Shonlock - The That's Awesome Show Podcast

Welcome to show # 4 of the That's Awesome Show on CMSpin dot com … your source for Christian Music News.

I'm Rob Blausey and I get to be host!  You can follow me on Twitter at @RobsAwesomeshow

Before you click on play let me say that the number of people listening to these keeps amazing me.  Thanks for listening and keep telling your friends about it!
 
Today we have Shonlock on the show, you ... More Details

Group 1 Crew Launches Into Orbit, January 24

Breakout Urban sensation and Dove Award winning Group 1 Crew re-launches their third album, Outta Space Love: Bigger Love Edition on January 24. The album features more music along with the original 12 tracks. Outta Space Love: Bigger Love Edition will include eight additional tracks with remixes of their hit singles "Walking On The Stars" and "Live It Up" as well as four brand new songs. One of the new tracks on the album is "He Said," which features multi-award winning artist, Chris ... More Details

Benjah Takes Urban Fusion Viral with New Music Videos

On the heels of Benjah's heavily viewed "Walkin' Out" music video comes the official music video for his latest single "Jezebel." Shot on location on a private island off of Florida's Gulf Coast, the Dove Award winning and GRAMMY® nominated artist and producer continues to make waves with the latest music video from his new album The Break-Up (Jahmen/220/Universal). Both videos can be viewed at his official Facebook page at More Details

Top Names In Christian Rock Help Raise Money

The Christian Rock 20 is setting out to raise $1,000 to replace worn-out equipment with help from some of their friends, including band members from Silverline, Southbound Fearing, Hawk Nelson, House Of Heroes, Shonlock, Family Force 5 and more!
 
When fans of the Christian Rock 20 pledge $30 or more, they will get a phone call from their choice of more than 10 of Christian rock's biggest names. 
 
Other rewards for pledging money to the show include on-air shout outs, Christian ... More Details

Benjah to Release 'The Break-Up' on September 27th

GRAMMY® Nominated, Dove Award-Winner Benjah to Release "The Break-Up" on September 27th through Universal Music Christian Group

Award-winning producer and artist Benjah will release his latest album The Break-Up on September 27th via Jahmen Music Group and 220 Entertainment, with distribution through Universal Music Christian Group and Fontana Distribution. The highly anticipated album features guest performances by Rachael Lampa, Group 1 Crew, Dillavou, Andy "C-Lite" Mineo, Ron ... More Details

First WOW Christmas Project In Six Years Releases Sept. 27

New Holiday Collection Features Top Christian Artists: Casting Crowns, Francesca Battistelli, Chris Tomlin, Third Day, TobyMac, Chris August, And Many More

Just in time for the 2011 holiday season, EMI Christian Music Group, Provident Music Group, and Word Entertainment proudly announce their continued partnership in the WOW brand with the release of WOW Christmas (2011) available everywhere September 27. This 2-disc, 32-song collection marks the first WOW holiday offering in six ... More Details

WOW Hits 2012 Includes Over 30 Christian Artists & Hit Songs

EMI Christian Music Group, Provident Music Group, and Word Entertainment announce their continuing partnership in the WOW brand with the September 27th release of WOW Hits 2012. With 14 #1s, 8 top 5, and 4 top 10 Christian radio songs, WOW Hits 2012 marks the 17th  two-disc release and the second Hits Deluxe Edition release of the platinum-selling series that compiles the best songs from Christian radio at an incredible value for the consumer. The entire WOW branded series (Hits, ... More Details

NewReleaseTuesday.com Launches 'Monday Night Chats'

Christian music mega-site NewReleaseTuesday.com has announced the launch of Monday Night Chats – a live weekly online chat event that will allow fans the opportunity to interact with their favorite artists.

A different artist will be featured each Monday night, starting at 8:00pm EST and running for 30 minutes. The live chats will take place at www.NewReleaseTuesday.com/chat and the full sessions will also be archived on the site ... More Details

Manafest Celebrates First Career No. 1 Single

BEC Recordings' and two-time Juno nominee, Manafest is celebrating his first career No. 1 radio single this week with the song "Bring the Ruckus" at Rock radio formats. This is the fourth charting single from the 2010 release, The Chase, which marks Manafest's highest-selling album to date. The Chase has sold more than double of his 2008 studio album Citizens Activ. The Chase project also brought the hit single "Avalanche" to his fans with his highest CHR charting single at No. 4 and selling ... More Details

Rapture Ruckus Set To Release, Open Your Eyes

Native to New Zealand, electro/hip-hop/pop outfit Rapture Ruckus is set to release their full-length debut with BEC Recordings on September 27, Open Your Eyes. A Dove-nominated and ensuring self-titled EP helped introduced the veteran producer/songwriter Brad Dring and his cohorts to American audiences, and now its first Stateside LP serves as the official culmination of the past ten years spent overseas. The debut single, "This Little Light," can be heard here as well as the story behind ... More Details

Industry Veterans Announce Contemporary Christian Music Development Institue

Newsboys' Michael Tait Teams Up With Music Executives Wes Campbell and Bernard Porter for New Venture

Music industry veterans Michael Tait, Wes Campbell and Bernard Porter have formed Contemporary Christian Music Development Institute (CCMDi), an innovative program dedicated to assisting Christian music artists in achieving success in their careers.

