ChristianMusicDaily

With over 10,000 albums sold independently, a 5-star review from ChristianMusicToday.com, and a song on both Chris Tomlin’s See The Morning and Passion: Everything Glorious albums, singer/songwriter Jon Abel’s success story is quite apparent.  With his latest release Back To You, Abel continues to show why he is an artist to watch.  

Keith Lancaster started the group Acappella almost three decades ago, and while the line-up has changed over the years many times, he's still taking an active role in overseeing the group of young men who sing for the Lord at churches and events all over the USA. Interestingly, Anthony Lancaster, Keith's son, currently sings with the group, handling the baritone part. If you don't have an Acappella CD yet, get "Heaven and Earth" or "Radiance."

Slanted Records recording artists After Edmund performed alongside rock icons Linkin Park, Chris Cornell, The Bravery and others on August 3rd, at the Lakewood Amphitheater in Atlanta, Ga. The band, one of three winners of MTV2’s Rock the Revolution contest in the Atlanta area, was awarded a performance at the show which is part of the national Projekt Revolution Tour hitting over 20 cities this summer.

Nathan and Jenna Strong are a young married couple known in Christian music circles as After the Chase. With musical influences including Rich Mullins, Sara Groves, and Caedmon's Call, After The Chase makes inspirational folk-pop-rock music with a unique blend of husband-and-wife harmony.

Dove City recording artist Alice E recently made it to #5 on the Euro Christian Music Charts with her new CD, "Love In The Spirit." The album has been climbing the charts in Europe since September, aided by the strength of two radio singles, "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" and "Lord I Do Your Will."

Alice E's soulful, soothing urban sound has proven popular in several European countries, including Scotland, Germany, Ireland, England, Belgium, and The Netherlands, among others.

Alice E began her career as a commercial jingle and backup singer, recording with or behind Natalie Cole, Bryan Duncan, Nancy Wilson, Lionel Richie, Maurice White (Earth, Wind & Fire), and Curtis Mayfield. It was Curtis Mayfield and Jerry Butler who were the first celebrities in Chicago to notice Alice's vocal talent, giving her that "first big break" she needed in her career as a singer.

Singer/songwriter and Kingdom Bound Christian music festival favorite Anadara follows-up her critically acclaimed debut album Into The Unknown with A Little Closer, available for purchase on Anadara.com, iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, and Amazon.com, just to name a few. You know how it is these days: everything's online, including Anadara's album. Does anyone even buy CDs anymore? :) Anyway, if you're looking for music to listen to at work, why not download an Anadara tune? She has a pleasant voice, coupled with pleasant melodies-- what's not to like?

Heralded by Billboard Magazine as of one 2008’s “Faces to Watch,” new female vocalist and worship leader Meredith Andrews is set to release her debut project, The Invitation, for Word Records on April 29. The project is produced by Jason Ingram and Rusty Varenkamp, and features a set of eleven songs either written or co-written by Andrews.

As certain as the days get shorter and night falls sooner, we begin to prepare for the holidays with music that reflects the tradition that is Christmas.  With the release of Anne Murray’s Christmas Album, what better way to embrace the wonderment of the season than with the fireside warmth of this classic singer performing timeless classics. The classic collection is complete with the addition of magical duets with multi-Platinum artist Michael Bublé on “Baby It’s Cold Outside” and a bonus track of ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’, with Grammy Award winning jazz vocalist, Diana Krall. The latter was originally recorded for a CBC Television special in 2001. The day of the taping, Murray and Krall decided to sing the carol as a duet. The end result was a new classic by two of the most distinctive voices in music today.

Our God Saves, the seventh Integrity Music recording from Dove Award-winning singer/songwriter Paul Baloche, is, as usual, providing new songs for American churches to sing during services. Produced by Baloche and Austin Deptula, Our God Saves was recorded live at Community Christian Fellowship in Lindale, Texas, where Baloche has served as worship leader for 18 years.

Since Point of Grace is currently on the wane, what soccer mom girl group is going to take their place? Could it be Beloved?

