[Mickey]

NASHVILLE, TN…5/13/02…After performing in 33 cities to over 130,000 people in just 8 weeks, Steven Curtis Chapman’s LIVE OUT LOUD spring tour, promoting his latest Sparrow Records project, Declaration, wrapped for the spring season. Plans are currently underway to announce the fall leg which will kick off in September. Summer festival dates are also scheduled and are listed below.

The nationwide tour ended recently in Houston, which also turned out to be the biggest night of the entire tour with over 9,200 people packing The Woodlands C.W. Mitchell Pavilion. Lakeland, FL was also a huge success in March with over 7,200 concertgoers. With an average attendance of nearly 4,000, numerous shows were also sellouts, including Houston, Atlanta, Jacksonville, FL and Dallas. In fact, the second Dallas date was added to the line up due to the first show selling out so far in advance of Chapman’s appearance there.

The tour featured Sparrow Records’ Nichole Nordeman opening the concert. Nordeman, last year’s GMA Female Vocalist Of The Year, is confirmed to appear again on the fall leg of the tour to launch her upcoming Sparrow release, available in September.

Truly making the tour unlike any other were featured special guests, missionary Steve Saint and Waodani tribal member Mincaye. As featured in USA Today, the story of Steve Saint and Mincaye was shared through their words and a 25-minute multi-media experience featuring footage from the upcoming film documentary, “Beyond The Gates Of Splendor” (beyondthegatesthemovie.com) with narration and music from Chapman. The USA Today story can be found on the web at www.usatoday.com/life/music/2002/2002-04-18-chapman.htm.

Saint is the founder of I-TEC, an organization teaching indigenous people (I-TECusa.org), and son of martyred missionary Nate Saint. Nate Saint died with Jim Elliott and 3 other missionaries in Ecuador in 1956 when Mincaye and five other Auca warriors attacked and killed them. Each night on the LIVE OUT LOUD Tour, Saint and Mincaye were greeted with loud and long standing ovations as the former murderer and the son of one of the men he killed stood together to share this amazing story of God's forgiveness and redemption. Mincaye says, "We acted badly, badly until they brought us God's carvings (the Bible). Now, we walk His trail." Mincaye and Steve Saint are also expected to continue with the LIVE OUT LOUD Tour this fall.

The effect the tour had was astounding with comments coming in daily from radio, retail, media and concertgoers. Each night the concert event featured Chapman in his most entertaining live performances yet which impacted fans and others alike.

Michael Sadowski, Assistant Program Director of WBGB-FM in Jacksonville, Florida, comments “Anyone expecting a "regular" Christian concert when Steven came to Jacksonville was in for quite the surprise. Attendees were treated to a magical feast of the senses. Not only were Steven and his band tight musically, the presentation of a story perhaps forgotten shocked, delighted, and then touched the crowd deeply. The inspiring story [based on “Through The Gates Of Splendor”] left concert-goers refreshed and filled with hope.”

Sadowski continues, “It's a tour that's making an impact throughout the nation. It's about making a connection to fans and non-fans about love, compassion, and the Good News of Christ...a message that's desperately needed in our country today. Thanks for a great tour our listeners are still talking about.”

Here are some comments from fans that experienced the Live Out Loud Tour this spring:

Christy of Virginia
“It was an awesome concert, all of it. The singing, the videos, the talk with Steve Saint and Mincaye. I loved it all. Bring it on!!”

Fan in Texas
“He put on a show that was one of a kind. TO me, the thing that made it better and more unique than any other concert were the guests Steve Saint and Mincaye and the story he shared with all of us.”

Fan in Georgia
“I have been to many of Steven’s concerts and I always leave filled to overflowing. I cried and laughed. I loved the whole thing…every minute. Praise God for this tour and for the lives that are being changed.”

Youth Pastor in Texas
“I have been to every concert since The Great Adventure and this was the most ministry-oriented by far…he left us with something far more valuable than a good time!”

Promoters involved with The LIVE OUT LOUD Tour were also thrilled with the spring leg’s success. Mike Scanlan, tour promoter for JAM Productions, stated, “the pace at which the Steven Curtis Chapman tickets sold is the best I have seen in years. The excitement of his fans is at an all time [high].”

