Having created huge waves with their 2010 project Light Up The Sky, chart-topping foursome The Afters will deliver their much-anticipated new studio album, Life Is Beautiful, on April 16. The 12-track project—the band’s 4th overall—comes more than two and a half years after the launch of their previous effort’s success—delivering two No. 1 hits (“Light Up The Sky,” “Lift Me Up”) and a bevy of film and television placements (New Year’s Eve, “The Biggest Loser,” “The Hills,” “Army Wives”).
Joined once again by award-winning producer Dan Muckala (Backstreet Boys, Chris Tomlin, Britt Nicole) for eight of its 12 tracks, the new album draws inspiration from the encouraging promise that God is continuously with us and life is still beautiful no matter what challenges we face. The Texas-borne band—comprised of vocalist-guitarist Josh Havens, guitarist-vocalist Matt Fuqua, bassist Dan Ostebo and drummer Jordan Mohilowski—cites verse James 1:17 as a major source of inspiration for this album.
"Our hope for our record—and a lot of heartache went into this album—is that it will encourage people to see how God is working in their lives,” says Havens. “He's not just there on the sunny days. No matter what we go through in life, God is still with us and life is beautiful—God is beautiful."
Life Is Beautiful began with challenging questions the band members posed to themselves. "As songwriters, we never want to make the same album twice," says Fuqua. "For us we try to go in asking: ‘What can we do that's different? How can we stretch ourselves?’ It was intentional to be really honest with our audience, and to be honest with ourselves by sharing things that are personal and meaningful."
The infectious lead single from Life Is Beautiful, "Every Good Thing," is already being well-received at radio, jumping into the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot AC/CHR Chart, Top 20 on the Billboard National Christian Audience Chart and Top 25 on the Billboard AC Monitored and Indicator Charts. 75 stations are already on board for "Every Good Thing" including K-LOVE, AIR 1, SiriusXM, KLTY/Dallas, KSBJ/Houston, KCMS/Seattle, The Fish Los Angeles, KTIS/Minneapolis, JOY FM/St. Louis, The JoyFM Tampa and KXOJ/Tulsa among many others. Commenting on the catchy track Havens says, "We wanted something strong, upbeat and positive. We were looking back over the last year and we were struck by how many times we'd wake up and see those horrific headlines in the news. We're reminded every day of how many bad things there are in life, so we wanted to write a reminder of how much God is capable of doing."
In addition, the album’s title track was featured in the 2012 film October Baby.
Fans looking for an early preview of new music from chart-topping foursome The Afters will have their chance later this month as the band’s song “Life Is Beautiful” is featured in the upcoming feature film October Baby. Releasing nationwide on March 23 via Provident Films, the movie’s closing credits play to “Life Is Beautiful,” a newly penned song from the band’s forthcoming Fall 2012 studio album. Before the movie hits theaters, however, the music video for the song, which also features footage from the film, is available to view online at TheAfters.com. GodTube exclusively premiered the video for "Life Is Beautiful" on their site yesterday, and the video received over 30,000 views within the first 24 hours.
“It's an honor to be able to partner with a movie that promotes love, acceptance, forgiveness, and mercy in such a poignant and effective way,” says lead singer Josh Havens. “We hope that the song and the movie remind people of all the things that make every life beautiful!”
Already having had their music placed in TV promotions for “The Biggest Loser,” “Army Wives” and “You Deserve It,” as well as in the trailer for last year’s feature film New Year’s Eve, The Afters are no strangers to their music receiving national film and television exposure. The band’s third record Light Up the Sky bolstered two No. 1 radio hits—“Light Up The Sky" and "Lift Me Up." The Afters’ current singles include the Top 5 Billboard Christian CHR song “We Won’t Give Up" and the newly released AC single “I Am Yours.”
October Baby—premiering nationwide March 23—marks the feature film debut of award-winning music video directors Jon and Andrew Erwin. It tells the story of Hannah, a 19-year-old college freshman whose world is rocked by learning she is the adopted survivor of an attempted abortion. The realization leads Hannah on a journey to find her birth mother, but it is the power of forgiveness she ultimately discovers. The film earned the Grand Jury Prize for Best Fiction Feature at the Red Rock Film Festival and was named Audience Choice Feature Film at the Omaha Film Festival. In support of the film’s life-affirming theme, the producers of October Baby have assigned 10 percent of the profits of the film to the Every Life is Beautiful Fund. More information can be found at www.EveryLifeIsBeautiful.com. Visit the film’s official website at www.OctoberBabyMovie.net
No strangers to television exposure, The Afters’ latest songs from their album Light Up the Sky have received placement on a slew of TV promotions including NBC’s popular “The Biggest Loser” and ABC’s new philanthropic “You Deserve It”.
