Contemporary Christian Music super group Casting Crowns recently received notification of its first career RIAA certified double Platinum album. Casting Crowns, the band’s 2005 debut release, is one of only eight Christian projects ever to achieve 2x multi-Platinum status.
Joining the elite ranks of other 2x multi-Platinum Christian CDs including Satellite (P.O.D.), The Beautiful Letdown (Switchfoot) and Almost There (MercyMe), Casting Crowns was the band’s breakthrough album, spawning Gold single “Who Am I,” while making Casting Crowns a household name. The group has since become one of the most decorated acts in Christian music, reigning as Billboard’s top-selling CCM artist since 2007.
“I’m honored to work alongside Mark Hall and Casting Crowns, and congratulate them onsuch an incredible milestone. Their record was a game changer for Provident and CCMmusic and continues to minister to listeners,” notes Provident Music Group President & CEO,Terry Hemmings.
The news comes on the heels of one of Casting Crowns’ most successful tours to date, the “Come to the Well” tour, and recent recognition as Top Christian Artist and Top Christian Album (Come To The Well) at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards.
For more information on Casting Crowns visit: www.castingcrowns.com.
Following the successful auction of his “Han Solo Carbonite Desk,” which raised more than $10,000 for charity in 2010, Casting Crowns’ frontman and movie memorabilia collector Mark Hall is at it again. Currently, Hall is auctioning his one-of-a-kind “Marvel Superhero Desk,” inspired by box office hit “The Avengers,” now in theaters, with all proceeds going to World Vision’s WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) program.
The desk was created by Tom Spina Designs, a New York-based company specializing in the creation of custom sculpture, themed furniture and the restoration and display of original movie props. It comes fully outfitted with an Iron Man helmet, arc reactor that lights up, Thor's hammer, Hawkeye’s arrows with lights, a gamma vault, Captain America's shield, and Nick Fury's gun, badge, and I.D. Bidding will begin from July 3 and runs through July 13. Visit http://celebrity.ebay.com/Casting-Crowns.
Money raised from the sale of the desk will be donated to World Vision’s WASH program. Every day thousands of children die of preventable water and sanitation related diseases. This donation will help save children the suffering caused by parasites, worms, dysentery and diarrhea as well as provide families in poverty with access to clean water through:
* Deep wells that supply safe water
* Storage containers for rainwater
* Piping systems to irrigate crops and improve access to clean water
* Purification equipment to treat water contaminated by bacteria and other waterborne
disease-carriers
* Latrines and hand-washing stations to protect clean water sources and improve children’s
health
For more information on WASH, visit www.worldvision.org/content.nsf/learn/ways-we-help-wsh.
On the heels of wrapping up its highly attended “Come To The Well” tour, best-selling Christian music artist Casting Crowns received two 2012 Billboard Music Awards during last night's live broadcast on ABC. The band was named this year’s Top Christian Artist and also received the honor of Top Christian Album for its 2011 project, Come To The Well.
Casting Crowns was nominated for four awards in categories including Top Christian Artist, Top Christian Album (where it received two nominations for: Until The Whole World Hears and Come To The Well) and Top Christian Song, “Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me).”
“What we do is inspired by our faith in Jesus, our home churches and the incredible people we get to interact with on the road. We feel honored that our music would be recognized in this way,” states lead singer Mark Hall.
The awards reflect Billboard’s chart rankings based on key fan interactions with music, including album sales and downloads, track downloads, radio airplay and touring as well as streaming and social interactions on Facebook, Twitter, Vevo, YouTube, Spotify and other
popular online destinations for music.
These measurements are tracked year-round by Billboard and its data partners, including
Nielsen Entertainment and Next Big Sound. The awards were based on the reporting period of March 1, 2011 through February 29, 2012. Top artists were recognized in a variety of genres, including R&B, Rap, Pop, Country, Rock, Latin and Alternative.
The “2012 Billboard Music Awards” were broadcasted live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 20 on the ABC Television Network.
A full list of winners can be found at: http://www.billboard.com/bbma/winners?page=4
Best-selling Christian music artist Casting Crowns wraps the spring leg of its 42-city “Come To The Well” tour. With one of its most successful tours to date, Casting Crowns’ final show alone saw a sold-out audience of more than 16,000 attendees.
Following a hugely successful fall run, including more than 15 sell-out performances, playing before 155,000+ people, the spring leg kicked off Feb. 9, in Florence, S.C. Among its scheduled 42 shows, the tour hit arenas in major markets like New York City, Grand Rapids, Mich., Orlando, Fla., Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Birmingham, Ala., St. Louis, Mo., Minneapolis and Houston, among others.
The closing date in Houston on Saturday, May 5, marked Casting Crowns’ highest-grossing and most well-attended show ever with 16,000+ concert-goers. Director of KSBJ Special Events, Chris Farnsworth, who promoted the event, comments, “KSBJ Radio was thrilled to host Casting Crowns’ ‘Come To The Well’ tour this weekend. The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion was the perfect venue to see over 16,000 members of the Gulf Coast community come together to make this the biggest audience of Casting Crowns’ career.”
A final tally of tour numbers for both fall and spring legs indicate cumulative attendance exceeding 370,000 with 40 sold-out dates making Casting Crowns’ “Come To The Well” tour one of the most successful Christian artist tours of all time.
Highly decorated, best-selling Christian music artist Casting Crowns adds to its long list of accolades with four 2012 Billboard Music Award Nominations. The band received recognition this year in the categories of Top Christian Artist, Top Christian Song and Top Christian Album.
Its first career Billboard Music Award nominations, Casting Crowns was honored across the board in all Christian music fields. The band joins other powerhouses MercyMe, Skillet, Laura Story and Chris Tomlin for Top Christian Artist, while its song “Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me),” competes with radio mainstays including Matthew West’s “Strong Enough,” and Laura Story’s “Blessings” for Top Christian Song. Casting Crowns claims two of the five nominated projects in the Top Christian Album category with Come To The Well and Until The Whole World Hears.
The awards will reflect Billboard’s chart rankings based on key fan interactions with music, including album sales and downloads, track downloads, radio airplay and touring as well as streaming and social interactions on Facebook, Twitter, Vevo, YouTube, Spotify and other popular online destinations for music.
These measurements are tracked year-round by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Entertainment and Next Big Sound. The awards will be based on the reporting period of March 1, 2011 through February 29, 2012. Top artists will be recognized in a variety of genres, including R&B, Rap, Pop, Country, Rock, Latin and Alternative. For a complete list of this year’s nominees, visit: http://bit.ly/JvrdEh.
“The 2012 Billboard Music Awards” will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 20 (8:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. Music
fans can also follow news about the show and related events on Twitter at @Billboard or on Facebook.com/Billboard.
Multi-platinum selling, GRAMMY®, AMA and 2010 Dove Award-winning Artist of the Year Casting Crowns will extend its massive “Come To The Well” tour into the spring by adding an additional 44 dates across the U.S., this time featuring special guests, singer/songwriter Matthew West, pop-rockers Royal Tailor (both GRAMMY-nominated) and Christian music newcomer Lindsay McCaul who was also on the 2011 fall tour lineup. Following a hugely successful fall run, which included a string of more than15 sell-out performances, playing before more than 155,000 people, the spring leg of the “Come To The Well” tour kicks off Feb. 9, in Florence, S.C. Among its scheduled 44 shows, the tour will hit arenas in major markets like Grand Rapids, Orlando, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Birmingham, Oklahoma City, Minneapolis, Houston and many more.
The tour takes its name from the Casting Crowns’ newest studio project, Come To The Well, (released October 18, its first new studio album in two years), featuring the hit single “Courageous,” which was showcased in the recent Sherwood Pictures film by the same title. The project is filled with songs that both challenge and encourage believers in their walk, including, “Just Another Birthday” which goes for radio adds today. Frontman Mark Hall collaborated on several of the tracks with top songwriters including Steven Curtis Chapman, Matthew West and award-winning country songwriter Tom Douglas.
The week of its release, Come to the Well sold 99,138 copies, making it the highest debut on Billboard’s Top 200 at No. 2. The album additionally topped the Billboard Contemporary Christian Overall chart, while also claiming No. 1 on the iTunes Christian Albums chart and No. 3 on its Overall Albums chart. Lead radio single “Courageous” landed at No. 1 on the iTunes Christian Songs chart and peaked at a No. 1 on the Billboard National Christian Audience
chart in just 10 weeks. In addition, the band celebrated its second career American Music Award win, from six career AMA nominations, on Nov. 20.
The “Come To The Well” tour is partnering with Christian humanitarian organization World Vision ( www.worldvision.org). World Vision provides assistance to approximately 100 million people in nearly 100 countries by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Casting Crowns has helped to generate a total of 52,000 child sponsorships for World Vision to date.
Platinum-selling, five-time Gospel Music Association Group of the Year, Casting Crowns adds another honor to its list of accolades with a 2011 American Music Award. The band won for “Favorite Artist” in the Contemporary Inspirational category, announced tonight during a live broadcast of the 39th annual AMAs on ABC.
Casting Crowns’ second win, from six career AMA nominations, the group shared the category with other A-list Christian artists tobyMac and Third Day. For the fifth year, winners were determined by online voting. Fans voted in the categories of Pop/Rock, Country, Rap/Hip-Hop, Soul/R&B, Alternative, Adult Contemporary, Latin, and Contemporary Inspirational. For a complete list of tonight’s winners, visit: http://abc.go.com/shows/american-music-awards.
The win comes on the heels of Casting Crowns’ first new studio album in two years. Come to the Well, released Oct. 18, draws inspiration from the band’s ministry efforts at its home church, Eagles Landing Baptist Church outside of Atlanta, where frontman Mark Hall serves as youth pastor. The project is filled with songs that both challenge and encourage believers in their walk. Hall collaborated on several of the tracks with top songwriters including Steven Curtis Chapman, Matthew West and award-winning country songwriter Tom Douglas.
The week of its release, Come to the Well sold 99,138 copies, making it the highest debut on Billboard’s Top 200 at No. 2. The album additionally topped the Billboard Contemporary Christian Overall chart, while also claiming No. 1 on the iTunes Christian Albums chart and No. 3 on its Overall Albums chart. Lead radio single “Courageous” landed at No. 1 on the iTunes Christian Songs chart and peaked at a No. 1 on the Billboard National Christian Audience chart in just 10 weeks.
