ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, the only US PRO that operates on a not-for-profit basis, tonight honored the songwriters and publishers of Christian music’s 25 most-performed songs of the past year at an exclusive celebration for its ASCAP Christian Music Award winners in Nashville.

Top honors were awarded to the following:

●    Christian Music Songwriter of the Year: Brandon Lake

●    ASCAP Golden Note Award: Matthew West

●    Christian Music Song of the Year: “In Jesus Name (God of Possible),” David Spencer, David Spencer Songs, Essential Music Publishing LLC

●    Christian Music Publisher of the Year: Capitol CMG Publishing

This marks artist and songwriter Brandon Lake’s first ASCAP Songwriter of the Year honor with five most-performed songs: “Ain’t Nobody,” “Gratitude,” “Honey in the Rock,” “Same God” and “This Is Our God.”

A Grammy Award-winning artist for his work with Maverick City Music, Lake leads the upcoming Dove Awards nominations with a total of 11 including Artist of the Year, three Song of the Year nominations for titles on which he was a co-writer, and four Worship Recorded Song of the Year nominations on which he also was a co-writer.

Lake will release his Coat of Many Colors LP on October 20. Gospel Music Association President and Executive Director Jackie Patillo congratulated Lake as part of a video tribute at the party.

After personal remarks from film star Dennis Quaid (who recently released Fallen: A Gospel Record for Sinners), ASCAP Chairman of the Board and President Paul Williams presented artist and songwriter Matthew West with the ASCAP Golden Note Award, a special honor for songwriters, composers and artists who have achieved extraordinary career milestones.

A five-time Grammy nominee, West has had cuts by Rascal Flatts, Scotty McCreery, Casting Crowns (including back-to-back #1 singles), Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant, among others, and has notched 30 #1 songs as an artist and/or songwriter.

Amy Grant, Anne Wilson, Michael W. Smith, Casting Crowns vocalist Mark Hall, A.J. Pruis, and Tim Tebow offered recorded messages of congratulations to mark the occasion.

As a songwriter and producer, David Spencer – co-writer of Song of the Year “In Jesus Name (God of Possible)” – has amassed over a quarter billion streams and has occupied the top spots on the Billboard and iTunes charts across multiple genres.

Recorded and released by Katy Nichole, “In Jesus Name (God of Possible)” was a #1 hit on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs and Christian Airplay charts. Spencer and Jamie Rodgers, Vice President of Essential Music Publishing, the song’s publisher, accepted the award.

Brandon Lake Named ASCAP Christian Music Songwriter Of The Year At 45th Celebration

The ASCAP Christian Music Publisher of the Year Award was given to Capitol CMG Publishing for a remarkable 21^st consecutive year with an impressive 10 award-winning titles, including: “Build a Boat” (performed by Colton Dixon), “New Creation” (Mac Powell), “Same God” (Elevation Worship feat.

Jonsal Barrientes), “See Me Through It” (Brandon Heath) and “Sunday Sermons” (Anne Wilson). Capitol CMG Executive Vice President Casey McGinty, VP Administration and Operations Kent Draughon and SVP A&R Karrie Dawley accepted the award for their team.

The party was hosted by Williams, Vice President of Nashville Membership Mike Sistad and Nashville Assistant Vice President, Strategic Services, Kele Currier before a crowd of distinguished songwriters, Christian music stars and music industry leaders. Notable songwriters and artists in attendance included Rachael Lampa, Colby Wedgeworth, and Ben Glover.

The Gospel Music Association (GMA) has announced the first round of performing artists for the 54th Annual GMA Dove Awards. Performers include Brandon Lake, for KING + COUNTRY, Katy Nichole, Miel San Marcos, Pastor Mike Jr., Phil Wickham, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, and Zach Williams with Walker Hayes.

Host Tauren Wells announced performers live on-air with SiriusXM The Message’s The Olivia Lane Show. The GMA Dove Awards will air exclusively on TBN and The TBN App, Friday, October 20th at 8:00 p.m. ET and 10:00 p.m. ET and the audio simulcast will air on SiriusXM’s The Message (ch. 63) and on the SiriusXM App.

An encore presentation of the broadcast will air on TBN October 27th, 2023 at 8:00 p.m. ET and 10:00 p.m. ET.

Celebrated platinum-selling musician, preacher and public speaker, Tauren Wells, was recently announced as host and performer for this year’s awards. Tickets have sold out for the in-person Nashville event happening October 17th at the Allen Arena on the campus of Lipscomb University.

