As the old saying goes….all good things must come to an end. It was announced today by Downhere that the band will end their music ministry in January 2013 with a final tour this fall. Dates will be announced in the near future.
Statement from Downhere:
Hello friends,
It is with many memories and deep feelings that we relay to you the decision we have made over the course of the last year. January 1, 2013 will mark the end of our traveling ministry for the foreseeable future.
It has become very clear to us that this chapter of our journey, initiated by God, is drawing to a close. While we mourn the end of this season we also celebrate over a decade of ministry. It has been hard work and our families have paid a big price. The friends, songs, experiences, and lives changed as a result of hearing the truth of God's love has sustained us through many years and miles.
For those of you who know us well you know that this is not a band breakup. In fact, we are open to playing a select few shows or events in the future. After many years and miles spent together we have become a band of brothers who love each other dearly. There is not one single variable that has initiated this change; rather it would seem the same sovereign hand that has guided us together for this season is now leading us in different directions. We are grateful for the role everyone has played in our lives. Your encouragement and support over the years has carried us through thick and thin.
We have always wanted to finish well. We believe that means finishing together, as a band... and that is what we are going to do. We are working on setting up a few wrap-up shows this fall. More information will be forthcoming as things get solidified.
Sincerely,
Jason, Marc, Glenn, & Jeremy
Downhere’s final album for Centricity Music is their current project On The Altar Of Love, received rave reviews withTheFish.com saying,, Plain and simple, this is a band that knows how to write to its strengths and play its songs to the hilt, and this is an album worth acclaim. Downhere has enjoyed great chart success over the years as “Here I Am” and “Hope Is Rising” peaked at #5 and #17 on the AC charts, while “My Last Amen” peaked at #5 on the CHR charts. All of the songs are from Downhere’s previous project Ending Is Beginning that media heralded as their strongest studio album at that time. Downhere released their first Christmas project in 2009, based on the enormous success of “How Many Kings” that peaked at #4 on the charts. Also during their illustrious twelve-year career, Downhere has garnered 13 Covenant Awards, 4 Juno Awards and a Dove Award for Modern Rock Recorded Song of the Year. The group’s most recent Covenant awards were for Song of the Year (Let Me Rediscover You) and Pop/ Contemporary Album of the Year (Two At A Time). Two At A Time was released in the summer of 2010 and had two new songs plus B-sides, including the single, “You’re Not Alone.”
For more information on Downhere’s upcoming fall tour please visit their website, www.downhere.com <http://www.downhere.com/> or www.myspace.com/downhere <http://www.myspace.com/downhere> .
The nominees for the 2012 JUNO Awards were announced by The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in Toronto recently. Rock band Downhere was once again honored with a nomination for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year for their current CD, On The Altar Of Love. The group has won three of their five career nominations, including for their last studio project in 2009, Ending Is Beginning. The Juno Awards will be handed out Sunday, April 1st in Ottawa and will be broadcast live on CTV.
"What a gift it is to receive another Juno nomination!, says Glenn Lavender, bass guitarist, Downhere. “We are humbled to be nominated among such great Canadian talent, and thank our peers for their recognition of our new project.”
Downhere will be heading out on the spring leg of the Called To Love Tour that launches March 15th. The band will once again be joining labelmates, Aaron Shust and Jason Gray.
For more tour updates on Downhere please visit their website, www.downhere.com <http://www.downhere.com> .
Due to the strong support of The Called To Love Tour last fall, a spring leg of the tour has been announced and will once again feature Centricity Music artists, Downhere, Aaron Shust and Jason Gray. The Called To Love Tour will run through March 15 - May 12, and will be sponsored by World Vision. Last year’s tour was a hit with audiences and brought powerful and fun-loving nights of ministry across the country.
“Jason Gray, Aaron Shust, and Downhere brought the house down at the Paramount Theater in Abilene, TX,” says promoter, Ken L. Fincher. “Their show was amazing and is still being talked about some 3 months later! These guys are gracious, inspiring, humble yet very engaging and entertaining. From the opening first song to the finale, audience members were on their feet, hands raised high, singing along to each song. It was truly a blessed evening.”
“We love these guys!,” exclaims promoters David & Susie Hartness of the Wilmington, NC date. “Not only are they very gifted musicians and songwriters, but they are such genuine and humble men who share God's love through word and song. We've hosted several of these artists more than one time, and they always exceed our expectations. If the spring leg of The Called To Love Tour comes anywhere near you please don’t miss it!”
All three participating artists will continue to showcase the great successes from their 2011 projects. Aaron Shust has achieved a record-breaking twelve-week run in the #1 spot on the AC Monitor chart with his hit single, My Hope is In You. The tune was also the Top 20 song of 2011 on Billboard’s year-end chart and recently was the #1 downloaded song on iTunes. The single is from Aaron’s CD, This Is What We Believe. Downhere’s song, Rest is #26 on the AC Indicator chart, and it’s from their critically acclaimed CD, On The Altar Of Love. Among the rave reviews for the album is JesusFreakHideout.com who exclaims…….one of the best releases of the year and earns Downhere another “A” on their report card.
