARA GROVES and
her husband Troy, meanwhile, loaded up their
tour bus with baby formula, diapers and other
essentials and drove it to Slidell, La., for
distribution.
PETRA HIT GETS TWANG
In a cool but almost as surprising move as when
TIM MCGRAW collaborated with NELLY,
PETRA’s “More Power to Ya” officially went
country as McGraw covered the rockers’ hit
during the first nationally-televised Hurricane
Katrina relief concert.
P.O.D.’S 5 ON T.R.L.
Did you happen to catch the smokin’ five-song
set—yes, five songs—that P.O.D. played on
“Total Request Live” just before the band
released its latest disc, Testify (Atlantic/Word)?
If not, you missed an unprecedented moment
that couldn’t help but make P.O.D. fans proud.
Way to go, guys!
ARTISTS TEAM UP WITH RICK WARREN FOR
WORLD AIDS DAY CONCERT
In hopes of providing further awareness about
the AIDS pandemic, Purpose Driven Life author
RICK WARREN held a conference at his southern
California Saddleback Church to commemorate
World AIDS Day on December 1. In addition to a
prayer service, there was also a free concert that
featured artists of faith such as TAIT, OUT OF
EDEN, LA SYMPHONY, WYNONNA, LINCOLN
BREWSTER and several others.
NOTHING IS SOUND!
In a technological snafu that caused quite a few
SWITCHFOOT fans to get angry, not to mention
the band itself, a copy-protected version of
Nothing Is Sound (Columbia/Sparrow) became
the source of quite a bit of drama. Initially, the
band launched a high-profile protest against copyprotections installed on its latest CD by Sony
BMG label Columbia. Eventually, EMI was forced
to recall a stock of improperly configured discs.
CHRISTA A. BANISTER
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<<
!ARTIST BLOGS
SUPERCHIC[K]’s MAX HSU is one very unique
fellow. You won’t find very many in the music
world quite like him. From his early days of
learning the ropes of programming by interning
in the studio so he could work solo in the wee
hours of the morning to his mentoring of
fellow bandmates, he knows the ins and outs
of the music studio like few others.
A man of many talents, Max also dabbles
in photography (check out his photos on this
page) and graphic art and often displays his
work on his blog. He talks candidly about
what it’s like spending so much time in the
studio and the interesting people he
meets there (not to mention the “secret
stories” they tell him about production of
other artists’ albums). He also loves to
spark dialogue about creativity, as you’ll
see from his regular “In Your Shoes”
series of interviews with creative
persons from all walks of life. His
gorgeous, high-res photography and
his forthright, but unassuming,
manner (a recent entry showed off
all 35 rejected album covers for
Beauty from Pain [Inpop], the
band’s latest album) draw in
anyone looking for more depth in
blog reading. Lots of artists’
blogs promise to take you
“behind the scenes,” but few do
it with as much insight into the
authenticity of the creative
process as Max Hsu. Smart,
witty, always unexpected and
offering a singular point of
view you won’t find anywhere
else…This is what awaits
you at maxwax11.com.
MAX HSU
ROBIN PARRISH
BLOG-O-RAMA:
TRY THESE OTHER FUN
BLOGS ON FOR SIZE...
Carolyn Arends: carolynarends.com/cgi-bin/cablog/blogger.cgi • Dale Baker (Sixpence alumnus):
dalebakerdrummer.com/my_weblog/ • Ceili Rain: ceilirain.com/weblog/ • David Crowder: xanga.com/home.aspx?user=emprise34
Randall Goodgame: infuzemag.com/staff/randall/ • Shaun Groves: readshlog.blogspot.com • Chad Jarnagin (Among Thorns): chadjarnagin.blogspot.com/
Mark Lee (Third Day): marklee.typepad.com • Leigh Nash: myspace.com/leighnash • Andrew Osenga (Caedmon’s Call): caedmonscall.net/osenga/
Chris Rice: chrisrice.com/blog/blog.php • Terry Scott Taylor: myspace.com/terryscotttaylor • Jeremy Thiessen (downhere): jeremythiessen.typepad.com/
Third Day: thirdday.blogs.com/ • ZOEgirl: blog.myspace.com/zoegirlonline
38 ccm april 06
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!MOVIES
<<
<<
CCM_04.06_[!]Feature_v4
<<
Within a matter of months, faith-based ideologies
made their voices heard at the cinema in
revolutionary ways that were subtle yet powerful—
profound but not fanatical. Put simply, the world at
large got to see what real Christians look like, and
they found out that we look nothing like the overthe-top activists and televangelists that many like
to think of us as being.
WALK THE LINE portrayed the life of a damagedgoods JOHNNY CASH, an innately talented man
with a lifetime full of mistakes but, ultimately, a
profound sense of his own depravity and need for
redemption. THE GOSPEL gave KIRK FRANKLIN a
chance to strut his stuff on the big screen while
giving a realistic portrayal of the modern “black
church.” Likewise, STEVE TAYLOR’s THE SECOND
CHANCE deftly took us on a heartfelt tour of the
racial differences that tend to separate God’s
people. END OF THE SPEAR (despite the endless
need some feel for fostering controversy regarding
its top star) took the familiar missionary story from
Beyond the Gates of Splendor and, intriguingly,
showed it from the Waodoni tribe’s point of view.
But perhaps the most “Christian” film of the year
was the one in which God was never mentioned at
all. For the first time ever, THE CHRONICLES OF
NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE
WARDROBE depicted a fully realized Aslan, the
great lion from C.S. LEWIS’ epic fantasy world. His
sacrifice, honor and raw power were the most
faithful, genuine representations of the divine that
Hollywood has ever delivered. ROBIN PARRISH
!TELEVISION
Who would have thought that HAWK NELSON, a
band few of us had ever heard of just a few
years ago, would be selected by the producers
of “American Dreams” to portray British icons
The Who on camera? Yet the boys pulled it off
without a hitch, and after seeing them in action,
it was obvious why they were chosen—there
was a certain soul symmetry between the
youngsters and the legends that was as
impossible to ignore as it was unlikely.
AMY GRANT’s “Three Wishes” took a page
from the most “Christian” show on TV, “Extreme
Makeover: Home Edition,” and ran with it. The
show’s inspired method of pitching a tent in
Hometown, USA, week after week and getting to
know the natives and their biggest needs
personified the Great Commission in creative
ways we’ve never seen before on television.
Though NBC gave up on it (after introducing it in
the Friday night schedule’s “death slot”), here’s
hoping its new home on CMT’s cable channel
provides solid room to grow for years to come.
KIRK
FRANKLIN’s
achingly
honest
appearance on “Oprah” brought to light a
heretofore underpublicized addiction to
pornography in Franklin’s past. More importantly,
it gave an intelligent, unpretentious voice to a
secret sin that haunts so many men (and
women) in the 21st century.
In a year when the outrageous and the
depraved garnered the most attention, bravo to
Christians in television for showing that morals
and virtues really do still matter.
ROBIN PARRISH
!BOOKS
An obvious nod should go to the increasingly
influential DONALD MILLER (Searching for God Knows
What) and his Blue Like Jazz (Nelson), which took this
year’s “Favorite Book” award in CCM’s Readers’
Choice Awards (February). And some of the other
most noteworthy books in the world of publishing?
In, perhaps, one of the most star tling
turnabouts in recent times, ANNE RICE has rediscovered God, so to speak. Rice, who, until now,
has spent her career chronicling the likes of
vampires, witches, and worse, released Christ the
Lord: Out of Egypt (Knopf) in November to
widespread acclaim and curiosity. “I promised,”
says Rice, “that from now on, I would write only for
the Lord.” Take that, Lestat!
FRANK PERETTI’s second novel-turned-motion
picture, The Visitation (WestBow Press/Thomas
Nelson), just released on DVD in February. Not to
be outdone, TED DEKKER’s novel THR3E (WestBow
Press/Thomas Nelson) is currently in production for
a big screen release later this year. Interestingly
enough, both films were directed by ROBBY
HENSON (The Badge) and produced by RALPH
WINTER (X-Men, Fantastic Four, Planet of the Apes).
Meanwhile, Peretti and Dekker have paired up to
co-author the novel House (WestBow Press/
Thomas Nelson), which is in stores this month.
And, don’t worry folks, this joint project is packed
with all the thrills, chills, and things that make you
go “hmmm…” that you’ve come to expect from this
dynamic duo! Not a big reader? All those pesky
words get in the way of your enjoyment? Never fear!
A movie version of House is slated to begin filming
later this year!
Forgive us if you feel we’re a bit partial, but we
must also toot our own horn here. CCM’s very own
CHRIS WELL saw his debut novel, Forgiving Solomon
Long (Harvest House), named to the Top 10 Christian
Novels list from Booklist magazine. How big of a deal
is that? Booklist is published by the American Library
Association. You’ll be pleased to know you can pick
up Chris’ sophomore release, Deliver Us from Evelyn
(Harvest House), in stores now!
The hear t-wrenching, feel-good, made-for-TV
movies keep on coming from JANETTE OKE! “Love’s
Long Journey,” the third small screen adaptation of
her Love Comes Softly (Bethany House) series, aired
to a massive and eager audience last December on
the Hallmark Channel and is newly available on DVD.
Oke’s books have sold over 30 million copies, and
the Hallmark movie versions continue to thrive with
“Love’s Long Journey” premiering at #1 on the
Hallmark Channel and ranking overall as the
KRISTI HENSON
network’s #1 film of all time.
HAWK NELSON as The Who (pictured with Brandy)
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NATALIE GRANT
1. Mission trips
2. Anything made by Apple/Mac
3. Mat Kearney
4. “24”—the best TV show ever
5. Girls who are smart
HECTOR CERVANTES (CASTING CROWNS)
1. Apple Powerbook
2. Xbox
3. PSP (PlayStation Portable)
4. Starbucks anything
5. iPod
JOHN COOPER (SKILLET)
1. Skillet’s 7th release!!!
2. Ron Luce’s Battlecry for a Generation
(battlecry.com)
3. Season 5 of the show “24”
4. X-Men 3 baby!!
5. My teeth being straight
JASON DUNN (HAWK NELSON)
1. The Calgary Flames
2. Goldfinger
3. Prince Edward Island
4. Dumb & Dumber
5. Harvey’s
BETHANY DILLON
1. “In His Presence” by Clint Brown
2. Rob Bell’s NOOMA films
3. Black Cherry Vanilla Coke
4. Gospel for Asia
5. Ella Fitzgerald
KALEL (PILLAR)
1. Subway
2. Eragon and Eldest by Christopher Paolini
3. Working out
4. The Third Secret by Steven Berry
5. Wireless Internet
AVALON
1. Babies
2. “Lost”
3. “Law and Order”
4. Diet Pepsi
5. In & Out Burger
AARON SPRINKLE
1. Fly fishing
2. Hayao Miyazaki
3. Oswald Chambers
4. My wife and son
5. My kitchen
RYAN CLARK (DEMON HUNTER)
1. Walk the Line
2. The band Soilwork
3. U.S. Armed Forces
4. Leather wrist cuffs
5. TV’s “Prison Break”
40 ccm april 06
ccmmagazine.com
!
TOP 5
<<
LISTS >>
WHAT DO YOUR FAVORITE
ARTISTS THINK IS !
THIS YEAR?
CHECK IT OUT.
KJ-52
1. Caffeine (the many forms that it comes in,
i.e., Red Bull, Starbucks, etc.)
2. Mac products (be it G5s, iBooks, iPods,
iChat, pretty much anything with “i” in front of it)
3. Podcasting (video and audio journaling...
I’m addicted to it.)
4. Stupid movies (Napoleon Dynamite, “Monty
Python,” etc.)
5. Making an entire record on my laptop while
flying on a plane (Reason 3.0, digital
performer, my iBook and the joy that it brings)
NEEDTOBREATHE
1. Season 2 of “Lost” on DVD
2. iPod Candy—the iPod you can eat!
3. A reality show about people
who watch reality shows
4. Us
5. Humility
DEREK WEBB
1. Non-violent struggle
2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
3. Irish rock star crusaders
4. The Onion radio news podcast
5. Non-violent struggle
DEREK STIPE (MONDAY MORNING)
1. Snowboarding
2. MySpace
3. Jack Johnson
4. Crest Cinnamon Toothpaste
5. Walk the Line
NICHOLE NORDEMAN
1. Fiji Water...I’m not a water snob, but it
seriously tastes better.
2. A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McLaren...
for anyone who suspects that Jesus is more
than a mascot for contemporary Christianity.
3. “Hear Music” from Starbucks...where I first
discovered Madeline Peyroux. Nuff said.
4. IKEA...affordable brilliance for any home.
5. Rhymezone.com…can help “unstick” even
the most “stuck” of lyrics.
CHRIS HUFFMAN (CASTING CROWNS)
1. “24”
2. MySpace
3. Sony PSP
4. iTunes
5. Apple computers
JOE KISSELBURGH & JOSH SHROY (FALLING UP)
1. “Lost”
2. Video iPods
3. MuteMath
4. Sweet tea
5. The Oregon coast
JOSH HAVENS (THE AFTERS)
1. iPods
2. C.S. Lewis
3. Mainstay
4. Chuck Taylors
5. Go Lean cereal
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!
<<
10 NEW ALBUMS YOU SHOULD HEAR
HAWK NELSON
Smile, It’s the End of the World (Tooth & Nail)—If Hawk’s first two albums
were brothers, this one would be the BIG brother!
SHAWN McDONALD
Ripen (Sparrow)—Undeniable proof that there is such a thing as “gut-pop.”
FAMILY FORCE 5
Business Up Front, Party in the Back (Maverick/Gotee)—When was the last
time you heard an album that was so good it was hard to describe?
PLUMB
Chaotic Resolve (Curb)—And we thought we liked her before…
KUTLESS
Hearts of the Innocent (BEC)—The only thing innocent about this album is
the bystanders caught off guard by how good it is…
CINDY MORGAN
Postcards (Reunion)—How could you ask for more?! Put simply, it just don’t
get any better than this!
NEEDTOBREATHE
Daylight (Lava/Atlantic/Sparrow)—You might have noticed this debut band
on our cover this month...Need we say more?
EDISON GLASS
A Burn or a Shiver (Credential)—You might notice this debut band on our
cover some month…Stay tuned for more.
P.O.D.
Testify (Atlantic/Word)—Classic P.O.D. for today’s fans.
SANCTUS REAL
<<
The Face of Love (Sparrow)—They’ve long been considered a band of great
potential, and, with this album, Sanctus Real has arrived.
CCM STAFF
!CERTIFICATIONS
RIAA (RECORDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA) GOLD & PLATINUM CERTIFICATIONS FOR THE CHRISTIAN MUSIC INDUSTRY FROM MARCH
2005 THROUGH FEBRUARY 2006. GOLD CERTIFICATIONS SIGNIFY 500,000+ UNITS SOLD (FOR ALBUMS). PLATINUM CERTIFICATIONS EQUATE TO
1,000,000+ UNITS SOLD (FOR ALBUMS).
GOLD ALBUMS:
JEREMY CAMP
JEREMY CAMP
CASTING CROWNS
ISRAEL & NEW BREED
MARY MARY
DONNIE McCLURKIN
RELIENT K
MICHAEL W. SMITH
RUBEN STUDDARD
SWITCHFOOT
TAKING BACK SUNDAY
CHRIS TOMLIN
VARIOUS
VARIOUS
GOLD SINGLES/DIGITAL (100,000+ SOLD):
Carried Me: The Worship Project
Stay
Lifesong
Live from Another Level
Mary Mary
Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs
MMHMM
Healing Rain
I Need an Angel
Nothing Is Sound
Tell All Your Friends
Arriving
WOW #1s
WOW HITS 2005
(BEC)
(BEC)
(Beach Street/Reunion)
(Integrity)
(Columbia)
(Verity)
(Capitol/Gotee)
(Reunion)
(J Records)
(Columbia/Sparrow)
(Victory)
(sixsteps/Sparrow)
(Provident)
(Sparrow)
WOW HITS 2005
(Sparrow)
MERCYME
RELIENT K
SWITCHFOOT
SWITCHFOOT
I Can Only Imagine
Be My Escape
Dare You to Move
Stars
(INO/Epic)
(Gotee)
(Columbia/Sparrow)
(Columbia/Sparrow)
PLATINUM SINGLES/DIGITAL (200,000+ SOLD):
RELIENT K
SWITCHFOOT
Be My Escape
Meant to Live
(Capitol/Gotee)
(Columbia/Sparrow)
PLATINUM ALBUMS:
VARIOUS
SWITCHFOOT
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!CONNECTIONS
>>
Country music shares
Christian music’s home
base in Nashville, so it’s
natural that there is some
cross-pollination. Case in
point, singer/songwriter WAYNE
KIRKPATRICK has penned hits
for AMY GRANT, SUSAN ASHTON,
ERIC CLAPTON and GARTH BROOKS.
He’s recently produced CINDY MORGAN’s
return, Postcards (Reunion), and a new hit disc for
country act LITTLE BIG TOWN. He also penned
Brooks’ new duet with TRISHA YEARWOOD, “Love
Will Always Win.”
>>
JAY DEMARCUS, formerly half of duo EASTWEST,
is now part of breakout country band RASCAL
FLATTS. And AARON BENWARD (AARON JEFFERY,
solo artist) is part of country duo BLUE COUNTY.
>>
CHRIS RODRIGUEZ, session guitarist and singer,
solo artist, and former A&R guy for Word Records,
is touring in country star KEITH URBAN’s band,
along with former WHITE HEART member/session
drummer CHRIS MCHUGH.
>>
Urban’s not the only one picking up Christian
session players: American Idol KELLY CLARKSON
tours with original SONICFLOOD guitarist DWAYNE
LARRING and keys-man JASON HALBERT. The pair
also produced worship projects for TIM HUGHES
and MATT REDMAN. Session drummer DEREK
WYATT is also in Clarkson’s band.
>>
>>
One of CECE WINANS’ many connections is a
family thing: her nephew MARIO, who scored last
year’s ENYA-sampling hit, “I Don’t Wanna Know,”
produced CeCe’s Grammy winning cut, “Pray.” He
got his start as part of DIDDY’s production stable
and co-helmed MARY J. BLIGE’s smash, “Love At
First Sight.”
Hard-rocking SKILLET scored a major label deal
and impressive sales with its last record, and for
its new one, the band is working with mainstream
producer BRIAN HOWES (Hinder, Closure). Howes
and Skillet’s JOHN COOPER both have similar
musical backgrounds but different views on faith.
But that’s proven a plus: Cooper says that having
an outside perspective on the band’s lyrics has
been a boon. “Instead of guessing how a nonChristian music listener would experience my
lyrics, I can draw from Brian’s reactions. He has
spent so much of his life in the ‘secular’ music
world that he has a desire to be a positive
influence on young people because he has seen
some of the devastation that artists can bring upon
BEAU BLACK
their listeners.”