For over twenty years Beverly Crawford has delivered hit after chart-topping hit in the Gospel music industry. 2008 has been a big year for the Gospel artist. This year she brought the house down at the Stellar Awards with the performance of her popular single He’s Done Enough from the album Beverly Crawford: Live in Los Angeles which has remained in the top 10 of the Billboard Singles Chart. For decades Gospel music fans have heard her life-changing lyrics and have seen her electrifying performances, but Beverly Crawford is not finished opening up to her fans. In an exclusive tell-all testimonial, Beverly shares the secret that almost caused her to end her life—her teenage struggle with illiteracy. Beverly Crawford reveals it all in Upscale Magazine’s education issue in September/October 2008.

If you like Enya, that ethereal, best-selling Irish lass who continues to pump out disc after disc of lush, heavenly music that seems to connect with millions of souls worldwide, then check out her sister, Moya Brennan, who does a similar thing, but specifically directed toward the Christian music market.

Award-winning songwriter and worship leader Brenton Brown has written some of the most popular praise and worship songs in the church today.  Writing such modern worship classics as "Lord Reign in Me,” "Hallelujah (Your Love is Amazing)," "All Who Are Thirsty," "Holy" and "Humble King," Brown is a formidable figure within the worship music scene.  And now Brown is gearing up to release his sophomore album Because Of Your Love in July of 2008 through Survivor Records.

Charlie Daniels, the country music legend best known for his hit, “The Devil Went Down To Georgia,” may be around 70-years-old, but the spry singer-songwriter shows no signs of slowing down. Besides having an excellent bluegrass gospel album in stores entitled “Songs from the Longleaf Pines,” the bushy bearded icon continues to be outspoken about religion and politics.

While many bands are struggling on the road in a slumping economy, gospel reggae band Christafari has maintained a relentless worldwide tour schedule. In the last eight months alone, the 10-piece band (recognized as one of the Top 10 Reggae Artists in the World by Billboard Magazine) has performed over 80 shows in 20 countries, including concerts in the USA, Iceland, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Germany, The Netherlands, England, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Spain, Antigua, Trinidad and Brazil (where they performed to a crowd of 80,000 in February).

Christian electronica-pop band Code of Ethics is releasing Lost In Egypt on September 9, 2008 as a free digital download.  

Cool Hand Luke is a punk rock band that got its start back in 1998 at Middle Tennessee State University. The band became known for playing with their backs to the crowd, employing lengthy, emotively expressive songs, along with deeply introspective lyrics. Today, Cool Hand Luke is gearing up for the release of their newest full-length album, "The Sleeping House", on Lujo Records. The album, produced by Matt Goldman and showing such diverse influences as Shudder to Think and Keane, is comprised of twelve piano-based songs of a depth, intensity, and relative darkness unseen before in Cool Hand Luke's work. The artwork-intensive album, complete with an enhanced CD, features comprehensive lyrics, explorations of each song, a music video, and in-depth exploration of the meanings contained within the decidedly cryptic artwork. The band has had an interesting journey-- their history reads like a good fiction novel.

In the early 1980s, Syracuse, New York native Rick Cua was a member of the secular rock band The Outlaws. After giving his life to Jesus, he set out on his own as a solo Christian rocker, releasing several hit albums in the 1980s and 1990s. It has been about a decade since the last Cua release, “Like A Cool Drink,” and the bass-playing singer-songwriter, who had been helping manage other artists’ careers in the interim, decided it was time to return to his own active music ministry with the new CD, “Won’t Fade Away.”

Christian music’s newest Worship artist, Carmen D’Arcy, has signed with Brick Street Records of Indianapolis, Indiana and Martingale Music out of Nashville, Tennessee. Her debut project, A Place Called Grace, was produced by Bryan Lenox (Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, tobyMac, Sonic Flood, Sixpence None The Richer).

Virginia-based rockers DecembeRadio burst onto the national scene with their self-titled Slanted Records’ debut in 2006. The band was honored with a GMA Dove Award for Rock Album of the Year, earned three additional Dove nominations (including Best New Artist and Song of the Year) and scored a GRAMMY® Award nomination for Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album.

