Salem Employees Take Pay Cut

Salem Communications says every full and part-time employee will take a 5% reduction in pay beginning next week and some executives are even taking a 10% reduction.

Salem owns Salem Radio Network, which syndicates talk, news and music programming to approximately 2,000 affiliates; Salem Web Network (e.g., Crosswalk.com); and Salem Publishing, a leading publisher of Christian-themed magazines (e.g., CCM). The company owns and operates approximately 100 radio stations, including stations in 23 of the top 25 markets.

Lynyrd Skynyrd's Billy Powell dies

Billy Powell died this morning from a heart ailment.

Powell, keyboardist for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group Lynyrd Skynyrd, was seriously injured in the Oct. 20, 1977 plane crash that killed Lynyrd Skynyrd singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and others.

During the band's hiatus in the 80s, Powell briefly joined a Christian rock band named Vision and spoke during the concerts about his newly found faith in Jesus Christ.

Guitarist Gary Rossington's wife, Dale, said in the Florida Times Union that the band members had long been worried about Powell's health, adding, "But he had such a big huge heart of gold, such a huge abiding faith in God and his savior Jesus."

Anberlin: we're not a Christian band

The latest in a long line of Christian artists who feel compelled to announce that they're artists who happen to be Christians, Gospel Soundcheck has a nice post on Anberlin. Comments indicative of their philosophy comes from Lead vocalist Stephen Christian:

"I just simply write about life experiences, and when God comes out, then God comes out ... But I'm also not going to inhibit that or I'm not going to try to create that feeling just to sell records to more Christians or talk about God less just to sell more records to the general market."

Billboard Features Revive in its “Best Bets 2009”

This week, Billboard magazine names Revive as one of 15 new “Faces To Watch” in 2009, as part of this week's "Best Bests" cover story which highlights emerging talent in various genres of music. The pop/rock band is the only Christian music artist selected. “Revive looks to be the next Aussie export to make its mark in the Christian music arena,” Billboard states. Revive’s debut album, Chorus of the Saints, releases March 10, just in time for a national tour with Third Day and Brandon Heath on the Revelation Tour. For more on Revive, visit reviveband.com.

Storyside:B Bassist Dies on Cruise Ship

On Janua​ry 18 Storyside:B Bassist Ron McLelland passe​d away from an undiagnosed heart problem.​ According to their MySpace blog:

He was on a cruis​e with his wife Rebec​ca and 88.1 The Promi​se out of Jacksonvil​le FL. He was playi​ng baske​tball​ and sudde​nly colla​psed,​ and they were unable to reviv​e him. We are all shock​ed and deepl​y sadde​ned of our broth​er's passi​ng.​ Pleas​e keep his famil​y and wife Rebec​ca in your praye​rs.​ We will be setti​ng up a donation fund to help offse​t the cost of the funer​al and to help suppo​rt Ron'​s famil​y.​ God Bless​ Story​Side : B

They did not have life insurance and donation information is here.

Hollywood Conservatives Launch Effort to Change Entertainment Industry

In an industry dominated by the political left, conservatives are coming together on a new platform with a mission to change Hollywood and to restore it to its patriotic roots.

Launched last week, Big Hollywood is not a gossip outpost but a group blog featuring hundreds of conservatives from the fields of politics, journalism, entertainment and culture.

MercyMe Most Played Artist on Christian Radio in 2008

Here are the most played artists on Christian radio in 2008 according to Radio & Records. MercyMe is the most played artist and the rest of the top 10 contain no real surprises except for Robbie Seay Band.

Top 10 Christian AC artists:
1. MercyMe
2. Matthew West
3. Chris Tomlin
4. Casting Crowns
5. Jeremy Camp
6. Third Day
7. Natalie Grant
8. Brandon Heath
9. Steven Curtis Chapman
10. Robbie Seay Band

No surprises in the CHR list except for Skillet at #1.

Top 10 Christian CHR artists:
1. Skillet
2. Addison Road
3. The Afters
4. Needtobreathe
5. Sanctus Real
6. Hawk Nelson
7. Jeremy Camp
8. TobyMac
9. Relient K
10. Brandon Heath

No real surprises in the Top 10 except for The Wedding and Ivoryline.

Top 10 Christian Rock artists:
1. Pillar
2. The Wedding
3. Skillet
4. Family Force 5
5. Fireflight
6. Relient K
7. Wavorly
8. Ivoryline
9. Project 86
10. The Almost

"You Are Everything" was Most Played Song on Christian Radio

Here are the most played songs on Christian radio in 2008 according to Radio & Records.

Top 5 Christian AC songs:
1) You Are Everything, Matthew West
2) Let It Fade, Jeremy Camp
3) Call My Name, Third Day
4) God With us, MercyMe
5) You Reign, Mercy Me

Top 5 Christian CHR songs:
1) Never Going Back To OK, The Afters
2) Give Me Your Eyes, Brandon Heath
3) Those Nights, Skillet
4) No Matter What It Takes, Jeremy Camp
5) Call My Name, Third Day

Top 5 Christian Rock songs:
1) Whispers In The Dark, Skillet
2) Hello Alone, Anberlin
3) Crash, Decyfer Down
4) Devastation And Reform, Relient K
5) The Flame In All Of Us, Thousand Foot Krutch

Top 5 Soft AC/Inspirational songs:
1) Jesus Messiah, Chris Tomlin
2) You Reign, MercyMe
3) You're Not Along, Meredith Andrews
4) What Life Would Be Like, Big Daddy Weave
5) Mighty To Save, Laura Story

To put some of this into perspective, Matthew West's "You Are Everything" had 47,006 plays in 2008. In contrast, Skillet's "Whispers In The Dark" had 4,505 plays.

