Today, nine-time GRAMMY Award nominee and Curb | Word Entertainment artist Natalie Grant has released her soulful gospel rendition of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” with one of Gospel Music’s top artists, Tasha Cobbs Leonard. Originally written by Paul Simon and released by Simon & Garfunkel in 1970 and inspired by a classic gospel song, “Bridge Over Troubled Water”

This is a call to come together in unity during otherwise turbulent times. To record the moving rendition, Grant and Cobbs Leonard performed live with a full backing band at Blackbird Studio in Nashville to capture the performance as it happened, with no overdub or post-production tuning. Listen to “Bridge Over Troubled Water” featuring Tasha Cobbs Leonard and watch the official performance video today at 3:00 pm CST.

“Tasha Cobbs Leonard is one of the greatest voices of our generation,” says Grant. “She has referred to me as a “bridge” before, and I have always prayed that’s exactly what my artistry, and my life, would be. But she has also been building bridges across genres and styles. She’s a barrier breaker. I can’t think of a better person to sing this song with.”

On 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. 

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Next month, Grant and her husband, GRAMMY Award-winning songwriter/producer Bernie Herms, will extend their wildly popular “An Evening with Natalie Grant featuring Bernie Herms” tour. Following those dates, Grant will embark on K-LOVE’s Celebrate Christmas Tour with Danny Gokey from November 30^th – December 16^th. 

Red Street Records’ Top 5 charting CCM group Consumed By Fire releases their brand new album, First Things First, available everywhere today. The album launches alongside a captivating acoustic video for their new single “Walk With Jesus” and follows a string of impressive ‘firsts’ for the Ward brothers.

Band member Jordan Ward explains the heart behind the album by sharing, “This collection of songs was birthed out of the hardest season that our family has ever walked through.

We hope as people take the journey of First Things First (the album), they will hear the conversations we were having with the Lord during some of those times. We hope they’ll be able to hear the scriptures we clung to and declared over our family even when the circumstances looked impossible to ever recover from (BUT GOD). Ultimately, we hope they hear the surrender that brought us to the end of ourselves and that it would somehow inspire their own surrender and personal walks with Jesus.”

Following a 2023 K-Love Fan Awards nomination for Breakout Single of the Year with “First Things First,” Consumed By Fire heads into the Fall with their first-ever Dove Awards nomination for Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year for “Goodbye Ole Me.” They are also headlining their First Things First Tour stretching across the country from September through October. Fans across the nation can hear not only the familiar hits like No. 2 charted “First Things First,” but will get to experience the band’s brand new 13-track album, with sure to be new favorites like “Time In The Water” and “A Little Bit Longer.”

First Things First – Consumed By Fire

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Produced by Scotty Wilbanks alongside the Ward Brothers and penned by a collection of incredible writers, some of which include the project’s producers as well as Brian White, Brian Bunn, and Red Street’s own Don Koch and Iveth Luna, the First Things First album prepares to undoubtedly pull the heartstrings of listeners everywhere. With the impressive range of an undeniably talented trio, the project offers an array of songs that include inspirational ballads like “There Was A Grace” to the vivacious, funky sounds found in tracks like “Hands Up, Praise Up.”

Red Street CEO Jay DeMarcus shares, “These guys are wildly talented writers, musicians, and vocalists, and you can really hear their gifts shine in this new album! I can’t wait for the world to hear this project and fall in love with it like I have. So many great things are ahead for Consumed By Fire!!”

Today, GRAMMY-nominated and multiple Stellar Award winner, James Fortune releases his long-awaited brand-new EP, WORTH IT.

WORTH IT, features seven songs with a timely message of encouragement, reminding listeners that their struggle and life trauma was “worth it.” Fortune says, “God will turn your pain into profit.” Additionally, WORTH IT, features collaborations with GRAMMY-winner, Monica (“Trusting God”), rapper Waka Flocka Flame (“Voyage”) and Stellar Award-winning Zacardi Cortez (“Worth It”).

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Now residing in Birmingham, AL, James Fortune’s strength is in understanding how to put gospel and praise songs over to a millennial audience, and with his featured choir, FIYA (which stands for Free in Yahweh’s Abundance), he freely incorporates hip-hop arrangements and urban beats into his recordings. His recordings include: The Transformation (2007) – which featured the single “I Trust You”, charted at No. 1 on Gospel radio for 25 weeks and No. 30 on Urban AC charts. His first live album, the two-disc Live Through It, appeared early in 2014. Fortune’s 2019 album, Dream AGAIN, birthed the long-running Billboard #1 hit, I AM.