Key partners for this year’s Dove Awards include Christian non-profit Cantinas Arts Foundation, whose mission is to support artists who share their talent and faith through Arts and Media, WieRok Entertainment, an organization passionate about creating and supporting Christian creatives in making and distributing great content, and Lipscomb University, who is now in its 10th year as venue host for the Dove Awards.

Daywind Music Group artists received 8 accolades at the 2023 Singing News Fan Awards which were held September 29th at the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Southern Gospel music fans voted in more than 20 categories to recognize their favorite artists, musicians, songwriters, and more.

Daywind Music Group represents some of the most gifted and talented Gospel artists across the industry who are all held in high esteem. Greater Vision and its members led the way with 4 awards, while Joseph Habedank, Jim & Melissa Brady, The Sound, and Karen Peck received 1 award each.

Dusty Wells, director of artists and repertoire for Daywind Music Group, commented,“We  count it an incredible joy and honor to walk alongside these amazing artists and songwriters on their journey as they bring their music and stories and share their lives with us. They create true heart music that is making a difference.”

DAYWIND MUSIC GROUP WINNERS

Favorite Soloist- Joseph Habedank

Favorite Duet – Jim & Melissa Brady

Favorite New Artist – The Sound

Favorite Trio – Greater Vision

Favorite Tenor – Chris Allman

Favorite Songwriter – Rodney Griffith (24 time winner)

Favorite Soprano – Karen Peck

Favorite Lead – Rodney Griffit

This Friday, October 6, nine-time GRAMMY Award nominee and Curb | Word Entertainment artist Natalie Grant will celebrate the release of her new album, Seasons, with a very special performance on FOX & Friends.

Backed by a full choir, Grant will share her soulful rendition of “You Will Be Found,” which reached Top 5 at Christian radio is currently in the Top 15 at mainstream A/C radio. Grant’s performance will air live around 8:50 pm EST on FOX & Friends.

This Friday, October 6^th, Grant will release her latest album, Seasons. The 10-track album features Grant’s own twist on songs that have made a lasting impression on both her life as well as her illustrious career. 

To create Seasons, Grant invited some of the top artists in their genres to join her including Dolly Parton on Whitney Houston’s “Step By Step,” Mary Mary with their first re-recorded version of the smash hit “Shackles (Praise You),” Tasha Cobbs Leonard on Paul Simon’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” and her mother and daughters on Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love.”

The first single from Seasons, “You Will Be Found” with Cory Asbury, has resonated with audiences around the globe with over 20 million global on demand streams and reached No. 3 on Mediabase Audience Chart and the Top 20 on AC Radio.

Nine-time GRAMMY nominee Natalie Grant has remained one of Christian music’s top-selling artists since her 2005 breakout RIAA Gold-certified album, Awaken. Having been named Female Vocalist of the Year by the Gospel Music Association five times, Grant has propelled multiple singles and records to the #1 spot on the Billboard album charts. She’s the author of multiple books, including the Glimmer Girls series for tween girls.

A fierce advocate for social justice, she’s also the co-founder of Hope for Justice, an international non-profit organization with offices in 7 countries across 5 continents that works to end modern-day slavery. The singer and her husband, GRAMMY Award-winning songwriter/producer Bernie Herms, live in Nashville with their three daughters. Natalie’s new album, Seasons, will be out October 6th.

On October 6th, six-time GRAMMY-winner Amy Grant will release a long-awaited, fan-anticipated project, Lead Me On Live 1989. Originally recorded during her Lead Me On World Tour in 1988-89, and mostly unreleased except for a few songs included on the 20th Anniversary Edition of the original “Lead Me On” album, this new collection of 18 tracks from the Ft. Worth, TX tour stop includes the full-concert experience.

Pulled from the vault 34 years later, this is the first-time fans will have the opportunity to experience all the songs from Grant’s biggest tour up to that point in her career.  Prior to Grant’s global pop-star success with Heart In Motion, 1988-89 was a time of incredible audience growth for Grant and found her pulling out all the stops for an unparalleled experience.

Says Grant, “When I first heard the recordings from 1989 from the Lead Me OnTour, the thing that bowled me over was just what a talented band I had on the road. I have loved every band configuration I’ve ever had on the road, and all are so special to me, but there was something unique about that group of players and singers during the Lead Me On Tour. 

First of all, there were so many of us on the stage and so many types of instrumentation like harmonica solos, flute solos, saxophones, mandolins, lots of keyboards, and stacks of vocals, it just felt like one big family reunion every night. The size and scope of the production and the big experience we were trying to create also made this tour very special.

