Over the past decade, Israel Houghton has amassed a legion of fans while blasting down musical barriers and drawing together people of all ages, races and cultures through worship.  On March 6, Integrity Music celebrates the past 10 years of Houghton’s music and ministry with Decade, a two-disc collection that includes 26 of his best-loved songs including “Friend of God,” “Moving Forward,” “New Season,” “Say So” and many more.
 
As a worship leader, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist and leader of the ministry ensemble New Breed, Houghton has created a canon of songs that have become standards in houses of faith around the globe. And along the way, has been fittingly graced with six Dove Awards, two Stellar Awards, a Soul Train Award and four Grammy® Awards.
 
Decade features songs that are fan and congregational favorites from Houghton’s celebrated albums including New Season, Real, Live From Another Level, Alive in South Africa, A Deeper Level, The Power of One and Love God.Love People. The collection also includes the new song “Jesus At The Center,” which will be featured on Houghton’s new live recording titled Jesus At The Center available this fall.
 
“After a decade worth of projects, hundreds of songs, thousands of nights of worship, and hundreds of thousands of people who have allowed us to usher them to Jesus, whether by way of recording or live events, I am so grateful that you gave us an opportunity to worship with you,” says Houghton. “Thank you for singing songs like 'You Are Good,' 'Friend of God,' 'Alpha and Omega,' 'Moving Forward,' and so many others and for responding to us over the last decade with such humbling words of encouragement.”
 
“There’s one decade down and generations more to come,” he adds. “We feel like we’re just getting started and we’re already putting finishing touches on the first project of the next decade!”
 
Decade will be available everywhere Christian music is sold beginning March 6. It will be distributed to Christian retail stores through Provident Distribution and to mainstream stores through Sony Music Entertainment.  A digital deluxe version of Decade, featuring additional songs and videos, will be available exclusively through iTunes.
 
A worship leader and member of Houston’s Lakewood Church, Israel has also led worship for Hillsong conferences, Franklin Graham crusades and a variety of music festivals around the world. Houghton is the leader of New Breed Ministries, an organization comprised of noted musicians and singers who serve within their respective churches and together serve the Church at large. Additional information can be found at http://newbreedmusic.com.

Nominations were announced today for the 42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards with Integrity Music’s signed and distributed artists and songwriters receiving 14 nominations, including three each for Israel Houghton and John Mark McMillan.
 
The Gospel Music Association (GMA) announced the nominations today from the Grand Salon of the historic Fox Theatre in Atlanta.  Integrity’s own Carlos Whittaker was among the artists participating in the press conference.

 
Carlos Whittaker announced nominations at the Atlanta press conference.
Photo by Rick Diamond/WireImage
 
Integrity Music’s nominations include:
 
Israel Houghton
Male Vocalist                                      
Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song for "You Hold My World"
Contemporary Gospel Album for Love God. Love People.
 
John Mark McMillan
New Artist                                           
Worship Song for “How He Loves”
Rock/Contemporary Album for The Medicine
 
Don Poythress
Inspirational Recorded Song for writing “Joseph” (with Tony Wood)
 
Paul Baloche
Worship Song for writing "How Great Is The Love" (with Meredith Andrews, Jacob Sooter)
 
Shout Praises Kids - Today is the Day
Children’s Music Album
 
Cuan Gran Amor-En Vivo Miami, Ingrid Rosario
Spanish Language Album
 
Devocion, Danilo Montero
Spanish Language Album
 
Mi Declaracion, Hector Sotelo
Spanish Language Album
 
Annette Oden
Musical for “Just Run”
 
Jeff Sandstrom/Annette Oden
Youth/Children's Musical for “Get to the Manger”
 
Fresh from winning his fourth straight GRAMMY Award on Sunday, Israel Hougthon’s three Dove nominations include Male Vocalist of the Year, Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year and Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year, recognizing him for his critically and commercially successful Love God. Love People.  Love God. Love People. released in August on Integrity Music/Columbia Records and has garnered praise from critics reaching out to a diverse variety of music fans nationally and beyond. The album features the musically masterful energy that has become synonymous with Houghton recordings, and includes special guest appearances by Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond and Take 6’s Claude V. McKnight, III, Mark Kibble and Joey Kibble, and was recorded and engineered at Abbey Road Studios.
 
The eight-time Dove Award winning Houghton now hits the road for the Love Revolution Tour, which will visit more than 20 cities in February and March.  Tour dates can be found at www.israelhoughton.net.
 
John Mark McMillan is new to Dove Award nominations and is recognized as such with a New Artist of the Year nod as well as nominations for Worship Song of the Year and Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year on behalf of his Integrity debut The Medicine.
 
Heart-on-sleeves rock is what North Carolinian McMillan does best and it’s his bluesy voice and well-crafted lyrics that have brought him heightened popularity and universal critical acclaim with The Medicine, an intriguing, musically compelling and intensely in-depth project which expresses McMillan’s soul and personal life journey. Through his lyrics, McMillan takes listeners through a story of emotions. Poetic metaphors and vivid imagery thread themselves through the album binding together a universal theme of brokenness and love’s power over the weak and the wounded.
 
McMillan embarks on his national concert tour “A Mighty Raucous Evening” in March. Complete information about the dates and tickets can be found at www.thejohnmark.com or at www.facebook.com/therukusroom.
 
The 42nd EST Annual GMA Dove Awards will be held on Wednesday, April 20, 2010 at 8:00 p.m.at Atlanta’s historic Fox Theatre and will be t elevised nationwide on GMC( www.watchgmctv.com), on Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011 from 7-9p.m. ESTThe evening will be full of rare and exciting performances showcasing the genre’s hottest and most diverse artists.

MOBILE, Ala. (Dec. 2, 2010) – Integrity Music’s GRAMMY, Stellar and Dove Award winner, Soul Train Award winner and double RIAA certified Gold-selling artist Israel Houghton has received two GRAMMY nominations for his critically acclaimed album, Love God. Love People.
 

Nominations for the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards were announced last night by The Recording Academy and reflected an eclectic mix of the best and brightest in music over the past year as determined by the voting members of The Academy.  The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held on "GRAMMY Sunday," Feb. 13, 2011, at Staples Center in Los Angeles and once again will be broadcast live on CBS from 8–11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).
 
Houghton’s CD was nominated for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album while the song “You Hold My World” was nominated for Best Gospel Performance.  A complete list of nominees in the Gospel field is available at http://www.grammy.com/nominees?year=2010&genre=14.
 
If Houghton’s Love God. Love People. CD wins a GRAMMY, it will be four straight for the worship leader from Houston.  Each of Houghton’s last three CDs have been honored with GRAMMY Awards.  Last year he won for his solo debut CD The Power of One, and with his powerhouse musical ensemble New Breed, Houghton won a GRAMMY in 2008 for A Deeper Level and in 2007 for Alive in South Africa.
 
Love God. Love People. released in August on Integrity Music/Columbia Records and has garnered praise from critics reaching out to a diverse variety of music fans nationally and beyond.  Critics at media outlets ranging from CCM to Gospel Today and ChristianityToday.com to SoulTracks.com, CBA Retailer + Resources, GospelFlava.com, Breathecast.com, Crosswalk.com and more have lauded the new album, calling it “gospel music milk and honey,” “profound” “uplifting,” “spectacular,” “God dropped it out of heaven,” “excellent,” “amazing,” “musical and spiritual masterpiece,” “relentlessly original,” “wonderfulness” and more.
 
Writing or co-writing all but one of the songs on Love God. Love People., Israel is an innovative worship leader, singer, composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer who has also written or co-written 11 CCLI Top 500 favorites.  Breaking down barriers and defying categorization with his music, Israel uses his own multi-cultural upbringing as a reference point with a desire to draw people of all races, ages and cultures together.
 
 

The album features the musically masterful energy that has become synonymous with Houghton recordings, and includes special guest appearances by Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond and Take 6’s Claude V. McKnight, III, Mark Kibble and Joey Kibble, as well as song co-writes with Meleasa Houghton, Aaron Lindsey, Tommy Sims and Michael Gungor.  Love God. Love People. blends the musical genres of worship, rock, pop, Gospel and R&B and was recorded and engineered at Abbey Road Studios.
 
Active as worship leader in his local church, Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church, Houston, Israel has served as worship leader at Hillsong conferences, Franklin Graham crusades, and is a featured CompassionArt songwriter and artist.  Israel also ministers through concerts in the U.S. and around the world, has accompanied Alicia Keys at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards for a performance of George Michael's “Freedom '90,” and has performed at the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards, taking part in a segment saluting Gospel music alongside the likes of Aretha Franklin and BeBe Winans.  Houghton has been featured on FOX, CBS, ABC, BET, CNN, TBN and CBN, and has amassed a legion of fans that cross generational and cultural lines. While blasting down barriers, he has been fittingly graced with two Gold-selling albums, three GRAMMY Awards, six Dove Awards, two Stellar Awards and a Soul Train Award.
 
For more information, go to http://www.israelhoughton.net  or www.integritymusic.com.

Multiple GRAMMY, Stellar and Dove Award winner, Soul Train Award winner and double RIAA certified Gold-selling artist Israel Houghton launched his “The Love Revolution” tour following the Aug. 31 release of his critically acclaimed, No. 1 selling album, Love God. Love People., on Integrity Music/Columbia Records. The major market tour began Sept. 5 in San Diego and traverses the nation before wrapping up Nov. 20 in Philadelphia, PA. (See tour itinerary below.)

Highlighting the greatest Gospel commandment with Love God. Love People., Israel played the title track of the recording for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno crowd as he sat in recently with Rickey Minor and the Tonight Show Band, and now carries that message into the “The Love Revolution” tour.

“Love God. Love People. is a return to a simple, foundational Gospel command: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself,” says Israel.  “Virtually every song touches on this profound simplicity. It all comes down to ‘love God, love people.’ Period.”

In this spirit, and in the midst of the tour, Israel will also play songs from the new album for an AIDS benefit concert Sept. 26 at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.  Hosted by Magic Johnson and Blair Underwood, the benefit culminates the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s first annual “AIDS California Walk” to be held in Griffith Park.

In addition to featuring the new music from Love God. Love People. on tour, Israel will highlight his hit songs and fan favorites spanning nine best selling recordings as a solo artist and with New Breed. Joining Israel for the tour will be longtime collaborator Aaron Lindsey, along with guest appearances by Michael Gungor in select markets.

Lindsey and Gungor, as well as Meleasa Houghton and Tommy Sims, co-wrote songs with Israel for the new album that has garnered praise from critics reaching out to a diverse variety of music fans nationally and beyond.  Media outlets ranging from CCM to Gospel Today and ChristianityToday.com to SoulTracks.com, CBA Retailer + Resources, GospelFlava.com, Breathecast.com, Crosswalk.com and more have lauded Love God. Love People., calling it “gospel music milk and honey,” “profound” “uplifting,” “spectacular,” “God dropped it out of heaven,” “excellent,” “amazing,” “musical and spiritual masterpiece,” “relentlessly original,” “wonderfulness” and more.

Featuring the musically masterful energy that has become synonymous with Israel Houghton recordings, Love God. Love People. became the No. 1 selling album on the Top Gospel, Top Christian and Praise & Worship charts. Released Aug. 31, the album also climbed seven notches higher than his 2009 GRAMMY Award winning hit album, The Power Of One, to land at No. 27 on the Billboard Top 200 chart.  The album further includes special guest appearances by Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond and Take 6’s Claude V. McKnight, III, Mark Kibble and Joey Kibble.

Released simultaneously with the CD, Houghton’s Love God. Love People. iTunes LP is available at www.itunes.com/israelhoughton.  The first ever Christian artist iTunes LP and first LP, mainstream or Christian, that includes interactive social network capabilities, a music mixer, Bible verses and the ability to create your own album cover, Houghton’s LP also interactively includes the new music, animated lyrics, chord charts, liner notes, performance videos, photos and other bonus materials.

Writing or co-writing all but one of the songs on Love God. Love People., Israel is an innovative worship leader, singer, composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer who has also written or co-written 11 CCLI Top 500 favorites.  Breaking down barriers and defying categorization with his music, Israel uses his own multi-cultural upbringing as a reference point with a desire to draw people of all races, ages and cultures together. Israel laughingly describes himself as “black kid who grew up in a white family in a Hispanic neighborhood.”

Active as worship leader in his local church, Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church, Houston, Israel has served as worship leader at Hillsong conferences, Franklin Graham crusades, and is a featured CompassionArt songwriter and artist.  Israel also ministers through concerts in the U.S. and around the world, has accompanied Alicia Keys at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards for a performance of George Michael's “Freedom '90,” and has performed at the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards, taking part in a segment saluting Gospel music alongside the likes of Aretha Franklin and BeBe Winans.

In 1995, Israel and Meleasa Houghton founded New Breed Ministries, an organization they continue to run and that is comprised of noted musicians and singers who serve within their respective churches and together serve the Church at large.  Since then, Israel has been featured on FOX, CBS, ABC, BET, CNN, TBN and CBN, and has amassed a legion of followers that crosses generational lines with popularity across African American, Latin and Caucasian listener lines. While blasting down barriers, he has been fittingly graced with 2 Gold-selling albums, 3 GRAMMY Awards, 6 Dove Awards, 2 Stellar Awards and a Soul Train Award.

Israel Houghton is signed to Integrity Music, distributed to Christian retail by Provident-Integrity Distribution and to the general market by Columbia Records/Sony Music.  For more information, go to www.israelhoughton.net.

Upcoming Israel Houghton “Love Revolution Tour” dates follow:

9/22   - Munster, IN (Chicago area)
9/23   - Detroit, MI
9/24   - Indianapolis, IN
10/3   - Fort Worth, TX
10/5   - Oklahoma City, OK
10/6   - Tulsa, OK
10/10 - Gaithersburg, MD
10/12 - Rochester, NY
10/14 - Toledo, OH
10/15 - Washington, DC
10/16 - New York City, NY
10/17 - Martinsburg, WV
10/18 - Long Island, NY
10/24 - San Antonio, TX
10/26 - Raleigh, NC
10/28 - Greenville, NC
11/3   - El Paso, TX
11/6   - San José, CA
11/12 - Seattle, WA
11/20 - Philadelphia, PA

* Tour dates subject to change.

Multiple GRAMMY, Stellar and Dove Award winner, Soul Train Award winner and double RIAA certified Gold-selling artist Israel Houghton highlights the greatest Gospel commandment with Love God. Love People. releasing TODAY amidst acclaim on Integrity Music/Columbia Records.  Featuring the musically masterful energy that has become synonymous with Israel Houghton recordings, the album also reveals special guest appearances by Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond and Take 6’s Claude V. McKnight, III, Mark Kibble and Joey Kibble, as well as song co-writes with Meleasa Houghton, Aaron Lindsey, Tommy Sims and Michael Gungor.

Following today’s release of the album, Israel Houghton, widely acclaimed as an innovative worship leader, singer, composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer, is tapped by The Tonight Show with Jay Leno to sit in with Rickey Minor and the Tonight Show Band Sept. 8.  Collaborating live with Minor on the NBC late night talk show fits in well with Houghton’s many talents.  Widely known as a master collaborator, Houghton draws out the best performances from all those around him.  Having written or co-written 11 CCLI Top 500 favorites, creating a canon of songs that have become standards in houses of faith around the globe, Love God. Love People. follows Israel’s acclaimed GRAMMY Award winning and Billboard Top 200 hit, The Power Of One, and promises to be an inspiration to all who listen.

In addition to “The Tonight Show” appearance, Houghton appears today on “The Yolanda Adams Morning Show” (http://theyolandaadamsmorningshow.com) and Sept. 2 on the nationally syndicated “The Tavis Smiley Show” (www.tavistalks.com).  Music from Love God. Love People. is also being heard nationally as the current radio single, “You Hold My World,” which was named the No. 1 “Most Added” song two weeks in a row, makes its debut this week on Billboard’s Gospel Indicator chart at No. 26 with a bullet.  Additionally, the heart of the new album captured in the song “Others,” penned by Houghton and his wife, Meleasa, was released to AC radio just last week.

As radio gains momentum, numerous media critics have already lauded the new album:

“Referring to Israel Houghton as simply a worship leader wouldn’t paint a whole picture of his vast repertoire throughout the vertically-framed Love God. Love People. In addition to moments of contemporary congregational praises, the singer/songwriter switches hats between soul, R&B, funk and rock, benefiting all the more from famous friends like Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Michael Gungor and members of Take 6, all of whom make vibrant appearances on an already uplifting album.” – CCM

“Spreading the message of God’s love as manifested through mankind set to a soundtrack of ‘soul music’ at its most profound, internationally acclaimed artist/composer/producer Israel Houghton has done it again. Building on the theme of his Grammy-winning 2009 offering The Power of One, Houghton returned to the studio, this time London’s famed Abbey Road Studios, to record his new masterwork, Love God. Love People., with a little help from his friends.” – Gospel Today