42 ccm april 06
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<<
CHRISTIAN ARTISTS
CONTINUE TO BLUR LINES,
MOVING INTO THE GENERAL
MARKET’S ROCK, POP, COUNTRY
AND SOUL ARENAS. SOME ARE
OBVIOUS—SWITCHFOOT AND P.O.D.,
KIRK FRANKLIN AND YOLANDA
ADAMS. HERE ARE A FEW LESSERKNOWN ARTISTS MAKING A BIG
SPLASH IN ANOTHER MARKET.
!FAREWELLS
2005 SAW THE SUPERTONES AND PETRA WINDING
DOWN, AND MUCH TO THE SURPRISE AND
DISAPPOINTMENT OF FANS, 2006 FINDS MANY
MORE BELOVED CHRISTIAN ARTISTS SAYING
GOODBYE. THE ENCORE CDS ARE RELEASING, AND
FANS ARE FLOCKING TO CONCERTS TO SEE THEIR
FAVORITE ARTISTS ONE LAST TIME. SO, AS A
TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO ARE BIDDING US ADIEU
IN 2006, LET’S TAKE A MOMENT TO FIND OUT WHAT
THEIR FINAL YEAR WITH US HOLDS…
AUDIO ADRENALINE
For AudioA, the end is
bittersweet. The band
recently
announced
that they are saying
“adios” this year due
to front man Mark
Stuart’s increased vocal
chord difficulties. While
members are unsure what
lies ahead after the last show is played, they are
all certainly grateful for the long tenure of their
band and the times they’ve shared together
through the years. “The reality is this may be the
biggest thing I’m ever involved with,” says guitarist
Tyler Burkum. “I’ve been in the band since I was
17; it’s what brought me to Nashville. I just hope
that the next people I play with are just as cool to
hang out with.” The band will be releasing Adios
later this year as a greatest hits compilation,
featuring two new cuts. They will also be touring
extensively, hitting all the major summer festivals.
And, the guys will be going out on top if their
second consecutive Grammy win, this time for Until
My Heart Caves In (ForeFront), is any indication.
“There’s an overall feeling of excitement just to
finish strong,” Burkum says. “In some ways, it will
probably be one of the sweetest years ever
relationally.” Visit audioa.com for tour dates.
TONEX
Multi Stellar and Dove
award winner Tonéx
started off 2006 with a
shocker, announcing
his leave of Christian
music. On his MySpace
blog posted January 22,
Tonéx said, “After long
contemplation and much
financial and emotional hardship, I
have decided that Tonéx needs to go on hiatus
from the music industry. I have tried very hard to
endure all that I can from being misunderstood to
being down right lied [to], and I don’t physically or
emotionally have the capacity to continue on
anymore under the current circumstances…I don’t
know when I’m coming back.” With disgruntled
feelings about the Christian music industry, Tonéx
claims he doesn’t blame his label, but at the same
time, he feels that no one truly “gets him.”
Disappointed and disillusioned, Tonéx is
completely removing himself from any realm
related to Christian music. Professionally, his
future plans remain unclear. To hear a radio
interview with Tonéx discussing his thoughts on
why he’s retiring from the Christian music industry,
visit kjlhradio.com/tonex.htm.
4HIM
As we repor ted in our
February issue (“Insider”),
vocal super group 4HIM
is in the process of saying
farewell. Along with defining
their individual identities
through solo albums, the
four guys are also actively
involved in their home churches.
Currently, 4HIM is touring in support of its final
project, ENCORE…For Future Generations (INO).
The tour is likely to make its last stop in either
Nashville, Tenn., or Mobile, Ala., where the guys
played their first show. For updated tour dates and
more info regarding the album, visit 4HIM.net.
WATERMARK
As Nathan and Christy
Nockels discussed further
with CCM last month
(“Leaving Their Mark,”
March), the duo will not
be
renewing
their
contract as Watermark
this year. However, the
essence of what they have
spent the past 10 years doing
every night will remain the same—“writing, leading
worship and connecting with people.” Nathan will
continue producing and writing, and Christy looks
forward to staying home with their young children.
The Nockels also plan on continuing to lead worship
at their local church. Go to watermark-online.com
for tour info.
LINDSAY WILLIAMS
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<<
CCM_04.06_[!]Feature_v4
!WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
SOMETIMES IT SEEMS WE BLINK, AND OUR FAVORITE ARTISTS ARE GONE. OTHER TIMES WE TURN
AROUND AND REALIZE THAT WHILE THEY LEFT THE CHRISTIAN MUSIC SCENE, THEY WERE REALLY
JUST AROUND THE CORNER WORKING ON SOMETHING FRESH, UNIQUE AND BETTER THAN ANY OF
THEIR PREVIOUS ENDEAVORS. SOME JUST TAKE DETOURS, UTILIZING THEIR TALENTS IN OTHER
WAYS, PERFECTING THEIR CRAFTS, WHILE OTHERS USE THE TIME AWAY FROM THE SPOTLIGHT TO
REVALUATE THE CALLING ON THEIR LIVES AND THE DIRECTION THEY ARE TAKING BOTH
PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY. SO, HERE ARE JUST A FEW UPDATES ON THE WHEREABOUTS
OF SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS.
BURLAP TO CASHMERE
As many fans may already know, last November
Burlap to Cashmere guitarist Johnny Philippidis
was involved in a serious car accident and ensuing
assault that nearly took his life. Burlap’s front man,
Steven Delopoulos, gives a positive update on his
cousin, Johnny. “We almost lost him. It really is a
miracle. He made a full recovery. He’s on his
feet—playing guitar, playing music. And that really
kind of brought us to want to do another Burlap to
Cashmere record again in a full way,” Steven says.
Though a new record is in the works, it will be six
to seven months before demos are heard and
people “realize” Burlap is back. In the meantime,
Delopoulos is set to release an independent
acoustic project produced by Monroe Jones (Third
Day), a follow-up to his 2003 solo debut, Me Died
Blue (Universal South). stevendelopoulos.com
JENNIFER KNAPP
Sadly one can’t say for sure if or when Jen Knapp
will ever record again. Gotee released a live album
earlier this year reminding us just how much we
miss this woman’s unique brand of worshipful rock
& roll. We’ve been missing her since her last tour
back in 2002. Her return to Christian music
remains elusive—even to Jennifer herself. Manager
Mitchell Solarek says, “Jennifer takes her art very
seriously, and she’s taking a long overdue break,
not even thinking about anything [professionally].
We get a crazy amount of calls about her every
week.” Solarek did mention that Knapp, a true
artist at heart, is always writing and creating art.
During her indefinite break, Knapp has been doing
some traveling as well. jenniferknapp.com
STACIE ORRICO
After releasing a solid debut and then 2003’s
breakout self-titled sophomore album in both the
Christian and general markets, Stacie is currently
writing and recording for her third album.
Energized to be back in the studio, Stacie is said
to be working with great producers and is excited
about her soon-to-be-released project. At press
time, a release date had not been confirmed.
stacieorrico.com
PLUS ONE
After the release of Exodus (Inpop) in 2003, the
remaining three members of Plus One decided
to take an indefinite “break.” At a crossroads of
sorts, Nate Cole and Gabe Combs moved home
to California and are currently living in L.A.
working on music for a new band, Castledoor.
Nate and Gabe will be in the studio this spring
recording, with Johnny Macintosh (Luna Halo)
serving as producer. Castledoor hopes to sign
with a mainstream indie label, although,
interestingly enough, the guys recently found
themselves in conversations with Epic Records.
Personally, both Cole and Combs are getting
married within a month of each other this
spring. For free downloads of some new tunes,
check out myspace.com/castledoormusic.
Nathan Walters, who got married in 2005, is
recording for his first solo record. To listen
to some of Nathan’s demos, check out
myspace.com/nathanwaltersmusic.
Jason Perry, who departed Plus One before
the group’s last album, is currently in the
process of earning his degree in speech
communication with a minor in music. He leads
worship at his local church in Nashville and is
writing for a solo project, gearing up to head
into the studio in the near future. “I still want to
do music. I’m not exactly sure what that looks
like yet, but it gets closer all the time,” Jason
says. He’s also enjoying branching out beyond
music, doing some acting and modeling.
LINDSAY WILLIAMS
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M
THIS YEAR’S
ODE
BY:JOHN J.
THOMPSON
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NEEDTOBREATHE
L
DE
HERE MUST BE SOMETHING IN THE WATER. IN
FUTURE GENERATIONS, THE YEAR 2006 A.D.
MIGHT IN FACT BE REMEMBERED IN CHRISTIAN
MUSIC AS “THE YEAR OF NEW ARTISTS.”THOUGH
T
DETAILED STATISTICAL ANALYSIS WAS STILL BEING COMPILED
AT PRESS TIME (WELL, NOT REALLY), IT SEEMS TO SEVERAL
INDUSTRY INSIDERS THAT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE
“NEW” ARTISTS DEBUTING THIS YEAR THAN ANY IN RECENT
MEMORY. BETWEEN APRIL FOOL’S DAY AND NEW YEAR’S EVE ALONE,
THERE WILL BE MORE THAN 40 NATIONALLY-DISTRIBUTED NEW
CHRISTIAN ARTISTS DEBUTING AND VYING FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SERVICE CCM MAGAZINE IS
SHINING A LIGHT AROUND THE CORNER OF TOMORROW FOR YOU.
THOUGH OUR MUSICAL CRYSTAL BALL IS A BIT CRACKED AFTER
THE NU METAL REVOLUTION A COUPLE YEARS AGO, PUBLICISTS,
LABEL REPS, A&R EXECUTIVES AND EVEN ARTISTS THEMSELVES
HAVE BEEN EAGER TO HELP US BRING THE REST OF THE YEAR
INTO PLAIN SIGHT.
needtobreathe—DAYLIGHT
MODERN ROCK, LAVA/ATLANTIC/SPARROW, APRIL 4
The CCM odds makers are picking South Carolina natives NEEDTOBREATHE
to lead the remarkable freshman class of 2006. The modern rock band
combines edgy ultra radio-friendly hooks with expansive, stadium-sized
swagger. With a unique record deal that starts with the mainstream labels
Lava and Atlantic, and then cross-pollinates into the Christian market via
Sparrow Records, these guys might just have that shot. “I want [the band] to
have the kind of year that Switchfoot or Maroon 5 or The Killers had,” front
man/guitarist/pianist Bear Rinehart says via cell phone on the way to the
band’s first major video shoot in L.A. “I’d be stupid not to have that as a goal.”
There are several twists and inversions that make the NEEDTOBREATHE
story so compelling. Brothers Bear and Bo Rinehart grew up in a strict but
loving and creative Christian home with two dominating cultural influences:
Christian rock and football. The sons of a Christian camp director and pastor,
the boys were only allowed to listen to Christian music for several years.
Bands such as dcTalk, Tourniquet and early Switchfoot all contributed their
influences while, on the football field, both boys became standout players.
But one rare reverse crossover moment would impact the young men in a big
way. In the mid-nineties, one of the biggest names in mainstream rock, Collective
Soul, had one of its records distributed to Christian retail for a short time. To the
Rinehart brothers, then in their mid-teens, having one of their friends’ favorite
bands available to them through the Christian retail world was monumental. “We
thought that was the coolest thing in the world,” Bear admits. “It became one of
our favorite records.” Around the same time, the boys began playing guitar and
writing songs. Through the following years, they would excel at football (Bear
earned top honors at the college level, and Bo was a rising high school football
star who was featured in the 2003 film Radio) and grow as songwriters and
musicians. Their hard work and determination in both areas drove them to the top
of their game.
The disciplined environment of high-level school football left its mark on the
band in no uncertain terms. Brad O’Donnell, the A&R representative for
Sparrow who eventually signed NEEDTOBREATHE, sees that influence clearly.
“When you do anything at that level, you approach it with a certain amount of
intensity and seriousness,” O’Donnell says. In fact, the band honed their live
show over the last several years by videotaping each one and then meeting later
to dissect their performances in detail---a sort of rock & roll version of game
films. Non-stop touring (including a tour with none other than their heroes
Collective Soul), brutal self-criticism and a strong spirit of support, teamwork
and camaraderie have tuned songs and live performance to near perfection.
The Collective Soul experience came back around as the band started to
receive interest from both Christian and mainstream record companies.
NEEDTOBREATHE took a unique route to a deal. Having first-hand experience with
the confines of the Christian market subculture, the band knew that odds were
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HYPER STATIC UNION
EDISON GLASS
ELEVENTYSEVEN
THE YEAR OF THE N
not in their favor to impact the culture at-large from the trenches of the Christian
music scene. “We didn’t want to only have a Christian deal,” Bear explains, “but,
at the same time, we wanted to stay true to ourselves and to kids that were like
us.” The band quickly clicked with Lava/Atlantic in New York, who were open to
allowing the band to negotiate its own Christian market deal on the side.
O’Donnell, who had been interested in signing the band since seeing a video clip
of them on the Internet, quickly grabbed them up for Christian market distribution.
O’Donnell sees nothing but potential in NEEDTOBREATHE, confident that they
will be one of the biggest breakout bands of the year. “When everyone else is
kind of fighting against success,” O’Donnell explains of the current indie rock
aesthetic, “these guys are working their tails off running towards it!” For
O’Donnell, the secret to the power of the band lies in two words. “More than
anything else, it’s about their mission and ambition,” he says. “Those guys—
maybe more than any artists I’ve encountered—have an unbelievable work
ethic and are ready to do anything it takes to have a significant career.”
With three independently released EPs under its belt, firsthand knowledge of
what it takes to make it on the big stage, and a burning desire to deliver its
inspiring and undyingly upbeat message of hope to any with ears to hear,
NEEDTOBREATHE is poised to have an incredible launch and an amazing career.
Hyper Static Union—LIFEGIVER
ROCK/ALTERNATIVE/GROOVE, RKT, MAY 9
The buzz surrounding Hyper Static Union is as loud as a chainsaw.
The Camas, Washington-based band first trickled onto the radar of
the industry one year ago when none other than Third Day’s Mac
Powell started pressing early rough mixes into people’s hands
during Gospel Music Week in Nashville. “You gotta hear this band,”
he said. “This is the best stuff I’ve heard in years!” Powell and his Third Day
compatriots were so impressed by this soul-tinged, funk-laden modern pop band
that they actually started their own production company, Consuming Fire
Productions, so they could sign the band up. Rocketown Records was so thoroughly
taken with the band, they moved up plans to launch a modern-rock imprint, and
RKT Records was born with Hyper Static Union as their flagship signing.
Powell was eager to talk to CCM about his production debut. “It’s unlike
anything in our market,” he says, “and that’s what I want as a producer.” With
a band as successful and reliable as Third Day as your day job, experimental
artistry often takes a distant back seat to delivering what audiences expect.
The off-beat style of Hyper Static Union, however, provides a perfect vehicle for
that musical adventurism. “For me—as a producer and A&R guy—to work with
a band like this that really isn’t like anything around is very satisfying,” Powell
continues. “When something new and fresh comes along, people are excited.”
The eclectic style ranges from classic modern rock to groove-based, off-beat
pop. Breakdowns, hooks and loops aside, though, it is the voice and writing of
front man Shawn Lewis that is the constant focus. Powell’s enthusiasm quickly
lands on the front man himself. “Sean is hands down the most talented man I
46 ccm april 06
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know,” Powell insists. “I’ve worked with him in the studio on this record and on
a worship record that I’m doing now, and the way he sings, plays and writes is
just amazing. The whole band is really strong musically. I’ve seen other artists
backstage watching and just shaking their heads saying, ‘These guys are great!’”
The band’s debut, Lifegiver, hits this spring, and Hyper Static Union is already
scheduled to be at most summer festivals and will be touring constantly.
Considering both the endorsement and monster coattails of Third Day, there’s
good reason to believe this band will be one of the top new acts of 2006.
Edison Glass—A BURN OR A SHIVER
ALTERNATIVE, SPARROW, APRIL 4
One of the most musically adventurous new artists to debut in
2006 is a Long Island-based alternative quartet dubbed Edison
Glass. The band’s truly unique sound blends elements of indie
rock, classic alternative strains of The Police and The Jam, quirky
new wave bits and an overall attitude towards composition that
recalls the better moments of the progressive rock movement of the 1970s.
With top notch musicianship, up-to-the-second relevance and an overarching
spirituality that borders on the sublime, Edison Glass is one of the truly original
and, yet, classic sounding bands you can’t believe you’ve never heard before.
Their debut album, A Burn or a Shiver, features world-class production by a
true indie-rock legend. Brad Wood (Sunny Day Real Estate, Smashing Pumpkins,
Pete Yorn) couches the jams, the wails, the plaintive melodies and the insanely
intricate rhythms in an extremely enticing package. Never indulgent, but always
interesting, Edison Glass ought to generate serious interest in the indie circuit
far outside of the Christian community.
Sparrow A&R rep Chris York is absolutely beside himself over the way the band
has developed. “Musically,” York begins, “I’ve never heard anyone that’s doing
what they are doing. There’s emotion, spirituality and a worshipful heart to their
music. Aside from being very artistic and energetic and intense, there is a lot of
heart behind it. I never get sick of it. I listen to the record over and over.”
With a background that includes extensive musical training at the university
level, years of club gigs and loads of experience leading worship in church,
Edison Glass defies easy categorization. Even while playing the darkest bar, the
band somehow creates a worshipful environment. “They’re coming together as
great musicians who love the spirit of worship,” York adds. “But they are a rock
& roll band, and they mostly play clubs. They bring a rad spirit into those places!”
Eleventyseven—AND THE LAND OF FAKE BELIEVE
POP/PUNK, FLICKER, MAY 2
Ska, Rap-Core, Rave…it has all come and gone. But who would
have expected pop/punk to be the Energizer Bunny of modern
music? When The Ramones are a mall brand and Green Day
elder statesmen, it’s fair to assume that the genre is here to
stay. Flicker Records joins the pop/punk discussion with the
CCM_04.06_NewArtists.v5
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AYIESHA WOODS
PHIL WICKHAM
UNTIL JUNE
E NEW ARTISTS
strongest debut since Relient K’s. Eleventyseven’s And the Land of Fake
Believe betrays the young band’s weaning on MXPX and Blink 182 before
sneaking in subversive new wave influences and then sucker-punching the
listener with lyrics that actually sound like a brain was engaged in the writing
process. Flicker president Troy Vest considers the thoughtful songwriting a
real stand-out for the band. “These lyrics are not what you would expect from
a pop/punk band,” Vest admits. “Social and spiritual commentary are
incredibly evident throughout the record. It’s not just goofy lyric, girly frou-frou
love songs like a lot of pop/punk can be.”
Vest is beaming over his latest discovery. “Eleventyseven is going to hit the
junior high/high school crowd right between the eyes!” he gushes. “Matt
Langston (front man/writer/vocals/guitar) is one of the most prolific writers
we have ever been involved with. He has already written three full records—
after this one was tracked—that are ready to go.” That energy translates to
the stage as well. “They’ve kicked butt on the touring circuit,” Vest continues.
In fact, despite being just two years into their driving career, the band has
been working it out on the road for more than four years.
