Guest Post from Mocha Club Artist Mark Wagner

Soulful singer-songwriter Mark Wagner releases an EP this week. NEEDLOVE is an album devoted to expressing our need for love and the type of love God offers and desires for us. The album is unique in that its available exclusively through the Mocha Club, a non-profit organization designed to help those in need in Africa. Those who partner with Wagner and Mocha Club, supporting Women at Risk in Ethiopia, will receive his album free, along with an exclusive music video, lyrics and chord charts, as well as monthly communication from Wagner and Mocha Club about how their contribution is impacting lives in Africa. Existing Mocha Club members can also receive NEEDLOVE for free simply by inviting friends to join. 

Watch the sweet video below for his song “Gonna Be With You,” with footage from his wedding.

Mark was kind enough to put his thoughts on paper for us as to how his music and Mocha Club intersect. In this week’s guest blog, Mark has a story to tell you…

In 2008, along with some other friends from the Mocha Club, I boarded a plane in Nashville, flew across the Atlantic Ocean to a small town in Northern Uganda called Gulu.  I remember that flight to Gulu.  I remember thinking to myself, “Where in the world are we?  Am I gonna make it out of here alive?”  Gulu is approximately seventy miles south of the southern Sudan border in East Africa.  I knew that for the past thirty years these Ugandan and Sudanese people had been ravaged by the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army), which was led by Joseph Kony, and was most well known for murdering whole villages of people and kidnapping the children into a life of bondage.  These were their stories, and as I listened to them, their message became clearer to me.  These were stories of desperation and stories of hope.

For the first time in my life I saw true desperation.  I met men on the street whose legs and arms had been cut off by rebel soldiers, and who had been left for dead in the burning streets of the villages they grew up in.  I met women who, as young girls, were kidnapped into a life of slavery, continuously raped by young male officers in the rebel army.  I met former boy soldiers who told me that as children they were forced to watch as their parents were murdered, and then they were brainwashed into believing that their mission in life was to do the same to their friends in the neighboring villages.  These people were desperate to tell their stories to the world.

While in Gulu, I visited a men’s Bible study, led by an organization called Action International, called the “Men of Courage.”  They shared their stories.  Theirs were the stories of all who had seen the atrocities of war and had lived to tell about it.  These men were former child soldiers in the LRA, and they had since been rescued from their life of slavery into a new life of going deeper in their relationship with their Creator.  These men were learning the true meaning of redemption, and they had seen, with their own eyes, the face of Christ as they themselves hung on crosses of shame, and they were set free to live a new life, as new creatures.  I was inspired as I listened to the stories of how they escaped, how they found a new home, and how they learned how to live again.  These men had found new life and hope in Jesus Christ, and they longed for their brothers and sisters to experience this same hope.

I returned to Nashville two weeks later and began to re-evaluate some things in my life.  Why do I write songs?  Why do I sing?  I found my answer sitting at a men’s Bible study in Gulu, Uganda.  Those men had found hope in Jesus.  They had experienced new life, and they had lived to tell the story.  Now, my job is to keep telling that story.  My job is to keep telling the story that Jesus Christ lived, He died, and He rose again so that my friends in Gulu, Uganda can experience new life.  Jesus lives so that we can all experience new life.  I must keep telling the story. –Mark Wagner

Click here for more info on Mark Wagner.

Blue Like Jazz Premieres This Weekend

I attended Nashville’s Blue Like Jazz premiere Thursday night. A few hundred people gathered at a local Regal Cinemas to support author Donald Miller and artist/producer/director Steve Taylor. Miller’s New York Times best-selling book came to life on the silver screen thanks to fans all across the country who funded the film adaptation through the largest crowd-sourcing project in Kickstarter history. The evening was inevitably a long-awaited celebration, since production for the film began back in 2010. Hype has been building for the film for some time, so fans eagerly anticipated being let into the theater.

Miller, Taylor and Marshall Allman (“Prison Break,” “True Blood”), who plays a younger Miller in the film, arrived in an old, beat-up car Allman drives in the movie. With Taylor at the wheel, Miller and Allman greeted fans as they perched on the hood. Following their arrival, attendees were allowed onto the red carpet to head into the theater.

The movie proved to be just as satisfying as the book. For the millions of readers who have been affected by Miller’s thoughts in Blue Like Jazz, the film adaptation is every bit as compelling, thought-provoking and provocative. Like the book, the movie makes you question what you believe and why you believe it. It follows Miller as he questions the existence of God after enrolling in Reed College, an academically challenging school that’s as liberal as they come. Miller, who grew up a conservative southern Baptist, is thrust out of his comfort zone and into a new world of drugs, alcohol and sex, all the while trying to figure out who he is and if God can possibly relate to his life. Ironically, his out-of-the-ordinary experiences at Reed teach him what it really means to be a follower of Jesus. Filmed in Nashville, Tenn., and in Portland, Ore., it’s a coming-of-age story that is insightful and true-to-life. However, it’s as controversial as it is compelling.

