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Chris August
Track List
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| I realize that it would be smarter for me to have someone else write my bio. I've never been the best writer, and I'm not exactly sure how to keep your interest with captivating phrases explaining why you should listen to my... |
 I realize that it would be smarter for me to have someone else write my bio. I've never been the best writer, and I'm not exactly sure how to keep your interest with captivating phrases explaining why you should listen to my music. What I can offer is a genuine look into my past, present and God willing, my future.
I grew up around music. I absolutely loved it. I was constantly listening and singing along with The Beach Boys, Chuck Berry, Elvis, The Beatles and my favorite, Stevie Wonder. However, my involvement with music as a child wasn't limited to the record player. My dad had put a home studio together that consisted of a few guitars, keyboard, drum machine and the standard 4track recorder. I would pluck around on each of these, but didn't get serious with them until years later when my dreams of being in the NBA fell through because of asthma...and a lack of talent.
Age 15 was a big turning point for me. This was the year that I would start playing, writing and recording music; and most importantly, become a Christian. I was suckered into going to church by a cute girl in my Spanish class. It just so happened her youth group met at a place that was known for its break dancing. I arrived Sunday evening (Addidas wind pants and all) ready to show off and perfect my Usher-like moves, only to find out there would be no break dancing, but instead, a church service for teenagers. I would have been mad, but there was free pizza and who can complain about that?
The reason for me getting to church wasn't the best, but once I was there I heard the Gospel. Week after week. I had grown up with Christian beliefs my entire life, but I was finally starting to understand what giving my life to Christ meant. I now had two new and unrefined loves in my life. God and music.
I had recently been given a keyboard for my 15th birthday. I got to personally pick it out. It was small, cheap and from Service Merchandise. I can still remember watching my future slowly crawl toward me on a conveyer belt. Along with it came a book titled, 'You Can Play Piano.' Patience was not my best quality as a young man, but fortunately I stuck with the instrument long enough for that book title to come true.
While at church, I had gained a love for worship songs. As I learned to play more and more of them, I was asked to help lead the music for the youth group. I would show up week in and week out with my keyboard, amp and a binder of songs to sing to God with my friends. My faith was growing and so were my musical abilities. It was then that I added acoustic guitar to my repertoire, opening the door for me to sing, perform and travel.
Over the years, I started adding pieces of recording gear to my collection. The moment I was done with school I would immediately come home and work on my latest song. At age 22, I was finally ready to release my first self-produced, recorded, mixed and mastered independent album. It had been finished for about 7 months when my life took a dramatic turn. A singer/songwriter named Ryan Cabrera had gotten a hold of it and wanted to work with me. Within two weeks of Ryan hearing my music, I signed a management deal with Joe Simpson, father of Jessica and Ashlee, and a record contract with Geffen Records.
I moved to Los Angeles in January of 2005 to work on my first album with Geffen. While there, I was able to work with such notables as Brian McKnight, Jessica Simpson, Ryan Cabrera and many more. I was working on music for my album, as well as writing and producing for other artist's projects. In the fall of 2005, Ashlee Simpson asked me to go on tour with her. I would open for her, and play keys during her performance. I ended up playing with her for a year- traveling around the world doing what I loved.
In January of 2008, after restructuring at Geffen Records, I ended up back in my hometown of Garland, TX. It had been 2 years since I was involved with a church. I missed leading worship. I missed writing Christian songs. I missed the feeling of conviction. I started playing keys at a nearby church called Lake Pointe Firewheel. As I got involved with their ministries, I ended up leading their worship pretty frequently. It felt great to be playing Christian music again.
I had been back in Dallas for a year when I realized how long it had been since I had written a Christian song. Sure I had worked on some inspiring type of music while on Geffen, but nothing overtly Christian. I wanted to write a song that was a rededication of my music and my life to Jesus. On January 18, 2009 I wrote 'Starry Night.' Little did I know this song would change my life.
My indie release of 'Starry Night' had somehow made its way to Nashville, TN, and in the hands of an A&R person at Word Records. After meeting with the staff and president, I knew Word would be my new home. I decided to pack up and move to Nashville and start the next venture of my life.
The following few months were spent writing countless songs. Well, I guess not countless. I wrote about 60 songs in 3 months. It seemed countless at the time. After picking out our favorite 11, I teamed up with producer Ed Cash to record the album. Ed has always been one of my favorite producers so it was a pleasure for me to do a record with him. He challenged me not only musically, but spiritually as well.
