A Gospel Legend to Recieve Lifetime Achievement Grammy

I hope your Christmas was great!

I was just checking my email when I recieved an email from CCM Magazine. It featured an article about George Beverly Shea, who is known for touring with Billy Graham's Crusades as a soloist. He will be one of the reciepients of the Lifetime Achievement Grammy, along with other acts such as the Ramones and Dolly Parton (an impressive list I might say). Also, this win is significant because at 102 years old, Shea will be one of the oldest living persons to be honored with this award. He will recieve the Grammy in a separate ceremony, but it will be acknowledged during the broadcast on Feburary 13th.

Here's the link to the story. If I find any videos of Shea's performances, I'll post them at a later date.

Billboard Report (Week of January 1, 2011) + Year End Report

Christian Songs: "Christmas This Year" by TobyMac featuring Leigh Nash

• #16 iLike Libraries Most Added

Christian Albums: "Wow Hits 2011" by Various Artists

• #46 Billboard 200

Gospel Songs: "I Believe" by James Fortune & FIYA Featuring Zacardi Cortez & Shawn McLemore

Gospel Albums: "Rehab" by LaCrae

• #11 Christian Albums
• #14 Independent Albums
• #14 Rap Albums

And Now...the Best of 2010

Christian Songs: "All of Creation" by MercyMe

Christian Songs Artist: TobyMac

Christian Albums: "Until the Whole World Hears" by  Casting Crowns

• #37 Top Billboard 200
• #7 Christian Songs

Christian Albums Artist: Casting Crowns


Gospel Songs: "The Best in Me" by Marvin Sapp


Gospel Songs Artist: Marvin Sapp


Gospel Albums: "Here I Am" by Marvin Sapp

• #26 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
• #95 Top Billboard 200

Gospel Albums Artists: Marvin Sapp


Have a Merry Christmas!

A Christmas Gift... the Best of 2010 (According to iTunes)

Merry Christmas everyone!

First, an apology. I haven't been keeping up since classes ended. So, to make it up, I present to you iTunes top Christian/Gospel Albums of 2010.

1. "Until the Whole World Hears" by Casting Crowns
2. "Tonight" by TobyMac
3. "The Light Meets the Dark" by Tenth Avenue North
4. "The Generous Mr. Lovewell" by MercyMe 
5. "Beautiful Things" by Gungor 
6. "For Those Who Wait" by Fireflight
7. "Here I Am" by Marvin Sapp
8. "Born Again" by Newsboys
9. "The House You're Building" by Audrey Assad
10. "No Far Away" by Chris August
11. "Love God. Love People." by Israel Houghton
12. "The Medicine" by John Mark McMillian
13. "Outta Space Love" by Group 1 Crew
14. "Move" by Third Day
15. "Triumphant" by Vashaun Mitchell

I'll add links to music videos later. If you're interested in buying these albums, go to iTunes or your local retailers (man, do I sound like a commercial right now!)
Also, I'll post more Best of 2010 lists when I find them.

Billboard Report: Week of December 11, 2010

Here are the #1 songs on Billboard:

Christian Songs: "Starry Night" by Chris August

Christian Albums: "And if Our God is For Us..." by Chris Tomlin

• #34 Billboard 200

Gospel Songs: "I Believe" by James Fortune & FIYA Featuring Zacardi Cortez & Shawn McLemore

Gospel Album: "Rehab" by LeCrae

• #19 Christian Albums
• #26 Independent Albums
• #21 Rap Albums

Grammy Nominations are in!

About an hour and a half ago, CBS aired the Grammy nomination concert, where they announced nominees for major awards (ie. Album of the Year, Record of the Year, etc.) However, the rest of the nominees were announced online on the website. All of the Gospel, Christian, and Inspiration nominees are grouped together under the Gospel categories. Here are the nominees:

Best Gospel Performance:

• "He Wants All" by Forever Jones
• "You Hold My World" by Israel Houghton 
• "Nobody Greater" by VaShawn Mitchell
• "He's Been Just That Good" by Kirk Whalum & Lalah Hathaway
• "Grace" by BeBe & CeCe Winans

Best Gospel Song (Songwriters award):

• "Beautiful Things" by Gungor (Lisa Gungor & Michael Gungor)
• "Better Than a Hallelujah" by Amy Grant (Sarah Hart & Chapin Hartford)
• "It's What I Do" by Kirk Whalum & Lalah Hathaway (Jerry Peters & Kirk Whalum)
• "Our God" by Chris Tomlin (Jonas Myrin, Matt Redman, Jesse Reeves & Chris Tomlin)
• "Return to Sender" by Ricky Skaggs (Gordon Kennedy)

Best Rock/Rap Gospel Album:

•  "Church Music" by the David Crowder Band
• "For Those Who Wait" by Fireflight
• "Beautiful Things" by Gungor
• "Rehab" by LaCrae 
• "Hello Hurricane" by Switchfoot

Best Pop/Contemporary Album:

• "Beauty Will Rise" by Steven Curtis Chapman
• "Love God. Love People." by Israel Houghton 
• "Pieces of a Real Heart" by Sanctus Real
• "Mosaic" by Ricky Skaggs
• "Tonight" by TobyMac

Best Southern/Country/Bluegrass Gospel Album:

• "Times Like These" by Austins Bridge
• "The Reason" by Diamond Rio
• "Expecting Good Things" by Jeff & Sherri Easter
• "Journey On" by Ty Herndon
• "Live at Oak Tree: Karen Peck & New River" by Karen Peck & New River

Best Traditional Gospel Album: 

• "The Experience" by Vanessa Bell Armstrong
• "A City Called Heaven" by Shirley Ceasar
• "Downtown Church" by Patty Griffin 
• "Here I Am" by Marvin Sapp
• "All in One" by Karen Clark Sheard

Best Contemporary R&B Album:

• "Get Ready" by Forever Jones 
• "Love Unstoppable" by Fred Hammond
• "Triumphant" by VaShawn Mitchell 
• "Aaron Sledge" by Aaron Sledge
• "Still" by BeBe & CeCe Winans

The winners will be announced on February 13, 2011. Stay tuned!

New Releases: the Christmas Edition

Christmas is right around the corner and that means new Christmas albums from your favorite Christian artists. I came across this article from the Rhapsody Soundboard blog, in which Wendy Lee Nentwig discusses some notable new releases. Biggest surprise (for me): Susan Boyle's album "The Gift." Although not a Christian artist, the album is being marketed to both Christian and secular markets. It's doing well so far: it topped the Billboard 200 and Holiday Album lists this week. Nentwig also includes a discussion on notable tours as well.

Another good list I found is on CBN.com (short for Christian Broadcasting Network, known for shows like "700 Club"). This one has an easy-to-read rating system and a link to a special online radio station.

I also found one more list on Christianity Today's website. As an evangelical magazine, it not only lists albums from established Christian artists, but also albums with spiritual themes (including Boyle's "The Gift," Mariah Carey's "Merry Christmas II You," Katherine McPhee's "Christmas is the Time to Say I Love You," and Wilson Philips' "Christmas in Harmony.")

One thing I noticed: A lot of love for Dave Barnes' "Very Merry Christmas." Here are a few blurbs:

• Christianity Today: "Issuing a classy Christmas collection akin to Harry Connick Jr.'s yuletide discography, singer/songwriter Barnes gifts his listeners with chic musical arrangements of holiday vintages and charming originals fitting of the same set list."
•  Rhapsody Soundboard: "The consummate performer, Dave Barnes is a natural to take on Christmas classics and contribute a few of his own holiday tunes. His first holiday project, Very Merry Christmas, features a festive mix of four yuletide faves and six Dave Barnes originals."
•  CBN: "Where has Dave Barnes been all my life? I asked myself this earlier in the year when I was introduced to his music for the first time. Although he’s been around for awhile, his music has been largely unknown until recently. Barnes is a fantastic musician, and his Christmas album for 2010 does not disappoint."

Check these links:
-http://blog.rhapsody.com/2010/11/xtianxmas.html
-http://www.cbn.com/cbnmusic/reviews/best-christian-christmas-albums-2010.aspx 
-http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/music/bestoflists/2010/christmas10.html?start=1

Billboard Report (Week of December 4, 2010)

These are the #1 Songs from Billboard:

- Christian song: "Starry Night" by Chris August

• #17 on Heatseekers

- Christian album: "And If Our God is For Us..." by Chris Tomlin

• #17 on Billboard 200
• #15 Digital Albums

- Gospel songs: "Nobody Greater" by VaShawn Mitchell

- Gospel album: "Rehab" by LeCrae

• #200 Billboard 200
• #9 Christian Albums
• #15 Independent Album
• #14 Rap Album

Concert Alert: Steve Harvey and Kirk Franklin

Yes, you read that correctly.

 Next year, beginning on March 19, comedian Steve Harvey will do a nationwide tour with popular Gospel artist Kirk Franklin. Although not a Christian comedian, Harvey has performed at Gospel-themed events such as Bishop TD Jakes' MegaFest. In fact, his performance at MegaFest is the basis for his 2006 concert film, "Don't Trip...He Ain't Through With Me Yet!" The tour doesn't support an album. However both Harvey and Franklin have recent book releases. Franklin's "The Blueprint: A Plan for Living Above Life's Storms" was released in May and Harvey's "Straight Talk, No Chaser," the follow-up to "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man" will be released next month.

