Fervent/Reprise Records singer/songwriter Francesca Battistelli continues to make significant headway with her acclaimed debut, My Paper Heart. From the small screen to now the big screen, Battistelli's top 5 radio hit, "I'm Letting Go," can be heard in the promotions for the just-released "Julie & Julia" movie featuring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, while her current radio single, "It's Your Life," was heard during last week's season finale of Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance."
Battistelli is set to perform this fall on the 43-city "Follow You Tour" as special guest to co-headliners Brandon Heath and Leeland. The high-profile touring event kicks off Sept. 23rd in Norfolk, Nebraska and goes through November 22, ending in Birmingham, Alabama. Not one to sit back and relax, Battistelli is confirmed to also perform on Newsong's 2009 Christmas tour and will kick off next spring appearing on the "Rock and Worship Road Show," along with headliner MercyMe. Upcoming dates will be announced shortly.
Appearing earlier this year on the 35-city nationwide 2009 WinterJam tour, Battistelli continues to perform this summer across the country at churches and festivals. She will appear in mid-September at DisneyWorld's famed "Night Of Joy."
Grammy® nominee and GMA Dove Award winning Male Vocalist of theYear, Brandon Heath and Grammy®-nominated progressive rock act, Leeland, will co-headline the Follow You Tour in 43-cities this fall, featuring special guest Francesca Battistelli. The Follow You Tour introduces new music from Leeland’s anticipated third album titled Love Is On The Move releasing Aug. 25, and Heath’s award-winning sophomore album What If We, featuring his Dove Award-winning Song of the Year “Give Me Your Eyes” and Christian AC radio’s recent No.1 song “Wait And See.” The high-profile touring event kicks off at the Johnny Carson Theatre in Norfolk, Neb., September 23 and wraps up on November 22 at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala.
Along with offering audiences a night of great music and worship with three of the most popular artists in Christian music today, the Follow You Tour also engages attendees with a message close to the hearts of these artists. With a collective mission to love and serve the poor and broken, Leeland and Heath recently traveled to Cambodia. Each night on tour, audiences will hear more about that experience and have the chance to respond to each night’s worship with immediate action offering child sponsorships through Food for the Hungry.
Leeland, Brandon Heath and Francesca Battistelli hope to inspire Christians to engage actively with world need. “We see our calling as a band as two-fold: reaching out to the poor and reaching the ‘up-and outers.’ America’s a rich nation, but we’re spiritually poor,” explains Leeland Mooring. “We want to see God bring a personal revival in the hearts of Americans and transform our nation.”
“After traveling through Asia with Leeland, more specifically Cambodia, I can say that we’ve seen God with the poor,” says Brandon Heath. “This tour is about sharing what we’ve learned among the least of these. Cambodia was about going and listening and being changed. We hope that audiences will have the same experience at the Follow You Tour. We’re on the same page with each other,” explains Jack, keyboardist for Leeland. “Brandon’s heart, like ours, is focused on being about action.”
Brandon Heath is a respected songwriter and considered a radio hit-maker in the Nashville music
community. He first began writing at age 13 and his background is rooted in a history with Christian
youth-based organization, Young Life, which is grounded in relationship and mentoring. Heath’s most
current hit list includes Grammy®-nominated single “Give Me Your Eyes,” from sophomore release, What If We. The song was recently awarded a GMA Dove Award for Song of the Year and 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. To date, the album’s breakout first single continues to lead digitally, selling more than 360,000 total downloads of the track across all digital providers. The second single “Wait and See” was recently the top song in the country on the Christian AC Indicator chart.
Often quoted as one of Christian music’s most gripping live bands, the 2006 debut Sound of Melodies and 2008’s Opposite Way quickly established Leeland as a leader in the worship community and beyond. While both previous albums were Grammy®-nominated and drew a combined eight Dove nominations, Leeland’s measure of success has always been the human heart. And now Leeland’s third album, Love Is On The Move is a landmark in the deepest sense.