Warning: if it’s Courageous you’re wanting, this isn’t it. Blue Like Jazz The Movie is filled with profanity, drug and alcohol use and debauchery of all sorts. But that’s the way Miller and Taylor wanted it. Their goal was to provide a realistic glimpse into the life of the ordinary college student. Miller not only explores college life, but he also tackles a number of taboo topics: infidelity, homosexuality, divorce and drug addiction, among other things. Taylor and Miller have managed  to create a Christian movie that doesn’t sugar coat reality, but instead, accurately portrays life in all it’s ugliness and its beauty. The colorful characters in the story, like the compasionate Penny and the jaded “Pope,” weave the story together intricately, profiling a variety of interesting characters who also make appearances in Miller’s book. While the book mirrors Miller’s life, the movie takes certain liberties and fictionalizes parts of the author’s life.

As Miller journeys toward what he believes and discovers who he is and how God fits in his life, he also realizes he has a lot to apologize for as he has fallen into the hypocritical trap of thinking Christianity is more about religion and less about loving and accepting people. The ending scene is one of true tear-jerking redemption. It doesn’t commence in a neat bow. In fact, the viewer isn’t really sure what happens next for Miller, but the resolve is found in the main character finally coming to terms with the fact that God exists, He believes in Him and He wants to live a life that immulates Christ.

In both production and artistic value, this movie is top-notch for having such a small budget. And all the fans who gave money through Kickstarter? They’re thanked in the credits of the movie. Without the support of passionate readers who appreciate thought-provoking art, this movie never would have been made. And that would have been a tragedy. It may be controversial, but without a doubt, Miller and Taylor will start some conversations. They already have. We need more movies like Blue Like Jazz, ones that portray redemption in the midst of real life.

Go out and see Blue Like Jazz THIS WEEKEND! Opening weekend numbers will determine how many theaters its shown in and how long it stays in theaters. Visit www.bluelikejazzthemovie.com to see if it’s playing in your area.

Guest Blog from Andrew Greer!

Singer/songwriter Andrew Greer releases Angel Band: The Hymn Sessions (MA’M Recordings) today. We’re celebrating his release week by by giving him a chance to share his personal thoughts with you about this project, which features a host of talented artists, including Cindy Morgan, Ginny Owens, Sonya Isaacs, The McCrary Sisters and more.

ANGEL BAND: MY STORY IN HYMNS

By Andrew Greer

Growing up in rural Texas, daily life was structured around work, school and church. Church services, meals and special events organized our weeks and provided a common meeting ground in the community. We celebrated and grieved a lot of life with the members of our local congregation. And though sound sermons resonated life-changing truths from the pulpit, it was the thoughtful poetry of hymns – marrying foundational truths with sweeping Americana melodies – that first introduced me to God, and continue a dialogue between my best Friend and me.

Songs like “Jesus Paid It All” and “Softly and Tenderly” remind me of God’s grace through the death of Jesus. “The Lord’s Prayer” and “All Creatures of Our God and King” give me words to pray when I am struggling to connect with my Creator.  With life-like lyrics (“And He walks with me / And He talks with me”), “In the Garden” intimates the Almighty – reminding me God is a personal friend, not just a distant judge.

As a singer/songwriter, I’ve been asked, Why record an album of cover songs? Hymns tell as personal of a story for me as any of my original tunes. So it was a no-brainer to cull, arrange and record a batch of these historic – but relevant – tunes on Angel Band: The Hymn Sessions. To insert a little of my own lyrical voice, I decided to contribute one original song (“I’ve Been Searching”), as well as write a new verse to a couple of hymns, keeping the melody intact, in hopes the listener will merely hear it as “the third verse” they never heard.

Having been sung corporately for hundreds of years, these songs connect us to the stories and lives of millions of passengers of faith, gifting us with a timeless, multi-generational connect. Wanting to capture the communal nature of hymns, I invited some of my close musical friends to make Angel Band a true community response.

Sonya Isaacs’ famous tearful soprano helps carry the title track, an early 1900’s tune introduced to me in a 2003 recording by her family bluegrass band, The Isaacs. Considering my awe for her artistry, it was a rare honor to have her vocal bring the recording of this song (and “Softly and Tenderly”) full circle for me. Ron Block (from Alison Krauss & Union Station) and his world-famous banjo reinterpreted “The Lord’s Prayer” in a way that helped me not just sing the model prayer, but actually pray the lyric of Jesus: “Our father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.”

One of my first songwriter influences in Christian music was Cindy Morgan. As we’ve become friends, Cindy and I have had conversations about anxiety and its sometimes-hold on our work and lives. So I wrote the second verse of “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus,” a duet with Cindy, with her voice in mind, and as a spiritual focus for days of fear: “Though death it shall come in one moment / Forever in him life we share / Though my bones are anxiously groaning / My soul has not one single care / Turn your eyes upon Jesus . . .”

The legendary McCrary Sisters fulfilled a young white boy’s dream of singing Black Gospel so poignantly (“Jesus Paid It All”). And my dear friend Ginny Owens, who lost her sight as a toddler, gave “I Am Thine/Near the Cross” a poignant lift, as both songs were written by Fanny Crosby, a prolific mid-19^th century songwriter who was also blind.

