Fusing the instant accessibility of pure pop/rock with an unrelenting indie rock work ethic, Article One refuses to acknowledge the rift between art and faith. Neither do they succumb to the myth that intellectual honesty must be dumbed down to appeal to a mass audience. Instead, the Ontario, Canada-based foursome eschewed any formulaic, by-the-numbers notion of what works and what doesn’t. Embracing a broader musical palate, Article One spent seven months honing each of the fourteen songs that would coalesce into its highly anticipated sophomore project, Colors and Sounds.

The writing process, facilitated by super-producer Tedd T (Mute Math, newsboys), was grueling, but fruitful. “Tedd brought us to a whole new level of professionalism,” explains Nathan Piché, the band’s guitarist, pianist, and primary songwriter. “He pays so much attention to the details. We asked him to push us on every aspect of our songwriting and performance, and push he did.”

The band pushed too – sometimes for ten drafts; sometimes for twenty, only satisfied with ‘perfect.’ “Looking back, it was an awesome, though at times very frustrating, experience,” Nathan says. “I think we are all big perfectionists,” Matt Piché, Article One’s eclectic violinist adds. “But Tedd taught us more than perfection; he taught us perspective.”

Where other bands yield to the sophomore slump, Article One has ratcheted up the intensity and delivered an ear-catching collection of fourteen innovative pop/rock songs. Colors and Sounds sports a grittier edge than the band’s previous project. From the torrent of guitars and horns that launch “Without You (I’m Not Alright),” to the massive violin orchestration on, “Never Too Late To Call,” Article One surges with electricity. You can hear it in the unrelenting drums of “Taken By The Storm,” the bold bass riffs on “Colors and Sounds,” and quiet introspection of worship tune, “Above All Else.”

Colors and Sounds is also marked by the band’s undeniably hooky melodies and the unabashed passion that brought Article One this far. Anyone who has witnessed Article One’s exhilarating live show – which was birthed in rec halls and perfected on high-profile stages across the U.S. – will appreciate the drive of Colors and Sounds.

“Our first record was very straightforward pop/rock. The sound was very clean,” Nathan explains. “Our goal for Colors and Sounds was to keep the pop/rock accessibility of the first record, while adding more artistic elements, such as an emphasis on Matt’s violin because it is so unique. More than just a collection of songs, this record has a lot of cool moments and textures.”

Article One is equally proud of the lyrical content on Colors and Sounds. “When you write a song, you write what you know,” declares bassist Mark Laidman. “These songs are about life – ours, and the lives of people around us.”

“Colors and Sounds is not a concept album, but it does seem to revolve around the theme of purpose,” says Piché. “This project was really birthed from personal experience, and while the message is very clear, I think it is as accessible to non-believers as it is to believers. That was important to us.”

“We have lived with these songs for the past seven months,” Matt adds. “I can honestly say that every song is strong and together they make a great album. In a day when people tend to buy only singles, this project brings back the validity of purchasing an entire record. It’s solid from start to finish.”

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After Edmund are a band. Shocking, I know. More on the “is vs. are” argument later. We released our national debut album entitled Hello on Slanted Records (released 2/26/08). We are quite happy to be a signed band. After all, that’s what so many people dream of being. With this said, I assure you that there’s a lot more to life than a signature licensing the collective creativity of five guys. You see, all of us, known as the singular entity After Edmund, think music, creativity, work, play, marriage, school, birth, life, and death are just part of our having a relationship with our Creator. Everything we do is ultimately to show love for/to God. (That’s Jesus the Jewish rabbi from 0 A.D. for those of you keeping score). All of our lives have been radically changed by the guy we pray to. Naturally, this affects everything we do. And that’s a good thing. We don’t necessarily condone the actions of everyone who calls themselves Christians. A lot of what people do in the name of Christ has nothing to do with Jesus or what he calls us to do. And that makes Jesus look bad. We don’t want to be those kind of people. Loving Jesus is all about receiving God’s gift of grace and freedom and genuinely caring for and sharing Christ’s good news with everyone around us. If you have questions about this stuff, feel free to ask us about it. You can send us a myspace message and we will get with you asap.

More about the band: We’re just a bunch of goofballs. We really don’t take ourselves or much of anything seriously. For examples of this checkout our video blogs at youtube.com/afteredmund … we also think it’s hilarious to provoke random people into an argument on the plurality of the band name After Edmund. This is the famed is vs. are I spoke of earlier. If you don’t care then you’re with us, but you’d be surprised how many people have strong feelings on the subject. And if you ask us how long we’ve been together and we answer in some ridiculous number of months, don’t be alarmed. Just divide by 12 to get it in an intelligible format. Oh, and we’re considering taking stage names and we’re open to suggestions. Just send us a message. Right now we’re thinking: Newton’s Nemesis, Mr. DJ Icedream, Big Dragon, they call me Hawkeye, and Brittlenickel. (The preceding idea is actually just a test to see if anyone reads this thing).

More about our music: We write and record music that we think you’ll like. We don’t strive to sound like anyone or any genre (though some people will strongly disagree with both the former and latter statements). You are free to pigeon hole us however you like, but we think the best description of our music can be found by clicking the play button on this page. We encourage you to tell your friends whatever’s necessary get them to go buy our music. Even if you need to do personal favors for them like mow their grass or baby-sit their children, it is but a little sacrifice to encourage such good behavior. And we appreciate it.

If you’re still reading this then I apologize for being long winded, and I hope you find something more productive to do with the next 10 minutes of your life. If you skipped to the end without reading the whole write up then do yourself a favor and stop skipping to the end of novels to find out what happens. It can’t be healthy, and you know they’re going to start asking if you exhibit that type of behavior in those psychoanalysis questions on wal-mart job applications. I hope you enjoy letting us into your world. We’re glad to be here. Please come sing hello, hello to us at a show sometime. It’ll be good to have you close.
Enjoy your day,
The After Edmunds

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The developing story of talented pop trio 33Miles goes hand in hand with the message of its completely heart-stirring second album, One Life. Group members Jason Barton (lead vocals), Chris Lockwood (guitar/vocals) and Collin Stoddard (keys/vocals) were taking a risk, giving their dreams a shot when they released their self-titled debut less than two years ago.

Validation was seemingly instant. Concerts at more than two hundred churches nationwide ensued, and radio spun several of the band’s songs into hits. Journalists also took notice, calling these humble guys “a talented and devoted group of performers who possess some amazing gifts for music” (InFuze Magazine). Soon enough, 33Miles was a Gospel Music Association Dove Award nominee for New Artist of the Year.

Now, One Life reveals the heart of a group even more intent than before on loving the church with transparency. Committed family men who are as fun to meet personally as they are to hear in song, each member of 33Miles is married, and two have children. They’ve kept a constant presence at home and still managed to put 120,000 miles on the touring van over the past year, not to mention the thousands traveled by air.