The thoughtful but ultimately relatable lyrical approach coupled with a
musical palette that includes synths and imaginative arrangements make the
Greenville trio’s debut a real standout.
Ayiesha Woods—INTRODUCING AYIESHA WOODS
POP/SOUL/ROCK, GOTEE, JUNE 6
After nearly two years in production, 2006 will be the year the
Christian music world meets singer, songwriter, pianist, guitarist
and stellar vocalist Ayiesha Woods. Make a note.
One part Alicia Keyes, one part Tracey Chapman, with a little
Tasmin Archer thrown in for pop accessibility, Woods’ gravelly
and soulful voice offers up an eclectic batch of songs, including examples of
pop, soul and, even, rock. With production by David Mullen (Nicole C. Mullen),
Ric Robbins and Otto Price (Out of Eden, GRITS) and Chris Stevens (tobyMac,
Sanctus Real, Shawn McDonald), Introducing Ayiesha Woods is worth the wait.
Gotee Director of A&R Jason S. King says that it’s her versatility that most sets
her apart from the crowd. “She can play in a coffeehouse with an acoustic
guitar, or she can go on tour with Donnie McClurkin and rock the house with a
full band,” King explains. “It’s a very multi-faceted record. She has some nice
R&B tunes--real funky and soulful. Then she has some songs that are way to
the right, like ‘Happy’ which is going to be our first Christian single.”
Flatfoot 56—KNUCKLES UP
PUNK ROCK, FLICKER, RELEASE DATE TBA
annual Cornerstone Festival, Flatfoot 56 has inked a deal with Flicker
Records, and the world is a better place because of it.
Bands such as The Pogues, Flogging Molly and The Real McKenzies have been
flying the Celtic punk flag for decades, and Flatfoot 56 sits right in there with the
best of them. To put the authenticity of this band in perspective, despite their
blatantly Christian lyrics and bold declarations of faith, they routinely win over
“secular” punk audiences across the country—no small accomplishment.
Pounding double-time beats, warm walls of sound guitars, mandolin and
even some bagpipes provide the backdrop for the often humorous, but always
thoughtful, lyrics of this visceral, essential punk rock band.
Phil Wickham—PHIL WICKHAM
ALTERNATIVE POP/WORSHIP, SIMPLE/INO, APRIL 25
Phil Wickham has been wowing audiences for years already.
Recording and releasing his first independent project at the age of
19, Wickham had actually grown up in a house ringing with
progressive worship music. His father, a pastor in San Diego, was
a member of several early Jesus Movement era bands (Parable, The
Way and Love Song). That spirit, though filtered through a very modern Buckley cum
Wainwright style, is clear and resonant throughout Wickham’s stellar debut.
Though not forced into a “worship music” mold, Wickham’s songs are truly
worshipful and emotional at their core. However, a non-believer would likely
find the confessional lyrics challenging and engaging as well. Fans of U2, Jeff
Buckley, Rufus Wainwright, Mat Kearny and Coldplay should definitely check
out the debut by this amazing young artist.
Until June—UNTIL JUNE
ALTERNATIVE/MODERN POP, FLICKER, JUNE 6
“They’re a completely different flavor than the rest of our roster,”
Flicker president Troy Vest offers of the debut release from
Hollywood’s Until June. “It’s kind of in the Aqualung/Keane vibe.”
So it is. Artsy, ambient songs with sinewy vocals, ambling
melodies and plodding, almost trance-like, cymbal-driven
rhythms are delivered with layers of piano, keyboards, clean guitars and
frequently impossible falsetto vocals. Vest seems unconcerned that Until
June may be the least commercial band on the label. “Yes,” he admits, “we
have to think about the commercial viability of an artist before we sign them.
But at the end of the day we have to ask ourselves, is it somebody that we
want to be in business with? Is it someone whose art we appreciate? That’s
how we feel about Until June.”
There’s no school like the old school, and, when it comes to classic Windy
City punk rock with Irish overtones and throaty vocals, there’s no one on the
scene like Chicago’s Flatfoot 56. After years of experience in the toughest
punk venues around the country and of building a ridiculous following at the
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FIGHTING INSTINCT
JONEZETTA
CIRCLESLIDE
JONAS BROTHERS
Decyfer Down—END
OF GREY
MODERN HARD ROCK, COLUMBIA/SRE, JUNE 13
Channeling disappointment, disillusionment, poor choices and a newly
rekindled sense of personal faith and
calling into their sweeping, melodic
hard rock, the members of South
Carolina-based Decyfer Down have already built a
respectable mainstream following both on radio and in
concert. With a sound somewhere in the neighborhood
of Kutless, Staind, Saliva or Sevendust, the band has
toured extensively and shared stages with acts such
as Puddle of Mudd, Breaking Benjamin, Jeremy Camp
and Skillet. “It’s all intense, extremely unusual, telling
and attractive,” says SRE President Jeff Moseley.
“Under that intensity are amazing hearts and a band
of purpose–guys who go about everything they do in an
intense, purposeful and direct way.”
Shonlock—CURRENTLY UNTITLED
URBAN ALTERNATIVE/HIP-HOP, WORD, RELEASE
DATE TBA
A debut Urban Alternative disc from a well-established
independent drops this summer from the completely
overhauled Word Entertainment crew. Shonlock,
known primarily as tobyMac’s “hype man,” dancing
and doing flips on stage, has been recording
independently for years. His edgy, street style is right
in step with artists such as Kanye West and Gorillas.
The Classic Crime—ALBATROSS
ALTERNATIVE MODERN ROCK, TOOTH & NAIL, MAY 23
Another great band from the
Northwest, The Classic Crime, peddles
gripping songs with imaginative
arrangements, strong vocals and
some of the coolest melodic hooks
anywhere. Unafraid of lead guitar solos and actual
singing, The Classic Crime’s Albatross is a
stunningly good debut. With the kind of sound that
earns fans well beyond the Christian music
underground, Tooth & Nail may have their next big
mainstream launch on their hands.
Fighting Instinct—FIGHTING INSTINCT
MODERN HARD ROCK, GOTEE, JUNE 27
Somewhere between classic vocal rock bands such
as Boston or Extreme and the more modern postgrunge fare of Creed, Nickelback or Staind comes
48 ccm april 06
ccmmagazine.com
the bold debut of North Carolinabased Fighting Instinct on Gotee
Records. Cr ystal clear vocals,
scorching Southern-fried riffs and
muscular production by Skidd Mills
(Three Doors Down, Skillet, Sister Hazel) all conspire
to make Fighting Instinct’s self-titled debut
immediately appealing to modern hard rock fans.
The three-piece band brings back everything great
about gear strippin’ rock & roll without pretense,
bombast or a mouth full of mothballs.
Jonas Brothers—IT’S ABOUT TIME
POP/PUNK, COLUMBIA/INO, MAY 2
One of the sure-fire breakout bands
in the pop/punk realm in ‘06 is the
sibling trio the Jonas Brothers from
New Jersey. The positive, upbeat
band with spunky and tightly
produced tracks featuring the incredibly high and
soulful vocals of thirteen-year-old Nicholas Jonas
(think Michael Jackson in the early ‘70s) is tailormade for family audiences. Already garnering
significant support from TRL and MTV as well as
ink in upcoming issues of Teen Vogue and Popstar,
their tight sibling harmonies, boyish good looks
and disciplined format are sure to find their way to
Nickelodeon and Disney films before long.
Jonezetta—CURRENTLY UNTITLED
ALTERNATIVE POP, TOOTH & NAIL, SUMMER
One of the hippest sounding debuts of the year
must be the as yet untitled project from Mississippi
natives Jonezetta. Toggling between edgy rock and
disco-beat pop grooves, the band lands
somewhere in the Jellyfish/Franz Ferdinand/The
Killers realm, which is very cool indeed. Rumor has
it a bidding war broke out to grab up the wellestablished indie band, and signing them cost
Tooth & Nail more than they had ever invested in a
new band. Thus, Jonezetta is a major priority for
the label and is sure to do well.
Circleslide— UNCOMMON DAYS
ALTERNATIVE, CENTRICITY, JULY
Nashville-based Circleslide borrows its name, and
some of its sweeping, atmospheric sound, from
alternative Christian music pioneers The Choir. No,
it is not a Choir tribute band, and, in truth, its
sound is not all that similar to the Grammy-
LIQUID
nominated legends themselves. However, the band
embraces the epic cinematic sound of its
forbearers and has built an impressive independent
following. Recently signed to the new indie label
Centricity Records, watch for its full-length debut to
drop this July and a tour to follow.
Liquid—TALES FROM THE BADLANDS
URBAN ALTERNATIVE/HIP SOUL, GOTEE,JULY 18
From the crime-ridden inner city area
of Philadelphia known as “The
Badlands,” a new artist dubbed Liquid
is about to turn up the heat on the
modern Christian R&B/Urban music
scene. From deep groove to Latin-flavored pop to
straight hip-hop, Liquid brings smooth singing vocals,
fresh and supremely imaginative programming and a
social/spiritual perspective on the struggle of day-today life. Liquid’s is a sound that references Marvin
Gaye, J. Moss, Curtis Mayfield, Usher and John
Legend in a completely fresh new flavor.
Homeless J—THREE SECONDS TO GAZE
ALTERNATIVE, SELECTRIC/SONY RED, MAY 2
Homeless J brings a sense of
literacy, danger and passion to
alternative music in a way few other
bands have. Three Seconds to Gaze
creates swirls of tension and
release, borrowing images from Dante’s Inferno
and sounds from sources as diverse as The Doors,
LSU and Jane’s Addiction. Deeply biblical and
seriously rock & roll, Homeless J presents a
challenging image on stage and on disc. Three
Seconds to Gaze will definitely be a highlight of
2006 for alternative music fans and might end up
connecting on a broad level with the college
rock/alternative scene outside of Christian music.
The Red Letters Project
ROCK, VELOCITY, JULY
A new independent label created by some of the
most experienced veterans in the music business
unveils the ambitious Red Letters Project (the entire
Gospel According to Matthew set to modern and
classic rock) this summer. A full multi-media stage
show is being mounted to tour the U.S. Details at
press time were sketchy, but considering the fact that
the folks behind Velocity can cite first-hand
involvement with the careers of Elton John, Neil
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HOMELESS J
RUN KID RUN
JUDD AND MAGGIE
LIQUID
THE TURNING
Diamond, Kiss, Third Eye Blind, Train, Black Flag, U2,
The Beach Boys, Jesus Christ Superstar and Kenny
Wayne Sheppard, this should be one to watch.
The Turning—LEARNING TO LOSE
MODERN ROCK/POP, RKT, JUNE 6
With shades of Matchbox 20 and
Collective Soul in the background,
Chattanooga natives The Turning
have been getting ready for their
close-up for five years. The
experience shows on their RKT Records debut,
Learning to Lose. Catchy melodies, exper tly
executed pop rock and frequently worship-themed
lyrics all conspire to make Learning to Lose a
remarkable experience.
Fireflight—CURRENTLY UNTITLED
MODERN ROCK, FLICKER, SUMMER
On the heels of stunningly successful years by
female-fronted rock bands such as Flyleaf and
Paramore, Flicker offers the lone “Chick-Rock” band
on our New Artist List. Orlando’s Fireflight brings
muscular guitar riffs, flat out hard rock & roll and
soaring vocals courtesy of Dawn Richardson.
Produced by the legendary Skidd Mills (Sister Hazel,
Skillet), Fireflight’s debut drops this summer.
Run Kid Run—THIS IS WHO WE ARE
ROCK, TOOTH & NAIL, MAY 16
Hailing from somewhere amidst the cornfields of
Illinois is the hooky power-pop rock of Run Kid Run. The
band’s taut debut is too melodic to be considered
pop/punk but is definitely in the Relient K tradition.
Excellent production by James Paul Wisner (Dashboard
Confessional, Further Seems Forever, New Found
Glory) makes this a sure-fire summer favorite.
Dalton—TASTE THE SKY
MODERN ROCK/POP, SELECTRIC, MAY 2
The boys of Dalton didn’t even play
instruments when they decided to
form a band. That didn’t hold them
back for long. Several years later,
they landed a deal with Selectric
Records and recorded their debut at the Sound
Kitchen, one of the best studios in Nashville.
Somewhere in the sonic neighborhood of Jimmy
Eat World, the band specializes in pop rock with
worshipful overtones.
Judd and Maggie—SUBJECTS
FOLK/POP, RCA VICTOR/PROVIDENT, MAY 2
This eclectic brother-sister duo is
one of the nearest things to a new
Inspo or AC act scheduled to
release between now and 2007. But
the beautiful, earthy sound of Judd
and Maggie is hardly Christian radio fare. Having
signed directly to RCA Victor, this talented pair is
now touring with Derek Webb and will soon share
some dates with Jars of Clay.
M.O.C. (Mind of Christ)—GARDEN STATE
OF MIND
URBAN, FERVENT, RELEASE DATE TBA
Another spin-off from tobyMac’s supremely cool
touring band, M.O.C. is a four-member girl group
focused on creating edgy urban music for Fervent
Records. As an indie, the group has already
received radio play, sold a large number of albums
and gotten a ton of exposure through Toby’s
Welcome to Diverse City album and tour.
DecembeRadio—CURRENTLY UNTITLED
SOUTHERN ROCK/CLASSIC ROCK, SLANTED, JUNE
Already hailed by Billboard Magazine as a “Face to
Watch” in 2006, the Virginia-based rockers will
unveil their Scotty Wilbanks (Third Day) produced
debut this June. The first signing to Slanted
Records (the new rock imprint of Spring Hill Music),
the album will be distributed by Word.
The Longing—THE LONGING
MODERN WORSHIP, INDELIBLE, MAY 9
Fans of Delirious and Chris Tomlin will enjoy this
band fronted by worship leader Jason Ingram.
Those fretting the void of new AC talent can
hopefully enjoy this album’s “near AC” moments—
or, as format enthusiasts call it, “Hot AC.”
RED—RED
MODERN ROCK, ESSENTIAL, JUNE 6
Nashville-based modern rock band RED has signed
with Essential Records after two years of
independent work. RED’s self-titled debut was
produced by Rob Graves and releases in June.
The MySpace Factor
MOST OF THE NEW ARTISTS WE’RE PREVIEWING
THIS MONTH HAVE MYSPACE.COM PAGES WHERE
YOU CAN SAMPLE MUSIC, READ THEIR BLOGS
AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THEM IN GENERAL.
IT’S TIME WELL-SPENT, SO TAKE OUR ADVICE
AND CHECK OUT THIS ACTION...
AYIESHA WOODS: myspace.com/ayieshawoods
BERNARD: myspace.com/bernard
CALEB ROWDEN: myspace.com/calebrowden
CIRCLESLIDE: myspace.com/circleslide
THE CLASSIC CRIME: myspace.com/theclassiccrime
DALTON: myspace.com/daltonmusic
DECEMBERADIO: myspace.com/decemberadio
DECYFER DOWN: myspace.com/decyferdown
EDISON GLASS: myspace.com/edisonglass
ELEVENTYSEVEN: myspace.com/eleventyseven
FIGHTING INSTINCT: myspace.com/fightinginstinct
FIREFLIGHT: myspace.com/fireflight
FLATFOOT 56: myspace.com/flatfoot56
FOOLISH THINGS: myspace.com/foolishthings
HIGH FLIGHT SOCIETY: myspace.com/highflightsociety
HOMELESS J: MYSPACE.COM/HOMELESSJ
HUNDRED YEAR STORM:myspace.com/hundredyearstorm
JACKSON WATERS: myspace.com/jacksonwaters
JESSIE DANIELS: myspace.com/jessiedaniels
JIMMY NEEDHAM: myspace.com/jimmyneedham
JONAS BROTHERS: myspace.com/jonasbrothers
JONEZETTA: myspace.com/jonezetta
JUDD AND MAGGIE: myspace.com/juddandmaggie
HYPER STATIC UNION: myspace.com/hyperstaticunion
M.O.C.: myspace.com/moc
NEEDTOBREATHE: myspace.com/needtobreathe
PHIL WICKHAM: myspace.com/philwickham
PIVITPLEX: myspace.com/pivitplex
RED: myspace.com/dropofred
RED UMBRELLA: myspace.com/redumbrella
RUN KID RUN: myspace.com/runkidrun
SHONLOCK: myspace.com/shonlock
THE TURNING: myspace.com/theturning
TWO BARE FEET: myspace.com/twobarefeet
UNTIL JUNE: myspace.com/untiljune
J.J.T.
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FOOLISH THINGS
JESSIE DANIELS
I
Adie (Adrienne Camp)—DON’T WAIT
Tia & Keran—CURRENTLY UNTITLED
MODERN ROCK, BEC, FALL
R&B/HIP-HOP, CROSS MOVEMENT, AUGUST
The long-awaited solo debut from the former lead
singer of The Benjamin Gate will finally see light of
day later this year via Tooth & Nail’s BEC.
This act contributed guest vocals to “Shine Your
Light” on J.R.’s critically acclaimed 2005
debut, Metamorphosis.
Michelle Bonilla—PHENOMENAL Andrea Webber—SURRENDER
POP/R&B/LATIN, CROSS MOVEMENT, MAY 2
MODERN WORSHIP, SKYTONE/SELECTRIC, SEPTEMBER 5
Many fans are already familiar with Michelle, thanks
to her guest vocals on The Cross Movement’s popular
“Lord You Are,” from the album Higher Definition.
On her MySpace page, she describes her music as
“rock,” but her record label tells us her debut
album will be “eclectic pop worship.” We had a
sneak peak at one song titled “Well Done,” and it
was a piano-based modern pop rock track featuring
Euro-dance treatments.
Jackson Waters—CURRENTLY UNTITLED
ALTERNATIVE POP, WORD, LATE 2006
Word’s VP of A&R let it leak that this “Maroon
5/Keane/Wallflowers” six-piece band from Arkansas
will be unveiled late this year.
Jessie Daniels—JESSIE DANIELS
POP/ROCK, MIDAS, JUNE 6
See “Paul Colman’s Ones to Watch” beginning on page 24.
Red Umbrella—WISHING FOR
BOARDWALK
ALTERNATIVE, 7SPIN MUSIC, APRIL 4
Hundred Year Storm—
HELLO FROM THE CHILDREN OF PLANET EARTH
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE ROCK, FLOODGATE, SUMMER 2006
This Austin-based band offers well-crafted indie
rock, referencing recent breakthroughs such as
Phantom Planet and Switchfoot.
Soul P—CURRENTLY UNTITLED
HIP-HOP, BEATMART, DECEMBER
This Canadian band brings a welcome dose of
textured and ambient alternative pop à la Keane,
Verve or Radiohead.
This Por tland, Oregon-based ar tist
“commercially accessible” hip-hop.
Ron Hodge—BORN KING
ROCK/WORSHIP, SRE, RELEASE DATE TBA
HIP-HOP, BEATMART, APRIL 18
Performing Christian rock stripped down to its
basic essence, Two Bare Feet has already
developed a significant following touring heavily in
the Northeastern U.S. and Europe and opening for
major acts such as MercyMe, TAIT and Newsong.
