Porter’s Call, a non-profit dedicated to providing counsel, support, and encouragement for touring recording artists and their loved ones, announces its 14th annual “Evening of Stories” will take place on August 29, 2023, at 7:30 p.m., at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Belmont University.

As in previous years, “Evening of Stories” continues to feature an eclectic group of storytellers and musical guests, all weaving their unique, moving, and often humorous tales and talents into the fabric of a magical evening.

This year’s featured storytellers are Porter’s Call Founder and Executive Director Al Andrews as well as Dr. Richard Antoine White, a professional tuba player. Musical guests will be Paramore, Brandon Heath, and Lucie Silvas. All proceeds from “Evening of Stories” support the work of Porter’s Call.

Acclaimed as a powerfully curated evening combining art and hope while promising to uphold its reputation for putting the “fun” back into fundraisers, Porter’s Call is honored to share this special evening at The Fisher Center, Nashville’s newest prestigious performing arts facility.

Porter’s Call has been bringing well-being and relief to recording artists and their loved ones for 22 years, offering counsel, support, and encouragement at no charge in a confidential and private environment.

To date, the Porter’s Call team has spent 70,000+ hours working for and with their clients, saving them millions of dollars on counseling fees. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, its unique mission is sustained entirely by donations and sponsorships.

“Every day, our team has the privilege of offering a safe and confidential space for artists to be off-stage and deal with the issues they face,” shares Al Andrews. “With ‘Evening of Stories,’ we pride ourselves on creating a hope-filled event that is not just talent-packed but heart-changing, and you can become a part of the larger story with us.”

Two-time GRAMMY Award winner Lauren Daigle returned to ‘American Idol’ this week to sing with contestant Megan Danielle on the season finale. Daigle sang “These Are The Days” and then Danielle joined her for “Thank God I Do.” Both songs are featured on Daigle’s recently released self-titled album. Danielle was voted the runner-up for Season 21 of ‘Idol.’

Fans of the show will remember Lauren surprised Megan during her audition earlier this year while she was trying out singing “You Say.” Danielle was vocal about her faith throughout her ‘Idol’ journey and frequently covered CCM songs during the competition.

Lauren Daigle + Megan Danielle Sing “These Are The Days/Thank God I Do” On the ‘American Idol’ Finale

Stream & Enjoy

Country music hit-maker, author, and Army veteran Craig Morgan will launch his headlining “God, Family, Country Tour 2023,” in partnership with Operation Finally Home. Kicking off September 20 in Englewood, NJ, Morgan and special guests The Reeves Brothers will play thirteen theater and auditorium dates through the end of October.

Following his sold-out tour stop at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium last year, Craig is excited to bring his fan-favorite “God, Family, Country Tour 2023” back out on the road this fall.  “I cannot wait to bring the GFC tour back out again this year and share our music with the greatest fans in the world,” says Craig. “It was truly special performing in intimate venues last year and we just enjoyed it too much to not do another run.”

With new music anticipated yet this year, Craig Morgan’s “God, Family, Country Tour 2023,” in partnership with Operation Finally Home, will introduce new tunes to his set, in addition to hits like “Bonfire,” “Almost Home,” “Redneck Yacht Club,” “International Harvester” and more.

Craig Morgan’s “God, Family, Country Tour 2023” Kicking Off September 20

CRAIG MORGAN’S “GOD, FAMILY, COUNTRY TOUR 2023” IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OPERATION FINALLY HOME^*

9/20 – Englewood, NJ – Bergen PAC
9/21 – Rutland, VT – Paramount Theatre
9/22 – Concord, NH – Chubb Theatre
9/23 – Tysons, VA – Capital One Hall
9/24 – Lancaster, PA – American Music Theater
10/12 – Tyler, TX – UT Tyler Cowan Fine & Performing Arts Center**
10/15 – Orange, TX – Lutcher Theater**
10/19 – Effingham, IL – Effingham Performance Center
10/20 – Nashville, IN – Brown County Music Center
10/21 – Shipshewana, IN – Blue Gate Theater
10/22 – Ashland, KY – Paramount Arts Center
10/26 – Auburn, AL – Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center**
10/27 – Henderson, TN – Williams Auditorium

*Dates subject to change, please check CraigMorgan.com for the latest information.
**These shows will go on sale at a later date. Please check the venue website for specific dates.

