[Mickey]

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) Jan. 30, 2002 - Ardent Records’ artists Skillet, Justifide, and Big Tent Revival collected an impressive five nominations for the 33rd Annual Dove Awards, the most prestigious awards presented annually by the Gospel Music Association. The 33rd Annual Dove Awards will be held April 25 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.

“We are extremely pleased to receive nods from our industry peers,” said Dana Key, Ardent Records co-founder and vice-president of A & R. “It sounds so cliché, but even to be recognized means so much to the artists, as well as all the people behind the scenes who make these projects happen.”
“In a very real sense, these nominations represent the past, present, and future of Ardent Records’ compelling legacy of relevant music for today’s generation,” recognizes Vince Wilcox of VanLiere-Wilcox, whose agency oversees the strategic marketing of the label. “As most people know, Steve Wiggins, the creative catalyst for Big Tent Revival, is preparing a solo release of his own later this year, Skillet’s nominations cap several intense years of touring and recording, and Justifide is a brand new band just out of the chute.”

Just weeks after receiving its fifth consecutive Grammy nomination, Big Tent Revival has received a Dove nomination for “Rock Album of the Year” for its first live album, Big Tent RevivaLIVE. In light of the band’s collective decision to part slightly over a year ago, Big Tent RevivaLIVE is an effort to preserve what fans feel is the true Big Tent Revival- the live show. The album is a compilation of the band’s most memorable songs performed live at Hope Presbyterian Church in Memphis, TN. A greatest hits album featuring three previously unreleased songs will be released by the end of the year. Steve Wiggins will also be releasing a solo project in late Spring 2002.

Critically acclaimed rock band Skillet received a nod in the “Modern Rock/ Alternative Album of the Year” category for its fastest selling project to date, Alien Youth. The title cut and No. 1 radio hit from the project was also nominated for “Rock Recorded Song of the Year.” Having held the No. 1 position on the Rock chart for six consecutive weeks, the single further placed at No. 2 just behind P.O.D. on The CCM Update’s “Rock Top 25” Year-End Airplay for 2001.

Ardent newcomer Justifide also garnered two nominations for its debut album, Life Outside The Toybox. The album received a nod for “Hard Music Album of the Year,” while the first single,”9 out of 10,” earned a nomination for “Hard Music Recorded Song of the Year.” Writing all of their own material, the young Arizona rockers fuse hard rock, metal, hip-hop, and reggae into a faith-inspired message that hasn’t lost its edge. The result is a hard-core, yet honest approach to real issues like lust, teen pregnancy, child abuse, and materialism.

In addition to the Dove nominations, Ardent Records’ artists Skillet and Justifide embark on two major tours beginning in March. Skillet launches the Spring leg of its highly successful Alien Youth tour March 1 in La Grange, GA. The tour will travel through 35 additional markets including Chicago, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Nashville, Indianapolis, and Grand Rapids, among others. Prior to its own tour, the group will perform in front of nearly 80,000 teens during nine-scheduled Acquire the Fire youth conferences beginning January 26. The band is also scheduled to perform at more than 10 festivals throughout the year, including Creation East & West, AtlantaFest, Alive, Kingdombound, and Sonshine.

Justifide joins Ace Troubleshooter, Nifty Tom Fifty, and Thousand Foot Krutch for the Third Degree Tour, which begins March 2 in Port Huron, MI. The tour continues through such major markets as Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Denver, San Antonio, Dallas, Oklahoma City, Des Moines, Minneapolis and more.

Full tour itineraries for both Justifide and Skillet can be found www.ardentrecords.com.