“Light Up the Sky” will be played in the Dec. 6 finale of NBC’s mega hit “The Biggest Loser.” ABC’s new show “You Deserve It” has also been supportive of The Afters’ music using “Lift Me Up” in promotion for the program.
In addition to No. 1’s at both AC and CHR radio, both “Light Up the Sky” and “Lift Me Up” have been constant mainstays in the top 5 on the iTunes ® Christian and Gospel Songs Chart. “Lift Me Up” is still Top 10 at AC Indicator.
Texas-based band The Afters were propelled into the national spotlight with their INO/Sony Music Label Group debut I Wish We All Could Win. The project spawned the swirling, melodic hit “Beautiful Love,” earning the band an enthusiastic following when the song was selected as the theme track for MTV’s “8th and Ocean.” “Beautiful Love” was also the most downloaded track of 2006 on the iTunes ® Inspirational charts and garnered the band an mtvU award as well. The Afters’ sophomore release Never Going Back To OK (INO/Columbia Records) debuted in the Top 50 on the Billboard Top 200, and proved to be sensation on the silver screen with “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC), “Dr. Phil,” “Army Wives” (Lifetime) and “Rachael Ray.” The band’s third record Light Up the Sky has bolstered two No. 1 radio hits, as well as placement in “The Biggest Loser” (NBC) and “You Deserve It” (ABC). A slew of media including Rolling Stone, Seventeen.com, E! News Live, TV Guide, Premiere Radio and more also picked up on covering The Afters.
On the heels of their No. 1 hit “Light Up the Sky,” The Afters’ latest radio single “Lift Me Up” has also lit up the airwaves with over 60 stations supporting the song such as KLTY Dallas, JoyFM St. Louis, AIR-1 and Way-FM among others.
In support of the song, The Afters recently released a music video that was filmed in Canada. "The Afters’ ‘Lift Me Up’ is inspiring on it's own,” comments producer Gavin Michael Booth of Mimetic Entertainment, Inc. “It's a tough gig to find visual stories and issues that will enhance a song this powerful. Myself, with the band, aimed to bring stories that had an ability to relate and connect on a widespread basis amongst viewers.” To view or embed the video, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBy2D8p5Kpw.
"For the storyline, we pulled common themes that we hear in stories from our fans,” explains The Afters’ front man Josh Havens. “Stories from people who's lives have been hit hard by the economy, stories from people dealing self image problems, cutting and stories from people that have lost loved ones and are dealing with loneliness. We wanted this video to reflect the realities of life. We all have stories and most of us have experienced pain and hardship at some point. While our stories might not be the same, the thing we all share in common is that when we face the things in life that are too much for us to handle on our own that God is with us, God is for us and God will never fail us. I hope that this video is an encouragement to people and a reminder of God's faithfulness." To hear more about “Lift Me Up” from Havens, visit http://www.youtube.com/user/INORecords?blend=3&ob=5#p/search/1/Uere3wFwRwI
The Afters have been tackling an aggressive touring schedule as part of the Rock & Worship Road Show and Way FM’s “Compassion Tour” with Sanctus Real. They will be appearing at all major summer festivals and opening for Casting Crowns this fall. For the most up to date tour schedule, visit http://theafters.com/tour/.
The Afters’ first single “Light Up the Sky” off of the album of the same name has hit No. 1 at Billboard Christian CHR, also ranking in at No. 4 at AC Indicator and No. 10 at AC Monitor. The third record from the Texas-based band, Light Up the Sky, released last week to rave reviews and strong iTunes ® placement, climbing to No. 1 on the iTunes ® Christian & Gospel Albums chart and the single reaching No. 1 on the iTunes ® Christian & Gospel Songs chart as well. To hear Josh Havens of The Afters’ discuss the song “Light Up the Sky,” visit http://www.youtube.com/inorecords#p/u/21/dodmTXarNFs.
The Afters are teaming up with Leeland and Sanctus Real for the “Hungry For Love Tour” this fall. Sponsored by Food for the Hungry, the “Hungry For Love Tour” will help raise awareness for the goal’s of bringing relief and aid to twenty-six of the most impoverished countries in the world. The tour will be making stops in 23 cities across the U.S. starting Oct. 8 through Nov. 21. For the most up to date concert listings, visit http://hungryforlovetour.com/.
In addition to resonating with radio stations and iTunes ® listeners, Light Up the Sky also struck a chord with media. Below is just a sample of the review feedback.
