‘The Blessing’ Continues To Shine With Gold Certification

Pictured (L-R): Cody Carnes, Kari Jobe, Steven Furtick, Chris Brown

“The Blessing,” which became a viral hit song around the world just days after its release, recently received RIAA Gold certification. This global worship anthem of 2020 penned by Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes and Elevation Worship, is also nominated for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. “The Blessing” was featured on both Jobe’s latest record The Blessing (Live) and Elevation Worship’s record Graves Into Gardens.

The 2020 GMA Dove Award Worship Song of the Year has also been included on Spotify’s US Viral 50 (playlist) and Global Viral 50 playlists in 11 different countries. With more than 41 different versions and languages globally, “The Blessing” has topped the charts in 34 countries and Top 5 in 77 countries on Apple Christian and Gospel genre charts. The song has been sung in Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew, German and French cumulatively producing more than 43.2 million YouTube streams as well as successful covers coming from Africa and Southeast Asia. The song has also been one of the most covered Christian songs on YouTube, with versions representing over 128 countries worldwide.

Lauren Daigle Releases Video For ‘Hold On To Me’

Lauren Daigle has released a new video for her song “Hold On To Me,” and tackles the concept that life is not always what it appears to be in the new clip. Daigle steps behind closed doors to become an observer of some of the stories that don’t make it to the public eye in the video, directed by John Gray. She follows a couple through their everyday lives building a family, witnesses a man behind bars, observes three generations of women in a hospital tackling a health crisis, and watches a child stuck between their parents’ volatile relationship.

“Hold On To Me” embodies a message of hope that no one is alone in their struggles, and over the next several months, Daigle will highlight and raise funds for several organizations that tie into scenes depicted in the video through The Price Fund. All proceeds from this fundraiser will be divided evenly among the organizations to aid in their incredible work.

For King & Country Give Fans Live Show Glimpse With New Concert Special

For King & Country will be showcasing the For King & Country The Live Concert Film—a full-length concert performance from the duo’s Burn The Ships The World Tour on March 25. The one-hour special will offer fans an exclusive perspective of For King & Country’s last arena show before the COVID-19 pandemic, giving a close-up view of the incredible live show that the duo has become known for complete with intimate backstage moments and passionate singalongs with the sold-out audience. For King & Country The Live Concert Film will be available to view on For King & Country’s YouTube and Facebook pages.

“We’ve really missed performing and seeing all of you over the last year,” Joel and Luke Smallbone said. “But, in that time, we’ve been working hard to put together the For King & Country The Live Concert Film for you all! So, on March 25 at 7 p.m. CT, we’d like to invite you to share what was our last sold-out arena show, before the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the world. Mark your calendars, let’s share some music and together let’s step into a new day.”

Lady A celebrates the confidence of a woman at her best in their new single, “Like A Lady,” that has just been released. The single, an empowered sneak peek into their upcoming eighth studio album, comes as the group’s Hillary Scott is honored as one of 31 women leaders from diverse industries in Dress For Success’ “Your Hour, Her Power” campaign.

Co-written by the group’s Scott with Dave Barnes, Michelle Buzz, Martin Johnson and Brandon Paddock, the danceable throwback anthem finds Scott leading the band with joyful vocal abandon and a playful strut in a shoutout to those who’ve spent the last year learning to live it up in loungewear.

“I feel my most confident when I’m not trying too hard,” Scott explains. “I love getting glammed up and all the fancy clothes, but when I feel the most ‘me,’ it’s a lot more laid back – and I think that’s a lot of us. You are your most authentic self in blue jeans with a tequila drink, ya know? As we were writing it, I was like ‘It’s always been my dream to do a song that combines the things I love about Dolly Parton’s ‘9 to 5’ and Shania Twain’s ‘Man! I Feel Like a Woman!’ – two of the most strong, powerful female songs ever. So it was like ‘How can we do our version of that?’”

“We were some of the biggest champions for ‘Like A Lady’ and we’re honored to stand alongside Hillary,” says Lady A’s Dave Haywood. “We’ve had a front row seat to her strength over the years and we love linking arms with her on this song.”

“This song has such a great feel to it,” Lady A’s Charles Kelley adds. “One of the coolest parts of being in a co-ed band is being able to share those different perspectives, so that’s just part of what we get to do.”

