Longtime artist manager at Triple 8 Management, with more than a decade’s experience, Samantha Steele now rises to Chief Operating Officer, helping lead a team of 30 managers, marketing, radio and partnership professionals. In the role, she oversees operations, promoting positive company culture and vision, as well as solutions for internal communications and growth potential for both employees and clients.

“Sam Steele is a diamond,” notes client Drew Holcomb. “She has the rare capacity to effectively dream and execute a vision for her clients, while maintaining kindness and humanity in the process. Her promotion to COO is the least surprising news I have heard in years. I’m very proud to have Sam in my corner.”

“I’ve never met anyone like Sam Steele,” adds Ellie Holcomb. “She has the unique ability of both running a business with tenacity and integrity while also building community wherever she goes. Sam makes her clients and everyone who surrounds them feel seen, heard and taken care of. She’s a hospitality queen, a dream catcher, a team builder, and her promotion to COO makes all the sense in the world. I’m deeply grateful to have partnered and worked alongside Sam all of these years. She makes everything better.”

Steele first entered the music industry in 2008 via street team management and marketing before becoming General Manager at Good Time Inc. in 2010, which would later be acquired by Triple 8 Management in 2017.

Under her management, Steele has worked with Ellie Holcomb for her entire solo career, during which time Holcomb has sold more than 300,000 records and published four books, her first being awarded the ECPA Bronze Award for sales of over 100,000 units. In total, Holcomb has sold more than 300,000 books under the guidance of Steele. She was also Creative Producer on the shoot for Holcomb’s CANYON album, which won the GMA Dove Award for Album Packaging of the Year. Steele has also worked with Drew Holcomb as he has sold more than 350,000 albums and was dubbed “One of Americana’s Most Popular Stars” by Rolling Stone.

Additionally, she co-founded and produced Moon River Music Festival alongside Drew Holcomb and Triple 8’s Executive Partner, Paul Steele. Since its inception, the event has grown into a 12,000-capacity festival in Chattanooga and is now partnered with Live Nation / C3 Presents while supporting the work of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“We want strong interconnectedness among everyone at Triple 8, and a working environment where people feel supported, inspired and that they’re never alone. Sam has a great history successfully managing and marketing artists and projects,” shares CEO/Founder George Couri. “This, when combined with caring for others, the company, and for the work we provide our clients, makes her, as COO, an important person to help us reinforce these core values.”

“I can’t express enough how excited I am about Sam’s promotion to COO,” shares Chief Financial Officer Christina Egan. “She loves her work family and has a distinct talent for identifying needs and formulating solutions that help keep our team members supported and connected to one another. I’m so grateful for her leadership as well as her friendship, and it is a true pleasure to welcome her to the C Suite!”

While growing her career in the music industry, Steele has continually paid it forward through the years, serving multiple non-profits through financial donations and community service. With a primary focus of aiding children, Steele has generously contributed her efforts toward such organizations as IJM, Compassion International, Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, St. Jude, Outdoor Chattanooga, Mercy Multiplied, Last Minute Toy Store and American Red Cross

RCA Inspiration congratulates the latest win for the hit album release of Kingdom Book One (Tribl Records/Fo Yo Soul/RCA Inspiration), as the acclaimed collaboration from chart-toppers Maverick City Music and Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul/RCA) was just announced among the early winners unveiled for this year’s 54th NAACP Image Awards.

Winning in the category of Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album, their NAACP Image Awards win was announced on the show’s virtual awards first night that streamed on https://naacpimageawards.net/ on February 20th, with the winners unveiled in many of the music recording categories.

The week-long NAACP Image Awards celebration will continue to unveil more winners, honoring the achievements and legacy of Black excellence spanning the categories of film, television, music, literature, activism and more.

The NAACP Image Awards win for Kingdom Book One follows the album’s most recent wins at the 2023 GRAMMY Awards that took place February 5th, where the album and two featured songs garnered 3 GRAMMY Awards.

Released in 2022, the live album project with Kirk Franklin and the group Maverick City Music was recorded together with the voices of 1,300 inmates in a Florida prison yard, bringing awareness to mass incarceration, and sharing in the power of experiencing God’s love, finding comfort and healing.