Their winning streak continued at radio where “Love Found Me” and “Dangerous” heated up rock radio airwaves while “Drifter” and “Find You Waiting” became Top Five hits in the CHR format with “Find You Waiting” hitting the Top 10 at AC. DecembeRadio was named Breakout Band of the Year at the Rock Radio Summit and were the only Christian act touted among Billboard Magazine’s 2006 “Artists to Watch.” Christianity Today named them among their Best Band of the Year and Best New Artist picks. The band's songs even turned up on network television, including the CBS drama series "Cane" and Discovery Channel’s popular series "Hazard Pay," for which “Dangerous” became the theme song.

Delirious’ lead singer, Martin Smith, in his own words, recounting his Asian touring experience during the summer of 2007:

It was the summer of 2007 and again we [Delirious? members] found ourselves at the airport. We had been asked to play at several events throughout Asia so we thought we'd combine work with our summer holiday, a great idea until we realized the monumental task of taking 5 wives, 16 children, 6 crew members and more suitcases than I've ever seen in one place. In fact, as usual, our family were guilty of the most and with 8 suitcases, a car seat, stroller, our nanny, 5 children and another one growing in Anna’s belly, we set off on the adventure of a lifetime.

Mark Weber of ChristianMusicDaily.com is pleased to report that one of Gospel music’s tallest, strongest, and overall top male vocalists, Donnie McClurkin, returns to center stage with a new CD, We All Are One (Live In Detroit), in stores March 31. Fans can pre-order the CD at Verity Records' website. Additionally, the CD can be previewed on the site beginning March 23. Recorded live in a city that embraces him as its own, the singer felt right at home. McClurkin, a resident of Detroit for 12 years before returning to his home state of New York in 2001, had the wall-to-wall crowd on their feet the whole night.  

“Even with Detroit’s transitions and hard situations, the church has always been a mainstay in the city,” says McClurkin. “The church has always been that fulcrum to balance everything together. The mayor’s wife was at the recording; it was a powerful evening. It’s all a part of the healing that goes on in Detroit and I just thought it was the right place to do a recording thematically built around being there for one another.”

We All Are One (Live In Detroit) features some of McClurkin’s longtime friends and heavy-hitters from the gospel music world. He teams up with Mary Mary, CeCe Winans and Yolanda Adams on “When You Love." It’s all signed, sealed and delivered when McClurkin’s harmonies synch up with Detroit’s first lady of gospel, Karen Clark-Sheard, on the single “Wait on The Lord.” McClurkin gives way for his outstanding background vocalists to shine as well. Duawne Starling captures your heart on “Home Someday,” while Sherrie McGhee, Andrea Mellini and Nancy Jackson sink their chops into “All We Ask.”  

“I want this CD to depict our dependency upon God as well as our dependency on each other and remind the listeners that despite differing opinions, backgrounds, ethnicities, and religious affiliations, we all are one,” says the singer.

McClurkin has already left an indelible mark on the music industry and can truly be considered a premier talent in the Gospel genre. His singles “Stand” and “We Fall Down” paved the way for visibility outside the church community. Although “Stand” became an anthem in churches first, McClurkin’s broad television exposure helped to broaden his audience even more. His popular sophomore release, Live From London, housed the second smash hit “We Fall Down,” which sky rocketed when urban mainstream radio stations around the country started playing the single.

As if a musical career that has spawned a string of hit releases, numerous awards including two Grammys and 10 Stellars, and countless other accolades is not enough, McClurkin hosts his own syndicated radio show. “The Donnie McClurkin Show” airs across the country and the internet (at donnieradio.com) reaching over 5 million listeners. 

McClurkin has also managed to carve out time to do some missions work with the internationally recognized charitable organization, Feed The Children. In between all of that, he is also a spokesperson for the American Diabetes Association (ADA), assisting them in reaching the African American Community. McClurkin’s role is to help educate individuals on the importance of proper diet and early screenings to possibly prevent diabetes and maintain good health. “I’ve always wanted to be involved in missions and to play a part in helping children around the world, and it’s my privilege to stand with both of these organizations and use the platform God has given me to help people,” says McClurkin.

We Are All One (Live From Detroit) is the manifestation of McClurkin’s musical prowess and pastor’s heart, and is sure to be a calming force in the lives of all the loyal fans anticipating this new release. Welcome back Donnie-- keep up the good work!