Jason Gray’s single, Remind Who I Am was #15 for nine weeks on the AC Monitor chart, currently #8 on AC Indicator, has entered the CHR chart, is KLOVE’s #1 song, and was iTunes #1 downloaded song. The single is from Gray’s current CD, A Way To See In The Dark that was voted the #1 Album of the Year by the music website, Sound Opinion.
Four decades later, the music of Queen hasn’t just survived, it’s thrived. The band, who recently received the “Global Icon Award” at the MTV European Music Awards, has sold more than 300 million albums, 16 of which were No. 1 chart-toppers. They’ve written and recorded 18 No. 1 singles, played over 700 live concerts in every part of the world, have amassed a planet-wide fanbase whose members number in the hundreds of millions, and remain one of the most influential groups of all time. And to hear Queen drummer Roger Taylor tell it, they’re just getting started. The last thing they are doing is standing still.
2012 will see the launch of “The Queen Extravaganza Tour,” a grand touring production booked by powerhouse agency CAA that will celebrate the music of Queen. Coming on board to ensure the touring show will match the design and excitement of Queen at its best will be such rock tour heavyweights as stage designer Mark Fisher (U2, AC/DC, Muse, The Rolling Stones, Cirque de Soleil) and lighting designer Rob Sinclair (Adele, Vampire Weekend, Goldfrapp, Peter Gabriel).
Taylor will oversee this royal road show, taking the role of producer and music director, with Brian May involved later in the production, but Taylor’s most important role, however, was leading the judges, Spike Edney (Queen’s keyboard player since the mid 80’s and Trip Khalaf (Queen’s eternal sound engineer) in hand picking the musicians that will be featured on the tour. And after 11 weeks of reviewing online auditions and weighing votes from Queen fans around the world, Taylor is ready to announce the line-up.
“As the audition videos began posting, we could see right away that the caliber of talent was very high,” says Taylor. “But when I got into the studio with the final 25 musicians, I realized that these guys are seriously good players. They went way beyond my expectations. It was an incredibly difficult decision to choose the final line-up. I wish I could've kept them all, but in the end, I'm very happy with this group of exceptional musicians."
“The Queen Extravaganza” band line-up will be:
VOCALISTS
Jennifer Espinoza
Marc Martel
GUITARISTS
Tristan Avakian
Brian Gresh
DRUMS
Tyler Warren
BASS
Francois-Olivier Doyon
“What an amazing and unexpected opportunity to come our way – not to mention the timing of it all for me,” said Marc Martel, whose audition video for “Somebody to Love” earned him an MTV O Award and an appearance on the Ellen Degeneres Show. “Having gotten to know the other contest winners a bit in LA, I’m confident we have what it takes to gel as a unit and give our best to do justice to some of the best rock music ever recorded. I am so thankful for the chance to do this. Gonna be Fun!”
Centricity Music’s high-profile band, Downhere, won two major categories during the recent GMA Covenant Awards in Canada. The group won Song of the Year (Let Me Rediscover You) and Pop/ Contemporary Album of the Year (Two At A Time). Two At a Time was released in the summer of 2010 and had two new songs plus B-sides and demos in order to satisfy the high demand for new Downhere music between albums. Downhere’s current project, On The Altar Of Love, released in late August and as a result didn’t qualify for this year’s awards.
“It is such a thrill when artists we have been developing and working with get the recognition they deserve,” states Steve Ford, VP of Marketing, Centricity Music. “To have Downhere continue to garner the accolades from their Canadian fans is overwhelming. “
Downhere continues to generate tremendous reviews for their projects, with JesusFreakHideout.com calling On The Altar Of Love “one of the best releases of the year.” The band is currently on The Called To Love Tour with labelmates, Jason Gray and Aaron Shust that ends November 13th in North Carolina. Downhere will launch their highly anticipated How Many Kings Christmas tour on December 1st in Overland Park, KS. At the same time, co-lead singer, Marc Martel, has become a music sensation with his Queen Extravaganza video audition that generated more than 4-million hits. It led to an appearance on the Ellen Show, winning the MTV O Awards 2011 for Best Fan Cover and Queen drummer, Roger Taylor, announcing in a FOX News interview that Martel “is an extraordinarily good singer.” The fan voting process begins November 14th at www.queenextravaganza.com <http://www.queenextravaganza.com> and concludes November 25th. Winners for the Queen Extravaganza Live Tour will be announced in December.
Christian music’s premiere rock band, Downhere, has once again been honored with multiple Covenant Award nominations from GMA Canada. The band received seven nominations in several prestigious categories; Artist of the Year, Group of the Year, Song of the Year (Let Me Rediscover You), Recorded Song of the Year (Let Me Rediscover You), Male Vocalist of the Year (Marc Martel), Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year (Let Me Rediscover You) and Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year (Two At A Time). The awards will be handed out at the Covenant Awards Banquet and Awards Show in Calgary on October 28th.
