SGN Scoops Digital

Legendary Daywind Songwriters Dianne Wilkinson And Ronny Hinson Honored At 2013 Harmony Honors Ceremony

Hendersonville, TN (January 31, 2013) — The Southern Gospel Music Guild held its annual Harmony Honors program, hosted by Jason Crabb, on Tuesday evening, January 29th, 2013, at Trinity Music City in Hendersonville, TN.  Daywind songwriters Ronny Hinson and Dianne Wilkinson were both honored with lifetime achievement awards for their contribution to gospel music.Along with Dianne Wilkinson and Ronny Hinson, Daywind recording artist, Rodney Griffin (Greater Vision), songwriters Mosie Lister, Squire Parsons, and Phil Cross received acclamations for their success in songwriting.  Each of these songwriters have penned several hits that are classics in Southern Gospel music. The songwriters told stories about their career, influences, and inspirations.  Ronny Hinson told a story about penning his hit song “The Lighthouse” saying, “I scribbled it in a bathroom, during rehearsal, on a piece of toilet paper, in 7 minutes.” To honor each songwriter, a few of their popular songs were performed by well-known artists to the capacity crowd. Featured artists included Daywind’s Greater Vision, the Nelons and Scott Fowler (Legacy Five).  Also taking the stage were g Jeff & Sheri Easter, Kingdom Heirs, Tribute Quartet, Palmetto State Quartet, LeFevre Quartet, the Bowling Family, Booth Brothers, Gold City, Three Bridges, and country music great, Wynonna Judd. Selected performances from the evening will air as part of TBN’s “Praise the Lord” programming. Visit www.tbn.org for more information on dates and airtimes. Daywind Music Group is based in Hendersonville, TN and is distributed worldwide through New Day Christian Distribution.  In addition to those mentioned above, Daywind is also home to writers such as Kyla Rowland, Sue Smith and Kenna West, as well as artists such as The Perrys and Karen Peck & New River.  For more information on Daywind, visit daywindrecords.com.  For more information about Daywind Publishing, contact Rick Shelton at rshelton@daywind.com.

For more information regarding this press release, please contact:
publicity@daywind.com.

TV Alert The Collingsworth Family On TBN

The Trinity Broadcasting Network has announced it will feature The Collingsworth Family’s new StowTown Records Video Release FEELS LIKE CHRISTMAS as a Television Special next week at 3 different times. Broadcast schedule is as follows :

TUES 12/18 : 12:30 PM Eastern / 9:30 AM Pacific

THUR 12/20 : 3:30 AM Eastern / 12:30 AM Pacific

SAT 12/22 : 12:30 AM Eastern / which translates as FRI 12/21 : 9:30 PM Pacific

Join TBN for a Special Birthday Tribute to Dr. Billy Graham

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 2, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ — On November 7 Praise the Lord, Trinity Broadcasting Network’s signature music, talk, and ministry program, will host a very special two-hour tribute in honor of Dr. Billy Graham as he celebrates his 94th birthday.

“Perhaps no other individual alive today has done more to deliver the simple, powerful message of the gospel around the world than Billy Graham,” said TBN’s founder and president Dr. Paul Crouch. “For all of us here at TBN, Dr. Graham has been a constant source of encouragement and a solid example of godly character. We are looking forward to highlighting his many decades of selfless service to God’s kingdom and the body of Christ.”

TBN’s special tribute will include historic and moving video clips from many of Dr. Graham’s crusades around the world, along with personal recollections and birthday greetings from dozens of Christian leaders, celebrities, and public figures.

In addition, TBN is inviting viewers to post their own brief birthday greetings and encouraging recollections about Dr. Graham and his impact on their lives via TBN’s Facebook page (Click Here).

“For 40 years TBN has been committed to broadcasting the message of the gospel through the medium of television,” said Dr. Crouch. “And throughout our entire history no one has been a greater example and encouragement to us than our dear friend Billy Graham. Please join us on his birthday in thanking this great man of God for his service and sacrifice.”