"It is no secret that the music industry is a highly competitive market laced with tremendous highs and cavernous lows. The only ... More Details

The GMA Dove Awards Name Atlanta Host For 2012 Awards

The 42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards Garnered Unprecedented Viewers On gmc television network And Quickly Sold Out The Fabulous Fox Theatre As Atlanta Welcomed This Year's Honors To The City

THE GMA Dove Awards offer recognition in a variety of genres making it the most comprehensive awards show celebrating Christian music will again air on gmc 

THE GMA Board of Directors and the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau announced today that the 43rd Annual GMA Dove Awards will ... More Details

Manafest Set To Release Live DVD/CD June 7th

BEC Recordings' and two-time JUNO nominated Manafest is set to release his first live DVD/CD Manafest Live in Concert on June 7th.  This DVD/CD is just another career milestone for this artist that has sold more than 200,000 albums worldwide along with 45,000 digital singles of his hit "Avalanche" from his recent release The Chase, which is also currently No. 1 Soundscan Canada - Canadian Christian Chart.

Manafest fans can check out a preview of the DVD/CD by "Like"ing his ... More Details

Christian Hip Hop Takes Over Africa

After releasing his album, Captured, Christian Hip-Hop artist, FLAME, launched an international "Captured in Africa" tour. He visited Kenya, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. The trip consisted of concerts, workshops, along with speaking engagements at high schools, orphanages, AIDS facilities, feeding centers, etc. "It was amazing to see fans from across the globe who knew all the lyrics," reported FLAME. View clips of the concerts here. The trip also included amazing fellowship ... More Details

Shonlock Steps Out From Tobymac's Diverse City With Album

On the heels of the chart-topping #1 radio hit "Something In Your Eyes," Arrow Records recording artist Shonlock will release his debut album NEVERODDOREVEN (Universal Music Christian Group) on June 21, 2011.

Best known to Christian music fans as a member of TobyMac's Diverse City, Shonlock has been busy preparing to step out into a spotlight of his own. He spent much of 2010 on tour with TobyMac and Skillet for their record-breaking Awake Tonight Tour. And later this year, Shonlock ... More Details

Dominic Balli Releases Sophomore Project, American Dream

California native Dominic Balli releases his first new project in three years, a 12-song album titled American Dream, available July 26. True to his signature style, which Balli describes as "CaliRockReggae," the record features a unique blend of rock, pop, reggae, and hip hop sounds.
 
The long-awaited follow up to his 2008 debut Public Announcement, which landed among the Top 30 reggae albums at iTunes that year, American Dream is a continuation of what Balli does best. Written and ... More Details

Winter Jam Ranked #1 Tour In The World

The Winter Jam 2011 Tour Spectacular was the #1 tour in the world for the first quarter of the year, according to Pollstar.  The multi-artist event featuring many of Christian music's biggest names outpaced attendance for all other tours in the first quarter, including Bon Jovi, U2, X Factor Live, Lady Gaga, Brad Paisley and Justin Bieber, according to Pollstar's 2011 Worldwide First Quarter Ticket Sales "Top 100 Tours" chart.
 
Created and hosted by Christian music mainstay ... More Details

GMA Dove Awards Announces 'Songwriter Of The Year' Nominees

The coveted songwriter award nominees have been announced for next week's 42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards. Chris August, Gerald Crabb, Jason Ingram, Joel Lindsey and Wayne Haun are this year's nominees.  Jason Ingram leads now with 12 nominations which is the most anyone has received in one awards season.  The 42nd Annual Dove Awards, hosted by Sherri Shepherd, will take place at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA on Wednesday, April 20th at 8 p.m. ET.  The awards show will be televised ... More Details

TobyMac Grabs Third Consecutive BMI "Songwriter of the Year"

This week, BMI hosted their Annual Christian Awards ceremony at their offices in downtown Nashville and for the third year in a row Forefront's multi-platinum selling artist TobyMac took home the award of the night "Songwriter of the Year," making it his fourth win in this category.  He shared the honor with Rodney Griffin and Bo Rinehart who also took home awards for the same title. Additionally, the award-winning artist's hit songs "Get Back Up" and "City On Our Knees " were ... More Details

Fans Have A Say In The 42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards

Fans have a say in the 42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards, Gospel music's biggest night of the year. GMC, America's favorite network for uplifting music and entertainment announced today, GMC's "VOTE TO WIN" GMA DOVE AWARDS GIVEAWAY.  For the first time ever, one lucky winner will receive two tickets to attend this year's televised event, a $250 Visa gift card and a GMC branded "Uplift Someone" bracelet.  Each person who casts their vote for the "Artist of the Year" and "New Artist of the ... More Details