“No matter how long we've been at this, it's always a huge encouragement to know that our fellow Canadians recognize our music and ministry as quality work to the glory of God,” says Downhere. “Our music is not only pop rock, but truly Canadian pop rock. Intentional appreciation of this kind is part of what keeps artists going in times like these, and we are grateful. We regret not being able to be at the ceremony in person among our peers, and wish our fellow nominees all the best in the year ahead.”
Downhere’s new CD, On The Altar Of Love that debuted on the Billboard album chart at #18, just released on August 23rd and wasn’t eligible for this year’s Covenant Awards. The first single, Let Me Rediscover You, did qualify and garnered three nominations. Marc Martel’s powerful vocals on Let Me Rediscover You propelled him into the Male Vocalist of the Year category for the first time, and is a double honor since Martel also wrote the nominated song. Currently, Downhere has won eleven Covenant Awards during their eleven year career.
On The Altar Of Love has received strong media support with rave reviews immediately upon the album’s release. The project is being hailed as another masterpiece with catchy lyrics that still contain deep spiritual meaning, which are surrounded by standout vocals.
NewReleaseTuesday.com - Don’t miss out on this gem, one of the absolute best albums of the year.
Christian Manifesto – With an unstoppable combination of the catchy and the insightful, Downhere’s latest project is impressive.
JesusFreakHideout.com - The combination of clever musical choices and deeply poetic and thoughtful lyrics makes On The Altar Of Love one of the best releases of the year and earns Downhere another "A" on their report card.
For more updates on Downhere please visit their website, www.downhere.com and become part of their active fanbase blogs at downhomie palooza.
Centricity Music has announced an exciting new tour for this fall that features three of their artists…. Downhere, Aaron Shust and Jason Gray. World Vision presents The Called To Love Tour that launches October 1st and runs through November 13th. All three artists are releasing new projects this fall; Aaron Shust This Is What We Believe (8/23), Downhere, On The Altar Of Love (8/23), and Jason Gray A Way To See In The Dark (9/13). The teaming of these popular and high-profile artists will bring audiences a meaningful and fun evening of worship and music.
“This will be my 6th tour with Downhere, a group of guys that I not only respect and love, but also have lived a lot of life with them on the road,” says Jason Gray. “I’m a fan. I love their new record and am grateful that I get to be part of sharing it with their audience. I’ve gotten to know Aaron over the past year, too - a humble man of God who pursues excellence in his passion to honor God. I’m excited to get to know him better and am grateful to be a part of this exciting chapter of his ministry. I’m honored to be in such great company and it will be fun for us to all share in celebrating the release of our new records. That we get to serve Jesus together while also partnering with World Vision is more than I should hope for, but am grateful. The only problem is that sharing the stage with such excellent people will mean I’ll have to work harder. Thanks a lot guys - why do you have to be so awesome?!”
“Any time we get to hit the road with our music, we consider it a privilege and a joy,” adds Marc Martel, leader singer, Downhere. “When we get to go out with good friends like Jason Gray and Aaron Shust, it is even more rewarding, giving the fans a unified, well-rounded experience with performers who not only share the same bus, but also the same heart and vision.”
"I couldn't agree more with Marc and Jason; chemistry is so important when doing Kingdom work,” says Aaron Shust. ”Even though what we do is described as 'playing', an artist's work can be emotionally draining, so having like-minded brothers to walk with on the journey and pour back into your life is a blessing. I'm so grateful to have those relationships in my band and on this tour with Jason Gray and Downhere."
For more information about the tour please visit www.centricitymusic.com and for the individual artists; www.downhere.com, www.aaronshust.com and www.jasongraymusic.com.
Downhere, the Dove, Convenant and Juno award winning group, is scheduled to launch their first Out & Aboot Tour March 11, 2011. The 17-date tour begins in Alabama and concludes May 7th in Pennsylvania. Downhere also announced award-winning rock band, Rush Of Fools, as the featured guest for the tour.
“Last fall we hit the road with Rush Of Fools for the first time, “says Downhere’s lead singer, Marc Martel. “From the moment they arrived at the first venue we played together, I sensed a rare, easy kinship in ministry and calling with them. Aside from their obvious talent, what impressed me most was their eagerness to help out, to serve, and to put on a well-crafted show no matter where we were. With this knowledge going into the Out & Aboot tour, I'm excited to band together with Rush Of Fools again and put on an even more unified concert. My hope is that everyone attending will sense that brotherhood we have, making the music and message we tell all the more inspiring. And in case you were wondering, Rush Of Fools is "Out", and Downhere is "Aboot.” It's a North American thing.
Downhere is currently recording their highly anticipated new studio project that is scheduled for release on August 23, 2011. Mark Heimermann (Michael W. Smith, dcTalk) is once again at the production helm and recording is taking place at Dark Horse Studio and The Workshop. The new CD will feature all new original compositions from the band and weekly updates of the recording process are available for fans online at www.youtube.com or www.twitter.com/downhere. Their previous studio project received impressive reviews from such outlets as USA Today, Tennessean and DallasMusic.com and an appearance on Nashville’s Fox 17 Tennessee Mornings.
