NewSong
Encyclopedia
NewSong is a Contemporary Christian Music
group that was founded in 1981, at Morningside Baptist Church in Valdosta, Georgia
. They have had eight GMA Dove Award nominations. They are the founders of the Winter Jam Tour Spectacular
, the United States' largest annual Christian music tour. It began in 1995, and is still hosted by NewSong. It has had guests such as Steven Curtis Chapman
, Jeremy Camp
, Newsboys
, MercyMe
, TobyMac
and Skillet
.
NewSong has frequently provided support for organizations working with abandoned and underprivileged children. For years they worked with World Vision
, a humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their community to rid them of poverty and injustice. Then in 2006, NewSong became involved with Holt International, a world leader in child adoption and child welfare.
The original four included the current members Eddie Carswell, Billy Goodwin, and former members Eddie Middleton and Bobby Apon.
, a branch of CCM label giant Word Records
and released The Word. NewSong continued to stay with Word Records until 1991 when they signed on with DaySpring Records. The next year they released One Heart At A Time, The Best of NewSong, which featured 12 hits from their previous albums. In 1993, they joined up with the Benson Music Group and released All Around The World, which brought four #1 hits. In 1993, lead vocalist Eddie Middleton left to pursue a solo career, and Bobby Apon left to spend more time with his family.
In 1997, Charles Billingsley left to pursue a solo career. In 1997, NewSong released Love Revolution. It featured four #1 hits, including "Miracles," which stayed at #1 on the CCM Adult Contemporary chart for four consecutive weeks, tying the record set a few years earlier by Bob Carlisle
's "Butterfly Kisses
".
In May 1999, Bobby Apon died. He was recognized on the album Arise, My Love, The Very Best of NewSong. This featured twelve of their previous #1 hits. It also included two new songs which became #1 hits, "Can’t Keep A Good Man Down", and "Jesus To The World (Roaring Lambs)", which was inspired by Christian speaker and author Bob Briner, who died later that year from cancer
. They also had a third new song, "Like Minded, Like Hearted", which NewSong recorded with Out of Eden
of Gotee Records
.
and electric guitarist Leonard Ahlstrom also left later to help a friend manage a recording label in Florida
.
In 2000, NewSong released the album Sheltering Tree, and Carswell, along with author Donna VanLiere, released a book entitled Sheltering Trees: The Power, Promise, and Refuge Of Friendship. The book, which contained accounts of friendship from artists, singers, and speakers, won a Silver Angel Award.
"The Christmas Shoes
", a Christmas bonus track from Sheltering Tree, became a #1 mainstream radio hit. It made it to the top of the Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart, and inspired Donna VanLiere to write a book based on the song. The book was on the New York Times Bestseller List in 2002, and was later made into a TV movie by Dog Run Productions/Craig Anderson Productions/Beth Grossbard Productions for CBS
, called The Christmas Shoes, which was released on December 1, 2002. The movie had nearly 17 million viewers and was the second highest-rated TV movie of the 2002–2003 seasons.
Shortly after The Christmas Shoes became a #1 song, Clive Calder shut down the Benson label. NewSong stayed with Zomba Music, now on the Reunion label, and released an album entitled The Christmas Shoes, which was nominated in 2003 for a Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
. Along with the title track, the album featured a variety of original Christmas tunes and Christmas classics, such as "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
" and "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
".
In March 2004, NewSong announced that they were leaving Reunion Records and moving to Integrity Music. In November 2004, NewSong recorded their live worship album and DVD, Rescue: Live Worship at First Baptist Church of Woodstock, which is the home church for several members in the band.[9]
The album was released in May 2005, and the DVD of the concert came out in September. In November, Scotty Wilbanks left to join the group Third Day, and to produce bands. Also in 2005, NewSong was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. [10]
In March 2006, Michael O’Brien left to restart his solo career and Drew Cline was asked to fill in. In September, Eddie Carswell, Matt Butler, Billy Goodwin, and guest artist Drew Cline released The Christmas Hope, featuring traditional Christmas carols, NewSong originals, and three songs to complement the book trilogy by Donna VanLiere. In November, The Christmas Shoes movie was released on DVD. The Christmas Hope, the third TV movie installment of the trilogy, is planned to be released in December 2008 by CBS.[11]
The Winter Jam 2007 Tour Spectacular featured headliners Steven Curtis Chapman
and Jeremy Camp
, with special guests Hawk Nelson
, Sanctus Real
, new artist Britt Nicole
, Speaker Tony Nolan, Presidential impersonator and comedian John Morgan
and was attended by over 275,000 people and 37,000 made decisions for Christ. In March 2007, Christian solo artist Nate Sallie joined NewSong. In April, The Christmas Hope album was nominated for a Dove Award, for Best Christmas Album of the Year.