Sandra McCracken, Marc Scibilia, Julie Lee, even my own mom, also helped me tell this story of faith in a context more beautiful than I could have created on my own.

Hymns are messy. And life has been a bit messy for me. I would imagine for you, too. And with our modern culture’s obsession with me-centered techniques of self-help, it is a relief to sing songs born from the distress of the authors’ often trauma-riddled lives, but always pointing to a bigger picture – to an eternal help in surrender to Jesus, the Christ.

For more info on Andrew and Angel Band: The Hymn Sessions, visit www.andrew-greer.com.

5 Albums I Love Right Now

2012 is already off to a great start with lots of new tunes finding their way to my playlist. Between those albums that have already released this year and the highly-anticipated ones just around the corner, this is shaping up to be a big year in music! Here are the albums that I’ve got spinning this week:

1. Where I Find You (Sparrow), Kari Jobe
This is leaps and bounds beyond her debut album. In fact, the transformation took me by surprise! Jobe’s sophomore effort is mature, relevant and emotive. Sparrow was wise to snatch her up! This album proves she is more than another routine female worship leader, but she has a knack for spiritually-relevant pop tunes. I do believe Ed Cash has turned Kari into a pop songstress! Radio single “We Are” is infectious. She should be a lovely, powerful addition to Winter Jam this year. The eloquent album hits stores and digital outlets today.

2. Barton Hollow (Sensibility), The Civil Wars
Ever since I saw them perform flawlessly in front of a packed house at the historic Ryman Auditorium earlier this month, I’ve had The Civil Wars on repeat. OK, let’s be honest, I’ve had them on repeat for the past two years. It’s that good. They are the best thing to come out of music in a long time. They debuted their new song with Taylor Swift at the Nashville show, and let’s just say we can’t wait till The Hunger Games releases just so we can hear this song in the movie!

3. Give Us Rest (a requiem mass in c [the happiest of all keys]) (sixsteps), David Crowder Band
DCB is taking their final bow, but not before giving us what may very well be their greatest undertaking yet. With over two hours of music, calling it epic is a bit of an understatement. The band recently gave its final performance at Passion 2012 in Atlanta, Ga., earlier this month. They may have played their last concert, but DCB is leaving us with a lovely parting gift.

4. If It Leads Me Back (Reunion), Lindsay McCaul

This is one of the best debuts I’ve heard in quite some time. McCaul’s soothing alto coupled with her intelligent lyrics make for a beautiful album. (Think Nichole Nordeman and Bethany Dillon.) It’s a shame radio isn’t embracing McCaul’s music. She has a lot to say, and her thoughtful prose deserves a platform.

5. Stories to Tell (Razor & Tie), Dave Barnes

Dave’s new record doesn’t come out till March, but advance copies were serviced to media last week. The GRAMMY nominee wrote many of the songs for the new album after learning his wife was pregnant. Barnes tapped into his paternal feelings on the brink of first-time fatherhood. Lest you think the album is all lullabies, rest assured that Dave’s signature ballads and soulful pop gems are all in tact. New single “Mine to Love” (yes, this is one of the songs for the baby) is a great follow-up to “God Gave Me You.”

**Other albums I’m looking forward to in the coming months: Audrey Assad, Britt Nicole, Christy Nockels, Passion, All Sons & Daughters, for KING & COUNTRY

What are your favorite albums right now?

How has Christian music been a part of your story?

CCM, April 2005 Issue

When I was in college, my monthly issue of CCM Magazine came in the mail one spring, and I read an article by Bart Millard (front man of MercyMe) that has stuck in my mind ever since. I write for a living and work at a publishing house, so it’s rare that a one-off article sticks with me that long. (I read a lot!) Little did I know that later that very year, I would go on to work at CCM. There have been so many significant moments in my life traced back to a certain song. My first cassette tape was Steven Curtis Chapman‘s Heaven In The Real World. (I wore it out and later replaced it and bought it on CD.) Amy Grant was my first concert. I remember singing Point of Grace‘s “Keep The Candle Burning” into my hair brush. I remember singing Wes King‘s “I Believe” during Wednesday night youth group with the words up on the screen, courtesy of a projector and lyrics typed up on a transparency. I had never heard of Jaci Velasquez until she came to sing at one of our church’s Christmas parties. I ran outside to the car where my dad was waiting to pick me up to get money to buy her CD. I went back inside with my $20 bill and stood in line to get her to sign my copy. I remember listening to Joy Williams‘ “Say Goodbye” in my car the last semester of college when I was about to graduate and singing “Friends” year after year whenever anyone would graduate. Every year, we decorate our tree to 4HIM‘s Christmas album. In fact, we just pulled it out a few weeks ago when we were hanging ornaments.

