Southern Gospel News SGNScoops Digital

INTERNATIONAL COMIC STRIP, NANCY, SPOTLIGHTS GRAMMY AWARD WINNER JASON CRABB IN UPCOMING EDITION ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2013

Nashville, TN – GRAMMY and DOVE award winner Jason Crabb is headed to the “funny papers.” Famed illustrator and writer of the NANCY daily comic strip, Guy Gilchrist, has chosen to highlight the lauded vocalist in an upcoming story arc. The strip is syndicated internationally in 80 countries, and viewed by 57 million readers around the world. On rare occasions Gilchrist will slip his favorite music icons within the frames of his work (most often with their names emblazoned on characters’ tee-shirts or in storefront signage). Such will be the case in the Tuesday, December 3edition of NANCY when Jason Crabb will be highlighted.

TOP COUNTRY ARTISTS WORKING ON A BUILDING WITH NEW HAVEN RECORDS

Nashville, Tenn. (March 12, 2012) – Proving once again that Country music artists have a big heart for the whole world, Ken Harding, president of New Haven Records, has joined Executive Producer Mark Carman, president of MCM World Media, to announce the upcoming release of the landmark CD, I’m Working On A Building. The title cut from the project, recorded by Marty Raybon (former lead singer of Shenandoah), has already been nominated for a Country Gospel Music Fan Award, presented annually by Christian Voice magazine.

This inspiring collection of new and existing songs was created exclusively to benefit the work of International Cooperating Ministries (ICM), a non-profit foundation that has constructed approximately 4,000 churches, orphanages and schools in more than 50 countries, supporting more than 20,000 congregations during the past 25 years.

The centerpiece of this collection is a high-octane version of the title cut by Raybon, featuring Country superstar Trace Adkins, Jimmy Fortune (of The Statler Brothers), and Country Music Association Award winner T. Graham Brown. The “Working On a Building” single is already receiving a tremendous response at Christian Country, Southern Gospel and select mainstream Country radio stations and is up for Favorite Song at the CGM Fan Awards program, scheduled for April 28 as part of Country Gospel Music FanFest in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. The GCM Fan Awards, selected solely by Country and Southern Gospel music fans, are sponsored each year by Christian Voice magazine. Read more »

ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS HONOR GORDON MOTE WITH 2011 ACM AWARD

(Nashville, Tennessee) – The musical genius of Gordon Mote was honored with the 2011 Academy of Country Music’s Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year Award at the recent annual ACM Honors ceremony held at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. Gordon, a seven-time nominee, was also honored with the coveted award in 2009.

Long recognized by the industry as one of Nashville’s most talented studio musicians who seemingly knows no limits in effortlessly crossing musical styles and genres, Mote’s talents can be heard on the recordings of some of the nation’s premier performers, including Bill & Gloria Gaither and the Homecoming Friends, Billy Ray Cyrus, Blake Shelton, Scotty McCreery, Elvis Presley, The Hoppers, Brad Paisley, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, George Jones, The Isaacs, Josh Turner, Alan Jackson, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Jason Crabb, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Rascal Flatts and Alison Krauss, just to name a few.

Since releasing his debut Southern Gospel recording in 2004, the talented singer and musician has enjoyed much success, including numerous Top 40 hits in multiple music genres and numerous Fan Award nominations. Mote’s video release, “The Best of Gordon Mote,” made its debut at Number 7 on the Billboard Music Video Chart in 2008. Mote’s travels on tour are global – include stops in the US, Canada and Europe. He is a featured artist on the stage sharing his vocal and keyboard performances with music legend Bill Gaither and his Grammy Award winning Gaither Vocal Band and the Homecoming Friends.

The 5th Annual ACM HONORS represents an evening of musical tribute performances and special presentations celebrating the special honorees and non-televised category winners from the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, held earlier this year.

Fresh from his success at the ACM’s presentation, Gordon had just enough time to place his latest trophy on the mantle before being called to more awards duties – this time to emceeing the Singing News Fan Awards / SGMA Hall of Fame Induction at Dollywood with Co-Host Gerald Wolfe of Greater Vision. Gordon delighted the Pigeon Forge crowd with his quick wit and humor-providing a show stopping moment when he settled down behind the keyboard for an impromptu piano duet with Gerald Wolfe.

Father of songwriter, music publisher John Mathis Jr. passes away

The father of songwriter, music publisher John Mathis Jr. passed away at his home on September 27th, 2011. ‘Country’ Johnny Mathis, not to be confused with the pop singer of the same name, was born September 28, 1930 and was known as both a singer and songwriter during his career in Country Music.

Johnny Mathis began his career as a recording artist on the record label, StarTalent, in 1949. He would go on to record for a number of record labels during the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s including Chess, Columbia, D Records, Mercury, Decca, United Artists, Little Darlin’, Hilltop and Stonegate. As a part of the duet, Jimmy and Johnny, he scored a Top 10 hit in 1953 with the song, “If You Don’t Somebody Else Will” released on Chess Records. Johnny’s highest charting single as a soloist, “Please Talk To My Heart”(Top 15), occurred while recording for United Artists in 1963.   He’s appeared on the Louisiana Hayride, Big D Jamboree, The Grand Ole Opry, The Wilburn Brothers Show and  TNN’s Nashville Now  to name a few. In fact, ‘Country’ Johnny Mathis was a regular performer on the Louisiana Hayride through much of the 50’s.  

As a songwriter, Country Johnny Mathis has had songs recorded by George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Johnny Paycheck, Charlie Pride, Johnny Horton, Jimmy Dean, George Hamilton IV, Freddy Fender, Webb Pierce, The Whites, Elvis Costello and many, many others. Seven (7) Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees and two (2) Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees have recorded his music. Johnny Mathis has been credited with writing over 400 songs. Johnny also fell into the story of many Nashville songwriters of those days as he would often sell his share of his rights to songs he had written, most still bare his name. His song accolades further include gold records, Country radio hits and  BMI airplay performance awards. There has been a revival of Mathis songs in recent years with cuts by Jim Louderdale, Kenny and Amanda Smith Band and Brad Davis.

Country Johnny Mathis spent most of his time during the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s writing and singing Gospel music and spending time with his family. In 1999 Johnny suffered a massive stroke that left him incapacitated. More information regarding Johnny is available at  www.CountryJohnnyMathis.com .

Visitation and funeral arrangements are being conducted by Lawrence Brothers Funeral Home of Chapel Hill, TN (www.lawrencefuneral.net/) Johnny is preceded in death by one granddaughter, Kayla Michelle. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Jeannie Mathis, one daughter, Sherie Craver of Marshall, TX, 3 sons, John Jr, Bill and James, 11 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren.