OAK GROVE, Ark. – (February 7, 2012) –Diamond Award winning trio 2nd Generation is excited to announced the addition of Josh Adams to the group.
Josh started studying music at a very early age and began leading worship as young as 12 years old. He has had the pleasure of performing in such places Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri and Carnegie Hall in New York. Josh is currently on staff as the Band Director for the Jim Bakker Show in Branson, Missouri.
Josh said, “God has blessed me so much, and I’m humbled by the fact that He is using me to do a mighty work for him! He has blessed me with the opportunity to minister on stage with such ministers as Dottie Rambo, The Couriers, The Ascensions, and now 2nd Generation!!”
Josh is an accomplished musician and will be adding his keyboarding skills to 2nd Generation’s live programs.
“We are so excited about the possibilities that we now have with Josh in the group,” mentioned 2nd Generation’s Brenda Denney. “We can now look at our live programs with a fresh perspective. Josh is already doing such a great job with us!”
2nd Generation is planning to record their follow-up to the breakthrough recording I See a City later this year with award-winning producer Roger Talley (Talley Trio, Kingsmen). Until then, 2nd Generation released their latest single, “Dust On the Altar,” to Southern Gospel radio. All radio promotions are being done in-house for the group, so for more information on how to attain the single, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
For more information on 2nd Generation – visit http://www.2ndgenerationministries.com.
You can also find out more information about the group on their Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/2nd-Generation-Home-Page/164776763569934 .
About 2nd Generation
2nd Generation is based out of the Oak Grove, Arkansas. 2nd Generation has appeared at churches, state fairs, Singing in the Sun, Trinity Broadcasting Network, the Jim Bakker Show, Branson Gospel Music Convention, and many other events. The group’s current project, their sophomore album I See a City, has spawned off four hit singles including the #1 Fan Favorite songs “Feel the Joy” and “The Blood Covered It All.”
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – (February 7, 2012) – Popular Southern Gospel trio Eighth Day were honored to received word last month that they have been nominated for two Absolutely Gospel Music Awards.
The group has received nominations for Song of the Year and Progressive Song of the Year for their first ever #1 hit from last year – “May I Never Get Over the Cross.”
“Words really can’t describe just how much of an honor this is for our ministry,” said Scott Robinson of Eighth Day. “We are such big fans of this awards program. We love AbsolutelyGospel.com and what they contribute to this industry. We are so excited to be a part of this year’s program.”
Eighth Day will be performing “May I Never Get Over the Cross” on the awards program as was announced last week.
“We performed on this program back in 2009 when we were nominated for Breakthrough Artist of the Year,” recalled Scott. “We had a blast at that program, and we know we’ll enjoy ourselves this year as well!”
Fans are getting a chance to vote for their favorites in several categories now through February 14, 2012. The Absolutely Gospel (SGN) Music Awards will be handed out at a live ceremony on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at River of Life Church in Smyrna, TN. The event is tentatively scheduled to be streamed live like in 2010. More details on the Absolutely Gospel Music Awards will be announced at a later date.
Eighth Day started off the year with a bang. The group has seen an abundance of radio and media exposure due to the group’s #1 hit “May I Never Get Over the Cross” and current rising single “Are You Ready.”
Eighth Day’s #1 hit from last fall, “May I Never Get Over the Cross,” was named the 2nd most played song of the year according to AbsolutelyGospel.com. The song spent an impressive 4 weeks at #1 and was only surpassed in spins this year by one other song – Karen Peck & New River’s “On the Banks of the Promised Land.”
Eighth Day’s latest single, “Are You Ready.” recently made a huge surge at radio. The song jumped from #11 to #9 on the upcoming March 2012 Singing News Top 80 chart. The song also sits at #3 on the AbsolutelyGospel.com Top 40 Weekly Chart.
More information on Eighth Day can be found at http://www.eighthdaymusic.com.
About Eighth Day
Eighth Day is a popular trio based out of Spartanburg, South Carolina. The group has quickly established itself as one of the top new talents in Gospel music today. Their fresh and progressive sound has been described as a little bit country, a touch of bluegrass, and a whole lot of Gospel!
BYRON, Ga. – (February 7, 2012) – Singing News Fan Award nominee Sharron Kay King was honored last month to see their name among the 10 nominees for Fan Favorite Artist of the Year in the highly-respected Absolutely Gospel (SGN) Music Awards.
“I am so humbled to have been nominated for this award,” mentioned Sharron. “I am honored that so many of my friends would place their vote for me in this category. Words can’t describe how blessed I feel to be nominated for such a big award!”