I remember the excitement of my first GMA Week and huddling in a corner to inconspicuously call my mom to freak out! I had never seen so many Christian artists in one place. I remember buying a new dress for my first Dove Awards. I remember riding in a limo listening to TobyMac‘s Portable Sounds album with publicists trying to pitch the album for a CCM cover story. I remember getting my first Christmas card from an artist and secreting slipping it into a drawer only to find it years later when we moved offices. I remember talking to Louie Giglio in a backstage dressing room about how he had met a man in Italy who had found God by reading the pages of CCM Magazine. I remember by first CCM cover story with The Afters. I remember NEEDTOBREATHE performing in our conference room before they even released their first album. These songs, these albums, this music has been such an integral part of my story. Christian music has been the soundtrack of my life, and when I read this article in the April 2005 issue of CCM, I realized I wasn’t the only kid impacted by Christian music. Even one of Christian music’s biggest artists was just like me–a fan. So recently, I was feeling nostalgic and went back through my issues to try to find this article. I re-read it and all these years later, still find myself identifying with MercyMe‘s unmistakable front man. CCM was kind enough to let me post this beautiful article in full here.

Bart Millard

 A Personal Perspective

By Bart Millard, first printed in CCM Magazine, April 2005

When it comes to Christian music, you’d be hard pressed to find a band with as many fans as INO recording artist MercyMe. And when it comes to the platinum-selling band’s own lead singer, Bart Millard, you’d be even more hard pressed to find a bigger Christian music fan—anywhere. With that in mind, we asked this self-described “Christian music nerd” to spill the beans.

When it comes right down to it, I am a product of the system! What I mean is, I grew up on Christian music. I was that kid who, while singing in front of the mirror playing a mean tennis racket, imagined singing with my favorite Christian artist rather than some big rock star. Now, some could say that was just the beginning of what would be a major calling in my life. I tend to think I just needed to play outside more and have fewer imaginary friends. Regardless of how you choose to see it, this is who I am.

The first album I ever bought with my own money was Petra’s More Power to Ya. Actually I bought it twice because I literally wore the first one out. Because of that  record, I became consumed with Christian music. Growing up, I would spend every penny of my allowance on whatever music the local Christian bookstore carried. From One Bad Pig to Larnelle Harris, you name it, I owned it. It is safe to say that Christian music has played a huge role in my life, and when I was asked to write for CCM, I thought I would take a stroll down memory lane and see if there are any other “Christian music nerds” like myself. Just a warning: These are not in any kind of order. I’m just typing whatever comes to mind.

Remember the days when you could buy four albums, save those little coupons and get the fifth one free? I really thought I was beating the system (no Petra pun intended) until I grew up and found out how much cassettes really cost to make. Ouch. Did anyone else own every Steven Curtis Chapman and Wayne Watson accompaniment tape and sing every chance the church doors were open, or was that just me? I also had a mullet and wore a sweater vest so that I would be
taken seriously.

I remember hearing Amy Grant’s Lead Me On and knowing my life would never be the same.

I remember my youth group learning how to do sign language to Michael W. Smith’s “Friends.” We performed it whenever our youth pastor moved to another church. We later changed that ritual to “Thank You” by Ray Boltz.

I remember listening to “Hiding Place” by Steven Curtis Chapman all day at church camp and asking Christ into my heart that night.

I remember trying to sing Sandi Patty’s “Love in Any Language” in a Spanish club competition because it had “te amo” in it. I lost. Apparently the whole song had to be in Spanish. That’s nitpicking if you ask me.

I remember hearing Whiteheart’s Freedom and also knowing my life would never be the same.

I remember figuring out what was said at the beginning of Petra’s “Judas Kiss” and flipping out as if I had just made a major medical breakthrough.

I remember watching my girlfriend in 7th grade sing some First Call tune and knowing I was in love…well, as in love as you can be for a 7th grader. She is now my wife, by the way. I remember freaking out when I found the 77s’ Sticks and Stones CD in the mainstream section at the local record store. Christian music had arrived! Then it departed back to the Christian bookstores for many more years.

I remember hearing Michael W. Smith’s i2(eye) and yet again, knowing my life would never be the same.

I remember actually wanting to be Russ Taff. No wait, that’s me now.

I remember trying to rap like dc talk at a youth rally. I think I actually pulled a muscle. Huh huh heavenbound!

I remember pre-ordering Jars of Clay’s first album when the band opened for PFR and rejoicing the day it came in the mail. I remember hearing dc talk’s Jesus Freak and knowing—without a doubt—my life would never be the same.

I remember buying the Chagall Guevara album and thinking Steve Taylor could be the coolest human alive. I later heard Squint and knew he was
the coolest human alive.

I remember seeing Charlie Peacock, Vince Ebo and Jimmy A. performing acoustically and actually wanting to learn how to play guitar. After one lesson, my ADD kicked in, and I moved on.

I remember listening to “Heaven” by Michael English over and over after my father passed away.

I remember joining my first praise band. I remember playing my first church camp. I remember when we started MercyMe. I remember making our first independent album. I remember the first time I led a kid to Christ at one of our concerts. I remember the first time I heard one of our songs on the radio. I cried—not because it was on the radio but because my dad believed it would happen one day. I remember writing “I Can Only Imagine” at 3 in the morning. I remember my wife waking up, reading the lyrics and telling me it was going to be something special. I remember Delirious playing on the radio when my first son was born. I remember hoping to never forget those moments in your life that define you.