The road isn’t always easy (ask Chris about the car that crashed into their dressing room and started a gas leak), and the skyways have their turbulence (ask Collin about that landing during a tornado watch), but the rewards are eternal.

Jason puts One Life in perfect perspective: “The theme of the album is simple, it is about loving God and living every mile to the fullest.”

Indeed, One Life resounds with the experience of casting off safety nets and following dreams. First single “One Life to Love” tells of men and women who finally learn to love their families and God more than work and money, played out across a powerful melody and musical track.

“‘One Life to Love’ still gives me chills,” says Jason. “It also goes back to the meaning behind 33Miles—the idea that life can be short, that Christ lived only thirty-three years on this earth. So the question remains: what will you and I do with our miles, with the years we are given?”

Collin sees the song in relation to the band’s unfolding adventure, how each member could have stayed put where they were, but instead chose to answer a no-guarantees call.

“We joke with each other about leaving school early or foregoing other job opportunities to be in 33Miles, but the song says, you only get one time around to find the one thing you don’t want to miss, and this group is clearly a God-given opportunity to honor Him.”

As implied, the formation of 33Miles didn’t come without its leaps of faith. Jason was already an established studio and touring vocalist. Chris was about to enter Boston’s eminent Berklee College of Music (John Mayer, Diana Krall) on a scholarship, and Collin was just one semester shy of a commercial music degree. But there’s no doubt today about the appeal and strength that’s found in the sum of their parts.

Like 33Miles’ acclaimed debut, One Life was produced by Nathan Nockels (Passion, Point of Grace, Phillips, Craig & Dean) and Sam Mizell (Matthew West), adding top song-shaper Brown Bannister (Third Day, MercyMe) into the mix for the first time on “Something Different,” “Gone” and “Apologize.” The former cuts represent the muscular, rootsy pop/country tinge that flavors half the album and flows naturally from Jason’s Louisiana upbringing, Collin’s love for classic rock, and the passion Chris has for his well-worn six-string. “Apologize,” a stand alone ballad with a classic ring to it, more quietly highlights the vocal and piano gifts of Barton and Stoddard, pleading to the wronged one: if I left a scar, let me say I’m sorry.

Deeper in, “When It All Comes Down” and “One of Those Days” also carry an upbeat style comparable to today’s biggest selling country pop acts.

‘“One of Those Days,’” admits Lockwood, “We’ve all said it . . . ‘Ugh, it’s just one of those days.’ But this song puts a spin on that statement. Some days have their clutter and distraction, but God is worthy to be praised every day, so hallelujah anyway!”

Certainly, a signature element found throughout the music of 33Miles is the expressive worship so evident on the urgent “Jesus Calling” and unforgettable “My Offering.”

“My favorite song, at this moment, is ‘Jesus Calling.’ It captures the sound 33Miles has looked for over the past year. When you come to our concerts, this is what you’re gonna hear live,” Chris says with enthusiasm. “And the message is clear: even though the world is so full of noise today, if you just listen, Jesus is always speaking in and through it all.”

The performance merits of “My Offering” are no less definitive of 33Miles; shining examples of the band’s exceptional, emotional vocal interplay, chiming guitars, and a poetic lyric for the church that could just as easily stir people outside the chapel walls:

I cursed your name; You called me child. I was to blame; You went to trial. And I lived to take . . . On my own I made a mess of things, but You take it as my offering.

At every turn, One Life grippingly offers the listener a reminder of what matters most: tuning in ever closer to God and those we love, aligning our earthly dreams with heavenly things. Be watching for the mile markers that you don’t want to miss.

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Anyone who’s ever listened to a pop song is far too familiar with the idea that you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. But is the converse true? Do you not know what you need until you have it?

Todd Agnew, an artist who has long challenged listeners to ask better questions, has found at least some of his needs fulfilled as of late: the need for companionship, family, roots and direction.

But that doesn’t mean Todd finds himself in a place of creative complacency, either. Needs met in one area frequently point out deficiencies in others, and Agnew has never been one afraid of the microscope when it comes to looking at his own life.

“The perfect version of me still has a deep need for God,” Agnew says. “It’s the ongoing conversation we have with God: ‘you’re supposed to need me from the beginning. Need is not a bad thing; it’s something that ties this relationship together the correct way of me being God and you not.’ You really have to learn that and think ‘that’s what I was made, how I was designed.’ And that’s how this music was designed, as well.”

In short, Todd Agnew is taking care of his artistic need through NEED, his fourth album for Ardent Records/INO.
 
“It was a pretty big life change all of a sudden,” Todd says of his return to his home state of Texas, his recent marriage and becoming a stepfather. “I think I closed on my house on a Thursday and got married on a Saturday. I went from ‘single musician guy with no responsibilities’ to ‘homeowner, husband, father of two’ in 48 hours.”

For anyone, those kinds of changes could cause a whiplash effect. For a man with an admittedly critical artist’s eye, Todd’s new life opened up a brand new set of observations.

“It’s incredible, but it’s also definitely hard. There’s nothing that can prepare you for that kind of a life change, especially someone like me, who notices every detail of every failure on my part,” Todd says. “Being a husband is one thing, raising two kids is another. You can find yourself thinking, ‘Man, I didn’t do a very good job again today.’”

The presence of his wife and the kids has obviously served Todd’s need for balance in his personal life, but the veteran singer-songwriter has found an unexpected carryover into his professional existence as well. “I’ve always been kind of the hammer – walk in, speak the truth, blow up the town, walk off and let all the pastors apply that truth or pick up the pieces. Now I’m having very similar things in my marriage and in my life, where I’m definitely someone who sees the truth that needs to be spoken, but I’m watching my wife who always see the love that needs to be shared.”

It is things such as these new roles and relationships that have caused Todd to pen songs such as “Joy Unspeakable,” the first single off of NEED. “I got married in Feb. of 2008, so there was a great deal of joy added to my life through this amazing gift God had given me,” says Agnew. “Now, being over a year into it, I know that it’s not all easy and fun; some of life is still quite difficult.  But what I have found is that joy runs through it all, and that is God’s plan for His bride as well.  The strength, the comfort and the joy that comes from our relationship with Him is ever present, even in our troubled times.  That is a joy that I do not have words to describe.”

The song – “Written On The Wall” – typifies a quest Todd never even realized he was on during the making of NEED. “It comes from a place of saying ‘I don’t understand all this stuff.’ I want to follow, I want to do what he wants me to do, if only he’d make it a little more obvious,” Todd admits.
 
Another area Todd Agnew the musician fends his needs met is the musical scope of NEED, which falls right in line with his previous projects, a broad stroke of rootsy music that touches on everything from rock ‘n’ roll to blues to soul to traditional gospel.