Rush Of Fools is also in the studio recording their new album that is the first project with their new label, eOne Christian Music. The project features all new compositions from the band and other high-profile co-writers. Rush Of Fools is no stranger to high-profile success as their hit single, “Undo” from their debut self-titled album, reached the #1 position for an incredible 7 weeks. Their second CD, Wonder Of The World featured the hit single “Never Far Away” (with Jim Brickman) and brought mainstream recognition to the group through CNN.com, Daily Buzz, and WGN’s Midday News.
Nashville, TN (November 17, 2010)- One of Christian music’s most acclaimed singer/songwriters and platinum-selling artist Mark Schultz is hitting the road this winter to headline a Christmas tour with featured artist DOWNHERE. The “How Many Kings” Christmas Tour is sponsored by World Vision and will also feature CCM artist Alli Rogers. The 16-city tour begins in Hastings, Nebraska on December 2, running through the 19th in Greenford, OH.
“I'm looking forward to spending my favorite season with Downhere and Alli Rogers, a group of talented musicians and artists, as we celebrate the incredible gift of Christ's birth with our favorite Christmas songs, original music and great stories,” says Schultz. “It should be a wonderful time!”
Schultz has been playing dates all across the country in support of his latest release Come Alive that delivered the back-to-back Top 10 hit singles “He Is” and “Love Has Come,” as reported on the R&R Christian AC Chart. His forthcoming single "What It Means To Be Loved" will be released to Christian radio this spring.
Lauded at No. 1 on Billboard’s “Hot Christian Adult Contemporary Songwriters” list and with nine No. 1 radio hits to date, Schultz’s celebrated career highlights include being named Christian Music Today’s Male Vocalist in 2003, his song “Back in His Arms Again” being recognized as BMI’s Christian Song of the Year in 2003, his 2005 release, Mark Schultz Live…A Night of Stories & Songs, selling RIAA certified Platinum and garnering him his first GMA Dove Award, and being featured on the national TV programs 48 Hours, CNN, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and more.
“How Many Kings” Christmas Tour Dates:
12/02 – Hastings, NB
12/03 – Madison, WI
12/04 – Zeeland, MI
12/05 – Waukesha, WI
12/07 – East Minot, ND
12/08 – Edgerton, MN
12/09 – Shawnee, KS
12/10 – Cedar Falls, IA
12/11 – Circleville, OH
12/12 – Pikeville, KY
12/14 – Elizabethtown, KY
12/15 – Greeneville, TN
12/16 – Kernersville, NC
12/17 – Evans, GA
12/18 – Accident, MD
12/19 – Greenford, OH
One of Christian music’s premiere rock groups, Downhere, has started recording songs for their upcoming project on Centricity Music. The new CD will release in the fourth quarter of this year but due to high demand the label is releasing the first single, “You’re Not Alone,” for download purchase on May 11th at iTunes.com and Amazon.com. The song will be going for adds at radio on May 14th. The project is being produced by Mark Heimermann, who was part of the production team for Downhere’s two previous CDs.
Between studio breaks, Downhere has remained active on the tour circuit playing to recent sold out venues that included Tulsa, OK, Kansas City, MO and Jefferson City, MO. Following these popular dates, Downhere headed up north to Canada for an eleven-date tour opening for Michael W. Smith and then will appear on seventeen festival dates throughout the summer.
At the same time, Centricity Music is going to release, “Two At A Time,” a double disc project that includes the single plus another new song, with nine B-side cuts from Downhere that will be on sale at the band’s tour dates and digitally. Fans have been clamoring for new music and this gives them some new music until the upcoming untitled CD will become available. A complete listing of songs are below.
#####
Disc 1:
1. You’re Not Alone
2. The Song You Sing
Disc 2:
1. One Small Step
2. Everything To Lose
3. Break My Heart
4. Everything Will
5. Excavate
6. Household Name
7. Grown Man
8. Stand With Me
9. Back To The Chorus
Multi-award winning group, Downhere, recently made a guest appearance on Nashville’s Fox affiliate show, Tennessee Mornings. They performed their mega-hit, “How Many Kings,” and then taped, “Good King Wenceslas,” that will air Christmas day on the program. Both songs are from Downhere’s first Christmas CD, How Many Kings: Songs For Christmas. The performance was in support of the first date of the Bethlehem Skyline tour that launched at Rolling Hills Church in Franklin, TN.
This week, Bethlehem Skyline Tour headed into the Chicago area and Downhere appeared on WMBI/Moody’s program, This Is The Day!, with host, Nancy Turner. The group performed several songs from the new Christmas CD.
How Many Kings: Songs For Christmas, which released in October, is generating strong reviews for the project.
Tennessean-…and all throughout, the album shines with the thoughtful touches of a band that refused to make a sing-by-numbers holiday disc.
About.com - Christmas classics you may have forgotten about over the years meet original tunes to create an album that touches your heart as well as your funny bone.
JesusFreakHideout.com - this is still one of the more solid Christmas releases we've seen from a Christian artist.