Worth It – James Fortune

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Today, multi-talented artist and one of People Magazine’s Emerging Artists Riley Clemmons has released her long-awaited third studio album, Church Pew via Capitol CMG. From the introspective and hopeful opening piano chords of “Church Pew” to the heartbreaking loss and grief reflected in “This Side of Heaven,” Riley’s heart is on full display throughout the songs on Church Pew. This past Spring, Riley debuted the first single from the album, “Loved By You,” to critical acclaim and has since surpassed 4.4 million streams worldwide. The follow-up single, “Miracle,” has garnered over two million streams and has been used in videos across social media celebrating everything from new babies and weddings to overcoming battles with disease and addiction.

“Creating this album allowed me to rediscover what truly inspires me and resonates with me as a songwriter and a 23 year-old woman who loves Jesus” shares Riley. “I’m overjoyed and excited to finally share this collection of songs and stories. My hope is that listeners will be able to find their own stories of faith, joy, and healing intertwined within these lyrics and melodies.”

Tomorrow night, Riley will celebrate the release of Church Pew by debuting a few of the new songs live at the iconic Grand Ole Opry. This marks her second time performing at the legendary venue, having made her debut in 2022.

Later this month, Riley will join Zach Williams on his “A Hundred Highways” tour followed by the “I Don’t Want Christmas To End Tour” through the end of the year. 

Church Pew – Riley Clemmons

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Rock City Worship, the musical initiative of Rock City Church based in Columbus, Ohio, has released a new song, “Evidence,” from the forthcoming EP, Testify. The six-song live EP will released next month on October 13th.

“‘Evidence’ is all about the ways that God reveals his love to us,” shares Nathan Montgomery of Rock City Worship. “From his awe-inspiring creation that surrounds us, to the ultimate portrayal of his love displayed through Jesus hanging on the cross. Since the beginning of time, God has been revealing his perfect love to his people.”

The release of the Testify EP, builds upon the group’s previously released projects, including Best Thing and Summer ‘23, and continues to showcase Rock City Worship’s talents, distinctly capturing the diverse sound of their church with lyrics that are all about the goodness of the Lord. Last month, the title track was also released

Rock City Worship, a seven-member team of pastors, worship leaders, musicians, and songwriters, all serve at Rock City Church. As a musical collective, it is their constant goal and desire to create songs that paint a vivid picture of who God reveals Himself to be through His Word, believing that the more clearly we can see God, the more completely we can worship Him.

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Leading up to the October 13 release of their upcoming album, Jesus Music, the award-winning sibling trio CAIN drops the song of the same name today.  Accompanied by a uniquely created music video, “Jesus Music” celebrates the songs of many artists who have not only impacted and influenced CAIN but have created life-changing and unforgettable songs about Jesus.

“We make music for Jesus because of the heroes who showed us how,” Taylor Cain Matz, Madison Cain Johnson, and Logan Cain share collectively. “Our new song includes the titles of some of the greatest songs we’ve ever known – and now we get to celebrate that kingdom impact together.” Check out the video below, featuring artists such as Mac Powell, Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, Casting Crowns, Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith, Ben Fuller, and MercyMe’s Bart Millard.

The Jesus Music album will offer 11 new songs, with four that have previously been released, including “Any More,” “Windows Down,” “WWJD,” and today’s title track.

The group is sharing many of their new songs, along with fan favorites such as “Rise Up (Lazarus)” and “I’m So Blessed” on their 33-city Live & In Color Tour, which just kicked off earlier this week in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Presented by World Vision and promoted by Premier Productions, songwriter and artist Katy Nichole along with GRAMMY® nominee singer, songwriter, and producer David Leonard are on the tour, which will run through November.

Taylor Cain says, “We were inspired to name the tour Live & In Color because wearing matching colors has become part of our tradition. We want the audience to join us in wearing the chosen color for each night and together we create a family experience for everyone!”

Every tour stop is guaranteed to bring fun and entertainment as well as ministry, worship, and a chance to encounter the presence of God. To stay up to date on their tour dates and to find out more about CAIN,

Meet Miss Freddye Stover, lovingly known as Pittsburgh’s “Lady of the Blues.” When she is not calming patients in her role as a nurse, she is belting out blues and gospel tunes on stage.

More than just an entertainer, Miss Freddye is an inspiration – a two-time breast cancer survivor and an advocate for those on the autism spectrum. In this blog post, we take a closer look at the remarkable life of Miss Freddye and her unique blend of empathy and rhythm.

Born and raised in Garfield, Pittsburgh, Freddye Stover grew up with her heart close to music. Yet, it was not until later in her life that the world would come to know her as the phenomenal vocalist, Miss Freddye. But her journey wasn’t an easy one. Two bouts with breast cancer in 1998 and 2004 brought her face to face with her mortality. But Freddye was resilient.

She met her fears with fortitude and faith, turning her tears into a battle cry. Today, she doesn’t just survive; she thrives, living proof that the human spirit can overcome the darkest of times.