“...the band has crafted a third effort worth listening to over and over again.” - www.CCMmagazine.com/www.Youthworker.com
“Light Up the Sky hits all of the necessary marks of an unrelentingly uplifting album.” - www.ChristianityToday.com/ct/music
“.. the best album of their career... Light Up the Sky will garner The Afters a whole new set of fans who have yet to discover the genius of this band.” - www.CrossWalk.com
“... This album sets your heart on fire.” - www.HMMagazine.com
“Overall, Light Up The Sky is unlike anything the band has ever released before. The message is stronger, more evident and straight forward.” - www.ChristianMusicReview.org
Produced by Dan Muckala (MercyMe, Brandon Heath, Amy Grant), The Afters’ 10 track CD has a comprehensive theme of rebirth and a fresh start streaming throughout the lyrics of the record. To hear more about the record, watch the EPK at http://www.youtube.com/inorecords#p/a/u/1/wJKMpOVxT1I.
Texas-based band The Afters were propelled into the national spotlight with their INO/Sony Music Label Group debut I Wish We All Could Win. The project spawned the swirling, melodic hit “Beautiful Love,” earning the band an enthusiastic following when the song was selected as the theme track for MTV’s “8th and Ocean”. “Beautiful Love” was also the most downloaded track of 2006 on the iTunes ® Inspirational charts and garnered the band an mtvU award as well. The Afters’ sophomore release Never Going Back To OK (INO/Columbia Records) debuted in the Top 50 on the Billboard Top 200, and proved to be sensation on the silver screen with “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC), “Dr. Phil,” “Army Wives” (Lifetime) and “Rachael Ray.” A slew of media including Rolling Stone, Seventeen.com, E! News Live, TV Guide, Premiere Radio and more also picked up on covering The Afters’ earlier releases as well.
With early support from radio and placement on MTV’s “The Hills,” The Afters’ third studio titled Light Up the Sky will release on Sept. 14 with INO Records.
Produced by Dan Muckala (MercyMe, Brandon Heath, Amy Grant), The Afters’ 10 track CD has a comprehensive theme of rebirth and a fresh start streaming throughout the lyrics of the record. The topic of new beginnings was something very natural for The Afters whom after going through a season of loss with the passing of their former manager, and even the loss of drummer Jordan Mohilowski’s best friend, started a new chapter with the added additions of a new bassist and drummer to their line-up.
“I think the direction of this album reflects where we are in life,” explains The Afters’ guitarist Matt Fuqua. “I celebrated my 10th wedding anniversary this year and so did Josh. As we get older I think we are seeing that what is truly important to us is God, family and our relationships. I think that is reflected in this album because that is where we are spiritually speaking.”
Sonically, the band’s pop sound continues to evolve and grow with Light Up the Sky. “We spent a lot of time working on building the soundscapes for this record. We experimented with mic placements...even placing mics throughout long hallways outside the studio rooms and in our producer’s garage to capture ambient sounds,” addresses lead singer Josh Havens. “There are a lot of textures and subtleties that the listener might not notice until they've listened a few times. I think both musically and lyrically it is instantly accessible and yet has deeper layers for those wanting to find them. It's artful pop.” Light Up the Sky finds Havens and Fuqua writing alongside Muckala as well as Jason Ingram, Brandon Heath and Nate Campany (Brandon Heath, The Click Five).
The first single from the album “Light Up the Sky,” which is already No. 2 at Billboard Christian CHR and top 10 at AC, is a reminder of the steadiness of God’s faithfulness. The Afters have trekked across the US this summer in support of the single, making stops at KCMS (Seattle), Joy FM (St. Louis), K-LOVE/Air 1 and more (photos below). The song was also used in the final season of MTV’s hit show “The Hills” earlier this summer. Other songs of interest on the record include the sonically aggressive “ We Won’t Give Up,” the praise-filled “Lift Me Up,” encouraging “Runaway” and “Start Over,” which continues with the overriding theme of rebirth.
The Afters are teaming up with Leeland and Sanctus Real for the “Hungry For Love Tour” this fall. Sponsored by Food for the Hungry, the “Hungry For Love Tour” will help raise awareness for the goal’s of bringing relief and aid to twenty-six of the most impoverished countries in the world. The tour will be making stops in 23 cities across the U.S. starting Oct. 9 through Nov. 22. For the most up to date concert listings, visit http://hungryforlovetour.com/.
Texas-based band The Afters were propelled into the national spotlight with their INO/Sony Music Label Group debut I Wish We All Could Win. The project spawned the swirling, melodic hit “Beautiful Love,” earning the band an enthusiastic following when the song was selected as the theme track for MTV’s “8th and Ocean”. “Beautiful Love” was also the most downloaded track of 2006 on the iTunes ® Inspirational charts and garnered the band an mtvU award as well. The Afters’ sophomore release Never Going Back To OK (INO/Columbia Records) debuted in the Top 50 on the Billboard Top 200, and proved to be sensation on the silver screen with “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC), “Dr. Phil,” “Army Wives” (Lifetime) and “Rachael Ray.” A slew of media including Rolling Stone, Seventeen.com, E! News Live, TV Guide, Premiere Radio and more also picked up on covering The Afters’ earlier releases as well.