Craig’s 2023 headlining tour follows the 2022 release of his expanded album — God, Family, Country (Deluxe Edition) and his personal memoir — God, Family, Country. 

God, Family, Country, which Craig wrote with Jim DeFelice, #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of American Sniper, details Craig’s road to success, from his humble childhood in Tennessee to his years as an elite military operative to his country music stardom with 25 Billboard charting hits. Country music fans and thrill seekers alike will love this intimate look at Craig’s remarkable life.

On Monday, May 29 the Army veteran will perform during the National Memorial Day Parade—the largest Memorial Day event in the nation. His performance will honor and salute the men and women who have sacrificed in service to America. In addition to the live, in-person experience in Washington, D.C., the parade’s television special will broadcast to a collective audience of more than 100 million households worldwide.

GRAMMY-nominated rock band NEEDTOBREATHE made an exciting announcement this week. Their 9th studio album, titled CAVES, is slated to arrive this fall.

“We’ve worked harder on these songs than any other record we’ve ever made, and we are so eager to share this new music with you,” the band shared on social media.

More announcements are expected soon, so stay tuned.

NEEDTOBREATHE Announces ‘CAVES’ Album Coming This Fall

Stream & Enjoy

Joseph Habedank, one of today’s leading voices in Christian music is set to release “The Basement,” on Daywind Records, Friday, May 25th. The date signifies his ten years of sobriety from drugs. The track is co-written by Habedank and is a homage to the thousands of church basements that hold meetings for people seeking recovery from addiction across the world.

In a personal and redemptive voice, Habedank shares the following with his fans as he prepares to release “The Basement”:

“It was like a tornado hit in May of 2013. Every single part of my life was impacted and damaged by my drug addiction.  If you can imagine the scene. It’s dark, it looks like more storms are on the way, and any eventual restoration looks almost impossible.  

But on May 25 of that year, the clouds began to break.  I made it through the day, and days after, 24 hours at a time. Through much prayer and the support of Porter’s Call and MusiCares, I began my path to recovery at Cumberland Heights in Nashville, TN. After 30 days of inpatient treatment, through the advice of my counselors, I then attended 90 recovery meetings in 90 consecutive days. 

Just as one would seek shelter during a tornado, many of these recovery meetings took place in the basement of different churches around Nashville.  In March of 2022, I sat down with my friends and fellow songwriters Michael Farren and Tony Wood to write what is now ‘The Basement.’   

Ed Leonard, president of Daywind Records, shares his thoughts, “This song captures the miraculous way that God works in recovery programs around the world. An addict’s journey to recovery is painful, emotional, lonely, and hard. It is usually riddled with setbacks and shortfalls.

Many don’t survive. The best chance for survival is to seek the help of professionals in a place filled with people who are struggling just like you. Take things one day at a time, sheltered in these safe spaces, and allow God to take control and work in your life. Joseph followed this path and works each day to stay sober.

Daywind made the decision without hesitation to support Joseph and his solo ministry from the beginning. We knew his character. He had a support system with his program. He had accountability and support through his incredible wife, Lindsay. But most of all, Joseph has the Master Physician in his life.

The people encouraged through his testimony, both addicts themselves and the large and growing population of people whose lives have been affected by addicts, number in the hundreds of thousands. We are so proud of Joseph and will continue to support him and those who struggle with or are affected by addiction, one day at a time.”

Chart-topping bluegrass Gospel leaders Chosen Road return June 23 with the much-anticipated new full-length set It Never Gets Old. Hallmarked by the band’s signature blend of traditional Appalachian instrumentation and tight harmonies atop fresh originals and updated arrangements of familiar favorites, the Thoroughbred Records release was produced by group members Zachary Alvis, Tyler Robertson, and Jonathan Buckner.