Harvey says that the tour will be a challenge because he has to keep the comedy clean so that he won't offend Christians. It seems that his tour mate isn't worried; Franklin was quoted saying, "Steve brings the jokes and I bring that Jesus!"

For more information on the tour, go to Steve Harvey's website.

Concert Alert: 2 Friends Tour

On Tuesday, November 9, Provident Label Group, a division of Sony Music Entertainment focusing on Christian music, announced that Grant and Smith will reunite for the “2 Friends Tour” next year. This will be the first time that they will collaborate on a non-holiday tour in more than two decades. The tour will begin on February 10 in Holland, Michigan, and conclude on March 6 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “2 Friends” will support their latest albums, Grant’s Somewhere Down the Road  (released on March 30, 2010) and Smith’s Wonder (released on September 28, 2010). Both albums did well on the Billboard Christian Albums charts, with both peaking at #2.

Although she is known outside the Christian music scene for her album Heart in Motion, Grant is known as a trailblazer in the contemporary Christian/Gospel music industry. According to her official website, Grant is the first contemporary Christian artist to have a platinum record, a #1 pop single, and the first to perform at the Grammys. She is also one of only two Christian artists to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Her success opened the doors for other Christian artists. One such artist is Michael W. Smith. In 1982, Smith toured with Grant during her “Age to Age Tour” as her keyboard player. During that time, he wrote songs for Grant and other Christian artists, while recording his first album, Michael W. Smith Project. Released in 1983, it yielded the hit “Friends” and his first Grammy nomination. Eventually, Smith was asked to be Grant’s opening act.  The two continued to tour together until her 1989 “Lead Me On Tour.” Since then, they have collaborated musically, contributing on each others’ albums.

According to an interview with the “Tune In Music City” blog on the Tennessean newspaper’s website, both Grant and Smith are excited to perform together again. “This many years later, to get to tour together is just awesome,” said Smith. “When I think about set lists and what we might do together, the question isn’t, ‘Where do we start?’ The question is ‘Where do we stop?’” Grant agreed, saying, “There’s a nostalgia element that comes with having worked with someone solidly for so long and I’m ecstatic about hitting the road with Michael again.”

Fans should expect a mix of their favorites, new material from their recent releases and even a few duets. “We will share the stage and participate in each other’s sets,” said Grant. “But no kidding, I will have just as much fun sitting on the side of the stage and watching him. It will be like old times.”

For more information on the tour, go to their websites:

http://www.amygrant.com/

http://www.michaelwsmith.com/welcome.html

Billboard Report (Week of November 27, 2010)

A lot of crossovers this week:

Top Christian Song: "Starry Night" by Chris August

• #21 Heatseekers

Top Christian Album: "O (Disambiguation)" by Underoath

• #23 Billboard 200
• #4 Rock Album
• #11 Digital Album
• #3 Hard Rock Album
• #16 Tastemaker Album

Top Gospel Song: "I Believe" by James Fortune & FIYA featuring Zacardi Cortez & Shawn McLemore

Top Gospel Album: "Rehab" by LaCrae

• #153 Billboard 200
• #8 Christian Album
• #20 Independent Album
• #14 Rap Album

And the AMA goes to...

As I previously reported, the American Music Awards have nominated Casting Crowns, MercyMe, and TobyMac for Best Contemporary Artist. Although they haven't announced it on television (at least to my knowledge), I got the winner's name, straight from one of the nominees. Mark Hall, the lead singer of Casting Crowns, tweeted about a half hour ago, "Congrats to MercyMe on the AMA!"

There you have it, MercyMe wins it for "The Generous Mr. Lovewell"! This is their second AMA.
Let's celebrate with a few videos, shall we?

• I Can Only Imagine
• Finally Home
• So Long Self
• Beautiful (the newest single)

Billboad Report (Week of November 20, 2010)

Christian Songs: "Starry Night" by Chris August
Christian Album: "Wow Hits 2011," Various Artists
Gospel Song: "I Believe" by James Fortune & FIYA featuring Zacardi Cortez & Shawn McLemore
Gospel Album: "Rehab," LeCrae

New Album: Jason Castro

If you don't know who Jason Castro is allow me to reintroduce him:

-He was a finalist on the 7th season of American Idol, whose renditions of "Hallelujah" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" made him a contender.
-His distinguishing feature is his dreads.

Castro will release his second album, "Who I Am" on November 9th (that's tomorrow). This album is more Christian oriented than his self-titled debut, reflecting his faith. The first single, "You Are," described as his "love song to God," premiered on K-Love radio stations this morning.

You can listen to the whole album on his website and you can see him perform tomorrow if you're in NYC. The release party will be at the B.B. King Blues Club and Grill with doors opening at 6PM and the show starting at 8PM. Tickets are $17 in advanced and $20 at the door. If you can't make it, no worries: K-Love will stream it live online starting at 9PM EST (6PM PST).