Freddye Stover is not just famous for her musical talent. She has also spent 33 years in nursing and currently works as an outpatient nurse coordinator at UPMC Presbyterian in Oakland. Her colleagues in healthcare speak highly of her, praising her dedication and her compassionate approach to patient care. For Freddye, nursing is not just a job, but a calling.

She believes in giving back to the community and she pours her heart into her work, offering comfort to patients and their families during their hardest moments.

Freddye’s journey into music started in 1996. Here’s how she climbed the ladder to reach where
she is today:

• Her then-boyfriend, a bass player named Mike Thompson, heard her singing and was moved
  by her soulful voice.
• She joined a band, Blues Music Works, which was looking for a singer at the time.
• In 2002, she formed her own band, Blue Faze. Later on, she formed Miss Freddye’s Blues
  Band and Miss Freddye’s Homecookin’ Band.
  Freddye does not rely on formal musical training, honing her skills through practice and dedication. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic halting live performances, she looks forward to getting back on stage, energized by the love and support of her audience.
  
  Miss Freddye’s generosity doesn’t stop at the hospital. She has been actively involved in Numerous charity events, often using her music as a means to give back. As a mother to a son on the autism spectrum, Freddye is actively involved with Band Together Pittsburgh, a nonprofit that provides musical experiences and vocational opportunities for people with autism.

Freddye uses her platform to raise funds for cancer research, performing at American Cancer
Society’s Relay for Life and Leechburg’s Pink Day, a fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Research
Foundation.
Miss Freddye’s life is a testament to the resilience and the power of positivity. Her remarkable journey from a cancer survivor to Pittsburgh’s “Lady of the Blues” is truly inspiring.

Freddye’s story reminds us that we are stronger than our circumstances, capable of turning our trials into triumphs. In the face of adversity, she chose to sing, transforming her pain into soulful melodies that continue to touch hearts worldwide.

Miss Freddye remains a beloved figure in Pittsburgh, not just for her blues and gospel music, but for her unwavering spirit and her commitment to serving others. As she continues to blend her love for nursing and music, Miss Freddye is a potent reminder of the healing power of music and the magic that happens when we refuse to give up.

New Zealand worship team Equippers Worship announces the release of their upcoming EP Desert River coming September 29th and today the team releases their first song off of the EP titled “Living Water.”  Produced by Joshua Huirua and David Darby, this upbeat single is both hopeful and full of worship.  The song was co-written by David Darby, Joshua Huirua, Robert McCann and Kenan Stephenson.

“Living Water is a song about needing Jesus because only He can truly satisfy. It was inspired by our church conference passage, Ezekiel 47, where it talks about there being life wherever the river flows and how it flows with Living Water.” – Equippers Worship

Living Water – Equippers Worship

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Anchored Music, a dynamic community of artists, worship leaders, and storytellers, launches today with the highly anticipated release of “Disarm,” featuring breakout artist Joe L. Barnes. Penned by Barnes, Stefan Cashwell, Emmy Rose, and Jessie Early, “Disarm” was produced by Steve Rice and Anchored Music.

Barnes is a worship leader and writer at The Shepherd’s Tent in Covington, Georgia. Maverick City Music’s Dove Award-nominated “Promises,” which he co-wrote and is featured on along with Naomi Raines, has amassed more than 127 million YouTube views. Barnes also co-wrote Maverick City’s “Ruins,” as well as songs recorded by Tasha Cobbs Leonard and JJ Hairston.

“It’s obedience, it’s devotion, it’s a heart posture, it’s a consistency of time with God and out of it come the expressions,” said Barnes. “When you spend time with God and you’re deeply involved on a heart level, you’ll find yourself singing—because you can’t help it. It’s like, ‘I have to get this out,’ so you sing. ‘I have to get this out,’ so you dance. ‘I have to get this out,’ so I bang stuff—I crash the cymbals and I smack the drums, I beat the floor…”

“Disarm” follows the recent release of “God is Good” by Anchored Collective and Arsnøvä. Written by Quintin “Arsnøvä” Pooler and Jordan Michael Rodriguez, “God is Good” was produced by Arsnøvä and Anchored Collective—an ongoing collaborative project branching from Anchored Music, with the goal of redefining modern CCM. The song features a techno-pop musical bed, while the lyrics herald the timeless message of God’s unfailing goodness.

“In this specific time of my life, I have come through a lot of inner healing and have had many revelations about myself through the eyes of God,” said Arsnøvä. “Overall I have grown into a space where I can fully enjoy every moment I stand in. This is simply because God is so GOOD. This is the space that this song comes from, a pure heart that is expressing gratitude in a genuine and raw manner.”