NewReleaseTuesday.com - Downhere’s first ever holiday collection which retains much of the bands classic elements, but also stretches to previously uncharted realms.
Soul-Audio.com - In the end, there’s not a whole lot to dislike about this album. It easily ranks among great Christmas albums…”.
For more information about the Bethlehem Skyline tour and Downhere, please visit www.centricitymusic.com or www.downhere.com.
The critically-acclaimed pop/rock band, Downhere, took home an impressive NINE 2009 Covenant Awards during the 31st Gospel Music Association Canada show Friday night in Calgary, Alberta. Downhere ranked as the highest award winner this year after receiving eleven nominations and took home awards in the following categories:
Artist of the Year
Album of the Year (Ending is Beginning)
Song of the Year (Here I Am)
Recorded Song of the Year (Here I Am)
Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year (Ending Is Beginning)
Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year (Here I Am)
Rock Song of the Year (My Last Amen)
Seasonal Song of the Year (How Many Kings)
Inspirational Song of the Year (The Beggar Who Gave Alms)
"Wow! We never would have thought that we would get eleven nominations, much less win nine awards,” says Marc Martel of Downhere. “It is overwhelming to feel the support we are getting from our fans and friends in Canada and our hearts are overflowing from the kindness shown to us. We love going back to Canada to perform for the home crowds and this awards show us that the feeling is mutual. So, in the immortal words of Sally Field, 'They like us, they really like us!'"
Downhere is once again receiving critical acclaim with their first holiday project, How Many Kings: Songs For Christmas that released October 6, 2009. Early reviews include; JesusFreakHideout.com – “….this is still one of the more solid Christmas releases we've seen from a Christian artist,” NewReleaseTuesday.com – “Downhere’s first ever holiday collection which retains much of the bands classic elements, but also stretches to previously uncharted realms,” Soul-Audio.com – “It easily ranks among great Christmas albums, like Jars Of Clay’s Christmas Songs. The group will also be featured on GospelMusicChannel.com’s “Christmas of Compassion campaign, CCM Magazine, TitleTrakk.com, CBA Retailers + Resources, Christian Retailing, Dallas Morning News, to name a few. And again this year, Downhere will be part of Centricity Music’s Bethlehem Skyline Tour that will also feature labelmates, Jason Gray and Lanae’ Hale.
Downhere has had a successful year at radio, retail and media with their GMAC winning album, Ending Is Beginning, which debuted on the Christian Contemporary Album Chart at #17 and was heralded as one of the Best Christian Albums of 2008 by ChristianMusicToday.com. The GMAC winning song, “Here I Am” and “Hope Is Rising” peaked at #5 and #17 on the AC charts. GMAC winners, “My Last Amen” peaked at #5 on the CHR charts and “How Many Kings” hit the top 5 on the AC charts in late 2008.
Downhere has also been a previous winner with the GMA Canada Covenant Awards in 2002 for Rock Album of the Year and Rock Song of the Year. In April 2009, Downhere won their third JUNO Award for Ending Is Beginning, in the Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year category and won a GMA Dove Award for Modern Rock Recorded Song of the Year in 2003.
Nashville, TN (August 31, 2009) ----- The critically-acclaimed pop/rock band, Downhere, was honored with ELEVEN 2009 Covenant Award nominations from the Gospel Music Association Canada, which makes the group the highest ranking nominee of the year. The 31st Annual Covenant Awards will be handed out October 23, 2009 in Calgary Alberta, Canada, as the finale of GMA Canada Week. Downhere’s outstanding number of nominations are:
Album of the Year
Artist of the Year
Group of the Year
Recorded Song of the Year
Song of the Year
Seasonal Song of the Year – “How Many Kings”
Rock Song of the Year – “My Last Amen”
Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year – “Ending Is Beginning”
Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year – “Here I Am”
Modern Worship Song of the Year – “Live For You”
Inspirational Song of the Year – “The Beggar Who Gives Alms”
(All songs nominated were written by Marc Martel and Jason Germaine)
"We're honored to be recognized in our home country, and excited that we're a part of the music that is coming out of Canada,” says Downhere. “We're looking forward to being a part of the CGMA week festivities. This is an album we feel the Lord has given us and it's a blessing to see it resonate with so many people."
Downhere’s recognition from GMA Canada’s membership comes on the heels of a very successful year with radio, retail and media. The nominated songs, “Here I Am” and “Hope Is Rising” peaked at #5 and #17 on the AC charts, “My Last Amen” peaked at #5 on the CHR charts and “How Many Kings” hit the top 5 on the AC charts in late 2008. Nominated CD, Ending Is Beginning, debuted on the Christian Contemporary Album Chart at #17 and was heralded as one of the Best Christian Albums of 2008 by ChristianMusicToday.com.
Downhere has also been a previous winner with the GMA Canada Covenant Awards in 2002 for Rock Album of the Year and Rock Song of the Year. In April 2009, Downhere won their third JUNO Award for Ending Is Beginning, in the Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year category and won a GMA Dove Award for Modern Rock Recorded Song of the Year in 2003.