One of Christian music's premiere rock bands, Downhere, is poised to release a brand-new CD on September 23, 2008, the follow-up to the critically acclaimed, "Wide Eyed & Mystified" The new album features twelve new songs, plus the bonus track "How Many Kings" their 2007 hit. All of the songs on the CD were written by Marc Martel & Jason Germain and produced by Mark Hiemermann (DC Talk, MWS), Stephen Gause (Jars of Clay, Derek Webb) and Downhere.

Ending Is Beginning takes the listener to a deeper place in their faith as Downhere's band members, Jason Germain, Marc Martel, Glenn Lavender, and Jeremy Thiessen, speak candidly about how they're handling their struggles of life while also preparing for the triumph promised by their faith. If you visit their myspace page and hear "Here I Am," you'll hear a song ChristianMusicDaily.com calls, "a great song, reminding us of Rush of Fools 'Undo' and Building 429's 'Glory Defined.' Finally, Downhere has a song which could set them apart from all the other 4-piece white male Christian rock groups in Christian music. This 'Here I Am' song could easily become their signature song and up their status in the music industry. This band has been under-estimated for far too long. Their time is now."

Bishop Neil C. Ellis is known within ministry circles as one who can touch and change lives, influencing many within the Body of Christ all across the globe. Following the commandment of Psalm 149:1, “Sing unto the Lord a new song,” Bishop Ellis along with the Mount Tabor Praise & Worship Ministry presents “Wave of Glory,” (Tehillah Music Group/Light Records) in stores now.

Those of you who loved Switchfoot's massive hit rock singles, “Dare You To Move” and “Meant To Live,” would be in for a surprise if you listened to the band's frontman, Jon Foreman, on his new solo EP, Fall.

The Newsboys are the elder statesmen of Christian rock, having toured for more than two decades now. They've had their share of ups and downs, and Lord knows they've had plenty of hit songs, like "Shine," which always manages to get people dancing on their feet. With an unusual mix of dance, techno, rock, disco, pop, and more, this band, which has always seemed like the Christian subculture's version of U2, has done pretty well for themselves over the years. It's a long way to the top when you want to rock'n'roll - and sometimes when you get there it's not quite what it seems. That's been the experience of Newsboys' frontman Peter Furler who told of how he had many times battled thoughts of wanting to do something else, despite achieving fame and fortune.

Canadian-based pop/rock band Hello Kelly released their highly anticipated full-length album on April 15th through 7 Spin Music. The self-titled album, which was produced by Adam Smith, follows the highly successful Green Things Grow EP, which was released in March 2007.

Who is Tre9? Here is what the intriguing rapper said, answering that question from ChristianMusicDaily.com:

"I'm a hip hop missionary from Houston, Texas who loves God and people. I grew up in the hip hop culture in an inner city neighborhood simply known as the Northside. I loved the hip hop culture so much as a youth that I tried break dancing and DJing, but eventually settled on being a rapper. I guess I should mention graffiti art was never my thing. I used to go in the stores and pick out rap CDs that had the coolest looking CD covers. I enjoyed the most violent and sexually explicit rap, as well as pop rap artists. My hip hop music shaped my attitude and character in so many ways. To make a long story short, I am very passionate about reaching the youth with the truth because I personally experienced how influential music can be on a young person's life. It makes me angry to know how Satan is using the most powerful evangelistic tool in existence, music, while Christianity places more emphasis on exposing sermons over the airwaves instead of youth oriented music such as hip hop. But, I will leave it at that for now."

When former Entertainment Tonight co-host John Tesh isn’t hosting his popular “John Tesh Radio Show: Music and Intelligence For Your Life,” currently heard on about 160 stations in the U.S. and Canada, or leading worship at a Messianic evangelical church he and his wife, actress Connie Selleca, attend, he keeps busy making Christian music. Tesh’s notable project, a double CD and DVD, “Live Worship At Red Rocks,” released ten years to the day since his original “Red Rocks” release.

Lead singer of the rock band Jonah33.

Q) Your sound could be described as "Foo Fighters-meets-Switchfoot." In the past, your sound was more Nickelback/Three Doors Down. When you worked with producers, what kind of input did you have for what the "sound" of Jonah33 would be/become?