With a couple days left before we were set to record the album, Ed told me he felt like I still needed a personal song. Unaware of my family background, he asked me to go home that night and write about what hurt me growing up. I wrote the first verse of 7x70 later that evening.
After playing my idea for him the following morning, he looked over to me with tears in his eyes and said, "this song has to be on your record and it has to be about forgiveness." This was the last thing I wanted to hear and have to deal with while making my album, but nonetheless it was something that needed to happen.
The following few days consisted of us being surrounded by the Holy Spirit like I've never felt before. This was, without a doubt, the most personal song I had ever taken on and it required a mind set on prayer.
I come from a broken home. Better yet, a broken family. Parents screaming at each other. Frustrations were commonly taken out on my brother, my sister and myself. As the lyrics started to come to mind, so did all the memories of my past that I hadn't thought about in years. Some lines bringing smiles and some bringing another set of pains that I needed to forgive. It was through this song that I was able to forgive and be healed of that pain. I hope others can use the song in their own journey to forgiveness.
People often ask me what I want listeners to walk away with after hearing my music. My response is that I want to write music that people can relate to. I hope my music speaks to them within their own lives and becomes something they can turn on any day of the week and in any season in life. I hope that when someone listens to my music, they learn something about me, something about themselves, and most importantly about the God who creates starry nights.
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9/27/2012 - Chris August Hits the Road This Fall
As the praise for three-time Dove Award winner Chris August continues to pour in for his sophomore offering, The Upside of Down, the Fervent Records singer-songwriter is keeping busy this fall with a jam-packed touring schedule.
August is currently on the road for his first headlining tour, “The Upside of Down Tour,” which kicked off on Sept. 14 in Franklin, IN (Indianapolis), and wraps on Sept. 30 after 14 dates, in Gilbert, AZ (Phoenix). Beginning Oct. 4 in Dallas, he joins the "Eye On It Tour" with TobyMac and Jamie Grace for a 10-show run, finishing up in St. Louis on Oct. 27. In November, August joins the West Coast "Winter Jam" tour, visiting cities including Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Portland. And then to close out 2012, he’ll join the TobyMac-helmed "HITS Deep Tour" alongside Brandon Heath, Mandisa, Britt Nicole, Jamie Grace and Group 1 Crew. To view his tour schedule, see below or visit chrisaugustmusic.com.
The Upside of Down, released via Fervent Records on August 21, was co-produced by August alongside Ian Eskelin (Francesca Battistelli, Sidewalk Prophets) and was mixed by GRAMMY®-nominated engineer/producer Neal Avron (Sara Bareilles, Fall Out Boy). The release of the appropriately dubbed The Upside of Down occurred just four months after August sustained a brain injury from a skateboarding accident. The album’s title parallels the healing process, during which he embraced the ‘upside of down’ and was humbled by his accident. Upon its release, the album received rave reviews from media, including Rhapsody.com, CCMmagazine and NewReleaseTuesday.com, who called the album “practically perfect.”
The album’s infectious lead single, “Center of It,” has been a fixture at radio since its release in June, landing at No. 6 on the Christian AC Monitored chart this week, No. 4 on the National Audience Chart (with 6.1 million impressions), No. 6 on AC Indicator and No. 7 on CHR.