The Awakening Foundation, powered by Awakening Events, announces that in just five days, all tickets for the 3rd Annual K-LOVE Presents Live at Red Rocks have sold out. This is the second fastest Christian music event to sell out at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre located in Morrison, Colorado, just outside of Denver.

The first night, which sold out in just 72 hours, will feature Zach Williams, We The Kingdom, CAIN, Anne Wilson,  Blessing Offor, and Hope Darst. The second evening, selling out in five days, has MercyMe, Jeremy Camp, Unspoken, Ryan Stevenson, and Jon Reddick. The event is supported by Altrua HealthShare and World Vision.

“Every year we look forward to our annual Red Rocks concerts and events, and we’re thrilled to share both nights are sold out,” exclaims Dan Fife, President and Founder of Awakening Events, Inc. “The first night sold out in a record 72 hours, the fastest-selling night ever of the two-day event. 

This is also CCM’s second fastest-selling Red Rocks show, with only Third Day’s final Farewell Tour stop in 2018 reaching a quicker sell-out. Many folks in the industry believe shows automatically sell out at this historic venue since it’s the best outdoor theater in the world, but they have many shows and events there each year that don’t sell-out. I am so proud of our team and all of the strategy and work they put in every single day to make this happen.”

Additionally, Awakening Foundation, along with its partners K-LOVE Radio and Altrua HealthShare, continue to build on its history of giving back. At last year’s event, they donated $20,000 locally through the Salvation Army to address food insecurity in the state.

In 2023, The Awakening Foundation is committed to investing more than $200,000 to meet needs in local communities nationwide at their concerts and events.

For more information on K-LOVE Presents Live At Red Rocks, please visit AwakeningEvents.com or KLOVE.com.

The Church Music Publishers Association (CMPA) is hosting its 97th annual convention at the Henderson Beach Resort complex in Destin, FL, from February 27 through March 2, 2023.  “My goal is to build upon the CMPA’s rich history by expanding our community with greater diversity,” says Bryant Scott who was elected CMPA President last year.

“That diversity means more women-led companies, more minority-led companies, and more foreign-led music publishing companies because this is an international organization with music that literally reaches all over the world. So, we’re coming together to share what’s been working, look at new innovations in publishing administration, and look at what’s on our collective horizon.”

This year’s convention will reflect that diversity with a wide range of influential music industry executives: Kris Ahrend (Mechanical Licensing Collective), Michael Collins (BMI), Todd Dupler (The Recording Academy), Phillip Edwards (MultiTracks.com), Kathy Fernandes (J.W. Pepper), Mitch Glazier (Recording Industry Association of America).

Malcolm Hawker (SESAC), Bart Herbison (Nashville Songwriters Association), Mike Huppe (Sound Exchange), David Israelite (National Music Publishers Association), Don Jackson (Stellar TV), Pastor Brian Johnson (Bethel Music), Garrett Levin (Digital Media Association), Matt McCoy (Loop Community), John Milazo (Domtar), Jackie Patillo (Gospel Music Association), Brian C. Roberts (ASCAP), Leslie Roberts (BMI), George Ross (CCLI), and Nate Scott (CCLI).

Entertainment for the convention will be provided by Stellar Award-nominated singer/bassist, Jason Nelson, who’s best-known for Billboard No. 1 radio hits such as “Forever” and “Residue”; the Hymns Professor, Bishop Leonard Scott, who’s racked up over 25 million streams for his traditional recordings; and singing-songwriting collective known as Writing Rounds Worship.

The CMPA was founded in 1926. It’s an alliance of over 60 Christian publishing entities that represent songs and music catalogs from across the globe. They share timely information on the ever-changing aspects of copyright law and publishing administration.

The works range from modern favorites such as Chris Tomlin’s “Good Good Father” to vintage compositions such as Andrae Crouch’s 1964 anthem, “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power.”

The diverse group of firms represents almost every major church denomination. Some of the members include Capitol CMG Publishing, Curb/Word Entertainment, Gaither Music Company, Hillsong Music Publishing, and Maverick City Music, among others.