Featured guest for the Follow You Tour is Francesca Battistelli, who received five Dove Nominations in 2009, a remarkable feat for a new artist. Francesca continues to experience chart-breaking radio success, substantial play on popular TV and film and contagious online fan interaction. “It's Your Life” from My Paper Heart releases on July 10 and follows debut chart-topping single, “Free To Be Me”, which was the first No.1 single from a female artist on AC radio since 2005 also ranking her as the most added female artist and new artist in Christian radio history. “I’m so excited to be part of this Fall tour with Leeland and Brandon,” says Francesca. “This tour is a great opportunity for us to all take a step outside of our comfort zone and move deliberately toward helping others and answering the call to action that the Lord establishes for each one of us, each day.”
(Nashville, Tenn.) April 24, 2009—The Christian music industry crowned a new Male Vocalist of the Year last night at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, naming singer-songwriter and radio hitmaker Brandon Heath its honored recipient. Heath’s GRAMMY-nominated hit single “Give Me Your Eyes,” off his sophomore album What If We, was also named Song of the Year, for which Heath received a Dove trophy for co-writing the No. 1 song with Jason Ingram. The live broadcast of the 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards show aired nationwide on the Gospel Music Channel.
Backstage last night Heath said, “I was surprised to receive Male Vocalist of the Year. With this honor, I hope my voice is not just for singing, but for teaching and confessing and questioning my own generation.”
When asked about the Song of the Year win, he added, “It was an honor to share this award with my friend Jason Ingram. I consider myself blessed to be able to write songs that encourage and challenge others. It feels great to know that you are making a difference in the world.”
“Give Me Your Eyes,” 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, during a 7-month run at the top of the download chart following the song’s release in July 2008. To date, the album’s breakout first single continues to lead digitally selling more than 310,000 total downloads of the track across all digital providers. The second single “Wait and See” is now climbing radio and iTunes charts.
A third win for Heath came in the Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song for performing and writing “Give Me Your Eyes.
Brandon Heath was also one of the few artists selected to perform live on the telecast. Heath performed his giant, award-winning song “Give Me Your Eyes” with a full production supported by a unique step-number by members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Alpha Chi Chapter of Fisk University, and a local competitive female step team.
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.
GRAMMY and Dove nominated artist Brandon Heath will appear this week on the top-rated, national “FOX & Friends” morning show, as a special guest artist in celebration of Good Friday. Heath is scheduled to perform throughout the morning on Friday, April 10, bringing viewers in and out of commercial breaks with songs off his GRAMMY-nominated album What If We, including his No. 1, Dove-nominated Song of the Year, “Give Me Your Eyes.”
“FOX & Friends” airs weekdays from 6 A.M.- 9 A.M. (ET/PT).
For more on Brandon Heath, and a listing of his “Revelation Tour” dates with Third Day and Revive, please visit www.brandonheath.net.
GRAMMY-nominated artist, Brandon Heath adds a fifth Dove Award nomination to his tally for the 40th Annual Dove Awards, receiving a nomination this week for Songwriter of the Year, as announced by the Gospel Music Association (GMA). Heath co-wrote the blockbuster, GRAMMY-nominated song, “Give Me Your Eyes,” off his sophomore album What If We. The song 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, during a 7-month run at the top of the download chart following the song’s release in July 2008.
The recipient of the Dove Award for Songwriter of the Year will be named during the awards show on April 23rd at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, broadcasting live nationwide on Gospel Music Channel. This is Heath’s second career nod for Songwriter of the Year. He was nominated in 2008 for penning the No.1 radio hit, “I’m Not Who I Was” appearing on his debut album, Don’t Get Comfortable.
Following the announcement, Heath said, “Being a songwriter, this is one of the highest honors I can receive in our industry.”
Honored with four additional nominations for the Gospel Music Association’s 40th Annual Dove Awards, Heath is up for Male Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year for “Give Me Your Eyes.” Heath also appears in the Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song category for performing and writing “Give Me Your Eyes,” and for his recording of Patty Griffin’s “Heavenly Day” on Billy: The Early Years Official Motion Picture Soundtrack, in the Special Event Album category.
For more on Brandon Heath, and a listing of his “Revelation Tour” dates with Third Day and Revive, please visit www.brandonheath.net.