This East coast-based project features 22 songs
and 80 minutes of music.
Foolish Things—LET’S NOT
FORGET THE STORY
MODERN POP/ROCK, INPOP, JUNE
This Colorado band’s version of analog alternative
pop recalls the essence of Ester Drang or a gentler
Jimmy Eat World.
Caleb rowden—FREE FROM
ORDINARY
MODERN ROCK, SLANTED, JULY 25
Caleb Rowden cites his influences as David Crowder
Band, Switchfoot, U2, Coldplay, Starfield, Keane,
Muse, Tim Hughes and Delirious. These musical
mentors are evident on his melodic debut album,
which will be a welcome addition to many a CD library.
Jimmy Needham—FOR FREEDOM
ACOUSTIC POP/FOLK ROCK, INPOP, AUGUST
This rising young indie star will introduce his John
Mayer-inflected acoustic pop to the world at large
in late summer.
offers
Two Bare Feet—CURRENTLY UNTITLED
High Flight Society—
CURRENTLY UNTITLED
MODERN ROCK/ALTERNATIVE, SELECTRIC, RELEASE
DATE TBA
After dabbling with development deals and
entertaining offers for several years, High Flight
Society finally connects with a label to introduce its
high-decibel alt-rock to a broader audience.
Pivitplex—THE KING IN A ROOKERY
N CONCLUSION
Whether or not this bevy
of new artists proves to be unprecedented
(many 2006 releases are yet to be announced),
it is clear that the Christian music community is
increasingly driven by new talent. But is it at the
expense of our veterans? And, eventually, of so
many of these new artists themselves? Where will
they be in two or three years? Music fans will have
to wait for the answer to that one.
It seems that, in many cases, these artists
represent hope for an industry that is struggling to
adjust to the new marketplace. They may also
represent an increasing commitment by the
influencers in the community to be culturally relevant
to the world at large. It was not a function of editing
that there was not a single Adult Contemporary—
much less Inspirational—artist mentioned in this
survey. None was submitted by any of the major
labels or larger indies. For now, it seems Rock and
Urban music dominate the aesthetic horizon for
Christian music. Considering where our culture is in
general, that can only be considered a good thing. ccm
AC POP:
INDEPENDENT LABELS TO THE RESCUE?
When we received this new artists preview feature
from our writer, John J. Thompson, we were
stunned by the complete absence of Adult
Contemporary pop artists. Sure, we knew Reunion
Records was going against the flow with the
introduction of young, promising AC artist Ana
Laura last month. And when the same label signed
longtime AC star Cindy Morgan after a five year
sabbatical, we simply saw it as an admirable move
where great artistry dictated substance over
trends. But to look ahead and see that not one new
AC artist would be introduced by major labels or the
leading independents between now and the end of
the year? Surely, we were missing something…
So we emailed the record labels and
independent PR folks who represent the world of
Christian music—74 informed professionals in
all. We asked them if they knew of any new AC
artists who will debut with national Christian
distribution between now and year’s end.
We received about eight responses in all, with
some of them simply asking if their rock or guitardriven modern worship artist was “AC enough” to be
included. In one case, we discovered that Inpop
Records will be positioning the acoustic, harmonicainfused pop (featuring driving rhythms and fastpaced vocals) of Jimmy Needham as AC pop.
But “traditional” Adult Contemporary acts? In
the end we got promising responses from four
independent labels. If you’re a fan of this
diminishing genre of Christian music, you’ll want to
keep an eye out for these five upcoming debuts:
Carl Cartee—UNFAILING
AC/WORSHIP, SPRING HILL, MAY 23
MODERN POP/ROCK, SELECTRIC, RELEASE DATE TBA
Artsy power pop/alternative rock is the secret
weapon of Nashville’s Pivitplex, debuting with a
Tony P-produced disc.
Jeff Morris—EVERYTHING
AC/INSPO, MPI, JUNE
Brett Rush—INVITATION
WORSHIP/AC, CREATIVE SOUL, SUMMER
Bernard—A VIEW BEYOND THE CAVE
ALTERNATIVE, FLOODGATE, RELEASE DATE TBA
Heather Powers—LAY THEM DOWN
AC/INSPO, THOUSAND MILE MUSIC, SUMMER
In an innovative move, this Floodgate label debut
will be a “digital only” release!
Anadara—CURRENTLY UNTITLED
AC/WORSHIP, SPRING HILL, RELEASE DATE TBA
—JAY SWARTZENDRUBER
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MEET THE
MANAGERS
[BEHIND YOUR
FAVORITE ARTISTS]
52 ccm april 06
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M
ANAGERS ARE ONE OF THE HARDEST WORKING, FREQUENTLY MISUNDERSTOOD FACTIONS IN THE
ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. THIS BEHIND-THE-SCENES GROUP OF PEOPLE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HELPING
PROPEL THE CAREERS OF YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS FORWARD YEAR AFTER YEAR. THEY ARE STRATEGISTS,
NEGOTIATORS AND, SOMETIMES, BABYSITTERS, BUT ONE THING IS FOR SURE, THE MUSIC INDUSTRY WOULDN’T BE
THE SAME WITHOUT THEM.
HERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME OF THE TOP MANAGERS IN CHRISTIAN MUSIC AND GIVE YOU A LOOK AT HOW
THEY OPERATE. BY: DEBORAH EVANS PRICE
ccm: First off, define for our readers what a manager actually does?
CHAZ CORZINE: [Partner in Blanton, Harrell, Cooke & Corzine, who manage
Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Point of Grace, Bebo Norman, Aaron Shust
and author Frank Peretti] I always describe the manager’s role as kind of like
being a conductor. In an orchestra, there are different sections, and they have
to operate perfectly synched. The manager is kind of the conductor in an
artist’s life. Any artist is going to have a booking agent, publicist, record
company and any different number of entities. The manager has got to keep
them all going in synch and flowing together and have a master plan as to how
this is all going to work. And, like a conductor—you know if you ever go to the
symphony—the orchestra is in the pit, and you can just barely see the
conductor’s head. He’s pretty much out of sight, and, to me, that’s what a
really good manager does—kind of stays out of sight and controls all the
chaos in an artist’s life.
elements surrounding every artist or band (i.e., work ethic, family dynamics,
children, outside interests or second jobs—like producing, pastoring,
philanthropic work, etc.).
ccm: What’s the most challenging aspect of what you do?
CORZINE: I would say balance. Keeping a good balance between personal and
professional lives because, sometimes, there are tremendous professional
opportunities that are very much in conflict with what ultimately is most
important, which is their family life, their personal life.
DAVIS: Trying to balance the health of the artist’s personal life with the
challenges of the time schedules and the demands on them. I think that’s
probably the hardest thing in trying to find those balances to where they can
still really drive as hard as we all need them to drive, and as much as they
want to, without tilting the scales and turning it into a really bad situation.
TERESA DAVIS: [Founder of Paradigm Management, which manages Hawk
Nelson, Falling Up, KJ-52, Fighting Instinct and 4th Avenue Jones] We guide
and, hopefully, develop the careers of artists we feel passionately about. It’s
really a partnership relationship. What they do is unique to them, and what
we do is obviously facilitate their giftings and their talents as much as we
possibly can. We try to get their lives healthy both on the personal side and
on the entertainment side of what they do with their music. So it’s kind of a
balancing act between the two. It’s a lot of just scheduling and being really
good at booking on Southwest Airlines. We try to make what they do as easy
as possible but as successful as it can be.
SHELLEY GIGLIO: [Founder of sixsteps records and the Passion conferences
with husband Louie Giglio, she manages Chris Tomlin, David Crowder Band,
Charlie Hall and Matt Redman] I didn’t know anything about management
when I started doing this five years ago. I mean, basically, we started a record
company, sixsteps records…and we were trying to keep our family of artistworshippers together. We wanted to just maintain a family… My experience,
for the most part with them, is to act sort of as a liaison for them, and it’s a
little bit of a protection role. I think when there’s exposure, there are all kinds
of opportunities, and so it’s good to have somebody in their lives who kind of
has their best interests in mind at all times—just taking whatever
opportunities exist and making the most of them.
NORMAN MILLER: [Founder of Proper Management, which manages Avalon,
Casting Crowns, Bethany Dillon, Michael English, Twila Paris, Nichole
Nordeman and ZOEgirl] More than anything else, it’s the big picture, and I
think that what we’re doing all the time is working on five-year plans with our
artists. What we try to do as managers, once we’ve put the plan in place, is
try and fulfill it. One of the things that I would say to artists is, “I do not have
a vision for you.” I don’t think that’s my job. I think it’s imperative that the
artist has a vision, and my job is to help them fulfill that vision.
DAN RAINES: [Founder of Creative Trust, which manages Steven Curtis
Chapman and Third Day] In a macro sense, the manager acts as a coach of
sorts, assessing the strengths and weaknesses inherent in every career and
formulating an approach to the market that has the most potential for reaching
the most audience. Then, the manager orchestrates the team (internal and
external) to move and implement effectively toward the same goals and
outcomes. Of course, only a portion of those factors are creative. The
complexity of the job kicks into high gear when you figure in the unique
GIGLIO: To stay on task with the mission. I feel like our little family of artistworshippers have been called to a real mission, particularly with college
students, but, even, to the greater world to introduce Christian music and
worship music at a level it maybe hasn’t reached before. So I think the
hardest part of what I do is just trying to keep that mission on task. There are
so many great things we could be doing that I think can detract us from what
we’re supposed to be doing. Sometimes my goal is just to stand in the middle
of those things, and I think, through sheer determination, just to keep
listening to the Word of God and keep pointing us in the direction I feel like
He’s leading us in. And that’s a difficult task sometimes because
opportunities are amazing. You know, it’s hard to pass things by sometimes.
MILLER: I would say relationships—not just with the artists but also with the
record company, with radio, with promoters. I think it’s all about relationships,
and if all your relationships are in order, then I think that it really helps you to
accomplish your goals.
RAINES: One of our primary goals is to reach coordinated critical mass as soon
as possible on central artist initiatives (i.e., record releases, tours, media, etc.).
There is an infinite number of barriers to accomplishing successful critical mass,
and I would say the ability to move the entire energy of the team, to overcome
and push through these barriers, is probably our greatest daily challenge.
ccm: What made you want to become a manager?
CORZINE: I had no talent. When I was growing up my dad sang southern gospel
music. And his best friend, my godfather, owned a kids’ clothing store, and he
promoted all-night singings and things. One of my earliest memories was
when I would help my dad decorate the stage, get the stage ready for the
concert that night, and then I’d go sit in the ticket booth with his best friend
and watch him sell tickets. I was just fascinated with the business side of it.
I played in bands when I was growing up, but I knew early on that I wasn’t
talented enough. And the business side of it just really caught my interest. I
started promoting concerts myself when I was in high school.
DAVIS: I had just come out of school at Belmont University, and I was working
at Star Song Records. Someone suggested that I go out and pursue doing a
management gig with a band on ForeFront Records. I really wasn’t into the
whole label thing, and I really felt like I wanted to be more in touch with youth
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“The most
rewarding thing
[about our job] is God
giving you a job to do that
you totally love and is so
completely fulfilling
that you wake up feeling the
same way on a Monday
morning as you do on a
Saturday morning.”
Norman Miller
teresa davis
chaz corzine
shelley giglio
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dan raines
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ministry and work with music at the same time, so I kind of fell into it. It’s a
great setting for the giftings I have. It’s fun.
ccm: How is working in the Christian industry different from working in the
general market?
GIGLIO: I became a manager because Louie basically looked at me and said,
“How ‘bout you?” So that’s how that worked. I think God’s gifted me in a role
of implementation. I think there are a lot of people in life who are
visionaries…As far as being a manager, it wasn’t something I really set out to
do or aspired to. I didn’t really even know what it was. But I do aspire to
implementing vision. And where there’s the great vision, I want to be involved.
And that’s where I think I can aspire to that role.
MILLER: I started off playing in groups when I was a teenager. And in those
days, nobody had a manager, or very few people had management in Christian
music. I was the one, I guess, with a little bit of business [knowledge], so I
always ended up managing whatever band I played in. Then I went to work for
Word Records in Europe—I learned a lot. I spent 10 years playing in bands,
and I spent 10 years working at the record label. And that sort of experience
really helped me to know that management was what I really wanted to do.
RAINES: I was a terrible bass player.
ccm: Describe for us the relationship between a manager and a record
company. And why are those entities sometimes at odds ?
CORZINE: I don’t like for them to be at odds. I feel like I have great
relationships with the labels I work with. I have great respect for them. I
understand what they do.
DAVIS: Managers are viewed by labels as instruments of manipulation
sometimes. They have to service so many more artists than obviously a
manager has to and to market them. Our goal is to market the short roster that
we have…and everybody wants to be the priority and have the money spent on
their artist, and it can’t happen for everyone. That’s where you come into odds
with labels. And when you’re not a priority and when you’re not feeling like your
voice is being heard, you start to fight a little bit harder, and that’s when some
of the gloves start to come off between you and the labels. Your interests don’t
necessarily always equally line up, so I think that’s where some of the
adversarial types of things start to come in. I work mainly with Tooth & Nail.
We’re the best of friends, but we also do battle a lot. But we always know at
the end of the day, we’re working for the best interest of the artist.
GIGLIO: We’re blessed in that the record company and management are the
same people.
MILLER: I’m a great believer in the whole thing being done as a team, and I
see the record company as part of the team. I see the booking agent as part
of the team and management as part of the team. My friendships and
relationships with the labels, I would say 95 percent of the time, are incredibly
positive and friendly. And the five percent that it’s not, it’s not that it’s bad;
it’s more that we have to agree to disagree. As a manager, you always want
the record company to do more. You’re always trying to get your artist to be a
priority at the label. That’s always one of my goals with every artist, and I don’t
think you can be a priority at the label if you’re at loggerheads at the record
company. You have a lot more chance of being a priority at the label if you
know they want to take your phone call, they want to have lunch with you. Then
they want to work with you as opposed to dreading your phone call every time.
DAVIS: Intentions and motivations. Both marketplaces do exactly the same
things in a lot of places to sell records, but the purpose and the reason of
why each marketplace does what they do seems to be uniquely different.
MILLER: The biggest difference is that, hopefully, all the artists are actually
doing it for a slightly different reason—or a very different reason than they are
in mainstream. I won’t be involved with an artist who doesn’t have a ministry,
a genuine ministry, that really does long to affect people for Jesus.
RAINES: Mechanically, they are really the same—same broad commercial
entities, same market factors, many of the same relationships. But, I think the
Christian industry is burdened with an additional overlay that has to do
fundamentally with a unique Christian message and a unique Christian
lifestyle—both countercultural in today’s broader culture. With that comes
additional responsibility and, often, limited mass media access. In effect, it is
a harder grassroots development game with a Christian music act in order to
be successful in today’s commercial environment.
ccm: What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you
while working with an artist?
CORZINE: In the early days, working with Amy [Grant], she was invited to do
Charlie Daniels’ “Volunteer Jam”—a big deal here in the South. On this
particular Jam, the guests—if I remember correctly—were Charlie, Dobie Gray,
Ted Nugent, Amy and several others. Amy was sound checking, and everything
was running behind. Our keyboard player was having trouble getting any sound
out of his keyboard, and, rather than let a qualified tech take care of it, I jump
up to the rescue. I find the first unplugged cord I can find and stick it in the
first open receptacle I can find. In addition to causing the most horrendous
sound I have ever heard come out of a sound system, it literally fried the
keyboard. It looked like a scene out of “I Love Lucy” there was literally smoke
pouring out of the keyboard.
RAINES: I’ll give you an early one. Probably the day I rallied the media together,
photographers and all, into the studio to interview Debbie Boone while she was
finishing a new project. From the excitement that I had somehow actually gotten
all this media together in one room, I unfortunately forgot to inform Ms. Boone
that I was going to parade this entourage into her presence on this particular
day. So, unannounced, the door to the control room opens, and in I come with
a press conference flashing away. She, in her workout sweats and no make-up,
shot me the look that could kill. (I thought she looked pretty good myself.)
ccm: Is it harder to launch a new act or maintain an established artist’s success?
CORZINE: Neither is easy. The music industry runs in cycles, and I think we’re
in the cycle right now that makes breaking new artists very difficult. Radio is
more valuable than ever and not something you can control. There are a
limited number of media outlets for Christian artists, so establishing yourself
is just tougher than before.
DAVIS: The start-up side because of the lack of funds. I think it’s a lot harder
on the initial launch because of all the branding issues that you do have to
establish, and that’s more stressful now.
GIGLIO: They’re both pretty challenging these days. I hear people talk about
RAINES: It is simple, really. Record labels are in the business of selling music.
Managers are in the business of building artist brand. While selling records
is a core goal of building artist brand, it is not the only factor at play in a
career. That said, the caricature of the label and manager always at odds is
exaggerated. Some of our most satisfying work comes with working in tandem
with our label partners. But, when we are most guilty of pushing too hard with
a label, it is usually because of our awareness that a label often has 30 or
40 artists signed at any given time; however, our client only has one
career...so our tolerance becomes a bit more focused.
launching new artists and how difficult it is to get people to listen to their
music. I think it’s also a challenge to maintain artists. It’s a pretty challenging
time in the music industry. Things are shrinking as far as sales go in some
ways, and, yet, sixsteps has been really blessed to have good growth. I think
that’s exciting.
MILLER: They’re both hard. It used to be that if an artist started a career in
the Christian music industry, they were there until they retired. It’s absolutely
not the case anymore. It’s harder when someone’s established to keep them
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[OFF THE RECORD]
there and keep them relevant, and then I think it’s also hard to launch
something totally new… You can’t force people to buy a record, but if you
produce something that people really want to hear, I think that people are
going to buy it—that’s how you launch a new act.
RAINES: Generating new momentum is always hard work, whether on a new
act or an established act.
ccm: What makes you want to take on someone as a client?
DAVIS: That your music is for the purpose of seeing lives changed. That’s the
first and foremost thing that I always sit down with a new artist on and talk
about. I don’t necessarily think you have to work in the Christian marketplace,
but if that isn’t the reason why you do what you do, then I’m pretty much not
into it because that’s why I do what I do.
“Yeah, we turned off the recorder—
we just wanna know a few things
out of our own curiosity…”
1. Name your favorite order at Starbucks:
CHAZ CORZINE: I don’t drink coffee, but my wife’s favorite is a
half caf latte non fat with two pumps of sugar free vanilla.
TERESA DAVIS: I’m a tall green tea girl. I know it’s healthy, but
it also kinda gives me that little step. It works for me.
SHELLEY GIGLIO: Iced grande soy Chai latte.
NORMAN MILLER: Coffee of the day—I’m boring.
DAN RAINES: I go to Portland Brew…great coffee...and I get
Chai tea latte.
RAINES: Three primary factors: observance of a clear sense of mission (what
it is they fundamentally sense they were put on the planet to do), a serious
commitment to developing and exploring their craft as an artist, and the
observance of a long history of strong work ethic. In addition, we also have
two universal factors that always come into play. Has God captured this
person’s heart in such a way that integrity rules every area of his or her life?