I am a product of the system. Christian music has played an enormous role in who I am today, and for that I am forever grateful.

How has Christian music been a part of your story?

Life in the New Musical Economy

This is the story of how I came to be the proud owner of an authentic compact disc of Jars of Clay presents The Shelter. It’s also the story of the digital media age, the new realities in the music business, and the jarring transition faced by my particular generation of music-lovers. The story begins two weeks ago.

Let’s start with some context: I turned 40 this summer. I don’t know if my generation has a name – those names confuse me – but I think we’re probably best defined as the group whose formative years spanned the 70’s and 80’s. I think we’ll be the ones with some of the most interesting stories twenty years from now about a childhood in the dark ages of technology. We witnessed the birth (or at least the widespread adoption) of the microwave, the cordless phone, the personal computer, the video game console, the VCR, and more. We were old enough to remember these events but young enough that by the time we’re geriatric each will seem wildly antiquated and mysterious.

Musically, we grew up through vinyl records, 8-track tapes, cassettes, and CDs. We debated the merits of each. Records were good because you could skip directly from song to song and, if you had a cool turntable like mine, you could stack a bunch of records on the spindle and listen for hours. (The unadvertised advantage of records, of course, was the ability to play them backwards and thereby listen for the subliminal messages on “Another One Bites The Dust”.) But, records warped if they got too hot, and I wore out more than one stylus over the years. Cassettes were mostly horrible, but they had two major advantages: they played in cars, and you could record on them. The mixtape was born, and so was the illegal copying of music. I still remember that summer at the beach when my friends and I played my rock mix tape over and over, the one on which Aerosmith’s “Dream On” was so rudely interrupted by the end of Side A.

The cassette era was mercifully supplanted by the arrival of the Compact Disc. I bought my first CD, Who’s Next, before I had a CD player, because I saw the future (and because I worked in a record store and got an employee discount). I’ll never forget the night I was at my buddy Steve’s house and his older brother drove up with a brand new CD player in his car! We went right out and listened to “90201” by Yes, and all those keyboards were mesmerizing.

And so it came to pass that I began collecting CDs in earnest, and now I am blessed with hundreds. Then, just when my generation thought we had it all figured out, Karlheinz Brandenburg had to go and invent the mp3. Napster exploded everything we thought we knew about the music industry, then Apple seemed to put it back together, and now we are a generation torn.

See, my generation remembers album covers. The big ones, 1 ft. x 1 ft.. We read liner notes and lyric sheets, and many of us are baffled by our younger friends who are completely content with a single download off an album and maybe a glance at error-ridden lyrics on some website that’s desperate for me to “Download Ringtones Right To My Cell!” Still, we can’t deny the unparalleled convenience, portability, and access of this new digital music reality, even as the industry crumbles around it.

Okay, now I can start my story. Two weeks ago, I think I might have finally caught up to these insouciant young folks. I joined Spotify.

If, like me, you’re not the earliest of adopters, Spotify is a Swedish music streaming service that recently landed in the US. It’s got over 15 million songs, and you can listen to all of them, all for free. You have to request an invitation and download a little app, and you have to listen to a few short ads along the way,* and, yes, a few significant bands are missing (Beatles, Zeppelin), but what is there is extraordinary.

I didn’t take me long before I had Spotify connected to Facebook and I could see music that had already been discovered by my friends. For example, I had no idea, until I saw it on my friend Jeff’s playlist, that Relient K had covered a Justin Bieber song! That same friend Jeff had an Owl City list, and I remembered I had wanted to hear their (his) latest album, but it had kinda slipped by me in the shuffle.

That’s when my head exploded. I keep a mental list of CDs I might want to buy since, as you know, I’m a holdout from the vinyl record generation. Given my limited budget, I look for massive sales, scour the used CD bins, and for a few dear artists I go ahead and pay full price. But plenty get missed along the way.

I missed a Bebo Norman release. On Spotify, I just type his name and – poof! – there’s his entire catalog. Brand new Steven Curtis Chapman? Bingo.

And round about October of last year, I chose not to buy Jars of Clay presents The Shelter. I love the band, and I think they’re one of the best in Christian music right now. I thought The Long Fall Back to Earth was among the single best records of 2009. But this Shelter thing seemed a little different to me, maybe even a little gimmicky, what with the collaborators on almost every song. Given that pesky limited budget for music, I passed.

But then, while my head was exploding, I remembered I could listen to the whole record for free on Spotify. “jars of clay shelter”, I typed, and – poof! – an hour’s worth of music. I loved it.

Now here’s the economy part. I’ve invited a few friends to Spotify, and the first question is always, “How is this free?” There are subscription plans, and the free plan does have the little ads, not unlike Pandora, but it sure doesn’t seem like enough to save a hurting industry.