TBN’s special tribute to Dr. Billy Graham airs November 7 at 7 p.m. (Pacific Time). For those who miss it, the program will be rebroadcast November 8 at 2 p.m. (Pacific Time).

Tune-In Alert: Watch Wilburn & Wilburn Tonight on TBN

TALENT ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2012 GMA GOSPEL MUSIC HALL OF FAME

  TALENT ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2012 GMA GOSPEL MUSIC HALL OF FAME

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – August 3, 2012 – An unforgettable night of tributes and performances will be featured at the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Tuesday, August 14, 2012 (7:00 PM CST) at Trinity Music City in Hendersonville, TN. Dailey & Vincent, Dottie Peoples, Gordon Mote, Greg Long, The Isaacs, Jamie Grace, Michael W. Smith and The Talleys are among the artists set to provide recognition to this years inductees: Aretha Franklin, The Hoppers, Rex Humbard, Ricky Skaggs and Love Song. Jason Crabb and Jaci Velasquez will host the evening’s festivities.

Jackie Patillo, Executive Director of the Gospel Music Association and President of the Gospel Music Foundation commented: “It is great to see our christian and gospel music communities come together to pay tribute to this years GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductees. It is an honor to recognize our trailblazers and remind the world of the people God has used to spread the gospel through music.”

This year marks the 39th anniversary of the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame which was established in 1971, and has inducted more than 150 members since its inception. Previous inductees include Johnny Cash, DeGarmo & Key, Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, Mahalia Jackson, Amy Grant, the Statler Brothers, the Winans, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Andrae Crouch, Sandi Patty, Andrae Crouch & the Disciples, Vestal Goodman, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Shirley Caesar, The Oak Ridge Boys, the Blackwood Brothers, Petra, Bill Gaither, Gloria Gaither, the Happy Goodman Family, Larry Norman, George Beverly Shea, Albertina Walker, The Imperials, Pat Boone, Dottie Rambo, Evie, Larry Norman, Richard Smallwood, Jake Hess, The Lewis Family, Cliff Barrows, Thomas A. Dorsey, the Cathedral Quartet, the Fairfield Four, Billy Graham and The Jordanaires. The Gospel Music Hall of Fame is dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the historical development of gospel music and its impact on our culture by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collections for a global audience, as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to gospel music. For a full list of GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame Members click here.

ABOUT THE INDUCTEES:

ARETHA FRANKLIN
Although born in soul’s capitol city, Memphis. The Franklin family soon moved to Detroit, MI, where her father, Baptist minister Reverend C. L. Franklin, soon became one of the most revered public figures in black America. During her late preteens, Franklin was regularly singing solo numbers in her father’s New Bethel Baptist Church. She grew up with local and national celebrities visiting in her family home, including gospel greats Albertina Walker and her group The Caravans, Mahalia Jackson and Clara Ward, three women who played a pivotal role in her vocal development.

In 1972, she released the gospel album Amazing Grace. The album eventually became her biggest-selling release ever, selling over two million copies and becoming the best-selling gospel album of all time. In 1987 she again returned to her gospel roots with the album, One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, which though it did not repeat the success of Amazing Grace despite a powerful rendition of “Oh Happy Day”, featuring Mavis Staples, but did reach the Top 10 of Billboard’s gospel chart.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All Time as well as the ninth greatest artist of all time. She has won 18 competitive Grammys and two honorary Grammys. She has 20 #1 singles on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart and two #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: “Respect” (1967) and “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” (1987), Since 1961, she has scored a total of 45 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. She also has the most million-selling singles of any female artist. Between 1967 and 1982 she had 10 #1 R&B albums—more than any other female artist. In 1987, Aretha became the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She was the only featured singer at the 2009 Presidential Inauguration.