And, of course, the factors that keep us in the game every day—are we moved
and inspired by the art itself?
CORZINE: “Long and Winding Road” by The Beatles
DAVIS: “Picture” by MuteMath
GIGLIO: Anything by James Taylor
MILLER: I want “Who Am I” sung at my funeral.
RAINES: Imogen Heap, “Hide and Seek”...very innovative!
ccm: What’s the most rewarding part of what you do?
CORZINE The Shawshank Redemption
DAVIS: Ben Hur
GIGLIO: Shrek
MILLER: Braveheart
RAINES: Babette’s Feast
CORZINE: It really is to me about the music’s effect on people’s lives… That still
remains the motivator—seeing that music really can impact somebody’s life.
DAVIS: It’s twofold for me. It’s being able to see the artists really get to enjoy
what they do and be effective at what they do. That’s a huge, huge
accomplishment when you can see that with your own eyes as you work dayto-day with them. The second is being able to see the effects of what you do
on a day-to-day basis with the artists and seeing how it affects young peoples’
lives. You are going home after long hours and knowing that kids are being
pointed in the right direction some way, somehow through music. That’s really
where it’s at for me.
GIGLIO: My guys succeeding, doing the things they feel called to do. That’s
probably the most rewarding part is to see them saying, “This is what I feel
called to do.” And know in some way I had a part in implementing that. It’s
very, very breathtaking to me.
MILLER: The most rewarding thing is God giving you a job to do that you totally
love and is so completely fulfilling that you wake up feeling the same way on
a Monday morning as you do on a Saturday morning—where you get to have
impact on the lives of artists, and who, in turn, have impact on millions of
people around the world. It’s a very humbling thought. I don’t think it too
often, but I sure am grateful that God has called me to do something that I
love doing so much.
RAINES: Without a doubt, seeing an initiative or a project or tour succeed in
such a way that people are positively moved and impacted. That is when we
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2. Favorite song:
3. Favorite movie:
4. The song you think is the most overrated:
CORZINE: “Get Here” by Oleta Adams—Come on… “You can
reach me by caravan/Cross the desert like an Arab man,” or “You
can reach me by sail boat/Climb a tree and swing rope to rope,”
or, my favorite, “You can windsurf into my life/Take me up on a
carpet ride”—take your pick. This song reminds me of when my
daughters have to write poetry for an elementary school
project. Doesn’t matter what it says—as long as it rhymes!
DAVIS: Creed’s “Higher”
GIGLIO: “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus (What in the
world?)
MILLER: French National Anthem
5. Worst place you’ve visited with an artist:
CORZINE: A prison
DAVIS: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
GIGLIO: Oh, I’d hate for someone to feel singled out...but
Mississippi can be pretty interesting! (Hi Tim!)
MILLER: Moscow in 1986 (before the fall of communism)
RAINES: I can’t...What would Klinger say?
6. Best place:
DAVIS: Santa Monica
GIGLIO: New York City
MILLER: Sydney, Australia
RAINES: Where was the last sellout?
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When Your Artist Goes
MAINSTREAM
7. Best concert you’ve ever attended:
GIGLIO: Coldplay
MILLER: The Beatles, Odeon Hammersmith, London, 1963
RAINES: Bob Dylan at the Forum...“Slow Train Tour”
8. Artist you wish you managed:
CORZINE: Paul McCartney
DAVIS: Bryan Adams
GIGLIO: I’ve got all I could dream of!
MILLER: Elvis
RAINES: No regrets here. We gladly work with those God sends us.
9. The one that got away (somebody that you almost managed
but don’t):
CORZINE: There was a country artist here in town who was
amazing. Her name was Cyndi Thomson. Cyndi released one
album–the first single, “What I Really Meant to Say,” rocketed
up the country charts to No. 1, and her debut album went gold.
We had signed her, and she was really on her way! Just a few
months into the relationship, Cyndi (who was a solid believer)
came in and told us she wanted to “quit the business”—and
she did! She walked away from a couple of smash hit radio
singles…an album headed toward Platinum—and quit! I’d
never seen anything like it. To her credit, she did what she was
called to do at that time, and I’m still a huge fan. She’s a great
writer, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see her back at the top of
the charts someday. And when she is, it will be on her terms!
DAVIS: Katy Hudson
GIGLIO: None...we got all we started with!
MILLER: You know who you are!
RAINES: The Fray
10. Favorite awards show moment:
CORZINE: The year that the Grammys opened, the curtain
came up and there were four grand pianos sitting there. It was
Ray Charles, Kim Bassy, Little Richard, and I don’t remember
who the 4th one was. I just thought it was unbelievable. Blew
me away.
DAVIS: When KJ-52 won [his first Dove Award]. He got up there
just so nonchalant about it. It was probably my favorite awards
show moment ever for me, just personally, because he was just
kind of indifferent about it, really humble, just really unassuming.
GIGLIO: The boys playing/winning at the GMAs last year—so
proud of them all the time...
MILLER: When Dove host Glen Campbell kept on referring to
the “Female Vocalist of the Year” as Twilla Paris.
RAINES: They all feel good.
Christian music managers contemplate
the process.
During the past few years, an increasing number of acts have traveled beyond
the Christian music community to achieve success in the mainstream music
world. This tends to create a whole new set of opportunities and issues for
the managers guiding their careers.
It’s a journey, however, managers are willing to take with their artists. “The
benefits are that your artists are given more opportunities and are more
recognized,” says SCOTT BRICKELL, who has helmed MercyMe’s career through
the multi-genre success of “I Can Only Imagine.” “You never know if an act will be
successful crossing over, but it all comes down to songs. If you have the right
song, at the right time, and listeners respond, then that is all you can ask for.”
MITCHELL SOLAREK, whose clients include Natalie Grant, Blue County,
Overflow and Phillip LaRue, agrees. “It comes down to great music. A strong
touring history and existing fan base doesn’t hurt, but, at the end of the day,
it comes down to whether or not they hear a hit!”
ZACH KELM, who manages Skillet, Decyfer Down and Nevertheless, says
many mainstream labels see the Christian community as a “farm team” that
develops acts by building a fan base and putting them on the road, thus
preparing them for the mainstream market. He cautions that it’s important to
make sure an artist’s fan base knows his or her intentions. “People
sometimes still relate crossing over to selling out, even if that is the farthest
thing from the truth,” he says. “They automatically assume the worst instead
of considering the possibility of the great that can be done.”
Kelm says it’s definitely easier now for an act to enjoy mainstream success
than it was when Amy Grant first made the leap to a broader audience. “They
just have to communicate their purpose well,” he says. “Avenues such as the
Internet have made it so much easier to communicate directly to your fans so
they know the heart and motive behind the music. John Cooper and [his band]
Skillet have made it a priority to be very consistent in their communication
with their fan base, the Panheads, through their website.”
JEFF RISDEN, who manages Relient K and House of Heroes, says Christian
fans hear about the things that happen in mainstream rock music and are
concerned their favorite act could be giving in to the ways of the world. “They
hear stories about all these parties that go on and that these bands are doing
this or that,” he says. “And, yeah, some of that stuff does happen, but at the
same time, it doesn’t necessarily mean that these Christian artists aren’t
grounded enough and haven’t surrounded themselves with, you know, people
who can keep them accountable and keep them on the right path.”
Brickell agrees, “Accountability shouldn’t change. If you have a good system
in place prior to the pressures being there, then nothing should be any different.”
Solarek says when it comes to working in the mainstream or the Christian
market, ministry marks the difference. “There are times when a decision can
seem so clear on a business level, but it just doesn’t fit with what the artist
feels God leading him or her to do,” he says. “Many times, Natalie [Grant] will
make a decision that doesn’t make a lot of sense on paper, but I respect that
she isn’t in the ‘entertainment’ business. I find myself having to talk through
decisions with her more than I would with a mainstream artist because there
are so many other issues that come into the decision making process.” D.E.P.
11. If you weren’t a manager, what would you be doing?
CORZINE: I love university settings, education. I would probably
work in a university or college.
DAVIS: I’d probably be a basketball coach.
GIGLIO: Rocket science for sure...
MILLER: Consulting.
RAINES: Next life, I want to be an architect.
D.E.P.
scott brickell
mitchell solarek
zach kelm
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N
O O‘S
B
prayer request
Photo courtesy of AP
U2’s Bono joined President Bush, other world leaders and a few thousand
evangelicals for breakfast. CCM’s editor was there—and at the small group meeting
with Bono afterwards. BY JAY SWARTZENDRUBER
“I
President Bush laughs as Bono speaks at the National Prayer Breakfast.
’ve gotten to know Bono,” said President Bush to the 3,000 mostly
evangelicals attending this year’s National Prayer Breakfast at the Hilton
Washington Hotel. “He’s a doer. The thing about this good citizen of the
world is he’s used his position to get things done.” Then the president turned
to U2’s lead singer and said, “You’re an amazing guy, Bono. God bless you.”
Surreal. That’s what this whole morning of February 2nd had been so far.
And it was about to become even more unusual—for me, personally, anyway.
I had spent a little time with Bono in the past, but that was before I was a
member of the Christian music press. Ask any diehard U2 fan what Christian
music press has meant to U2 the past 25 years. In a nutshell? Rarely, if ever,
has such a tiny segment of the media intimidated such a cultural giant.
Intimidated as in “caused the band to avoid at all costs.”* Perhaps it was 77s’
lead singer Mike Roe who said it best—or worst depending upon your
perspective—”All press is good press, except being called a ‘Christian band.’”
So, all things considered, why had Bono’s camp invited me to join seven
other “faith editors” and him for an on-the-record conversation after the
prayer breakfast?
And more incredibly, why was Bono the keynote speaker at the breakfast
itself? “It must be an emergency…,” he would say later about his day’s
activities. “And it is.”
Organized each year by the evangelical non-profit group The Fellowship
Foundation, the National Prayer Breakfast was originally established in
1953 as a small Senate breakfast to encourage the president and his family.
Things have definitely changed since then. Can you imagine what it must
have been like to be an unsuspecting attendee at this year’s event? Everyone
sitting at my table appeared to be more than 20 years older than me. And
Bono’s involvement had not been announced in advance.
Picture him stepping up to the podium, sporting his brown corduroy
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58 ccm april 06
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jacket, black shirt, jeans and, yes, those reddish-brown wraparound shades.
“Well, I’m the first to admit that there’s something unnatural…something even
unseemly…about rock stars mounting the pulpit and preaching at presidents,
then disappearing to their villas in the South of France,” said Bono to his
audience of politicians, foreign dignitaries, religious leaders and other invited
guests. “Talk about a fish out of water. It was weird enough to have [former
Senator] Jesse Helms come to a rock show...this is really weird.” (Laughter)
Looking over at President Bush, who was seated to his right, Bono asked,
“Mr. President, are you sure about this?” (Laughter)
Bono went on to speak for 20 minutes, often quoting scripture. He told the
attentive banquet hall about his history as a believer—how he’d been raised by
a Protestant father and Catholic mother in Ireland; how he’d grown cynical,
not of God, but of the church; and then, through the mentoring of two elderly
Christian men he met in 1997, how he’d started to grow fond of her again.
Bono also lavished praise on the church for its response to Africa’s AIDS and
poverty emergency, saying at one point, “I’m here today in all humility to say: you
changed minds; you changed policy; and you changed the world. So, thank you.”
He soon made it clear, though, that “there is so much more to do.”
“This is not about charity,” he said, “this is about justice and equality.”
“I was amazed when I first got to this country, and I learned how much
some churchgoers tithe,” he remarked later. “Up to 10 percent of the family
budget. I mean… How does that compare to the federal budget, the budget
for the entire American family? How much of that goes to the poorest
people in the world? Well, it’s less than one percent of the federal budget.
“Mr. President, Congress, people of faith, people of America, I want to
suggest to you today that you see the flow of effective foreign assistance as
tithing…which, to be truly meaningful, will mean an additional one percent
of the federal budget tithed to the poor.”
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Bono explained that this is the goal of The ONE Campaign and that the
one percent is “a new partnership with Africa, not paternalism towards Africa.”
The atmosphere in the room was very receptive. White “ONE” (Campaign)
wristbands had been placed on every table, and when Bono finished speaking,
everyone seemed to pick his or hers up. I looked around at the tables near ours
and didn’t see one remnant.
A little more than an hour after the prayer breakfast, we—the eight “faith
editors”—met with Bono in a small room not far from the main banquet hall.
The other magazines represented were Charles Colson’s BreakPoint WorldView,
The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Jewish Telegraph Agency, Religion & Ethics
NewsWeekly, Religion News Service and Sojourners.
As Bono joined us, someone suggested rearranging the chairs so we could
sit in a circle. We did so, and I ended up seated directly across from him.
While we talked, Bono ate leftovers—fruit and muffins—from the breakfast
out of a closeable Styrofoam plate.
After some brief pleasantries, one editor asked, “Was this your most
deliberately religious talk ever?”
“Yes,” Bono replied, and we were off. He said his remarks during breakfast
were inspired by Isaiah 58, which he’d recently come across again in “an old
Bible I’ve had since I was a kid,” and explained it had been “underlined”
quite a bit. He then commented on Isaiah 58:7-8, “It’s absolutely the
prophetic utterance of this very time in history. What it really suggests is
that if we do God’s business, God will be more in ours. To use the
colloquial, it’s God watching our back. I love the street aspect of that. It’s
certainly been true in my own life. And it’s true at the level of this
extraordinary country. I’m proud to trumpet that.”
Bono’s demeanor was relaxed and conversational. As he spoke, he
regularly made eye contact, often holding his gaze until he finished
expressing a given thought.
“I appreciate the absurdity of being a rock star and quoting the
scriptures,” he said, before telling us he enjoys reading The Message “by the
very gifted scholar and poet Eugene Peterson.”
Both during his speech earlier in the morning and in our meeting here,
Bono easily quoted somewhat lengthy passages of scripture from memory.
The next part of our conversation reminded me of Christ’s parable about
the poor widow who put her two mites into the collection box. I’m one of the
many Americans who’s taken pride in knowing the United States gives more
money than any other country when it comes to foreign aid. But once I
learned how little we sacrifice compared to other wealthy nations, I was
humbled. As Bono explained, when you combine all of America’s giving—
both government and private charitable giving—the U.S. is not in the Top 10
as far as giving a percentage of wealth. (Of the 22 richest nations, we’re 14th.)
“We have to change that,” he said. “We have to look at aid itself and how
it’s being mismanaged. We have to restore confidence. The second thing we
have to do is educate people. Americans believe the government is giving
10–20 percent to aid. It’s actually gone from 0.1 percent to 0.16 percent
since Bush became president…This is why I’m sitting with you. Give
Americans the facts, and they’ll do something.”
Then he turned his attention to the church’s response, “In the past, the
church has been behind on some issues, but the church hasn’t missed this
time—it is leading...It’s amazing. If me 10 years ago had heard me now
saying this, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
When one editor started his question to Bono with the statement, “You’ve
got street cred...,” the Irishman interrupted him with a laugh, saying, “I had
street cred until I did this! ...We [U2] just lost a million album sales.”
Asked what he wanted to accomplish with the morning’s prayer breakfast
speech, he responded, “I hope the church will feel some fanfare from
musicians and loudspeakers such as myself…The church is a much bigger
crowd even than the stadiums we play as U2. It’s a big tent. We need to be
the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
“AIDS is the leprosy of our time,” he went on to say. “It couldn’t be more
poignant, from a scriptural point of view, that this is on God’s mind, that
this is Jesus’ point of view.” And a short while later, “This may be a
compliment to you: we can’t beat Europeans up with scripture.”
Naturally, I had thought for awhile about what I wanted to ask Bono
when the opportunity presented itself. “Bono,” I said. “I’ve been closely
following your career since The Unforgettable Fire [1984], and I’ve noticed that
even since U2’s earliest days, the label ‘Christian band’ has given you the
heebie-jeebies. Now, skip ahead to late 2002, and I’m escorting you to a
meeting with 20 of the most influential Christian artists in America. How
has the response of the Christian music community since then changed
your perception, if at all, of Christian artists?”
Bono began his response explaining his discomfort with the label “Christian
band.” “I have a hard time getting my head around the cultural terms,” he said.
“I’ve never seen why there should be a separation. Much of my life, I’ve been
asked, ‘Why doesn’t your music proclaim Christ?’ I say, ‘It does!’”
Then he asked, “Does nature scream the name of Christ? Creation has its
own proclamation within the majesty of it. I’d like to think our music has
the same qualities to it.
“I always got shifty with that [label],” he continued, “like there were
[supposed to be] compartments in your life. When I read scripture, there
are no compartments to your life. When I read scripture, these men are
wild, with a greed for God and mammon.”
Bono expressed his disdain for music that’s made “without truthful telling
of where you are and where you live in your life” as an artist. And he referred
to “happy clappy” songs that were short on “grit,” explaining this was his
impression of Christian music, “until I met you and others who looked and
acted like myself...These artists upheld humility...And some of them, I heard
their music and found that I liked it. I stopped thinking of their music as
‘Christian music.’...They also made very effective student activists.”
He affirmed he had a remaining discomfort with the label “Christian
music” and then said, “Now, I’m not talking about worship leaders, I’m
talking about songwriters and recording artists. Being a worship leader is a
calling to the highest of all art forms—to worship and call people into the
presence of God.” Bono then stated that some of his favorite worship music
includes Charles Wesley’s hymns, Handel’s Messiah, Jewish liturgical
chanting and songs with “raw” emotion.
When it was time for Bono to depart, we all stood, and he took a few
moments to shake hands with each one of us. “God bless you, Bono,” I said
when he approached me.
“Oh! He has!” ccm
You can read the complete transcript of Bono’s prayer breakfast speech by visiting my blogs at
CCMmagazine.com.
* Longtime CCM subscribers will recall an interview with U2’s The Edge that
appeared in our December 1988 issue. At the time of the interview, The Edge
had no idea the freelance writer was going to submit that story to CCM.
BREAKFASTfeedback
POINT OF GRACE (who performed “Circle
of Friends” and “Waiting in the Wings” for the
prayer breakfast) and MercyMe were two of
the Christian artists in attendance. And what
did they make of the morning’s event?
“Singing at the National Prayer Breakfast
was definitely one of the highest honors we have ever had as Point of
Grace. We respect our president so much and were humbled to be a part
of this great tradition,” says the vocal group’s Shelley Breen.
“I was personally challenged by Bono’s keynote address,” she continues.
“The entire message of his ONE Campaign has such validity, and I felt
called to action after hearing him speak…Why would we not rise to his
challenge? As Christians, one of our highest callings is to take care of the
poor, and I felt very inspired to join with Bono to do my part.”
MERCYME’s Bart Millard couldn’t
agree more. “I cannot describe to you
the feeling I had when I heard Bono
challenging our world leaders to stop
seeking God’s blessing on what they
are doing, but instead, get with what
God is doing, for it is already blessed,”
says the lead singer. “I truly had
church that morning. As a musician called to share the gospel, it was beyond
inspiring to see a rock & roll legend speaking of Kingdom work. Who knows?
