|
Switchfoot drummer Chad Butler was featured in a 10-page cover spread in the March 2010 issue of Drum! Magazine. In the article, Butler talks about the band’s two-year break from touring and their latest album, Hello Hurricane, as well as his faith and the limits of the “Christian band” label. “I’m a believer and I’m honored to be associated with the name of Christ,” Butler says in the article. “But to call ourselves a Christian band puts up a wall and makes people feel uninvited to the party.” Switchfoot is currently playing some North American tour dates before leaving on an international tour that will take them to Australia, Japan and the U.K.
In other Switchfoot news, it’s not too early to plan for the sixth annual Switchfoot Bro-Am, which will be held June 26 at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas. The event will feature surfing contests, a live art mural created by local artists, and a live concert (lineup to be announced). The event will benefit San Diego area chapters of StandUp for Kids, a non-profit organization dedicated to making a difference in the lives of at-risk and homeless youth. Last year’s Bro-Am was the most successful to date, drawing more than 7,000 attendees and raising close to $100,000 for charity. For more information about the event, visit www.switchfoot.com.
The 41st Annual Dove Awards will be handed out April 21 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn. The event will be taped and then broadcast on the Gospel Music Channel on April 25. Fans will help decide winners for Artist of the Year and New Artist of the Year. To cast your ballot, visit www.gospelmusicchannel.com/doves. Voting is open through midnight April 20. For more about the Dove Awards, visit www.doveawards.com.
An all-star cast of musicians gathered before a sold out crowd for “Help Haiti Live,” at Nashville’s famed Ryman Auditorium this past February. The event benefited Compassion International’s Haiti disaster relief fund. The concert, which featured Alison Krauss and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Big Kenny, Mat Kearney, Jars of Clay, Brandon Heath, Needtobreathe, Dave Barnes and Matt Wertz, was streamed live at HelpHaitiLive.com.
Integrity Music, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and Samaritan's Purse have released Healing 4 Haiti, a collection of 15 songs from Christian music's leading artists and worship leaders. The album includes the anthem “Come Together Now (Music City Unites For Haiti),” penned by Michael W. Smith, Cindy Morgan and David Mullen and features additional songs from artists like Israel Houghton, DecembeRadio, Kari Jobe, The Afters and Hawk Nelson. A minimum of $5 from each album sold will be donated to Haiti earthquake relief and will be used to provide clean water, shelter, medical care and other critical aid through Samaritan's Purse. Donations will also support the work of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s Rapid Response Team, which had chaplains on the ground within 24 hours of the earthquake, providing emotional and spiritual comfort to survivors.
The title track from TobyMac’s latest album, Tonight, has been chosen as the theme song for Major League Baseball Network’s “30 Clubs in 30 Days” spring training series. The song will be featured throughout each episode. The series provides extensive coverage of each MLB team with field reports, interviews, predictions and inside access to every club’s training camp as Opening Day approaches.
The nominations were announced recently for the 2010 Southern Gospel Music Fan Awards. The Perrys lead the way with six nominations; The Singing Echoes, The Hoppers and The Booth Brothers tied with five nominations each. Winners will be chosen by fan voting. The complete list of nominees and the ballot for the 2010 SGM Fan Awards can be found at www.sgmfanfair.com. The 2010 SGM Fan Awards will be handed out in May during the Southern Gospel Music FanFair.
New Haven Records, in partnership with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, recently released the compilation project, Sunday in the Country: 12 Inspiring Hits From Today’s Top Country Artists. The project includes a “Who’s Who” of Grammy, Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music award-winning artists, including Trace Adkins (“Muddy Water”), Alabama (“Angels Among Us”), Diamond Rio (“I Believe”), Vince Gill (“Go Rest High on That Mountain”), Tracy Lawrence (“Up To Him”), George Strait (“I Found Jesus on the Jailhouse Floor”) and Keith Urban (“But for the Grace of God”).
The Christian Music Hall of Fame nominees were recently announced, and fan voting is now open until April 31 for the 2010 Visionary Awards. Nominees include David Phelps, Chris Tomlin, Jeremy Camp, Steven Curtis Chapman and Todd Agnew for Male Entertainer of the Year; Natalie Grant, Cece Winans, Kari Jobe, Janet Paschal, Francesca Battistelli for Female Entertainer of the Year; and Casting Crowns, Skillet, Third Day, Mercy Me, and Selah for Vocal Group of the Year. For a complete list of nominees, or to vote, visit www.hallmuseum.com.
Gotee Records releases Relient K: The First Three Gears (2000-2003) on April 20. The three-disc compilation package includes the band’s first three albums: Relient K, The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek, and Two Lefts Don’t Make a Right But Three Do. The package includes 51 Relient K songs, including hits like “My Girlfriend,” “Sadie Hawkins Dance” and “Chap Stick, Chapped Lips and Things Like Chemistry," as well as five rare bonus tracks. Relient K will be performing in Japan in early April in support of their latest project, Forget and Not Slow Down, and then opening for Paramore from late April through mid-May.
The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir is offering two singers the chance to perform with the choir during a Sunday service. Each winner receives an all-expense paid trip to New York for two to sing a solo with the choir. Deadline to enter is April 15. For complete details, visit www.youtube.com/declareyourname.
For more Christian music news, visit Joanne's Gospel Soundcheck blog at Beliefnet.com www.blog.beliefnet.com/gospelsoundcheck.
|
|