Chosen Road Steeped in tradition with a nod to the future, It Never Gets Old showcases 13 songs, including the most newly-penned tracks the band has featured on a project to date. “This album represents a season of growth in our personal lives, and I believe that’s facilitated the growth we’ve experienced musically,” says Chosen Road founding member Jonathan Buckner. “We’ve also grown more confident in our own ideas and thought processes, as well as how we want to define our sound.”

“We live in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, where bluegrass and old-time music were born,” he continues. “Our people have always been great storytellers and musicians; when you pair those things with the Christian faith, something special happens.

We call it ‘heart’ music, and I believe that’s what this album is made of. We hope listeners hear us telling our stories through music and are challenged to share their God-given stories. After all, if it’s a story God has given you, it’s a story that will never get old.”

Chosen Road Blazes New Trail With ‘It Never Gets Old’ Out June 23

The Lee Patrick Black and Tony Wood-penned modern hymn “Awake My Soul” opens the album, setting a buoyant, joyful tone for the collection. Additional highlights of It Never Gets Old include the tender ballad and lead single “I Want To Be Just Like You,” which will be available on streaming platforms on June 2, as well as two songs with special meaning to the band.

“People’s Praise” was inspired by a letter left behind by missionary Karen Watson, who was killed while working with refugees in Iraq; and “One Willing Soul” was written for a ministry close to Chosen Road’s heart.

“Zachary and I were asked to write a song for our friends at the North American Mission Board’s Church Replant and Revitalization Team,” Buckner shares of the origin of “One Willing Soul.” “We come from a small town in the coalfields of southern West Virginia where many churches have declined for quite some time.

Pastors are often juggling the responsibilities of being a husband, a father and shepherding a flock of local believers, all while working multiple jobs to make ends meet. We wanted to encourage them that their contributions to the Kingdom matter and that they are making a difference.”

Chosen Road will be performing selections from It Never Gets Old at multiple upcoming events, including the long-running “Sunday Mornin’ Country” celebration, to be held June 11 during Nashville’s CMA Fest; and Michigan’s Big Ticket Music Festival, headlined by Crowder and Zach Williams, June 23-24.

The band is also among the star-studded lineup for the popular “40 Days & 40 Nights at the Ark” concert series this summer at the Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky.

Today, multi-award-winning Canadian artist and songwriter Jordan St. Cyr made the exciting announcement that his Grand Ole Opry debut is scheduled for June 14th.

Earlier this year, St. Cyr released “Rescue” (BEC Recordings). St. Cyr, who penned the song with Jonathan Gamble and Justin Amundrud, shares, “‘Rescue’ was inspired by a two-week season where it felt like my family and I were being attacked on all sides. It started with the news of our youngest daughter potentially having eye surgery, our oldest daughter breaking her leg, myself losing a record deal, our youngest daughter battling seizures, our car breaking down twice, and all six of us getting food poisoning. Life felt impossible but the promise of Jesus held true. When things got chaotic our rescue was His peace. He is the calm in the storm and his faithfulness never left us. Not even once.”

Colton Dixon is making several National TV appearances over the next few weeks, starting this weekend when he performs his new hit, “My Light” on FOX & Friends this Sunday, May 21st. Dixon also partnered with K-LOVE in NYC to give some lucky fans the opportunity to join him on FOX Plaza and hang out after the show.

On May 28th, Dixon will perform the Song of the Year-nominated and longest-running No. 1 Mediabase Christian AC song of 2022, “Build A Boat,” with multi-platinum country star Gabby Barrett on the 10th annual K-LOVE Fan Awards.  TBN will broadcast the show nationwide on June 2nd.  Dixon will then appear on The Kelly Clarkson Show on June 8 performing a special version of “My Light.”

Dixon recently released his 7-song EP, CANVAS (Atlantic), including his latest hit, the highly-anticipated new single, “My Light,” leaping to No. 24 on the Billboard Christian Airplay chart this week with over 60 key markets spinning the song including SiriusXM, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Tampa, St. Louis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Nashville, and Orlando.

On top of the EP release, Dixon and Jordan Feliz have announced The Love & Light Tour hitting U.S. cities this fall. Fans can text “Love and Light” to (615) 845-4896 to be the first to learn about dates and presale tickets.