Downhere is poised to release their first holiday project October 6, 2009, How Many Kings: Songs For Christmas, which features timeless classics of the season done in the popular Downhere style. And again this year, Downhere will be part of Centricity Music’s Bethlehem Skyline Tour that will also feature labelmates, Jason Gray and Lanae’ Hale.
Downhere, one of Christian music’s premiere rock bands, is scheduled to release their first full-length holiday album, How Many Kings: Songs For Christmas, October 6, 2009. The new project was produced by Downhere and will be distributed by Word Distribution.
The idea to record their first Christmas CD grew over the years for Downhere as they performed several holiday concerts in their hometown of Franklin, TN, beginning in 2001. (Glenn Lavender is the only band member who still resides in Canada). Then the thought grew to fruition with the success of the single, “How Many Kings,” which went to #4 on the Christian AC charts in 2007, followed by the Bethlehem Skyline tour last year with their labelmates on Centricity Music.
How Many Kings: Songs For Christmas features the timeless classics of the Yuletide season that are recorded with the Downhere style. “Basically we made a giant list of Christmas songs and narrowed them down to our top choices, realizing that every one of them was at least a hundred years old,” says lead singer, Marc Martel. “We all really resonate with a love for good lyrics, the classic ones that are going to last, so we do a lot of really old Christmas carols. However, we also tried to make the old stuff sound new.”
How Many Kings: Songs For Christmas kicks-off with “How Many Kings” and flows into Christmas standards such as “God res Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “Silent Night,” “What Child Is This,” and “We Wish You A Merry A Christmas,” to name a few. The songs are a mixture of fun and religious tunes but the majority of songs resonate with the true meaning of the season.
“We didn’t want to pack a whole Christmas record with ‘Jingle Bells,’ ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ or anything that was considered all that fluffy,” explains drummer Jeremy Thiessen. “We were very selective in wanting to pick songs that actually said something than simply ‘it’s Christmas let’s party!’ We’re just trying to get people to pay attention and unplug from all of the running around.”
During their illustrious ten-year career, Downhere has garnered GMA Award nominations for New Artist of the Year, Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year and a GMA Award for Modern Rock Recorded Song of the Year. The group has also won three JUNO Awards for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album Of The Year in 2009 (Ending Is Beginning), 2008 (Wide-Eyed & Mystified) and for their self-titled debut in 2002. Downhere received GMA Canada Awards in 2002 for Rock Album of the Year and Rock Song of the Year. Fans and radio continue to keep their singles at the top of the charts with “Here I Am” and “Hope Is Rising” peaking at #5 and #17 on the AC charts, while “My Last Amen” peaked at #5 on the CHR charts. And media accolades heralded Ending Is Beginning as one of their finest projects, which included such Christian outlets as ChristianMusicToday.com, JesusFreakHideout.com, Beliefnet, and Christian Single.
For more information on Downhere please visit their website, www.downhere.com or www.myspace.com/downhere.
Nashville, TN (April 2, 2009) ----- Christian music’s premiere rock band, Downhere, has been honored with their third JUNO Award for their critically acclaimed CD, Ending Is Beginning, in the Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album Of The Year category. The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) announced the winners at the JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards Saturday, March 28th in Vancouver, British Columbia. Downhere’s two previous JUNO Awards, were for Wide-Eyed and Mystified in the Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album Of The Year in 2007 and in 2002, Best Gospel Album for their self-titled debut.
"We're extremely honored to have won our third JUNO award,” says band member, Jason Germain. “It is so special to us to win such a prestigious award in our home country, and we hope this record is able to reach even more people because of it!"
The group has also enjoyed great radio success in conjunction with the new album, as the current singles, “My Last Amen,” is #11 on Radio & Records’ CHR Monitored chart and “Hope Is Rising,” is #20 on the R&R AC Indicator chart. The debut single, “Here I Am,” peaked at #5 on the AC charts. “How Many Kings” that was added as a bonus track on Ending Is Beginning, hit the top 5 on the AC charts in late 2008.
Downhere released Ending Is Beginning September 2008 and immediately it was heralded as one of their finest pieces of work. ChristianMusicToday.com and Beliefnet listed the project as one of the top albums of last year with Christian Single saying, “Downhere’s latest effort proves to be another exceptional album pairing the perfectly blended vocals of Jason Germain and Marc Martel over the band’s atmospheric instrumentation and extremely intelligent songwriting.” JesusFreakHideout.com chimes in, “If you find yourself listening to the radio and thinking about how stale so much of Christian pop-rock has become, then Ending is Beginning is definitely a record you want to pick up. It's a little hard to come away disappointed from this one.”
Downhere emerged from Canada’s alt-rock scene and immediately connected with U.S. fans with their breakout debut in 2001. Then came industry recognition with GMA Award nominations for New Artist of the Year, Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year and a GMA Award for Modern Rock Recorded Song of the Year. Besides the JUNO nominations and awards, Downhere received GMA Canada Awards for Rock Album of the Year and Rock Song of the Year.