Kenny Chesney. Photo: Allister Ann

In the music video for his new single “Knowing You,” released today (March 12), Kenny Chesney shows the warm and happy moments of love, and the cold and gloomy feelings of loss.

The video shows Chesney on a sailboat in the tropics cozied up to a love interest half the time, and then flashes back to scenes of him bundled up on a cold and rainy boat, trying to get over her.

The grey, colder scenes were shot in Gloucester, Massachusetts on a fishing boat with Chesney’s actual captains, who he affectionally refers to as Boat Captain Marty and Boat Captain Ben. The other half was filmed in sunny St. Croix, with his friend Monica playing his love interest.

Chesney worked with award-winning director and longtime creative co-conspirator Shaun Silva on the video. “I haven’t done a video like this in a while, where it was this big of a production,” he said in a recent Zoom hang.

“Knowing You” is the third single from his ninth No. 1 album on the all-genre Billboard 200 albums chart, Here And Now. It was written by Brett James, Adam James and Kat Higgins.

“Brett James was one of the songwriters on this song,” Chesney said. “The moment that he played ‘Knowing You,’ I went, ‘Oh, thank you.’ I get to record this kind of song, I get to have it out on the radio. It just meant a lot to me. That’s why I wanted to make a really impactful, dramatic video for this song.”

The lyrics find Chesney reckoning with the loss of a vibrant love, singing “God, we were so alive / I was a kid on a carnival ride / Holdin’ my breath ’til the moment when you were gonna leave me too soon / ‘Cause damn, it was good knowin’ you”

“Not everything is meant to last…You don’t think about that when it’s perfect,” says Chesney in the voice over for the video. “And when it’s over, there’s a huge hole, but there’s also a pair of wings.”

The Gospel Music Association announced its first Easter broadcast special, Because He Lives: An Easter Celebration.

The night of worship and song will feature superstar performances by Amy Grant, Anthony Brown & Group TherAPy, CeCe Winans, Ellie Holcomb, Jekalyn Carr, Karen Peck & New River, Natalie Grant & Bernie Herms, Nicole C., and Zach Williams.

“What better way to honor the resurrection of Jesus than through songs and worship,” GMA President Jackie Patillo says. “And we’re so grateful for our partners TBN, CCLI, and Cantinas Arts Foundation. They really helped make this special event possible.”

Filmed without a live audience, Because He Lives: An Easter Celebration is a production of the GMA. The show is produced by Paul Wright and Curtis Stoneberger, who also produced the 51st Annual GMA Dove Awards show, and executive produced by Patillo and Justin Fratt. The team has assembled a special event featuring Easter-focused performances and messages sure to encourage and inspire.

“The idea for this show was to come together as a music community around the holy time of Easter,” Wright says. “This is a powerful and humbling story, and our artists really focused on those range of emotions in their songs.”

The broadcast airs on Trinity Broadcast Network on Thursday, April 1 at 9 p.m. EST / 8 p.m. CST and again on Easter Sunday, April 4 at 4 p.m. EST / 3 p.m. CST.

Country rocker Tim Montana is set to release his new album Long Shots on April 9, his first album with Music Knox Records/BBR Music Group.

The Montana native’s record will include 12 tracks which showcase his rock electric guitar and influences from the West which embraces hard and fast-living, the American experience and the blue-collar way.

“I heard ‘no’ from just about every record label around (more than once from some), but all my life I’ve never let outside factors stand in the way of my aspirations—instead the rejection fueled me to dig my heels in more, get a little scrappier and work even harder,” says Montana. “The fact that I’m now about to put out an album as a signed artist kind of blows my mind in the best way—I’m lucky enough to be six feet up instead of six feet under and I celebrate that every day.”

Montana teamed up with award-winning producer, Michael Knox  (Jason Aldean, Kelly Clarkson, Thomas Rhett) to build upon his sound which draws influence from the rural lifestyle with a hint of adrenaline. The music is country—but don’t mistake it for southern. Spending years out West and in Butte, Montana, fans will hear influences between Seattle and its grunge, Texas’ roadhouse, Nashville’s country, Wyoming’s Chris LeDoux and the Heartland’s rock.

Fans can get a taste of his new album with his new single “Get Em Up,” an anthem for the blue collar that celebrates the camaraderie, available now.