Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Relient K Hits Billboard Chart at #15

The latest from GRAMMY® nominated Relient K, Forget and Not Slow Down, debuted at #15 on the Billboard Top 200.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Concert of the Decade?

Watch live performances from Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Casting Crowns, MercyMe, Natalie Grant and Kirk Franklin on Monday October 12. The artists have all donated their time and expenses to support the GMA.

“In a time of restricted sponsorship dollar availability and financial hardships faced by many in our community, the GMA has continued to be there for all of us, offering first class events, tackling important legislative issues and promoting the genre to the world through the Dove Awards. The organization faces financial obstacles that require all of our help to overcome. This dinner concert is a way to not only ensure the viability of GMA in the future, but to have the concert experience of a lifetime,” Ed Leonard, chairman of the GMA Board of Directors, said.


Friday, October 2, 2009

Mat Kearney teams with Kris Allen

Mat Kearney has been heard everywhere from "Grey's Anatomy" to on tour with Keane. The next place the singer/songwriter hopes to hear his work is the debut of "American Idol" winner Kris Allen.

Kearney teamed up with Kris in early August to write a tune (watch interview with MTV News below).

Amid a flurry of the usual "Idol" collaborators, Allen surprised many when he announced that he was also working with Kearney according to MTV. The singer/songwriter was just as surprised. "I think [Kris] was just a fan," Kearney said of how they ended up collaborating. "What he told me was that he was just picking bands that he liked." (Those bands apparently include Semisonic, Daughtry, the Fray and the Calling — members from each of those groups have all been mentioned in connection with Kris' album.)


Thursday, October 1, 2009

Newboys Kick Off Fall Tour With New Lead Michael Tait

Now we'll see how Newsboys fans really feel about Michael Tait at the helm of the Newsboys. They kick off their Fall "The Way We Roll" tour today, with special guests Seventh Day Slumber and Bread of Stone, and it'll be interesting to track ticket sales.

This is the Newsboys' first full-length tour featuring new front man Michael Tait, who stepped into the role mid-tour earlier this year after longtime leader Peter Furler decided to take a more behind-the-scenes role.

The change took many Newsboys' fans by surprise and was met with a mixed emotions. Some fans thought the change was good; some thought it was too much DC Talk mixed with Newsboys. But most were disappointed they didn't know ahead of time that Tait had taken over the lead spot and weren't offered the opportunity for a refund.

Wilson Phillips Star Returns Amidst Family Crisis

Chynna Phillips, who found fame as part of the pop trio Wilson Phillips, is back with a Christian pop album. She teamed up with singer songwriter Vaughn Penn and for their release, One Reason, hit stores on the 22nd.

The very next day, Chynna Phillips' half sister Mackenzie Phillps released her memoir, "High On Arrival," in which she revealed that she'd had an on-again-off-again 'consensual relationship' with her father John Phillips, of the 60s folk group The Mama and the Papas.

Chynna Phillips is married to actor Billy Baldwin, whom she described to People Magazine as "an evolving Christian." Phillips became a Christian as a teen, but rediscovered her faith years later.

Vaughn Penn, the other half of the new duo, committed her music career to God during a life-threatening medical condition four years ago, and began to write songs to specifically encourage others to develop a relationship with Christ.