[Mickey]

(Nashville, Tenn.) November 27, 2002 - Reunion Records band NewSong, is preparing for a 10-market Christmas tour scheduled to kick-off the same night the song-inspired movie "The Christmas Shoes," featuring Rob Lowe ("The West Wing") and Kimberly Williams (Father of the Bride) will air in primetime on national television. The TV special "The Christmas Shoes" will broadcast on the CBS network Dec. 1, 2002, at 9 p.m. EST.

Due to the success of "The Christmas Shoes" song, (No. 1 on Billboard's AC Singles Chart, Jan. 6, 2001), NewSong will be part of a magazine article in People (Nov. 29 issue) about The Christmas Shoes phenomenon, featuring the song, best-selling novella and TV movie. The band has also been invited to perform on the highly rated FOX Network morning broadcast, "The Wayne Brady Show," which will air on Dec. 16. In addition, NewSong was recently featured on NBC's "The Today Show" in a segment highlighting the growth of Christian music.

The CBS movie is receiving national exposure with reviews in TV Guide (Nov. 30) and The Washington Times (Nov. 30). In addition to already confirmed media appearances, NewSong has extensive media days planned in Nashville, Tenn., and Atlanta, Ga., featuring interviews with "CNN Headline News" and Nashville-based CBS midday show with "Talk of the Town" on Dec. 5.

"CBS did a really awesome job of taking the novella (penned by New York Times best-selling author Donna VanLiere) and turning it into a movie. The movie will bring you to tears to see the generosity and love that is expressed through the characters." notes Billy Goodwin, founding NewSong member. "It has been so overwhelming to see the level that God has taken this song and book. We have been able to enter arenas we normally would not and be able to spread God's love through this simple message. God can only get credit for this becoming as huge of a phenomenon as it has become."

"The Christmas Shoes," song will continue to gain considerable national exposure as it is featured in the upcoming CBS movie. NewSong members Eddie Carswell, Billy Goodwin, Michael O'Brien, Stephen Reischl and Matt Butler, who have cameo appearances in the movie, traveled to Halifax, Nova Scotia, in June of this year for filming.

The Christmas Shoes phenomenon began in December 2002 with the national release of the song "The Christmas Shoes." Co-written by Carswell, the song tied the record for garnering the No. 1 spot on Billboard's AC chart in just three weeks. The song has become a holiday classic, moving thousand of radio listeners to tears.

The song inspired novella The Christmas Shoes (St. Martin's Press, October 2001) by Nashville-based author Donna VanLiere, appeared on the New York Times Hardcover Fiction bestsellers list (Dec. 2, 2001).

"Although the CBS movie is somewhat different from the book, I'm grateful that the underlying themes of forgiveness, hope and grace are still in intact." notes VanLiere. "It is a beautiful movie that emphasizes how important each individual life is to another life; that all it takes is one person to change your life. It continues to be my prayer that the book, and now the movie will be blessing to people this Christmas season."

The CBS made-for-television, holiday film tells the story of a workaholic attorney (Lowe) who crosses paths with a young boy on Christmas Eve and rediscovers the true meaning of love, life and the holiday season. Williams plays an elementary music teacher fighting a congenital heart disease.

In addition to numerous media events, NewSong will kick-off a 10-city multi-artist "The Christmas Shoes" tour on Dec. 1, and will feature Word Records recording artist Mark Schultz, Rocketown Records artist Ginny Owens, One Voice Latin pop-flavored artist Freddie Colloca and Ardent Records group Brother's Keeper. Hitting 10 markets this winter, the tour will kick off in NewSong's hometown of Atlanta, making stops in Lakeland Fla., Nashville, Tenn., and Dec. 22's final concert in Charlotte, N.C.

During the span of their career, NewSong has released 16 albums and scored 17 No. 1 songs, including '97's record-setting "Miracles," which stayed at the top of Christian music industry trade publication The CCM Update's Adult Contemporary chart for five weeks. The song was named American Songwriter magazine's '97 Christian "Song of the Year." That same year, NewSong was voted "Group of the Year" by Christian music radio industry trade journal Christian Research Report. Among numerous other accolades for the band, NewSong has garnered six Gospel Music Association Dove Award nominations throughout its tenure.

Nashville-based Reunion Records, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, is distributed through Provident Music Distribution and through partnerships with mainstream parent company, Zomba Music. In addition to NewSong, Reunion Records is home to Michael W. Smith, Kathy Troccoli, Joy Williams, LaRue and Daily Planet.

For more information on NewSong or "The Christmas Shoes" tour, go to www.christmasshoes.com, www.newsongonline.com or www.reunionrecords com.

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