Tyscot Records, headquartered in Indianapolis, is pleased to announce the release of a new CD/DVD from Brent Jones & The T.P. Mobb. Their new CD/DVD, The Ultimate Weekend, was recorded live at the historic Capitol Records studio in Hollywood, California, and features singing performances by Nysa Shenay and Orlando Wright.

In Nashville, Tennessee, there’s a label used for a select group of musicians, vocalists, and instrumentalists—“First Call.” These are the ones a producer calls first for a recording project. They’re able to make a living by playing, singing, arranging and performing. First callers comprise a sliver of those who come to New York, Chicago, Los Angeles or Nashville hoping to find a dream come true. With a great deal of fear and trembling, and a healthy dose of optimism Marty McCall, Melodie Tunney and myself named our trio “First Call” in hopes of getting those much prized phone calls for work. God blessed our naive, well-intentioned efforts.

Phoenix-based singer/songwriter Kelly Mack releases her national debut album, Take Me With You, Oct. 14, 2008, on VSR Music Group and with EMI-CMG Distribution. Kelly's songs and soft, engaging voice have been compared to such musical icons as Sarah McLachlan, Dido and Enya.

Kevin Max's wife Amanda has given birth to their third child, Knightly Christobal Max, who came into the world at 9:23 p.m. on March 24, 2009, at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. Knightly, who joins big sister London and big brother Wilder, measured 20 inches long and weighed 8 lbs. 3 oz.

"We decided to name our third child, Knightly Christobal, after both of our affection for medieval art and history," said Kevin Max. "But all in all, he is looking to be the most modern of all our children, being of raven black hair and sharp blue eyes. I believe being a father is my greatest artistic accomplishment, and Amanda and I look forward to watching him grow and connect to his older brother and sister."

With dcTalk, Max accrued album sales exceeding 8 million, as well as numerous Grammy and Dove Awards. In recent years, Max has explored his art and his faith with several critically acclaimed solo projects, and live performances worldwide. His recently released EP, Crashing Gates, is available now at iTunes.

From Bob Kilpatrick, via email (June 2008): The Rome Worship Conference and the Naples Worship Conference were both a smashing success! We expected 30 in each city; we had 300! We expected hundreds at the concerts; we had thousands! We expected to meet friendly people; we made friends for life.

If one of Christian music’s most popular musicians hadn’t followed his dreams, he might still be appearing on doorsteps with flowers in hand.

“I once worked as a flower delivery person,” says the man known as KJ-52. “Not really a career builder there,” he adds, laughing about his past before he began rapping his way onto stages across the U.S. with a full-time hip-hop music career.

If you like music that's a cross between ethereal folk and inspirational country, delivered by a guitar-playing Christian woman who grew up Jewish, then you should check out the unique sound of Kris Miller, whose video for "Inner Cell Phone To Jesus" just appeared on Gospel Music Channel's "The Kitchen Sink" show.

Kurt Carr, who has become one of the mainstays of modern gospel music, right up there with Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin and Yolanda Adams, is on a mission. Carr’s main musical aim is to bring people together of different colors and backgrounds. That’s always been in his plan, but now, more than ever, he is committed to the cause, going so far as to name one of his recent CDs, “One Church,” and listen to contemporary Christian music vocal group Avalon in order to influence his own music so it reaches outside of the often insular black community.

Life just feels like a whirlwind when I think of all that has happened over the course of last year and this year so far. This February marked one year since my husband Scott started to show symptoms of a condition called Labyrinthitis (Vertigo). Doctors are still scratching their heads as to what caused it.

With a passion for God and the desire to spread inspiration, hope, and love through his music, worship leader and songwriter Josh Lopez is set to release his highly anticipated new album Free To Live this year on KOCH Records. Featuring the hit single “My Savior, My God” by Aaron Shust, which Lopez sings in Spanish, “Mi Salvador, Mi Dios” is set to take its powerful message deep within the Latin American community and beyond.  

At the heart of the rock group Mainstay is lead singer and songwriter Justin Anderson, an amiable young guy with a great grin from Minneapolis, Minnesota, a city he says is like most other American cities, spiritually-speaking.

“The spiritual climate in Minneapolis, I suppose, is like any other city,” says Justin. “There are lost people and people who know Christ. People that are lost don’t know they’re lost. And the people who do know Christ, including myself, need to do more to reach out to those people.”