This is the second time in her career that Sharron has been nominated for an Absolutely Gospel Music Award. She was previously nominated in 2007 in the Country Album of the Year category for her The Road I Know project.
Chris Unthank, Editor-in-Chief of AbsolutelyGospel.com said, “We as a staff have grown to really love and appreciate the ministry of Sharron, so we were thrilled for her when the votes were tallied, and she landed in the Top 10 for this category. Sharron is the real deal, and I think this nomination is a testament to that fact.”
The Fan Favorite Artist of the Year category is the only one where the nominees are strictly chosen by the fans. The nominees in the other 23 award categories are chosen by the staff of AbsolutelyGospel.com and select media representatives.
Fans are getting a chance to vote for their favorites in several categories now through February 14, 2012. The Absolutely Gospel (SGN) Music Awards will be handed out at a live ceremony on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at River of Life Church in Smyrna, TN. The event is tentatively scheduled to be streamed live like in 2010. More details on the Absolutely Gospel Music Awards will be announced at a later date.
Sharron just released her latest single to radio. The new song, titled “Look Up,” is the fifth single released from King’s SGN Music Award-nominated project Don’t Stop Believing. “Look Up” was written by Eric Horner and was just released to Southern Gospel radio through Eddie King & Crown Communications.
All four of Sharron’s previous singles from Don’t Stop Believing landed in the Top 20 on the AbsolutelyGospel.com Top 40 Weeky Chart – the industry’s most watched weekly radio report in Southern Gospel music.
More information as well as booking information on Sharron Kay King can be found at http://sharronkayking.com. Fans can visit Sharron on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sharron-Kay-King-Official-Fan-Page/102290253148210 .
About Sharron Kay King
Sharron Kay King is a talented singer/songwriter based out of Byron, Georgia. Sharron’s last release, Don’t Stop Believing, spawned off the #1 fan favorite “God’s Been Good.” King was a 2008 Top 5 finalist in the Singing News Fan Awards for Favorite Horizon Individual and a 2009 Top 10 finalist for Favorite Soloist.
Nashville, TN- The Pathfinders of Mount Holly, NC are excited to announce their association with Homeland Inspiration Group on the Riversong Label.
The first release from the Diamond Award nominated group’s new album “Under the Blood” hits air waves February 7th.
“We feel this is a new adventure that The Pathfinders are embarking on with Homeland/Riversong. This is going to be a year full of exciting new beginnings with Homeland Inspiration Group. Our new release is a lively mix of country and the heritage of our southern gospel roots,” says Dearl Lemons, of The Pathfinders.
Formed from the heart of a church choir in 1993, The Pathfinders consist of original members Dearl Lemons, Dawn McGuire and newest member Gary Russell. Throughout the years, The Pathfinders have had multiple single releases with Top 80 songs on the Singing News charts and several Top 40 songs on other industry charts.
For more information, visit homelandinspirationgroup.com, or thepathfinders.com.
After two and a half years Michael J. bass singer for the Ascension Quartet based in Lebanon, Missouri has announced his departure from the group. Michael will be pursing more of a solo ministry at this time. Danny Parnell of the Ascension Quartet says "It has been a good ride with Michael and we wish him well in his up coming venture. The Ascension Quartet are taking applications for this position if you would like to apply please send and mp3, bio and picture to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
(Nashville, TN)- Tim Graves, the dobro player and vocalist with the Nashville based Farm Hands Quartet, picked up the award for Dobro Player of the Year at last night’s Bluegrass Music Awards. This was the 7th win in the category for Graves, and his 4th consecutive win.
The awards were presented by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America as part of their 38th annual convention in Nashville, TN.
Tim, who is the nephew of legendary bluegrass dobro player ‘Uncle’ Josh Graves, is co-founder of the Farm Hands Quartet along with Daryl Mosley. Mosley is best known to southern gospel circles as the songwriter of the Booth Brother’s classic, (Ask the Blind Man) He Saw It All.
Other winners at the award show last night include Dailey and Vincent, the Grascals, and Rhonda Vincent.
For more information on Tim Graves, or the Farm Hands Quartet, go to their website at http://www.farmhandsquartet.com
Russell O'Neal - son of Heritage Communications' Jeff O'Neal - passed away last night, February 4, 2012, at approximately 11:22 p.m. after a long struggle with cancer.