The band is currently touring new music from Come to the Well on a fall tour visiting 40 cities through early December. For a complete list of tour dates, visit: www.castingcrowns.com.
On the heels of its recent American Music Award® nomination, multi-platinum, award-winning artist Casting Crowns is this week’s highest debut on the Billboard’s Top 200 at No. 2.
Come to the Well additionally topped the Billboard Contemporary Christian Overall
chart, while also claiming No. 1 on the iTunes Christian Albums chart and No. 3 on its Overall Albums chart. Lead single “Courageous,” landed at No. 1 on the iTunes Christian Songs chart as well.
Casting Crowns’ fourth studio release, Come to the Well sold an extraordinary 99,138 copies this week. Such a showing earned Come to the Well the highest charting position for a debut album on the Billboard Top 200. Furthermore, the project dominated the Billboard Contemporary Christian Overall chart, where Casting Crowns’ Nov. 3, 2009 release, Until the Whole World Hears, also charted at No. 4.
In addition, Casting Crowns celebrates a No. 1 on the Billboard National Christian Audience
chart with hit radio single “Courageous,” added only 10 weeks ago. The occasion marks Casting Crowns’ second No. 1 song in six months, following “Glorious Day” which was No. 1 at AC in April 2011.
Other factors driving Casting Crowns’ momentum are multiple sold out tour dates, Mark Hall’s recent book release, high profile media coverage including a lead feature in Billboard Magazine, an American Music Award® nomination – the band’s sixth - and the support of its more than TWO MILLION Facebook fans.
Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton was impressed by early buzz anticipating the album’s strong debut. In his Oct. 20 blog post he singled out the band saying, “Congrats guys! You’re
quite blessed!” Read the post in its entirety here: http://perezhilton.com/2011-10-20-christian-rockers-casting-crowns-billboard.
Produced by Mark A. Miller, Come to the Well is Casting Crowns’ first new studio album in two years. As with previous records this one draws inspiration from the band’s ministry efforts at its home church, Eagles Landing Baptist Church, outside of Atlanta, where frontman Mark Hall serves as youth pastor. The project is filled with songs that both challenge and encourage believers in their walk. Hall collaborated on several of the tracks with top songwriters including Steven Curtis Chapman, Matthew West and award-winning country songwriter Tom Douglas.
Christian music’s top-selling act, GRAMMY®, AMA and GMA Dove Award-winning artist Casting Crowns offers its fifth studio project, Come To The Well, on Oct. 18. The release will be preceded to retail by radio single “Courageous,” also featured in the upcoming film, Courageous, and promoted via a 40-city “Come to the Well” tour this fall.
Produced by Mark Miller, Come To The Well is Casting Crowns’ first new studio album in two years. As with previous records, this one draws inspiration from the band’s ministry efforts at its home church, Eagles Landing Baptist Church outside of Atlanta, where frontman Mark Hall serves as youth pastor.
“Teaching through the story of the woman at the well with my teenagers and my families is where it all came from,” says Hall. “Your friends aren’t the well. They aren’t always going to do the right thing or be there for you. Your athletic scholarship can’t be the well. If your knee goes out, your well is dry. You need to draw from Jesus, pour into that. That is where it started... with the idea of Jesus being the well versus other things.”
Come To The Well is filled with songs that both challenge and encourage believers in their walk. Kick-off single “Courageous” contains a powerful lyric that exhorts men to lead bold, uncompromising lives for the Lord, while “Jesus, Friend of Sinners” admonishes the church to show compassion. “Already There” is a potent treatise on God’s faithfulness and “My Own Worst Enemy” cautions Christians about falling back into past behavior. Hall collaborated on several of the tracks with top songwriters including Steven Curtis Chapman, Matthew West and award-winning country songwriter Tom Douglas.
While the record will be introduced to fans through the radio single, “Courageous,” -- vying for adds at Christian AC and CHR beginning Aug. 12 -- “Courageous” will also be showcased in the upcoming Sherwood Pictures film Courageous (in theaters Sept. 30). The “Courageous" music video recently premiered on GodTube and received more than 100,000 views within the first 24 hours of its premiere. “Courageous” continues to air on national video outlets including Gospel Music Channel.
In addition to supporting “Courageous” with a 40-station radio promotional tour, Casting Crowns will debut the song live on the road this fall. The 40-city “Come to the Well” tour launches Sept. 22 in El Paso, Texas and will feature premier modern rock bands Sanctus Real and The Afters as well as Christian music newcomer Lindsay McCaul. For a complete list of tour dates, visit: www.castingcrowns.com/tour.
Casting Crowns heads into this latest season backed by the momentum of its first RIAA certified Gold single, “Who Am I,” from the group’s 2003 self-titled debut. The song, selling more than 500,000 copies, is one of only 12 Christian tracks ever to secure Gold status. The title is included among those by fellow Provident Label Group artists Brandon Heath and Bob Carlisle, as well as other top performers MercyMe, Skillet, Relient K, Switchfoot and Chris Tomlin.
All of Atlanta-based Casting Crowns’ projects are RIAA certified, with a tally of three RIAA Platinum Albums, two RIAA Platinum DVDs, two RIAA Gold Albums and a Gold DVD, holding position as Billboard’s top-selling act in Christian music since 2007. Despite an unprecedented six-year career with Casting Crowns, the seven band members remain active in student ministry in the Atlanta area and tour part-time around their local church duties. Serving his 18th year in youth ministry, lead singer/songwriter Mark Hall is the student pastor at Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church in Atlanta. As a testament to the band’s impact, Casting Crowns performed for a second time in North Korea in April 2009, in partnership with Global Resource Services, as the band continues to forge invaluable relationships with the people in the D.P.R.K.
For more information on Casting Crowns and Come to the Well, visit: www.castingcrowns.com or follow Mark Hall’s Twitter at twitter.com/markhallCC.
Mark Hall, frontman of the GRAMMY ® award-winning mega group Casting Crowns, will publish The Well: Why Are So Many Still Thirsty? with Zondervan. The newest book from the platinum selling lead singer will hit retailers this September.
In addition to his music, Hall has been the student minister at Eagle’s Landing Baptist Church outside of Atlanta for the past 18 years. With co-writer and fellow pastor Tim Luke (author of books such as Your Own Jesus), Hall uses the powerful story of the Woman at the Well and her encounter with Jesus to help readers understand why life often seems so unsatisfying. What many believers consider wells that sustain them—like success, talent, control, and favor—are really just holes that keep them from relying upon Jesus and the abundant, refreshing life He offers.
“I’m confident you will see yourself many times over in this book,” remarks actress Candace Cameron Bure (“Full House,” ABC Family’s “Make It or Break It”) who wrote the foreword for the book. “As I pray through this latest challenge before me, I’m thankful that the Lord used His Word and Mark Hall’s keen insights to give me this crucial reminder.”
Fellow GRAMMY ® winner Steven Curtis Chapman also supports Hall’s latest book saying, "I love Mark Hall's heart. When he writes, whether it's a song or a book, it's always from the heart of a gifted teacher and an earnest friend. This book is another rich example of that, and I've been ministered to deeply as I've read it.”
The Well ties into the release of Casting Crowns’ newest album releasing this fall, Come To The Well. Additionally, the “Come To The Well” tour will launch this September, and hit 40 markets nationwide.
When The Well hits retailers this September, it will be featured for $14.99, ISBN 0310293332, 5.5 x 8.5.
GRAMMY®, AMA and 2010 Dove Award-winning Artist of the Year Casting Crowns is announcing plans for a massive 40-city fall concert tour, titled the “Come To The Well” Tour, taking its name from the bands highly-anticipated new studio project, Come To The Well, releasing Oct. 18. The tour kicks off Sept. 22, in El Paso, Texas, featuring premier modern rock bands Sanctus Real and The Afters, and introducing Christian music newcomer Lindsay McCaul.
The tour will coincide with the release of Come To The Well (the band’s first new studio album in two years), featuring the hit single “Courageous,” which will also be showcased in the upcoming Sherwood Pictures film by the same title, in theaters on Sept. 30. The “Come To The Well” Tour also follows the band’s recent Dove Award win in the Long Form Music Video category for the hugely successful Until The Whole World Hears Live DVD/CD release, which captured the unforgettable 2009/2010 “Until The Whole World Hears” national concert tour, which saw more than 350,000 fans in 82 cities.
The “Come To The Well” Tour is partnering with Christian humanitarian organization World Vision ( www.worldvision.org). World Vision provides assistance to approximately 100 million people in nearly 100 countries by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Casting Crowns has helped to generate a total of 52,000 child sponsorships for World Vision to date.
Multi-Platinum, GRAMMY winning artist Casting Crowns is once again tapped as a “Favorite Artist” nominee for the 2010 American Music Awards® (AMAs) in the Contemporary Inspirational category, as announced this week during a press conference from the JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE. Casting Crowns won the AMA Inspirational category in 2007. This is the band’s fifth career AMA nomination.
The live broadcast of the 38th annual AMAs will take place at the NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE on SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21st (8:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT) on ABC. For the fourth year in a row, winners will be determined by fan online voting at amavote.com. Voting is now open and closes on Friday, November 12, 2010.
The 38th Annual American Music Awards will be hosted by N’Sync alum Lance Bass, and feature a star-studded lineup of music’s top artists and acts, including performances by Bon Jovi, P!nk and Usher. The 2010 American Music Awards, produced Larry Klein and executive-produced by Orly Adelson, will honor artists in the categories of Pop/Rock, Country, Rap/Hip-Hop, Soul/R&B, Alternative, Adult Contemporary, Latin and Contemporary Inspirational.
Christian music’s GRAMMY, AMA and Dove Award-winning Artist of the Year, Casting Crowns is headed by frontman/principal songwriter Mark Hall. The Platinum-selling band’s fourth album, Until the Whole World Hears, sold 167,000 copies first-week, setting a sales record as the highest debuting Christian music artist in SoundScan history (week ending 11/22/09). The album certified RIAA Gold in four weeks, with more than 600,000 sold to date. The band’s career sales exceed 5.2 million.