Powerhouse vocalist Mandisa, a bright light from the top 10 of the famous TV singing competition juggernaut that is American Idol, has made an exceptional album entitled True Beauty. Mandisa’s inner light shined through on Idol, and thankfully her producers helped capture her confident, positive spirit on True Beauty. A strong and skilled vocalist, Mandisa manages to evoke the sound and style of talents like CeCe Winans, Nicole C. Mullen, En Vogue, and India.Arie on her refreshingly eclectic debut. True Beauty is definitely above average and worth buying.

Acclaimed singer/songwriter Matthew West is back with a new CD called Something To Say, his highly anticipated third studio recording and first project in more than two years. Produced by Brown Bannister, Ed Cash and Christopher Stevens, the album is West’s Sparrow Records debut and follows a life-changing year for the artist. 

Known for his ability to blend artistry, honesty and humor seamlessly though his music, highly respected singer/songwriter and speaker Justin McRoberts has a new  album, Deconstruction, out now.  Sold through most digital music stores including iTunes, CDBaby, Napster, and Rhapsody, McRoberts' CD helps him continue to carve an impressive niche for himself within the independent music scene.

Author, songwriter, poet. Mitch McVicker is all of these and dreams of more--like creating his own travel documentary and playing a tuba.

Some of his dreams have come true. But, Mitch McVicker knows those dreams could have been stripped away in a single day in 1997 when his best friend, Rich Mullins, was killed in an automobile accident. McVicker's voice (in the same accident) was changed forever.

Melinda Watts, the season three winner of Gospel Music Channel's popular reality talent search series, Gospel Dream, will fulfill HER life long dream as she is set to release her new debut album this summer.  Signed with Razor & Tie Entertainment for a worldwide multi-album deal, Watt's first project, PEOPLE GET READY, will be released nationwide on July 28th.
 
Born in New Jersey and hailing from Sacramento, CA, Watts began singing at the age of six.  Her powerhouse vocals and warm bravado have captured the hearts of millions of fans, when she won the American Idol-esque show.  Influenced by legends CeCe Winans, Natalie Grant and Shirley Caesar, Melinda shares a love of music and her church. 

PEOPLE GET READY is a bright and dynamic album that showcases Watts' vibrant vocals along with strong contemporary production. The celebratory first single, "So Good," has already made waves at Gospel radio and is upbeat pop track that absolutely defies you to get up and dance.
 
Slick grooves, hopeful lyrics, and an exuberant vibe are interwoven throughout PEOPLE GET READY, which recalls other leading ladies of urban gospel like Mary Mary and Kierra Sheard.  From the explosive, dance-friendly tracks of "Say Yes," and "Happy" to intimate worship songs like "Available To You," a duet with J. Moss, and wonderful rendition of "Faith," there is no doubt as to why Watts won over judges and audiences alike.
 
Watts will be set out on a promotional tour this summer in support of the release with stops in New York, Atlanta, Chicago and Philadelphia.  She's already been chosen to tape an upcoming episode BET's "LIFT EVERY VOICE," and will be a part of the Gospel Music Channel's Gospel Dream 2009 season set to start airing in June.

"I've always had a love of music and I have been singing in church my whole life," Watts explains. "God's grace brought me here.  A lot of faith in God and remembering that it's okay to dream even when you feel you can't."
 
Watts, a former high school English teacher and active member of her Sacramento community, started the nonprofit organizations Project Sunday and Heaven's House to address the great need for mentoring and ministering to young women in her community. 

Superhero is the debut album from Christian teen/tween band MISSION SIX. The band just returned from Los Angeles where they attended the Teen Choice Awards, and they can be heard currently on Radio Disney (as well as RadioDisney.com) as well as numerous Christian radio stations around the country. The group appeals to Christian music lovers, plus fans of some of today's hottest artists such as the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus.

A) My sound is kind of an earthy pop. In that I mean that we have combined instruments like the dulcimer and dobro with piano and strings. The most important element of all is the song and that is what we try to make the focal point.

Recorded live at the 2007 Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship National Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, Bishop Paul S. Morton presents a great new Gospel CD called The Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship: Embracing The Next Dimension (Tehillah Music Group/Light Records). 