But that sort of musical exploration never seems to come easy, especially when trying to balance the needs of the artist with the perceived needs of the marketplace. “This record is definitely the hardest one I’ve worked on so far. It was much more of a struggling process, spread out over more than a year,” Todd says. “Finally I come to the place at the end where God goes, ‘What you need is for me to be active in what you’re doing.’”

And so that struggle – all facets of it – makes its way onto powerful tracks like the bluesy, rollicking “Deep Deep Love” and the stomp-filled “Tell Me The Story,” to the quieter, more contemplative moments found on the loping, strummy “Give Me Jesus” and the hope of “Did You Mean Me?” (with the fantastic yet familiar Sunday school notion of having “met Jesus at the felt board.”)

It’s the latter track, “Did You Mean Me?,” which Todd has had floating around in a notebook for more than a decade, which helped sharpen the focus of the album’s final push toward completion, shaking him and the project from the struggle. “When we were making the record, a friend told me that there’s no Hebrew word for ‘promise,’” Todd says. “God doesn’t need to promise. If he says it, that’s the way it’s going to be. There’s no extra need for reassurance. So the questions we have for God: ‘Does that really apply to me? Did you really promise that to me?’ are sometimes a waste of time and effort. It’s more God saying, ‘This is how it is.’”

As for the first single “Joy Unspeakable,” which is impacting AC, CHR and INSPO formats on Jul. 17, Agnew says, “I got married in Feb. of 2008, so there was a great deal of joy added to my life through this amazing gift God had given me.  Now, being over a year into it, I know that it’s not all easy and fun; some of life is still quite difficult.  But what I have found is that joy runs through it all, and that is God’s plan for His bride as well.  The strength, the comfort and the joy that comes from our relationship with Him is ever present, even in our troubled times.  That is a joy that I do not have words to describe.” To hear the story behind “Joy Unspeakable,” visit http://toddagnew.com/2009/07/01/behind-joy-unspeakable/.
 
So as Todd Agnew’s life morphed in front of him, so did his music, and so did his reactions to the changes that both were going through.

“I thought it was about me needing answers, so I could do God’s work for him. Give me the plan so I can go do this for you. Wanting to understand those things,” Todd says. “But I started to realize that what I thought I needed wasn’t exactly accurate. I really needed to learn to be dependent on God for everything.”

Todd looks up, respectfully asking for one more need to be fulfilled. “And if you’d like to give me some instruction, that would be awesome.”

“One after another, we learn that we have a need to be loved, to be rescued, to be redeemed, to be restored, all these things. Those are the universal needs, and they are all met in Jesus,” he continues. “It’s a matter of trusting God to help me walk through that, even though I don’t know what I’m doing.”

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Following the critical and commercial success of its 2007 debut, Even Heroes Need a Parachute, Ohio rock band This Beautiful Republic returns August 19 with Perceptions, a new ForeFront Records/EMI album that clearly showcases the act’s increasing creative and spiritual strengths.

Lead singer Ben Olin explains, “The title deals with the idea that there are at least two sides to every story. Things inevitably appear different to each individual based on their experiences, predispositions, prejudices, or vantage point. When we understand this—that what we see may not be the whole truth—we arrive where grace and love prevail.”

Perceptions is an effort that decidedly goes to the extremes of modern rock and timeless worship. It was produced by Allen Salmon (MuteMath) and comes in the storied wake of This Beautiful Republic’s first two years of touring together as a major label act. The band shared stages with headliners Sanctus Real and Family Force 5 among others and traveled overseas for shows in the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Ireland and Sweden.

“I think the overall toll that being in a band takes was underestimated by us. Until you’re doing it and seeing how it affects your friendships, relationships, your bank account, your physical health, and your mental health, you can’t really get a true grasp on it,” says Olin. “Yet at the same time, we never knew it would be so good. We’re so proud that we’re being allowed to do what we are doing right now. Perceptions is a huge step for us and a better representation of where we’re at as musicians.”

This Beautiful Republic first made headlines when pioneering EMI-owned Christian rock label ForeFront Records (dc Talk, tobyMac) chose the act as its first new signing in five years. The band’s debut album, Even Heroes Need a Parachute, charted the singles “Jesus to the World” and “Casting Off” and earned glowing reviews. MusicFaith.com called TBR “my vote for New Artist of 2007” while Christianity Today compared the band to Foo Fighters and estimated it was “capable of improving from good to great.”

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We’re all aware of the opposite side of the equation, but what are you supposed to do when at first you do succeed? How should you react when the things you’ve been working for, individually and collectively, your entire young lives start to take shape? And more important still, how do you get back to that place of openness that jumpstarted that success when almost everything about your existence has changed?

Simple. You stop, sit down and reflect on the Wonder Of The World.

Two years can seem like a lifetime, or it can seem like it has passed in the blink of an eye.

“It’s funny to think about the course of events that have taken place,” says Kevin Huguley, guitarist/vocalist/songwriter for breakthrough Midas Records band Rush of Fools. “And all that time, God’s still kept us on that path we feel He’s called us to be on. It feels like the fast-forward button has been pressed on our lives this whole time.”

Given the opportunity, Huguley will rattle off the personal accomplishments of his band mates – lead vocalist/songwriter Wes Willis, guitarist Dustin Sauder, bassist Jacob Chesnut and drummer Jamie Sharpe – right alongside the professional ones his Alabama-based band has gone through.

It’s that intertwining of the internal and the external that made Rush of Fools’ self-titled debut (and monster hit “Undo,” ASCAP’s most-played Christian song of 2007) so approachable and embraceable by a now-legion of fans.

That fusion carries over into the band’s second full-length release, Wonder Of The World, a record crafted simultaneously on the run and yet with purpose and progress in mind.

“I think that compared to the last record, we actually had time to breathe,” Willis says. “We played hundreds of shows and wrote and sat and played together and worshipped together. All those things fed into this album and I think we were able to write songs the same way we did last time and yet we found a new voice, a growth in ourselves and in our collaborations with our producers. We’re still a worship band, and we still love writing those kinds of songs.”

“I think this time we were able to be more hands-on in the musical process, and the producers asked ‘What do you want to do?’ rather than last time when we were all saying ‘Help us,’” he continues. “This time, we were more able to say exactly what we wanted musically.”

The expansion of Rush of Fools’ musical vocabulary is evident throughout Wonder Of The World, with the pogo-ready rocker “Lose It All” lining up right alongside the hypnotic “Escape,” contrasting with the lullaby feel of “Tonight” and the piano ballad “The Only Thing That’s Beautiful In Me.”

The core elevating factor of the band’s presence, much like on their debut record, is the commitment to lyrical innovation that showcases that willingness to strip the artifice of success away and focus their eyes (and through the music, the listener’s ears) on the one, true wonder of the world.