Chris August tour schedule:
Sep 26 -- Upside of Down Tour- The Observatory, Santa Ana, CA
Sep 27 -- Upside of Down Tour- Rivers Edge Church, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Sep 28 -- Upside of Down Tour- Palmcroft Baptist Church, Phoenix, AZ
Sep 29 -- Upside of Down Tour- Calvary Chapel – Prescott, Prescott, AZ
Sep 30 -- Upside of Down Tour- Mission Community Church, Gilbert, AZ
Oct 04 -- Eye On It Tour @ College Park Center, Arlington, TX
Oct 05 -- Eye On It Tour @ John Brown University, Siloam Springs, AR
Oct 06 -- Eye On It Tour @ Berry Center, Cypress, TX
Oct 11 -- Eye On It Tour @ Sioux Falls Arena, Sioux Falls, SD
Oct 12 -- Eye On It Tour @ Coliseum at Alliant Energy Center, Madison, WI
Oct 13 -- Eye On It Tour @ Grace Church, Eden Prairie, MN
Oct 14 -- Eye On It Tour @ Fargo Dome, Fargo, ND
Oct 25 -- Eye On It Tour @ Grove City Church, Grove City, OH
Oct 26 -- Eye On It @ Broadbent Arena, Louisville, KY
Oct 27 -- Eye On It Tour @ The Family Arena, St. Louis, MO
Nov 02 -- Faith Harvest Wake Forest, NC
Nov 04 -- Full Life Assembly of God, Moss Point, MS
Nov 09 -- Winter Jam @ Citizens Business Bank Arena, Ontario, CA
Nov 10 -- Winter Jam @ US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ
Nov 11 -- Winter Jam @ Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Nov 15 -- Winter Jam @ Taco Bell Arena, Boise, ID
Nov 16 -- Winter Jam @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland, OR
Nov 17 -- Winter Jam @ Power Balance Pavillion, Sacramento, CA
Nov 18 -- Winter Jam @ Save Mart Center, Fresno, CA
Nov 29 -- Hits Deep Tour @ Hope Church, Cordova, TN
Nov 30 -- Hits Deep Tour @ River Center, Baton Rouge, LA
Dec 01 -- Hits Deep Tour @ MS Coliseum, Jackson, MS
Dec 02 -- Victory Christian Church, Waverly, MO
Dec 06 -- Hits Deep Tour @ Huntington Center, Toledo, OH
Dec 07 -- Hits Deep Tour @ Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA
Dec 08 -- Hits Deep Tour @ Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, PA
Dec 09 -- Hits Deep Tour @ Giant Center, Hershey, PA
Dec 13 -- Hits Deep Tour @ Pensacola Center, Pensacola, FL
Dec 14 -- Hits Deep Tour @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Dec 15 -- Hits Deep Tour @ Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, PA
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8/21/2012 - Chris August Scores Nothing But High Marks for Sophomore Album, The Upside of Down, Out Today
As he unveils his new album, The Upside of Down, today, the across-the-board praise from critics proclaims that award-winning singer-songwriter Chris August has skillfully assembled a sophomore record that cements him as a celebrated, exceptionally talented mainstay in Christian music.
The 14-track project, released via Fervent Records, was co-produced by August alongside Ian Eskelin (Francesca Battistelli, Sidewalk Prophets) and was mixed by GRAMMY®-nominated engineer/producer Neal Avron (Sara Bareilles, Fall Out Boy). The release of the appropriately dubbed The Upside of Down comes just four months after August sustained a brain injury from a skateboarding accident. The album’s title parallels the healing process, during which he embraced the ‘upside of down’ and was humbled by the past few months’ events. The experience and, in turn, the message of the album have planted high hopes within August to encourage people to live for something greater than themselves.
August’s street week schedule includes numerous media and radio appearances to promote The Upside of Down. This week sees him with appearances on FOX News’ FOX411, which can be viewed live at 2:50 p.m. EDT on Thurs., Aug. 23. August will also appear on The 700 Club on Mon., Aug. 27, in addition to an upcoming appearance on GBTV’s Liberty Treehouse. Upcoming radio station visits include K-LOVE, WQME (Indianapolis, IN), WBFJ (Greensboro, NC), WRCM (Charlotte, NC), WRBS (Baltimore, MD) and WAWZ Star (New York).
In addition to being featured on the cover of the August issue of CCM magazine, August’s brand of relatable singer-songwriter pop and meaningful lyrics has the media raving about The Upside of Down, as well. Here’s just a small slice of the praise being heaped on the album:
“The self-taught pianist, guitarist and producer continues his winning streak with The Upside of Down, showing off his amazing pop sensibilities. Don’t miss “Center of It,” a worthy follow up to “Starry Night.” – Rhapsody
“…With The Upside of Down, the singer-songwriter proves he’s not a one hit wonder. There’s not even a hint of a sophomore slump. In fact, [the album] shows greater depth and maturity across all 14 tracks. August has produced a collection of songs focused squarely on the hard-hitting truth of the gospel, but he does so in a way that’s kind and generous. If The Upside of Down is any indication, August has a long career ahead of him. He’s discovered his sound, his niche and a growing audience begging for more.” – WatchGMCTV.com
“Newcomer Chris August has become a beloved part of the CCM world…and it's no wonder why. He's endeared himself with his unassuming talent, his surprisingly powerful vocal and his impeccable songwriting. This album showcases all three.” – CCM
"The Upside of Down is one of the most compelling and lyrically transparent albums of the year. Chris has vaulted himself amongst the industry’s top singer-songwriters... If you want to be challenged, moved, and get deeper with Chris August, don’t miss out on this practically perfect album. Several of these songs are instant classics." –New Release Tuesday
"…Chris August’s The Upside of Down creates a musical freshness…one of the most poetically poignant collection of songs released in 2012!" – Indie Vision Music
“Musically, it's warm, casual, and occasionally soulful, on par with many of today's top 40 troubadours. …August hits several toe-tapping strides as he expresses spiritual certainty.” – Christianity Today
The album’s infectious lead single, “Center of It,” co-written by August and songwriter Ben Glover, has blazed up the charts at radio this summer, landing at No. 5 on Christian AC Monitored this week, No. 7 on the National Audience Chart (with 6.375 million impressions), No. 6 on AC Indicator and No. 10 on CHR.