Billboard Report: Week of November 6

Here are the top songs for this week:

Christian Songs: "Lead Me" by Sanctus Real

Christian Albums: "Move" by Third Day

Gospel Songs: "I Believe" by James Fortune & FIYA Featuring Zacardi Cortez & Shawn McLemore

Gospel Albums: "Fresh" by Tye Tribbett

(PS. Sorry for skipping a week. I'll keep up next week!)

Devil's Music in Disguise?: An Arguement for Contemporary Christian Music

One of my favorite songs released last year was Mary Mary’s “God in Me,” a hip-hop dance-inspired track. It was the group’s first single on the Billboard Hot 100 since 2000. Not only did “God in Me” hit the top of the gospel charts, it was also number 1 on the dance charts. The song’s remixes included artists such as Yung Joc and Ne-Yo. However, this song and its music video, which features shots of celebrities such as Kanye West and Common, gained as much controversy as it did praise. Critics say that Mary Mary’s style is becoming more and more secular.

However, according to an interview with Essence, one member, Tina Atkins-Campbell, says “Yes, we are aware of the trends, but we don’t force things or try to become something else. We write from our hearts and sing about what we believe in and stay true to who we are.” Her group-mate, Erica Atkins-Campbell, asks, “I wonder if they heard any of the other songs on the record or did they just see Kanye West in the video and get upset?”

This situation highlights the ongoing debate over Contemporary Christian music: does it really glorify Jesus or is it just secular music in disguise? That’s the question Steve Miller attempted to answer in his 1993 book “The Contemporary Christian Music Debate.” In a 1995 interview with British magazine Cross Rhythms, Miller explains where the idea for the book came from:    

“I attended a seminar as a youth where a respected Bible teacher condemned CCM as worldly and cited psychological studies which he said proved that contemporary music, particularly rock, was harmful to the mind and body, regardless of whether the lyrics were Christian or pagan. I took these claims seriously. If this music was harming people spiritually, I sincerely wanted to know and was willing to listen exclusively to whatever music was positive.”

In his book, Miller explores Christian music throughout history and found this interesting fact: hymns sung in traditional churches today were considered to be contemporary at the time they were written. Also, when new Christian songs were written using the style of the times, they were used outside of a church context. What we see here is a continuation of this process: churches aiming to reach those who didn’t grow up in a church environment and challenge those who did will explore using contemporary styles to do so.

In the case of “God in Me,” it seems to be working. My mother, who teaches Sunday School, asked her students what they believed the song meant. The students responded that if someone succeeds, it’s not because of that person’s abilities, but because of God working through him or her. If the song was written in the “traditional” sense, the kids probably wouldn’t understand that message. Miller warns that by rejecting contemporary forms, “…we risk losing a generation that is rejecting Jesus, often not because of his life and message, but because of the antiquated forms in which we are presenting him.”

Wait...They're Christian?!

Last month, I did a list of American Idol finalists (and winners) that either have a career or were influenced by Christian/Gospel music. Now, let's expand on this idea: there are more artists outside of AI that are Christian or have Christian/Gospel hits. Even I was surprised with some of these! Here are 10 artists (again, in no particular order).

1. Owl City (aka Adam Young)

What He's Known For: the catchy single "Fireflies"

What He Says About His Faith and Career: " I guess my whole message or goal of this whole operation is to bring glory to Jesus Christ by all that I do and say, not just as it relates to Owl City, but in all areas of my life." --Christianity Today Magazine interview (April 20, 2010)

2. Mat Kearney

What He's Known For: You might have heard his music on the likes of "Grey's Anatomy" and other TV shows.

What He Says About His faith and Career: "[The song "Undeniable" is] a song about God and people and love—it’s about life,” he says. “It’s totally vertical and all of that at the same time. I wouldn’t pin it down and say it’s just about a girl; it’s definitely about my faith." --CCM Magazine Interview (2007)

3. Switchfoot

What They're Known For: Gaining success with the "Walk to Remember" soundtrack and "The Beautiful Letdown."

What They Said About Their Faith and Career: "I must start by saying that what I do is an incredible gift, and I am very thankful to be playing music for people who want to listen. But every job has it's difficulties. One hard thing is that we seldom get to attend our home churches because we are normally out of town on the weekends. The travelling can be very detrimental to relationships. But probably the strangest thing is the contradiction of being on stage and trying to be the least. The tendency in today's culture is to want to be a 'star,' but I want to be a servant." --Jesus Freak Hideout Interview (2000)

4. Relient K

What They're Known For: the albums "Mmhmm" and "Five Score and Seven Years Ago"

What They Said About Their Faith and Career: "We would just like to be able to play more with bands that aren’t just in the Christian market and to play shows in front of people who aren’t all Christians. It’s where we feel we have the most impact." --CCM Magazine (January 2004)

5. P.O.D.

What They're Known For: "WE ARE WE ARE...THE YOUTH OF THE NATION!"