And here’s my answer: perhaps it will stick the dagger a little deeper into the music biz, but the labels are buying in, so maybe it’s generating more revenue than it seems.  There’s also something else at work. See, I listened to an album on Spotify, one I had passed on before, and then I bought it. I paid my $13.99 at my local Lifeway Christian Store and now I have cover art and liner notes and a shiny disc I can play anywhere. Because my generation still cares about shiny discs. Well, most of us do.

Maybe the discovery of music begets the purchase of music. Maybe there are enough of us out there who aren’t just consumers of music but also patrons. Maybe we need a risk-free way to dig through a supersaturated morass of songs and albums, find what’s good, and then go buy it. Or maybe I’m naïve, and labels are dead, and the CD is dead, and dinosaurs like me are going to our graves wallowing in our shiny discs and our liner notes, yelling at kids to get off our lawns.

But I’m optimistic. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have new music to discover.

 

*If you’re really curious about all these details, Jars of Clay’s own Matt Odmark explains Spotify in a 16 minute video blog: http://www.jarsofclay.com/news/2011/8/6/video-blog-from-matt-do-you-spotify-1.html

Are Mainstream Artists Taking Over Christian Radio?

Carrie Underwood

It seems that every time I turn on our local Christian radio station, they are inevitably playing a song by a non-Christian artist. You know what I mean… It’s not that the artist isn’t a Christian; it’s just that you won’t find their CD on the shelf at a Christian bookstore. And you certainly won’t find them in the Christian/Gospel section at Target. In fact, it’s more likely that you’ll walk past a large cutout of one of these artists along with a packed display of their latest CDs on your way to the Christian/Gospel section. You know the songs I’m talking about–tunes that have a Christian message but are sung by a well-known country or pop act. Do you recognize any of these?

• “Jesus Take the Wheel,” by Carrie Underwood
• “I Wish,” by Rascal Flatts
• “Anyway,” by Martina McBride
• “You & Me,” by Lifehouse
• “Home,” by Daughtry
• “How To Save A Life,” by The Fray

These are all great songs. These are all great songs that are also played on pop and country radio. But I cringe every time I hear them on Christian radio.

Now, I’m not bashing mainstream music. I like it and listen to plenty of it. I don’t want to be misconstrued in any way in saying that these aren’t good songs or that they don’t contain some sort of positive Christian message–they are and they do. However, I think it all goes back to the age old question of what defines a Christian song; and furthermore, what defines a Christian artist? And while we could debate this for weeks on end, here’s my point: Every time I hear a mainstream song on Christian radio, I feel cheated. I feel sorry for our industry. I ache for all the incredible Christian artists out there making music full of artistic integrity that will never see the light of CCM radio.

Chris Daughtry

The reality is that there are, in any given month, anywhere from 40-50 songs going for ads and only a handful of these songs can be added to radio playlists. There are fewer and fewer slots for singles to be added each week, so I wish the slots now filled by mainstream artists (who are incidentally already getting tons of airplay in their respective genres) would be given to caliber artists in our industry. How about we replace the list above with some songs from artists who don’t get the airplay they deserve like Sara Groves, Jason Gray, Andrew Peterson and Audrey Assad (just to name a few)?

I already know what you’re thinking… Couldn’t playing a familiar song by Carrie Underwood make someone who wouldn’t otherwise listen to Christian radio, stop on the station and hopefully not turn the dial when the next song comes on? Certainly. But what if the opposite was true? What if the artists in our industry strove for the highest level of excellence in their music so that when someone is flipping stations they can’t help but be captured by the artistic integrity of the song and, in turn, be held captive by the lyric? What if Christian radio programmers took a chance on the artists and songs that don’t follow the typical radio-friendly format? What would Christian radio look like then?

Martina McBride

“I Can Only Imagine” got played on a secular station in Texas because it resonated with a program director. It defined MercyMe’s career.

“I’m Not Who I Was” was called “too personal” by industry execs.  Besides, it doesn’t even really have a traditional chorus. The single put Brandon Heath on the map.

“If We Are the Body” came from a small youth group band out of Florida we now know as Casting Crowns.

“How Great Is Our God” wasn’t Chris Tomlin’s first single. We forget that he had two full albums that were just a blip on SoundScan before he struck gold with the songs on his landmark release, Arriving.

God uses Christian radio to change lives. I know this because Christian radio lifts me up every day. It’s time to make non-believers stop and take notice. It’s our job to be the salt. We need to be doing everything we can to promote the incredible music emanating from our Christian songwriters today. It’s too good (and too powerful) to keep it to ourselves.

How do you feel about mainstream songs getting played on Christian radio?

5 Things We Learned About Christian Music at ICRS 2011

The International Christian Retail Show (ICRS) took place in Atlanta last week. Over 4,000 retailers, publishers, authors, agents, media, and Christian bookstore buyers descended on the Georgia World Congress Center in the heart of downtown to check out the latest products for Christian bookstores. The music presence at the annual event has grown smaller each year; however, Christian music popped up in various places throughout the week, providing some artist sightings and some insight into what the rest of 2011 holds.