“Houghton is the current administrator of gospel music milk and honey. Incorporating easy melodies into intricate band tracks, Houghton exhibits technical proficiency without forfeiting each song’s accessible catchiness.” – ChristianityToday.com

“Houghton, one of modern gospel’s innovators, knows music… he incorporates modern sounds and classic gospel along with world music to craft a sound that is distinctly identifiable and relentlessly original…Love God. Love People. perfectly sums up Israel Houghton’s music and his ministry. He clearly views his music as a means to minister to people, and inspire them to love God and love God's people. Of course, it helps that message go down a lot easier when an artist makes music that people want to hear. And Israel Houghton has always had that part down. Recommended.” – SoulTracks.com

“Love God. Love People. delivers the kind of wonderfulness Houghton’s audience has come to expect, and which should continue to surprise listeners outside his core church market.” – CBA Retailer + Resources

“Love God, Love People goes down as a musical and spiritual masterpiece. Musicians are already salivating, and worship leaders will eagerly dig into the material. Music lovers will be more than pleased and most of all, many will be encouraged in their Christ walk and will be challenged to help others.” – GospelFlava.com

“In the spirit of the Bible’s greatest commandment reflected by its title, Israel Houghton’s new album is both simple and epic—a clearly ambitious mix of R&B, gospel, pop, worship, and rock packed with big moments that all come down to loving God and loving your neighbor. And like a life faithful to that call, this special record brings joy, issues challenges, and finds true rewards.” – Crosswalk.com

Israel co-produced the new album with longtime collaborator Aaron Lindsey, whose credits include Shirley Caesar, Martha Munizzi, CeCe Winans and many more, and with Tommy Sims, whose writing, recording and performing credits range from Bruce Springstein and Garth Brooks to Eric Clapton and Wynnona.  The trio of producers also co-wrote five of the songs, including the first Gospel single, “You Hold My World.” Three additional songs were penned by Israel and his wife Meleasa.

“Love God. Love People. is a return to a simple, foundational Gospel command: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself,” says Israel.  “Virtually every song touches on this profound simplicity. It all comes down to ‘love God, love people.’ Period.”

Love God. Love People. blends the musical styles of Gospel, pop, R&B and Latin, and was recorded and engineered by Danny Duncan (India.Arie, Hillsong LIVE, Natalie Grant, CeCe Winans) at Abbey Road Studios in London.

Releasing simultaneously with the CD, Houghton’s Love God. Love People. iTunes LP is available today at www.itunes.com/israelhoughton.  The first ever Christian artist iTunes LP and first LP, mainstream or Christian, that includes interactive social network capabilities, a music mixer, Bible verses and the ability to create your own album cover, Houghton’s LP also interactively includes the new music, animated lyrics, chord charts, liner notes, performance videos, photos and other bonus materials.

Writing or co-writing all but one of the songs on Love God. Love People., Israel creates music that breaks down barriers and defies categorization.  Israel uses his own multi-cultural upbringing as a reference point with a desire to draw people of all races, ages and cultures together. Israel laughingly describes himself as “black kid who grew up in a white family in a Hispanic neighborhood.”

Active as worship leader in his local church, Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church, Houston, Israel has served as worship leader at Hillsong conferences, Franklin Graham crusades, and is a featured CompassionArt songwriter and artist.  Israel also ministers through concerts in the U.S. and around the world, has accompanied Alicia Keys at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards for a performance of George Michael's “Freedom '90,” and has performed at the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards, taking part in a segment saluting Gospel music alongside the likes of Aretha Franklin and BeBe Winans.

In 1995, Israel and Meleasa Houghton founded New Breed Ministries, an organization they continue to run and that is comprised of noted musicians and singers who serve within their respective churches and together serve the Church at large.  Since then, Israel has been featured on FOX, CBS, ABC, BET, CNN, TBN and CBN, and has amassed a legion of followers that crosses generational lines with popularity across African American, Latin and Caucasian listener lines. While blasting down barriers, he has been fittingly graced with 2 Gold-selling albums, 3 GRAMMY Awards, 6 Dove Awards, 2 Stellar Awards and a Soul Train Award.

Israel Houghton is signed to Integrity Music, distributed to Christian retail by Provident-Integrity Distribution and to the general market by Columbia Records/Sony Music.  For more information, go to www.israelhoughton.net.