The 2008 Winter Jam Tour Spectacular concluded its 34-city run with a bang and a near sold out crowd at the Sommet Center in Nashville and ranked #4 among the Top 100 Tours logged by Pollstar over the first 90 days of this year. Winter Jam 2008 had a 16 percent increase to 311, 836 fans coming to see MercyMe, Skillet, BarlowGirl, NewSong, and American Idol's Mandisa. They also had 53,256 people give their lives to Jesus Christ; that is a 39 percent increase from 2007.
NewSong is currently in the studio with Producer Mark Heimermann working on their new album slated to release later this year.
On December 29, 2008 in an email to subscribers of his newsletter, Russ Lee announced that he will be rejoining Newsong as lead vocalist.
NewSong has finished recording a new album with producer Charlie Peacock. It is scheduled to release before the end of the year. The upcoming album is titled Give Yourself Away, which goes along with the groups' plans to offer the album for free.
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
group that was founded in 1981, at Morningside Baptist Church in Valdosta, Georgia
Valdosta, Georgia
Valdosta is the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Valdosta Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 54,518. The Valdosta metropolitan area, according to the 2010 estimate, has a population of 139,588...
. They have had eight GMA Dove Award nominations. They are the founders of the Winter Jam Tour Spectacular
Winter Jam Tour Spectacular
Winter Jam Tour Spectacular, also referred to as simply Winter Jam , is an annual American music tour featuring Christian rock, Christian rap, and contemporary Christian music bands, stunt and/or comedy performances, and a speaker. It is the United States' largest annual Christian Music Tour...
, the United States' largest annual Christian music tour. It began in 1995, and is still hosted by NewSong. It has had guests such as Steven Curtis Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, actor, author, and social activist.After starting his career in the late 1980s as a singer/songwriter of contemporary Christian music, Chapman has since been recognized as one of the most prolific singers in the genre,...
, Jeremy Camp
Jeremy Camp
Jeremy Thomas Camp is a contemporary Christian musician from Lafayette, Indiana. Camp has released seven albums, four of them RIAA-certified as Gold and two are live albums, and 17 number-one hit songs...
, Newsboys
Newsboys
Newsboys are a Christian pop rock band founded in 1985 in Mooloolaba, Australia. They have released 15 studio albums, six of which have been certified gold...
, MercyMe
MercyMe
MercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
, TobyMac
TobyMac
Toby McKeehan , better known by his stage name TobyMac , is a Christian recording artist, music producer, hip-hop/pop artist, singer-songwriter, and author....
and Skillet
Skillet (band)
Skillet is an American Christian rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee in 1996. The band currently consists of husband and wife John and Korey Cooper , along with Jen Ledger and lead guitarist Seth Morrison. The band has released eight albums, two receiving Grammy nominations: Collide and Comatose...
.
NewSong has frequently provided support for organizations working with abandoned and underprivileged children. For years they worked with World Vision
World Vision
World Vision, founded in the USA in 1950, is an evangelical relief and development organization whose stated goal is "to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of...
, a humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their community to rid them of poverty and injustice. Then in 2006, NewSong became involved with Holt International, a world leader in child adoption and child welfare.
The original four included the current members Eddie Carswell, Billy Goodwin, and former members Eddie Middleton and Bobby Apon.
1981-1993
NewSong recorded three custom albums independently. In 1982, they signed on with Covenant Records, and released The Son In My Eyes the next year. In 1984, they signed a contract with Canaan RecordsCanaan Records
Canaan Records is a Christian record label and is a subsidiary of Word Entertainment. It started in 1965 by founder Marvin Norcross as a vehicle for the label's Southern Gospel quartets. Their biggest artist to date is that of the Legendary Happy Goodman Family...
, a branch of CCM label giant Word Records
Word Records
Word Records is a Christian record label based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a division of Word Entertainment , which, itself is co-owned by Warner Music Group and Curb Records...
and released The Word. NewSong continued to stay with Word Records until 1991 when they signed on with DaySpring Records. The next year they released One Heart At A Time, The Best of NewSong, which featured 12 hits from their previous albums. In 1993, they joined up with the Benson Music Group and released All Around The World, which brought four #1 hits. In 1993, lead vocalist Eddie Middleton left to pursue a solo career, and Bobby Apon left to spend more time with his family.
1994-1999
In 1994, songwriter Leonard Ahlstrom, soloist Charles Billingsley, musician Scotty Wilbanks, and the lead vocalist from the contemporary Christian band Truth, Russ Lee, joined NewSong. That year NewSong released People Get Ready which brought four #1 hits, and featured a re-recorded version of "Arise My Love", which was first recorded by the original group in 1987.In 1997, Charles Billingsley left to pursue a solo career. In 1997, NewSong released Love Revolution. It featured four #1 hits, including "Miracles," which stayed at #1 on the CCM Adult Contemporary chart for four consecutive weeks, tying the record set a few years earlier by Bob Carlisle
Bob Carlisle
Bob Carlisle is a Grammy Award and Dove Award-winning American musician who performs Christian music. He performed with several bands, most notably Allies and Billy Thermal, before launching a solo career...