Casting Crowns recently released its newest project, Until the Whole World Hears LIVE, a DVD/CD combo package featuring live concert video, 80 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage, a Mark Hall-led teaching video series and more. The band continues to tour in support of Until the Whole World Hears, with dates in the US through fall 2010, and appearances “across the pond” in Northern Ireland, Great Britain, Norway and Germany scheduled for November. The band’s tours are responsible for uniting more than 50,000 children with sponsors through humanitarian outfit World Vision.
(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) Aug. 12, 2010 – Mark Hall, lead singer of Casting Crowns, is known for his talent as a songwriter and his passion for teen and family ministry. But the acclaimed frontman of the 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards “Artist of the Year” recently revealed an interest few may know about: Star Wars. The self-professed Star Wars fanatic is using his interest to help children and families around the world, as he places several objects from his extensive, personal Star Wars memorabilia collection up for sale at this week’s Star Wars Celebration V convention in Orlando, Fla. All proceeds will go to World Vision, the child advocacy organization Casting Crowns has partnered with since 2003.
“I’ve been a Star Wars fan since I was a kid, and my son and I have been collecting memorabilia for several years,” says Hall. “Now I’m teaching our son that God doesn’t bless us so we can merely have; He blesses us so we can give.”
Hall, and Crowns’ guitar player Juan DeVevo, will make a special appearance at Star Wars Celebration V today to experience the convention and drive buyers to Hall’s unique Star Wars items. The items showcased include the one-of-a-kind, custom-designed “Han Solo” desk, an “Emperor” chair and several Star Wars themed paintings
The desk was created in 2008 by Tom Spina and Richard Riley of Tom Spina Designs, a NY-based company specializing in the creation of custom sculpture, themed furniture and the restoration and display of original movie props and features a 3-D figure of the famous “Han Solo” character encased in carbonite. The “Emperor” chair was also created by Tom Spina Designs and will be on display with the desk.
While the items are up for sale at the convention, any Casting Crowns fan is able to inquire about purchasing by visiting http://www.castingcrowns.com or by directly clicking on the Casting Crowns blog link, http://bit.ly/940dSS
One hundred percent of the proceeds will benefit Casting Crowns’ long time charitable partner, World Vision. World Vision works nationally and internationally with impoverished children to improve their quality of life and the lives of their families. To date, Casting Crowns’ tours are responsible for uniting more than 50,000 children with sponsors through the humanitarian outfit.
Stars Wars Celebration is an annual, traveling convention hosted by Lucasfilm that will be hosted this year by the Orange County Convention Center Aug. 12-15. The convention gathers together more than 30,000 Star Wars enthusiasts from across the country to dress up in costumes, see special guests like George Lucas, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher and share their enthusiasm for the trilogy with other fans. One of the convention’s many scheduled activities is a charity auction of Star Wars memorabilia.
Also on deck this month for GRAMMY-winning Casting Crowns is the Aug. 31 release of its new project, Until the Whole World Hears LIVE, which takes the band’s most recent live show direct to living rooms. The 2-disc DVD/CD will offer millions of fans a front-row experience to the platinum-selling music and discipleship of Casting Crowns. The 54-minute LIVE concert DVD includes an additional 80 minutes of behind-the-scenes content and will launch the premiere of Casting Crowns’ new “Until the Whole World Hears” music video. DVD highlights include Mark Hall’s devotional-styled “Teaching Video Series” and the “Adopting Hope” story which details the Halls’ heartwarming journey to bring home their 33-month old daughter, Meeka Hope, from China.
Christian music leader Casting Crowns announces the release of its new live project, titled Until the Whole World Hears LIVE, available Aug. 31, which will offer millions of fans a front-row experience to the platinum-selling music, and discipleship, of 2010’s Dove Award-winning Artist of the Year.
Recorded at Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, N.C. on April 24, with additional footage recorded at North Charleston Coliseum, North Charleston, S.C. and at Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Ala., the band’s unforgettable 2009/2010 “Until the Whole World Hears” national concert tour is captured on this live 2-disc set, sharing the heart and story of such songs as “If We’ve Ever Needed You,” “Glorious Day” and the No. 1 hit single “Until the Whole World Hears.” The powerhouse tour saw over 350,000 fans in 82 cities.
The 54-minute LIVE concert DVD includes an additional 80 minutes of behind-the-scenes content and will launch the premiere of Casting Crowns’ new “Until the Whole World Hears” music video. The music video features fan-submitted clips of audiences singing the anthemic song, literally all across the globe.
DVD highlights include “Mark Hall’s Teaching Video Series” and the “Adopting Hope” story which details the Halls’ heartwarming journey to bringing home their 33-month old daughter, Meeka Hope, from China. The five devotional-styled video lessons led by lead singer/songwriter, author and pastor Mark Hall, give viewers a deeper look at the Biblical studies and personal stories that have inspired the band’s message-driven songs for the family.
Casting Crowns also reveals secrets of the road, with a peek into the creative day-time activities of the seven band members, in clips titled “Laser Tag,” and “Cornhole.” Remaining chapters provide new interviews with the band and “The Crew,” a look at the growing family in “Crowns’ Kids,” an introduction to Brian Scoggin in “Our New Drummer” and the last word with “Inside Scoop: two Minutes with Mark’s Parents.”
Appearing on the LIVE CD are eight live versions of the band’s new songs: “Until the Whole World Hears,” “If We’ve Ever Needed You,” “Glorious Day,” “Mercy,” “To Know You,” “Holy One,” ”Blessed Redeemer,” and “At Your Feet.”
The platinum-selling band’s recent fourth album, Until The Whole World Hears, sold 167,000 copies first-week setting a sales record as the highest debuting Christian Music artist in SoundScan history (week ending 11/22/09). The album certified RIAA Gold in four weeks, with more than 600,000 sold to date. The title track marks a ninth career No.1 radio single for Casting Crowns, as its new single “If We’ve Ever Needed You” moves up the chart.
All of the Atlanta-based band’s projects are RIAA certified, with a monster tally of two RIAA Platinum Albums, two RIAA Platinum DVDs, three RIAA Gold Albums and a Gold DVD, further establishing its unprecedented six-year career, holding position as Billboard’s top-selling act in Christian music since 2007.
With winners announced last night for the 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards, Casting Crowns nabbed the evening’s highest honor, Artist of the Year. After scoring five consecutive Group of the Year titles from the Gospel Music Association, this top-selling act in Christian music since 2007 receives top recognition for the first time in this fan-voted category.
“To me, it’s extra special because the fans were voting,” Casting Crowns lead singer and songwriter Mark Hall reported the Associated Press. “It really wasn’t anywhere on our radar.”
Performing its ninth smash No. 1 radio hit, and title track from the band’s latest project, “Until the Whole World Hears,” on the award show, Casting Crowns was joined on stage and in the aisles of the Grand Ole Opry House by a 200-voice children’s choir from New Hope Academy in Franklin, Tenn. By the end of the song, the packed audience was singing the song’s powerful gospel message in unison. The televised show will air nationwide on gmc Sunday, April 25, from 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. EST.
Casting Crowns’ fourth album, Until the Whole World Hears, certified RIAA Gold in four weeks, spanning another chart-topping hit for the platinum-selling supergroup. The project’s title track was also nominated for Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year. Selling 167,000 first-week copies, the historical debut of Until The Whole World Hears set a sales record for the group as the highest debuting Christian Music artist in SoundScan history (week ending 11/22/09).
Additionally, Hall received a Dove for his participation on Glory Revealed II: The Word of God In Worship, winner in the Special Event Album of the Year category.
The RIAA Gold certification of Until The Whole World Hears adds a third Gold album to the band’s collection. To date, all of the Atlanta-based band’s projects are RIAA certified, with a monster tally of two RIAA Platinum Albums, two RIAA Platinum DVDs, now three RIAA Gold Albums and a Gold DVD, further establishing its unprecedented six-year career.
The band is currently headlining its highly-successful “Until The Whole World Hears” Tour with Tenth Avenue North, who won Song of the Year last night for “By Your Side.” The powerhouse tour rounds out the final segment of shows in April and May. The spring leg of the “Until The Whole World Hears” Tour follows a well-received, 41-city run of fall dates on which Casting Crowns played multiple sell-out performances.
The reigning five-time Dove Award Group of the Year, Casting Crowns, receives additional recognition from the Gospel Music Association today for a spectacular 2009. The top-selling act in Christian music since 2007, Casting Crowns racks up three nominations for the 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards, announced at Belmont University’s Curb Café. With these nominations, Casting Crowns is again recognized for being at the forefront of Christian music, with top nods in the Artist of the Year and Group of the Year categories.
The band’s ninth career radio No.1 song, and title track of its blockbuster fourth album, “Until the Whole World Hears,” receives a nomination for Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year. Additionally, lead singer/songwriter Mark Hall is nominated for his participation on Glory Revealed II: The Word of God In Worship, in the Special Event Album of the Year category.
Certified RIAA Gold in four weeks, Casting Crowns’ latest album Until the Whole World Hears sold a historical 167,000 first-week copies, setting a sales record for the group as the highest debuting Christian Music artist in SoundScan history (week ending 11/22/09). To date, all of the Atlanta-based band’s projects are RIAA certified, with a monster tally of two RIAA Platinum Albums, two RIAA Platinum DVDs, now three RIAA Gold Albums and a Gold DVD, further establishing its unprecedented six-year career.
The 41st Annual Dove Awards will be held on Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at Nashville’s famed Grand Ole Opry House and televised nationwide on gmc (http://www.gmclife.com), Sunday, April 25, 2010, from 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. EST. gmc is the fastest-growing network in television and can be seen in 46 million homes on various cable systems around the country, on DIRECTV on channel 338 and on Verizon FiOS on channel 224.
Casting Crowns is currently continuing its highly-successful “Until The Whole World Hears” Tour in 41 more cities this spring. Having started on February 4, in Kansas City, Mo., the tour features a brand new lineup with special guests Kutless on dates in February and March, and Tenth Avenue North rounding out the tour’s final segment of shows in April and May. Indie rock band CALEB, featuring brothers Caleb and Will Chapman, will also join the tour roster.
The spring leg of the “Until The Whole World Hears” Tour follows a well-received, 41-city run of fall dates on which Casting Crowns played in front of nearly 150,000 people at multiple sell-out performances.