“As we’ve been playing the title song already, we’ll usually stop in the middle of it and talk about the lines ‘Father, how can it be that you are Father to me?’ as well as all the other things mentioned: Savior, Healer, One who shows favor on me,” Willis says. “I think back to all that time on the road and all the things that have happened over the past year, and I’m still amazed by those facts, that He is Father and Savior and Healer. He’s been so faithful to us and at the very least, we should be that back to Him.”

Huguley concurs with his band mate and co-writer. “We should be asking those questions in the song, because we don’t deserve those things He’s given us, but that’s what makes it so wonderful.”

“I think God has allowed our situation and our story and our journey to take place and it has uncovered these truths for us,” Huguley continues. “He’s saying ‘I’m going to continue using you five guys from Alabama, who are not worthy of My grace, because you’re starting to get the picture that grace is what it’s all about.’”

At the same time, being young men constantly on the road, playing to growing crowds that respond by singing songs back to the band during shows, can have a negative impact as well. “When we started playing on the road more, I realized there were times when I’ve been not a great husband or a great friend,” guitarist Frazier says. “Then I thought, ‘Was I ever a great husband or friend or son?’ I always thought I had it straight and I had the answers. Now I have to question all those things and it stinks that I have to go through those things. Yet at the same time, I’m really thankful because I got knocked down and now I can get back up and work on those things.”

“This has been a dramatic lifestyle change,” Willis admits. “Being sucked out of your homes and stuck out on the road playing all over. But when you’re in the same little van, driving around with the same guys, you get to grow together. You have to stick to those things God is calling you to do. We’re a worship band; let’s continue to write worship songs.”

“It should impact us all, in a way that should cause us to seek the Lord more,” Willis continues. “I think it has, for us, whether it’s been good times or bad. I think He blesses those moments when you do.”

The reciprocal result has fostered a set of worship songs on Wonder Of The World, such as “Holy One,” “Freedom Begins Here” and “You Are Glory.” Each are shaped differently from a musical perspective, but keep that aforementioned focus on the force carrying the band and the listeners through life’s difficult circumstances.

“We always put our hearts and souls into the lyrics, because if we’re going to be writing songs about God, they had better be true, they had better be good and they had better be honest,” Huguley says. “It’s that creativity in our lyrics and now our music as well, that shows where our progress has been. We strived hard to not shy away from the tough lyrics about our own sins and struggles. But now we’ve created this new version of our own band because there’s a new musicality to it.”

“It doesn’t matter what aspect of life you’re working on, you always have to learn how to recreate something,” Willis says. “You always have to learn how to grow and change and from a musical aspect, that’s definitely what we’ve done with this album. There was a lot of growth on this project, but still true to our core heart of worship, because that’s who we are.”

These statements further answer the question above, the one about what you do when if at first you do succeed. You try again, and when you’re trying to point out to others the glory of the true Wonder Of The World, it’s all quite simple.

Rush Of Fools members:
Kevin Huguley – BGV’s, electric guitar and keys
Wes Willis – Lead Vocals, acoustic guitar
Jacob Chesnut – Bass
Jamie Sharpe – Drums
Dustin Sauder – Electric guitar

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American Idol Season 6 finalist Phil Stacey recently finished recording his new 11-track album, Into the Light, which releases August 25, 2009. Stacey, an Idol Top 5 contestant, will showcase his acclaimed power vocals and songwriting chops with this first modern pop offering on Reunion Records.

“Given the recent past, it’s understandable that people are quick to ask me about the musical side of what I do,” says Stacey, who performed for an average of 30 million viewers a week, for the 11 weeks he competed on American Idol. “I enjoy talking about the music, too. In fact, I love it. But the biggest hope I have is that what I do will help draw people to God–whether that’s through the songs I write, how I conduct myself on stage, or more importantly, the ways I relate to other people. Everything I did with American Idol has readied me for this platform and this album. This is where I feel at home and I can’t wait for people to hear these songs.”

With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that Stacey–the son of a pastor, grandson of two pastors, and a one-time music minister himself–celebrates faith and family on Into the Light as he sings passionately about an unshakable and loving God. With legendary Christian music producer Brown Bannister (Amy Grant, Mandisa, Steven Curtis Chapman) at the helm, Into the Light artfully taps Stacey’s longtime love for the church and its most modern musical expressions.

“There are songs on the project that will encourage and others that will challenge. Some that I’ve written and others that I heard and just had to record, including one by one of my favorite artists, Rich Mullins, called ‘Hard to Get’,” adds Stacey.

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Paul Colman is a Grammy Nominated singer/songwriter/entertainer. He has performed all over the world, written hit singles, garnered numerous awards and has sold hundreds of thousands of records. Paul still travels the globe singing and speaking and sharing his songs, thoughts and faith. He has released 15 recordings featuring his songs and for the three years (2005-8) was the guitarist for Aussie rockers, The Newsboys. Jan 2009 saw him release HISTORY: a collection of his best songs. Aside from HISTORY, you can purchase all of Paul’s music (solo and Trio) on itunes.

Early years (1978-1985)

Paul began writing his own music at the age of 11 and by the time he was 18 he had written over 100 songs and performed them hundreds of times.

Paul’s father, Robert Colman, was a much-celebrated singer/actor who had spent over a decade in London, England (where Paul was born) as the lead in many a musical. He was, and still is, the youngest person to ever win the Sun Aria Award in Australia and released close to 30 of his own recordings. (www.robertcolman.com) Music was always in the Colman house and Paul would spend many an evening in the audience watching his father perform. In 1973 Robert left the secular artistic world and became a minster at a church in Melbourne, Australia. He also, for a period of time, was recognized as Australia’s leading gospel entertainer. This title galvanized by two sell-out nights at the Sydney Opera House and captured on a live double album.

Early musical influences for Paul were Elvis, Larry Norman, Steve Taylor, Andre Crouch, Randall Waller, Avion, Kansas, The Angels, AC/DC, U2 and Midnight Oil. It was Larry Norman however that really captured Paul’s imagination. The Colman family saw Larry perform live many times in the 70’s and 80’s in Melbourne, Australia. Paul recalls, “I remember seeing this guy up there on stage at Dallas Brooks Hall in the heart of Melbourne on his own with an acoustic guitar, a microphone, a razor sharp wit and songs that really went deep into me. Somewhere inside my heart and mind I said ‘I want to do that! It was actually about 18 years later that I stood in that exact spot and sang my own songs to a packed house.”

Paul performed a lot during these years at events connected with his father’s church. This connection with music and faith would become the backbone of all of Paul’s future musical endeavors. He played drums, bass, piano, flute and guitar from week to week in the church band as well as performing at youth group camps, coffee shops, church concerts and outreach events.