The energy of the crowd felt like an infinite number 8 with energy coming from us on stage, circling through the audience, and then coming back to us, It brought back so many amazing memories.  I’m so grateful we captured that moment in time.”

In the midst of those big-room moments, Grant still did what she does best: connect with people. Sometimes with a look, a wave, a smile, and at least one point every evening, during the song, “Everywhere I Go,” she asked her fans to join in on the connection by doing two simple things:  Dip and sway.

Even three-plus decades later, these performances from Grant and this band underscore an artist coming into her own ever-changing identity (one that would morph again three years later with the worldwide success of Heart In Motion).

“What I loved with the Lead Me On Tour was that I got thrown into so many environments where people didn’t freely communicate about spiritual things,” Amy reflected in 2008. “That’s very different now because everybody communicates about all kinds of spiritual things.

Growing up somewhat of a maverick myself, I had always hated being preached to,” she continued. “I wasn’t about to do that to anybody else but rather make an experience available to somebody and kind of let them stumble into it or step into the water. And that was exhilarating.”

Lead Me On Live 1989 will be available in all digital formats plus as a 2-CD collection.  iTunes will have the album for pre-sale with an instant great track, “Wait For The Healing,” starting September 15th.  All-new merch, fan packs, and bundles for the project will also be available to fans at www.amygrant.com.

Additionally, the salvageable film footage from the 1989 Ft. Worth, TX, show that has been ‘in the vault’ will finally see the light of day on YouTube and social media platforms in the forms of music videos, shorts, reels, and more.

This fall, Grant will once again hit the road starting September 20th, performing her iconic hits along with selections from the Lead Me On Live 1989 project.  Starting November 26th, Grant and her long-time friend and collaborator Michael W. Smith will begin their 2023 Christmas Tour. 

Joined by special guest Michael Tait of the Newsboys, Grant, and Smith will co-headline nine holiday shows, including their first appearance together on New York City’s iconic Carnegie Hall stage (Dec. 5). 

Following this will be one of Music City’s most treasured traditions with Grant and husband Vince Gill, their beloved “Christmas at the Ryman” residency. The 12-concert run is scheduled for December 13-14, 16-17, 19-20, and 22-23 and will once again feature matinee performances of the beloved show.

LEAD ME ON LIVE 1989 track listing:

1.    Love Of Another Kind

2.    Wait For The Healing

3.    Shadows

4.    Everywhere I Go

5.    All Right

6.    Saved By Love

7.    1974

8.    Stay For A While

9.    Emmanuel

10. El Shaddai

11.  Lead Me On

12.  Find A Way

13.  Band Intros

14.  I Love You

15.  Wise Up

16.  Fight

17.  Angels

18.  Say Once More

Stream & Enjoy

Hearing The Recording Of Lead Me On Live 1989

https://youtube.com/watch?v=0dc60Rs-emQ%3Ffeature%3Doembed

Seeing The Video Footage From The Lead Me On Live 1989 Project

https://youtube.com/watch?v=cAupmbwmXj0%3Ffeature%3Doembed

Talks About “Wait For The Healing” & Terry McMillan

https://youtube.com/watch?v=tGLd53mLY8E%3Ffeature%3Doembed

New York Times best-selling author and Lead Pastor of Elevation Church Steven Furtick will release a new book in February of 2024. DO THE NEW YOU: 6 Mindsets to Become Who You Were Created to Be will be Furtick’s first new book in seven years.

“Pastor Steven Furtick is among the most important and influential Christian communicators and creatives of his generation. Working with him to publish this insightful and invigorating book on connecting with our true and unique identity is a dream come true for me and for the team here at FaithWords,” said Vice President and Publisher Daisy Hutton.

DO THE NEW YOU is a powerful guide to living out God-given identity and calling. Furtick offers wisdom-packed and actionable principles meant to shift readers’ focus, feelings, and actions to align with God’s unique vision for each of us. These six simple but transformational statements that can be implemented anytime, anywhere, and at any stage in the reader’s journey:

• I’m not stuck unless I stop.
• Christ is in me. I am enough.
• With God there’s always a way and by faith I will find it.
• God is not against me, but he’s in it with me, working through me, fighting for me.
• My joy is my job.
• God has given me everything I need for the season I’m in.

“God isn’t just calling you to do you. He’s calling you to do the new you—the unique and powerful person he created and called you to be,” said Furtick.

