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Category: NEWS

Switchfoot Announces Co-Headlining Summer Tour With Collective Soul

GRAMMY Award-winning rock band Switchfoot has unveiled plans for a massive summer co-headlining tour with Collective Soul. The 40 stop tour is set to get underway July 15th with a concert in Gary, IN and run through September 24th with a show in San Antonio, TX.

“It’s always a thrill to go on tour, but this year is going to be so special because we get to be with not only our friends but a great band, Switchfoot! Southern boys meet Southern California boys, which will be a fun time for all,” Collective Soul’s Ed Roland says. Switchfoot’s Jon Foreman adds, “Been fans of Collective Soul and their songs from day one. Can’t believe it took this long for us to finally tour together. Psyched it’s finally happening!”

Tickets for the Collective Soul and Switchfoot tour go on sale this week, beginning with a special Artist Presale that launches on Tuesday, March 29 at 10 a.m. There is a Spotify presale as well, which begins on Wednesday, March 30 at 10 a.m., with the General + VIP onsale beginning Friday, April 1 at 10 a.m local time.

Switchfoot & Collective Soul 2022 Tentative Tour Schedule:
Fri 7/15 Gary, IN Hard Rock Casino
Sat 7/16 Council Bluffs, IA Harrah’s Council Bluffs – Stir Cove
Sun 7/17 Maryland Heights, MO Saint Louis Music Park
Tue 7/19 Cleveland, OH Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
Wed 7/20 Columbus, OH KEMBA Live! – Indoor Music Hall
Sat 7/23 Fond du Lac, WI Fond du Lac Fair
Sun 7/24 Wabash, IN Honeywell Center
Tue 7/26 Newport, KY PromoWest Pavilion at OVATION
Wed 7/27 Midlothian, VA AfterHours Southside
Sat 7/30 Grantville, PA Penn National Racecourse – Hollywood Casino
Sun 7/31 Hampton, NH Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
Tue 8/2 Silver Spring, MD The Fillmore Silver Spring
Wed 8/3 Huntington, NY The Paramount
Thu 8/4 New York, NY Palladium Times Square
Sat 8/6 Webster, MA Indian Ranch
Sun 8/7 Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE
Mon 8/8 Jackson, MI Jackson County Fairgrounds
Sat 8/13 Billings, MT MetraPark – First Interstate Arena
Sun 8/14 Denver, CO The Mission Ballroom
Mon 8/15 Sandy, UT Sandy City Amphitheater
Wed 8/17 Jacksonville, OR Britt Pavilion
Sat 8/20 Paso Robles, CA Vina Robles Amphitheatre
Sun 8/21 Saratoga, CA The Mountain Winery
Tue 8/23 Inglewood, CA YouTube Theater
Wed 8/24 San Diego, CA Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
Fri 8/26 Henderson, NV Sunset Station Outdoor Amphitheater
Sat 8/27 Flagstaff, AZ Fort Tuthill Park – Pepsi Amphitheater
Mon 9/5 New Haven, KY The Amphitheater at Dant Crossing
Wed 9/7 Cary, NC Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park
Fri 9/9 Charleston, SC The Riviera Theater – Sottile Ballroom
Sat 9/10 Atlanta, GA Cadence Park Amphitheatre at Chastain Park
Sun 9/11 Nashville, TN Grand Ole Opry House
Tue 9/13 Jacksonville, FL Florida Theatre
Wed 9/14 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall
Fri 9/16 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live
Sat 9/17 Pompano Beach, FL Pompano Beach Amphitheatre
Tue 9/20 New Orleans, LA Mahalia Jackson Theater
Wed 9/21 Sugar Land, TX Smart Financial Centre
Fri 9/23 Austin, TX Austin City Limits Live
Sat 9/24 San Antonio, TX Majestic Theatre

Collective Soul celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2019, releasing their 10th studio album to critical acclaim. Blood debuted at No. 3 on Billboards Alternative Albums chart, helping inject new material into the bands live sets. I think Blood is the beginning of a lot of good music to come, singer and songwriter E Roland said after its release. I think its the best weve ever done. The band had rocketed to fame with the 1993 Shine, the lead single to the multi-platinum album Hints Allegations and Things Left Unsaid.

Switchfoot has sold nearly 10 million copies worldwide, releasing their 12th full-length album interrobang in August of 2021. The album was recorded in a burst of pent-up mid-pandemic creativity in 2020 and 21. They have performed sold-out tours in front of millions of fans in over 40 countries following their breakthrough 2003 double-platinum album The Beautiful Letdown, which helped launch the band with a string of alternative radio hits. In 2011, Switchfoots seventh studio album Hello Hurricane won the Grammy for Best Rock Gospel Album.

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Allie Murphy Writes “Better Things” Anthem To Encourage Mothers Around The World To Look To God

This Friday, artist and worship leader Allie Murphy releases “Better Things,” her new single written to encourage mothers like herself to find joy in all things – even the mundane.

Inspired by Ephesians 2:10 and 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, Murphy originally wrote, “Better Things” as a personal cry out to God. She felt stuck in the tension between her dreams and callings for both creativity and motherhood for many years. Murphy believes the little moments in life that lead to the sometimes draining feeling of being a mother can be viewed as tender moments raising the future generation and beauty in the sacrifice.


“You see, the folding of the laundry and the wiping of little hands is an act of creation,” said Murphy. “In caring for these souls, I am helping to grow and nurture the Kingdom of God. Perhaps this is the greatest creative act I’ll ever be engaged in. It matters.”

Murphy’s own husband Mike Murphy and Blue Sky Studios helped produce the inspirational single. The entire team hopes the song encourages listeners to choose joy in the better things, diligently going after God in the journey He has called them to.

Days are long and all the years they go too easy
But life’s a dance of choosing joy no matter what it takes

OHHH I’m done chasing wind, I’m done
The better things, I’d rather choose, I’d rather choose
I’d rather choose the Better Things

Murphy is excited to release a lyric video full of snippets of the everyday life of motherhood. She plans to promote and share her story as a mother and songwriter on all of her existing platforms.When listeners around the world hear this song, they will be lifted up to see that the little things matter because God sees, cares and made them for this.

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Manus Akpanke Prepares To Release His First Single For 2022

Manus Akpanke a ace music producer, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in the city of Abuja, Nigeria is gearing up for his debut single for the year 2022.

It can be recalled that his last body of work was the song Holy Spirit which came alongside an official video that was released in December 2021.

Talking about the inspiration behind the new song, the producer cum singer explained that the cunning enemy who has always been in the business of deception is still very much doing the same thing. He’s moving to and fro planting in hearts and minds of people the impossibilities in life, impossibilities of recovering from that illness, impossibilities of achieving that set goal/vision.

This song is loaded with the message that “all things are possible” no matter how they seem to be or look. It will ignite in the heart of listeners’ hope and the need to continue believing while standing on the promises of the one that never fails.

This amazing song which was recorded in October 2021 at the Manus Akpanke Live In Concert with the Hallel 100 mass choir will be coming alongside a music video and would be available on all digital stores and music outlets from on Friday the 1st of April 2022.

Get your mind and souls ready to be blessed and have the confidence and assurance that All Things Are Possible.

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Munday Martin Self Titled Debut Album Coming April 1

The cutting-edge rock artist from Nashville, Tennessee, Munday Martin, is gearing up to release his much-anticipated 10 song, self-titled album.

The upcoming album, releasing this Friday, was set in motion to bring captivating melodies to music fans. The culmination of Martin’s debut album has been in the works for many years as Martin grew up in a musical family and started singing for talent agencies in New York and Chicago at a young age and was selected for commercials like Hungry Hungry Hippos, Wheaties and Nintendo. This release allows Martin to share his powerful story of forgiveness with the world via his passion for music.

Martin grew up in a dysfunctional home and his mother was an alcoholic. Throughout his childhood, Martin experienced abuse. Later in life, patterns of addiction became apparent in his own life as well.

“What the enemy meant for bad: God intended for good,” Martin said. “My mother and I were able to find the power of forgiveness. She became my very best friend as she overcame her addictions and we became very close the last few years of her life before she died in 2015.”

When Martin’s mother died, he took it as a sign to begin healing from his past – overcoming prescription drug and alcohol addiction in 2019. However, this process was not easy. Martin still recalled dealing with suicidal thoughts, clinical depression, nearly being aborted in the womb, drug overdoses growing up and ultimately found Jesus was the answer as is best portrayed in his new song “Barely Survived.” Music was part of his inner healing that brought balm to the old wounds as he found wholeness again in Christ.

Martin’s artistic outlet first led him to paint, then to write and resulted in recording over 30 songs with his producer John Mark Painter, known for producing hit singles like “Ooh Ah” by Grits. Martin has dedicated all 10 songs on the new album, including hits like “Silver Lining” and “The Fix Is In,” to the Lord for how He’s been faithful and healed Martin of childhood trauma.

While songs from the album like “Reactor” relate to fans when they feel alone and encourage coping mechanisms so that fans will live longer and happier lives, songs like “Snap Out Of It” serve as a constant reminder to all listeners to share the gospel when they can’t get the song out of their heads.

Listeners can stream/download the album on their favorite music platform this Friday.

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TAYA Announces First Solo Tour

Just days after releasing her first solo single, globally renowned vocalist TAYA has announced plans for her first solo tour. On Friday, For All My Life dropped as a preview for her forthcoming debut solo album slated to release on May 27 under a new partnership with Capitol CMG. And now, Introducing TAYA has been unveiled, five intimate pre-release events in major US cities. Stay tuned for more details including ticket information.

“Accabelieve it — we are going on tour y’all and I’m so thrilled to invite you,” TAYA posted on social media. “Before writing this album it was said from the top that I prayerfully get do this however I feel led and this is another part of that. It’s a night I get to craft from top to bottom in 5 sweet little venues that will hopefully be intimate, honest and a place where Jesus would want to come and dwell.”

The world first heard TAYA on UNITED’s RIAA Certified Multi-Platinum global worship anthem “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” which was boasted #1 at Radio and spent a record-setting 61 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Top Christian Songs Chart. Since then, her voice has become an unmistakable clarion call to worship across the world. During her tenure with UNITED, as well as Hillsong Worship, TAYA has helped steward over 1 Billion global career streams as well as performed live for over 10M people in 12 different countries across six continents.

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Chosen Road Celebrates Top 5 Billboard Debut

Acclaimed Song Garden recording artist Chosen Road marks another first in a noteworthy career with the Top 5 debut of their latest recording, Appalachian Hymns, on Billboard’s Bluegrass Albums chart. The collection lands at #4 on the publication’s March 22 chart and is the highest debut of the week.

Appalachian Hymns joins recordings by such iconic artists as Dolly Parton and Robert Plant/Alison Krauss on the chart’s Top 5 this week. Chosen Road’s 2020 release, Appalachian Worship, spent 30 weeks on the same chart.

“As a band, we are truly honored to see Appalachian Hymns on Billboard’s Bluegrass Albums chart,” said Jonathan Buckner, Chosen Road founding member. “The album is a collection of some of our favorite hymns of faith. The response it has received is proof that these songs are timeless, and the Truth contained therein is forever relevant.”

“We at Song Garden are grateful for and proud of Chosen Road’s success,” said Marilyn Keffer, Director, Song Garden Music Group. “I credit their success to being a group that truly sings from their heart. They live and believe every lyric they record.”

Produced by Chosen Road’s Zachary Alvis and Tyler Robertson, Appalachian Hymns released last fall and pairs the band’s unparalleled acoustic instrumentation and vocal harmonies with classic songs of faith. The 12-song collection features “Be Thou My Vision,” one of the oldest hymns of the Church, along with the rousing “Brethren We Have Met To Worship”; the striking simplicity of “My Savior’s Love”; the gentle, guitar-driven “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”; the a cappella “How Beautiful Heaven Must Be”; and the crowd-pleasing instrumental “Send The Light.”