Hitmaker and recent double GRAMMY-nominee, Brandon Heath is honored today with four nominations for the Gospel Music Association’s 40th Annual Dove Awards including Male Vocalist of the Year. Once again, Heath appears in the Song of the Year category, this time for co-writing his blockbuster, GRAMMY-nominated song “Give Me Your Eyes,” which spent 14 weeks at No.1 # 1 on Billboard’s Hot Christian AC radio chart. This week, the megahit song spent a 27th week as the No. 1 download on iTunes Christian Song Chart, holding for 7 months, since its release July 2008.
Heath is also nominated in the Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song category for performing and writing “Give Me Your Eyes,” and for his recording of Patty Griffin’s “Heavenly Day” on Billy: The Early Years Official Motion Picture Soundtrack, in the Special Event Album category.
Following the news, Heath said, “I’ve had one of the most exciting years of my life. I thank God everyday that I get to do what I love and make a difference in the world. I accept these nominations as a huge honor from my peers. He adds, “To be nominated for male vocalist is a big surprise! I was excited to see Give Me Your Eyes up for Song of the Year. I think that song has shocked us all.”
Dan Keen, vice president of ASCAP, commented on the momentum surrounding Brandon’s music, “Brandon continues to build on his amazing launch as a new artist, with his win last year as New Artist of the Year, and now today with several more Dove nominations, including Male Vocalist and Song of the Year. Keen continues, “The thing that makes Brandon stand out from other great artists, is that he writes hit songs. “Give Me Your Eyes” is one of the most performed songs of the year, and really impacted our culture in a great way, with its timely message. I couldn’t be happier for Brandon.”
Dove Awards will be handed out Thursday, April 23rd at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, TN and broadcast live nationwide on Gospel Music Channel.
Brandon Heath’s powerhouse hit “Give Me Your Eyes” hits No. 1 at R&R’s
AC-Monitored chart for its 14th week. The song is also No. 1 on
iTunes Christian Top Songs chart for its 21st week and the popular music video
for “Give Me Your Eyes” sits at No. 1 on iTunes Christian Top
Music Videos chart. For more information on Brandon Heath, please visit: www.brandonheath.net.
Based off the title of his new album, What If We,
K-Love and Brandon Heath partner to give K-Love listeners and
Brandon Heath fans a "What If We" opportunity to give back. In an
effort to bring community together and work toward helping those in need,
K-Love, Brandon and the Denver Rescue Mission will host a toy drive and VIP
free concert on Tuesday, December 2 to gather gifts for 12,000 children this
Christmas. In order to be qualified for this event, K-Love listeners were
prompted to call in and share ideas about how to serve others in need.
Qualifiers received Brandon’s sophomore album What If We. One caller
and a guest won the grand prize drawing of a roundtrip flight
to Denver for two nights to work with Brandon at the Mission and
attend his concert later that evening. For more information about
Brandon Heath please visit: www.brandonheath.net.
(
Nashville,
Tenn.) Oct. 30, 2008 – Singer/songwriter and Christian music’s New Artist of
the Year Brandon Heath was honored on Music Row this week in
his Nashville hometown with a “#1 Party” hosted by ASCAP for his smash
radio hit “Give Me Your Eyes.” The song is the first single off Heath’s new
sophomore album What If We, and tops Billboard’s
Hot Christian AC chart for a sixth consecutive week, while spending a tenth
week at No. 1 on R&R’s CHR chart. “Give Me Your
Eyes is reaching 25 million in radio impressions this week, which compares to
the weekly impressions of a No.1 song on both Mainstream AC and Hot AC charts,
No. 6 on the Country charts and No.15 on the Top 40 chart.
“Give Me Your Eyes” is also one of
the most successful digital Christian tracks of 2008, currently holding the No.
1 spot on iTunes Christian chart for a 13th week. The track
has sold 115,000
total downloads across all digital providers to date.
Dan Keen, vice president of ASCAP, notes, “You can tell how an artist
treats people by who shows up to congratulate them on their successes. In
Brandon Heath’s case, the #1 party for “Give Me Your Eyes” at ASCAP brought a
full house that included the fantastic members of his team; publisher, manager,
record label, booking agent, but also other managers, other publishers, other
individuals who might be considered in competing business roles with Brandon
and his team. They were there because the Christian music community loves and
trusts Brandon Heath. His life and music draws out the best in people.”