Maybe the world can be changed.”
Go to ONE.org to sign the ONE Campaign declaration today. J.S.
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inreview
music
THE APPEAL OF BROAD DAYLIGHT
AS NEEDTOBREATHE RELEASES ITS STRIKING FULL-LENGTH DEBUT THIS MONTH, THE MODERN ROCK ACT
IS IMMEDIATELY POISED TO MAKE SERIOUS WAVES IN THE CHRISTIAN AND MAINSTREAM ROCK WORLDS.
NEEDTOBREATHE
Daylight
Lava/Atlantic/Sparrow
HOW MUCH SUBSTANCE IS THERE BEHIND
THE HYPE?
If you’re a fiercely attentive Christian music fan—
the kind that visits CCMmagazine.com weekly,
even daily—there’s a good chance you’re already
anticipating the April 4th release of
NEEDTOBREATHE’s major label debut. Why? You
File under:
Grade: Aknow that when Lava/Atlantic flipped over the
Rock
band and offered them a contract, the South
Carolina-based boys insisted they be allowed to simultaneously sign with a Christian
label of their choice. And the recipient of NEEDTOBREATHE’s favor? Sparrow Records.
Sure, that scenario piqued your curiosity, but before you would highlight “April 4”
on your calendar, you needed to know more. Did you investigate further and discover that sibling bandleaders Bear and Bo Rinehart were raised in a Christian home
where, for many years, they were only allowed to listen to Christian music?
By the age of 17, Bear was a serious guitarist and writing songs, and Bo quickly
followed in his footsteps—sort of… Bo decided to go the self-taught-make-your-ownrules route and, as a result, his creatively eccentric style of play includes picking up
rather than down with the guitar pick.
Skip ahead several years—just past college—to the summer of 2005. NEEDTOBREATHE, which had formed some years earlier, was rounded out by drummer Joe
Stillwell and bassist Seth Bolt. The band already had three indie EPs under its belt
and was ready to record for a major label. So the lads did what any Christian-musicbred band would do—they caught the next flight to Nashville to cut their album…
Um, hardly.
The plane tickets they purchased read, “Destination: England.” Not only that, when
NEEDTOBREATHE arrived in the U.K., it headed out into the countryside to a studio
where renowned producer Andy Green (Keane, KT Tunstall) awaited its arrival.
And the result? Well, that’s what all the fuss is about. (That and the band’s live show.)
As a full-length debut, NEEDTOBREATHE’s Daylight is both surprising and engaging musically. The album—as in every song—is defined by both sweeping hooks and
an emphasis on melody, whether via Bear’s rich, versatile vocals, his piano playing
or the brothers’ divergent but complementary guitar styles.
And how does the album surprise? Simply put, Daylight is so deep on potential
rock radio singles, this disc would make a good “best of” album for a lot of other
bands. (Did I mention this is a debut?)
NEEDTOBREATHE is obviously indebted to Andy Green, who’s delivered a masterful
production. Daylight thrives on driving, emotive rock & roll that’s stylishly presented with
the aesthetic and precision of a studio wizard. Yes, it smells of big bucks and great care.
While Daylight strikes a familiar chord across the board, the band’s style isn’t
reminiscent of a specific band or two so much as a regional rock sound. The impressive rhythm section of Stillwell and Bolt may be extremely direct, but the Rinehart
brothers take a distinctly European approach. While their guitars are often up front
and sound “big,” the album is lavished in skillful, ambient playing as the siblings
make great use of space.
As far as shortcomings go, you’ll have to dig to find one with Daylight. That said,
many aficionados who relish thoughtful, compelling songwriting will be left wanting.
Believers may immediately connect with lyrics such as “Seas of everlasting grace/
Fall down upon this sinner’s face…” from the album’s musically representative lead
single, “You Are Here.” And the same goes for the piano-entwined “Don’t Leave Just
Yet” in which Bear acknowledges, “I know we don’t separate/But my sins are in the
way/And I know that you don’t let me get away too far…” But if you thrive on
poignant wordplay or memorable storytelling, you’ll need to look elsewhere. While
the lyrics are hope-filled and technically poetic, they are positioned the same way in
every track—literally each song is sung specifically to a “you.” The only diversity in
that regard centers around who “you” may be. For instance, in “Haley,” Bear sings
over an acoustic guitar to a romantic love interest, while in straight-ahead rocker
“Shine On,” he portrays God singing encouragement to a disheartened believer.
The good news, here, is NEEDTOBREATHE’s lyricism shows significant potential.
And given the artful approach the band takes with its music, you can’t help but hope
for a legacy defined by songs every bit as memorable for what they communicate as
for how great they sound.
JAY SWAR TZENDRUBER
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MERCYME
CCM_04.06_Music.v5
File under:
Pop/Rock
Page 82
Coming Up to
Breathe
INO
Grade: B-
A DIFFERENT BUT FAMILIAR DIRECTION
82 ccm april 06 ccmmagazine.com
MERCYME
“I Would Die For You,” when he cleverly
sings, “You never know why you’re
alive/Until you know what you would die for.”
MercyMe fans will likely be pleased with
this solid offering that clocks in at exactly
an hour. Others who are not yet on the
MercyMe bandwagon may continue to hope
that they’ll come up with more creative
ways both musically and lyrically to express
themselves next time around.
MARK JOSEPH
HAWK NELSON
The buzz around MercyMe’s Coming Up to
Breathe was that the album was going to
rock, potentially alienating the segment of
MercyMe’s audience that is SUV-driving
Moms who hummed along to “I Can Only
Imagine” as they drove their kids’ carpools
and wistfully remembered their grandfathers. Well, Soccer Moms of America, you
can relax. There is nothing to fear in this
set. If you could handle Michael W.
Smith’s “Cross of Gold” in high school
and you secretly enjoyed Guns N’ Roses’
“November Rain,” then you should still be
able to handle a turbo-charged MercyMe.
Coming Up to Breathe opens with its
pop/rock title track—clean, high-energy
‘80s melodic rock that just seems a little
out of place in ‘06. Then again, maybe it’s
so out of place that it’s going to be the
next big thing. Either way, it’s clear that
Bart Millard and company had a great time
in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s drinking
deeply from the wells of acts such as
White Heart, Petra, Amy Grant, Michael W.
Smith, Guns N’ Roses and, maybe, even a
little early ‘80s Kansas and are now bringing those influences to bear on their
music. And like the aforementioned, these
boys have learned a thing or two about
hooks. “So Long Self,” for instance, has
an irresistible chorus and a witty concept
(first articulated by Petra in “Killing My Old
Man”) that describes getting rid of one’s
ego/sin nature.
“Hold Fast” is a strong and sweeping
mid-tempo rocker, vaguely reminiscent
of Amy Grant’s “You’re Not Alone,”
reminding the listener not to give up
hope. “Bring the Rain” is similarly memorable if overly earnest with its reminder
that God is to be ser ved in both sunshine and rain.
Overall, Coming Up to Breathe is an
enjoyable album but one that could have
benefited from more A&R direction
and/or a stronger producer’s hand, either
of whom could have sent some lyrics
back for re-writes and forced Millard to dig
deeper and come up with the kinds of
word-pictures that he has proven himself
capable of...It’s an ability that is clearly
still there, as he proves on the final track,
File under:
Punk/Pop
Smile, It’s the
End of the
World
Tooth & Nail
Grade: A
SMILE, THIS ALBUM KICKS TAIL!
It really isn’t appropriate to say that this
young band has “grown up” because that
implies its members have lost their
youthful energy, and that just wouldn’t be
right. Hawk Nelson is still a young band
with a lot of vigor, and since releasing its
label debut, Letters to the President, the
foursome has matured both musically
and lyrically. This latest offering not only
avoids the dreaded “sophomore slump”
that plagues many bands’ second efforts,
it surpasses all expectations. This album
has “hit” written all over it…packed with
catchy hooks, brilliant songwriting and
immaculate production.
After the amazing success of Letters to
the President, as well as the TV and film
appearances they’ve made, it’s no surprise that Hawk Nelson delivered a great
record that will please its fans. What is
surprising about this record is just how
much Hawk has matured and where the
band is headed with its sound. This is an
album of songs that you’ll want to crank
up in the car or on your iPod in the summer. Despite the title, or perhaps because
of it, there are a lot of positive upbeat
tunes here, like the party anthem, “The
Show,” that is reminiscent of the MXPX hit
“Punk Rawk Show.” It’s followed by yet
another upbeat shout-it-out-loud rocker
“Bring ‘Em Out,” which is so hooky it may
get stuck in your head forever. And speaking of hooks, the song “Everything You
Ever Wanted” slows things down just a
little. Surely a Top 40 video hit waiting to
happen, this track tells us it isn’t just
about pop-punk rock this time around.
There’s a distinct power-pop influence
on this record that will definitely earn it
fans of the Click Five and Fountains of
Wayne sound.
The biggest area of growth on Smile, It’s
the End of the World is clearly evident in
the album’s lyrics. “Is Forever Enough” is
a song that really captures the meaning
behind the album’s title, talking about all
of the chaos in the world we live in but
coming back with an answer that says no
matter what happens, God is always there
for us: “You take my breath away/Now I’m
trying to get up/I’m trying to retrace my
steps back to wherever I messed up/Is forever enough?/I’m holding on/I know you’ll
be there whenever I wake up.”
The lyrics are good and the songs are
great, but the best thing about this album
is the production. This record sounds so
good! From the recording, to the strings,
piano, driving guitars and booming
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SANCTUS
REAL
CCM_04.06_Music.v5
File under:
Rock
The Face of
Love
Sparrow
Grade: A
FACING REAL LIFE HEAD ON…
SANCTUS REAL
drums, the production is near perfection.
Aaron Sprinkle manned the helm again
this time around for Hawk Nelson, and he
seems to have grown as a producer as
much as the band has. He is easily the
most underrated producer out there. But
this album should have no problem bringing Sprinkle and Hawk the increased exposure and recognition they both deserve.
VARIOUS
ARTISTS
DR. TONY SHORE
Praise Life:
Beyond 1.0
EMI Gospel
File under:
Grade: B
Modern Worship/Urban Pop
PRAISE & WORSHIP FOR THE
HIP-HOP GENERATION
Since first exploding in the late ‘90s, modern
worship has been able to morph into a
variety of contours, which include your typical
pop, rock and alternative offerings as well
as less populist styles such as folk, techno,
Celtic and Latin music.
All these years, however, there’s been
a void for urban pop listeners, as the
amount of worshipful options available to
them totaled virtually zero. Matt Redman’s
“Heart of Worship” done to a thick, sumptuous club beat? Heresy!
Praise God—no pun intended—for
Praise Life: Beyond 1.0, a compilation
spearheaded by EMI Gospel that seeks to
fill this giant-sized hole. Fashioned with
the urban pop lover in mind, this collection
is to R&B what those ubiquitous Nitro
Praise discs were to house music at the
turn of the millennium—music with a worship
spirit by no-name singers created with a
specific target audience in mind.
Unlike Nitro Praise, however, the Praise
Life team doesn’t simply take your favorite
Sunday morning choruses and turn them
into generic hip-hop jams. Produced almost
single-handedly by newcomer Antonio Neal,
the album is more a showcase of original
expressions of worship with a strong rhythmic
footing, complete with some of R&B’s most
enduring clichés—a rap cameo here, a
female vocal trio there, the requisite remix
over there, plus the inevitable shout-out (to
Jesus, of course).
In fact, true-to-form urban music is so
scarce in Christian circles that none of
these elements seem forced or groaninducing to those who grew up listening to
the genre. At times things will get overly
indulgent and out of hand, particularly
during the crunk, floor-blazing joints. But
other than that, most everything remains
compactly contained and under control.
You may or may not recognize any of
the artists here—most of them are either
up-and-comers or unsigned cats with
great voices—but name recognition was
never a component of worship music.
This “invisibility” elevates the sole two
covers in the set, the aforementioned
“Heart of Worship” and the omnipresent
“Here I Am to Worship,” both of which
sound so fresh, distinct and creatively
genuine, you’ll think they’re originals.
Both are good barometers for the quality
level of Praise Life, the first—and not last,
we hope—praise and worship anthology
for the hip-hop generation.
ANDREE FARIAS
Don’t let the seemingly sentimental title
throw you off. The third “official” release
from Toledo’s own Christian rock favorite
Sanctus Real is no trifle of sentimentality
or romance. In fact, the opposite is true.
While the last year has seen the band
score a GMA Music Award for “Best
Alternative Album,” rack up impressive
sales, radio hits and popular tours, and
further ensconce themselves as one of
the mainstays in Christian rock, behind
the scenes, the members experienced
the intensity of life in all of its extremes.
The joy of birth, the pain of death and all
points in between took any thoughts of
simple truisms or anthems to shallow
faith completely off the table.
The songs presented on The Face of
Love echo those experiences in the light
of a defiant hope in things unseen. The
opening cut (and first single), “I’m Not
Alright,” sprays tense guitar bends with
obvious angst before resolving into an
intimate confessional. The chorus expands
again as vocalist Matt Hammitt wails,
“I’m not alright/I’m broken inside…”
Though still anchored in the modern rock
genre, the musical arrangements demonstrate more texture, melodic complexity
and maturity than anything in their repertoire thus far. Producer Chris Stevens
(tobyMac, Shawn McDonald) manages to
prod the best performances out of each
member of the ensemble while stretching
the group’s artistry and scope.
With a complete lack of contrivance or
posturing, the songs of The Face of Love
are both catchy and painfully real. The
irresistibly hooky “Eloquent” opens with
bittersweet self-deprecation as it plainly
offers, “I’m as eloquent as an elephant/
I’m as headstrong as the Mighty King
Kong/On a rampage throwing airplanes/I
can’t believe you haven’t gone away.”
Nearly every song offers similarly honest
reflections on failure and doubt but with
a bold insistence that there is hope in
the midst of pain.
The plaintive and raging “We’re Trying”
creates one of the high points of intensity
lyrically and musically on the disc as it
insists, “Everyone wants reality, so here it
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is/I believe that nobody is good…We are
liars and thieves/We’re destroying the
peace /But we’re trying.” As brutal as the
psalmic confessions are, though, the
proclamations of true, realistic faith are
just as strong. The same song ends with
the equally bold statement, “There is
nothing in our blood that makes the heart
beat strong enough/Apart from grace,
apart from love.”
The title track offers the ultimate perspective on the problem of pain in the life
of the believer. Contrasting human frailty
with the unending goodness of Jesus’
love for sinners, the song prayerfully begs
for boldness in the midst of struggle, that
broken people would find peace in serving others, becoming the face of love to a
hurting world. Strains of the great authors
Henri Nouwen and Brennan Manning are
obvious. The worshipful “Magnetic” and
the sincere closer, “Benjamin,” will no
doubt also serve as touchstones and
mile markers in this band’s career as
long as it chooses to endure.
With strong writing, excellent performances and flawless execution, The Face
of Love is the sound of a good band growing
up and is by far the most satisfying work
of its career.
JOHN J. THOMPSON
84 ccm april 06 ccmmagazine.com
MARTHA
MUNIZZI
MARTHA MUNIZZI
File under:
R&B/Worship
No Limits
Live
Integrity
pelling persona. It’s important to note that
while no live recording can duly capture the
full extent of an actual worship experience,
No Limits comes awfully close. No doubt
the capable production of Noel Hall (former
musical director for Fred Hammond)
helped to render the clarion result. Then
there are the spoken exultations Munizzi
provides on virtually every track, which
may give some listeners the sense that
they are ascending to a higher place.
The album’s title track kick-starts the
proceedings and sets the tone for what
quickly becomes a nonstop procession of
captivating yet largely unfamiliar, mid- and
up-tempo worship songs (save for widely
known standard “Amazing Love”).
Arrangements are simple yet deftly executed, mostly underpinned by keyboard,
electric guitar and the accompaniment of
a gifted supporting gospel choir.
While the first disc contains a respectable supply of rewarding songs (witness
the powerful R&B intonations of “Name
Above All Names”), disc two features the
lion’s share of notable tunes. To wit,
standout ballad “While You Worship”
speaks of praising God even during difficult
times in life (“The storm will make you
stronger/It drives you to your knees”). And
despite the clichéd title, horn-infused cut
“Jesus Is the Best Thing” resonates a
buoyant Caribbean feel. The project concludes with the foot-stomping number
“Chosen Generation,” a fitting finish for
someone who seems to be just gearing
up to make a joyful noise for the Lord.
DAVID McCREARY
Grade: B
WARREN
BARFIELD
CCM_04.06_Music.v5
ROCK-SOLID EVIDENCE OF BOUNDLESS PRAISE
As one of praise & worship music’s most
acclaimed independent per formers,
Martha Munizzi has enjoyed uncommon
exposure both in album sales and industry
accolades. Besides selling more than
330,000 copies of her first three recordings, Munizzi made history in January
when she became the first non-AfricanAmerican to win a Stellar Award (she
received the 2005 “New Artist of the
Year” honor). Now a bona fide signed
artist, Munizzi releases her first record
with Integrity Music, a live dual-disc set
containing 22 of her most soulful and
memorable numbers.
Recorded at Bethany World Prayer
Center in Baton Rouge, La., shor tly
before Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf
Coast, No Limits showcases Munizzi’s
confident mezzo-soprano vocals and com-
File under:
Acoustic Pop/Rock
Reach
Essential
Grade: B-
A MUSICAL STEP FORWARD
Over two years after his debut, Warren
Barfield returns with a new label home
(Essential) and a new album, Reach. The
time between projects has allowed
Barfield to hone his skills and solidify his
musical identity. His freshman project cast
him in the musical shadow of Steven
Curtis Chapman, though the work was
marked by some standout lyrical moments.
On Reach—produced by Marshall Altman
(Marc Broussard)—Barfield is clearly more
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confident, vocally and musically; unfortunately, the album lacks the memorable lyrical
marks of its predecessor.
The biggest change for Barfield is his
shift towards a bluesy, acoustic pop/rock
style, similar to Gavin DeGraw. “I’ll Be
Alright” kicks off the album and showcases
this new sound to perfection, as do the
more aggressive “Saved” and “Shadow,”
which arrive later in the album. The soulful
groove of “Unleashed” is the musical highlight of Reach and shows just how captivating
Barfield can be when he stretches himself
beyond the stereotypical “safe” sounds of
Christian radio. Unfortunately, the album’s
ballads do not do any of that stretching,
and they are largely forgettable, particularly
“Beyond the Walls.”
Bar field wrote ever y song on the
record, co-writing (with Bryan White, Scott
Krippayne and Andrew Bissell) on just
three. Give that credit where it is due, and,
consequently, the album reflects Warren’s
heart. However, though the project is very
encouraging and hopeful, the positive
messages are not conveyed in a way that
we have not heard before, and most of the
songs rely on familiar phrasing and cliché.