Tia McGraff is a multi-talented, award-winning singer, songwriter, performer, author and podcast host from Southern Ontario, Canada. Along with her husband and co-writer Tommy Parham, the skilled songstress has been making impactful and thought-provoking art for well over a decade.

Bringing together a burning passion for the art of music and an honesty that is long lost on today’s modern charts, Tia McGraff is a trailblazer in her genre; one whose efforts have made her a beloved figure on the international music scene.
With the September 3rd release of her latest EP “With Love,” Ontario-based folk singer songwriter Tia McGraff has proven that she’s in top form. The first single, “Go Your Own Way” reached the iTunes country songs chart Top 15, amassing 37K Spotify streams.

It won 2021 Posi Empower Award for Social Justice. Meanwhile, another track from the EP“Nighthawk” was awarded a 2022 Posi Empower Award for Peace. All totaled, songs from “With Love” have gained well over 100K Spotify streams, in less than 3 months of release.

Hi Tia! It’s quite an honor to talk to you today. What’s new in your world?
Thank you for the beautiful opportunity to share my story today. Well, that’s a great question. It seems, “reinventing the wheel’ is the new norm in the music industry these days. But how exciting! My husband, Tommy Parham, and I are enjoying being back up on stage performing for our fans again.

And instead of hitting the road again aggressively, we’re taking our time ‘dipping our toes in the water.’It seems to be working. Our fans are loving our performances and we’re having so much fun sharing our new EP with them. I’m also writing my next Jake The Road Dawg children’s book and we are excited to be planning some wonderful showcase opportunities.

You’re widely known as a folk/American singer, but you’ve also recorded some gospel-themed music. How important is your faith to you?

Whether I’m performing/songwriting/recording, I know who I am doing this for. God! My audience of 1! There is no other way. For me, God is my purpose and strength. The only way that after 30 years in the music industry, I am blessed to still be able to create and share the healing gift of music.

Tommy and I are currently putting together an Inspirational/ Gospel EP of songs we have written and recorded and are so excited to be attending some great gospel showcase events this spring/summer.

What do you feel are your strengths as a singer?

I began singing in theatre and had the opportunity to mentor some amazing vocal coaches here in Ontario. The technique I learned has sustained my voice. My voice is an instrument of God. I find my strength in that knowledge.

What about your weaknesses?
I tend to fall into the trap of comparison too often and overthink my studio performances. Tommy will remind me to be myself and just sing!

What motivates you to make music?
I still have songs to write, stories to tell, and audiences around the world who need the healing power of music. As long as God continues to open doors for Tommy and me, we’ll walk through them.

You’ve had many high points in your career, so far. What was the biggest thing that has happened, and how did it make you feel?
Moving to Nashville and meeting my husband, Tommy Parham is the biggest gift I’ve received not only in music but in my life. Changed everything in my life. Each time, I’m on stage and look over at Tommy next to me, playing his beautiful guitar, and singing his wonderful harmonies, I’m struck with amazement. What a life I’ve been blessed to live. What a calling!

We’ve heard about a new book-related recording that you’re preparing for release. When do you think you’ll have that ready?
I’m currently finishing the manuscript for my new Jake The Road Dawg book! I’m hoping to have it set for release this summer/ fall with a book tour.

Tell me about your favorite performance in your career.

That’s a difficult question to answer. I have so many beautiful memories of performances around the world, and people I’ve met. There have been times when someone in the audience has told us that one of our songs has literally saved his life, or one couple said they used our song in their marriage therapy sessions.

Recently, we had the opportunity to perform a concert to raise money for our local hospital. The turnout was overwhelming. We had kids on stage with us. And my family sitting in the front row, watching, and smiling. It was beautiful.

What’s the best piece of advice another musician ever gave you?
Every day we get to wake up and make music is a great day to be alive!

What’s up next for you?
Finishing my book, booking more events, writing and recording more songs, and enjoying life one day at a time. Trying not to get in God’s way.