What They Said About Their Faith and Career: "The most important thing, man, is my love and respect for God and what I believe to be true, you know what I’m saying? My love and my respect for my wife and my family and the fact that P.O.D. is even out here is a privilege. All that keeps me straight." --CCM Magazine

6. Sixpence None The Richer

What They're Known For: The song "Kiss Me," and their covers of "There She Goes" and "Don't Dream It's Over" pretty much ruling the 90s.

What They Said About Their Faith and Career: "We have often been frustrated by being labeled a Christian band and have explained why countless times. I am a big fat Christian and do not care who knows that. When it comes to our music we'd just like it to be taken for it's musical value and not lobbed onto a big bandwagon. I'm not concerned with answering to anyone or pleasing anyone but God, so I'm much less affected these days by the negativity that is sometimes directed towards us for being either too Christian or not Christian enough."--Jesus Freak Hideout interview (June 30, 2003)

7. Stacie Orrico 

What She's Known For: Remember when MTV still played music? Because her 1st single "Stuck" was all over TRL!

What She Said About Her Faith and Career: "A lot of artists feel called to reach Christians and encourage them. But I’ve always seen myself reaching kids who aren’t necessarily going to go to a Christian concert. When my booking agent called to ask if I wanted to do some Destiny’s Child dates, I immediately thought, ‘This is where I’m supposed to be.’"---CCM Magazine (December 2001)

8. Jaci Velasquez

What She's Known For: Being a success on the Christian and Latin charts (although you wouldn't know it if you saw the movie "Chasing Papi")

What She Said About Her Faith and Career: "Sometimes Christian music can be a little bit like 'Let me just tell you the good stuff, let me tell you the promises, and we'll leave out the other stuff.' But the realistic thing about Christianity is that's not realistic. It's not like that by becoming a believer suddenly means your life is gonna work and everything's gonna work and everything's gonna be perfect. In fact, you're gonna get hit much harder than you would if you weren't a believer. I feel like with this record [Love Out Loud] I wanted to let people know that they're not alone."--Jesus Freak Hideout interview (April 22, 2008)

9. Lifehouse

What They're Known For: Having a string of hits beginning with "Hanging By A Moment" in 2001.Their song "Everything" is immortalized in a Christian YouTube video skit.

What They Said About Their Faith and Career: "My music is spiritually based, but we don't want to be labeled as a 'Christian band,' because all of a sudden people's walls come up and they won't listen to your music and what you have to say." --Rolling Stone

10. The Fray

What They're Known For: Hits like "How to Save a Life" and "You Found Me"

What They Said About Their Faith and Career: "We don't call ourselves a Christian band. Because when you get into marketing, 'Christian' means that you have everything together, and you're always happy, and you want everybody to start going to your church. The common denominators in the music I've liked is the honesty of not having answers and the passion to find them. I think that's what spiritual music has, whether it's Christian or pop or new age. If we have an agenda, it's to make art that is honest and represents what we believe in." ---USA Today (July 12, 2006)

Report From Billboard (Week of 10/23/10)

New feature alert! I've decided that every once in a while, I'll post lists from Billboard of the most popular Christian and Gospel songs and albums. Since Billboard is one of the authorities on popular music, I should have their input in this blog. I'll include a link to Billboard's website, but I'll reveal the #1 choice for the week here. So, here goes:

Christian Songs: "Lead Me" by Sanctus Real
Christian Albums: Wow Hits 2011 (Various Artists) - Think of it as the Christian/Gospel version of the "Now That's What I Call Music" series
Gospel Songs: "I Believe" by James Fortune & FIYA feat. Zacardi Cortez & Shawn McLemore
Gospel Albums: "Rehab" by LeCrae

Artist Spotlight: Brandon Heath

Another one of my favorite artists, Brandon Heath first came on the scene in 2006 with Don't Get Too Comfortable. That album spawned the single "I'm Not Who I Was," which was #1 on Billboard's Hot Christian Chart for 6 consecutive weeks, and 4 Dove Award nominations (he won 1: for Best New Artist). His second album, 2008's What if We, spawned "Give Me Your Eyes," his most successful single to date: #1 on the Christian charts for multiple weeks, highest debuting Christian track at the time, nominated for a Grammy (Best Gospel Song), won 2 Dove Awards (including Song of the Year 2009) and the second most-played Christian song in 2008. He recently released "Your Love," the first single off his upcoming 2011 album. 