The singer-songwriter and multiple GMA Dove Award-winner will embark on his first headlining tour, “The Upside of Down Tour,” starting Sept. 14 in Franklin, IN (Indianapolis), and wrapping on Sept. 30 after 14 dates, in Gilbert, AZ (Phoenix). Then, he will join the "Eye On It Tour" with TobyMac and Jamie Grace, and later, the TobyMac "HITS Deep Tour" alongside Brandon Heath, Mandisa, Britt Nicole, Jamie Grace and Group 1 Crew. To view his tour schedule, visit chrisaugustmusic.com.
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8/1/2012 - August Heating Up for Chris August
August is sure to be a sizzling month for singer-songwriter Chris August—and this month’s CCM magazine cover artist—with the release of his much-anticipated sophomore album, The Upside of Down, fast approaching. In addition, Fervent Records is launching “August In August” today, Aug. 1, on chrisaugustmusic.com. The campaign features the daily release of each of the 14 songs on the record and includes full-stream audio, a track-by-track and accompanying Instagram campaign. This will lead into a 72-hour listening party of The Upside of Down on Fri., Aug. 17. Also happening today, Aug. 1, is a LIVE CHAT WITH CHRIS AUGUST, from 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. EDT. Fans can join August online to talk about his new album, The Upside of Down. He'll be playing snippets from the new record and sharing stories behind the songs. The chat will also feature fall tour announcements and other surprises. Fans can RSVP now to join the chat by clicking here: http://www.shindig.com/event/august-in-august. With the new album’s lead single, “Center of It,” flying up the charts—this week it lands in the Top 10 at Christian AC Monitored (No. 10) and AC Indicator (No. 6), as well as gaining strength at No. 13 on both the National Audience and CHR charts—the song has been a consistent best-seller on the iTunes® Christian & Gospel Songs chart. Yesterday, The Upside of Down was made available for pre-order via iTunes® here: http://smarturl.it/chrisaugust. In support of the new album, August will hit the road for his first headlining tour, “The Upside of Down Tour,” with special guest Royal Tailor. Beginning Sept. 15 in Evansville, IN, the tour will visit markets including Los Angeles, Denver and Phoenix before wrapping at the end of the month. As previously announced, August will also join the "Eye On It Tour" with TobyMac and Jamie Grace this fall, and later, the TobyMac "HITS Deep Tour" alongside Brandon Heath, Mandisa, Britt Nicole, Jamie Grace and Group 1 Crew. To view his tour schedule, visit chrisaugustmusic.com. “The Upside of Down Tour” September 15 Evansville, IN* 16 Little Rock, AR * 18 Austin, TX 20 Kansas City, MO 21 Boulder, CO 22 Littleton, CO 24 Sparks, NV 25 Auburn, CA 27 San Bernadino, CA 28 Phoenix, AZ 29 Prescott, AZ 30 Gilbert, AZ *without Royal Tailor Dates subject to change.