Any words of advice or last words for your fans?
Thank you! I am so completely overwhelmed with gratitude for your love and support all these years. I wish you peace, health, joy, and love! See you down the trail.

Thanks for taking the time!
Thank you! Have a crazy beautiful day.

Jody And Lani “Clear The Way” With Powerful Worship Anthem For The Church

Worship leaders Jody and Lani release their second single, “Clear The Way,” on Feb 24. The simple phrase progressed from a sermon note to a prayer, to a song written in a castle in Scotland.

Lani co-wrote the song with Amanda Blankenship and Emily Weeks on a trip to Scotland with Brave Worship and Ray Hughes. While learning the area’s history of revival, the writers were struck by the story of The Covenanters who boldly stood for their beliefs and fought for religious freedom while facing persecution, imprisonment, and death.

Their courage and influence cleared the way for our religious freedom to be established in America. The song ties together the past and the present as a prayer for God to clear the way for us to accomplish our Kingdom purposes today.

“Clear The Way” has been sung in churches, events, and other countries. “We love leading this song because people catch the melody so quickly and the words are so powerful.” Lani said, “It is so unifying to sing the lyrics: When the enemy surrounds us, we’ll remember what You’ve promised We will claim the victory though we cannot see ‘cause our God is able

Jody and Lani collaborated with many worship leaders who appear as background vocalists in the recording. “We can’t wait to see how God continues to use this song,” said Jody who recorded, produced, and mixed the song along with a friend, Josh Anderson.

As more people discover the song, Jody and Lani truly hope listeners will find themselves singing along as a prayer for breakthrough and revival over their own circumstances, community, and the Church.

About Jody and Lani

Jody and Lani Crump are worship leaders and songwriters. Jody was a member of the band Pocket Full of Rocks and has recorded and toured many Christian bands. Lani has a background working in the music industry and a bachelor’s degree in music.

They have spent the past 10 years leading worship together for their local church and writing songs that encourage people to connect with God through authentic worship. They are married with three children and recently relocated from Nashville, TN to Texarkana, TX.

Heistheartist (He Is The Artist) is an American Christian singer-songwriter from Central Islip,
NY. Formerly a secular neo-soul singer signed to “Bentley Records” under his biological name “LeeMann Bassey,” Heistheartist discovered that his true calling was with the Lord after hearing an inspiring sermon by TD Jakes online one day.

That day he was inspired to teach the world about the Lord like TD Jakes did with his Sermon but through music. http://www.heistheartist.com

Hi HeIsTheArtist! It’s quite an honor to talk to you today. What’s new in your world?
It’s an honor to be interviewed by you! I just released a cover of “Caught Out There” by Kelis which is the lead single off my upcoming EP “Under The Influence of Love”. The EP debuts on Good Friday.

You’re known as both a Christian and an Electronic artist. How are the two styles similar, and how are they different?
I’ve actually tried to blend the two in a lot of ways. However, for my Christian music, I always use the Lord’s name throughout the song. Whereas for my Electronic music, the Lord’s name is written between the lines.

What do you feel are your strengths as a singer?
I definitely try to be as original as possible. I don’t follow trends (and that alone is a strength in a musical climate that has become mostly gimmicky)

What about your weaknesses?
I’m definitely working on learning to write music in different languages. Learning to write in a new language is always a work in progress.

What motivates you to make music?
God definitely motivates me. Without Him, I would definitely be doing something else besides music.

You’ve had many high points in your career, What was the biggest thing that has happened, and how did it make you feel?
I would say most recently when I topped the Christian and AC National Radio Hits Charts with my original song “Parted Waves”. There were so many great major acts on the chart, and for me to be number 1 made me realize that I’m prophesizing how God wants me to.

We’ve heard about a new gospel EP that you’re preparing for release. When do you think you’ll have that ready?
The EP will be releasing Good Friday. That’s always my favorite day to release music because of the significance of the date in the Christian religion.

Tell me about your favorite performance in your career.
Definitely, in 2021 when I performed at the Artist’s Market Festival in Queens, New York. Just being around artists of all different mediums was such a joy to be around.