The “God is Good” dance contest is currently running on Instagram and TikTok, including a tutorial for an original dance created for the song. Participants are able to submit their own dance footage prior to October 15. “God is Good” also marks the debut of the Anchored Collective Artist Series, which will feature pop-oriented songs correlating to Anchored Prints Christian apparel designs. “God is Good” is currently the company’s most popular clothing line.

Helmed by entrepreneur Sam Schinhofen, CEO, and Christian music industry veteran Steve Rice, executive vice president, the Los Angeles-based Anchored Music purposes to create, promote and distribute cutting-edge worship songs and experiences that will help equip listeners in their passionate pursuit of God.

“Anchored is dedicated to encouraging, strengthening and supporting musicians, writers and worship leaders in their ministry calling,” Rice said. “After decades of working closely with Christian artists and writers, I am more aware than ever how important the ‘why’ is—the mission behind the art. When Anchored invited me to help develop their vision, I saw their commitment to the ‘why’ and their desire to blaze a very unique trail. I believe in these new songs and the role they can play in the lives of a new generation of worshipers.”

Following the release of “Disarm” and “God is Good,” Anchored Music will release a series of singles, videos and live worship experiences.

Veteran singer-songwriter and band leader Mark Roberts has announced the release of his new album, “Come Alive”. Available today wherever music is sold. Produced by GRAMMY and Dove Award winner Tom Hemby, the album is Roberts’ first foray into Contemporary Christian Music.

Long before he started making music, Roberts had to overcome a string of childhood setbacks. A bone disorder in his right leg caused him to wear a brace, alongside a built-up shoe on the left for three painful years, each accompanied by a laundry list of activities the doctor said he would never complete. It was understandably hard to fit in and bullying became a regular occurrence, so music became a companion and comfort, especially classic Christian artists such as The Imperials during the Russ Taff era, Amy Grant and Andraé Crouch.

As he grew up, he also thankfully grew out of those ailments, being able to run, jump, climb and ride the bike he was told he never would, while praying he could one day reach the world through music, just as those iconic influences have done for decades.

“After many attempts and falls, I went astray, impatient, and started singing for me,” Roberts recalls. “Miles and miles, room after room, stage after stage, tears and years, and doing what everyone wanted me to do. I enjoyed awards and applause, but was cold and alone. Empty. It was all a blur. I was still doing what everyone told me I could not do, but there was still something missing.”

In spite of it all, the pieces finally fell into place in a manner so beyond his wildest dreams, only God could have orchestrated such a master plan. “I was recording in yet another attempt to make something happen when I met a guy who was tracking with us that day. He asked me if I had any other recordings with me that I had done and I had a Christmas/Thanksgiving song. Upon listening to it, he said to me, ‘that’s it! That’s what you’re supposed to be doing.’ He added that if I ever decided to go in that direction, he would help me all he could and produce me.”

Unbeknownst to Roberts, the offer came from none other than GRAMMY and Dove Award-winner Tom Hemby, who just so happened to be not only be the guitar player for The Imperials during the Russ Taff era, but married to Deanna Hemby, Amy Grant’s assistant.

“It would be years before I found that out,” he explains. “I would have to give up on me and give in to God before He would give me the answer to my prayer. Tom is my producer and my photo shoot was done at Amy Grant’s farm, which is my miracle circle. Only God could do that, so now I will do what God tells me I can do through Him.”

And that’s exactly what Roberts did throughout his new album “Come Alive,” featuring ten inspirational tracks which all evoke the classic days of CCM, yet are firmly planted in radio-ready sounds of today.

The uplifting title track is just one of the faith-fueling anthems that point to the increased authenticity of this already seasoned artist, who will be the first to admit feeling like he was swimming against the current pursuing such a drastic lane change later in life, but was nonetheless reminded God’s timing was truly perfect upon receiving a demo to “It’s Not Too Late (To Start Over Again).” There’s also “Teach Me,” which could also be considered Roberts’ precise prayer for restoration that he continues to play during daily devotionals, plus uplifting covers of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and Bread’s “Everything I Own.” Yet it’s the opening cut, “Running Home,” that could very well be the defining soundtrack to his lifelong testimony, in addition to being a personal favorite.

“I spent my life running after the wind on the road, trying to find my door and an opening somewhere that all makes sense,” he recalls. “I guess every musician can say that. ‘Where do I get in? Where do I make a mark?’ But at the time, I was aimless. I just wanted to be a part of music, and now I have a true, specific reason to be there, and that’s to shine a light…All of these songs are gifts that describe my path, not just mine, but the process of a Christian life and a relationship with Jesus.”

Adds Roberts, “My hope is that the listeners will receive what I prayed for long ago, that I could share music that would heal people, help people and let them know they are not alone.”