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7/31/2012 - Chris August Reveals More Details of Upcoming Release
Proven hitmaker and three-time GMA Dove Award winner Chris August is now less than a month away from the release of his new album, The Upside of Down, his second for Fervent Records/Word. Not wanting to keep everything under wraps, though, August is now revealing the already buzzed-about project’s cover art and track listing. The 14-track record was co-produced by August alongside Ian Eskelin (Francesca Battistelli, Sidewalk Prophets) and was mixed by GRAMMY®-nominated engineer/producer Neal Avron (Sara Bareilles, Fall Out Boy). From now through July 31, fans can listen to the album in its entirety for the first time at www.chrisaugustmusic.com/preview. Two videos have also been premiered on the site, including an official lyric video and a behind-the-scenes video. The album’s infectious lead single, “Center Of It,” co-written by August and songwriter Ben Glover, is bulleting up the charts at radio, jumping six spots at Christian AC Monitored this week from No. 18 to No. 12, landing in the Top 10 at No. 8 on AC Indicator, coming in at No. 16 on CHR and rising three spots on the National Audience Chart from No. 16 to 13. Early praise for The Upside of Down is already pouring in, including this glowing preview from New Release Tuesday: "The Upside of Down is one of the most compelling and lyrically transparent albums of the year. Chris has vaulted himself amongst the industry’s top singer-songwriters with an album that rivals the latest by Bebo Norman, Brandon Heath and Jason Gray. As it turns out, we only scratched the surface of August’s soulful, inspiring and meaningful storytelling with his GMA Dove Award winning debut album. If you want to be challenged, moved, and get deeper with Chris August, don’t miss out on this practically perfect album. Several of these songs are instant classics and for sure, August is the frontrunner for Pop/Contemporary Album, Artist, and Male Vocalist of the Year." Track listing for The Upside of Down: 1. Center of It 2. The Upside of Down 3. Amen 4. This Side of Heaven 5. Restore 6. Let There Be Light 7. I Believe 8. 1989 9. Unashamed of You 10. A Little More Jesus 11. Let The Music Play 12. Water Into Wine 13. Meant To Be 14. Truth Is Still True Gearing up for the August 21 launch of The Upside of Down, August has maintained a busy schedule with a special trip to Colorado last week. He visited the staff of Focus on the Family and volunteered his time with the KLOVE-partnered Denver ShareFest, a public school service project. The Denver Sharefest brought help and hope with no strings attached to over 20 Denver public schools last week, saving the metro school system over $1 million in labor and materials. In addition, this week saw August help label mates Group 1 Crew celebrate their first No. 1 hit, “He Said,” on which he is featured. The track, which is the debut single from the duo’s forthcoming album, Fearless, rose quickly to the top spot on the CHR chart earlier this summer. This fall, August will join the "Eye On It Tour" with TobyMac and Jamie Grace, and later, the TobyMac "HITS Deep Tour" alongside Brandon Heath, Mandisa, Britt Nicole, Jamie Grace and Group 1 Crew. He is currently touring across the country throughout the summer. To view his tour schedule, visit chrisaugustmusic.com.
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6/25/2012 - Chris August Connects with "Center Of It"
As the lead single from the appropriately dubbed The Upside of Down—due out August 21st—“Center Of It” is certainly the new center of attention at Christian radio. As Chris August continues to recover from an April skateboarding accident that left him hospitalized, the Dove Award winner had both Christian AC and CHR’s most-added single in its debut week for “Center Of It.” The single is being played at 64 stations so far, receiving support from an impressive 57 total stations in its first week impacting radio. Additionally, the song, co-produced by August and Ian Eskelin, is now available via iTunes®, where it debuted in the Top 10 on the Christian & Gospel Songs chart.
The upcoming release of his second Fervent Records project, The Upside of Down, has planted high hopes within August to reach people and encourage them to live for something greater than themselves. “I'm excited for people to hear these songs and my hope is that their lives are impacted by them,” he says. “I wanted to write songs that could speak to each and every person and would ultimately point them to Jesus. I hope you can hear the hard work that went in to make this record the very best. I'm so proud to share this with everyone.”
The album’s title parallels his recent skateboarding accident in which he embraced the ‘upside of down’ and was humbled by the healing process over the last couple of months’ events. August explains the symbolism of his new album title: “Even in the ‘down’ part of life, I’ve had such intimate moments with friends being at my house and lifting me in prayer; I’m really connecting with Christ on a new level. I couldn’t ask for anything else through all this!”
After missing a handful of tour dates this spring due to his injuries, August was able to finish out several sell-out shows with MercyMe in May. This summer, he’s playing many festivals including FishFest 2012, Creation Northeast and Northwest, and many more. For more information on August’s upcoming tour dates, please visit www.chrisaugustmusic.com.
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 | Catch up with Chris August at Disney's Night of Joy! |  | Chris Sligh and Chris August pay their respects to the world of wrestling |  | Chris August performs "Starry Night" |  | Chris August performs "I Want You Back" |  | Chris August on his album No Far Away |  | Get to know Chris August |  | Chris August performs "Loving You" |
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Catch up with Chris August at Disney's Night of Joy! Chris Sligh and Chris August pay their respects to the world of wrestling while on tour in Chattanooga
Chris August performs "Starry Night"
Chris August performs a cover of "I Want You Back" which is a song he often plays in his live shows!
Chris August on his album No Far Away
Get to know Chris August and how his music career developed to where it is now!
Chris August performs "Loving You"
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