Crowder is celebrating a Top 10 entry on the Billboard 200 with his solo album debut, Neon Steeple, hitting No. 9. The album released last week to critical acclaim, with outlets praising his innovative sound and new musical direction.
Last Saturday, Crowder fulfilled a lifelong dream in making his Grand Ole Opry debut. Performing a tribute to Hank Williams Sr. with "I Saw The Light," Crowder was a fan favorite in a night of Opry performances that included Deana Carter and country music legend Ricky Skaggs. Following the performance of his original track "Come As You Are," which Rhapsody referenced as evidence of Crowder as a "creative wordsmith," an emotional Ricky Skaggs in a rare moment championed Crowder as an "international harvester," declaring his music as joy filled and something that he envisions will free people from "addictions, drugs and alcohol, and most importantly, religion, things that bind us and hold us down and make us think that we have to do it a certain way."
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Soul Surfer Bethany Hamilton and Husband To Join The Amazing Race
The Amazing Race’s Season 25 cast will have two familiar names –Bethany Hamilton and her husband Adam Dirks. Hamilton, a professional surfer and author whose story of surviving a shark attack was the subject of a hit 2011 movie.
She and Dirks, a youth minister, married last summer and now are among the 11 teams racing around the world for a million dollars. The teams kicked off the race in New York City's Times Square Saturday. Photos featured on CBS.com show Hamiliton and Dirks wearing blue shirts. Hamilton appears to be wearing floral surfing shorts.
Other famous faces in the race include actress and celebrity trainer Kym Perfetto and Survivor Season 23 stars Whitney Duncan and Keith Tollefson.
The 25th edition of The Amazing Race will premiere this fall on a new day and time, Fridays (8:00 PM), on CBS.
Last month Hamilton released a new book entitled "Body and Soul" encouraging girls to live physically and spiritually healthy lives.
She and Dirks, a youth minister, married last summer and now are among the 11 teams racing around the world for a million dollars. The teams kicked off the race in New York City's Times Square Saturday. Photos featured on CBS.com show Hamiliton and Dirks wearing blue shirts. Hamilton appears to be wearing floral surfing shorts.
Other famous faces in the race include actress and celebrity trainer Kym Perfetto and Survivor Season 23 stars Whitney Duncan and Keith Tollefson.
The 25th edition of The Amazing Race will premiere this fall on a new day and time, Fridays (8:00 PM), on CBS.
Last month Hamilton released a new book entitled "Body and Soul" encouraging girls to live physically and spiritually healthy lives.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
SEAL Team Six Book 'Fearless' Will Become a Movie; Will It Keep Christian Themes?
Relativity Media has acquired the rights to turn Eric Blehm’s best-selling book “Fearless” into a movie, Fox News is reporting.
In the same vein as Navy SEAL books “Lone Survivor” and “Act of Valor,” “Fearless” tells the personal story of Team Six operator Adam Brown, who died in combat in 2010.
But beyond Brown’s heroism on the battlefield in Afghanistan – the story delves into his battle with personal demons and a drug addiction that at one point land him behind bars. Yet ultimately, it was Brown’s faith in God that pulled him through – and we’re told that making sure the Christian element remains strong in the film version was a must.
“These guys (the Relativity team) are committed to honoring Adam, and telling the story like it is,” said a source with knowledge of the deal. “Maybe even set a new trend in Hollywood, where they don’t have to put their artistic license into a story to make it good, the power is truth and accuracy of the portrayal.”
As initially reported by Fox News earlier this year, the best-selling book was in the process of being shopped around with a number of offers on the table, but the book team and the Brown family took time in choosing the best outfit to take on such a poignant story of courage and sacrifice.
“A film version could impact others in ways that are unimaginable,” Adam’s wife Kelley Brown said. “It brings us great joy to witness the path this has all taken, and we trust when it happens, it will be done right to honor Adam, his memory and what he and his fellow SEALs stand for.”
In the same vein as Navy SEAL books “Lone Survivor” and “Act of Valor,” “Fearless” tells the personal story of Team Six operator Adam Brown, who died in combat in 2010.
