Caedmon’s Call signs with INO, reunites with Webb
After fulfilling their contract with Essential Records, folk-pop band Caedmon's Call has signed with INO Records and reunited with former band member, INO recording artist Derek Webb for their Aug. 28-releasing album
Overdressed (Provident-Integrity) and supporting tour dates. After six years of being apart, Webb co-wrote much of the album for Caedmon's. Webb’s wife, musician Sandra McCracken, Andrew Osenga, and Randall Goodgame also co-wrote.
Which Rice is Right?
Retailer father and songwriter son perform on different platforms.
MikeRice was a construction worker when the Lord called him to start a Christian store. Thirty-plus years later, he and his wife Elaine are still faithfully serving customers and their community in Camp Springs, MD. Their sons have grown up and moved away, and Nashville became their second son Chris’ home, and music his livelihood.
Chris started performing at youth camps and writing songs which were picked up by the likes of Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Kathy Troccoli, and John Tesh. His skill as a lyricist prompted Rocketown Records to sign him as their first artist in 1996. Musical abilities instilled by his mother were revealed a year later when Chis released his debut album.
Now, a Dove award and 1.6 million units later, his sixth studio project, What a Heart is Beating For releases July 17 on INO/eb+flo/Columbia Records (Provident-Integrity).
Despite his son’s success, Mike says, “I can’t give a Chris Rice album away.” His Jesus Bookstore demographics have changed and now serves a predominantly African-American market. Mark says music sells very well at his store, but most of it is gospel. He adds the key to successful music sales: “Listen to your customers. They ask for what they want.”
Chris has also learned what his audience wants. After the success of top-10 mainstream love song “When Did You Fall,” he told me he’s been “set free to explore ideas in writing and topics that reach a much broader spectrum.” Chris is not writing songs that cross over to the general market only for the money. He has strong beliefs about Christians being light to the world and not just unto themselves. At the risk of being misunderstood, Chris Rice is using his skills and talents to get his music out into the world.
Mike faced many misunderstandings when he set out to follow the Lord’s calling to start a store. He had no previous retail knowledge and even got shot down by his pastor. “I kept asking ‘How do you do this?’ and praying ‘Lord, I’m willing. Teach me,’” Mike says. “Once we stepped out in faith, the Lord blessed it from get-go.”
Mike and Elaine Rice may have wanted to pass on the store that’s been such a blessing to them. Mike allowed and encouraged his sons to work there when they were younger. He even offered ownership to Chris, but after completing his agreed-upon service, he said, “Dad, the Lord called you into the book business. Not me.”
Mike gives his sons blessing in the unique ways they’ve each been led by God. “He gives us the gifts and talents we need to do the job He requires,” Mike says. “Chris made a good choice.”
Founding Avalon member to step down at year-end
After nearly 12 years with Avalon, founding member Jody McBrayer plans to depart the award-winning vocal group due to a heart condition called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Currently McBrayer is in the studio recording his last record with Avalon, slated to release this September. He will travel with the group on its 40-city fall tour.
Avalon will perform at Worship Now! at the
International Christian Retail Show 2007.
Regal publishes Delirious?’ first book
Releasing today is worship band Delirious?’ first book,
I Could Sing of Your Love Forever, recounting true stories and songwriting journeys behind their lyrics. The book is written primarily by frontman Martin Smith and guitarist Stu G, with cover design and art direction from drummer Stew Smith. It’s in a new four-color format in Regal’s “Worship” series, alongside Matt Redman’s
The Unquenchable Worshipper and Tim Hughes’
Here I Am to Worship.
38th Annual Dove Awards winners
Last year artist/songwriter Chris Tomlin went home with five Dove Awards. He added six more trophies as the most honored artist at the 38th Annual Dove Awards, held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. Newcomer Aaron Shust was also a major honoree with three Doves, announced John W. Styll, president and CEO of the Gospel Music Association (GMA) and executive producer of the GMA Dove Awards.
Hosted by Natalie Grant, Brian Littrell, and Donnie McClurkin, the 38th Annual Dove Awards were presented live at the Opry House and will begin airing in national television syndication in May.
Tomlin’s six Dove Awards included Artist of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year, two honors he repeats for the second year. “Holy Is The Lord,” a song he co-wrote with Louie Giglio, earned him another trophy as did his involvement in the Special Event Album of the Year, Passion: Everything Glorious. His most current CD release, See the Morning accounted for two more awards, as it was honored as both the Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year and Praise & Worship Album of the Year.