Downhere is currently in the studio recording their first Christmas CD that will be available in all CBA retail stores this fall. For more updates on Downhere please visit, www.downhere.com or www.centricitymusic.com.
Centricity Music is an independent recording and publishing company based in Bellevue, Washington and Nashville, Tennessee. The company’s mission is to nurture the gifts and expand the influence of Christian artists around the world. Centricity Music’s artist roster includes Jaime Jamgochian, Downhere, Circleslide, Jason Gray, Daniel Kirkley, Lanae’ Hale, Andrew Peterson and High Valley.
Nashville, TN (February 6, 2009) ----- Christian music’s premiere rock band, Downhere, has received their fourth JUNO Award nomination for their critically acclaimed CD, Ending Is Beginning, in the Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album Of The Year category. The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) announced the nominees February 3rd at a press conference in Toronto. The winners will be announced at the JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards Saturday, March 28th in Vancouver, British Columbia. Downhere has won two previous JUNO Awards, one for Wide-Eyed and Mystified for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album Of The Year in 2007 and in 2002, won in Best Gospel Album for their self-titled debut.
“We're honored and humbled to be nominated for another Juno award,” says Jason Germain of Downhere. “It's really encouraging for us to be recognized in our home country for the art we create."
Downhere released Ending Is Beginning September 2008 and immediately it was heralded as one of their finest pieces of work. ChristianMusicToday.com and Beliefnet listed the project as one of the top albums of last year with Christian Single saying, “Downhere’s latest effort proves to be another exceptional album pairing the perfectly blended vocals of Jason Germain and Marc Martel over the band’s atmospheric instrumentation and extremely intelligent songwriting.” JesusFreakHideout.com chimes in, “If you find yourself listening to the radio and thinking about how stale so much of Christian pop-rock has become, then Ending is Beginning is definitely a record you want to pick up. It's a little hard to come away disappointed from this one.”
The group has also enjoyed great radio success in conjunction with the new album. The debut single, “Here I am” peaked at #5 on the AC charts and the follow up singles, “Hope Is Rising” and the high energy “My Last Amen” will go for adds at AC and CHR respectively on February 13th. “How Many Kings” that was added as a bonus track on Ending Is Beginning, hit the top 5 on the AC charts in late 2008.
Downhere emerged from Canada’s alt-rock scene and immediately connected with U.S. fans with their breakout debut in 2001. Then came industry recognition with GMA Award nominations for New Artist of the Year, Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year and a GMA Award for Modern Rock Recorded Song of the Year. Besides the JUNO nominations and awards, Downhere received GMA Canada Awards for Rock Album of the Year and Rock Song of the Year.
Downhere completed their “Ending Is Beginning” Tour with the Michael Gungor Band in November and for more upcoming tour dates please visit, www.downhere.com or www.centricitymusic.com.
Nashville, TN (October
7, 2008) ----- Christian music’s
premiere rock band, Downhere, has had their latest project and fourth CD, Ending
Is Beginning, embraced by industry and fans alike. The album
was released by Centricity Music on September 23, debuted at #17 on the Current
Contemporary Christian Overall
Soundscan chart. This was the highest chart position ever for Downhere
and Centricity Music. The project is distributed through Word Label Group
Distribution.
Christian radio is also supporting “Here I Am,” the first single
from the new CD, with over seventy stations playing the song. The current
Radio & Records chart numbers have the single listed at #5 on both the AC
Indicator and the AC Monitored charts. Radio programmers and music
directors are responding to the message of the single. “‘Here I Am’
coveys a great message of using our lives to serve wherever God leads us.
I’m so grateful that God led Downhere to a place to serve our listeners with
another incredible song,” exclaims Joe Buchanan, Network Music Director, New
Life Media.
Reviews
for Ending Is Beginning have also been strong out of the
box.
ChristianMusicToday.com
- Their best album so far? In many ways, yes, though each Downhere album has
had its share of pop/rock highpoints. At the very least, Ending Is Beginning
further cements the band's place in Christian
music for their artful expressions of our faith.
Soul-Audio.com -
This is the review I’ve been waiting to write since I first started
following Christian music and its
ever-growing industry… I have a new contender for album of the year.
JesusFreakHideout.com
- If you find yourself listening to the radio and thinking about how stale
so much of Christian pop-rock has
become, then Ending Is Beginning
is definitely a record you want to pick up. It's a little hard to come away
disappointed from this one.
“The response to Ending
Is Beginning has been beyond enthusiastic since the first time I
played it for people,” says Steve Ford, Vice President, Sales and Marketing,
Centricity Music. “Not only has Downhere remained one of the most
talented artists in Christian music
but their hearts for God and people roar off the record. Downhere has
delivered a musical masterpiece that is connecting with fans and the industry.”
Downhere is currently on tour in
support of the new album that launched September 20 in Uniontown,
Pennsylvania and ends November 20 in Jefferson City, Tennessee.
The Michael Gungor Band is the featured guest on Downhere’s tour.
Nashville, TN (September 19, 2008) ---- Christian Music’s Pop/Rock band, Downhere, will launch their fall tour September 20th in Uniontown, Pennsylvania three days before the street date of their new CD, Ending Is Beginning. Joining Downhere on tour as the featured guest is the Michael Gungor Band.