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http://theafters.com/
http://www.myspace.com/theafters
http://twitter.com/theafters
http://www.youtube.com/theaftersVEVO
http://www.facebook.com/theafters
The Afters’ Tour Schedule
* All dates subject to change, for most current tour schedule, visit www.theafters.com
Wed, Sep 1 7:00 PM Grace Bible Church Nacogdoches, TX
Sat, Sep 4 Revelation Generation Frenchtown, NJ
Sun, Sep 5 5:25 PM Holmes Boone Center Boone, NC
Sat, Sep 11 7:40 PM Mission Hills Church Highlands Ranch, CO
Fri, Sep 17 6:00 PM UMEI Christian High School Leamington, ONT
Sat, Sep 18 Awakening Festival Leesburg, VA
Sun, Sep 19 Grove City College Grove City, PA
Thu, Sep 23 7:00 PM Broadbent Arena Louisville, KY
Fri, Sep 24 7:00 PM E.A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY
Sat, Sep 25 2:00 PM Kruse International Auction Park Auburn, IN
Fri, Oct 8 7:00 PM Tour - Union University Jackson, TN
Sat, Oct 9 4:00 PM Tour - Black River Coliseum Poplar Bluff, MO
Sun, Oct 10 6:00 PM Tour - Parkersburg High School Parkersburg, WV
Thu, Oct 14 7:00 PM Tour - Morrison Theater Quincy, IL
Fri, Oct 15 7:00 PM Tour - LifeChangers International Church Hoffman Estates, IL
Sat, Oct 16 7:00 PM Tour - North Arkansas College Harrison, AR
Fri, Oct 22 6:30 PM Tour - Harvest Cathedral Macon, GA
Sat, Oct 23 7:00 PM Tour - Eastern Kentucky Expo Center, KY
Sun, Oct 24 7:00 PM Tour - Paramount Arts Center Ashland, KY
Thu, Oct 28 6:30 PM Tour - Immanuel Baptist Church Pace, FL
Fri, Oct 29 7:00 PM Tour - Christian Heritage Church Tallahassee, FL
Sat, Oct 30 7:00 PM Tour - Marina Civic Center Panama City, FL
Thu, Nov 4 7:00 PM Tour - Vineyard Church Lewiston, ME
Fri, Nov 5 7:00 PM Tour - Roberts Wesleyan College Rochester, NY
Sun, Nov 7 7:00 PM Tour - Cross Creek Community Church Trucksville, PA
Fri, Nov 12 7:00 PM Tour - Willoughby Hills Friend Church Willoughby Hills, OH
Sat, Nov 13 7:00 PM Tour-The Underground Cincinnati, OH
Sun, Nov 14 7:00 PM Tour - Collierville United Methodist Church Collierville, TN
Thu, Nov 18 7:00 PM Tour - Calvary Chapel Paris, TX
Fri, Nov 19 7:00 PM Tour - Compass Christian Church Colleyville, TX
Sat, Nov 20 7:00 PM Tour - Lubbock Civic Center Lubbock, TX
Sun, Nov 21 7:00 PM Tour - Rogers First Baptist Church Rogers, AR
GRAMMY-nominated bands Leeland and Sanctus Real, along with The Afters, are coming to 23 cities across the U.S. on the Hungry For Love Tour this fall, October 9 through November 21. Sponsored by Food for the Hungry, the Hungry for Love tour will raise awareness for the organization’s goal of bringing relief and aid to twenty-six of the most impoverished countries in the world.
GRAMMY-nominated, Dove Award-winning Sanctus Real has sparked 15 Number 1 and Top 5 radio hits and recently released their fifth studio album, Pieces of a Real Heart, on Sparrow Records amidst growing acclaim by critics who have heralded the album as the band’s best yet. Sanctus Real seeks to create compelling, authentic music that lives up to the meaning of their name: to be holy (Latin meaning of “sanctus”). The first radio single from the album, “Forgiven,” went to the top of the charts; becoming one of the most played Christian radio singles this year.
As Sanctus Real gets ready for the Hungry for Love Tour, their second single (“Lead Me”) is currently topping the charts as the #1 AC radio single—giving the band their first ever No. 1 AC single. This week, “Lead Me” is also No. 1 overall on Billboard’s Christian radio national audience chart as it makes its video debut on iTunes Sept. 7. The song is a personal confession and prayer written by lead vocalist Matt Hammitt, and it is proving to be a source of hope as he and his wife, Sarah, walk through a difficult pregnancy this fall.