Interesting facts:

• He has been featured on the "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric"
• The Sunday edition of the New York Times said that he was a Grammy-nominated newcomer that "shouldn't be allowed to slipped through the cracks."
• He received his first guitar at 13 and started writing songs around that time
• According to his biography on All Music's website, his guitar was stolen in 2000. To raise money for a new one, he compiled a demo CDs of his songs. That demo was eventually independently released in 2004 as Early Stuff. 
• He once roomed with singer-songwriter Matt Wertz
• "I'm Not Who I Was" was covered by American Idol finalist Jason Castro
• He is co-creator of the "Love Your Neighbor" benefit for the Nashville community. This annual event raises funds and awareness for a highlighted need. 

AMA Nominations are out!

Earlier today, the nominations for the American Music Awards were announced. There is only one category for Christian music: Favorite Contemporary Artist. And the nominees are:

Casting Crowns
- Most recent album: Until the Whole World Hears (now certified Platinum!)
- Other albums: Casting Crowns, Lifesong, The Altar and the Door, Peace on Earth (Christmas Album), + 4 Live Albums
-Career Achievements: Most played Christian Artists of 2007, 2nd fastest Christian band to have their first 2 albums certified Platinum, 11 Dove Awards (Christian version of the Grammys), 1 Grammy

Mercy Me
-Most recent album: The Generous Mr. Lovewell
-Other albums: Almost There, Spoken For, Undone, The Christmas Sessions (Christmas Album),
Coming Up to Breathe, All That is Within Me (Praise and Worship Album), + 6 Independent Albums & 1 Compilation Album
-Career Achievements: 1st Album certified Double Platinum (partially because of the success of their 1st single "I Can Only Imagine"), 4 Albums certified Gold, 8 Dove Awards, 1 AMA, Billboard Magazine Decade Awards (2000-2009): #1Songs Artist of the Decade, #1  Songs Adult Contemporary Artist of the Decade, #1 Christian Song of the Decade (Word of God Speak)

TobyMac
-Most Recent album: Tonight
-Other Albums: Momentum, Welcome to Diverse City, Portable Sounds + 2 Remix Albums, 1 Live Albums, & 5 Albums with DC Talk
-Career Achievements (solo career only): 1 Grammy, 11 Dove Awards, 1 Album certified Gold, 2 million albums sold

So, who will win? That's up to you! Voting is open at www.amavote.com and ama.abc.com until November 12. The winners will be revealed on November 21 on ABC.

"Coming Out" in Christian Music

         I remember a conversation I had with my step-father in which he told me that retired Christian singer Ray Boltz was gay. Surprised, I did some research and found that in 2008, a DC-based LGBT newspaper, the Washington Blade, ran an article in which Boltz officially came out of the closet. Although the Blade’s website no longer has the article, I found this editorial  discussing it. In the interview, Boltz says, “I’d denied it since I was a kid. I became a Christian, I thought that was the way to deal with this and I prayed hard and tried for 30-some years and then at the end, I was just going, ‘I’m still gay…’”

Ray Boltz wasn’t the first Christian music artist to come of out the closet and he wasn’t the last. A year later, gospel artist and pastor Tonex (real name Anthony Williams) came out on “The Lexi Show,” (Part 1,  Part 2, Part 3) a Christian entertainment show. In the interview, Williams revealed that he had been molested twice as a child, but he doesn’t attribute that his decision to “come out.” Unlike Boltz, Williams said that accepting his homosexuality wasn’t a struggle: “People like to blame the struggle on molestation. No. Just say you’re attracted to men; be honest.”

In April, former Christian singer Jennifer Knapp released a new album after a 7-year hiatus and announced that not only is she a lesbian, but she was in a same-sex relationship for 8 years. According to an interview with Christianity Today magazine, Knapp decided to come out after she made the decision to leave Christian music. Although she says, “I’m the happiest I’ve ever been,” she still fears that “…there are people I care about within the church community who would seek to throw me out, simply because of who I’ve chosen to spend my life with.”

What’s interesting is that while both Knapp and Tonex stated that they chose to be gay, Boltz says, “…if this is the way God made me, then this is the way I’m going to live.” However, in 2007, Dr. Francis Collins, the head of the Human Genome Project, announced that “…sexual orientation is genetically influenced but not hardwired by DNA, and that whatever genes are involved represent predispositions, not predeterminations.” This means that it’s possible to choose your sexuality.

This was certainly the case for gospel singer Donnie McClurkin. In his book “Eternal Victim/Eternal Victor,” McClurkin revealed that he struggled with homosexuality after being molested by male relatives twice during childhood. Unlike Tonex, McClurkin says that he turned away from his homosexual desires through his faith. These statements have stirred controversy. For instance, his participation in a gospel concert for then-presidential nominee Barack Obama was met with protests from gay rights groups. 

