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Mission Six

Track List

Each week CNN profiles someone who is accomplishing great things at an early age—
a sixteen-year-old boy circumnavigating the globe alone, or a seventeen-year-old girl raising half a million dollars to fight malaria in Africa. The feature is...

Each week CNN profiles someone who is accomplishing great things at an early age— a sixteen-year-old boy circumnavigating the globe alone, or a seventeen-year-old girl raising half a million dollars to fight malaria in Africa. The feature is called “Young People Who Rock,” and if it ever needed poster children or a theme song, teenage band Mission Six and the title track off its enthusiastic second album, Not Too Young, would certainly fit the bill. The members of this fun, outgoing quintet —Noah (14, vocals), Isaac (15, keyboards), Michael (14, bass), David (15, drums), and Anthony (15, guitars)—were attending the same Christian school in Evansville, Indiana, and playing soccer together back in fifth grade when they decided to form a musical group. Their new goal, remarkable for a bunch of ten-year-olds, would be to encourage others by singing about the love of God. “We still enjoy playing sports, but for us personally, music seemed like it would be our most effective way of ministering to others,” says Isaac. In short order, the guys sped up their instrument lessons, got access to rehearsal space at church, gained performance experience by going “youth group hopping,” and landed a record deal. Since releasing its debut album, Superhero, in 2008, Mission Six has wowed the crowds at hundreds of concerts around the country, garnered airplay on Radio Disney, and received good comparisons to acclaimed bands from Relient K to the Jonas Brothers. But ask about the greatest success thus far, and it’s back to changing other people’s lives. “We always share the gospel at our shows,” explains Noah. “This past summer, we saw more than 300 kids ask Christ into their hearts. That’s the coolest thing.” Produced by Dan Needham (MercyMe, Rebecca St. James) and Kevan Cyka (Everlife), Not Too Young continues the conversation about faith between Mission Six and its growing fan base. The namesake single was inspired by 1 Timothy 4:12 which says, Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. “Our parents have read that verse to us a lot as a band,” says Michael. “We want to set that positive example for others and then see them do the same thing with their friends.” Meshing rock riffs and new wave pop smarts with tight hip-hop traces, “Misfits” assures young listeners that it’s commendable, indeed biblical, to be in the world but not of it. “If that makes us ‘misfits’ by today’s standards, that’s actually a good thing,” says David. Expanding this idea, “Stand Out” calls us to leap further into the public arena, taking every opportunity to share God’s message with others: Stand out if you want to stand with me . . . You’ve got the ball, now make a play. You’ve got the light; don’t cover it. Not Too Young also features a rollicking version of the modern praise hit “I Am Free” (written by Jon Egan and made popular by newsboys), the boy meets girl purity pledge “Forever,” and fan-requested accompaniment tracks for each selection. True to the band’s inherent youthful energy level, Mission Six calls the latter “rock-alongs.” To be sure, there’s no overlooking the playfulness within this team of teenagers that is just as defining as its spiritual depth. Once asked during an interview about the main message of Mission Six, Anthony got a laugh with the understated answer, “God is fun.” But it’s true; these five friends are having the time of their lives singing to Him and consider the Creator a full-fledged band member (hence the “six” in their name). “If you think about it, the Bible is this huge action story—anything but boring. Worshiping God really is fun,” says David. The endearing Mission Six spirit of fun is most evident onstage, and also online, where the guys post a hilarious recurring segment known as “Band vs. Food.” With classic juvenile abandon, Noah, Isaac, Michael, Anthony, and David challenge each other to eat sour cream and onion-flavored crickets, cow brain sandwiches, and not just hot, but blazing chicken wings. Balancing the zaniness, there are also regular installments of “Mission Six and You,” an adventurous Bible study series with creative scripts. As Not Too Young confirms, it takes a light heart and deep love to change the world. Let’s start the revolution now . . . won’t you come along and dream with me? No one is ever too young for that.

9/7/2011 - iShine LIVE! Fall Tour to Feature Mission Six, The Rubyz and Caroline Grace (Formerly of PureNRG)

9/23/2009 - Teen Group Mission Six Prepares to Release Sophomore Album Encouraging Peers That They Are Not Too Young

Nashville, Tenn. September 23, 2009… While most teens are going back to high school this fall, teen rockers Mission Six are continuing their ministry through music with the release of their second album, Not Too Young, on iShine Records on Oct. 27.

With Radio Disney support, festival appearances like this year’s Big Ticket Festival, nationwide tours such as iShine Live and a freshman project titled Super Hero, Mission Six teamed up with Dan Needham and Kevan Cyka (together, have produced records for names such as Hilary Duff, Lindsay Lohan, JUMP5) for their sophomore sound. The Evansville, Ind. based band co-wrote all of the new songs on the record. The remaining five songs are instrumental tracks the band titles “rock a longs,” giving fans the opportunity to sing along to Mission Six’s tunes.

Blending musical influences from Relient K and Family Force 5, Not Too Young contains songs such as “Stand Out” which emphasizes believers not going along with the crowd. The clever “Misfits” proclaims that since Christians are instructed to not live in the world, we are really misfits. “Forvever” deals with the subject of purity and the title track “Not Too Young” was taken from 2 Timothy 4:12. Mission Six even adds a worship cover of the Newsboys’ “I Am Free” into the mix.

Mission Six regularly interacts with fans and their peers through www.missionsixband.com. Taking prayer requests and leading fans in devotions, the band regularly corresponds via their journal and guestbook. Another fan-favorite found on the band’s website is “band vs. food” you tube videos where the group has tackled eating such things as crickets and even brain.

Mission Six joined forces 4 years ago through local churches and school activities such as soccer. The musicians decided on their name with the common goal of being five guys on a mission to put God first. In fact, the group of 14 and 15-year-olds are so mission focused that they refer to themselves as “musicionaries.”
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