GRAMMY and Dove-nominated progressive rock act Leeland has been known to deliver songwriting beyond their years with worshipful rock so genuine it disarms the honest cynic. Often quoted as one of Christian music’s most gripping live bands, Leeland has quickly been established as a leader in the worship community and beyond. While the band’s first two albums were GRAMMY nominated and drew a combined eight Dove nominations, Leeland’s measure of success has always been their appeal to their audiences’ hearts. With Leeland’s third album, Love Is On The Move, they have delivered a landmark in the deepest sense—taking their fans to that rare place where innocence and fervor meet depth of soul.
Leeland is excited to join the Hungry for Love Tour and to continuing to raise awareness for Food for the Hungry. Lead singer and guitarist, Leeland Mooring explains, “For awhile, we were just this band from Baytown, Texas, and all we saw was our little church where God had been doing awesome and incredible things. But He’s really been opening our vision to all the hurting people, especially the poor, around the world and making it clear we should help by being a part of spreading His kingdom.” This year, Leeland and keyboardist Jack Mooring were the only musicians invited to the White House for its “Compassion in Action Roundtable” targeting emerging leaders and developing the next generation of America’s social entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders.
Dove Award- winning band, The Afters, has found incredible success in the television arena and is releasing their third album Light Up the Sky on September 14 with INO Records. Music from the new record, including the single “Light Up the Sky”, has already been picked up by MTV’s “The Hills” for the show’s final season. The Texas-based band was propelled into the national spotlight with their INO/Sony Music Label Group debut I Wish We All Could Win. The project spawned the swirling, melodic hit “Beautiful Love,” earning the band an enthusiastic following when the song was selected as the theme track for MTV’s “8th and Ocean”. “Beautiful Love” was also the most downloaded track of 2006 on the iTunes ® Inspirational charts and garnered the band an mtvU award as well. “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Dr. Phil,” “Army Wives” and “Rachael Ray” have also used music from The Afters’ sophomore project, Never Going Back To OK, in promotion for their programming.
For more information please visit:
http://hungryforlovetour.com/
http://www.leelandonline.com/
http://www.sanctusreal.com/
http://theafters.com/
http://www.fh.org
The Afters’ “Never Going Back to OK” will be featured on the upcoming soundtrack of the family friendly film “Secrets of the Mountain.” Hand-picked for the soundtrack by GRAMMY ® Award winning producer and music supervisor for the film and soundtrack, Randy Jackson, The Afters’ music will be featured with the likes of Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Jordin Sparks and more on the soundtrack.
To hear more about the film from Jackson, visit http://www.vocalpoint.com/secretsofthemountain/soundtrack.html. You can also check out http://www.vocalpoint.com/secretsofthemountain/home.html to watch a trailer of the film as well as find out more about their efforts to bring back family movie night.
The “Secrets of the Mountain” will debut on NBC Friday April 16 at 8pm EST/7pm CST. The movie focuses on a single mother who brings her family to a mountainside cabin. The film highlights values such as generosity, honesty and togetherness.
The DVD version of the film bundled with the soundtrack will be available exclusively at Walmart.
The Afters are currently working on their third studio project titled Light Up the Sky set to hit retailers on Aug. 24. “This record is new and exciting territory for us,” says Josh Havens, band front man. “We're thrilled with how the songs are turning out! I hope you guys are ready to join us on this journey.”
Texas-based band The Afters were propelled into the national spotlight with their INO/Sony Music Label Group debut I Wish We All Could Win. The project spawned the swirling, melodic hit “Beautiful Love,” earning the band an enthusiastic following when the song was selected as the theme track for MTV’s “8th and Ocean”. “Beautiful Love” was also the most downloaded track of 2006 on the iTunes ® Inspirational charts and garnered the band an mtvU award as well. With their debut exceeding the expectation, status quo simply would not do for their second album. It is this powerful transformation that lies at the core of The Afters’ sophomore release Never Going Back To OK (INO/Columbia Records). Among a street week hit with placement in the Top 50 on the Billboard Top 200, Never Going Back to Ok proved to be sensation on the silver screen with Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), Dr. Phil, Army Wives (Lifetime) and Rachael Ray using music from The Afters’ sophomore project in promotion for their programming. A slew of media including Rolling Stone, Seventeen.com, E! News Live, TV Guide, Premiere Radio and more also picked up on covering The Afters’ latest releases as well.
Nashville, TN (January 7, 2010) ---- Singer/songwriter, Jason Gray, will start the New Year by hitting the road on WAY-FM’s and World Vision’s Speaking Louder Than Before 2010 Tour. The tour launches January 20th in Charleston, SC and will cover fourteen dates through March. Gray joins headliner Jeremy Camp, The Afters and Chasen on the tour and for ticket information please visit www.itickets.com.