1. CHRISTMAS MUSIC. Both EMI and Word had booths on the exhibit hall floor boasting cover art of some of their upcoming albums. It looks like EMI will be filling stockings this year with lots of yuletide goodies. Holiday offerings are on the way from TobyMac & Diverse City,  Kutless, Matthew West and David Crowder Band (the very last album ever from DC*B).

2. NICHOLE NORDEMAN & THE STORY. For the singer/songwriter diehards who wonder if Nichole Nordeman will ever return to music, you can rest a little easier. While Nordeman is not making a full return to music and touring, she and award-winning producer Bernie Herms have teamed up with pastors/authors Max Lucado and Randy Frazee to write music for the book release of The Story, a narrative retelling of the Bible. Nordeman and Herms were on hand with the authors to talk about the writing process. All 18 songs on the subsequent album, scheduled to release later this year from EMI, are written in first-person as if the specific biblical character is telling the story from their perspective. Casting Crowns‘ Mark Hall and Megan Garret, Francesca Battistelli and Herms’ wife Natalie Grant each performed a selection from the album. Other artists who contributed to the recording include Amy Grant, Chris Tomlin, Brandon Heath and Michael W. Smith, among many others. Look for a tour this December featuring a cast of these authors and artists. Check out www.thestory.com for more info on this remarkable concept album.

3. COURAGEOUS. Casting Crowns front man Mark Hall also made an appearance at the Courageous movie screening. Hall and his band wrote and recorded a song for the movie, which is the next installment in a long line of Christian movies from Provident Films following in the footsteps of Facing the Giants and Fireproof . This movie tells the story of five men who pledge to be better fathers and husbands after one dad experiences the unthinkable tragedy of losing his daughter in a car accident. (Speaking of Christian films…Surfer champ Bethany Hamilton was also at ICRS promoting the DVD release of Soul Surfer.)

4. CHAMPIONS OF THE FAITH AWARDS AND BENEFIT CONCERT. Tenth Avenue North‘s Mike Donehey gave a stirring acoustic performance at Sunday night’s benefit concert and awards show. Donehey sang the band’s biggest hits in a stripped down fashion while an aritst painted a moving portrait on a stretch of canvas on the stage. During the awards ceremony, Newsong‘s Eddie Carswell and Billy Goodwin were honored for their longstanding contribution to the Christian community–20 No. 1 hits, founders of Winter Jam (2010′s largest tour in the world), advocates for Compassion International. Goodwin’s daughter-in-law, Francesca Battistelli, performed hit “It’s Your Life” prior to Newsong taking the stage for several songs to round out the evening. Meanwhile, a silent auction was held in the back of the room where attendees could bid on autograhed guitars from Battistelli, Tenth Avenue North, Jeremy Camp, Michael W. Smith, Casting Crowns, David Crowder Band and more.

5. APPEARANCES. Other artists were on hand to do interviews, perform short sets and sign autographs on the exhibit floor. Peter Furler, new artist Adam Cappa and former Jump 5 member Brittany Hargest were among the artists who performed at the “Heart of the Artist” luncheon as part of ICRS. Nicole C. Mullen performed at a Sunday night worship service. Casting’s Mark Hall signed copies of his new book, The Well: Why Are So Many Still Thirsty? (Zondervan); while Ginny Owens, John Waller and Laura Story were spotted on the exhibit hall floor.

Are you a Christian retailer who attended ICRS this year? If so, what did you learn at this year’s event?

Is Christian Music Dead?

A recent article in Relevant Magazine poses this question of 2011:

The Year CCM Disappears? (Except Worship)

This brings up all sorts of topics for debate and begs the question critics have been asking for years: Is Christian music dead?

The short answer is no. As long as there are people being radically changed by the transformative power of Christ, there will always be the desire and the need to invite God into music.

The long answer is more complicated.  The music industry as a whole continues to wrestle with digital technology–both friend and foe. Record sales continue to decline, while music is more widely available and in-demand than ever before, also affording independent artists everything they need to survive without major label support.

And then there’s Christian music–a business centered around a harsh dichotomy of ministry versus profit, changed lives versus bottom line. Yet, even amidst declining ticket sales, this year’s WinterJam managed to become the No. 1 U.S. tour overall according to Pollstar. While Christian music is far from dead, the landscape does indeed look different. Today’s Christian music is one of honesty, diversity and artistic integrity–three facets Christian music fans have been rallying for since before the boom of the ’90s, when Christian music was at its peak.

Christian music is more raw and candid than ever before and, therefore, more relatable than ever before. In the past, the CCM genre has been overwhelmed with sugar-coated lyrics making life with God out to be a cake-walk. Meanwhile, Christians were struggling with deep issues, broken relationships and a long list of real-life struggles. Fans of Christian music were working hard to live up to the standards set by the “perfect” Christian artists who sang about how our relationship with Christ should be.

Today, Christian music isn’t trying to make Christianity look easy. More songs are asking tough questions and tackling taboo issues. These songs don’t always get played on the radio, but even radio programmers are finding that real people identify with songs about real life. Artists like Francesca Battistelli, Chris August, Brandon Heath, Tenth Avenue North, Jars of Clay, Sanctus Real, Sara Groves and Derek Webb are just a few examples of artists leading the charge of writing about real life from a faith perspective and writing boldly about universal topics, making the Christian life raw and accessible.