“Give Me Your Eyes” is Heath’s second career radio No. 1.
He first topped charts in 2007 with his
Song of the Year nominated hit “I’m Not Who I Was.”
Last week, Brandon wrapped a
national tour with Sara Groves as part of the Art*Music*Justice Tour featuring
Derek Webb, Sandra McCracken and Charlie Peacock, benefitting both the International
Justice Mission and Food For the Hungry. The tour raised more than $35,000
for IJM and Food for the Hungry received sponsorships for 560 kids.
(Nashville, Tenn.) Sept. 23, 2008 – This week, singer/songwriter and New Artist of the Year Brandon Heath garners his second career radio No. 1 on R&R’s AC-Monitored chart with the breakout first single “Give Me Your Eyes,” off the new sophomore album What If We. With a No.1 at AC, the project’s smash song proves to be a multi-format success story spending a fifth week at No. 1 on R&R’s CHR chart, with multiple weeks atop CRW’s CHR format and 153 million cumulative radio impressions to date. Heath first topped radio charts in 2007 with his Song of the Year nominated hit “I’m Not Who I Was.”
Brandon notes, “‘Give Me Your Eyes’ is a song about my own convictions for wanting to see the world with compassionate eyes. It’s really encouraging to see that other people agree.” He adds, “Thanks to everyone who believed in the song early, and to the Provident radio team.”
In addition to radio achievements, “Give Me Your Eyes” is quickly becoming one of the most successful digital Christian tracks of 2008, currently holding the No. 1 spot on iTunes Christian chart for its tenth consecutive week. The track has sold more than 70,000 total downloads across all digital providers to date.
While the single draws on-air support at radio, stations across the country are also rallying the concept behind Heath’s provocative, humanitarian-minded album title What If We. Recent promotions include local blood drives asking listeners, “What If We Save a Life,” and an outreach to Chicago’s oldest rescue mission in a “What If We Change Chicago” station campaign. The concept has spurred partnerships with the national K’Love radio network, Mardel retail stores and The Red Cross. On Sept. 30, the What If We concept will take the form of a “Drive-Thru Difference” in St.Paul, MN., with KTIS radio in which Brandon will be participating in random acts of kindness throughout the day in drive-thru lines around the twin cities.
The new music video for “Give Me Your Eyes” is also available at iTunes and Heath remains Gospel Music Channel’s “Listen Up” artist of the month for Aug. and Sept. Brandon is currently on the road with Sara Groves as part of the Art*Music*Justice Tour featuring Derek Webb, Sandra McCracken and Charlie Peacock, benefitting both the International Justice Mission and Food For the Hungry. The tour is a unique concert opportunity seeking to further educate the church on God’s heart for justice, gain advocates for the oppressed, and show evidence of a God at work in this world. For more, visit www.myspace.com/artmusicjustice.
About Brandon Heath: Teaming up again with producer Dan Muckala, Brandon Heath’s sophomore album What If We follows his breakthrough debut project, Don’t Get Comfortable, which delivered the No.1 radio hit, and Song of the Year nominee, “I’m Not Who I Was.” The song ended 2007 as one of the year’s most played radio singles. The smash debut also contributed to Heath's first Songwriter of the Year nomination, and win in the New Artist of the Year category at the 2008 GMA Dove Awards in April. Off stage, Heath seeks opportunities to merge his public platform with his heart for community, regularly working with Young Life, Blood:Water Mission, Restore International and unofficially volunteering for many other human rights agencies on a global scale. Heath is a respected songwriter in the Nashville music community and first began writing at age 13. Heath most recently served as a worship leader at The Loft church located in The Woodlands, just north of Houston, and now resides in his hometown, Nashville.
For more information on Brandon Heath, please visit www.brandonheath.net or www.reunionrecords.com.
(Nashville, Tenn.) Aug. 28, 2008 – This week, singer/songwriter
and New Artist of the Year Brandon Heath debuts his sophomore
album release What If We at No. 3 on Nielsen’s
Christian SoundScan chart with more than 7,100 first-week sales. The album’s
breakout first single “Give Me Your Eyes” continues to hold the No. 1 spot
on iTunes Christian chart for a fifth consecutive week, selling more than 38,000
total downloads across all digital providers. “Give
Me Your Eyes” launched digitally just over a month ago with nearly 6,000
first-week sales, which claimed the highest debut week for a Christian track in
2008 to date (July 23).
