I was frightened. I mean, not just a little bit – but a whole lot. I blame our Mission Pastor; he’d done such a great job on us – warning about the dangers that we were up against in one of the world’s most infamous destinations for sex tourists – that we spent the first day or so in Pattaya, Thailand, wondering what we’d got ourselves into.

None of us in the band are...

(Nashville, Tenn.) March 3, 2009 – “Your Grace Is Enough,” the modern worship classic, written by Essential Records recording artist MATT MAHER, saw strong gains in church exposure during the spring and summer of 2008, according to Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI), which tracks the popularity of music in churches across the U.S.

According to CCLI’s tracking system, “Your Grace Is Enough” was the 13th most popular song sung in churches in...

(Nashville, Tenn.) February 10, 2009 – Acclaimed rock band Jars of Clay, known for its ground-breaking, intelligent music and humanitarian work worldwide, artfully explores matters of relationship and community through the songs on its tenth studio album The Long Fall Back To Earth. The highly anticipated 14-track project releases April 21 on Gray Matters/Essential Records.

From the band’s earliest days to the present, innovation has marked each step of Jars of Clay’s...

(Nashville, TN) February 2, 2009 – Belfast-based modern worship band Bluetree hits U.S. shores with its highly anticipated debut album, God Of This City, releasing March 3. The recording’s title track, written by the band, is gathering momentum at radio and has already been named an R&R Most Added hit single. The song is also being sung in church services around the globe, was recorded by Chris Tomlin and Passion, and became the...