The first single from Ending Is Beginning, “Here I Am,” is charted on Radio & Records at #10 on the Monitor chart and #9 on the Indicator chart. Media is also supporting the new release with upcoming reviews in HM Magazine, Christian Single, Worship Leader magazine, ChristianityToday.com, Christian Retailing, CBA Retailers + Resources, JesusFreakHideout.com, to name a few. Release day will find Downhere in Dallas, Texas where they will make appearances on KLOVE and KLTY, followed by tapings with Daystar TV.
Downhere emerged from Canada’s alt-rock scene and immediately connected with U.S. fans with their breakout debut in 2001. Then came industry recognition with a Dove Award nomination for New Artist of the Year and two subsequent Juno Awards for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album Of The Year and Best Gospel Album, GMA Canada Awards for Rock Album of the Year and Rock Song of the Year and Dove Award for Modern Rock Recorded Song of the Year. The band has toured with such artists as BarlowGirl, Matthew West, SonicFlood and Rebecca St. James and have performed at major festivals that include, Atlanta Fest, Inside/Out Soul Fest, and Kingdom Bound.
The Denver, Colo.-based Michael Gungor Band has quickly become one of Christian music’s most exciting new bands. Their newest CD, Ancient Skies, is set to release on September 9, and although the project is the first on the Brash Music label, the group has already achieved a level of success more commonly associated with a veteran artist. They have performed for more than a hundred thousand fans around the country, including this year’s Hillsong Conference in Sydney, Australia, and continue to garner awards and accolades including a Dove Award presented earlier this year for “Say So,” co-written by Gungor and Grammy Award-winner Israel Houghton.
Ending Is Beginning Tour Dates*
September
Sept 20-Uniontown, PA
Sept 21-WIlliamsburg, VA
Sept 24-Decatur, IL
Sept 27-Smithfield, NC
October
Oct 2-Mt. Vernon, IL
Oct 3-Cadillac, MI
Oct 4-Green Bay, WI
Oct 11-Malvern, AR
Oct 24-Lebanon, IN
Oct 30-Broken Arrow, OK
Oct 31-St. Peters, MO
November
Nov 1-Grove, Ok
Nov 5-Houston, TX
Nov 9-Clarkesville, GA
Nov 13-Berlin, NH
Nov 14-Watsontown, PA
Nov 15-Lynchburg, PA
Nov 16-Cleveland, TN
Nov 17-Petal, MS
Nov 18-Jefferson City, TN
*all dates are subject to change
Nashville, TN (July 3, 2008) ----- One of Christian music’s premiere rock bands, downhere, is poised to release a brand-new CD on September 23, 2008. The follow-up to the critically acclaimed, “Wide Eyed & Mystified,” features twelve new songs, plus the bonus track “How Many Kings” their 2007 hit. All of the songs on the CD were written by Marc Martel & Jason Germain and produced by Mark Hiemermann (DC Talk, MWS), Stephen Gause (Jars of Clay, Derek Webb) and downhere.
Ending Is Beginning takes the listener to a deeper place in their faith as downhere’s band members, Jason Germain, Marc Martel, Glenn Lavender, and Jeremy Thiessen, speak candidly about how they’re handling their struggles of life while also preparing for the triumph promised by their faith.
“The title reflects the idea of coming to the end of yourself, of letting what you can’t change be and letting God make His strength known in our weakness,” says downhere. “Those things that we all experience, things that don’t seem to run true, He often uses to achieve His ultimate aims for us. God uses us in our weakness. He is closest to us when we most need him. We want to capture that idea in the work we’re doing now, so Ending Is Beginning in many ways reflects of where we’re at.”
The CD tackles the tough issues of Christianity with “Hope Is Rising” focusing on losing your earthly optimism but gaining a sunrise for eternity, while “Cathedral Made Of People” talks about the tough road Christians sometimes have to face while standing up for their faith. “Live For You” talks about loving without fear and being faithful enough to see your mission clearly. “Here I Am” lyrics clearly outline the test of faith; When setbacks and failures, and upset plans/Test my faith and leave me with empty hands/Are you not the closest when its hardest to stand?/I know that you will finish what you began.
“We wanted to make an important record,” Martel emphasizes. “You get the sense in the world right now that maybe something really big is going to happen soon, that maybe the way of life we enjoy isn’t going to last much longer. We had that in mind as we wrote; we want to write songs that have meaning, no matter how things are going.”
downhere hails from Canada and immediately connected with fans and the industry on all three of their album projects, winning a Dove Award in 2003, two Juno Awards in 2001 and 2007, Vibe Award in 2002, two Covenant Awards in 2002 and two Prairie Music Awards in 2001. The band has toured with such artists as SonicFlood and Rebecca St. James and have performed at major festivals that include, Atlanta Fest, Inside/Out Soul Fest, and Kingdom Bound.
For current updates on downhere please visit www.centricityrecords.com or www.downhere.com.