DALLAS HOLM
Dallas has earned his influence in today’s Christian music throughout more than 40 years of writing, singing and ministry in some 4,000 concerts in every state in the USA as well as many countries abroad.  His 38 recordings have garnered gold records, multiple Dove awards, Grammy nominations, number one songs, and countless accolades.

Artists such as Steven Curtis Chapman, Twila Paris and Greg Long of Avalon all make reference to Holm’s significant impact on their lives and ministries.  Holm can be seen on several of the Bill Gaither Homecoming videos.  On one video Gaither introduces Dallas by saying, “This is one of the nicest guys in our entire industry.”  This broad appeal and respect by peers has undoubtedly been one of the reasons for Holm’s amazing longevity and relevance. They became the first Contemporary Christian band to receive an RIAA certified Gold Album for Dallas Holm and Praise LIVE.

THE HOPPERS
Multi-award winning family group The Hoppers have been singing to global audiences for over 55 years with appearances ranging from presidential religious inaugural ceremonies and New York’s Carnegie Hall to singing conventions and church platforms.  They have performed throughout the United States as well as in Israel, Europe and Africa. Their unique blend of harmonies and song choices have created a legacy of musical excellence embraced by leading pastors and event organizers. Known as America’s Favorite Family of Gospel Music, they are favorites on the Gaither Homecoming videos and tours, and their recordings frequently land at the top of the BILLBOARD sales charts and The Singing News radio charts.

Comprised today of family members Claude & Connie, son Dean and his wife, Kim, and son Mike Hopper, The Hoppers were formed in 1957 in the rural-farm town of Madison, NC, and have grown continuously for decades, touching countless lives around the world. A cancer survivor, Connie has been honored with the prestigious Marvin Norcross Award, in addition to numerous industry and fan honors; and she has been inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Sons Dean and Mike have continued the family legacy with their musical talents and business abilities; and Kim, Dean’s wife, hails from her own nationally acclaimed musical family, The Greenes. She is noted for the excitement she brings to any live performance, and her unmistakable, rafter-ringing soprano vocals have taken The Hoppers to new heights for many years.

REX HUMBARD
In 1932, Rex Humbard did his first radio program on KTHS Radio, Hot Springs, Arkansas; at the age of 13. His father, Alpha Rex Emanuel Humbard, ran an orphanage and church in downtown Hot Springs. In the midst of the Great Depression, church attendance was poor and offerings for the orphanage suffered greatly. Rex did his radio program every week, singing, playing his guitar and telling the listeners about his father’s church. One year later the seats were full to capacity and the orphans had a new lease on life. From that time forward, Rex Humbard realized the power of the media and the importance of the “life changing” message contained in gospel music.

From 1945 through 1952 (during the war years), Rex and his wife, Maude Aimee, traveled to every section of the USA and Canada conducting tent crusade meetings. In each of these cities they purchased radio time and appeared daily singing gospel music and promoting the tent crusades. In 1949, Rex did his first TV show in Indianapolis, Indiana on the local CBS station. Once again, gospel music was the center piece of the program.

The Rex Humbard Ministry program ran from 1952 to 1985. In the early 1970’s, Time Magazine did a feature story on Rex Humbard and coined the phrase “tele-evangelist” to describe Rex. In 1999, Rex was named as “one of the 25 shapers of the 20th century” by US News and World Report because of his visionary use of the media to promote his message of hope, love and salvation. One of the most vital parts of his ministry was gospel music.

LOVE SONG
In the early 70′s, during the beginnings of what became known as the “Jesus Movement,” a group of young, longhaired, “hippie” musicians called LOVE SONG began to use their music to express their newfound faith in Jesus Christ. A mixture of rock and pop, LOVE SONG’s music was entirely new and unique for the Christian music world.