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Katy Nichole Debut “In Jesus Name (God Of Possible)” Hits No. 1 On Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs Chart

Singer/songwriter, and newest Centricity Music artist, Katy Nichole, hits No. 1 this week with “In Jesus Name (God of Possible)” on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart. Her viral debut single has also topped the iTunes Christian & Gospel Songs chart for eight consecutive weeks so far, never leaving No. 1 since it released Jan. 26.

Releasing her first concept music video and a piano version of the song inspired by the early chorus that went viral on TikTok, Nichole also recorded In Jesus Name (God of Possible) live for Essential Worship while additional resources for the song are available at PraiseChartsMultiTracks and Worship Together.

As the song continues to resonate with people of all backgrounds across the world, Nichole is also receiving numerous invitations to sing the song live. Going from zero to 50 concerts on her schedule so far, upcoming events include “Good Friday Nashville” with Chris Tomlin at Bridgestone Arena April 15 plus a K-LOVE-sponsored Live at Red Rocks appearance and a major fall tour (both to be announced soon). She also recently sang “God Bless America” at the NASCAR WISE Power 400 live held at Auto Club Speedway, joined Big Daddy Weave for four concerts and sang “In Jesus Name (God of Possible)” last week during Jason Gray’s SiriusXM The Message Acoustic Story Time event.

With a remarkable 62 Christian reporting radio station adds in 10 days following its release, a feat never been done by a debut single, “In Jesus Name (God of Possible)” also world-premiered on Christian music’s largest radio network, K-LOVE. The video of Nichole hearing her song on radio for the first time has received more than 4.5M views on TikTok and another 2.6M views on K-LOVE’s Facebook page.

Reaching well over 150 million people with the chorus of “In Jesus Name (God of Possible),” 21-year-old Nichole created the song from words in her prayer journal that were written in the midst of a global health crisis and in response to her own story of suffering, hope and healing. She suffered for years with scoliosis before a new doctor took out the metal rods that had been placed in her back, which miraculously went straight, no longer giving her pain.

People worldwide are hearing Nichole’s song and telling their own heart-warming, and many times heart-breaking, stories. Each story branches out into a series of new shares that continues branching virally. More than 7,200 examples of this can be seen now on TikTok.

While her first single is a worshipful anthem ready-made for roomfuls of people to sing, it only reveals one facet of this multidimensional artist who is working on her debut album now, again drawing from her journal and well of life experiences.

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‘Jireh’ by Maverick City Music Reaches #1 on Billboard Gospel National Airplay Chart

Five-time GRAMMY® nominated and Stellar Award-winning collective, Maverick City Music, celebrate earning their first #1 Billboard Gospel National Airplay single, “Jireh,” (Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music). “Jireh” is lifted from the 2021 album Old Church Basement, in collaboration with Elevation Worship and was written by Steven Furtick, Chandler Moore, Naomi Raine and Chris Brown.

This Summer, Maverick City Music, with 16-time GRAMMY Award winning icon Kirk Franklin, have announced the largest tour of their career in support of their forthcoming collaboration album, Kingdom. Produced by Live Nation and Undivided, the 37-city tour, KINGDOM, kicks off on June 1st at FTX Arena in Miami, FL making stops across North America in Atlanta, Toronto, Nashville, Los Angeles and more before wrapping up in Denver, CO at Ball Arena on July 31st.  Tickets are available now, HERE.

Maverick City Music has been making noise since forming in 2018.  Featuring a rotating group of members that include Chandler Moore, Naomi Raine, Dante Bowe, Lizzie Morgan, MJ George, Aaron Moses, Joe L Barnes and Brandon Lake, Maverick City Music brings together a diverse array of voices, drawing inspiration from soul, gospel, R&B, and indie rock. Their 2021 album Old Church Basement, in collaboration with Elevation Worship, earned the group five GRAMMY® nominations across three categories including nominations for their largest single to date, “Jireh (feat. Chandler Moore & Naomi Raine),” and “Wait On You (feat. Dante Bowe & Chandler Moore.)” 