Paul’s first band, ‘Childish Behavior’, played mostly at youth gatherings, roller-skating parks, high school parties and community events. Paul was the band’s primary songwriter as well as the lead singer/bass player. One of the bands guitarist and Paul’s main co-writer David Thomas (Davage) went on to form 2 of Melbourne’s influential Indy outfits: Nursery Crimes and Pre-Shrunk. Childish Behavior disbanded in Dec 1985 after a series of shows at a local Roller-Skating/Music venue headlined by none other than metal pioneers Motorhead. Paul’s living memories of these shows remain to be some black and white pictures, a scrappy desk tape and Lemmy’s beat-up leather jacket that was left behind in the trashed dressing room. The jacket became a staple gig outfit for Paul for a number of years, but Childish Behavior was over and Paul headed to the USA to live for a year in Washington D.C and Billings, Montana where he worked on his performing and songwriting and began his love affair with America.

Just prior to flying to the USA Paul won a competition at a local coffee house called The Green Lantern. The Lantern was a very popular hangout for musicians and particularly singer/songwriters. This was a small venue that seated only about 60 people and the competition that Paul won first prize for was for about 50 performers of all ages. The 1st prize was 10 hours in a recording studio. Paul recorded two of his own songs “Its’ too late” and an unnamed composition. The songs were not hits and the recording went nowhere but it gave Paul his first taste of a professional recording studio.

Development and performing with Larry Norman (1986-1992)

Paul returned from the USA at the end of 1986 and threw himself into academic pursuits. While studying though he did manage in the period to chalk up hundreds of performances. Paul played a lot of coffee shops, churches and church functions, pubs and clubs and youth groups. When he wasn’t performing and studying,hespent a lot of time recording his music in his small home studio. The songs he wrote in the period became the staple of his live shows. They were also the songs Paul played with the Paul Colman Band when in June 1987 Paul was asked to open for Larry Norman on his 6th Australian tour. As you can imagine this was a dream gig for Paul who had idolized Larry growing up. Larry was very complimentary and asked Paul and band to not only play a 30 min set before Larry but to actually be his backing band. Paul remembers, “It was definitely an honor to play with my musical hero. I remember when he popped in to our rehearsal and sang along to SOUL ON FIRE. It was a real thrill. I had met him when I was 15 when my Dad arranged for him to come to dinner but to actually perform with him was truly awesome. The only disappointment was that I rehearsed LONELY BY MYSELF on piano for months and it was going to be just me and him up there but we never played it.”

In 1989 Paul auditioned and was accepted into an intensive one-year tertiary bridging music course. It was in this year that he achieved 5th grade music theory, greatly developed his aural music skills and engaged in a rigorous study of the history of music. Paul’s major was voice and his minor was classical piano. He achieved 5th grade AMEB for singing and 3rd grade AMEB for piano. He also made a lot of great friends and enjoyed years of collaborations with the musicians he met. Whether it was weddings, corporate functions, original performances or pub rock bands, the next 3 years of his performances usually included musicians such as Craig Harris and Ashley Smith. Paul was accepted into music at the University of Melbourne in 1990. He auditioned as a singer and did a year of composition, music theory, vocal and piano but at the start of his second year at University but he changed his focus instead to History/English/Literature/Philosophy. “I just don’t love music in the same way as a lot of my friends. My true interest in life is people. I can get to people in a unique way through music but I am just as passionate using spoken word”. Paul went on to graduate from the University of Melbourne with a bachelor of Education and spent 2 years teaching at one of Australia’s largest and most prestigious private schools.

The Lo-Fi’s (1991-94)

It wasn’t until 1994 that Paul first went back into the studio to record his music. His first project that became a released recording was with fellow singer/songwriter/guitarist Michael Mancev under the band name The Lo-Fi’s. The resulting 10-song album, now out of print, included 5 of Michael’s songs and 5 of Paul’s and was called “Violets and Violence” after one of Michael’s wonderfully moody songs. The record was recorded and produced by David Carr, a fellow Melbourne based musician and featured the rhythm section of a local rock band, Bodymotors. Paul played at a number of venues in Melbourne at the time alongside Bodymotors and actually filled in a number of times for the band on guitar, bass and lead vocals. Erik Chess (drums) and Mel Lewis (bass) played on most of the album with David Carr performing some bass, guitars and keyboards/programming.

Paul and Michael performed together as an acoustic duo for most of this period. They performed songs from “Violet and Violence” as well as a host of cover songs. The song that usually got the most response was their version of the classic Dire Straits hit ‘Sultans of Swing’ that featured Michael’s vocal and guitar. Paul and Michael also put together a covers rock band during this period that played Rolling Stones, Lenny Kravitz, U2 and The Doors as well as ‘Sultans’.

The Lo-Fi’s only performed a handful of times as a band and whatever aspirations Paul and Michael had as becoming the next long-standing timeless rock duo soon evaporated and they went their separate ways. Michael went on to record a very rootsy and heartfelt solo record in the years to come under the name Vex entitled ‘end of days’. He was to Paul a very influential and positive musical influence, “Michael Mancev was a great mate and he was my most influential guitar teacher. Michael had a great sense for good songwriting and he and I performed for a few years as an acoustic duo as we dreamed of musical purity and mega-stardom”.
The wedding and bar singer, teacher and ‘the band thing’ (1994-98)

During these years Paul worked consistently in bars, clubs, cafes and restaurants singing his own songs and a large repertoire of cover songs. He also song at hundreds of wedding and wedding receptions. “Playing at weddings and clubs taught me a lot about interacting with an audience. At a wedding,music ,or my performance, was not the focus. The focus was the bride and groom. It taught me to put people first and use music to serve them. I actually loved being a wedding singer.”

For 2 years, Paul taught English, Literature, History and Religion at a private school in Melbourne. This was one of the schools Paul had visited during the compulsory student teaching component of his Bachelor of Education. After not being able to get Paul on the telephone, the headmaster of the school actually knocked on Paul’s front door in an attempt to find him and offer him the job. On the weekends Paul would still perform all around town and he was in a season of serious songwriting that would result in his first fully-fledged solo recording.

‘the band thing’ was recorded between 1996-1997 and was Paul’s first solo album. It was an eclectic recording that really showed a myriad of influences. The album was recorded and produced by David Carr at Rangemaster Studios in Melbourne. Paul once again used Erik Chess on drums and himself or David Carr played most of the other instruments. Phil Gaudion, who later went on to be the drummer of the Paul Colman Trio, performed two of the drum tracks. ‘the band thing’ sold a modest 5,000 copies and at the album launch at The Royal Derby hotel about 20 of Paul’s students from school tried to get in but due to their age had to settle for listening outside the venue. The pub was packed with fans and friends and the night was a huge success.

A few of the songs that didn’t make the band thing’s final list were included on a bonus EP sold with the first 1000 copies of the record. This EP was later separated and sold as the “Life is Where you Are’” EP and is now discontinued.
One voice – One guitar (1998 – present)

After ‘the band thing’, Paul went searching for a sound that was truly his. After some life-changing advice from record executive John Durr of Black Market Music/Records, Paul went right back to basics and started with just his voice and guitar. He was still writing constantly and performing now full time after leaving teaching at the end of 1997. The songs from ‘one voice – one guitar’ literally came out of these live shows and Paul writing songs that he could sing a alongside the covers he was performing. The songs on this record are so strong that Paul still performs a number of them as a regular part of his live set. Some of the were also re-recorded with the Paul Colman Trio and one of his most popular songs from the album, ‘Run’, went on to sit at number 1 on the US Gospel charts for 11 weeks and help earn a Dove award and a Grammy nomination.

The ‘one voice – one guitar’ idea and title became Paul’s very own brand that defined this particular style of performance. Its success was in its limitations. “When you are alone on stage with just a microphone and a guitar, the limitations are really the freedom. It forces you to find things in your performance that you don’t need in a band as you have nobody but the audience to rely on for interaction.” Paul certainly began to sharpen his ‘audience interaction’ skills during this period of his career. Actually he became know for it. Most Paul Colman fans would agree that Paul’s skills with an audience are the main reason he is different from other performers.

Paul traveled through Australasia and the US extensively from May 1998 to Dec 2000 performing in the one voice-one guitar format. As the Paul Colman Trio grew in popularity, Paul was still in demand as a solo performer. He did 11 solo tours of the US during this period and as part of his travels in the America would visit Nashville, TN where he began to develop relationships with writers, producers, musicians, managers and record company executives in the gospel music industry. Paul became close friends with Peter Furler, the co-founder and creative force behind the newsboys, and this relationship would become a pivotal one for Paul both personally and professionally. Paul did two “one voice-one guitar’ national Australian and New Zealand tours as well during this period. He performed at Australia’s Parliament House for government and international leaders 4 times as well as a host of conferences, corporate and private events. He was a regular performer at clubs/bars/restaurants at the beach in the summer and at snow resorts in winter. He headlined many church events and became one of the first performers in Australia to sing/speak at all denominations and expressions of faith. All of this momentum was to be the fuel behind the explosion of the Paul Colman Trio.

 

The Paul Colman Trio (1998-2004)

Paul embarked on a 51 date solo tour of the USA and the Philippines in Sept 1998. He decided to take friend and drummer/producer Phil Gaudion with him. Phil simply brought a shaker a set of brushes and a snare drum There was little time for rehearsal “we can rehearse as we perform” Paul suggested. Phil became an expert and accompanying Paul on vocals and percussion and the tour was a roaring success. They played all across America at churches, colleges, high schools, coffee houses and bars (including the famous Bitter End on Bleaker Street in New York). The tour finished with 17 shows in 10 days in Manila, Philippines on the way home. Paul commented, “Phil and I were great together both as friends and performers. He became amazing at fitting into and adding to what I did. We developed so many little quirky, funny, entertaining moments and I think the whole experience taught me a lot about collaboration and really helped Phil come out of his shell a lot too.”

When Paul and Phil returned back to Australia they called on long time friend Grant Norsworthy to join them on bass. To preserve the essence of the sound that they had created, the idea came up to use acoustic bass rather than electric. Whereas a lot of band broke down to an acoustic lineup for a handful of songs, the Trio decided to make this ‘their’ sound. In Australia, the current music trend was still the sound of grunge. It was all about walls of guitars, gravelly angst- ridden vocals and an almost anti-performance stage ‘cred’. When the Paul Colman Trio stepped onto the scene therefore in early Dec 1998 they were a fresh sound. They also had a swell of momentum from Paul’s solo work, a definite on stage chemistry and Paul was supported by two thoroughly professional, passionate and skillful musicians who each brought a lot to the table. Norsworthy was a very versatile bass player with a strong voice and a great sense of humor. Gaudion was a brilliant drummer with a wonderfully unaffected coy stage personality. Grant and Phil jumped on many of the classic Colman interactions and added to them. The Trio was a super interactive, professional and yet ‘fly by the seat of your pants’ performance experience. Their debut recording, the aptly titled ‘Serious Fun’, was a landmark recording in the Australia Gospel industry. It contained wonderful songs and the performance was fresh and exciting.
The trio toured heavily in Australia and New Zealand between 1999-2001. They followed ‘Serious Fun’ with the more electric and serious ‘Turn’ and two live albums. These albums ‘electric’ and ‘acoustic’ reflected the two now distinct styles the Trio expressed. Due to the demand of playing to large crowds and in large arenas, Paul, Grant and Phil performed also electrically and acoustically. The electric performances were mostly enhanced with the use of an additional guitarist and often a keyboard player. The band almost exclusively featured Adam Lester on electric guitar and Derek Bailey on keyboards. The Trio’s friend and expert sound technician, David Jacques, was also instrumental in the bands live sound.

In 2001 The Paul Colman Trio toured the USA for the first time as Paul used his contacts from solo efforts to keep the band busy for a 6 week tour that climaxed with a weekend in San Hose, CA with the band opening for P.O.D and Third Day. The band showcased for various record labels on a two day visit to Nashville but nothing came directly from these performances.

A support slot with Third Day on their national Australia Tour proved to be a turning point for the band as Third Day, after being impressed with the Trio, invited them to open for the ‘Come Together’ tour of the US in 2002. The Trio happily accepted their invitation and spent 2001 preparing to move to the USA indefinitely. Paul flew to Nashville in August of 2001 and secured the band a record deal with Essential Records (then home of Third Day and Jars of Clay) and the services of renowned producer Monroe Jones (U2, Chris Rice, Third Day)

In October 2001, just week after the September 11 terrorist strikes against the US, the Trio flew to Nashville to commence work on their first international and record label release. In 6 weeks and at The Bennett House in downtown Franklin, TN the Trio recorded ‘new map of the world’ to critical acclaim. The following February the band and wives and children flew back the USA and began the year-long tour with Third Day, which eventually took in over 100 cities.

The masses took notice; propelling pc3’s singles ‘Turn’ and ‘Run’ to No. 1 and ‘Fill my Cup to Top 5, turning out in droves for its tour appearances with label mates Third Day and FFH. The music industry responded as well, with Radio & Records magazine naming the band to its annual Top 10 Breakthrough Artists, the Recording Academy bestowing a Grammy nomination for best Pop/Contemporary Album, and Gospel Music Association honoring Paul Colman Trio as New Artist of the Year at the 2003 Dove Awards.

Just 9 months after receiving the Dove Award, the Paul Colman Trio disbanded after triumphal tours of the US, Europe and a national sell out tour of Australia (Feb 2004). The band cited pressures of traveling on families and finances as the reasons for splitting but on their website left the door open for a possible future reunion. It had been a wonderful 5 years with so many amazing memories, great music and performances. Fans were understanding but disappointed as the Trio had won the audiences and music industry personnel all over the world. Grant stayed in the USA and joined ‘sonicflood’ as their new bassist and Phil traveled back to Australia to engineer and produce records. Paul stayed in Nashville, left Essential Records and signed as a solo artist with inpop Records (EMI). He began touring the US and Europe as a solo artist and began recording his fourth international solo record.

 

Let it Go (2004-2006)

Paul began writing for his solo record in the spring of 2004. He retreated to a snowed-in cabin in the middle of a California’s Yosemite National Park in January and sat and wrote, read and prayed on his own for 5 days with no telephone or TV. The first song written for the album was ‘Sweet River’. It depicts a struggle in the supernatural realm and a cry out for the Almighty to release and rescue from the evil voices of accusation and fear. All the songs that made the final list are a deep expression of faith and reflect a very profound soul searching season. “When I took stock of everything I had been doing, I looked at all the doors I’d been through and couldn’t determine which ones I’d broken down and which ones had been opened. I just didn’t know,” Paul shared. “I felt like that still quiet voice in my heart was saying, ‘Let it go. Be who you truly are. Stop being driven, controlling and fearful. I discovered I needed to slow down and listen for that voice instead of just my own,” he says. Colman drew into his family and his Creator, and there he found the inspiration for Let It Go.

Paul’s song craft on the record was sharpened through a rich collaborative process with other songwriters including producer Cash, Randall Waller (Shania Twain), Newsboy’s front man Peter Furler, Reuben Morgan (Hillsong) and Jason Ingram (Rebecca St. James, Point of Grace, Salvador, Building 429, Joy Williams and Bebo Norman).

Gloria (all God’s children) was the first single and it went top 30 in the USA. In Australia the single spent a record 3 months at number and won ‘song of the year’ for being the most played song of 2005 on Australian Christian radio.

Let if Go’s second single ‘the one thing’ stayed in the US top 20 for nearly a year and won Paul a songwriters awards from ASCAP as well as one for the achievement of over 20,000 plays/spins on US radio. The song really connected with people and has become one of Paul’s most requested.

The albums’ third single. ‘Holding onto you’, also received a great reception at radio and has been used heavily in churches for corporate worship. Paul wrote the song in his hotel room in Copenhagen, Denmark on a European Tour. “I was alone and desperate for some changes in my heart. At that moment I realized two major things. One, I felt I had never really completely trusted God with my life and two He was completely worth trusting. ‘Holding onto you’ is special to me as it really documents that moment for me. Ed Cash made me sing it at the top of my range too, which I think added to its sense of urgency.

‘Let it Go’ was produced by Ed Cash (Chris Tomlin, Matt Wertz, Amy Grant, Steven Curtis Chapman,Bebo Norman and Bethany Dillon) and Vince Emmett (Rebecca St. James, Phil Keaggy, Ginny Owens).

Paul toured the record heavily throughout the US, Europe, Australia and New Zealand in 2005 and many of the songs from ‘Let it Go’ are still in his current live set list. At one stage he had bands in Australia, the US, Germany and the Czech Republic that he used to tour. Towards the end of the though, after nearly a decade of touring a recording his own music, Paul was seeking a change of scenery in terms of his musical career. “I felt like somehow I had come to end of something. I really needed some space from my own music for a while. This seemed kind of crazy to some people and especially some of my fans. On one had I felt I was writing and performing better than ever but deeper I felt I had to take a step back and face some personal stuff that in the end is way more important. A gift is one thing but even issues of character are more important. What I cold not figure out was how I was going to somehow stay in music and yet take a break from me. It sounds corny but I just prayed and trusted God.” In November and quite out of the blue Paul got a call from long time mate and collaborator Peter Furler asking him to join the newsboys as their new guitarist.

The Newsboys (Nov 05-Dec 08)

Paul accepted the invitation to join the Newsboys and promptly began learning the set list and programming sounds for a tour that started Jan 13 of 2006. For the moment, Paul shelved his own music and threw himself headlong into the band.

In 2006 the newsboys toured the USA as well as Australia, Canada, Africa, Finland, Russia, Norway, Denmark, Singapore and China among others. Paul reflects, “It was a wonderful year. I fully embraced my new role as guitarist and backing singer in the band. I bought some awesome guitars, built a great guitar rig and hardly played the acoustic all year! More importantly though, I got a chance to step back from me for a while and serve something I did not start, own or control! I also learnt a very different musical skill set. The guys were awesome and the whole newsboys experience was wonderful: Great songs, great shows and great people.”

The Newsboys recorded their 14th studio album and Paul’s first with the band during 2006. Paul played guitar on the record and sang backing vocals but more importantly contributed to the songwriting. The most important collaboration was on the band’s hit single ‘Something Beautiful’ that Paul co-wrote with Peter Furler. The song became the bands biggest hit for a number of years and recently became the 2nd most downloaded newsboys song. 2007/8 saw the GO album and tour of the same name propelling the band once again to sell-out crowds and huge record sales. The GO tour visited 85 cities across the USA and in the fall of 2008 the Newsboys released GO LIVE: a CD and DVD documentation of the tour. Paul performed 284 shows in 17 different countries with the band and departed in Dec 2008 on excellent terms.

New solo album (2009)

 

During 2007, Paul spent some time in the studio recording. For the first time in his career he took a break from recording his own music and recorded some of his favorite ‘faith inspired’ cover tunes. Three of these songs can be purchased on HISTORY released Jan 27. This album is a Paul Colman ‘best of’ collection and currently available in stores, on order via the web or at Paul’s live shows. IF I WAS JESUS is a digital only EP released as well on Jan 27 on itunes and features five of the cover songs Paul recorded including the three on HISTORY.

So why record a bunch of cover songs? Paul tell us that, “halfway through 2007 I felt good about beginning to record another solo record. It had taken quite a long time because I have only been able to being the studio about 4 days a month. I started making a very intense singer/songwriter album and had lots of very cool new songs. After a month or so though it just didn’t feel like the right time to make this kind of record. So I changed directions and began recording songs from other artists. It actually was very freeing to do so! I focused my creative efforts on singing/playing and arranging. These are 10 truly great songs. I can say that because I didn’t write any of them J”

The second digital EP with the other five songs will be released sometime later this year.

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At its very essence worship is an invitation. Whether it’s a church congregation on a Sunday morning or a solitary soul reaching up to God in a moment of personal praise, worship is inviting God’s presence into our lives so we can celebrate His glory. That’s why “The Invitation” is such a fitting title for singer/songwriter Meredith Andrews debut on Word Records.