The music was fresh, sometimes radical, and yet truly inspirational for a generation of young people searching for truth. It helped blaze the path for what we know today as Contemporary Christian Music. They flourished amidst the swirl of national media attention from top record labels and interviews with magazines including ROLLING STONE. God used them in a powerful way to bring many people to Himself. “In a world of imitators, Love Song has been an originator, the first domino that started the others going”

RICKY SKAGGS
Fourteen-time Grammy Award winner and two-time Dove Awards winner, Ricky Skaggs, is affectionately known as one of bluegrass music’s most recognized ambassadors. Singing comes naturally to Skaggs, and singing Gospel songs even more so.  At the tender age of 3, he began by harmonizing with his mother as she sang Gospel songs.  He began to perform in his church, singing with his parents there.  His illustrious path to stardom has always included Gospel songs, as he loves to sing about Jesus and His love for all of us.

From there, Skaggs went on to put his own stamp on the mainstream country and bluegrass formats, resulting in twelve #1 hits, eight Country Music Association Awards and eight Academy of Country Music Awards. 1997 marked Ricky Skaggs’ triumphant return to bluegrass and the establishment of his own Skaggs Family Records label, which has gone on to break new sales records in the genre. Now in his 40th year as a professional musician, he continues to record and tour with his band Kentucky Thunder as one of music’s most sought after live performers.

Prayer Ministry Foundational to 40-Year Success of Trinity Broadcasting Network

LOS ANGELES, — As Trinity Broadcasting Network prepares to celebrate 40 years of taking Christian television to the nations, there are certainly some significant milestones to highlight — such as how the network has grown from one tiny UHF station into the largest religious broadcaster in the world, with 78 satellites beaming the life-changing programming of 18 Christian networks to over 18,000 cable and television stations across the globe.

But nothing is more significant to TBN’s founders, Dr. Paul and Jan Crouch, than the impact of the prayer ministry that began the day TBN was launched. “We knew that a committed team of men and women praying for this ministry and our viewers was key to TBN’s success,” recalled Dr. Crouch, “and we set that ministry in place immediately.”

From the very beginning TBN’s prayer partners were busy praying with viewers for salvation, healing, broken relationships, and countless other needs. And as TBN has grown over the years, the volume of requests for prayer has expanded dramatically. In its first two years, for example, TBN recorded over 18,000 salvations, a number that has exploded to over 36 million.

Donna Recinos, one of TBN’s prayer partners, noted that in June 2012 alone, TBN received nearly 83,000 prayer requests, with hundreds of individuals following up to give praise reports for answered prayers. “The prayer center represents the heart of this network,” she said. “TBN reaches many people who may not even go to church, but they know they have a place to call for prayer 24 hours a day seven days a week.”

Ms. Recinos emphasized that its prayer ministry is one of TBN’s chief means of fulfilling the Great Commission. “So many people over the years have come to Christ after watching TBN programming and calling the prayer line to receive salvation,” she said.

She added that for many viewers, TBN’s prayer center has been a lifeline in times of desperate need. “One call might be from someone contemplating suicide, while the next is from someone battling cancer. Or it might be a parent needing prayer for a child,” she said. “So many contact us later to express their gratefulness for the kindness, encouragement, and compassion they received.”

Reflected Dr. Crouch: “In the midst of all the satellites, studios, and advanced technology that have helped us reach every corner of the earth, we realize that the real power behind TBN is prayer. We’re grateful to God for those He has called to stand with us in that place of special influence.”

TBN Celebrates America’s Independence with Patriotic and Challenging Program Lineup

LOS ANGELES, For over 235 years “One Nation Under God” has defined the spirit of America’s greatness. And for nearly 40 years Trinity Broadcasting Network, America’s most-watch faith channel, has been a clarion voice calling individuals and families to the faith that long made America the “city on a hill” for the rest of the world. As the nation prepares to celebrate Independence Day on July 4th, TBN is airing an extensive lineup of programs that will inspire and challenge viewers concerning America’s heritage of faith and freedom.