Ever since dcTalk appeared on the scene, Christian music fans have been clamouring that we need more diversity in our industry. Look no further than this past April’s Dove Awards to get a glimpse of the diversity found in Christian music today. Top winners, nominees and performers combined to form an eclectic mix of everything from the hip-hop stylings of LeCrae and the country nuances of Jason Crabb to the more worshipful musings of Chris Tomlin and the Southern Gospel sensibilities of Ernie Hasse & Signture Sound. Factor in the unique sounds of tobyMac, Francesca Battistelli, Mary Mary and NEEDTOBREATHE, and you’ll see that Christian music is one of the most diverse genres in and of itself. It hasn’t always been this way. However, CCM artists and labels are opening thier arms wider these days realizing that Christian music isn’t just for white, middle-class. Just like the Gospel, Christian music is for everyone.

The sounds coming out of Christian music today are also more experimental than ever before. Instead of trying to copy mainstream music, Christian artists are setting out to make their own unique mark by carving their own niche. Mike Farris, Owl City, Audrey Assad and Aaron Gillespie are just a few artists off the beaten path who are raising the bar in Christian music. More and more artists are following suit. There has never been more of a desire than there is now to create art that is simply excellent. Artists from all sides are chasing hard after the pursuit of excellence in their craft, and frankly, it’s refreshing. Look how far we’ve come. The definition of “Christian music” continues to evolve and be redefined at a rapid pace.

Here’s the hard truth: honesty, diversity and artistic integrity don’t always equal sales. However,  I would venture to say that some of the music coming out of the CCM camp these days is some of the best that’s ever been made. That’s not to discount Christian music’s past. Countless artists have laid a solid foundation for the current line-up and continue to shape the industry leaders of the future.

And worship music? It’s definitely as popular as ever.  The incredible worship artists of this generation continue to give voice to our songs. However, I don’t know about you, but sometimes I just need a reminder that God is a part of every aspect of life, and that every beat of love, every glimpse of beauty, every note, every song is an act of worship to Him.

Is Christian music dead? What do you think?

Dissecting the Doves: New Artist of the Year

New Artist of the Year is always one of the most significant awards of the evening. More times than not, a New Artist win indicates the next buzz-worthy act and is an accolade that has propelled the careers of many well-known artists. Case in point? Through the years, this award has been given to artists as diverse as Take 6, Point of Grace, Jars of Clay, Jaci Velasquez and Avalon. Recent years have seen The Afters, Brandon Heath and Tenth Avenue North nab the award. Last year, Sidewalk Prophets carried home the trophy. So who will leave with the New Artist bird tomorrow night? We have our opinions… There’s still time to make your opinion heard. This is one of two categories open to fans. So head on over to www.watchgmctv.com/fanvote and vote for your favorite new artist!

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

• Audrey Assad
• Chris August
• forever JONES
• John Mark McMillan
• No Other Name
• Kerrie Roberts
• Kristian Stanfill

SHOULD WIN: AUDREY ASSAD

Audrey is one of the most poetic, thoughtful female singer/songwriters to come along since Nicole Nordeman. She writes in the vein of cherished female counterparts like Nordeman, Sara Groves, Jill Phillips and Brooke Fraser. Her lyrics are eloquent, and her lilting voice envelops the listener in sunny warmth. Above all, her smart debut, The House You’re Building (Sparrow), was a superb introduction to a timeless artist who has a long career ahead of her. Unfortunately, Assad stayed a bit under the radar this year. While everyone from Jars of Clay to Natalie Grant and Chris Tomlin raved about her, some of the other nominees experienced far more commercial success, which will put this year’s New Artist Dove just out of reach for Assad.

WILL WIN: CHRIS AUGUST

“Starry Night” (also nominated for Song of the Year) details a turning point in the life of newcomer Chris August. It also tells our story. August’s debut, No Far Away (Fervent), is filled with other chapters of the human condition and the bigger story God is authoring. Honestly, August was one of the biggest surprises of the year. He’s poised to run in the big leagues with fellow pop singer/songwriters Brandon Heath, Matthew West and Jeremy Camp. He’ll win the New Artist Dove by a landslide.

WHO’S MISSING: TOOTH & NAIL ARTISTS
For fans of harder rock, it comes as no surprise that Tooth & Nail Records isn’t represented in the list of New Artist nominees. In fact, they aren’t really represented in any of the major categories. Although Tooth & Nail prides itself on being an indie, under-the-radar label, they introduce more new artists each year than all the major labels combined. If nothing else, they should be recognized for continuing to seek out and champion new artists and for consistently being a pioneer in signing hard rock acts.

You can check out a full list of nominees for the 42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards here.

Artist of the Year Predictions

Song of the Year Predictions

Male Vocalist of the Year Predictions

Female Vocalist of the Year Predictions

Group of the Year Predictions

Who do you think will win the Dove for New Artist of the Year? Who do you think should have been nominated who wasn’t? Leave your comments below.