“I’m so honored to have been invited to share the stage with Jeremy Camp,” says Gray. “Not only is he one of the most successful artists in Christian music, but he’s also a man with a compelling story who has known brokenness – a theme that a lot of my music speaks to. We expect it to be a great tour and I’m so happy to be a part of it. The only problem I can foresee is that he’s pretty buff and it’s going to make me feel like I need to start working out. Shoot. I’m also looking forward to hanging out with The Afters and Chasen. What a great line-up!”
“But most of all I’m grateful to get to be the voice of World Vision on this tour and advocate for the poorest of the poor children in the world,” Gray continues. “The recession that has touched so many of us in several ways impacts the poor the most and it’s my great privilege to bring their story to our audiences. We anticipate that this will be a great evening – both with a solid musical line-up and with a lot of heart. God will be worshipped and lives will be changed.”
Speaking Louder Than Before 2010 Tour begins as Gray’s second single, “More Like Falling In Love,” is going for adds at Christian radio. Gray has been traveling the country on radio visits that started in 2009 and continues through January 2010. The song is from Gray’s current CD, Everything Sad Is Coming Untrue, which was rated as #8 in CCM’s Top Ten best faith-based albums from last year. Matt Conner says, Most unheralded songwriter in the entire industry shines again. Other media outlets have heralded the release with Worship Leader Magazine saying, Gray’s songs don’t really work as background music, they demand to be listened to and considered. And PowerSource Magazine adding, Strong stuff from a strong and very creative Christian singer and songwriter – Jason Gray.
Gray has become a popular performer on the tour circuit, as 2009 featured Gray on the Sanctus Real tour that launched in September. In December, Gray joined labelmates, Downhere and Lanae’ Hale, for the annual fifteen-city Bethlehem Skyline Tour that was sponsored by Centricity Music.
Gray’s debut CD on Centricity Music, All The Lovely Losers, was heralded as one of the top releases in 2007. Media outlets embraced the project and Gray from the start with coverage in CCM Magazine, ChristianMusicToday.com, Charisma, Christian Retailing, Worship Leader Magazine, JesusFreakHideout.com, Home Life Magazine, and Focus on the Family’s national radio show, Weekend Magazine. This project was followed with Acoustic Storytime that showcased live acoustic performances of previously released songs from concerts in Minnesota and California. Gray is known for his quick-witted humor while delivering powerful messages about perseverance rather than perfection.
INO Records’ The Afters took home the top prize in the “Rock/Contemporary Album” category at the 2009 GMA Dove Awards at the Grand Old Opry House in Nashville, Tenn. and broadcasted live on Gospel Music Channel.
The band was recognized for their record “Never Going Back to Ok” which was produced by Dan Muckala. The band dedicated the award to their late manager David Lipscomb.
This is The Afters’ second Dove award, the band was the “New Artist of the Year” in 2006.
The Afters earned a No. 1 hit at Christian CHR radio with "Never Going Back To Ok.” Their current single, "Ocean Wide" is No. 25 and rising at CHR with airplay from WAY-FM network, WONU/Chicago, WAY-FM/Denver, KLFF/San Luis Obispo, WORQ/Green Bay, KDUV/Visalia, WYLV/Knoxville among others.
“Never Going Back to Ok” entered the Billboard Top 200 at #41 and the Contemporary Christian SoundScan charts at #1 selling 15,856 units. In digital sales, the project entered at #1 for Christian SoundScan album and track sales plus hit as high as #14 on the iTunes® overall digital chart and #4 on their digital Rock chart. “We Are The Sound” from the new record was also used in promotion for last season’s American Idol with the viral video for “MySpace Girl” being featured on E! News, Seventeen.com and TV Guide Channel’s website. Songs from “Never Going Back to Ok” were also used on the Rachael Ray show and Grey’s Anatomy as well as on Dr. Phil. Releasing their debut project “I Wish We All Could Win” in 2005, the hit single from that project “Beautiful Love” was awarded with an mtvU Award for Best Streaming that Video in 2005.
** Teaming up with Flicker Records’ Nevertheless and Word Entertainments’ Remedy Drive, INO Records’ The Afters are bringing music and Christmas cheer as the headliner for the 12 Days of Christmas tour. The tour will make stops in nine cities starting Dec. 2. Tour dates listed below, subject to change.
** Adding to an already impressive list of TV exposure, The Afters’ “Keeping Me Alive” was recently used in promotion for FOX’s “The Secret Millionaire.” The new inspirational show sends millionaires undercover into the most impoverished neighborhoods in America and documents their investment in those less fortunate. “Keeping Me Alive” is off of The Afters’ sophomore project Never Going Back to Ok.