Five-time GRAMMY Award-winning music collective Maverick City Music, Chandler Moore & Naomi Raine announce the forthcoming release of ‘The Maverick Way Complete,’ arriving October 27 via TRIBL Records and available for preorder now. The 22-track project not only includes the tracks from the recently-released 6-track ‘The Maverick Way’ EP, but also features collaborations with Noah Schnacky, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Bobbi Storm, Travis Greene, Cody Carnes, Wande, and many more

Out now is the anthemic track “Good News,” which Moore & Raine performed on The Tamron Hall Show this morning (10.2). Featuring Todd Galberth, the praise-inducing song serves as a reminder of Jesus’ never-ending love.

Stream Full Album Below

In 2022, Maverick City Music produced one of the biggest tours of the year, consistently ranking in the Pollstar Top 10 week after week, selling out arenas across America. On Tues., Oct. 31, they’ll take this new music on the road as they kick off a 16-date run with A-list performers, including Maverick City Music, Noah Schnacky, Travis Greene, Todd Galberth, Forward City Music, and JWLKRS.

‘The Maverick Way’ Tour

• Tues., Oct. 31 | Symphony Hall | Springfield, MA
• Wed., Nov. 1 | Toyota Oakdale Theatre | Wallingford, CT
• Thurs., Nov. 2 | The Lyric | Baltimore, MD
• Fri., Nov. 3 | Berglund Performing Arts Theatre | Roanoke, VA
• Sat., Nov. 4 | Altria Theater | Richmond, VA
• Sun., Nov. 5 | Columbia County Performing Arts Center | Evans, GA
• Tues., Nov. 7 | Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts | Greensboro, NC
• Thurs., Nov. 9 | Grand Rapids First | Grand Rapids, MI
• Fri., Nov. 10 | The Sylvee | Madison, WI
• Sat., Nov. 11 | Vibrant Music Hall | Des Moines, IA
• Sun., Nov. 12 | Steelhouse Omaha | Omaha, NE
• Tues., Nov. 14 | Armory | Minneapolis, MN
• Thurs., Nov. 16 | Kansas City Music Hall | Kansas City, MO
• Fri., Nov. 17 | Juanita K Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts| Springfield, MO
• Sat., Nov. 18 | Peoria Civic Center Theater | Peoria, IL
• Sun., Nov. 19 | Grove City Church of the Nazarene | Columbus, OH

Five-time GRAMMY-winning Maverick City Music is a multi-racial, multicultural, genre-bending group bringing hope and love to all.

The collective’s music brings awareness to topics like mass incarceration, Juneteenth and even the George Floyd injustice, addressing difficult cultural topics with love and inspiration. In 2022, Maverick City Music catapulted to a record-breaking and magnificent rise, winning BET Awards, Stellar Awards, NAACP Awards and more. In just under a year, they’ve performed mainstage at the BET Awards alongside Diddy and Faith Evans, joined NPR’s Tiny Desk, The View, and NBC’s TODAY Show.

They also swept the Christian and Gospel categories with four wins, tying Beyonce for the night. In addition to mainstream television, fans swarmed to hear and see the group live across the country. Maverick City Music’s headlining ‘The Kingdom Tour’ broke box-office records and landed in the Top 10 tours on Pollstar weekly.

Taya Gaukrodger (née Smith) of platinum-selling Hillsong UNITED announced on social media today her resignation from Hillsong Church. Calling the announcement “bittersweet,” Taya shared a heartfelt message reflecting on her 10-year journey on staff at Hillsong Church.

Taya acknowledged that she submitted her resignation on the same day that the anniversary edition of UNITED’s Zion album was released, which features new versions of the CCM classic “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” which she leads. “Oceans” was released in 2013 and went on to become one of the most prolific songs in the genre’s history, earning the No.1. spot on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs for 61 weeks in a row.

You can read Taya’s full message and see an abbreviated version below. Taya did not discuss the personal reasons behind her resignation. She released her debut self-titled album in March 2022.

Listeners will recall Hillsong Church has recently made global headlines as co-founder Brian Houston resigned in 2022 after complaints of misconduct involving two women. Houston was recently acquitted on a charge of failing to report his father’s sexual abuse of a child.

BITTERSWEET.

It’s not lost on me that last week, the same day the Ocean tracks from the Zion (X) 10 Year Anniversary Album came out was the day, after 10 years on staff and 13 years of calling this house home, I handed in my resignation at Hillsong Church.

I truly had no idea both would coincide on the same day, let alone at all.

February 2013 I came on staff, a week before the original Zion record came out and a lot has happened since. It was a 0 to 100 type of quick incline that no one saw coming, except the Lord in His omniscience and His doing alone.