's "Butterfly Kisses
Butterfly Kisses (song)
"Butterfly Kisses" is the title of a song written by Bob Carlisle and Randy Thomas from Carlisle's third studio album Butterfly Kisses . The song was written for his daughter Brooke's 16th birthday. Carlisle also wrote a journal entitled Butterfly Kisses for fathers and their daughters...
".
In May 1999, Bobby Apon died. He was recognized on the album Arise, My Love, The Very Best of NewSong. This featured twelve of their previous #1 hits. It also included two new songs which became #1 hits, "Can’t Keep A Good Man Down", and "Jesus To The World (Roaring Lambs)", which was inspired by Christian speaker and author Bob Briner, who died later that year from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. They also had a third new song, "Like Minded, Like Hearted", which NewSong recorded with Out of Eden
Out of Eden
Out of Eden was an American Gospel music group often identified with R&B, and contemporary Christian music. It featured sisters Lisa Kimmey, Andrea Kimmey-Baca, and Danielle Kimmey...
of Gotee Records
Gotee Records
Gotee Records is a record label founded by dc Talk member Toby McKeehan , Todd Collins, and Joey Elwood...
.
2000-2002
Russ Lee and Scotty Wilbanks left Newsong in 2000. They were replaced by soloist Michael O’Brien, Steve Reischl, and former Truth member, Matt Butler. SongwriterSongwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and electric guitarist Leonard Ahlstrom also left later to help a friend manage a recording label in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
In 2000, NewSong released the album Sheltering Tree, and Carswell, along with author Donna VanLiere, released a book entitled Sheltering Trees: The Power, Promise, and Refuge Of Friendship. The book, which contained accounts of friendship from artists, singers, and speakers, won a Silver Angel Award.
"The Christmas Shoes
The Christmas Shoes (song)
"The Christmas Shoes" is a Christmas-themed song by the Christian vocal group NewSong. The song was released as a bonus track on their 2000 album Sheltering Tree,...
", a Christmas bonus track from Sheltering Tree, became a #1 mainstream radio hit. It made it to the top of the Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart, and inspired Donna VanLiere to write a book based on the song. The book was on the New York Times Bestseller List in 2002, and was later made into a TV movie by Dog Run Productions/Craig Anderson Productions/Beth Grossbard Productions for CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, called The Christmas Shoes, which was released on December 1, 2002. The movie had nearly 17 million viewers and was the second highest-rated TV movie of the 2002–2003 seasons.
Shortly after The Christmas Shoes became a #1 song, Clive Calder shut down the Benson label. NewSong stayed with Zomba Music, now on the Reunion label, and released an album entitled The Christmas Shoes, which was nominated in 2003 for a Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
The Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album was awarded from 1991 to 2011. From 1991 to 1993 it was awarded as Best Pop Gospel Album.The award will be discontinued from 2012 in a major overhaul of Grammy categories...
. Along with the title track, the album featured a variety of original Christmas tunes and Christmas classics, such as "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
Rockin' around the Christmas Tree
"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" is a Christmas song written by Johnny Marks and recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958 on Decca 9-30776.-Background:...
" and "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
"You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" is a Christmas song that was originally written and composed for the 1966 cartoon special How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. The lyrics were written by Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel, the music was composed by Albert Hague, and the song was performed by Thurl Ravenscroft...
".
2003-2008
In 2003, Donna VanLiere released The Christmas Blessing, the second book in the series spawned by "The Christmas Shoes" song. It was a New York Times best-selling book, and was later made into a TV movie by CBS.[8] It was the most watched TV movie in 2005, and had an appearance by NewSong, which showed them singing their holiday single "The Christmas Blessing".[7] NewSong also received a Dove Award for Musical of the Year for "The Christmas Shoes Musical".In March 2004, NewSong announced that they were leaving Reunion Records and moving to Integrity Music. In November 2004, NewSong recorded their live worship album and DVD, Rescue: Live Worship at First Baptist Church of Woodstock, which is the home church for several members in the band.[9]
The album was released in May 2005, and the DVD of the concert came out in September. In November, Scotty Wilbanks left to join the group Third Day, and to produce bands. Also in 2005, NewSong was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. [10]
In March 2006, Michael O’Brien left to restart his solo career and Drew Cline was asked to fill in. In September, Eddie Carswell, Matt Butler, Billy Goodwin, and guest artist Drew Cline released The Christmas Hope, featuring traditional Christmas carols, NewSong originals, and three songs to complement the book trilogy by Donna VanLiere. In November, The Christmas Shoes movie was released on DVD. The Christmas Hope, the third TV movie installment of the trilogy, is planned to be released in December 2008 by CBS.[11]
The Winter Jam 2007 Tour Spectacular featured headliners Steven Curtis Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, actor, author, and social activist.After starting his career in the late 1980s as a singer/songwriter of contemporary Christian music, Chapman has since been recognized as one of the most prolific singers in the genre,...