Mark Hall, Grammy-winning lead singer for Casting Crowns, has updated his acclaimed book and focused it toward teens with: YOUR OWN JESUS: A God Insistent On Making It Personal (Student Edition) (Youth Specialties/Zondervan)
YOUR OWN JESUS poses the question to teens: Whose Jesus do you believe in? Too many young adults inherit somebody else’s Jesus. Rather than discovering for themselves who Jesus really is, they depend on their family, friends, or pastor for their spiritual vitality and end up defeated by compromise. In YOUR OWN JESUS, Hall explores the meaning of personally knowing the living Lord.
Hall, a pastor, musician and storyteller, has spent his life helping lead people into a living relationship with Jesus. In his work on staff at Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church in McDonough, GA, and in his travels with Casting Crowns, he has seen first hand thousands of teens leaving the church shortly after graduating from high school.
YOUR OWN JESUS looks at how teens often move away from true fellowship with God, and then offers a road to wholeness and health that comes when teenagers claim their very own Jesus, the Jesus who is waiting to have an honest, committed relationship.
The book includes fascinating stories, scriptural insights and discussion for a very practical interactive study. YOUR OWN JESUS – Student Edition will set readers free to begin a true relationship with the Jesus they can call their own.
GRAMMY, AMA and five-time Dove Award-winning Group of the Year Casting Crowns is announcing plans to continue its highly-successful “Until The Whole World Hears” Tour in 41 more cities this spring. Kicking off on February 4, in Kansas City, Mo., the tour features a brand new lineup with special guests Kutless on dates in February and March, and Tenth Avenue North rounding out the tour’s final segment of shows in April and May. Indie rock band CALEB, featuring brothers Caleb and Will Chapman, will also join the tour roster.
The spring leg of the “Until The Whole World Hears” Tour follows a well-received, 41-city run of fall dates on which Casting Crowns played in front of nearly 150,000 people at multiple sell-out performances. The spring tour also comes on the heels of the record-breaking release of the band’s new studio album, Until The Whole World Hears, which recently sold more than 167,000 copies in its first week, making Casting Crowns the highest-debuting Christian music artist in SoundScan history. The album landed at No. 1 on the Nielsen SoundScan Current Contemporary Christian Album Chart and No. 4 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart behind John Mayer and Norah Jones.
The Atlanta-based Casting Crowns has established itself as the top-selling artist in Contemporary Christian music in recent years. To date, all of the band’s projects are RIAA certified, with a monster tally of two RIAA platinum albums, two RIAA platinum DVDs, two RIAA gold albums and a gold DVD. The group has generated nine No. 1 songs at radio including the latest single, the title cut from Until The Whole World Hears. Remarkably, the band’s seven members also continue to work in student ministry in the Atlanta area, with lead vocalist Mark Hall serving as a full-time youth pastor. Casting Crowns tours and records around its weekly commitment to mentoring teens.
“This year, we had sold-out and near-capacity crowds in six cities with Casting Crowns,” says concert promoter Dan Fife of Awakening Events, LLC. “Every night the ministry is strong and we walk away hearing stories where attendees were blessed and received a message that changed their lives. I think the new CD is giving Casting Crowns an opportunity to carry a message of hope across America at a critical time. We are excited to provide a platform for this band and want to encourage people to bring their neighbors and friends to hear the message in song this spring.”
Promoter Greg Carnes of Sugar Spring Productions adds, “Casting Crowns continues to deliver worship music that is touching folks in such a way that it has never been about a concert or entertainment, but more like being at church. We have been promoting Crowns concerts since they came on the scene and we are big believers in their ministry. That is why we continue to do so, and look forward to this next tour in 2010.”
The “Until The Whole World Hears” Tour is sponsored by Christian humanitarian organization World Vision (www.worldvision.org). World Vision provides assistance to approximately 100 million people in nearly 100 countries by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Casting Crowns has helped to generate a total of 44,334 child sponsorships for World Vision to date.
GRAMMY, AMA and five-time Dove Award-winning “Group of the Year,” Casting Crowns (Beach Street/Reunion Records) logs a new sales milestone with this week’s blockbuster debut of its fourth studio album, Until The Whole World Hears. The album scanned 167,432 copies its first week, making it No. 1 on the Nielsen SoundScan Current Contemporary Christian Album Chart and No. 4 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart. Casting Crowns’ Until The Whole World Hears is the third strongest album debut in the country on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart behind John Mayer and Norah Jones.
In addition, Casting Crowns is the only artist in the Billboard 200’s Top 5 to demonstrate an upward sales trend from its last release, The Altar and The Door which scanned 130,000. This week the band sold 234,000 units cumulatively across its catalog, including another strong sales week of its recent RIAA certified Gold Christmas album Peace On Earth (10/7/2008) scanning 56,099 this week alone.
“I can’t express how thrilled and humbled I am by what Casting Crowns has achieved this week,” shares Provident Music Group President and CEO Terry Hemmings. “Seeing this band develop and grow over the last six years has been an amazing experience for all of us. Knowing that this is simply an extension of their church ministry makes these numbers mean something significant in so many ways. There is much to learn from the consumers’ response to the music and message this band is delivering.”
Until The Whole World Hears follows the platinum-selling band’s historical debut of The Altar and The Door, in 2007, which debuted at No. 2 on The Billboard Top 200 chart. To date, all of the Atlanta-based band’s projects are RIAA certified, with a monster tally of two RIAA Platinum Albums, two RIAA Platinum DVDs, two RIAA Gold Albums and a Gold DVD, further establishing its unprecedented six-year career.
Over the last week, the band performed its ninth No.1 song “Until the Whole World Hears” live on-air for radio stations around the country, including the national KLove network, plus the Houston, Nashville, Atlanta and New York markets. Hall also interviewed on street week with Associated Press radio, Gospel Music Channel, and live with Moody’s talk programs “Midday Connection,” and “Chris Fabry Live.” As promotion continues for Until the Whole World Hears, partners including Yahoo! Music, Verizon and AT&T have featured new music streams, and exclusive new ring tones from the album.
The album’s title track spends a third week at No. 1 on Billboard’s AC-Indicator radio chart, marking a ninth career chart-topping song for Casting Crowns. The hit song also moves up to No. 2 on Billboard’s National Christian Audience chart and gained 20 million weekly impressions, according to Christian Radio Weekly.
Remarkably, with millions of fans, record-setting sales, tour and radio success, and national media attention, Casting Crowns is a part-time band. As highlighted in a 2008 Billboard magazine article, the seven band members work in student ministry in the Atlanta area, with lead vocalist Mark Hall serving as a full-time youth pastor at Eagles Landing church. Casting Crowns tours and records around its weekly commitment to mentoring teenagers.
With lead singer and award-winning songwriter, Mark Hall’s 18 years in youth ministry, the band’s lyrics are born out of real life situations, inspired by the 400 students and families he has led on a weekly basis since 2001, at Eagles Landing Baptist church. Casting Crowns focuses on discipleship through music in its new chart-topping, 11-song album, giving national audiences a fresh, relevant perspective on loving God and loving people
Millions of fans can now stream the band’s entire catalog of music and video from the band’s newly created fan-centric web site, www.crownsfans.com. Casting Crowns is also on the road headlining the 41-city “Until The Whole World Hears Tour” with special guest Matt Redman. For tour dates or more information, visit www.providentpress.com, or www.castingcrowns.com.
*Follow the band on Mark Hall’s Twitter at: http://twitter.com/markhallCC
Tune in tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 6, to hear Group of the Year Casting Crowns live during the first broadcast performance of its new song "Glorious Day," off the band's highly-anticipated fourth album Until The Whole World Hears releasing Nov. 17.
The 700 Club airs at 10 am, 11 pm & 3 am PST, on ABC Family, TBN, NRB, SkyAngel, CTN, FamilyNet and local network affiliates. Check local listings.
In an unprecedented six-year span, with 4.5 million career album sales, Casting Crowns readies for the Nov. 17 release of its fourth studio album, titled Until The Whole World Hears. The five-time Dove Award-winning “Group of the Year” remains focused on discipleship through music with its new 11-song collection, featuring boldly-honest lyrics from lead singer/songwriter Mark Hall, giving listeners a fresh, relevant perspective on loving God and loving people. With Hall’s 18 years in youth ministry, the band’s message remains rooted in the student services he has led on a weekly basis since 2001, at Eagles Landing Baptist church near Atlanta.
Hall says, “The songs start out as our messages to the 400 teens and families we see each week at Eagles Landing. Our goal is to live our lives telling others about Jesus – until the whole world hears – those simple words are a challenge to be intentional with the way we live our lives.”
This week, the title track and first single jumps to No. 1 on Billboard’s AC-Indicator radio chart marking a ninth career chart-topping song for Casting Crowns. The hit song also moves up to No. 2 on Billboard’s National Christian Audience chart gaining 8.1 million weekly impressions.
Scott Smith, Assistant Program Director for the national KLove Network, states, “I am so glad we finally have a new Casting Crowns song to play! It’s smokin’ and the message challenges us as believers to fulfill the Great Commission until the whole world hears!”
Millions of fans can now hear full-song previews exclusively on the band’s newly created fan-centric web site, www.crownsfans.com. A new track releases each Tuesday, counting down to the full 11-song album stream launching exclusively Nov. 9 – 16, at Yahoo! Music, tallying over 9 million daily impressions. Yahoo! Music will be the first place to hear the entire record prior to street date.
Both Verizon and AT&T will feature new ring tones from Until The Whole World Hears in November. Verizon hosts Casting Crowns for an exclusive artist feature as the only carrier with ring tones of “Glorious Day” and “To Know You,” while AT&T positions Casting Crowns with a full artist feature offering selected new ring tones. Both campaigns run Nov. 5 – 19.
Casting Crowns is currently headlining the 41-city “Until The Whole World Hears Tour” with special guest Matt Redman. For more, visit www.providentpress.com, or www.castingcrowns.com.
(Nashville, Tenn.) Aug. 26, 2009 - Christian music's GRAMMY, AMA and five-time Dove Award-winning Group of the Year, Casting Crowns performs on FOX News Channel's "Huckabee" show this weekend, airing at 8:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 29 and re-airing Sunday, Aug. 30.
The Governor interviews lead singer and Pastor Mark Hall about the group's second trip to North Korea, performing in Pyongyang, D.P.R.K as a U.S. delegate in a nationally-televised arts festival. Huckabee, on bass guitar, also joins the band's performance of its blockbuster No. 1 hit song, "Voice Of Truth."