The
project’s smash song also lands at No. 1 this week on R&R’s
CHR chart, while again sitting at No. 1 on CRW’s CHR
format, and moving up to No. 5 on R&R’s AC-Monitored chart, with
100 million cumulative impressions to date.
Heath’s
street week activities ranged from radio morning shows, TV appearances, and
concert events in Dallas, Austin, and Houston, Texas, West Palm Beach and
Tampa, Fl., Atlanta, New York City and Nashville with a hometown performance at
the city’s Sounds minor league baseball game. (photo attached).
Radio
continues to rally the concept behind Heath’s provocative, humanitarian-minded
album title What If We. K-Life in San Luis Obispo, Calif.,
recently held its annual blood drive August 18-21, this year spotlighting
Brandon Heath as they asked listeners “What If We…Save a Life.” On August 29, the national K-Love
radio network will also join in the What If We idea, partnering with
Mardel retail stores and The Red Cross for a blood drive in Oklahoma
City. Plans are also now developing for a What If We Change Chicago
outreach with Heath and ShineFM 89.7.
Singer/songwriter and New Artist
of the Year Brandon
Heath released his sophomore album What If We on Tuesday August 19. The
album single “Give Me Your Eyes” has sold more than 30,000
single downloads in the four weeks since it released digitally, holding
the No. 1 spot at iTunes. At radio, the hitbound song
recently landed at No. 1 on CRW’s CHR chart, and this
week it jumps to No. 2 on R&R’s CHR chart, and up to No. 6 on R&R’s
AC-Monitored chart, with 73 million cumulative impressions at radio
to date. The new album is also supported with a feature story in Billboard
magazine, a lead cover story on Salem’s CCM Magazine.com
and CMCentral.com,
and in Heath’s upcoming TV performances on LIFE TODAY,
FamilyNet’s Every Day with Marcus & Lisa, and Daystar
Network’s Joni Show, Soundcheck and Celebration.
Plus, Heath is Gospel Music Channel’s Listen Up
campaign artist for both August and September, receiving daily on-air promotion
and a TV world premiere of Heath’s new music video for “Give Me Your Eyes” on
Aug. 23. For more info on Brandon Heath, please visit www.brandonheath.net.
(Nashville, Tenn.) Aug. 18, 2008 – Singer/songwriter and New
Artist of the Year Brandon Heath is at the center of the
Christian music scene on the eve of his sophomore album release What
If We,
available tomorrow, Tuesday Aug. 19. The album single “Give Me Your
Eyes” has sold more than 30,000 single downloads in the
four weeks since it released digitally, holding the No. 1 spot
at iTunes. At radio, the hitbound song recently landed at No. 1
on CRW’s CHR chart, and this week it jumps to No. 2 on R&R’s
CHR chart, and up to No. 6 on R&R’s AC-Monitored chart, with 10
million cumulative impressions to date.
Heath
will also be the topic of numerous radio morning shows and events with street
week concerts in Dallas, Texas, with KLTY; Austin,
Texas, with KPEZ; Houston with KSBJ;
West Palm Beach, Fl. with WayFM; Tampa, Fl.,
with JoyFM; and New York City with Star99FM. He
will wrap the week in Nashville with a hometown performance at
the city’s Sounds minor league baseball game.
The
new album will also be supported with a feature story in Billboard
magazine, a lead cover story on Salem’s CCM Magazine.com
and CMCentral.com, and in Heath’s upcoming TV performances on LIFE
TODAY, FamilyNet’s Every Day with Marcus & Lisa,
and Daystar Network’s Joni Show, Soundcheck and
Celebration. Plus, Heath is Gospel Music
Channel’s Listen Up campaign artist for both August and
September, receiving daily on-air promotion and a TV world premiere of Heath’s
new music video for “Give Me Your Eyes” on Aug. 23.