Jeff posted the following on Facebook:
"Over 2 weeks ago Russell lost his ability to see, but last night at 11:22 PM he opened his eyes to the most precious sight of all, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He hasn’t been able to walk for almost 2 months, but now he is running on streets of gold. Last night Russell finally received his GREAT MIRACLE!
Although our loss is great, Heaven’s gain is far greater! Keep our family in your prayers. We love you all.
Jeff, Debbie, Wesley & Devin"
Russell's Celebration of Life information is as follows:
Visitation:
Monday, February 6 / 6PM - 8PM
McLean's Funeral Home
Gastonia, NC
Service:
Tuesday, February 7 / 3PM
Goshen Free Will Baptist Church
1300 West Catawba Avenue
Mount Holly, NC 28120
10th Anniversary of Awards Program Set For April 10, 2012
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – (January 30, 2012) – The administrators and staff of AbsolutelyGospel.com (formerly SoGospelNews.com) are proud to announce this year’s hosts and first list of performers for the 2012 Absolutely Gospel Music Awards Celebration.
The hosts for this year’s Awards Celebration of two of the industry’s most respected female voices and personalities. This year’s hosts are Karen Peck Gooch (Karen Peck & New River) and Sonya Isaacs Yeary (The Isaacs).
Karen Peck Gooch has been lauded as one of the greatest voices to ever take the stage in Southern Gospel music. She has been awarded the Favorite Soprano award in the Singing News Fan Awards 11 times. A veteran of the Absolutely Gospel Music Awards, Karen has won Female Vocalist of the Year twice (including last year), and with her group New River, has won an impressive 15 additional Absolutely Gospel Music Awards. Karen Peck & New River has scored over 10 #1 singles over the course of its 20-year history. Gooch recently made her big screen debut in the hit movie Joyful Noise with Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton.
No stranger to the Absolutely Gospel Music Awards hosting stage, Sonya Isaacs Yeary co-hosted the 2010 Awards Celebration. Sonya is known widely across multiple genres of music including Country, Southern Gospel, Bluegrass, and more. Sonya has been awarded two Female Vocalist of the Year, two Songwriter of the Year, and two Musician of the Year awards in this particular awards program. Most recently, the song “I’m Gonna Love You Through It” (which she co-wrote with her sister Becky and husband Jimmy) was recorded by country music giant Martina McBride and nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Solo Performance.
“I am very honored to be co-hosting the Absolutely Gospel Music Awards along with my friend, Sonya Isaacs Yeary,” said Karen Peck Gooch. “I’m looking forward to a special night of honoring the finest artists in Southern Gospel music and hearing the top current songs in the industry. It’s going to be a night to remember!”
Sonya Isaacs Yeary said, “I am so excited to be co-hosting the incredible AGM Awards with Karen Peck this year! She’s a hot tamale, what with bein’ in that new big movie and all! I hope she doesn’t try to hog the show! Only kidding, ‘friend’! We are going to have a blast! But seriously, two blondes? This could be dangerous! See y’all there!”
“We couldn’t be more elated with our hosts for this year’s Awards Celebration,” mentioned Deon Unthank, President of AbsolutelyGospel.com. “Sonya and Karen are two of the most respected names in this industry. We know that they are going to do a great job hosting this year.”
In addition, the first list of performers is now available. Performing on this year’s Awards Celebration are The Isaacs, Karen Peck & New River, The Perrys, Wilburn & Wilburn, Beyond the Ashes, Eighth Day, and Mark209. In addition, Jeff & Sheri Easter are spearheading a multi-artist tribute to a legend in the Gospel music industry (like the 2010 tribute to The Singing Cookes). More information will be announced at a later date about the specifics of that tribute. Additional performers are still being confirmed as well.
Karen Peck Gooch will also be performing “Mighty High” from the Joyful Noise soundtrack with an all-star choir made up of multiple nominees in this year’s Absolutely Gospel Music Awards.
More information on the 2012 Absolutely Gospel Music Awards Celebration will be forthcoming, including additional performers and sponsors. The date for this year’s Absolutely Gospel Music Awards Celebration is Tuesday, April 10, 2012. The event will again take place at the River of Life Church in Smyrna, Tennessee and is free to the public. The event is scheduled to be streamed live on the internet this year.
The awards program sees two records broken this year. The Isaacs broke the record for the most nominations by an artist in a single year – this year earning 12 nominations. In addition, producer/songwriter/Ernie Haase & Signature Sound pianist Wayne Haun earned a staggering 15 nominations – also breaking a record for the most nominations in a single year by an individual.
