Nashville Musicians Come Together To Help Haiti

More than 50 musicians got together Wednesday night to record "Come Together Now," a song that will help raise money for Haitian relief efforts. Michael W. Smith wrote "Come Together Now" soon after seeing the devastation caused by a major earthquake in Haiti.

"What I am seeing out here, I'm pretty blown away," Smith said after looking out into the recording studio.

Within twelve days Smith had rounded up enough of his friends to record the song. The artists who answered the call came from all genres of music and are all stars in their own right.

"What I love is that everyone left their egos at the door. People came here with a mission, to help Haiti, to bring aide to the Haitian people," said Christian artist Michael Tait.

"To be here for Michael, I would do anything for Michael W.," said country superstar Wynonna Judd.

Artists included Michael W. Smith, dc Talk, Oak Ridge Boys, Wynnona Judd, Matt Maher, Nicole C. Mullen, Stephen Curtis Chapman, Casting Crowns, Point of Grace, Chris Sligh, Mandisa and more. This is the second such effort by Christian artists this month.

Michael W. Smith hopes to have "Come Together Now" ready for download in a couple of weeks. The money raised will go to the American Red Cross and Samaritan's Purse.

New Newsboys Sound Like Tait

The Newsboys have released 5 new songs with new lead singer Michael Tait on vocals on newsboys.com, Facebook and as an EP for pre-buying their new CD during the Winter Jam Tour.

The music sounds really good, but it sounds like Michael's previous band, Tait. I'm curious to see how fans react. Below is their first video from the upcoming CD.

CBS Considering Airing Gay Dating Site Ad During Super Bowl

After days of deliberations on whether to run a controversial Super Bowl ad from gay dating site ManCrunch, CBS has not yet reached a decision.

Some conservatives have been concerned that CBS' acceptance of the Focus on the Family spot would open the door to other advocacy ads like this one.

Liberal Women's Groups Want CBS to Drop Tim Tebow Super Bowl Ad

College football phenom Tim Tebow is about to become one of the biggest stars of Super Bowl XLIV — and he's not even playing in the game.

Tebow and his mother Pam will appear in a pro-life commercial that tells the story of his risky birth 22 years ago -- an ad that liberal critics suggest could lead to anti-abortion violence, even though none of them have seen it.

It's a happy story with an inspirational ending, but pro-abortion critics say Focus on the Family should not be allowed to air the commercial because it advocates on behalf of a divisive issue and threatens to "throw women under the bus."

"This organization is extremely intolerant and divisive and pushing an un-American agenda," said Jehmu Greene, director of the Women's Media Center, which is coordinating a campaign to force CBS to pull the ad before it airs on Feb. 7.

2010 CDs Not To Miss

Dates courtesy of JFH

January 26
Day Of Fire - Losing All

February 9
Fair - Disappearing World
Fireflight - For Those Who Wait
TobyMac - Tonight

February 23
Newworldson - Newworldson
Starfield - The Saving One

March 2
Lifehouse - Smoke & Mirrors

March 9
Adie - Just You And Me
Sanctus Real - Pieces Of A Real Heart

March 23
DecembeRadio - DecembeRadio Live
Robbie Seay Band - Miracle

March 30
Amy Grant - Somewhere Down The Road

May 4
MercyMe - The Generous Mr Lovewell

June 8
Newsboys - Born Again

No Official Dates Yet...
Addison Road - untitled
The Afters - untitled
Meredith Andrews - untitled
Jeremy Camp - untitled worship album
Downhere - untitled (Winter, 2010)
Kevin Max - Cotes d'Armor
Jimmy Needham - untitled
Tenth Avenue North - untitled
Paul Colman - All My Life
GRITS - From Scratch
Sixpence None The Richer - untitled
Rebecca St. James - untitled

Bebo Generates Over $50K for Haiti

Last week Bebo Norman decided to help make a difference giving back to Haiti relief by auctioning his personal Everett Laurel guitar on eBay. After one week of bidding, the auction closed on Friday night with an amazing closing price of $51,100. All funds will be going to Compassion International for Haiti relief.

This came on the heels of promising to match $5 for every re-tweet of his request to donate.

Kirk Franklin Gathers Gospel Community to Record a Relief Song for Haiti

As gospel music artists gathered in Nashville to celebrate at the 25th Stellar Awards, they also came together for a higher purpose. With the recent tragic earthquake in Haiti, Kirk Franklin assembled gospel artists to lend their voices to “Are You Listening,” a song they all hope will inspire those devastated as well as raise much needed funds for Haiti.

The response was overwhelming for what Franklin had dubbed as the gospel community's answer to "We Are the World" as more than 150 participants swiftly joined including BeBe & CeCe Winans, Natalie Grant, Mary Mary, Shirley Caesar, Jeremy Camp, Yolanda Adams, Donnie McClurkin, Marvin Sapp, Marvin Winans and Kiki Sheard.

All proceeds from the record will be donated to charities involved in relief efforts.

Focus on the Family buys Super Bowl Ad

Focus on the Family will air its first Super Bowl spot during the upcoming Super Bowl game. The 30-second ad will feature Tim Tebow, a former quarterback with the University of Florida's Gators and 2007 winner of the Heisman Trophy, along with his mother Pam.

"Tim and Pam share our respect for life and our passion for helping families thrive," Jim Daly, president of Focus of the Family, said in a written statement on Jan. 15.