Shust marks his Dove Awards debut with three of the evening’s most prestigious honors, including Songwriter and New Artist of the Year. He also was honored for writing “My Savior My God,” named Song of the Year.
Tomlin and Shust didn’t shine alone. The more than 30 artists who received Dove Awards reflected the rich and colorful tapestry of gospel/Christian music’s unique embrace of all styles of music. The celebration extended to newcomers and veterans, and included Alan Jackson, Jars of Clay, Amy Grant, Andraé Crouch, Kirk Franklin, Casting Crowns, The Crabb Family, The Oak Ridge Boys, Lewis Family, and even Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber from VeggieTales.
In the “overall” categories, Dove Awards were presented for Song—“My Savior, My God” (Aaron Shust); Artist—Chris Tomlin; New Artist—Aaron Shust; Female Vocalist—Natalie Grant; Male Vocalist—Chris Tomlin; Group—Casting Crowns; Songwriter—Aaron Shust; and Producer—Ed Cash.
Myrrh Records, Women of Faith Partner
Myrrh Records recently partnered with Women of Faith to be its sole music provider. The first Myrrh/Women of Faith project released will be the Women of Faith Worship Team album,
Amazing Freedom.
Mocha Club
I want to share something really cool I'm doing to help Africa and I hope you will check it out too.
I just joined a web site called Mocha Club, where you can give up the cost of 2 mochas a month, or $7, to help orphans, refugees, and those affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Did you know that 6300 people die every day from AIDS? Here is what blew my mind - in All of Africa, $7 gives clean water to 7 Africans for a year. In Kibera Kenya, $7 gives 3 meals in a day for 9 orphans. In Bulawayo Zimbabwe, $7 would put two kids in school for a term. It's those kind of things that made me realize this is something I can do.
So I've felt convicted to move from the talking to doing category. You can join my online team by clicking
HERE and we can keep inviting friends so the team continues to grow at $7 per person.
They also give detailed updates once a month as to what the money is doing in Africa.
And do you know of MATT WERTZ? Here's a cool incentive he's offering - if you join our team now, you'll also get a FREE download of his entire new album, Everything In Between. Cool, huh?
Let me know what you think.
Musicians and author kick off Glory Revealed tour
Third Day front man Mac Powell and author/speaker David Nasser collaborated to create the Mar. 6-releasing album,
Glory Revealed: The Word of God in Worship (Reunion/Provident-Integrity), and recently announced the Glory Revealed tour will hit 15 cities starting Mar. 29.
Each worship night will include songs by Shane & Shane, Brian Littrell, Starfield’s Tim Neufeld, Hyper Static Union’s Shawn Lewis, Trevor Morgan, and Candi Pearson-Shelton, plus teaching from Nasser. His book, Glory Revealed: How The Invisible God Makes Himself Known, releases Apr. 8 exclusively through Family Christian Stores.
Screwtape coming to film
Walden Media, the studio behind
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, is joining forces with a well-known Christian in Hollywood, Ralph Winter, who produced
X-Men and
Fantastic Four, for a big-screen adaptation of C.S. Lewis’
The Screwtape Letters.
The film, described as “midbudget,” is slated for a 2008 release. Lewis’ stepson Douglas Gresham supervised the Wardrobe production and will produce with Winter.
The Screwtape Letters was first published in 1942. Variety reported HarperSanFrancisco has sold almost 1 million copies of the trade paperback alone since taking over its publishing in 2001.
Kirk Franklin leads GRAMMY winners
The 49th annual GRAMMY awards yesterday honored musicians in 31 fields. Kirk Franklin led the Gospel field with two awards. Winners were:
Best Gospel Performance, Yolanda Adams, “Victory,”
The Gospel soundtrack
Best Gospel Song, Kirk Franklin, “Imagine Me”
Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album, Jonny Lang,
Turn AroundBest Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album, Third Day,
Wherever You AreBest Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album, Randy Travis,
Glory TrainBest Traditional Gospel Album, Israel & New Breed,
Alive In South AfricaBest Contemporary R&B Gospel Album, Kirk Franklin,
Hero
After fulfilling their contract with Essential Records, folk-pop band Caedmon's Call has signed with INO Records and reunited with former band member, INO recording artist Derek Webb for their Aug. 28-releasing album Overdressed (Provident-Integrity) and supporting tour dates. After six years of being apart, Webb co-wrote much of the album for Caedmon's. Webb’s wife, musician Sandra McCracken, Andrew Osenga, and Randall Goodgame also co-wrote.