(Nashville, Tenn.) April 24, 2009 – Christian music’s leader in sales and touring, Casting Crowns picks up a monumental fifth consecutive win last night for the prestigious Group of the Year award at the 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards, broadcast live on the Gospel Music Channel from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
Additionally, the band took home the Dove Award for Christmas Album of the Year for its 2008 chart-topping, first Christmas project Peace On Earth. The top-selling album reached No.1 on iTunes Christian albums chart, and No. 3 on iTunes overall Holiday albums chart in 2008, weekly topping seasonal releases from Faith Hill and Elvis Presley. Lead vocalist Mark Hall was also recognized as the project’s producer.
Hall said, “It’s been an amazing year of ministry for Casting Crowns. We are proud to be a part of Christian music and we thank GMA for making the Dove Awards such a special event.”
Casting Crowns received an additional Dove Award win in the Short Form Music Video category for its powerful music video “Slow Fade,” appearing on the band’s RIAA Gold-certified The Altar and The Door Live DVD/CD.
This week, the band returns from performing a second time in North Korea as a U.S. delegate in the nationally-televised “April Spring Arts Festival” in Pyongyang, D.P.R.K. Casting Crowns participated in 2007 as the only U.S. delegate. For more, visit www.providentpress.com for Global Resource Services’ recent press release.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – April 24, 2009 -- Dove Awards were handed out last night in Nashville for the 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards with singer/songwriter Brandon Heath and worship band Casting Crowns earning the most awards. Steven Curtis Chapman was honored as Artist of the Year and Tenth Avenue North received the Dove Award for New Artist which for the first time were voted on by both the gospel/Christian music industry and its fans.
Televised live on the Gospel Music Channel and held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, this year’s Dove Awards spread the love around like never before, with more than 75 artists, songwriters and producers receiving Dove trophies, including 38 out of the 43 award categories featuring different recipients. A complete list of all winners is avaiable at http://www.gospelmusic.org/newsmedia/pressRoom_detail.aspx?iid=40927&tid=33.
“Many different artists have obviously connected with people in powerful ways this year as evidenced by last night’s impressive number of singular honorees. The list of Dove Award recipients is very culturally and musically diverse, yet together they reveal the unique ability for gospel and Christian music to reach across cultural, religious and generational divides to encourage and inspire with the good news of the Gospel,” said John W. Styll, president of the Gospel Music Association (GMA) and executive producer of the Dove Awards.
This year’s Dove Awards show offered a powerful picture of Christian/gospel music’s appreciation for the past and embrace of the future. While the voting process welcomed new technologies that allowed fans to vote for the first time, southern gospel music icon Bill Gaither earned a Dove Award in 2009, 40 years after he received his first at the inaugural Dove Awards ceremony in 1969. The show’s musical performances continued the theme with moving tributes to legendary artists and performances from several New Artist of the Year nominees.
The Dove Award recipients in the overall categories were:
Artist of the Year – Steven Curtis Chapman
New Artist of the Year – Tenth Avenue North
Song of the Year -- “Give Me Your Eyes”; songwriters Brandon Heath and Jason Ingram
Songwriter of the Year -- Steven Curtis Chapman
Male Vocalist of the Year -- Brandon Heath
Female Vocalist of the Year -- Natalie Grant
Group of the Year -- Casting Crowns
For the first time, fans became stakeholders in the Dove Awards with an opportunity to vote for the winner of Artist of the Year and New Artist of the Year, in a campaign coordinated by the Gospel Music Channel. In an unprecedented engagement of fans, 250,000 votes were cast on gospelmusicchannel.com and via text messaging, including through the first part of the live broadcast.
Steven Curtis Chapman, who is used to making Dove Awards history, having already received more Dove Awards than any other artist in the awards show’s 40 years, was named Artist of the Year for the seventh time and Songwriter of the Year for the 10th time. His 2008-09 worldwide hit “Cinderella” not only brought Chapman praise for his always consummate songwriting skills, it became a worldwide hit and sentimental favorite because of the tragic loss he and his family experienced nearly a year ago, when five-year-old Maria, one of three Chinese-adopted daughters who inspired “Cinderella,” died in an accident. Introduced by current tour mate Michael W. Smith and joined on stage in his band by sons Will Franklin and Caleb, Chapman’s performance of “Cinderella” brought the audience to tears and to their feet.
Tenth Avenue North became the first New Artist of the Year to be voted on by fans. The melodic pop-rock group, currently on tour with MercyMe, became the best selling new Christian artist of 2008 with its debut CD Over and Underneath.
Heath, who was 2008’s New Artist of the Year, proved he was no rookie by following that up with three Dove Awards this year, including Male Vocalist of the Year. Heath also received the prestigious Song of the Year Dove Award for co-writing with Jason Ingram “Give Me Your Eyes,” from Heath’s sophomore CD What If We. “Give Me Your Eyes,” which spent 14 weeks at No.1 on Billboard’s Hot Christian AC radio chart, and 27 weeks at No. 1 on iTunes Christian Song Chart also earned a trophy for Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year. Heath offered a compelling performance of “Give Me Your Eyes” during the live awards broadcast, that included a step/stomp dance routine that mirrored Heath’s music video of the song.
Casting Crowns also earned three Dove Awards, including the band’s fifth consecutive Group of the Year trophy, winning this award every year it has been nominated. The band also took home honors for Christmas Album of the Year for its 2008 chart-topping, first Christmas project Peace On Earth and a Dove Award for Short Form Music Video for the powerful music video “Slow Fade,” which appears on the band’s recent RIAA Gold-certified The Altar and The Door Live DVD/CD.
Grant extends her reign as Female Vocalist of the Year with her fourth consecutive trophy in that category. Only Sandi Patty has been honored as Female vocalist more times. Notably, Grant was not the only one in her family to be honored last night. Husband and songwriter/producer Bernie Herms was named Producer of the Year (He produced Grant’s Relentless with Shaun Shankel). Grant shared the stage with hip/hop artist Group 1 Crew for an electric R&B-flavored performance of “Make it Matter.”
Among the Dove Awards other multiple artist winners were Smith (for Inspirational Recorded Song and Praise & Worship Album), Blind Boys of Alabama (Traditional Gospel Recorded Song and Album), Chris Tomlin (for his contributions to Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song and Special Event Album), Jeff & Sherri Easter and Lewis Family (Bluegrass Recorded Song and Bluegrass Album).
Last night’s broadcast of the Dove Awards featured nothing but unforgettable performances, starting with urban gospel duo Mary Mary’s high energy rendition of their Dove Award-winning Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song “Get Up.” and culminating with GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame members and double Dove Award winners the Blind Boys of Alabama bringing a New Orleans jazz sound to “Free At Last,” with special guest Mac Powell (of Third Day) who then introduced a final celebration of the 40th anniversary of “Oh Happy Day,” the 18th century hymn which became gospel music’s first mainstream crossover hit when it was arranged and recorded by the Edwin Hawkins Singers. Hawkins himself was joined onstage by a group of artists including Donnie McClurkin and American Idol finalists Mandisa and Phil Stacey and Gospel Dream Winner Melinda Watts.
Several other performances paid tribute to the past including an emotional multi-artist segment honoring Southern Gospel legend and GMA Gospel Music Hall of Famer Dottie Rambo who died in a tragic bus accident last year. Kim Hopper, Brian Free & Assurance, Ronnie Milsap, Jason Crabb and Rambo’s daughter and family members Reba Rambo McGuire, Dony McGuire and Destiny McGuire and a reunion appearance of Larnelle Harris and Sandi Patty performed some of Rambo’s biggest hits. MercyMe, reflecting on a decade in Christian music, performed a stirring arrangement of their huge mainstream hit single from 2001 “I Can Only Imagine.” The band was introduced by Miss California U.S.A. Carrie Prejean.
Also appearing in performances or presenting on the Dove Awards were Kierra Sheard, Third Day, Chris Tomlin, Francesca Battistelli, Jonathan Nelson, Remedy Drive, Chris Sligh, Tenth Avenue North, Billy Baldwin, Chynna Vaughan, Sinbad, A.J. Styles, Fireflight, Kirk Franklin, Richie McDonald, Ronnie Milsap, Tye Tribbett, Jeremy Camp, Martha Munizzi, Mary Alessi, DecembeRadio, GRITS, Jason Crabb, Kim Hopper, The Afters, Canton Jones, Isaiah D. Thomas, Marty Magehee, Mark Harris, Wayne Watson, Rebecca St. James and Lisa Kimmey.
The Dove Awards pre-telecast featured the presentation of the majority of the evening’s 43 Dove Awards as well as performances by Meredith Andrews, Downhere and J.R.
Also this evening, Jars of Clay was also recognized with Gospel Music Channel’s annual Gospel Angels Award, which recognizes recording artists who activate and inspire others to positively change the lives of people. Jars of Clay was honored for its Blood:Water Mission project, a non-profit organization that empowers communities to work together against the HIV/AIDS and water crisis founded by the members of the multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning band. To find out more about the Blood:Water Mission, please visit http://www.bloodwatermission.com/.
Steve Gilreath, producer of the GMA Dove Awards for the 8th consecutive year, was joined by producer Rob Cowlyn to put on the live stage show and broadcast.
This is the second straight year that Gospel Music Channel has televised the Dove Awards live. In addition to the exclusive live broadcast, Gospel Music Channel will present back-to-back encore broadcasts that night and additional re-airings following. Gospel Music Channel’s rapid growth has made it the fastest growing network in television for the past two years and GMC is now available in more than 45 million homes in all major markets on the major cable systems as well as on DIRECTV on Channel 338.
The American Bible Society (http://www.americanbible.org/) is the official charity for the 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards.
The Global Resource Services (GRS) presented Mark and Melanie Hall with its annual “Beyond Charity” Award at a banquet recently for their global efforts and diplomacy in charity work. The award honors outstanding global public figures who demonstrate GRS’ three foundational strategic values-- Relationships, Respect, and Reconciliation. Mark and Melanie Hall have worked with GRS since 2005 in addition to the many other charities Casting Crowns works with every year. The band traveled with GRS to North Korea in April 2007, and Casting Crowns returns to the country this month to perform at the 2009 Spring Friendship Art Festival in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPK). The Annie Moses Band will also be on the trip to North Korean with GRS and performing at the Art Festival for the first time.