But beyond Brown’s heroism on the battlefield in Afghanistan – the story delves into his battle with personal demons and a drug addiction that at one point land him behind bars. Yet ultimately, it was Brown’s faith in God that pulled him through – and we’re told that making sure the Christian element remains strong in the film version was a must.
“These guys (the Relativity team) are committed to honoring Adam, and telling the story like it is,” said a source with knowledge of the deal. “Maybe even set a new trend in Hollywood, where they don’t have to put their artistic license into a story to make it good, the power is truth and accuracy of the portrayal.”
As initially reported by Fox News earlier this year, the best-selling book was in the process of being shopped around with a number of offers on the table, but the book team and the Brown family took time in choosing the best outfit to take on such a poignant story of courage and sacrifice.
“A film version could impact others in ways that are unimaginable,” Adam’s wife Kelley Brown said. “It brings us great joy to witness the path this has all taken, and we trust when it happens, it will be done right to honor Adam, his memory and what he and his fellow SEALs stand for.”
Is Louisiana the New Hollywood?
The latest batch of big-budget films set to be shot in Louisiana over the summer speaks to the state's success with its tax credit program.
Among planned shoots are "Fantastic Four," ''Terminator 5," ''Pitch Perfect 2" and "Jurassic World," the fourth film in the "Jurassic Park" series. The television series "NCIS: New Orleans" and "American Horror Story: Freak Show" are also being shot this summer.
The flurry of activity is encouraging entrepreneurs who provide services for production companies, in turn creating jobs. Louisiana ranked ahead of California — and anywhere else — in the number of live-action movie shoots in a study of 2013 releases from Hollywood's largest studios.
Louisiana offers tax credits of up to 40 percent of the money spent to buy, build and use movie production facilities.
Since the tax credit program began in 2002, services that have grown in the state include studios, sound stages, special effects, casting, costume rental, post-production and editing.
Louisiana's progress was demonstrated in a recent report by the permitting agency Film L.A. that examined the locations for shoots by the six major movie studios and five of the biggest independent studios. The agency said that 18 of the studios' 108 motion pictures released last year were shot in Louisiana, including "G.I. Joe: Retaliation," ''Dallas Buyers Club" and "Grudge Match."
California and Canada had 15 projects each, followed by Britain with 12 and the state of Georgia with nine.
"Now we represent about 14,000 jobs, up from roughly zero 10 years ago, and that's a pretty important thing for us to do," said Will French, president of the Louisiana Film and Entertainment Association.
French said TV production is also thriving in Louisiana. Among the newest is a pilot now filming in Shreveport called "Salem," based on the colonial-era witch trials.
Among planned shoots are "Fantastic Four," ''Terminator 5," ''Pitch Perfect 2" and "Jurassic World," the fourth film in the "Jurassic Park" series. The television series "NCIS: New Orleans" and "American Horror Story: Freak Show" are also being shot this summer.
The flurry of activity is encouraging entrepreneurs who provide services for production companies, in turn creating jobs. Louisiana ranked ahead of California — and anywhere else — in the number of live-action movie shoots in a study of 2013 releases from Hollywood's largest studios.
Louisiana offers tax credits of up to 40 percent of the money spent to buy, build and use movie production facilities.
Since the tax credit program began in 2002, services that have grown in the state include studios, sound stages, special effects, casting, costume rental, post-production and editing.
Louisiana's progress was demonstrated in a recent report by the permitting agency Film L.A. that examined the locations for shoots by the six major movie studios and five of the biggest independent studios. The agency said that 18 of the studios' 108 motion pictures released last year were shot in Louisiana, including "G.I. Joe: Retaliation," ''Dallas Buyers Club" and "Grudge Match."
California and Canada had 15 projects each, followed by Britain with 12 and the state of Georgia with nine.
"Now we represent about 14,000 jobs, up from roughly zero 10 years ago, and that's a pretty important thing for us to do," said Will French, president of the Louisiana Film and Entertainment Association.
French said TV production is also thriving in Louisiana. Among the newest is a pilot now filming in Shreveport called "Salem," based on the colonial-era witch trials.