Chris Rapp of the Way-FM concert-promoting team was also extremely pleased with the spring tour. "The response we've gotten from the ‘Live Out Loud Tour’ has been remarkable. Fans go to this show expecting to see Chapman's typical excellence and hear the Declaration album live. They never expect to see what unfolds in front of their eyes on stage. Chapman's band and stellar production team combine efforts for a top-notch stage show.”

Following the highly anticipated release of Chapman's twelfth album, Declaration on September 25th, which debuted at number one on the Christian album sales chart and at # 14 on Billboard's Top 200 albums chart, Chapman has appeared on CNN, CNN Headline News, has been featured in USA Today, Billboard, two music video premieres on the music homepage of WindowsMedia.com and has graced the covers of nine leading Christian magazines. The first radio single, "Live Out Loud" held the number one spot for six consecutive weeks at Christian AC radio, tying the record for the longest running number one streak in the chart's history. The single was also CCM Update and R&R's #1 song of 2001. “God Is God” from Declaration, has also reached the #1 spot. The latest radio single, "Magnificent Obsession" is currently #16 on the AC chart and climbing.

2001 also brought the American Music Awards announcement of a new category recognizing Christian music, with Steven Curtis Chapman receiving a nomination in this new category. Chapman also appeared on the telecast in January 2002. He also received a Grammy nomination for Declaration at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards held in February. Congress invited him and his family to Washington DC in November where he received the Congressional Coalition on Adoption's "Angel In Adoption" award to honor his efforts on behalf of adoption. Chapman also donated his voice to the project Music From And Inspired By WE WERE SOLDIERS, which released February 26th in conjunction with the Mel Gibson film “We Were Soldiers.” Chapman has sold seven million albums. He has won four Grammy Awards. He has scored 39 #1 singles and been awarded with an unprecedented 47 Dove Awards.

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Summer Dates*
6/14 Sevierville, TN - Tennessee Smokies Stadium
6/15 Valdosta, GA - Wild Adventures Theme Park
6/29 Doswell, VA - Paramount's Kings Dominion
7/6 Houston, TX - Reliant Astrodome (KSBJ Anniversary Concert)
7/11 Kings Island, OH - Paramount's Kings Island
7/12 Oshkosh, WI - Sunnyview Expo Center
7/13 Wilmar, MN - Sonshine Festival
7/20 Arlington, TX – Six Flags Over Texas
7/21 Detroit Lakes, MN – Spirit Fest Midwest
7/25 Salinas, CA - Laguna Seca Recreation Area
7/26 Colorado Springs, CO - World Arena & Ice Hall (Focus on the Family Anniv. Event)
7/27 Denver, CO – The Pepsi Center (Focus on the Family Anniversary Event)
7/28 Dodge City, KS – Dodge City Civic Center
8/18 Seattle, WA – Mary Moor Park
9/6 Lake Buena Vista, FL – Walt Disney World (Night Of Joy)
9/7 Hiawassee, GA –Anderson Music Hall, two shows

LIVE OUT LOUD Tour Dates/Initial Fall Routing*
9/18 Champaign, IL
9/20 Louisville, KY
9/21 Charlotte, NC
9/25 Bristol, TN
9/27 St. Louis, MO
9/28 Kansas City, MO
9/29 Springfield, MO
10/4 Columbia, SC
10/5 Nashville, TN
10/7 Toledo, OH
10/8 South Bend, IN
10/10 Milwaukee, WI
10/11 West Lafayette, IN
10/12 Chattanooga, TN
10/18 Rochester, NY
10/19 Fairfax, VA
10/21 Toronto, ONT
10/22 Akron, OH
10/24 New York, NY
10/25 Portland, ME
10/26 Binghamton, NY
10/27 Philadelphia, PA
10/31 Tulsa, OK
11/1 Little Rock, AR
11/2 Oklahoma City, OK

*All Dates Subject To Change
Please visit www.stevencurtischapman.com for the most updated tour information

[GMartin2R]

yeah i have to agree with that.

Steve saint and Mincaye really made the evening special.