In addition, for the first time in the 10 years of the Absolutely Gospel Music Awards – a song that wasn’t released to radio (also known as an album cut) earned a nomination for Song of the Year – the Booth Brothers’ critically acclaimed song “What About Now.” In addition, last year’s Songwriter of the Year (Professional) winner Kenna West earned a nomination for the 2012 Pacesetter Award – the first time a professional songwriter has earned a nomination in that specific category.
Social networking paid off in a big way for artists in the Fan Favorite Artist of the Year category – the only category chosen strictly by the fans and readers of AbsolutelyGospel.com. Surprise nominations from acts like Sharron Kay King, The Ladd Family, and Mark209 saw a huge surge of votes due to their support from fans on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
About AbsolutelyGospel.com
AbsolutelyGospel.com (formerly SoGospelNews.com) has grown from relative obscurity to the industry's leading internet publication for Southern Gospel news and information in only a few short years. The site includes a wide variety of features, consisting of artist interviews, a weekly chart, late-breaking news, and much more.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (February 2, 2012) – Christian music trio Three Bridges is honored to have earned its 14th career nomination in the Absolutely Gospel Music Awards. The group received a nod in the Special Event Project of the Year category for its highly-acclaimed Christmas recording Christmas Must Be Tonight.
The Special Event Project of the Year category honors releases that are not consistent with an artist’s yearly body of work – such as holiday recordings, best-of collections, DVD releases, solo recordings, and much more.
“We are honored to be mentioned alongside so many great artists and projects in this category,” mentioned Elliott McCoy of Three Bridges. “We firmly believe that Christmas Must Be Tonight is one of the strongest recordings we’ve ever released, and this nomination confirms that for us!”
Christmas Must Be Tonight released last fall on Mansion Records. The recording was produced by long-time Three Bridges collaborator Rick Sandidge.
Elliott continued,”This recording did so well for us. Our sales for this project were just astounding, especially with only a six-week time frame to really sell it. It opened so many doors for us this past holiday season, including 11 Christmas concerts. We had a dynamite December because of this recording! Our record label couldn’t have been happier!”
The Absolutely Gospel Music Award nominees are chosen by the staff of AbsolutelyGospel.com and select media representatives. The fans get a chance to vote in 12 of the 24 categories from February 1st through February 14th, 2012, including the Special Event Project of the Year category.
Three Bridges encourages all Southern Gospel fans to go vote for their favorites in each category. To vote, head over to http://www.absolutelygospel.com.
More information on the 2012 Absolutely Gospel Music Awards Celebration will be forthcoming, including hosts, performers, and sponsors. The date for this year’s Absolutely Gospel Music Awards Celebration is Tuesday, April 10, 2012. The event will again take place at the River of Life Church in Smyrna, Tennessee and is free to the public. The event is scheduled to be streamed live on the internet this year.
For more information on Three Bridges, visit them on the web at http://www.threebridges.net.
About Three Bridges
The music of Three Bridges is rooted in traditional Southern Gospel and Black Gospel music. This blended style has made Three Bridges one of the prominent internationally-acclaimed Gospel groups in Christian music today — a group known for tight harmony, a unique vocal style, an exciting, energy-packed stage presentation, and, most importantly, spreading the joy of being a Christian.
A few weeks ago, several homes on Piney Mountain Church Road in Ellenboro, North Carolina were destroyed by a rare winter tornado. Other individuals in the area experienced property damage to varying degrees. Relief efforts began immediately as neighbors, church groups and disaster relief organizations pitched in to clean up and rebuild.
On Saturday, February 18 at Ellenboro Elementary School, the Foothills Choir is sponsoring a Tornado Relief Concert. The school is located just down the road from the spot where the tornado did the most damage. Food sales will begin at 5:00 PM. The concert will start at 6:00 PM. There will also be a raffle drawing coordinated by Andrew Tisdale, and a collection will be received.
Headlining this event will be Driven Quartet from Charlotte, North Carolina. “Driven Quartet has a dynamic sound,” commented David Bruce Murray, accompanist for the Foothills Choir. “Their lead singer, Jason Funderburk, told me they are thrilled to be part of this special event to help those who had property loss as a result of the tornado.”
Carmen Butler, director of Foothills Choir, said the choir was motivated to help, because the tornado affected one of their choir members directly. “Byron Cole, who suffered a broken leg and lost his home, is one of our most faithful singers,” said Butler.
Also appearing at the concert will be Blue Ridge Holler, a young bluegrass group that recently received the People's Choice Award at the Ellenboro Fiddlers Convention.
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