In
addition to the activity surrounding Heath’s new album, his debut project Don’t
Get Comfortable (2006) continues to garner attention. Recently,
Lakeshore Entertainment and Lakeshore Records selected
Heath’s Dove-nominated hit song “I’m Not Who I Was” for the Henry
Poole is Here film soundtrack. The comedic drama, directed by Mark
Pellington’s and starring Luke Wilson, is a modern-day fable
investigating the unexpected wonders of the everyday. Playing now in theaters
nationwide, Henry Poole is Here is produced by Lakeshore Entertainment
(Untraceable, The Last Kiss, Million Dollar Baby, Wicker Park, Runaway
Bride) and Camelot Pictures (Garden State). The soundtrack album, which
features Brandon Heath, the Eels, The Bravery, Golden
State, John Linton, Badly Drawn Boy and others, released digitally via
iTunes on August 12, with the physical album release to follow. Check out
the film’s MySpace page for more: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=384450070.
About Brandon Heath:
Teaming up again with
producer Dan Muckala, Brandon Heath’s sophomore album What
If We follows his breakthrough debut project, Don’t Get
Comfortable, which delivered the No. 1 radio-hit, and Song of
the Year nominee, “I’m Not Who I Was.” The song ended
2007 as one of the year’s most played radio singles. The smash debut
also contributed to Heath's first Songwriter of the
Year nomination, and win in the New Artist of the Year category at
the 2008 GMA Dove Awards in April. Off stage, Heath seeks
opportunities to merge his public platform with his heart for
community, regularly working with Young Life, Blood:Water Mission,
Restore International and unofficially volunteering for many other
human rights agencies on a global scale. Heath has been a
respected songwriter in the Nashville music community for years, collaborating
with well-known artists like Bebo Norman, Matt Wertz and Dave Barnes, to name a
few. The Nashville native first began writing at age 13 and credits the town’s
legendary hotspot for songwriters, the Bluebird Café, as the place he first
experienced music that moved him. Heath currently resides in Houston, Texas,
and is a worship leader at The Loft church located in The Woodlands, just north
of Houston.
(Nashville, Tenn.) April 24, 2008 – Acclaimed singer/songwriter Brandon Heath scored a huge win last night in his hometown of Nashville by taking home the Dove for New Artist of the Year at the 39th Annual GMA Dove Awards. Heath claimed the coveted New Artist title due largely to the success of his debut project, Don’t Get Comfortable, which contained the night’s Song of the Year nominee, “I’m Not Who I Was,” a No. 1 smash-hit that was also nominated in the Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song category and granted Heath his first Songwriter of the Year nod.
“I’m from here in Nashville so it’s an honor to accept this award in front of my peers and my parents,” Heath told Nashville’s CBS affiliate NewsChannel 5. “It was a fun thing!”
Heath said backstage during a press conference, “It is truly an honor to be recognized for hard work and good songwriting. I am thankful to work with such a talented and committed team of managers, producers and label staff, and I’m really looking forward to the next chapter!”
Brandon Heath currently resides in Houston, Texas, and is a worship leader at The Loft church located in The Woodlands. He is currently preparing for the late summer release of his highly anticipated sophomore album titled “What If We.”
Heath quickly became a fixture at Christian radio with the release of his debut project. His mega-hit “I’m Not Who I Was” raced to No. 1 and ended 2007 as one of the year’s most played radio singles. His debut project also delivered the 2007 Dove-nominated, Top 5 radio hit, “Our God Reigns.” Heath has been a respected writer in the Nashville music community for years, collaborating with well-known artists like Bebo Norman, Matt Wertz and Dave Barnes, to name a few. The Nashville native first began writing at age 13 and credits the town’s legendary hotspot for songwriters, the Bluebird Café, as the place he first experienced music that moved him.
Only days after the release of Robbie Seay Band’s Give Yourself Away, the Houston-based ensemble is currently on the road in support of the project. The multi-city “Give Yourself Away” Fall Tour features the Robbie Seay Band, along with special guest Reunion recording artist Brandon Heath.
Kicking off recently in Midland, Texas, the tour is slated to hit more than 30 cities, including stops in Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; Dallas; St. Louis; and Cleveland, before concluding in November. Comprised of Robbie Seay, Dan Hamilton and Ryan Owens, the group leads worship at Ecclesia Church, a Houston-based community of faith that seeks to embrace culture through practical love.