The fact that some famous Christian artists are gay may seem surprising, especially since Christianity teaches that homosexuality is a sin. In Tonex’s case, being a pastor and gospel artist allows him to teach about acceptance. For Boltz and Knapp, it’s more about reconciling their faith with their lifestyle than being a public figure. Boltz says that he feels closer to God because of his decision, but for Knapp, she feels that she has to justify her faith because of her decision. This comes to show that “coming out” affects everyone, including the Christian community.

Michael W. Smith Addresses Abuse in the Church

I was going through foxnews.com and this article caught my eye. If you don't know about Michael W. Smith, know that he is one of the most respected artists in the Christian music genre (44 Dove Awards, 3 Grammys, and he was one of People Magazine's Most Beautiful People!). In talking about his new album, "Wonder" he address abuse in the church through his song "Leave" and gives his thoughts on the recent Bishop Eddie Long scandal. The link also includes a video of him singing the song. For more on Michael W. Smith, watch my post with his song, "There She Stands"

Michael W. Smith FoxNews.com

Concert Alert: Winter Wonder Slam 2010

Over the summer, I came across a video from Time’s website that states that although the economic downturn led to concert cancellations, Christian concerts have been doing relatively well. One example of this is the Awake Tonight Tour starring TobyMac and Skillet. According to Pollstar’s Concert Pulse, it was one of the 100 top-grossing North American tours of the year  so far.

            TobyMac, whose real name is Toby McKeehan, is one of the most successful Christian artists today. During the 90s, he was a member of the Grammy-winning group dcTalk, who mixed rock and hip-hop with spiritual messages. After the group disbanded in 2001, McKeehan began his solo career, which spans 4 albums, 2 remix albums, and one live album. As a solo artist, McKeehan has sold over 2 million albums and was nominated 6 times for a Grammy, winning in 2009 for best Rock or Rap Gospel Album.

            Skillet, a Christian metal rock band, is made up of John Cooper (lead vocals and bass), Korey Cooper (vocals, keys, guitar), Ben Kasica (guitar), and Jen Ledger (drums and vocals). Founded in 1996, the group was nominated twice for a Grammy (Best Rock Gospel Album in 2005 and Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album in 2007) and their 2009 album, “Awake,” was certified gold. According to the band’s website, they have toured with mainstream bands such as Breaking Benjamin and Three Days Grace, while their headlining tour was ranked as one of the Top 50 Tours of 2008 by Concert Pulse. The group has 7 albums and 2 live albums (one being a worship album).

            The idea of the tour came about after John Cooper collaborated with McKeehan on the title track of his album most recent album “Tonight.” According to an interview with Jesusfreakhideout.com, while McKeehan wrote the song, he “…heard his voice on it. I mean, I could have done it - I have a version without him - but he definitely made it better.” Later in the interview, McKeehan states that he wanted to tour with Skillet for a while, but it didn’t work out until now.

            According to McKeehan, the tour has been successful because of the combination of artists: “Completely different styles of music but at the same time, both energetic, intense, and [we] even definitely have songs about our faith and living it out in a hard world.”

The tour is set to continue as a part of TobyMac’s annual Winter Wonder Slam. This time around, they are joined by rapper/hype-man Shonlock, a member of McKeehan’s road band, the Diverse City Band. Now in its 6^th year, Winter Wonder Slam is not exactly a Christmas-themed tour, despite its timing, name (a play on the song “Winter Wonderland”) and the fact that donations for Toys for Tots are collected at each venue. While some Christmas songs will be performed, the focus will be on Jesus Christ and His message, generally.

So, if you go, expect an energetic show with an intense mix of hard rock, hip-hop, and encouragement, complete with a “dance floor,” the area right in front of the stage that is designed for fans who want to cut loose during the show.  

The 14-city tour begins on November 11 in Springfield, IL and ends on December 12 in Salem, VA. Check out the Winter Wonder Slam website for more information about the tour. 

Artist web pages:

www.tobymac.com

www.skillet.com

American (Christian) Idol

Have you heard the news?! Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez are (officially) the newest judges on American Idol! As a big fan of the show, I tuned in online to see the formal announcement live (unfortunately for me, I got most of the view, but not much of the sound). I was actually saving this post until right before season 10 starts, but since American Idol is at the forefront today, I might as well put it out there. You might not know this, but many past contenders (and a few winners) have been involved in Christian music (and been doing well). So, in honor of the new judges, I present 10 AI alumni in Christian music (in no particular order):

1. Mandisa
Season: 5th
Standing: 9th
Most known for: being a target of Simon Cowell's jokes about her weight
Contributions: 2 Gospel albums (Grammy-nominated True Beauty, Freedom), 3rd album to be released in 2011; featured speaker at the "Women of Faith" conferences in 2009; featured singer on TobyMac's "Lose My Soul"