CANVAS and “My Light” follow the biggest song of Dixon’s career to date “Build A Boat,” which, at 10 weeks became the longest-running No. 1 Mediabase Christian AC song of 2022, also spawning “Build A Boat (feat. Gabby Barrett),” with MULTI-PLATINUM and award-winning Country star Gabby Barrett. 

Both tracks follow his Atlantic Record debut and No.1 song, “Miracles,” which also boasts over 94 million global streams.

The K-LOVE Fan Awards has announced an exciting evening full of distinctive collaborative performances and an array of star-studded presenters to celebrate the 10th annual show taking place on May 28 at the OPRY House.  TBN will broadcast the show nationwide on June 2nd, with an encore on June 10th.

Show host CAIN will create a group moment with friends, and in what will likely be one of the night’s emotional highlights, Blessing Offor honoring Nashville’s Covenant School, while Colton Dixon will be joined by multi-platinum country star, Gabby Barrett. Additional collaborations include Tasha Layton and Jon Reddick, Katy Nichole with Big Daddy Weave, and Andrew Ripp with Rachael Lampa. 

The evening will also unfold with Steven Curtis Chapman leading a special ensemble performance of his 50th No.1 song, along with many other moments created with and including Jeremy Camp, Cody Carnes, Lauren Daigle, Brandon Lake, MercyMe, Mac Powell, We The Kingdom, Matthew West and more.

Presenters for the evening include Josh Baldwin, FOX News Sunday host Shannon Bream, cast members from The Chosen, Jason Crabb, Consumed by Fire, Ben Fuller, Kathie Lee Gifford, author Lisa Harper, David Leonard, NEEDTOBREATHE, Andrew Ripp, Jase & Missy Robertson, Chris Tomlin, Jonathan Traylor, Micah Tyler, Phil Wickham, Anne Wilson, and Terrian.

Nominees for the 2023 K-LOVE Fan Awards were announced earlier this week with Phil Wickham leading, receiving 5 nominations, and Brandon Lake following with four. CAIN, Rachel Lampa, and TobyMac garnered three nominations each. Fans are now voting for their favorites at klovefanawards.com.

Sponsored by Coca-Cola Consolidated, the 10th annual K-LOVE Fan Awards is preceded by the biggest weekend in Christian music, including annual events like the Friday night kick-off concert, Emerging Artist Showcase, Songwriter’s Showcase, and Sunday morning worship service. 

A brand new event this year is the Saturday morning Worship In The Round All details for the weekend and award show can be found at KLOVEFanAwards.com

Matthew West has earned two K-Love Fan Award nominations including his first-ever nomination for Artist of the Year as well as Male Artist of the Year, a title he claimed at last year’s show. The “Christian music star” (FoxNews) is also set to make multiple appearances throughout K-Love Fan Awards Weekend.

This year’s show will take place on May 28 at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn. with a June 3 airdate on TBN.

“K-LOVE Fan Awards weekend is a highlight of every year,” exclaims West. “I’m honored to be nominated this year, and the fact that it’s a fan-voted award makes it so much more meaningful.”

West, “one of Christian music’s most prolific singer-songwriters” (Billboard), also announces that his next radio single will be fan-favorite “You Changed My Name,” going for ads on June 23. The powerful song comes from his latest release, his double album, MY STORY YOUR GLORY.

“I’m so excited for the release of ‘You Changed My Name’ to radio,” shares West. “The theme of my whole album is about how to make the most of the one story we each get to write with our lives. And in order to live out the most fulfilling story, there’s nothing more essential than to know our true identity.

Every created thing has a creator. This song is a three-minute reminder of what our Creator says about us and an invitation to walk in our truest God-given identity.”

Composed of 22 tracks, the first part of the double album, MY STORY, embodies the countless stories fans have shared with the songwriter over the years as well as personal experiences, and the second part, YOUR GLORY, marks the first official Gospel worship album.

The accompanying video for “You Changed My Name” was released earlier this year, serving as a display of fellow worshipers coming together joyfully as chosen children of God.