For more information about Global Resource Services, please visit: www.grsworld.org. For more information about Casting Crowns, please visit: www.castingcrowns.com.
Four-time Group of the Year Dove Award winners, Casting Crowns, celebrates five nominations today for the 40th GMA Dove Awards, including Artist of the Year and a fifth consecutive nod for Group of the Year.
Additionally, the band is nominated for Christmas Album of the Year for its 2008 chart-topping, first Christmas project Peace On Earth. The top-selling album reached No.1 on iTunes Christian albums chart, and No. 3 on iTunes overall Holiday albums chart in 2008, topping seasonal releases from Faith Hill and Elvis Presley.
Lead singer Mark Hall said, “It’s been an amazing year of ministry for Casting Crowns. We are proud to be a part of Christian music and we thank GMA for making the Dove Awards such a special event.”
Casting Crowns receives additional Dove nods in the Short Form Music Video category for its powerful music video “Slow Fade,” appearing on the band’s recent RIAA Gold-certified The Altar and The Door Live DVD/CD, which also picks up a nomination today for Long Form Music Video.
Both of the band’s previous live DVD releases (Live From Atlanta (2004) and Lifesong Live (2006)) have reached RIAA Platinum status, along with its 2 Platinum albums Casting Crowns (2003) and Lifesong (2005), and current Gold album The Altar and The Door (2007). For more information on Casting Crowns and for concert listings, please visit www.castingcrowns.com.
For the first time, fans will become stakeholders in the Dove Awards with an opportunity to vote for the winner of Artist of the Year along with New Artist of the Year. Fan voting, which will be conducted through the Gospel Music Channel website (www.gospelmusicchannel.com) and at www.doveawards.com, will open on February 26, the same day online voting opens for GMA members. The cumulative fan vote, which will continue through the live Dove Awards broadcast, will account for one-third of the total vote in those two categories.
Yesterday, Grammy-winning artist Casting
Crowns was the featured guest performer during the National Prayer
Breakfast in Washington, D.C. The platinum-selling band played its mega-hit
songs “Voice of Truth” and “Who Am I” for President Obama, former British
Prime Minister Tony Blair and the more than 3,000 attendees, including
dignitaries from more than 180 nations. Casting Crowns spent the day
with Congressman to the third district of Tennessee, Zach Wamp, touring the
Capitol building and performing again last night during a worship service at
the Washington Hilton Hotel. The band’s participation is profiled in
national media stories including audio clips in the Associated Press and the
White House blog. To learn more about Casting Crowns, please
visit: www.castingcrowns.com.
Casting
Crowns performs its anthemic single, "I Heard the Bells on
Christmas Day" from the group's No.1 Christmas album Peace On Earth for the First
Lady, Vice President Dick Cheney and other Washington VIPs, tonight on the TNT
Premiere of "CHRISTMAS IN WASHINGTON." This concert is a holiday
music celebration benefiting the National Children’s Medical Center.
New holiday music off Casting Crowns' first Christmas album Peace On Earth debuts Friday, November 28, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) on the TBN network during a 1-hour TV special featuring a front-row seat to "Casting Crowns Christmas Celebration Tour." The program includes special guest, Max Lucado, and performances by Natalie Grant, Avalon, Denver and the Mile High Orchestra, Michael English and pureNRG. The network will re-air Casting Crowns' Christmas special through the end of the year. Check local listings for air times. Peace On Earth is currently the No.1 album on Billboard's Top Christian/Gospel albums chart. For more information on Casting Crowns please visit: www.castingcrowns.com.
(Nashville, Tenn.) Oct. 16, 2008 –
GRAMMY-winning, multi-platinum artist Casting
Crowns celebrates its sixth consecutive RIAA milestone today
with the Gold certification of its third live DVD/CD release, The Altar and
The Door Live. This project, released on Aug.
19, captures the band’s monumental 2007-2008 headlining tour in 5.1 Surround
Sound, which closed as one of Christian music’s
top-attended tours of all time with nearly 500,000 fans attending in more than 80 cities.
This certification
comes on the heels of the band’s fourth American Music
Awards nomination, announced Tuesday, and the release
of Casting Crowns’ first Christmas album Peace On Earth. The new album reached No. 1 on iTunes Christian albums chart, and is
currently No. 3 on iTunes overall Holiday albums chart topping new seasonal
releases from Faith Hill and Elvis Presley. Peace On Earth also debuts at No. 4 on Billboard’s Top Christian Albums
chart, and No.1 on both SoundScan’s Christian Retail chart and Christian
Seasonal Overall charts, as the highest charting Christmas album of the week.
This holiday season, the
band will headline the 14-city “Casting Crowns Christmas Celebration” with full
orchestra and choir, Nov. 28 – Dec.14. The tour will also feature Natalie
Grant, Denver & the Mile High Orchestra, Avalon, Michael English, and
pureNRG.
Both of the band’s previous live DVD releases Live From Atlanta (2004) and Lifesong Live (2006) have reached RIAA Platinum status, along
with its 2 Platinum albums Casting Crowns (2003) and Lifesong
(2005), and current Gold album The Altar and The Door (2007).
For more information on Casting Crowns and for concert listings, please visit www.castingcrowns.com.
(Nashville, Tenn.) September 2, 2008 – GRAMMY-winning, multi-platinum artist Casting Crowns announces the forthcoming release of its first Christmas album titled Peace on Earth on Oct. 7. The top-selling artist’s premiere Christmas project follows up the last 12 months of landmark touring, radio and album sales success surrounding it’s RIAA certified Gold The Altar and The Door studio project, including last week’s debut of The Altar and The Door Live which exceeded both debut sales weeks for the band’s previous RIAA Platinum live projects Live From Atlanta (2004) and Lifesong Live (2006).
For Peace on Earth, Casting Crowns selects a song list pointing audiences towards rediscovering the worship in Christmas songs and encouraging listeners to connect with the original meaning in world-renowned classics that are truly worshipful in nature.
Mark Hall, frontman/ principal songwriter, says, “I want to see people rediscover the worship that Christmas songs have in them. A lot of times, when we sing carols, we sort of shift into Christmas carol mode—singing songs that we’ve been singing for so long, we might not be hearing what they’re really saying.”
Peace on Earth’s featured single “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” which features a Chattanooga, Tenn.-based boys choir personifying the bells, was originally penned by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The poetic lyrics document how hope emerged from a crisis of faith the writer experienced after he lost his wife in a house fire and soon saw his son crippled in the Civil War.
“He wrote about how every year when these Christmas bells ring, it reminds him that there’s peace on earth, good will toward men,” explains Hall. “But this time around, the reality of the world he lives in at that moment rushes in. The verses change, and suddenly he’s saying, ‘But there is no peace. There’s war, and there’s hate. And this hate mocks the song of the bells.’ He’s working through his understanding of Christmas. And as the bells keep ringing, he just has this moment when he realizes God is not dead, nor does He sleep. Good will prevail. God is going to save the day.” Hall adds, “This generation needs to hear this song. My kids need to hear this song.”
Peace on Earth also boasts moving renditions of “Silent Night” (Hall’s all-time favorite), “Joy to the World,” the Paul Baloche-penned “Christmas Offering,” “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “Sweet Little Jesus Boy,” and “Away in a Manger” (as it originally appeared on 2005’s WOW Christmas). The album also includes the Amy Grant classic “God is With Us,” featuring shared lead vocal duties with keyboardist Megan Garrett and violinist Melodee DeVevo, and an instrumental in the form of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” highlighting DeVevo’s musical arrangements and entrancing violin.
In addition to the beloved Christmas faves on Peace on Earth, fans will also experience a popular Casting Crowns song in a new light. Unbeknownst to most, Hall originally wrote “While You Were Sleeping” as a Christmas song when he was in college. Thematically inspired by “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” the composition’s lyrics were eventually changed to make the song less “seasonal” before including it on Casting Crowns’ second platinum album, Lifesong. Now, to Hall’s delight, fans will hear the original version.
The aptly titled album emphasizes the relentless hope pervading Casting Crowns’ Christmas album. “How do you know there’s peace on earth?” asks Hall. “Jesus said, ‘They will know that you love Me by the way you love each other.’ And at one point, He even said, ‘They will know that I come from God by the way you love each other.’ As long as the people of God are here, there’s hope.”
Casting Crowns, who headlined the top-grossing Christian music tour of the ’07/’08 season selling 450,000 tickets in more than 80 cities, will headline the 14-city “Casting Crowns Christmas Celebration” with full orchestra and choir in November and December. The tour will also feature Natalie Grant, Denver & the Mile High Orchestra, Avalon, Michael English, and pureNRG.
Casting Crowns with lead singer Mark Hall led the 39th Annual GMA Dove Awards with seven wins including Group of the Year for the fourth consecutive year, and Song of the Year for its No. 1 hit “East to West.” The group’s third studio recording The Altar and The Door achieved an historical debut at No. 2 on The Billboard 200 chart with 130,000 first-week copies sold, making it the highest debut in America that week. The album sailed to RIAA Gold status in 10 weeks, securing Casting Crowns as the No.1 selling artist of 2007 on Billboard’s Christian/Gospel year-end chart.
Lead singer Mark Hall is a full-time youth pastor, serving his 17th year in youth ministry as a student pastor at Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church in Atlanta. All seven band members remain active in student ministry in the Atlanta area and tour part-time around their local church duties. For more information on Casting Crowns and for concert listings, please visit www.castingcrowns.com.
GRAMMY-winning, multi-platinum artist Casting Crowns is the anchor of a recent Billboard magazine feature story (Aug. 30 issue), highlighting Christian music artists who maintain dual careers juggling the responsibilities of recording and touring as they serve in full-time staff positions in their local church. Casting Crowns’ lead singer/songwriter Mark Hall is currently serving his 17th year in youth ministry as the Youth pastor at Eagles Landing church in Atlanta. Hall oversees more than 400 students each week, and only tours with Casting Crowns around his church responsibilities. All seven band members actively serve in student ministry in their respective churches in the Atlanta area. Next month, Casting Crowns will release its first Christmas album titled Peace on Earth on Oct. 7. The top-selling artist’s premiere Christmas project follows up the last 12 months of landmark touring, radio and album sales success surrounding it’s RIAA certified Gold The Altar and The Door studio project, including last week’s debut of The Altar and The Door Live which exceeded both debut sales weeks for the band’s previous RIAA Platinum live projects Live From Atlanta (2004) and Lifesong Live (2006). For more information on the band, please visit www.castingcrowns.com.