Among the programs TBN has planned for this unique American celebration are:

– The Glory of America. More than a depiction of one nation’s birth and struggle for independence, this TBN spectacular traces the roots of America’s liberty, beginning at Calvary and threading through the rich history of the Church as it ministers the freedom that only comes through faith in Christ. Airs July 1 and 2 (check here for broadcast times).

– Can Prayer Change America? Featuring interview with top Christian leaders, this sobering documentary analyzes the present plight of our nation in light of Scripture, and shows how concerted intercession by God’s people can help return America to wholeness and faith. Airs July 3 and 4 (check here for broadcast times).

– Let Freedom Ring. Featuring the big band sounds of Denver and the Mile High Orchestra, Let Freedom Ring is a musical celebration of America’s heritage of faith and freedom. Airs July 3, 4, and 6 (check here for broadcast times).

– America’s Godly Heritage. In this dramatic and moving program, noted historian David Barton offers solid historic evidence that America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles. Airs July 4 (check here for broadcast times).

In addition to these featured programs, TBN has a full schedule of other inspiring and patriotic specials to help viewers commemorate America’s faith and freedom. (Check TBN’s broadcast schedule for a full listing of all special programming.)

Dr. Paul Crouch, TBN’s founder and president, noted that while America has drifted from its foundations of faith in recent years, it is not too late to reclaim its righteous heritage for future generations. “God has promised to respond in mercy both to individuals and nations who turn to Him,” said Dr. Crouch. “As we have for the past four decades, TBN is committed to ministering that mercy across America and around the world.”

Tune In Alert: Adam Crabb, The Perrys! Friday, June 29th

Gold City has accomplished a rare feat in Gospel Music

With their latest number one hit, “Peter James and John,” legendary quartet Gold City has accomplished a rare feat in Gospel Music. This single puts them in the elite category of having a number one song in each of the last four decades.

In the 1980′s, songs such as their signature classic, “Midnight Cry” took them to the top of the charts. In the 1990′s, it was hits such as “I’m Not Giving Up” that kept them at the top. When the year 2000 was just a few months old, the group scored again with “He Said,” which spent two months at the number one slot. “Peter James and John” is their latest chart-topper. If early reaction to their latest song is any indication, “Lord Of Life” will find itself at the top, too, already at #17 for August!

Along with their latest chart success comes the news that Gold City has re-signed an exclusive booking agreement with the highly acclaimed Beckie Simmons Agency. The relationship between BSA and Gold City started with the inception of Gold City over 30 years ago when Tim Riley and Beckie Simmons formed a working relationship that works still today.

Beckie Simmons states, “In my many years in this industry, I have worked with many artists. However, my relationship with Tim Riley and Gold City is not only one of scheduling, but one that is part of our family! Anyone who knows our company quickly learns that we are a family business and relationships are very important to us. So for this reason, BSA is excited to welcome back a part of our family, Tim and Danny Riley and all of Gold City. With such exciting things happening to them, we look forward to what the future holds for this Southern Gospel National Treasure, Gold City.”

On Tuesday, June 26, Gold City will be featured at an evening television taping of Gospel Music at TBN along with Jason Crabb, Adam Crabb and the Oak Ridge Boys. There is no admission charge to attend this event, and everyone is invited to be a part of this great evening that is scheduled to air on TBN Friday, June 29th at 9 p.m. central time.

For more information about or to schedule Gold City, please contact the Beckie Simmons Agency at www.bsaworld.com or call 615-595-7500.

Gospel Songstress Lynda Randle to Release All-new Recording

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—June 19, 2012–Gospel recording artist Lynda Randle has just recorded an all-new collection of songs entitled ‘Til the Storm Passes By, scheduled to hit the streets on July 31^st.  Randle teamed up for the first time with co-producer Ben Isaacs (The Gaither Vocal Band, The Oak Ridge Boys) for the new recording, which showcases Randle’s deep, transparent vocals highlighted with soulful tones.

For further information, visit www.lyndarandle.com.