The writer, who dug a bit deeper on tracks
like “My Heart Goes Out,” seems to have
regressed a step; none of these songs will
be remembered as a classic five years
from now. Reach shows Barfield on a
more confident musical footing and will
appeal to his fanbase, but, hopefully, the
third time around he can put it all together
and deliver the complete package.
FAMILY FORCE 5
MICHAEL JANKE
File under:
Rock
Business Up
Front, Party
in the Back
Maverick/Gotee
Grade: A
A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH
Need a caffeinated boost but a little short
on cash for that caramel macchiato from
Starbucks? Well, we may have just stumbled on the next best shot of adrenaline
for the any-time-of-day doldrums: Family
Force 5’s debut, Business Up Front, Party
in the Back.
With the high-octane aggressiveness of
Rage Against the Machine, the span-thegenres fun of Outkast (with songs far better
than “Hey Ya”) and the lyrical whimsy of
FAMILY FORCE 5
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a whole, it’s full of “oh, that’s a cool
[melody/lyric/song]” moments—and tracks
radio should embrace.
Lavik’s onto something here, and Life
On the Inside seems like a record that
could make him a Matthew West-style
breakout success. At the very least, he’s
made an imminently listenable project
from start to finish.
THE FOLD
BEAU BLACK
Relient K, Family Force 5 makes a
strong first impression with 12 insanely
catchy songs that celebrate the lighter
side of life and love (and may even
cause the worst dancer to want to bust
a move).
And like Earthsuit’s much-overlooked
Kaleidoscope Superior back in 2000 or
Tonéx’s Out of the Box in 2004, Business
Up Front, Party in the Back also brings a
fresh dose of originality to the scene with
clever programming, savvy production and
club friendly beats. Also noteworthy is the
fact that there aren’t any superfluous
tracks, a definite plus in the often A-D-D
iPod generation.
Fronted by Solomon Olds, who also
keeps fans guessing vocally as he
sounds like a dead ringer for tobyMac
some moments and Rage’s Zack de la
Rocha others, the band has the vibe of a
Friday night dance party down to a science on tracks such as “Cadillac Funk,”
“Ex-Girlfriend” and “Peachy.” Those looking for something more than a good time
may be a little disappointed in what they
find, but ultimately, there’s no doubt why
this act also caught the attention of
mainstream label Maverick Records.
With insatiable charisma and a live
sound that probably sounds even better
at a venue near you, this family has a
bright future in both the mainstream and
Christian worlds.
CHRISTA A. BANISTER
86 ccm april 06 ccmmagazine.com
JADON LAVIK
JADON LAVIK
File under:
Pop
File under:
Pop/Punk
This Too Shall
Pass
Tooth & Nail
Grade: B
A JOURNEY FROM MELANCHOLY
INTO PRAISE
Life on the
Inside
BEC
Grade: B+
WILL HE MAKE YOUR LIST OF FAVES?
Mr. Lavik’s second outing launches him
into the upper ranks of the poppy guywith-a-guitar pantheon, alongside Bebo
Norman, Warren Bar field and others.
Lavik doesn’t have Norman’s songwriting
chops or Barfield’s voice—but what he
has is an album that’s greater in sum
than its parts might suggest.
One of the album’s selling points is its
consistency: there’s really not a “hit the skip
button” track here. “Changing Happy” is the
first soon-to-be ubiquitous single (or perhaps
already so), a thumpin’ redefinition of what
constitutes contentment. There’s a melodic
sweetness to the songs “Father” and “What
If” that’s reminiscent of Kenny Loggins’ best
stuff—high praise, indeed. “Hear Our Song”
sounds like a Jason Morant tune (another
compliment). On the lite-rock, pseudo-title
cut, “On the Outside,” Lavik sings of being
an outsider in this world, a “stranger
here/Living in reverent fear.” Though Lavik
sounds like several other folks (add Marc
Broussard and Marc Byrd to that list), he’s
carving out a spot in the midst of them for
himself. He doesn’t tackle anything earthshakingly new, but his lyrics are mostly free
of the clichés that pollute some Christian
pop projects (heck, any pop projects). Taken
bit by bit, Life may seem merely nice. But as
The crisp, punchy debut of The Fold tells
the stor y of singer/songwriter Daniel
Castady’s move from mainstream band
Showoff (Maverick) to the Christian faith
that is the foundation of The Fold—thus,
the unexpected clarity and maturity of this
quartet, rooted in suburban Chicago, on
This Too Shall Pass.
Having found a “brand new way,” Castady
is learning to deal with life’s grim realities
(“Gravity” and the title track) but affirms that,
with faith and in time, things will get better.
Throughout, The Fold rocks with a pop sensibility that remains tied to the best power
pop bands of the past, while maintaining an
air of freshness. This works thanks to the
crunchy guitar presence of Aaron Green and
the uptempo groove established by drummer
Mark Rhoades and bassist Keith Mochel.
Castady keeps his hooky melodies
dominant and places vowels over rhetoric
(oohs & aahs) in all the right places. As
the 14 tracks wear on, the novelty factor
diminishes, but the band manages to
maintain a suitable energy level that overcomes the tendency toward redundancy.
Castady’s songs have a point to draw
the listener toward the truth of Jesus Christ
and “what is right.” And, while they eschew
a dependence on preachy language, titles
such as “Evermore” and “Remnant” suggest the faith issues that underlie these
experience-driven narratives.
By the “I Believe You” confessional of a
conclusion, the band moves from a focus on
what’s gone wrong to praising God, whose
grace abounds. And that’s a good thing.
BRIAN QUINCY NEWCOMB
3/10/06
11:48 AM
Page 87
newreleases
ARTIST’S
CHOICE
CCM_04.06_Music.v5
ANDREW SCHWAB
PROJECT 86 FRONTMAN ANDREW SCHWAB
REVIEWS THE LATEST ALBUM FROM HARD MUSIC
FAVES THRICE.
If you aren’t already familiar with Thrice, the
band’s new album, Vheissu (Island), will be an
interesting starting point for you. Thrice’s 2003
release, The Artist in the Ambulance, is one of the
most successful (and influential) of its genre,
which some label as “screamo” and others hail
as “post-hardcore.” In a time when few bands of
this “scene” are willing to take the risk of pioneering, Thrice has concocted an album that is a
successful departure from the metal/hardcore
influences that bind so many of its peers. This,
the band’s fourth installment, frames it at its creative, as well as spiritual, peak.
When I first popped in this record, my spirit
was uplifted. And though I could spout journalistic
puff about the intricacy of Thrice’s riffs
and influences, I
would rather just
talk about how good
I felt when I first listened to this record.
The fact is it’s been
awhile since I put in
a CD, let go of my
critic’s lens, and just...sat back in my car and
sang along with songs that penetrated my soul.
The opening track, “The Image of the Invisible,”
is both inspirational and confrontational: “We’re
more than carbon and chemicals/We are the
image of the invisible.../Though all the world may
hate us, we are named/Though shadow overtake
us, we are known.”
Even if you don’t like heavy music, give this
one a try. It’s spacey, atmospheric and dynamic.
I promise the lyrics will hit you in an intelligent
and thought-provoking way. Thrice—featuring
lead singer Dustin Kensrue, guitarist Teppei
Teranishi, drummer Riley Breckenridge and
bassist Eddie Breckenridge—is both sincere
and filled with integrity, which is why this band
continues to be about seventeen steps ahead
of everyone else in its genre.
For more information on Thrice, visit thrice.net.
APRIL 4
Paul Baloche
Decyfer Down
Edison Glass
Hawk Nelson
A Greater Song (Integrity)
End of Grey (SRE)
A Burn or a Shiver (Tooth & Nail)
Smile, It’s the End of the World
(Tooth & Nail)
Hillsong
Mat Kearney
Darlene McCoy
United We Stand CD/DVD (Integrity)
Nothing Left to Lose (Columbia)
Psalm 151: Vertical Praise
(EMI Gospel)
MXPX
Let It Happen (Deluxe Edition)
(Tooth & Nail)
Daylight (Lava/Atlantic/Sparrow)
Passion: Glorious (sixsteps)
Thug Love (Beatmart)
Count It All Joy (EMI Gospel)
Wishing for Boardwalk (7Spin Music)
The Face of Love (Sparrow)
Live CD/DVD (Inpop)
Finale (EMI Gospel)
Narnia: Songs of Wonder (Disney)
WOW Worship (Provident)
X 2006 CD/DVD (BEC)
Celtic Worship (Integrity)
NEEDTOBREATHE
Passion ‘06
Pettidee
Darrel Petties & SIP
Red Umbrella
Sanctus Real
Superchic[k]
The Tri-City Singers
Various
Various
Various
Shelia Walsh
Bebe & CeCe Winans Treasures: A Collection
of Their Greatest Hits (EMI)
APRIL 11
Anthem Avenue
Deas Vail
Seasons of Love (Doxology)
All the Houses Look the Same
(Rambler)
APRIL 18
Rob Hodge
Born King (Beatmart)
APRIL 25
MercyMe
Phil Wickham
Coming Up to Breathe (INO)
Phil Wickham (INO)
Please cut out and place on your church bulletin board
Enjoy the Good News
Right to Your Cell Phone
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No matter how hard it is to get that right spiritual focus at the start of the day...
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or favorite community board. Thank you!
text message devotionals
CCM_04.06_Books.v4
3/9/06
9:13 PM
Page 88
inreview
books
DISCOVERING THE HIDDEN LIFE
by Margaret Becker
“How do you find where the songs start and end?” asked my thirteenyear old neighbor, Lillian. We were hovering over my vintage General
Electric “portable” record player. She had a Joan Baez LP in her hand.
“You find the slick looking rings on the record. That’s the beginning of
a song.” I demonstrated by placing the needle on the second ring. “The
Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” came crackling out of the
“hi-fi.” I never realized how primitive the whole record player
thing was until I tried to explain all the nuances of placing the
needle down on the correct song. Lillian took a turn.
SCChhhhhweererp. The needle skidded across the next
cut. “Sorry!” she winced.
“No Problem. It just takes some practice.”
For the next hour, she “practiced,” playing me albums she
found in her basement containing songs I’d long forgotten, discussing them as if they were recorded last week. I couldn’t
help but marvel at how well she connected to the message of
music that is over 40 years old.
Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors…Lillian would explain
the emotional content of each song before she set the needle down, until we got to Fats Waller, who apparently was someone’s
favorite at one time. It was scratching and popping mostly.
“It’s pretty different than CDs, isn’t it? Kinda noisy,” I offered.
“You mean the pops and stuff?” Lillian thought about it for a minute
then added, “I like the popping, it is just more…real or something.”
That’s the way I feel about The Hidden Life, by Kitty Crenshaw and
Catherine Snapp (NavPress). Like great music in any format, some messages are universal, surpassing the restraints of time and context.
The Hidden Life is a biography of sorts—a spiritual one—centering on
Betty, who is now in her eighties. The story is written by two women who
Shaking Things Up
The Hip-Hop Church: Connecting With the Movement
Shaping Our Culture
By Efrem Smith & Phil Jackson (InterVarsity Press)
If we want to reach those living the hip-hop lifestyle, we must
understand the culture. In The Hip-Hop Church, Smith and
Jackson undertake the challenge of reconciling the church to
hip-hop culture, marrying the two seemingly disparate entities,
and offering new hope through this integration.
The New Rebellion Handbook: A Holy Uprising Making Real
the Extraordinary in Everyday Life
(Nelson)
The New Rebellion Handbook features 24 themes—from worship
and prayer to health and commitment—which provide a fresh
perspective on everyday issues and help Christians become
rebels with a spiritual cause. Recommending websites, music,
books and events, the Handbook is designed to awaken the rebel in all
Christians, showing them how to put their new rebellion into action.
How Sweet the Sound
Captured by Grace: No One is Beyond the Reach of
a Loving God
By David Jeremiah (Integrity)
Did you know that John Newton, writer of the beloved hymn “Amazing
Grace,” was a slave trader? In Captured by Grace, David Jeremiah
explores the concept of grace as seen in both the lives of Newton
and the Apostle Paul (who was a former Christian executioner). “Amazing grace,
how sweet the sound” will ring even sweeter after reading this inspirational book!
88 ccm april 06 ccmmagazine.com
Betty spiritually mentored. Unusual and hard to categorize, the book is a
treasure chest of timeless truth.
Betty is a simple, honest woman. In this book she shares her life with
the reader, with all the pops and crackles, many of which are familiar to
most of us. Fear, depression, loss of self, marital tensions…it carries a
tendril of every life issue. She lays it out there, peppers it with
matured hindsight and infuses with it some original poetry. It’s
a unique way to present the wisdom of a lifetime’s worth of
struggle; but, even more than that, what makes this offering so
unique is its commonality. She’s someone you know, maybe
even someone you want to become.
Reading her journey made me feel like I was with a trusted
sage who was willing to pass on some hard won knowledge. By
hearing her recount her many life adjustments, I felt I’d encountered myself in some shape or form. It didn’t matter that she was
talking about something that took place during World War II (another lovely aspect of the book—the firsthand account of history), her
experiences still struck a chord with me 60 years later.
Like Lillian, I like the pops and crackles in life much more
than the perfection.
Betty’s book is a vintage, near-mint life study. It’s like having a wise,
loving “Nana” nearby who can show you by example—and without
shame—that everything will pass in its time and, if God is allowed His
way, we will be better for it.
Margaret Becker is an award-winning author, speaker, producer, songwriter
and recording artist. Her latest CD is Faithfully Yours: Psalms, and her new
book, Coming Up for Air, can be ordered at amazon.com and christianbook.com.
For more information visit maggieb.com.
Order in the Court
The Cross Examination of Jesus Christ &
The Cross Examination of Oliver Finney
By Randy Singer (WaterBrook)
Best-selling author Randy Singer is back with a dual offering!
While each title is a work of art, he has innovatively woven
them together so that the answer to a puzzle in one book lies
within the pages of the other. In The Cross Examination of Jesus
Christ, Singer has written a stirring non-fiction apologetic with a
fresh twist: a unique look at faith on trial with Jesus as the
defendant. In The Cross Examination of Oliver Finney, Singer
has penned a masterful legal thriller in which the rescue of
crusty Judge Oliver Finney depends upon the ability of his
protégé, Nikki Moreno, to decipher clues hidden in a popular
theology book, The Cross Examination of Jesus Christ. And the
verdict is in: this novel concept is a winner!
And for the Person Who Has Everything…
Summon’s Christian Miscellany: An Amusingly Informative
Collection of Unexpected Facts, Curiosities, and Trivia
By Parminder Summon (Doubleday)
How big is a cubit? What are the Ten Commandments for the
Road (as defined by the Christian Road Safety Association)?
Who is the patron saint of the ugly? What is The Adulterer’s
Bible? Find the answers to these and other pressing questions
in Summon’s Christian Miscellany, a compendium of “things you didn’t know
you didn’t know” about the world’s most popular religion (with more than two
billion adherents).
Profiles by Kristi Henson
CCM_04.06_Gear.v4
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russlong’s guidetogear>>
BARLOWGEAR 101
WHEN I SAW MY FIRST BARLOWGIRL PERFORMANCE IN FLORIDA THIS PAST
SEPTEMBER, I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY HOW GOOD THE BAND IS LIVE.
COMPRISED OF THREE SISTERS (REBECCA, ALYSSA AND LAUREN BARLOW), THE
GROUP RELEASED ITS SELF-TITLED DEBUT IN EARLY 2004 AND SAW IT BECOME ONE
OF THE YEAR’S BEST SELLERS. THE BAND REUNITED WITH PRODUCER OTTO PRICE
(SONICFLOOD, GRITS) FOR ITS POPULAR SOPHOMORE RELEASE ANOTHER JOURNAL
ENTRY, WHICH FOLLOWED A YEAR LATER. WITH HUNDREDS OF SHOWS UNDER ITS
BELT, I WAS ANXIOUS TO SEE WHAT GEAR KEEPS BARLOWGIRL ROCKING.
From left: Rebecca, Alyssa and Lauren Barlow
>> GIRL POWER::
>> GOT SHEET MUSIC?
Alyssa, the band’s bassist, describes her setup, “For my amps, I use an SWR 750x bass
head with Son of Bertha and Goliath III Cabs. I play a Mustang bass with custom
Wound S-1 pickups and an Active P Bass Special that also has S-1 pickups. For keys,
I use a Kurzweil PC2X.”
Rebecca, the band’s guitarist, primarily plays her first guitar, a beat up Fender
Telecaster with Seymour Duncan hot rails. Not only is this her axe of choice, but it is
also the first guitar she ever owned! She runs the guitar through an
assortment of Boss, Line 6 and Vox pedals into her Marshall 1987x Plexi
with a Marshall Vintage series 1960 TV cab (loaded with Greenbacks) and
her “small but mighty” Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. Lauren, the drummer, plays a DW
kit with DW hardware and Zildjian cymbals.
Not only does BarlowGirl display well-refined musicianship, but they also write their own
music (a practice which, unfortunately, is becoming less and less common these days). Lauren
explains the simplicity of the band’s writing process, “Becca always has her acoustic guitar, and
all three of us bring our journals and a tape recorder. And we just sit down and write.”
THAT MAGIC SOUND::
BRYAN LENOX (Michael W. Smith, Cliff Richard) is guilty of masterfully recording both BarlowGirl albums. He
was kind enough to share the secret to his amazing vocal sound (which comes in at around 10,000 bucks). “I
used an AT 4050 (Audio Technica) mic through a 7th circle Audio Neve Mic Pre through a DBX DeEsser through
a GML Compressor through a vintage Langevin EQ through a Tubetech CL1B into an Apogee Psx100 Convertor.”
SLEEP FALLING::
While life in the fast lane is exciting, Lauren reminds us that even rock stars need to sleep. “We were doing a show in
California, and I was suffering from sleep deprivation that particular night. I was walking around the drum kit trying to tighten
up the hardware when I miscalculated the width of the riser, and I totally fell off. But as I was doing it, I managed to have my
hand in the hi-hat, and then I practically jumped on the hi-hat pedal as I was falling and smashed my hand in the hi-hat. Then,
I proceeded to fall. I pray to this day that nobody saw me do that.”
One of the coolest resources I’ve come
across in a while is SHEETMUSICPLUS.COM.
Think of it as the Amazon.com of sheet
music. They have the world’s largest
selection of sheet music, nearly 400,000
titles and over 50,000 of these are Christian
and Gospel. This gives musicians, vocalists,
worship leaders and choir directors an easy
way to learn the music they want to play.
Many of the songs are available in several
different formats including piano, vocal,
guitar arrangements, guitar tablature, etc.
NICHOLAS BABCHUK, the company’s
founder explains, “Over 1,500 churches
purchased sheet music from us last year
and we’re responding to this demand by
further improving our service and selection.
It is our goal to offer all sheet music that is
in print, including all Christian music.”