What’s the best piece of advice another musician ever gave you?
Although it was not said to me personally, one of B.B. King’s quotes “The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you.” is a driving force in not just my music career, but my entire life.

What’s up next for you?
I have a Latin EP titled “Sobrio” coming out on July 28th. It’s very much a Part 2 of my EP “Under The Influence of Love” which debuts on Good Friday.

Any words of advice or last words for your fans?
Always put God first. Also, to believe in yourself or no one else will.

Thanks for taking the time!

Choir music is as popular as ever. The world watched on television as London’s Kingdom Choir sang at Prince Harry & Meghan Markle’s royal wedding. South Africa’s award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir has performed at the Academy Awards. The USA’s Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir lifted their voices during Barack Obama’s second inauguration ceremony.

Today, choir music is not only sung in churches around the world. It’s featured in TV commercials and films, sampled by pop artists, and played in dance clubs on six continents. It’s against this backdrop that GRAMMY® Award winning choirmaster Donald Lawrence is reviving his mentor, the legendary late Edwin Hawkins‘ annual Music & Arts Seminar that was birthed in 1979 and reimagining it for the 21^st century as a bi-annual conference, Music + Arts Global.  

“I want to see young people really benefit from the art…,” Hawkins said of the Music & Arts Seminar in a 1987 interview with Totally Gospel Magazine. “I don’t want it to be just another social affair. …I’d like to eventually take the convention out of the states…just to keep it fresh.”

While that hope didn’t materialize during Hawkins’ lifetime, it’s happening April 27-29, 2023, when Lawrence will present the newly renamed conference Music + Arts Global at the Gaumont State Theatre (197-99 High Road NW6 7HY) in the Kilburn district of London, England.

“Choir music is everywhere, and music is a universal language,” Lawrence says. “A lot of people in the Baltic states can really sing well.  I’ve visited many countries and worked with their choirs. I conducted a 500-voice choir at Duomo Cathedral in Florence, Italy with 30,000 people in attendance. A lot of the leaders in different cities asked for me to come and teach their choirs.

Instead of me going to all of them, I said why don’t we all meet in London for this first year, and then I’ll come to you the next year. So, we’ve got choirs coming from Sweden, Latvia, Denmark, and so many other places.”

 Bazil Meade MBE (the pioneering founder of the 40+-year-old London Community Gospel Choir that’s given royal command performances and performed with a who’s who in music) and Ayce Oyerinde, are handling on-the-ground promotions for Music + Arts Global through their London-based firm, GloFest International.

DONALD LAWRENCE REVIVES EDWIN HAWKINS’ MUSIC & ARTS SEMINAR

Lawrence’s plan is to expand upon the rich legacy of the Music & Arts Seminar. Each day there will be educational courses on topics such as vocal blending; incorporating spoken word, dance, and theater into a choir’s stage presentation; and how to dress a choir and create its fashion imprint.

Audio Sound Designer Armando Fullwood will join 7x GRAMMY® Award-winning engineer Danny Duncan (who’s worked with everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Israel Houghton) to introduce VenueFlex/ChoirFlex, a new technology that enhances audio clarity for an immersive acoustic listening experience.

On Friday night, Volney Morgan of the MOBO Award-winning gospel group Volney Morgan & New-Ye will host a showcase of dynamic choirs from throughout the European continent and the United Kingdom.  

There will also be guest appearances by music veterans such as Anthony Brown (of Anthony Brown & group therAPy), William Murphy, Ted Winn, Vincent Bohanan, Rodney Posey, and Derrick Starks. Songwriter Jeffrey LaValley will not only share his musical knowledge with attendees, but he will also tell the story behind his song “Revelations 19:1.

” It was originally recorded by the New Jerusalem Baptist Church Choir in 1985. Over the years, the song has become a staple in church worship services. However, it became a TikTok and viral hit after the Sunday Service Choir recorded it and made it popular with a new generation of fans in 2022. 

Music + Arts Global concludes with a big Saturday night concert. An international mass choir will pay tribute to singer LaShun Pace and to the Hawkins Family’s longtime bassist, Joel Smith, who both passed away in recent years. The choir will perform songs from the vast musical catalogs of Donald Lawrence, the Music & Arts Seminar, The Hawkins Family, and the guest choirmasters.

GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Cedric Thompson will serve as Music Director alongside Edwin Hawkins’ longtime Music Director, Derrick Hall. The sterling band will also include The Isley Brothers’ drummer, Calvin Rogers. Singer DeWayne Woods of “Let Go, Let God” fame will be on hand as Lawrence’s Assistant Vocal Director.

In his career, Edwin Hawkins earned 19 GRAMMY® Award nominations and four wins, including one for the Edwin Hawkins Singers‘ million-selling single, “O Happy Day,” which peaked in the Top 5 on the Billboard R&B and Pop singles charts in 1969. The Oakland, CA-based choir was one of the leading acts of the music industry for two decades with other hits like “To My Father’s House,” “God Will Take Care of You,” “Worship the Lord,” and “Let Jesus Love You.”

Hawkins launched the Edwin Hawkins Music & Arts Seminar in 1979 as an annual gathering for professional and aspiring singers and musicians to congregate for classes in vocal technique, songwriting, the business side of music, and other matters. Each conference closed with a live recording session that produced over a dozen album releases over the years.

Artists such as  Yolanda Adams, John P. Kee, Daryl Coley, and LaShun Pace all got their early start as soloists on the projects. The conference has been dormant since Hawkins’ death in 2018.

In his career, Donald Lawrence has earned 18 GRAMMY® Award nominations and wins for producing The Clark Sisters’ 2007 album, Live – One Last Time, and Tennessee State University’s 2022 project, The Urban Hymnal. As a music director, vocal coach, and producer, he’s collaborated with Stephanie Mills, Mary J. Blige, and En Vogue on the R&B side.

In the gospel world, he’s risen to prominence singularly, as well as the leader of the Tri-City Singers, and Donald Lawrence & Company.

In the various pairings, he has placed 22 songs on the Billboard Gospel Airplay charts, including eight Top Ten hits and five number-one smashes such as “Encourage Yourself,” “The Blessing of Abraham,” and the gold-certified single, “Deliver Me (This Is My Exodus).” Lawrence’s name is synonymous with choir music.

From 2007-2013, he served as host for Verizon Wireless’ How Sweet the Sound choir talent competition in television commercials and on the road. In addition, Lawrence has either composed or produced classic songs on artists such as Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Faith Evans, Lalah Hathaway, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Bebe Winans, and even Hezekiah Walker’s No. 1 hit, “Souled Out.”

PITTSBURGH, PA / LOS ANGELES, CA – February 21, 2023 – Dubbed New Music’s biggest night, the New Music Awards are the first and only award show focused on celebrating independent musicians and major artists while saying no to industry politics and corporate influences.

Over the years, the NMAs have celebrated some of the best independent artists from a diverse range of musical backgrounds. Multiple artists from the MTS Management Group family have now been nominated for the NMAs. The nominations are yet another milestone for MTS in 2023, signifying their drive for musical excellence over the past 13 years.

Scottish teen Hannyta leads the pack with four nominations, including Top 40/CHR Song, “Fluctuating,” Top 40/CHR Breakthrough Artist, AC Breakthrough Artist, and Crossover Artist of the Year. Enigmatic NYC Christian artist, HeIsTheArtist received three nominations, including Top 40/CHR Breakthrough Artist, Top 40/CHR New Artist, and AC Breakthrough Artist.

Other nominated MTS artists include Pittsburgh’s Gary Pratt (AC Breakthrough Artist, Country New Artist), Chicago’s John McDonough (AC New Artist, Country New Artist), Phoenix’s See Your Shadow (Country Band, Country New Band), Little Rock’s Pamela Hopkins (Country New Artist, Crossover Artist), and Sweden’s MiQa.El (AC New Artist.)

“This is incrinculent!” said MTS President, Michael Stover. “We’ve been nominated for the NMAs in years past, but never to this extent. This just goes to show you that artists who work their tails off the can and will be recognized in this industry. It’s been an astounding 13 years, full of so many blessings. Thank you, Jesus!” Congrats to our nominees, and good luck to ALL of the nominees!”

