Christian rock band Petra announces retirement after 33 years

After 33 years of music and ministry, veteran Christian rock band Petra has announced that the band will retire at the end of the year. “It has been a privilege and honor to represent our Savior and participate in His Great Commission,” said Petra founder, guitarist and primary songwriter Bob Hartman. “We have nothing but thanks to God for all He has done.” Formed in 1972, Petra has received four Grammy Awards, 10 Dove Awards and was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. A rotating cast of musicians has comprised the band’s lineup over the years, and its collective 20 albums have sold more than 7 million units.

It’s going to be a hot summer for INO recording artists, The Afters. The band has been accepted for MTV’s “Advance Warning,” a 30-minute show featuring up-and-coming artists. The segment aired multiple times on MTV in June and repeated on MTV2 and MTV.com. American Eagle stores have selected the band’s single “Beautiful Love” for its “Back-to-School” campaign. The song will be featured in more than 860 stores as well as online. American Airlines is also using the song for its June and July in-flight video.

Rocketown recording artist Ginny Owens has formed the Fingerprint Initiative, an organization designed to assist humanitarian efforts nationwide. Fingerprint Initiative will aide in the creation and development of humanitarian programs that seek to serve others in a godly manner; cooperate with other nonprofit organizations engaged in such work; and partner with concert-goers and fans to provide financial and physical assistance to specific non-profit organizations, communities, or individuals whose needs directly reflect the organization’s annual theme. This year’s theme is “Touching Little Hands—Bringing Hope to Kids,” with projects slated for Habitat for Humanity, Compassion International and International Justice Mission.

MercyMe recently celebrated its third consecutive mainstream hit single, when “Homesick,” from the album Undone, hit No. 9 on the R&R’s Adult Contemporary Chart. “Homesick” peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart, where after 17 weeks it’s at No. 13.

Joe Ligon, founding member and lead singer of the three-time Grammy Award winning Gospel Music Hall of Fame legends The Mighty Clouds of Joy, was recently invited by the “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin to perform with her during her three shows at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden. Ligon and The Mighty Clouds of Joy have been a pioneering force in gospel music since the late 1950s. They were the first gospel group to perform on “Soul Train,” and the first gospel quartet to use a full rhythm section and incorporate choreography into their performances.

IndieHeaven, the leading Christian independent artist organization, and Christian childcare organization, Mission of Mercy, announce a partnership to sponsor “Will Play for Change,” an 18-city tour featuring national and local independent artists. Each tour date is sponsored and promoted by an artist from the IndieHeaven roster who lives in that area; other artists from the online community are invited to perform at the event being held in their general area. The anchor artist for the “Will Play for Change” Tour is Iowa-based group, Bread of Stone. In addition to its music ministry in the United States, these brothers also have a heart for countries hit hard by the tsunami disaster and have ministry teams in place in their homeland of Jawa, Indonesia.

Hit rockers Sanctus Real recently welcomed new bassist Dan Gartley to the band. Gartley, who has most recently been on the road with Relient K, replaces former bass player Steve Goodrum, who left the band to pursue another aspect of ministry. In a statement on the band’s Web site, drummer Mark Graalman said, “Though it’s hard to let go of our friend, we know that this is definitely the Lord’s leading in his life and that we would be cheating him by encouraging him to be anywhere other than where God truly wants him.”

“The Logan Show,” hosted by Logan Sekulow, wrapped up a successful first season with musical guest The OC Supertones. The show is promoted as a clean alternative to late night television in the vein of Saturday Night Live and the Late Show meets youth group. “The Logan Show” is currently broadcast into 60 million homes in the U.S. and 40 million internationally, with new networks signing on weekly. In addition, each episode is also streamed live online at tctnet.org and jc-tv.net.

Grammy-nominated and Dove-Award-winning veteran alternative band The Choir has released its eleventh studio album, O How the Mighty Have Fallen. The group is comprised of industry veterans Steve Hindalong, Derri Daugherty, Dan Michaels, Tim Chandler and Marc Byrd. The independent release, produced by band member and award-winning songwriter Marc Byrd, returns the band to its ambient, picturesque roots with all new songs that hearken back to their glory days and reference the members’ recent success as writers and producers. CCM Magazine described Hindalong as one of the five most influential producers in Nashville for his work on the ground breaking City On A Hill worship series, which also featured songwriting contributions by Daugherty (“Beautiful Scandalous Night,”) and Byrd (“God Of Wonders”). Michaels currently serves as the vice president of promotion and marketing for INO Records.

The 2005 Shai Awards were held in May in Mississauga, Ontario, honoring Canada’s top Christian artists. Walking away with top honors were: Starfield (Artist of the Year); Thousand Foot Krutch (Group of the Year); Brian Doerksen (Male Soloist of the Year); Carolyn Arends (Female Soloist Artist of the Year); “In the Pocket,” Greg Sczebel (Song of the Year); Today, Brian Doerksen (Worship Album of the Year); Shezza, Shezza, (Aboriginal Album of the Year). For a complete list of winners, visit shaiawards.com.

New releases:
• Various Artists (Fervent) — Every Young Woman’s Battle June 28
• 60 Best Loved Hymns (Martingale Music) June 28
• Original Praise & Worship vol. 2 (Martingale Music) June 28
• Inhabited (Fervent) - The Revolution — July 12
• Salvado (Word) — Que Tan Lejos Esta El Cielo — July 12
• DJ Maj (Gotee) BoogiRoot July 19
• Mars ILL (Gotee) ProPain July 19
• Paul Wright (Gotee) Sunrise To Sunset July 19
• Big Daddy Weave (Fervent) — What I Was Made For — July 26
• Various Artists (Fervent) — Absolute Smash Hits 2 — July 26
• Various Artists (Fervent) — Absolute Smash Hits for Kids — July 26
• Jeff Deyo (Gotee) Surrender Aug. 2
• Bart Millard (INO records) Hymned Aug. 9
• LA Symphony (Gotee) Disappear Here Aug. 16
• Hip Hope 2005 (Gotee) Aug. 16
• Vicki Yohe (PureSprings Gospel) He’s Been Faithful Aug. 30

Published by Keener Communications Group, July 2005

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