Martha Munizzi is a busy recording artist—and that’s something that keeps her and her husband Dan, who plays keyboards, away from home most weekends as they sing and minister at different churches around the country. Ever since the song "Glorious" skyrocketed up the Gospel charts a few years ago, Martha's been an in-demand singer and worshipper all over the world.

Christian music is, by far, the most difficult genre to understand and critique. In terms of a workable characterization, forget about it. When you have church choirs, Gospel songs, barbershop quartets, the southern rock of DecembeRadio and tobyMac’s hip-hop, it’s a style of music that’s beyond definition.

NewWorldSon can do it all, musically. From jazz to beat-boxing, and reggae to country, this band is unlike most bands out there today. Hailing from Niagara Falls, Ontario, where they got their start performing Gospel songs in front of a martini bar crowd on a weekly basis, NewWorldSon is the kind of band that manages to connect the Christian message with people who normally wouldn't set foot inside a church.

After the huge success of the Dove Award winning Song of the Year, “Redeemer,” singer-songwriter Nicole C. Mullen has become a star on the rise, but she probably doesn’t consider herself to be that. She’s a mother, a wife, and an artist, but star? That’s not really her thing. She loves people. She wants to hear what they have to say. She loves to dance and teach kids how to dance. And she loves Jesus, and wants to share that love with others.

Mark Weber of ChristianMusicDaily.com recently asked various Christian artists to answer this question: "What's the toughest thing about being a 'Christian' artist in today's society?" Scott Brownson from Pivitplex had this to say:

"I'm not sure if I can nail down one 'toughest' thing, but I can give you a few reasons why I find if tough.

Answers by Denise Jones

Q) Point of Grace has been around a while and had many hits on Christian radio. A lot of people who come to your concerts are well-off, Bible-carrying white women from the suburbs who have kids and love the Lord. What role does your group's music and career play in these ladies' lives?

Fervent Records’ popular tween group, pureNRG, is scheduled to release their first Christmas project, A pureNRG Christmas, September 23, 2008. The CD showcases a wide variety of Christmas classics done “pureNRG style” and features such favorites as “All I Want For Christmas,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” and “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.”  The group once again teams up with producers Rob Hawkins and Mark Hammond, who produced their self-titled debut and the latest top-selling and critically acclaimed album, “Here We Go Again.” In support of A pureNRG Christmas, the group will join Casting Crowns’ Christmas tour that kicks-off in Houston, TX on November 28 and ends December 13 in Reading, PA.  Also joining the tour are Natalie Grant, Avalon, Michael English, and Denver and the Mile High Orchestra.

Relevant Worship is an organic collective of musicians from various towns and cities scattered across Western New York who've come together to create modern Christian music appealing to teens and twentysomethings who love God and want to express that with honesty, fervency and passion. Known throughout the United States and Canada, Relevant Worship is actually the result of two former rock bands, Elektromat and Adelaide, deciding that worshiping God was more important to band members than just putting on a good rock show.

Following on the heels of an unmatched debut year, Midas Records Band, Rush Of Fools is preparing for the release of its highly-anticipated project, Wonder Of The World. Slated to release nationwide September 16, 2008, the sophomore effort is reminiscent of the band’s debut release, filled with passionate lyrics and contemporary, hooky melodies, yet takes the band to a new level musically, personally and spiritually.

Ami Rushes shows no signs of slowing down. Did you get that play-on-words? Sorry, it had to be done. But seriously, folks, this anointed singer, who lives near the ocean in a peaceful California neighborhood with her three pet cats, is a star on the rise in the black Gospel world—and, somewhat ironically, she’s a blonde, white woman.

Singer-songwriter Sarah Sadler's sophomore record, Where It Started, the follow-up release to her 2002 self-titled debut release on Nashville-based Essential Records, is now available from the independent label Audioluxe Records. You can find it online at CDBaby, and eventually on Amazon.com and iTunes, as well as select retail stores throughout the country.

Multi-Dove Award-winning and gold-selling Curb recording artist Selah recently celebrated 10 years of music and ministry with the release of Timeless: The Selah Collection, a box set of the group’s seminal recordings.  The retrospective contains three of Selah’s Dove Award-winning albums: Be Still My Soul, Press On, and Hiding Place, along with a bonus CD of selections from other Selah projects, previously unreleased cuts and new songs.    