2. George Huff
Season: 3rd
Standing: 5th
Most known for: being Simon Cowell's wildcard pick
Contributions: 2 Gospel albums (Miracles, George Huff); nominated for a 2006 Dove Award (Gospel Music Association's (GMA) answer to the Grammys)

3. Chris Sligh
Season: 6th
Standing: 10th
Most known for: embarrassing Simon Cowell about an album he was producing involving the Teletubbies (no joke!), co-writing "Here Comes Goodbye" by Rascal Flats
Contributions: 2 Christian albums (Running Back to You, The Anatomy of Broken); headlining the (now-defunct) band, Half Past Forever

4. Ruben Studdard
Season: 2nd
Standing: 1st
Most known for: winning Season 2 against Clay Aiken, representing his home state of Alabama
Contributions: His Gospel album, I Need an Angel, was the highest selling Gospel debut since Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation Project

5. Carrie Underwood
Season: 4th
Standing: 1st
Most known for: being the first country artist to win American Idol
Contribution: Her Gospel-inspired "Jesus Take the Wheel" won both the 2006 Grammy for Country Song of the Year (amongst other Grammy Awards) and the 2006 Dove Award for Country Song of the Year

6. Chris Daughtry
Season: 5th
Standing: 4th
Most known for: proving a rocker could make it far in American Idol
Contribution: Pre-Idol, Daughtry was a member of Christian rock band Absent Element; with his present band, Daughtry, the single "Home" reached #12 on Billboard's Hot Christian Songs; sang back-up on Third Day's "Slow Down"

7. Jordin Sparks
Season: 6th
Standing: 1st
Most known for: being the youngest American Idol winner (she was 17 at the time)
Contribution: Although she doesn't make Christian music, she has toured with Michael W. Smith and was Overall Spotlight Winner at the 2004 GMA Academy and took top prize in the Country/Southern Gospel category

8. Phil Stacey
Season: 6th
Standing: 5th/6th (I don't know...he was in a double elimination)
Most known for: missing his daughter's birth to audition
Contribution: He was already a music minister before auditioning for Idol and his second album Into the Light, returns to his Christian roots after releasing a country album in 2008.

9. Danny Gokey
Season: 8th
Standing: 3rd
Most known for: auditioning for American Idol despite losing his wife a few weeks earlier, who was a fan of the show
Contribution: Although he isn't a Christian artist, he was nominated for a Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) award in 2009 for Best Christian/Gospel Artist of the Year for his work as a worship director at his Milwaukee church. This year, he is nominated for 2 Inspirational Country Music Awards.

10. Melinda Dolittle
Season: 6th
Standing: 3rd
Most known for: being a front-runner throughout the season, despite having nerves in her audition
Contribution: Although not a Gospel singer herself, she has performed back-up for famous Gospel artists such as Kirk Franklin and BeBe & CeCe Winans. In fact, she performed with BeBe & CeCe during the season finale.

Update: I have YouTube links up to some of the songs I mentioned in the post. I might post a few more in the future.

Artist Spotlight: Francesca Battistelli

This is one of my new favorite artists at the moment. She her most recent album, My Paper Heart was released two years ago and the deluxe edition of the album (called the Dented Fender Sessions) was released earlier this month on iTunes. She was nominated for a Grammy last year for Best Gospel performance for her first single, "Free To Be Me"

Interesting facts:

• At age 15, she was a member of a pop group named Bella (Don't know them? Neither do I.)
• She wanted to be a performer ever since the age of 6 when she saw "The Secret Garden."
• After her tenure with Bella ended, she was inspired to become a Christian artist after doing youth ministry.
• Her first album, Just a Breath was released independently.
• Her single, "It's Your Life" was used on the series finale of "Jon & Kate Plus 8"
• Her inspiration includes jazz classics, John Mayer, Sarah Bareilles, and Nicole Nordeman.

My suggestion: Beautiful, Beautiful

Michael W. Smith - There She Stands (for 9/11)

An Introduction to "Joyfull Noise"

My name is Charnice Milton. I am a Magazine, Newspaper, and Online Journalism graduate student at Syracuse University. I am also a huge Christian music fan. Since I grew up in the Christian faith, I have been surrounded by this genre since childhood. As an adult, I continued listening because I was drawn to the positive messages while enjoying their beats and melodies.

Not many people know about Christian music, mostly because it isn't necessarily mainstream (although some Christian artists have crossed over at times). These days, it's not just choir music or "old time sprituals" some people think of. Christian music today spans many different genres from rock to r&b to pop.

"Joyful Noise" will be a source for some of the best/newest music and artists, as well as tour dates and other sources of Christian music. Also, "Joyful Noise" would also show how Christian music reaches its fans. Simply put, it will shine a light on a genre not too many people know about.

Hope you will enjoy this blog!