I know we won’t know the full story till we get to heaven but to have heard any testimonies down here about how certain songs off this record have impacted people; their walk with Jesus or perhaps a doorway to it, with new ones still coming in – will always stop me, dampen my face and break my heart open again at the way the Lord uses the very meek, ordinary, flawed vessels to reach the people He came for.

Whilst the last few years have held an incredible amount of grief, with a crazy coinciding of joy, it has been a learning of sorts to carry both in one hand.

The Lords timing is never our own but it is always perfect, redemptive and kind – even if we can’t see it at the time.

I want to honour my husband Ben, as He has been beside me since he gave me his yes 5 years ago and has been both a rock and safe place for me to land in it all.

My wise best friend with steadfastness beyond his years that only comes from a grounding in God and His word – although you sensed this season ending, thank you for not saying anything till the Holy Spirit revealed it to me personally. For the last few years of utter dependence on God – thank you for constantly calling me up higher & for your patience when I am stubborn & resist it.

I could say a million more things but I’m learning they usually don’t need to be said,

so I’ll end with this :

the last 10 years have been a love gift to the Lord, and in true Jesus style, He has given me more than anything I ever poured out or gave.

Curb | Word Entertainment’s Sidewalk Prophets is excited to announce their 5^th annual “Great Big Family Christmas Tour,” a night of celebration and memory-making with loved ones, kicking off 12/1.

“Year after year this tour continues to blow us away, and just keeps getting better,” shares Sidewalk Prophets frontman Dave Frey. “This year is going to be our fullest Christmas tour schedule yet, and we can’t wait to get out there and make new memories with fans across the country.”

Sidewalk Prophets Announces 5th Annual “Great Big Family Christmas Tour”

Stream & Enjoy

The “Great Big Family Christmas Tour” is a night of celebration geared towards making memories with family and loved ones. The show will hit 14 cities this Christmas season, making it the biggest “Great Big Family Christmas Tour” the band has ever done.

In its first four years, the tour raised over $250,000 for those in need during the holiday season, with a goal to gift $1 million by its 10^th annual Christmas show.

A General Admission ticket will grant show access, while an Early Entry ticket provides early access to the venue along with a reading of Dave Frey’s “The Luckiest Star.” Purchasing a ticket for the pre-show party includes early entry to the show, the book reading, a pre-show hang with the band, and a VIP lanyard.

For more information, go to www.greatbigfamilychristmas.com.

November 30
TBA

December 1 
Lincoln Square Theater
Decatur, IL

December 2 
St Lorenz Worship & Event Center
Frankenmuth, MI

December 3
St Lorenz Worship & Event Center
Frankenmuth, MI

December 6 
Metro Community Church
Edwardsville, IL

December 7 
Newburgh First Christian
Newburgh, IN

December 8 
Blackhawk Ministries
Fort Wayne, IN

December 9 
Grace Church
Jackson, MI

December 10 
Whitewater Crossing Church
Cleves, OH

December 13 
Monroe Missionary Baptist Church
Monroe, MI

December 14
TBA

December 15 
One Church
Kokomo, IN

December 16 
Hawkins Centennial Chapel
Bourbonnais, IL

December 17 
Grace Baptist Church
Brunswick, OH

December 19 
Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center
Sanford, NC

December 20 
Living Word International Christian Church
Silver Spring, MD

The band led by its namesake pop-rock artist and actor from Denver, CO released the album and video on September 25th, 2023.

Multi-instrumentalist Scotty Hollywood and the Scotty Hollywood Band have released their highly anticipated album “Wondervu” and accompanying music video for their first single “The Ricochet.” 

The album and video are packed with the band’s signature blend of energetic performance, emotion-filled vocals, and irreverent on-stage wit that fans have come to love. Written and recorded in Denver, CO by lead singer Scott Argiro aka Scotty Hollywood, the song features lead/rhythm guitars performed by Shane Lamb in Nashville, TN, and was mixed by Jesse O’Brien and mastered by Paul Abbott at ZenMastering. 

The video for “The Ricochet” was directed by Elgin Cahill and showcased the band’s unique sound that will delight fans of classic pop. The album is a testament to the band’s devotion to their craft and exemplifies the power of positive energy they bring to every performance. 

In addition to his work as a musician, Scotty Hollywood is also an actor who has been in several television commercials, independent films, and a Ridley Scott production. 

Be sure to check out the world premiere of “The Ricochet” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4VswLhilPo and purchase your copy of “Wondervu” this September 25th on MTS Records.

Stream & Enjoy

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Q4VswLhilPo%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dtransparent