Focus on the Family spokeswoman Lisa Anderson would not reveal how much her organization paid for the ad or provide further details about it. But she told CNNMoney.com that the funds were donated specifically for this purpose by unnamed individuals. She said the money did not come from the group's general fund.

CBS, broadcaster of the 2010 Super Bowl game, is charging about $3 million for 30-second spots, according to spokesman Dana McClintock. But CBS would not reveal how much it charged Focus on the Family for their ad.

American Idol Season 5 finalist Alya Brown daughter of new US Senator Scott Brown

The stunning senate race between winner Republican Scott Brown and Democrat Martha Coakley has a connection to American Idol.

Senator-elect Brown's daughter Alya was a Top 16 finalist on American Idol Season 5 and her new album, Circles, hits iTunes on Tuesday.

Robbie Seay Band Nominates Family for Extreme Home Makeover

Robbie Seay Band has nominated the “Beach Family” for a complete home renovation by Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Their episode taped last week and will air in late March.

Larry and Melissa Beach lost their home in Kemah, TX, a suburb of Houston, to Hurricane Ike more than a year ago. The couple, who have thirteen children, nine adopted and many with special needs, have resided in FEMA trailers on their property since late 2008. Amidst such circumstances, the Beach’s, who have fostered more than 85 children in their home, have continued to offer a home to children in need.

Robbie Seay, co-founder of Ecclesia Church, comments, “Larry and Melissa proved that their love was stronger than anything a storm could bring their way. Living in FEMA trailers, they continued to reach out and love these kids, no matter the circumstances. My connection to this family is deep. They served as my youth group Sunday school teachers and now I mentor their older boys who are aspiring musicians. I am beyond thrilled that this is happening for them."

Audio A's Mark Stuart Featured on MSNBC from Haiti

Today, MSNBC interviewed Mark Stuart, best known for being the lead vocalist of Audio Adrenaline and the more current touring acoustic/speaking team Audio Unplugged, about the devastation in Haiti after the country recently experienced a severe earthquake. Stuart is one of the founders of The Hands & Feet Project orphanage in Haiti and was interviewed about how the area around Hands & Feet was affected by the quake.

Visit this link to watch footage of Stuart being interviewed from on location in Haiti.

Carrie Underwood Touts Brandon Heath in People Magazine

This week in the Jan. 18 issue of PEOPLE Magazine, Carrie Underwood shares that she's a fan of singer/songwriter Brandon Heath saying, "I'm in love with Brandon Heath's voice...", when asked who is currently on her iPod.

Heidi Montag's New Album Doesn't Illuminate Her Faith

Heidi Montag's "Superficial" released last Tuesday. Back in July 2008 it was rumored that she was interested in recording a Christian music album.

You may have seen pics of Heidi & Spencer coming out of church holding Bibles and their appearance in June 2008 on the reality show "I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!" where they talked about Jesus and their faith. For example, when Heidi wailed that someone had "vandalized my hair product!", Spencer went on a violent rampage, prompting Heidi to explain that he was a new Christian and working out his anger issues. A day later, Spencer was baptized by fellow reality show Christian Stephen Baldwin.

But it's pretty clear this isn't a Christian album. Not by any stretch of the imagination. The first clue being that it comes in both clean and explicit versions.
Even US Weekly calls the album "racy. Verrry racy."

The Blind Side tops $200 Million

Sandra Bullock has accomplished a box office feat that fellow A-listers Julia Roberts, Angelina Jolie, Reese Witherspoon and others have never succeeded - she's cracked the $200 million mark at the domestic box office.

According to Variety, "The Blind Side" is the first movie ever "driven solely by a top female star" to break $200 million.

One wonders how much the Christian family at the center of the film and faith-based marketing helped drive the success of the film.

Adam Baldwin, of Chuck fame, Defends Brit Hume

Adam Baldwin, noted conservative actor, notes the backlash on Brit Hume's recent comments and completely exposes the inappropriateness and unfairness of the comparisons of sincere Christianity to Jihad and deftly analyzes the pretensions of secularism. I could try to summarize, but would just end up reproducing his article.

Zac Levi of Chuck Speaks About Faith

In the latest issue of Relevant magazine, Zac Levi speaks about how his career choice has impacted him and how to live out one's faith in a secular environment.

"...Are you doing things to benefit you, or others? Are you available to be part of the solution and not the problem? Walk in love and that opens some doors of dialogue. How about just starting to talk and see where it goes? I don't think there's any clock on it - your life is God's, so let Him do as He wills with it."

Brit Hume Gives Advice to Tiger Woods

Brit Hume, the noted journalist and current senior political analyst for Fox News, shared on Fox News Sunday:

“… the Tiger Woods that emerges once the news value dies out of this scandal — the extent to which he can recover — seems to me to depend on his faith. He’s said to be a Buddhist; I don’t think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith. So my message to Tiger would be: ‘Tiger, turn to the Christian faith, and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world.’”

Liberals like Jay Bookman are taking umbrage with his comments, but it's refreshing to hear someone of his stature make such comments.

Josh Wilson Lightens the Mood for Travelers

Josh Wilson found himself entertaining passengers at Newark International Airport yesterday evening. Wilson and his wife were on the way to India for a missions trip when their terminal was shut down for security reasons, delaying all flights. Wilson picked up his guitar and led a sing-a-long, lifting the spirits of inconvenienced passengers.

Word about this moment quickly spread around the web as even Ryan Seacrest posted it on his blog and the founder of Twitter re-tweeted it.