Monday, June 2, 2014
Kirk Franklin Expresses Disappointment in 'Preachers of LA' Amid Suggestion Reality Show Turned People Away From God
Gospel singer Kirk Franklin, who declared months ago that fans would never see him on "Preachers of L.A.," stated during a recent radio interview that he was disappointed in the reality show, while a radio host D.L. Hughley suggested the Oxygen program has turned people away from God.
Franklin, asked during an appearance on "The D.L. Hughley Show" this week if he would appear on "Preachers of L.A.," revealed that he was not a fan of the show which gives an inside look at the ministries and personal lives of its leading men.
In a trivia segment of his radio program called "This or That," actor/comedian D.L. Hughley asked Franklin if he would "rather star in the next season of ("Preachers of L.A.") or have your beautiful wife, Tammy (Collins), star in the 'Real Housewives of Atlanta?'"
After Franklin declined to choose either one of the reality show options, Hughley went on to give his take of "Preachers of L.A.," which was renewed earlier this year for a second season.
"I lived in L.A. my whole life, and to me, I thought the purpose of that show was to drag nonbelievers, people who don't have access to God and don't have relationship with Him, that it would be so attractive that it would draw them to Him," said Hughley. "I think it's done the opposite."
Franklin responded by stating that there were people on "Preachers of L.A." whom he considers friends and whom he respects, but rejected the program. "I'm very disappointed in that show," he told Hughley.
The award-winning gospel artist and "American Bible Challenge" co-host previously had hinted at his feelings toward the faith-based reality show during a December 2013 concert in Detroit, Mich., when he told fans, "You'll never see your boy on real 'Preachers of L.A.'"
The Oxygen network reality show was controversial even before it aired, with some Christians debating whether the program would harm or help the faith community, while others called for a boycott. One of the major points of consternation for critics was the portrayal of the apparent flashy lifestyles of the ministers involved in the program.
Despite the controversy, "Preachers of L.A." was a major hit for Oxygen, averaging more than one million total viewers during its eight-episode run that started in Oct. 2013. In addition to being renewed by Oxygen Media for a second season, "Preachers of L.A." could have potential spin-off series for major cities like New York, Dallas, Atlanta and Detroit.
Franklin, asked during an appearance on "The D.L. Hughley Show" this week if he would appear on "Preachers of L.A.," revealed that he was not a fan of the show which gives an inside look at the ministries and personal lives of its leading men.
In a trivia segment of his radio program called "This or That," actor/comedian D.L. Hughley asked Franklin if he would "rather star in the next season of ("Preachers of L.A.") or have your beautiful wife, Tammy (Collins), star in the 'Real Housewives of Atlanta?'"
After Franklin declined to choose either one of the reality show options, Hughley went on to give his take of "Preachers of L.A.," which was renewed earlier this year for a second season.
"I lived in L.A. my whole life, and to me, I thought the purpose of that show was to drag nonbelievers, people who don't have access to God and don't have relationship with Him, that it would be so attractive that it would draw them to Him," said Hughley. "I think it's done the opposite."
Franklin responded by stating that there were people on "Preachers of L.A." whom he considers friends and whom he respects, but rejected the program. "I'm very disappointed in that show," he told Hughley.
The award-winning gospel artist and "American Bible Challenge" co-host previously had hinted at his feelings toward the faith-based reality show during a December 2013 concert in Detroit, Mich., when he told fans, "You'll never see your boy on real 'Preachers of L.A.'"
The Oxygen network reality show was controversial even before it aired, with some Christians debating whether the program would harm or help the faith community, while others called for a boycott. One of the major points of consternation for critics was the portrayal of the apparent flashy lifestyles of the ministers involved in the program.
Despite the controversy, "Preachers of L.A." was a major hit for Oxygen, averaging more than one million total viewers during its eight-episode run that started in Oct. 2013. In addition to being renewed by Oxygen Media for a second season, "Preachers of L.A." could have potential spin-off series for major cities like New York, Dallas, Atlanta and Detroit.
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