(Nashville, Tenn.) September 2, 2008 – GRAMMY-winning,
multi-platinum artist Casting Crowns announces the forthcoming
release of its first Christmas album titled Peace on Earth on
Oct. 7. The top-selling artist’s premiere Christmas project follows up the
last 12 months of landmark touring, radio and album sales success surrounding
it’s RIAA certified Gold The Altar and The Door studio project,
including last week’s debut of The Altar and The Door Live which exceeded both debut sales weeks for
the band’s previous RIAA Platinum live projects Live From Atlanta
(2004) and Lifesong Live (2006).
For Peace on Earth, Casting Crowns selects a song list pointing
audiences towards rediscovering the worship in Christmas songs and encouraging
listeners to connect with the original meaning in world-renowned classics that
are truly worshipful in nature.
Mark Hall,
frontman/ principal songwriter, says, “I want
to see people rediscover the worship that Christmas songs have in them. A
lot of times, when we sing carols, we sort of shift into Christmas carol
mode—singing songs that we’ve been singing for so long, we might not be hearing
what they’re really saying.”
Peace on Earth’s featured single “I
Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” which features a Chattanooga, Tenn.-based
boys choir personifying the bells, was originally penned by Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow. The poetic lyrics document how hope emerged from a crisis of
faith the writer experienced after he lost his wife in a house fire and soon
saw his son crippled in the Civil War.
“He
wrote about how every year when these Christmas bells ring, it reminds him that
there’s peace on earth, good will toward men,” explains Hall. “But this time
around, the reality of the world he lives in at that moment rushes in. The
verses change, and suddenly he’s saying, ‘But there is no peace. There’s war,
and there’s hate. And this hate mocks the song of the bells.’ He’s working
through his understanding of Christmas. And as the bells keep ringing, he just
has this moment when he realizes God is not dead, nor does He sleep. Good will
prevail. God is going to save the day.” Hall adds, “This generation needs
to hear this song. My kids need to hear this song.”
Peace on Earth also boasts moving renditions of
“Silent Night” (Hall’s all-time favorite), “Joy to the World,” the Paul
Baloche-penned “Christmas Offering,” “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “Sweet Little
Jesus Boy,” and “Away in a Manger” (as it originally appeared on 2005’s WOW
Christmas). The album also includes the Amy Grant classic “God is With
Us,” featuring shared lead vocal duties with keyboardist Megan Garrett and
violinist Melodee DeVevo, and an instrumental in the form of “O Come, O Come
Emmanuel” highlighting DeVevo’s musical arrangements and entrancing violin.
In addition to the beloved Christmas faves on Peace
on Earth, fans will also experience a popular
Casting Crowns song in a new light. Unbeknownst to most, Hall
originally wrote “While You Were Sleeping” as a Christmas song when he was in
college. Thematically inspired by “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” the
composition’s lyrics were eventually changed to make the song less “seasonal”
before including it on Casting Crowns’ second platinum album, Lifesong.
Now, to Hall’s delight, fans will hear the original version.
The aptly titled album emphasizes the relentless hope pervading Casting Crowns’
Christmas album. “How do you know there’s peace on earth?” asks Hall. “Jesus
said, ‘They will know that you love Me by the way you love each other.’ And at
one point, He even said, ‘They will know that I come from God by the way you
love each other.’ As long as the people of God are here, there’s hope.”
Casting
Crowns, who headlined the top-grossing Christian music tour of the ’07/’08
season selling 450,000 tickets in more than 80 cities, will headline the
14-city “Casting Crowns Christmas Celebration” with full orchestra and choir in
November and December. The tour will also feature Natalie Grant, Denver &
the Mile High Orchestra, Avalon, Michael English, and pureNRG.
Casting Crowns with
lead singer Mark Hall led the 39th Annual GMA Dove Awards with seven
wins including Group of the Year for the fourth consecutive
year, and Song of the Year for its No. 1 hit “East to
West.” The group’s third studio recording The Altar and The
Door achieved an historical debut at No. 2 on The Billboard
200 chart with 130,000 first-week copies sold, making it the highest debut
in America that week. The album sailed to RIAA Gold status in 10 weeks,
securing Casting Crowns as the No.1 selling artist of 2007 on Billboard’s
Christian/Gospel year-end chart.
Lead
singer Mark Hall is a full-time youth pastor, serving his 17th year
in youth ministry as a student pastor at Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church
in Atlanta. All seven band members remain active in student ministry in the
Atlanta area and tour part-time around their local church duties. For more
information on Casting Crowns and for concert listings, please visit www.castingcrowns.com.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – April 24, 2008 – Christian music’s top-selling, top-touring, and multi-platinum artist, Casting Crowns was the lead winner at Wednesday’s 39th annual Dove Awards, taking home seven trophies between the band and lead singer, and top nominee of the night, Mark Hall. Honoring the best in gospel music, the Gospel Music Association selected Casting Crowns as Group of the Year for the fourth year in a row.
The Atlanta-based band entered into the evening’s show with four nominations and left with three Doves in tow. Additional wins by Christian music’s top group were for its latest blockbuster, RIAA Gold project, The Altar and The Door which was named Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year, and included the No.1 smash hit, “East To West,” which won the coveted Song of the Year honor, and Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year.
Mark Hall, the leading nominee going into the night with seven (including Songwriter of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year), collected four individual Doves, including two as songwriter of “East to West” in the above mentioned categories, and two for his participation on the Glory Revealed project which nabbed Special Event Album of the Year, as well as its hit radio single, “By His Wounds,” receiving the award for Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year.
“I’m so thankful just to get to be part of the songs,” Hall said to the press backstage and noted by the Associated Press.
The Altar and The Door, the third studio recording from Casting Crowns, achieved an historical debut at No. 2 on The Billboard 200 chart with 130,000 first-week copies sold, making it the highest debut in the country that week. The album sailed to RIAA Gold status in 10 weeks. Its massive first single, “East to West,” topped four Christian radio charts, including a record-setting 14 weeks at No. 1 on Christian AC radio.
Hall is a full-time youth pastor, serving his 17th year in youth ministry as a student pastor at Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church in Atlanta. All seven band members remain active in student ministry in the Atlanta area and tour part-time around their local church duties.
Casting Crowns wrapped 2007 as the No. 1 top-selling Christian music artist of the year. The group’s “The Altar and The Door Tour” will wrap May 4 in Louisville, Kentucky as the top-grossing tour of 2007/08 season for a Christian music artist. On this tour, Casting Crowns has played to 500,000 fans over 84 dates with 21 sell-out shows. In addition to this week’s multiple Dove Award wins, the band won its first American Music Award in November and received three GRAMMY nominations for The 50th GRAMMY Awards.
This year marks the third time award-winning Christian band Casting Crowns will head to the American Music Awards and also the first time that the public gets to decide the winners.
Casting Crowns has received a Grammy Award and for the last three years has won Gospel Music’s Dove award for “Group of the Year.”
But the seven-member band has yet to win as favorite artist in the AMA’s Contemporary Inspirational Artist category. Last year, the title went to Kirk Franklin and in 2005 to Jars of Clay.
However, the group’s record label is hoping that this year’s voting system for the 2007 AMA Awards – to air live on ABC on Sunday, Nov. 18, 8-11 p.m. ET – will work in their favor.
“We are thrilled the American Music Awards are allowing fans to vote online this year,” said Ben Howard, Sr. VP of Marketing & Sales for Provident Label Group.
“We anticipate this will mobilize the millions of Casting Crowns fans to champion their favorite band, and ultimately offer another opportunity for the Christian music fan to be heard on a national level.”
Online voters will determine the winners in all AMA categories this year.
Voting for the AMA opened on Tuesday, Oct. 9, and closes Nov. 2 at 3 a.m. ET. Only one vote is allowed per registered account from the U.S.
Click
HERE for more on Casting Crowns.
The top-selling band in Christian music,
Casting Crowns opened its 36-city fall tour last night to a sold-out crowd in San Antonio at the Municipal Auditorium. The tour plays El Paso, Texas, tonight and wraps up the weekend with shows in Glendale, AZ, and Anaheim, Calif. The tour's powerhouse lineup features opening act Leeland and introducing John Waller.
Casting Crowns are set to release one of the biggest albums this year with The Altar and The Door in stores on Tuesday, Aug. 28. Retail, radio and media outlets are set to cover the high-profile street week with on-air morning show appearances scheduled with The Fish Atlanta, The Joy FM radio network, WCSG Grand Rapids, KTIS Minneapolis, WCVO Columbus, WPOZ Orlando, WRCM Greenville, and Star 99.1 New Jersey, and events confirmed with LifeWay stores in Orlando and Columbus, Northwestern Bookstore in Minneapolis and the Family Christian Store in Charlotte, N.C. Media coverage includes Billboard, Reuters, R&R magazine, CCM magazine, Good Day Atlanta Fox morning show and the Atlanta-Journal Constitution.
Click here to see more on Casting Crowns.
(Nashville, Tenn.) July 3, 2007 — Christian music’s top-selling act Casting Crowns breaks another record this week with 78 out-of-the-box radio adds of its new single “East To West” off the forthcoming album The Altar and The Door releasing Aug. 28. The multi-Platinum, GRAMMY-winning band surpassed the previous record of 64 first-week adds across the Christian AC, CHR and INSP formats.
In “East To West” lead singer and songwriter Mark Hall tackles the topic of forgiveness. “We have a hard time with the concept of forgiveness,” he says. “We cut ourselves and it heals, but the scar remains. Sometimes we think God treats sin like we would if we were God, and that he handles forgiveness like we would. We know he forgives, but we can’t accept that God chooses to forget and relinquishes his right to avenge.”
“Casting Crowns has done it again,” says Joe Buchanan, Network Music Director for New Life Media in Morris, Ill. “Wrapping a powerful message of truth within a song easy to fall in love with! Addressing an area of struggle for so many, ‘East to West’ is sure to impact lives from the very first listen.”
Johnny Stone, program director at WAWZ in Zarephath, NJ agrees, “Casting Crowns keeps it real and wins big with another smash hit in ‘East To West.’”