** The Afters’ new music video for “Never Going Back to Ok” will have its world premiere on Gospel Music Channel on Dec. 9. Get a sneak preview of the new video at, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onUWK9kTfAo
“Never Going Back to Ok” entered the Billboard Top 200 at #41 and the Contemporary Christian SoundScan charts at #1 selling 15,856 units. In digital sales, the project entered at #1 for Christian SoundScan album and track sales plus hit as high as #14 on the iTunes® overall digital chart and #4 on their digital Rock chart. “We Are The Sound” from the new record was also used in promotion for last season’s American Idol with the viral video for “MySpace Girl” being featured on E! News, Seventeen.com and TV Guide Channel’s website. Songs from “Never Going Back to Ok” were also used on the Rachael Ray show and Grey’s Anatomy as well as on Dr. Phil. Releasing their debut project “I Wish We All Could Win” in 2005, the hit single from that project “Beautiful Love” was awarded with an mtvU Award for Best Streaming that Video in 2005. The Afters were awarded the Dove Award for “New Artist of the Year” (2006). The foursome composed of Josh Havens, Matt Fuqua, Brad Wigg and Marc Dodd, met while working at a Starbucks in Mesquite, Texas.
# # #
www.theafters.com
myspace.com/theafters
* All Below tour dates, subject to change, for most updated dates go to www.theafters.com or myspace.com/theafters
Dec. 2 Indianapolis, IN Ransburg Auditorium
Dec. 3 Dallas City, IL Dallas City High School
Dec. 4 Columbus, OH Brown Road Community Church
Dec. 5 Orion, MI The District
Dec. 6 Richmond, IN First Assembly of God
Dec. 7 Bourbonnais,IL College Church of the Nazarene
Dec. 10 Decatur, AL Wesley Memorial United Methodist
Dec. 12 Lafeyette, LA Café Chi Alpha
Dec. 13 Dallas, TX Live at Moka
* ABC’s hit drama “Grey’s Anatomy” is currently using “Ocean Wide” from The Afters' sophomore record Never Going Back to Ok in promotion for the show.
The Golden Globe winning show rakes in around 14 million viewers a week in its fifth season and features a renowned cast including Patrick Dempsey and Katherine Heigl. This will add to the band’s already impressive list of TV exposure, Lifetime TV’s “Army Wives” used “Ocean Wide” as well in early August.
** The Afters’ also recently signed an exclusive booking contract with the well known literary and talent agency the William Morris Agency. Founded in 1898, the William Morris Agency has offices in New York, Beverly Hills, Nashville, London, Miami Beach and Shanghai and represents artists such as the Foo Fighters, Hootie & The Blowfish, Switchfoot and Whitney Houston.
“The Afters are poised to break out as major headliners in our industry, and with the added exposure and opportunities they have had that spill over to other formats beyond Christian Music, WMA and The Afters are a perfect fit,” says William Morris Agent Mark Claassen. “We are excited to be a part of the team!"
** After spending weeks at No. 1 at the CHR format, the title track "Never Going Back To Ok" is currently impacting AC radio with stations like WFHM/Cleveland, WJQK/Grand Rapids, WMUZ/Detroit and KKSP/Little Rock recently adding the single.
“Never Going Back to Ok” entered the Billboard Top 200 at #41 and the Contemporary Christian SoundScan charts at #1 selling 15,856 units. In digital sales, the project entered at #1 for Christian SoundScan album and track sales plus hit as high as #14 on the iTunes® overall digital chart and #4 on their digital Rock chart. “We Are The Sound” from the new record was also used in promotion for last season’s American Idol with the viral video for “MySpace Girl” being featured on E! News, Seventeen.com and TV Guide Channel’s website. Songs from “Never Going Back to Ok” were also used on the Rachael Ray show as well as on Dr. Phil.
Releasing their debut project “I Wish We All Could Win” in 2005, The Afters received top attention from their fans and media outlets. The Afters’ music has appeared on the networks of MTV, mtvU, ABC Family and E! News as well as on HOT AC and VH-1 radio along with outlets such as Billboard, BOP and Popstar. The MTV college network and mtvU have been strong supporters of the band as their music video for “Beautiful Love” was awarded with an mtvU Award for Best Streaming Video in 2005. The Afters were awarded the Dove Award for “New Artist of the Year” (2006), and has had over 250,000 downloads to date. The foursome composed of Josh Havens, Matt Fuqua, Brad Wigg and Marc Dodd, met while working at a Starbucks in Mesquite, Texas.
Nashville, Tenn…. Aug. 1, 2008… INO/Columbia Record’s The Afters continue to be
heard on the small screen with songs from their sophomore project “Never Going
Back to Ok” being used in episodes of Army Wives and Rachael Ray as well as in
promotion for Dr. Phil. The Texas based band also recently finished a
mainstream radio promo tour with a final stop in Los Angeles speaking with
Premiere Radio Networks and the TV Guide Channel.