I couldn’t resist, so I surfed on over to the
site. Searching for songs can be done by
artist, song or composer, and virtually every
artist I could think of was represented (from
Amy Grant to P.O.D. to MercyMe to
Switchfoot). I ordered a handful of products
including Beethoven’s “Fur Elise,” The
Beatles’ “Let It Be” and, of course,
BarlowGirl’s Another Journal Entry songbook
(all simplified versions of course). And what do
you know? They showed up on my doorstep a
couple of days later. It couldn’t be easier.
[The BarlowGirl Gadgets]
BAND MEMBER
FAVORITE
WISH LIST
BIGGEST HEADACHE
BECCA
Plexi
Mac Book Pro
Ear Monitors
LAUREN
Snare Drum
Hockey Gear
Ear Monitors
ALYSSA
Custom Mustang Bass
Jet Airplane
Ear Monitors
GEAR :
LINKS
For more information on the artists and gear on this page, visit:
fender.com, dwdrums.com, zildjian.com, audiotechnica.com,
sheetmusicplus.com, barlowgirl.com
90 ccm april 06
ccmmagazine.com
Russ Long is an award-winning recording engineer who has helmed gold and platinum albums by Sixpence
None the Richer and Newsboys as well as recordings by Relient K, Wilco, Phil Keaggy, Over the Rhine and
others. Russ recently created an educational DVD on studio engineering tailored for singers, songwriters
and home studio enthusiasts. For more information visit audioinstruction.com.
CCM_04.06_SRO.v4
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standingroomonly
your guide to concerts
All photos by Andy Argyrakis
by Andy Argyrakis
From left: Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Louie Giglio, Chris Tomlin
[CHRIS TOMLIN—MATT REDMAN—LOUIE GIGLIO
“INDESCRIBABLE TOUR”]
PEORIA CIVIC CENTER | PEORIA, IL—FEBRUARY 6, 2006
Even though CHRIS TOMLIN’s a relative newcomer
to Christian music after releasing a trio of studio
CDs and a new live disc, he’s truly a veteran of the
road and master of the stage. The singer/
songwriter has certainly paid his dues along the
way, opening for a wide array of acts (most recently
on Steven Curtis Chapman’s “All Things New Tour”)
while remaining a prominent figure in the Passion
worship movement. But now that Tomlin’s a
headliner on the “Indescribable Tour,” he’s truly hit
a stride unparallel to any thus far in his career,
taking his audience on a fast-paced journey of
alternative pop and hand-raising praise.
The jaunt adapts the style of Chapman’s latest
outing where no one is necessarily an opening act
or headliner, but, rather, it’s a family affair from the
onset. Tomlin welcomed the crowd and performed
a short set to get everyone revved up, including the
high octane “Forever,” the reverent “Holy Is the
Lord” and the hugely familiar “Famous One.” From
there, he passed the microphone over to Britishbred singer/songwriter MATT REDMAN, who
continued the momentum by unveiling modern
church classics from his latest CD Blessed Be Your
Name: The Songs of Matt Redman, Vol. 1 (sixsteps).
The fact that he rarely performs on American
shores made his half hour appearance a treat,
though, like Tomlin, it was not about self-indulgence
but, rather, intentionally about Christ.
Cuts such as “Let Everything That Has Breath,”
“Once Again,” “The Hear t of Worship” and
“Blessed Be Your Name” were all congregational
regardless of their varying speeds, while Redman
made a point to give all the glory to God over his
own song-penning gifts. In keeping with the tradition
of a mini-Passion conference, guest speaker and
Passion founder LOUIE GIGLIO took the
microphone next to offer an intriguing message
about the grand nature of God and His divine plan
92 ccm april 06
ccmmagazine.com
for the entire universe. After some pondering of
those reflections backed by visual, Scriptural and
even scientific support, Giglio bowed out of the
spotlight for a duet between the two troubadours,
who turned in an inspiring rendition of “The
Wonderful Cross” to signify the first set’s finale.
After a brief intermission, the mood turned towards
flat out fun as Tomlin and his backers provided a
glimpse of what a party might be like in heaven
courtesy of “Your Grace Is Enough.” Inspired by its
pogo stick momentum, the praise leader invited all to
join hands and rejoice as the body of Christ,
regardless of denomination, and they obliged,
dancing together throughout the aisles with stunning
unison. A tight and evenly tempered roll through other
favorites included “On Our Side,” “Unchanging (Raise
Up Holy Hands)” and “Indescribable” (introduced as a
chilling solo piano piece) performed with comparable
enthusiasm to Tomlin’s recent Live from Austin Music
Hall (sixsteps) project. Yet the focus turned even
deeper towards adoration of the Creator on the next
pair of tunes with Tomlin even more prominently
playing the piano (“How Great Is Our God” and “How
Great Thou Art”) during which everyone lifted up the
holiest Name of all and rejoiced over having an
indescribably abundant life in Him.
HERE AND THERE
ARE YOU WITHIN A DAY’S DRIVE?
Here is a concert date you won’t want to miss!
04/21 “The Rise Tour” Building 429 and
TAIT, St. Peters, MO
For the latest concert listings, check out
CCMmagazine.com’s searchable tour database
to find out when your favorite artists
will play in a city near you.
CLUB CONNECTION
[
Giving concertgoers a look at one of
the country’s coolest Christian venues.
]
CLUB THREE DEGREES isn’t just a Minneapolis hot
spot when it comes to Christian concerts. The venue
(formerly named The New Union) is one of the
Midwest’s most prominent musical destinations, even
earning rave reviews from Rolling Stone magazine,
which proclaimed, “It's the most pristine and sleek
night club Minneapolis has to offer." And after taking a
stroll through the three-level, 18,000 square foot
facility, it’s easy to see why, as the ultra hip vibe of
candlelit tables, futuristic chairs, pool tables and a
state of the art light and sound system are set against
the towering stage.
The club is packed with patrons throughout the
week but especially on Thursday, Friday and Saturday
for live concerts featuring local and national Christian
acts and DJs. A recent perusing of the calendar
includes a vast list of acts as diverse as SUPERCHIC[K],
OLIVIA and THE VIOLET BURNING, while the annual
New Union/Club Three Degrees band tournament has
also been the launching pad for the likes of PFR and
CASTING PEARLS. Ministry is at the forefront of its
mission, including church services every Sunday and
Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. which feature cutting edge
praise and worship with “keep-it-real” teaching. For
additional information, log on to club3degrees.com.
CCM_04.06_Numbers.v4
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BYTHENUMBERS
9274Jeremy Camp7231
by Gregory Rumburg
Jeremy Camp’s “Take You Back” was 2005’s most-played Christian pop song,
according to Radio & Records and Christian Radio Weekly. Moreover, by year’s
end, Camp added two gold records to his credit, Stay and Carried Me: The Worship
Project. With the GMA Music Awards taking place April 5th, the BEC Recordings
singer/songwriter stands to figure quite prominently at the annual Grammyesque ceremony. Fresh from visiting in-laws in South Africa, the former high
school football standout counts his blessings.
1.5 MILLION 46
Records sold in three-and-a-half years, according to Camp’s management.
“You don’t expect to sell that many records, so when it happens, you just feel
overwhelmed with joy and very grateful,” the Indiana resident tells us.
Camp’s management anticipates all of his records will be RIAA gold-certified
by the time you read this.
Hours in a car, the longest door-to-door trip of Camp’s career. He was
heading to Canada for a gig following a 2002 showcase for Columbia
Records in California. Icy roads and heavy traffic in Texas stand out among
the lowlights of the journey as the artist and four others traveled in a Ford
Expedition. “It was the most ridiculous thing. You just wanted to punch
people,” Camp says of the experience.
9 300
Back-to-back No. 1 singles, with “This Man” being his most recent hit. What’s
the secret to Camp’s success on the radio? “Dude, there is no formula,” he
says. “What really is the deciding factor and what really gets to the heart of
people is that you’re real when you write. You don’t just write a pop song that’s
going to make it to radio…What’s important is you writing your heart down.”
5
Dove nominations for this year’s GMA Music Awards. What will be going
through Camp’s mind as he takes his seat for this year’s ceremony? “Hope
my wife doesn’t have our baby” while he’s at the show. That’s Adie, former
front woman of The Benjamin Gate, who is due April 22.
3-PEAT
Camp could be the first artist to win “Male Vocalist of the Year” three years in
a row since Michael English did it in ’92, ’93 and ’94. “I feel pretty humbled
because I look at other artists like Jason Crabb [of the Crabb Family] who can
really sing. I just feel lucky,” Camp says.
19
Months ago, Camp became a father for the first time. He gushes over Isabella
Rose. “She’s so cute. There are so many things about being a father that are
amazing. One thing I love is that when I walk in the room, she’ll say, ‘Da-Da!’
and hold her hands out, as if to say, ‘Pick me up!’ That’s the most amazing
thing. And I love to pray for my daughter.”
94 ccm april 06
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Days on the road that first year after Stay released. “Kids, don’t try that
at home. It was not fun,” the singer laughs.
5
Workout days per week, when he’s home. Before discovering songwriting,
Jeremy planned to try his luck at college and pro football.
56
Pairs of shoes line the closet in the Camp household. Jeremy says his
wife has more pairs—but not many. His inventory includes golf shoes,
Harley-Davidson boots and several pairs of Nike and Diesel shoes. Why so
many? We think it’s because of a lot of short walks through the house…
14
Number of houses, Camp has lived in during his life. “We used to move
around a lot. My Dad had different jobs. Then, when I lived in California, I
moved about six times,” he says.
17
Months, since Restored hit shelves. But Jeremy anticipates a new studio
record by this November. The working title is Beyond Measure.
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apersonalperspective
A CRASH COURSE IN
Christianity
IN RECENT YEARS INO RECORDING ARTIST SARA GROVES HAS PROVEN HERSELF TO
BE ONE OF THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY’S MOST ARTICULATE AND MOTIVATIONAL
ACTIVISTS. WHETHER SHE’S RESPONDING TO THE DEVASTATION OF HURRICANE
KATRINA, HUMAN TRAFFICKING OR THE AIDS AND POVERTY EMERGENCY IN AFRICA,
SARA LIVES OUT HER FAITH AS BOTH AN EDUCATOR AND A HUMBLE ROLE MODEL.
WHEN WE HEARD THAT SHE HAD JUST RETURNED FROM HER FIRST TRIP TO AFRICA,
WE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO WITH THIS PAGE…
I have never had an experience where my worldview was so stretched and
challenged in such a short time, where I would see some simple thing and
think, “That changes everything.”
This past January my husband, Troy, and I went to Rwanda. We went
there to capture the stories of people who are adding to the beauty for a
DVD releasing this summer. How we got there is a long story with many
sub-stories. What we saw there is even more complex—this is an attempt
to summarize our experience.
The trip was a crash course in global health issues. It is one thing to have
a conversation with Jars of Clay backstage about the necessity of clean
water in Africa (see bloodwater.org) and yet another to see women and
children walking for miles with buckets of brown water balanced on their
heads. At one point Troy said to me, “Sara, I haven’t seen any elderly
people, have you?” I realized that I had not. We asked our 27-year-old
Rwandan friend, Alfred, where the elderly people were. He just shook his
head, “At 50, I will be an old man.” There are no elderly people. According
to UNICEF, the average life expectancy in Rwanda is 39 years of age.
The trip was a crash course in global economics. It is one thing to have a
conversation about fair trade at my local Starbucks and another thing
completely to talk to a coffee grower named Augustine who has eight
children and is just now beginning to be paid for the work he has done all of
his life. Many times I had the thought, “This is not about charity, this is about
acknowledging injustice.” This is about the need to right great inequities
that, for some reason, have been called “the way things are.” I don’t expect to
work for free, and yet that is the standard for much of the world.
And then there is the genocide. I started teaching 10th grade history right
after the genocide in Rwanda took place. It was one of our topics during
“Friday Current Events.” It is one thing to stand in front of a classroom and
discuss the meaning of the word “genocide” and yet another to speak to
Raphael, who is one of only a handful of survivors out of 50,000 people who
sought refuge at the Murambi school grounds only to be trapped and
murdered by a mob with machetes. His wife and five children are buried at
the memorial site where he now works, sharing his story with visitors.
96 ccm april 06
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by Sara Groves
And then there is the reconciliation. Unlike the Holocaust, the survivors
of this genocide still live among the people who committed the mass
murders. How on earth do you keep things from disintegrating into war in
a climate like that? It is one thing to read in my daily devotions about
forgiveness and to think about that person at church who annoys me
somewhat and another thing completely to hear stories from the Minister
of Reconciliation, Fatuma Ndangiza, about the woman who not only
forgave the young man who murdered her family but recently took him in
as a son after he had served his sentence. It is unfathomable, and yet
everywhere you go, you feel the clarity of the choice in this fragile place
between more death and killing and forgiveness.
The trip was a snapshot of a historical tipping point. So many of my
songs are about how God brings beauty out of pain. If that is true, then the
world is about to witness something unbelievably beautiful in Rwanda. As
dark and painful as the history is, the hope is palpable. (I will be writing
more about this on our website, saragroves.com.)
This trip was a crash course in Christianity and what it means to be a
part of the Kingdom of God. I thought I was a fair person and a sensitive
person, but this trip exposed my self-congratulatory attitude, my messianic
complex, my materialism addiction, my U.S.-centric worldview, and my
total failure to grasp that all people are made in the image of God.
Our last night in Rwanda, we were treated to a performance by the
Rwandan International Ballet. The woman sitting next to me was telling me
that the song and dance we were watching was from the perspective of the
parents to their children. “They are saying, ‘You are as big as elephants to
us. Even though you are small, you are powerful, and you matter to us.’”
Later in the program, she leaned in to say, “Most of our songs are about
children, life…you know, families and work. What are your songs about?”
“Children, life, families and work.”
On the plane ride home, I listened to Fernando Ortega’s song “All That Time.”
The song is about a husband and wife, but the words took on a new meaning,
“Our long arms hanging by our sides, all that time…” With that thought came a flood of
tears. I was picturing all the people filling the earth, all of us with our need for
love, for meaning, and all of us with our long arms hanging by our sides.
I picture myself in the not so distant past, with my long arms hanging by
my sides and my tiny heart so full of fear and self. I reflect over the last few
years, and I see with profound gratitude how God has taken me into account,
been patient with my hesitation, and invited, and invited, and invited me to
be a part of His work. I see how my heart has grown and continues to burst
out of its confines. I understand now more than ever that this is not charity;
this is fullness of life. God has invited us to be a part of His work, to be a part
of something so much bigger than ourselves, and not just for the sake of the
poor. As we help others climb out of the grip of poverty, maybe we, in turn,
will find ourselves climbing free from the poverty of our souls.
Sara Groves’ latest album, Add to the Beauty, was named 2005’s “Album of the Year”
by CCM Magazine.
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april 06 ccm 97
CCM_04.06_HistoryMakers.v4
3/9/06
9:19 PM
Page 98
HISTORYMAKERS
WITH J O H N S T Y L L
MOMENTS THAT SHAPED CCM
THIS MONTH WE ASKED JOHN TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE GMA MUSIC AWARDS’ HISTORY AND AN
INSIDER’S PERSPECTIVE ON HOW THE GOSPEL MUSIC ASSOCIATION PULLS OFF THE AWARDS SHOW EACH YEAR.
[WHEN DOVES FLY]
As president of the Gospel Music Association, one of my
duties is to serve as Executive Producer of the GMA Music
Awards—also known as the Dove Awards. The Executive
Producer is basically responsible for arranging funding,
production and distribution.
This year’s show takes place April 5. The nominations were
announced on February 1. We thought this month’s column
would be well-served by giving you a little history about the
Doves and explaining how the GMA’s awards process works.
The first Dove Awards took place in Memphis in 1969
during the National Quartet Convention. There were only
11 categories, and all of them were Southern Gospel. (The
GMA was originally formed by the Southern Gospel music
industry for the purpose of promoting that form of music.)
The “Inspirational” and “Pop/Contemporary” categories
were added in 1976 to reflect the growing scope of the
industry and the undeniable popularity of artists such as
Evie, The Imperials and The Bill Gaither Trio. A black
gospel category was added in 1977.
The most important decision ever made by the GMA
Board of Directors was when they decided to have the
GMA represent all forms of gospel music, rather than
Southern Gospel exclusively. Now the awards encompass
42 categories—everything from bluegrass to Spanish
language to hip-hop.
Here’s how the process works. Most of the GMA’s 4,000
members are in the “professional” category, meaning that
they earn all or part of their living in some aspect of gospel
music. Members and record companies are given the
opportunity to nominate artists and albums for entry into the
awards process. The eligibility period is from November 1
through October 31. In other words, to be eligible for
nomination for a 2006 GMA Music Award, an album must
have been commercially released between November 1,
2004, and October 31, 2005. In early December, various
98 ccm april 06
ccmmagazine.com
From left: This year’s GMA Music Awards hosts Kirk Franklin and Rebecca St. James, GMA’s Dove Trophy
“Screening Committees” convene to review all of the submitted entries to ensure that they meet
the eligibility requirements and have been placed in the most appropriate musical category.
Approximately 70-80 people who are experts in various musical styles volunteer most of a day to
assist with this process. Their task is to review more than 1,200 separate entries. All entries—both
from big-name artists and companies and from hundreds you’ve never heard of—are given careful
consideration.
The GMA’s Awards & Criteria Committee meets a few days after the screening process to
review all of the entries, make decisions regarding any conflicts, and determine whether any
major releases or artists were inadvertently overlooked.
Based on the number of entries received, a list of the top 25 albums or artists in each category
is made available to all GMA members who are active as of December 1. For the first time this
year, voting took place online. The five artists, songs or albums receiving the most votes in each
category become the finalists. A ballot featuring these nominees is made available in February,
and from there, the Dove recipients are chosen.
The results are kept secret until revealed during the GMA Music Awards. This year the show
will be held on April 5 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. It will begin airing on television
April 15. (You can find out when it will air in your area by going to gmamusicawards.com.)
I am often asked why the GMA Music Awards does not air on one of the major networks such
as ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox. It’s very simple, really. Although the sales of gospel music exceed
classical and jazz combined, the networks still see it as a relatively small niche market when
compared to mainstream rock, R&B or country. And frankly, the religious nature of the lyrics
makes TV executives nervous. Over the years we have had discussions with every network.
They can’t quite grasp the breadth of the appeal of this music, nor do they see many of our
artists as “stars” (as they would define the term). Consequently, none of the networks has been
willing to take the risk of airing the show.
That’s why we “syndicate” the show. All that means is that we make deals with TV stations on a
market-by-market basis. They air the show at a time that is convenient for them, which is usually not
during prime time. We try to find sponsors who are willing to pay to have their products promoted
during commercial breaks. We use that money to produce the show—which can cost several
hundred thousand dollars. It seems unbelievable, but it’s true. And we think it’s worth it, considering
the television exposure the gospel message receives through the music that is presented on the show.
Send your thoughts to me at john@gospelmusic.org.
[
JOHN STYLL is the president of the Gospel Music Association. Before taking its helm, he launched CCM
Magazine in 1978 and captained our ship for more than 20 years. For more information on the Gospel
Music Association or the GMA Music Awards, which it oversees, go to gospelmusic.org.
]