All of the Radio & Records year end charts are here.

'Bibleman' Fighting Back After Suicide Try

Willie Aames is back in charge. That's the message the "Charles in Charge" and "Eight Is Enough" star is sending now, after trying to kill himself last year on Thanksgiving Day.

Aames, 48, opens up in the current issue of Star magazine about the awful series of events that led him to try to take his own life.

After he declared bankruptcy and had his car repossessed, he says his actress wife of 22 years, Maylo Upon, left him. Willie then moved out of their Kansas home and rented a room in Los Angeles.

Aames who struggled with addictions before becoming a Christian, recounts: "I stole a bottle of Jack Daniel's from the guy I was renting the room from," Willie tells the magazine. "I'd been sober for 20 years when I took that first drink... It got so bad, I put a knife to my throat and cut myself in six places."

In a revealing interview with BeliefNet two years ago in conjunction with the publication of his memoir "Grace Is Enough," the couple has some disappointing revelations about their involvement with the Christian community.

They discuss Christians reactions to Willie's 'incident' on "Celebrity Fit Club" and his complicated relationship with Bibleman. Hopefully, Aames will realize that God's grace is still enough and will be restored to a better place.

CompassionArt Giving Away 100 Million Songs

The CompassionArt charity is giving away 100 million brand new songs from its upcoming CompassionArt: Creating Freedom From Poverty CD/DVD for a limited time download via a widget (see below). This giveaway features six songs written collectively by 12 acclaimed songwriters and recorded by well-known artists in the Christian music genre. Requesting donations for the songs, the goal is to engage people everywhere to help end world poverty.

The 19 songwriters/guest vocalists featured on the CompassionArt: Creating Freedom From Poverty recording include: (Songwriters) Paul Baloche, Steven Curtis Chapman, Stu G, Israel Houghton, Tim Hughes, Graham Kendrick, Andy Park, Matt Redman, Martin Smith, Michael W. Smith, Chris Tomlin and Darlene Zschech; and (Guest Vocalists) Kirk Franklin, Amy Grant, Joel Houston, Leeland Mooring, Christy Nockels, tobyMac and CeCe Winans.

Together, they combine for: 101 million albums sold, 103 No. 1 songs, 32 GRAMMY Awards and 9 GRAMMY nominations this month alone, 202 Dove Awards, 18 Stellar Awards, 3 American Music Awards, and 116 CCLI Top 500 songs sung by millions in churches around the world.

Jody Davis Returns to the Newsboys

Guitarist Jody Davis returns to the Newsboys after a five-year hiatus. Davis was a member of the band from 1993-2003. Paul Colman, who played guitar with the Newsboys the last three years, will be continuing his solo career and performing shows nationwide in 2009.

Upcoming releases

According to JesusFreakHideout:
January 27
* Paul Colman History [Inpop]
* Paul Colman If I Was Jesus (Digital EP) [Inpop]
* various artists CompassionArt: Creating Freedom From Poverty [Sparrow]
* Joy Williams One of Those Days EP [Sensibility]


February 3
* Melinda Doolittle Coming Back To You [Genius]
* The Fray untitled [Epic]
* Salvador How Far is Heaven: The Best of Salvador [Word]

February 10
* Avalon Avalon: The Greatest Hits [Sparrow]
* Red Innocence & Instinct [Essential]

February 24
* Delirious? My Soul Sings live CD/DVD [Sparrow]


March 10
* Melissa Greene Next Step [KOCH]
* Ronnie Milsap Then Sings My Soul: 24 Favorite Hymns & Gospel Songs [StarSong]

March 24
* Mandisa Freedom [Sparrow]
* Switchfoot untitled [Credential]

* Jars Of Clay The Long Fall Back To Earth [Gray Matters]

May 5
* Newsboys In The Hands Of God [Inpop]

Further In The Future...
* BarlowGirl untitled [Fervent] -- July
* Kevin Max untitled [dPulse]
* NEEDTOBREATHE untitled [Word]
* Sanctus Real untitled [Sparrow] -- Summer
* Sixpence None The Richer untitled [Nettwerk]
* Rebecca St. James untitled [Forefront]
* Stryper Murder By Pride -- Early 2009
* Tait Loveology -- Your guess is as good as ours
* TobyMac untitled [Forefront]

Jonas Brothers in concert with Christian friends

The Jonas Brothers performed a concert yesterday at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium, with friends Jordin Sparks, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Phil Vassar, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith and Steven Curtis Chapman.

Quotes from the concert here.

Critics' Picks for Best CDs of 2008

A brief list of some critics' picks for the best of 2008

CCM
Christianity Today
CM Central
Gospel Music Channel
Jesus Freak Hideout