“Ocean Wide” can be heard this Sunday Aug. 3 on Lifetime’s hit series Army
Wives. Now in its second season, the series is the highest-rated show in the
channel’s 24-year history. The episode will air at 10pm EST with encore
presentations on Monday Aug. 4 at 8pm EST and Saturday Aug. 9 at 11pm EST.
Rachael Ray’s daytime television show used The After’s “Tonight” in May of this
year as well. Winner of the 2008 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Talk
Show-Entertainment, Rachael Ray is a daily one-hour syndicated talk show in its
third season and is watched by millions of viewers.
“One Moment Away” from the band’s sophomore record will be used to
promote the new season of Dr. Phil. Now preparing for its seventh season since
the show’s launch in 2002, the show’s advertisement can be seen starting next
week.
The Afters visited key mainstream radio markets in June such as Chicago,
Denver, Albuquerque and Charlotte on a promo tour in support of their Hot AC
single “Never Going Back to Ok.” The band’s final stop in Los Angeles included
an interview on the nationally syndicated Premiere Radio Network’s Daily Music
News and an interview with the TV Guide Channel. To view The Afters’ segment on
TV Guide’s broadband channel visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoiBbe-Bx1E
"Never Going Back To Ok" is presently being promoted to the Hot AC
format. Stations currently playing the track include KVLY/McAllen, TX, KSII/El
Paso, TX, KLCA/Reno, NV, KLTG/Corpus Christi, TX and WAYV/Atlantic City, NJ.
The
band was also on the July 30 edition of the nationally syndicated morning radio
program The Bob and Sheri Show. Though based in Charlotte, NC, the program runs
live on over 60 stations nationwide. To listen to The Afters’ segment on the
show, you can visit: http://bobandsheri.1079thelink.com/archive/audio.cfm;jsessionid=a630cb9dce69764b14f45d612a6952c76284?ID=1051
“Never Going Back to Ok” entered the Billboard Top 200 at #41 and the
Contemporary Christian SoundScan charts at #1 selling 15,856 units. In digital
sales, the project entered at #1 for Christian SoundScan album and track sales
plus hit as high as #14 on the iTunes® overall digital chart and #4 on
their digital Rock chart. “We Are The Sound” from the new record was also used
in promotion for last season’s American Idol with the viral video for “MySpace
Girl” being featured on E! News, Seventeen.com and TV Guide Channel’s website.
Releasing
their debut project “I Wish We All Could Win” in 2005, The Afters received top
attention from their fans and media outlets. The Afters’ music has
appeared on the networks of MTV, mtvU, ABC Family and E! News as well as on HOT
AC and VH-1 radio along with outlets such as Billboard, BOP and Popstar. The
MTV college network and mtvU have been strong supporters of the band as their
music video for “Beautiful Love” was awarded with an mtvU Award for Best
Streaming Video in 2005. The Afters were awarded the Dove Award for “New Artist
of the Year” (2006), and has had over 250,000 downloads to date. The foursome
composed of Josh Havens, Matt Fuqua, Brad Wigg and Marc Dodd, met while working
at a Starbucks in Mesquite, Texas.
NASHVILLE, TN....4/1/08....As you’re watching TV over the next few weeks, watch out for AMERICAN IDOL commercials featuring The Afters’ song “We are the Sound” from their brand new CD, NEVER GOING BACK TO OK. Fox’s top-rated show picked the song to use with commercials and other promotional opportunities over the next few weeks. To listen to “We are the Sound” go to myspacecom/theafters.
NEVER GOING BACK TO OK entered the Billboard Top 200 at #41 and the Contemporary Christian SoundScan charts at #1 selling 15,856 units. In digital sales, the project entered at #1 for Christian SoundScan album and track sales plus hit as high as #14 on the iTunes® overall digital chart and #4 on their digital Rock chart.
The radio single “Never Going Back to OK,” returned to #1 at Christian CHR this week while “Keeping Me Alive” continues to emerge as their next hit single at Christian AC radio.
The Afters are touring across the country throughout 2008 including headlining their own dates this spring and hitting the major summer festivals. All tour dates are available at www.theafters.com and myspace.com/theafters.
Releasing their debut project I Wish We All Could Win in 2005, The Afters received top attention from their fans and media outlets. The Afters’ music has appeared on the networks of MTV, mtvU, ABC Family and E! News as well as on HOT AC and VH-1 radio along with outlets such as Billboard, BOP and Popstar. The MTV college network and mtvU have been strong supporters of the band as their music video for “Beautiful Love” was awarded with an mtvU Award for Best Streaming Video in 2005. The Afters were awarded the Dove Award for “New Artist of the Year” (2006), and has had over 250,000 downloads to date. The foursome composed of Josh Havens, Matt Fuqua, Brad Wigg and Marc Dodd, met while working at a Starbucks in Mesquite, Texas.