Passionate about helping others in need and using their platform to encourage others to do the same, Tooth and Nail band Showbread headed to Ecuador in January 2008 to spend two weeks at the Casa De Fe orphanage in Shell, Ecuador. This is part of a new partnership with the newly formed organization, Faceless International.

New Orleans native Jake Smith has weathered many storms in his life, from Hurricane Katrina to several close relatives battling cancer—and winning. The young singer-songwriter offers his take on pressing on in life with his new CD, “Real.”

The Chicago-based Blue Myrtle Records is pleased to introduce singer/songwriter Stephen Hinkle, whose debut album will be released on October 28, 2008 through a distribution agreement with Infinity Music Distribution. With an established fan base already in place, Hinkle is poised to be one of 2008's top worship leaders.

With a blend of energetic rhythms, colorfully textured vocals and Christ-centered lyrics, Hinkle delivers a solid performance on his self-titled national debut. The 12-song collection represents a diversity of worship styles ranging from adult contemporary to Gospel.

Integrity Music announces the October 14 release of Times of Refreshing, a live worship album featuring 40-year-old artist and songwriter Stephen Hurd. The CD, his third with Integrity, following the critically acclaimed My Destiny and A Call To Worship.

Times of Refreshing offers 20 tracks of energetic praise and intimate worship recorded live at First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, where Hurd serves as Music Minister. 

Hurd, who co-produced and arranged the album with Justin Savage, invited 250 worship leaders, music directors and musicians from around the country to join him for the recording. The result is an impactful musical offering that deliberately mixes hymns, contemporary worship and traditional Gospel to bring together generations, races and denominations.

Much like Kutless and Sanctus Real, This Beautiful Republic is a band that combines modern rock sounds with lyrics expressing the need for a savior. On their ForeFront Records’ debut, Even Heroes Need A Parachute, the five-member band from Toledo, Ohio, captures both the questions and the feelings so many teens and twentysomethings have about where God fits into their lives.

Here's something you don't normally see in contemporary Christian music: a former opera singer crossing over to the adult contemporary/pop style. Tim Juillet used to sing with various opera companies in Los Angeles, but now the happily married husband and father of two little girls is singing songs about Jesus on his new inspirational CD, Give Me Words.

If you listened to Christian rock in the 1990s, dc Talk, a trio featuring Michael Tait, Kevin Max, and Toby McKeehan,  Since going their own separate ways in the year 2000, each member has done their own thing, musically, with McKeehan, now known as tobyMac, having had the most success.

While his driver’s license would indicate he’s over 40, if you listen to tobyMac’s new CD, Portable Sounds, you might think you’re listening to music made by someone in their twenties. It’s a blend of potent pop, rock, rap, and dance, as if Justin Timberlake, Kid Rock, and OutKast morphed into one skinny, blue-eyed bundle of stylishly dressed energy known as tobyMac.

Q) Your sound could be described as "Newsboys-meets-U2." When you worked (and work) with producers, what kind of input did and do you have for what the "sound" of Tree63 would be/is?

Tammy Trent lost her husband in a tragic diving accident in 2001, right around the time when terrorists blew up the World Trade Center buildings. Can you imagine what she must have felt like? She could have become bitter and written off her faith, but Trent bounced back and became better, with a stronger faith anchored in Christ. Here she talks about her music, her career, and her life…

Trin-I-Tee 5:7 knows about facing the storms of life. The group, comprised of Chanelle Haynes, Angel Taylor and Adrian Anderson, had to hold on to their faith as two of the girls' native city of New Orleans was submerged in 2005 due to the ravaging effects of Hurricane Katrina.

Vicki Yohe decided to record the song “He’s Been Faithful” after adopting her first child in March 2005. When she and her husband, Troy Hodges, were trying to decide what to name her recent CD, they agreed that “He’s Been Faithful” would be the perfect title.

“After being married for 9 years—no children—praying desperately that God would give us a baby,” she says, “my friend Darlene Bishop, from Ohio, who works with teen mothers, called me and said she’d have a baby for us in one week.”