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For KING & COUNTRY Debuts At #7 On Billboard Top 200 Chart

Multi-GRAMMY winning duo and Curb | Word Entertainment recording artist FOR KING + COUNTRY’s new album WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR? hits the Billboard 200 this week at #7 and #2 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales Chart, marking the brother duo’s second Top 10 album of their career.

In celebration of the new album, FOR KING + COUNTRY is offering fans a free special live, online worldwide performance titled What Are We Waiting For? | The Worldwide Specialbenefitting Convoy Of Hope, to help raise funds for the Ukrainian refugees.  Filmed in the Mojave Desert in California, the concert will feature new material from the album, airing tomorrow, March 24, at 8:00 P.M. ET / 7:00 P.M. CT / 5:00 P.M. PT, and can be viewed via FACEBOOK and YOU TUBE.  The duo is also gearing up for their 2022 U.S. 34-city tour which kicks off on March 31 in Southaven, MS and continues through May 22 in Franklin, Tennessee.

Says the Smallbones, “Eight days into the album release, and it’s fair to say that it feels unlike any other, particularly with what the world has faced, and continues to face. Our hope is that this family, spiritual and global record will meet listeners right where they are, and be a soundtrack as we step into the future.”  They continue, “It’s with no small dose of gratitude that we say ‘thank you’! As a small way to express it, we’ve put together a special performance from the Mojave Desert playing a good portion of the new record to celebrate and commemorate the launch and also raise funding for Ukrainian refugees.”

WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?, FOR KING + COUNTRY’s fourth studio project, features the talents of brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone, with 13 new original tracks that confront relevant issues and confirm the duo’s commitment to community, unity and family. Set against a sonic backdrop painted by the Platinum-selling group’s lush, vivid pop, the collection features cameos from Dante Bowe, Kirk Franklin and Tori Kelly, and includes barrier-breaking single “RELATE,” awe-inspiring “For God Is With Us” and unifying No. 1 hit “TOGETHER.”  “What Are We Waiting For? – The Tour” will take FOR KING + COUNTRY to arenas across the United States, performing brand new songs from its upcoming album for the first time, against the backdrop of an all-new stage design.

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Hillsong Church Repents Over Founder Brian Houston’s Inappropriate Conduct

Phil Dooley, the interim Global Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church, has publicly apologised for the pain caused by the actions of Hillsong’s founder, Brian Houston. The mega Australian-based church has revealed to its global staff that Houston has breached the church’s moral code of conduct for pastors.

According to Hillsong, two complaints have been made against Houston. The first complaint referred to Houston sending “inappropriate” text messages to a staff member a decade ago, while the second incident related to Houston going into a woman’s hotel room after Hillsong Conference in 2019. Drugs and alcohol were also involved.

On Sunday (March 20), over their livestreamed servive, Dooley apologized. “I want to start by saying we as a leadership of Hillsong Church have repentant hearts in this season. I want to say we are sorry for anyone who has been a victim of any form of harassment. Some of us here, or wherever you are listening, understand the pain as you’ve experienced it yourselves. And others of us are doing our best to empathise with you.

“Where you’ve been hurt, we pray for healing, strength and courage to move forward in your life.

“We’re a church community that desires that everyone who comes through our doors at any one of our locations will feel safe, and we will continue to respond to all that we are facing with love, grace and truth.

“As a church community, we are having to deal with a whole lot of pain, sorrow and hurt. And I know this is not easy for any of us. There’s levels of confusion and disappointment – all of those emotions. But I pray that we can and we will get it through this together,” said Dooley, fighting back tears.

He continued: “We will continue to pray for pastors Brian and Bobbie and for the entire Houston family at this time. And we believe for God’s grace, love, peace and hope to be upon them.

“I believe for us that we heal better in community than we do alone. And I want to encourage you that I may not get everything right today, but we’re going to be back here next week. And hopefully, over the time that it takes, you will see the hearts of those who are doing their very best to lead our community and to take us forward in relationship with Jesus – living for him, serving him and serving the world that he has asked us to do that for.

“We need each other at this time to show love and kindness, grace and tenderness. To give someone a hug, to offer to pray with each other and for our church.”

Houston remains on a period of leave.

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