Casting Crowns is also currently the No.1 Christian artist on MySpace with the single “East to West” accumulating over 27,000 plays on the page in just over three days. As the single continues to gain momentum, this is only the beginning for the busy road ahead for Casting Crowns, which includes extensive media coverage and a major fall tour. This month’s HomeLife magazine features lead singer Mark Hall and his wife Melanie on the cover, sharing their experience with Casting Crowns as well as Hall’s position as student pastor at Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church in Atlanta.
Fans across the country will have the opportunity to see the band live on its headlining “The Altar and The Door” Fall Tour presented by Aquasis with special guest Leeland, and introducing John Waller.
With four RIAA-Platinum projects over its three-year career, Casting Crowns has been honored with a GRAMMY Award, two American Music Award nods and now 12 Gospel Music Dove Awards. Casting Crowns has been the most played artist on all Christian radio formats combined, with six consecutive No.1 AC radio hits, and the group has sold more than 2.5 million albums to date. Casting Crowns claims the distinction of being the fastest CCM artist in its career to have its first two albums certified Platinum, and only the second in RIAA history ever to achieve it (the other being Jars of Clay). Earlier this year, the band made a trip to North Korea, as the only U.S. band invited to play at the April Art Friendship Festival.
Mark Hall, lead singer of platinum selling and GRAMMY award-winning band Casting Crowns, releases his first national book titled Lifestories: Finding God’s “Voice of Truth” Through Everyday Life, with writer Tim Luke, on Aug. 29. Lifestories, published by Provident Books, chronicles the people, events and life experiences that inspired many of Hall’s award-winning songs on the band’s self-titled debut album and its latest release, Lifesong.
“My sincere prayer is that Lifestories will not simply be read, but experienced,” Hall said. “Furthest from my mind was the notion of entertaining; each chapter was prayed over as it was written—and invariably the prayer asked God to use this book to exalt the name of Jesus Christ. I prayed that He would use this work to help lead people to His Word, and to Him, so that He could encourage them, inspire them, instruct them, motivate them—and, if need be, convict and correct. I prayed for Him to save souls and to change lives.”
“We are thrilled to have this opportunity to partner with Mark,” said Dean Diehl, sr. vp of marketing for Provident Label Group. “He is a husband, father, pastor, songwriter and man of God. Now fans will get to experience Mark Hall ‘the author’ as he reveals a deeper look behind his music and ministry than ever before.”
Lifestories is not a typical “artist book” project. There are no photos of the band or interviews with its members. Instead, readers will find a collection of true stories about real-life people and their extraordinary life experiences, many of which provided the catalyst for Hall’s award-winning songwriting—producing five No. 1 radio hits and earning him the “Songwriter of the Year” award by BMI and the GMA for 2 consecutive years, propelling Casting Crowns to the top of the Christian radio and retail charts in its short two-and-a-half year music career.
For example, Lifestories reveals how Casting Crowns’ current No. 1 radio single “Praise You in This Storm” was written for 11-year-old fan Erin Browning, who was diagnosed with bone cancer shortly after the band met her at a show in 2004. Through e-mails and phone calls, the band walked with Erin’s family through its unimaginable personal storm. Erin passed away in fall 2005. Hall was so deeply touched by the unwavering faith of her heartbroken mother that the lyrics to the song were born. The song has remained on the top of the radio charts for 6 consecutive weeks to date.
For additional information on Mark Hall, Lifestories and Casting Crowns including concert dates, please visit www.castingcrowns.com.
About Mark Hall:
Mark Hall’s 36-year-old heart beats for teenagers, which is why he has been called to be a student pastor for 15 years. It’s just that he sings to them to get his points across. Despite the multi-platinum success of his band Casting Crowns, Mark serves on staff at Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church in McDonough, GA. His 400 teenagers still receive his attention every Wednesday night, even if he has to schedule the band’s sellout tours around those dates. His wife of 16 years, Melanie, and children, John Michael, 8, Reagan, 6, and Zoe, 3, all travel on the tour bus. They go wherever he goes. He wouldn’t have it any other way.
Hall has written five No. 1 songs in the past two years for Casting Crowns, including GMA’s 2005 Song of the Year “Who Am I” and both 2006 song nominees “Voice of Truth” and “Lifesong.” Casting Crowns has sold more than 2 million albums and recently won its first GRAMMY Award for sophomore album Lifesong.
After its highly successful Fall 2005 tour, performing to nearly 150,000 fans over 38 dates,
Casting Crowns announces plans for a second leg of its headlining “Lifesong Tour.” Joining Casting
Crowns on the Spring leg will be award-winning and critically-acclaimed female artist Nichole
Nordeman, plus singer/songwriter newcomer Josh Bates and speaker Tony Nolan.
Casting Crowns will take to the road on February 9th through May 7th with plans to reach 46
markets across the country in support of their recently GRAMMY-nominated, RIAA Gold Lifesong
album.
About the fall leg, Shane Quick from Real Life Promotions stated, “To call the Casting Crowns
Lifesong Tour ‘just a concert’ would be an injustice. It was so much more than that. I feel like I’m
a step closer to God because of it. The only thing that shines brighter than Casting Crowns’
amazing music is their love for Jesus Christ and his lost people. I believe Casting Crowns has set
the standard for how a Christian concert should be.”
Even with a heavy touring schedule set for 2006, Mark Hall and the band remain focused on the
ministry, with Mark still leading his youth group’s 400 students each Wednesday night, even while
on tour.
Casting Crowns has sold 2 million units in its short two-year career. The band was named this
year’s GMA “Group of the Year,” and lead singer Mark Hall was named GMA’s “Songwriter of the
Year” for the second consecutive year as well as BMI’s 2005 “Songwriter of the Year.” Casting
Crowns’ 2004 debut album quickly earned the highest first-week sales of any debut artist on
Nielsen SoundScan Christian market sales chart for the year, eventually selling more than 1 million
units. The project’s three radio singles, “If We Are The Body,” “Who Am I,” and “Voice of Truth”
all spent multiple weeks at No. 1 on numerous charts, the third of which spent a record-breaking
13 weeks at No. 1.
Nichole Nordeman is a two-time “Female Vocalist of the Year” and eight-time Dove Award Winner.
“What If”, the second single from her latest release, Brave, is currently climbing radio charts and
rising in the top 15 on both R&R and CRW, following “Brave” which soared to #1 on R&R. Unfailing
honesty has been the resonating theme of Nichole Nordeman’s music from her first record (Wide
Eyed) in 1998 and with her current critically acclaimed project, Brave. The armful of Dove and
ASCAP awards and radio #1’s are just further evidence that Nordeman has captured the hearts of
like-minded listeners. Nordeman’s lyrics and melodies were recently described by All Music Guide
as an “inspirational, unfailingly honest, and crisply modern approach to CCM,” adding that she’s
“clear about her faith, her belief. But she is never heavy handed with it.”
Special guest speaker and emcee for the evening, Tony Nolan, is no stranger to Christian
audiences. With his evangelistic focus and relevant speaking style, Tony speaks to over 800,000+
students through radio, television, festivals, concerts and conferences every year.
Tony is also the founder and leader of UPGRADE, a “salvation awakening” insurrection, with a core
mission to facilitate corporate encounters with God through prayer, concerts of worship, and
biblical teaching that supernaturally transforms hearts, resulting in a resurgence of First Century
outreach. He lives in Woodstock, Georgia with his wife Tammy, and their three children.
Josh Bates is a 23-year-old singer/songwriter and Kentucky native. At the age of fifteen, Bates
became acquainted with Mark Miller, president and founder of Beach Street Records, an imprint of
Reunion Records, which set off a seven year mentoring friendship. A uniquely talented musician,
Bates has played mandolin since he was eleven and now plays guitar and piano. He grew up
singing in church, influenced by the culture of the Appalachian region.
After its highly successful Fall 2005 tour, performing to nearly 150,000 fans over 38 dates, Casting Crowns announces plans for a second leg of its headlining “Lifesong Tour.”
Joining Casting Crowns on the Spring leg will be award-winning and critically-acclaimed female artist Nichole Nordeman, plus singer/songwriter newcomer Josh Bates and speaker Tony Nolan. Casting Crowns will take to the road on February 9th through May 7th with plans to reach 46 markets across the country in support of their recently GRAMMY-nominated, RIAA Gold Lifesong album.
About the fall leg, Shane Quick from Real Life Promotions stated, “To call the Casting Crowns Lifesong Tour ‘just a concert’ would be an injustice. It was so much more than that. I feel like I’m a step closer to God because of it. The only thing that shines brighter than Casting Crowns’ amazing music is their love for Jesus Christ and his lost people. I believe Casting Crowns has set the standard for how a Christian concert should be.” Even with a heavy touring schedule set for 2006, Mark Hall and the band remain focused on the ministry, with Mark still leading his youth group’s 400 students each Wednesday night, even while on tour.
Dove Award-winning artist Nichole Nordeman, having just wrapped a successful headline tour of her own, will be a special guest on Casting Crowns' 46-city Lifesong Tour from February 9 through May 7, 2006. Nordeman will be supporting her fourth album, BRAVE, one of the best-reviewed projects of this year.
"Disc of the day, hands down," declared Music Row magazine upon the May 2005 release of BRAVE.
SongTouch.com wrote: "Marriage and motherhood have added a new dimension to this already multi-faceted singer-songwriter, and she seems more certain than ever before of who she is as an artist and what she wants to communicate. With BRAVE, Nordeman confidently - and successfully - branches out and proves she's much more than brave. She's fearless."
Following the tremendous success of her 2002 release, WOVEN & SPUN, Nordeman took an extended time off for the birth of her first child. The artist's return this year to recording and performing have been as rewarding to her as to the fans.
"Hitting the road after a couple years off was a real joy," said Nordeman following her recent Brave Tour. "I'm not sure I've ever enjoyed performing live as much as I did over the last couple months. It felt as though God breathed some new life into my music."
Nordeman's music can be heard in several places right now. She's a featured artist on the popular MUSIC INSPIRED BY THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA as well as a holiday compilation entitled CHRISTMAS ANGELS, also featuring Alison Krauss and Sparrow Records label mate Bethany Dillon.
For a complete list of Lifesong Tour dates, plus details on BRAVE, featuring the new single, "What If," visit NicholeNordeman.com.