Beneath her youthful exterior and fresh-faced exuberance, Andrews is a focused artist who knows exactly what she wants to say. She creates music that serves as a personal conduit for those seeking to worship God, and she also wants to remind others of God’s desire to reach them. “God is extending an invitation to you, to you personally, calling you by name,” she says. “He knows where you’ve been and he knows your background. He knows your family situation. He knows the things you struggle with, but he’s calling you by name and he’s inviting you to come in and to meet with him and to know him.”

Andrews shares that theme on her debut album with a well-crafted set of songs that are musically inventive and lyrically challenging. It’s a potent combination that is garnering Andrews enthusiastic support. Even before “The Invitation” hit store shelves, Andrews was tapped to open Aaron Shust’s spring tour. In Billboard magazine’s yearly “Faces to Watch” feature, she was singled out as Christian music’s most promising new artist.

Andrews felt the call into music ministry very early in life. Growing up in Wilson, NC, she started singing in church when she was only six-years-old. “I remember the first song I ever sang in church was ‘I Love You Lord,’” she recalls. “Then me and my mom would go around to other churches in our area and sing Southern Gospel music.”

Andrews’ childhood love of music matured into a desire to lead worship. She learned to play piano, began writing songs and during her high school years, she began leading worship at her church. On Saturday nights, young people from all over the area would converge. “That youth group thing we had on Saturday nights was called the Potters House and it was one of the most influential things in my life,” she says. “I learned what it really means to worship the Lord. I’ll never forget that time in my life. It was just so powerful. All the kids that would come were just so hungry for the Lord and we would worship for an hour and then my youth pastor would speak and then we’d worship for another hour or more. I remember there would be nights that the power of the Lord was so strong that I’d be under my keyboard playing because I just couldn’t stand. I couldn’t stand anymore, just being so humbled and in the presence of the Lord. It was powerful and I will never forget that.”

Andrews attended Liberty University where she majored in family and child development, and planned on working in an orphanage after graduation. She was born an only child, but her parents provided homes for many foster children. “We had about 20 kids come through our home in a period of about 10 years,” she recalls. “We ended up adopting three of the boys. They are my brothers now. I forget they are adopted.”

Seeing the impact her parents and their faith had on other children was an inspiration to Meredith and she had planned on a life of service, working to help children. However, during her junior year at Liberty, God revealed His plan for her life. “It was an amazing time of worship,” Andrews says. “Looking out at the student body with their hands in the air, you could tell that the presence of the Lord was so sweet in that place. It was like the Lord just dropped something into my spirit saying ‘This is it. This is it! This is what I called you to do.’ I remember thinking, ‘This is the thing that makes me feel most alive.’ It is also the thing that I feel like the Lord takes the most delight in and I feel closest to him when I’m doing it. That doesn’t necessarily mean being in an arena leading worship, it also means when I’m behind closed doors. Private worship must precede public worship. If what I’m doing on stage isn’t first birthed behind closed doors, then it’s inauthentic. I can’t take people where I haven’t been with the Lord.”

While leading worship at Liberty, a pastor from Chicago’s 12,000 member Harvest Bible Chapel heard her and recruited Andrews to join his worship team. “I went up there in April 2005, which was a month before I graduated from Liberty,” Andrews recalls. “They let me sing with the worship team and I just remember thinking this is a place where I can really grow and that night, they offered me a job.”

Just as God led Andrews to Liberty University then on to Harvest Bible Chapel, he opened doors in Nashville that led her to sign with Word Records. “I wasn’t really looking for a record deal. It just fell in my lap,” says Andrews. “I’m so humbled by it all. It’s obvious that it’s the Lord’s hand and not my own.”

Andrews wrote or co-wrote every song on “The Invitation.” Produced by Jason Ingram, the project not only showcases Andrews’ skills as a songwriter, but her engaging vocals as well. She has a clear, pure voice that draws the listener into her songs and points them to the heavenly father. The opening track, “You Invite Me In,” reminds us all that God’s arms are always open to us. It’s a message that also resonates powerfully on the stunning ballad “You’re Not Alone.”

“Deeper” is another compelling ballad that finds Andrews longing to delve more completely into a relationship with God. In a voice that is hauntingly vulnerable, she shares her heart in a poignant lyric that other believers will readily relate to on an intimate level. It’s that ability to be so transparent in her writing and her delivery of these songs that invites others in.

“When we were in the studio recording, I remember listening to Jacob, my fiancé,’ playing piano on ‘The River’ and there was the element about God inviting us in there in that song as well as ‘Invite Me In’ and ‘Lift Up Your Head.’ That theme runs through all of the songs, but as he was playing this song and I was sitting at this table, all of a sudden it just hit me, ‘The Invitation!’ That’s what the album should be called!”

Though Andrews’ music ministry is poised to impact a national audience with the release of “The Invitation,” she continues serve where she feels God has planted her—leading worship at Harvest Bible Chapel. Additionally, her desire to help underprivileged children has never waned and she’s established Meredith Andrews Ministries to aid orphans and children in need.

Meredith Andrews has seen the impact music can have on people’s lives, but it’s not her agenda she wants to share. Her songs are laced with scripture because of her passion for sharing the word of God. “I never want to write songs just to write songs. I always want them to be about conveying the heart of God to people, whether they are people who walk with the Lord or people who don’t walk with the Lord,” she says. “I think the best way to do that is to do it through His word. I always want my songs to be infused with the word of God because if it’s my words, it’s null and void. What do I have to say to people that is going to change their lives? Nothing! But if it comes from the Lord, it’s that’s what’s going to change them.

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A beautiful young woman, always effortlessly fashionable, Meyers is almost an anomaly in today’s culture. In a world where young artists seem to continually wind up as troubled tabloid fodder, she’s a successful recording artist who is incredibly grounded and ever mindful of her platform as an influencer. She’s equally comfortable appearing on the cover of Nylon Magazine (Japan) or speaking to young girls on the Revolve tour.

Meyers first burst on the scene with her self-titled Essential Records debut in 2005, spawning her breakthrough hit “Anticonformity,” a song she wrote before entering ninth grade. Her debut set spawned four top ten singles and also launched her career abroad. That same single went 1 on Japanese pop radio charts and led to her debut being certified GOLD in that country. Her sophomore album, Dying For a Heart, solidified Meyers’ stature—earning her a second Dove nomination in the female vocalist of the year category–and boosting her audience overseas, earning her major pop star status in Japan.

Krystal has performed before more than 500,000 people in North & Central Amercia, Europe, and Asia with artists such as Wyclef Jean, Toby Mac, Brian Littrell (Backstreet Boys), Q-Tip, and Jay Chou.

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