MTS Management Group was founded in 2010 by Award-winning songwriter, musician, and producer, Michael Stover. A music industry veteran of over 30 years, Michael is a graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, with a degree specializing in the Music and Video business.

Michael has used that education to gain a wealth of experience within the industry: from retail music manager and DJ to two-time Billboard Magazine Contest-winning songwriter, performer, and chart-topping producer, and finally, award-winning artist manager, publicist, promoter, and label president. In just 13 years, MTS Records has released 40+ Top 40 New Music Weekly country chart singles, including FIFTEEN #1s and 8 Top 85 Music Row chart singles.

MTS has also promoted 60+ Top 40 iTunes chart singles, including 60+ Top 5s and 40+ #1s, AND a Top 5 Billboard Magazine chart hit! Michael has written columns featured in Hypebot, Music Think Tank, and Fair Play Country Music, among others. Michael is a 2020 Hermes Creative Awards Winner and a 2020 dotComm Awards Winner for marketing and communication.

Michael has managed and/or promoted artists and events from the United States, UK, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Australia, Netherlands, and Sweden, making MTS a truly international company.

America’s worship leader Chris Tomlin is returning to Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Friday, April 7 for his seventh annual Good Friday Nashville concert. Since its inception in 2017 Good Friday Nashville has continued to be a record setting night, from smashing attendance records by becoming the largest ticketed Christian concert in the history of the venue, to delivering an exclusive livestream in partnership with Facebook.

In 2020 and 2021 the concert became a virtual event allowing worldwide distribution through television and radio partners reaching 32 countries around the globe. Best-selling author and pastor Max Lucado will return to deliver a special message. Tickets available now at Good Friday Nashville.

“There is a passage in Hebrews 13 that I return to when I think about this night,” said Chris. “It says, ‘Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.’ That truly is the heart of Good Friday Nashville, for all streams of the church to come together, celebrate what God has done and is continuing to do in our city, and then give back to those most vulnerable in the community.”

Good Friday Nashville benefits the foster care and adoption crisis through ‘For Others’, a non-profit foundation created by Tomlin and his wife Lauren. ‘For Others’ aims to close the gap between children-in-need and capable care providers through raising awareness, maximizing resources and mobilizing communities.

During each of the previous Good Friday Nashville concerts, Chris has surprised attendees by inviting special guests including Rascal Flatts, Lady A, We The Kingdom, Lauren Daigle, Hillsong UNITED and others. This year will be no exception.

Good Friday Nashville is promoted by Awakening Events, who encapsulate the very spirit of this night.

“The work that is done behind the scenes for events like Good Friday Nashville is critical and those teams are often not recognized for their effort and support,” shared Chris. “It is incredible to see what happens when organizations like Awakening Events donate their time, energy, and expertise to an event that supports the foster care and adoption crisis.”

Good Friday Nashville is presented by K-LOVE, Air1, The Fish and WAY-FM.

Good Friday Nashville will take place during Tomlin’s “Stories Of Worship Tour” which launches February 23 in his home state of Texas, and is centered around reminding people through worship and storytelling, that no matter where you are in your journey God is faithful, He is present, and He is here for you. Tickets for the tour available at christomlin.com

The ‘leader to legend’ (Tennessean), globally known artist and prolific songwriter, is coming off the heels of an unprecedented 2022 with two highly successful tours, appearing on Pollstar’s Top 10 Worldwide Tours list and setting a career attendance record with an unprecedented concert at LA’s Banc of California Stadium. His remarkable year also included becoming the first Christian artist to play three sets of back-to-back concerts at Red Rocks Amphitheater, being selected as a one of four CMA ‘Artists of the Day’ during 2022 CMA Fest, and co-hosting the 53rd Annual GMA Dove Awards. Chris released two new music projects, the Grammy nominated Always, a new full-length worship project in which he performed the Grammy nominated song “Holy Forever” on the Kelly Clarkson Show, and a deluxe version of his Emmanuel: Christmas Songs of Worship Deluxe.