and Jeremy Camp
Jeremy Camp
Jeremy Thomas Camp is a contemporary Christian musician from Lafayette, Indiana. Camp has released seven albums, four of them RIAA-certified as Gold and two are live albums, and 17 number-one hit songs...
, with special guests Hawk Nelson
Hawk Nelson
Hawk Nelson is a Christian rock band from Peterborough, Ontario. The band has become very popular in the Christian music scene and was voted "Favorite New Artist" by CCM Magazine in their February 2006 Reader's Choice Awards. In 2006 Hawk Nelson won a No...
, Sanctus Real
Sanctus Real
Sanctus Real is an American Christian rock band formed in Toledo, Ohio, in 1996. The group is composed of Matt Hammitt , Chris Rohman , Dan Gartley , Pete Prevost , and Mark Graalman...
, new artist Britt Nicole
Britt Nicole
Brittany Nicole Waddell is a Christian music artist who performs under the name Britt Nicole. She is signed to EMI CMG/Sparrow.-Childhood:Britt Nicole was born on August 2nd 1985....
, Speaker Tony Nolan, Presidential impersonator and comedian John Morgan
John Morgan
-Arts and entertainment:*John Morgan , British painter*John Morgan , Welsh clergyman, scholar and poet*John Morgan , American broadcaster and television producer...
and was attended by over 275,000 people and 37,000 made decisions for Christ. In March 2007, Christian solo artist Nate Sallie joined NewSong. In April, The Christmas Hope album was nominated for a Dove Award, for Best Christmas Album of the Year.
The 2008 Winter Jam Tour Spectacular concluded its 34-city run with a bang and a near sold out crowd at the Sommet Center in Nashville and ranked #4 among the Top 100 Tours logged by Pollstar over the first 90 days of this year. Winter Jam 2008 had a 16 percent increase to 311, 836 fans coming to see MercyMe, Skillet, BarlowGirl, NewSong, and American Idol's Mandisa. They also had 53,256 people give their lives to Jesus Christ; that is a 39 percent increase from 2007.
NewSong is currently in the studio with Producer Mark Heimermann working on their new album slated to release later this year.
On December 29, 2008 in an email to subscribers of his newsletter, Russ Lee announced that he will be rejoining Newsong as lead vocalist.
NewSong has finished recording a new album with producer Charlie Peacock. It is scheduled to release before the end of the year. The upcoming album is titled Give Yourself Away, which goes along with the groups' plans to offer the album for free.
Albums
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | Label | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Christian | US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Heat Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
|||
| 1981 | More Than Music | Independent | |||
| NewSong Alive | |||||
| All the Best | |||||
| 1982 | The Son in My Eyes | Covenant | |||
| 1984 | The Word | Canaan | |||
| 1986 | Trophies of Grace | Word | |||
| 1987 | Say Yes! | ||||
| 1989 | Light Your World | 34 | |||
| 1990 | Living Proof | 19 | DaySpring | ||
| 1992 | One Heart at a Time: The Best of NewSong | ||||
| 1993 | All Around the World | Benson | |||
| 1994 | People Get Ready | 16 | |||
| 1997 | Love Revolution | 25 | |||
| Joy to the Rhythm of the World | |||||
| 1999 | Arise My Love: The Very Best of NewSong | 25 | |||
| 2000 | Live.. The Hits | ||||
| Sheltering Tree | 5 | 130 | 2 | ||
| 2001 | The Christmas Shoes | 9 | 113 | 1 | Reunion |
| 2003 | More Life | 10 | 172 | 9 | |
| 2004 | Simply NewSong | Provident | |||
| 2005 | The Very Best of NewSong | ||||
| Rescue: Live Worship | 10 | 15 | Integrity | ||
| 2006 | The Christmas Hope | 25 | 5 | ||
| 2009 | Give Yourself Away | 10 | 149 | 5 | |
| 2011 | One True God | 1 | 27 | HHM |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US AC Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
|||
| 2000 | "The Christmas Shoes The Christmas Shoes (song) "The Christmas Shoes" is a Christmas-themed song by the Christian vocal group NewSong. The song was released as a bonus track on their 2000 album Sheltering Tree,... " |
1 | 42 | 31 | Sheltering Tree |
| 2004 | "When God Made You" | 33 | More Life |