[Mickey]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – December 6, 2002 – Three-time GRAMMY-nominated and two-time reigning Gospel Music Association “Group of the Year” Third Day ends 2002 with a string of successes in the areas of album sales, record-breaking tours, national media exposure and philanthropy through humanitarian outlets including World Vision and Habitat for Humanity.

Promoters, who consistently rave about Third Day’s live performance, saw major successes with two blockbuster tours headlined by Third Day this year. “If there was an award given out for the Touring Artist of the Year in Christian Music, I'm sure Third Day would win it hands down for 2002,” notes Roy Morgan, Premier Productions. “Through strategic planning the Third Day team has taken the band’s career to new heights and should be commended.”

Mike Scanland of Jam Productions adds, “After a very busy spring of many concert tours, and as an 18-year veteran producer of concerts, working with Third Day both in terms of their ticket sales and their attitude was a tremendous bright spot of this season. The patrons got more than just a great concert; they got a great worship experience. Well done, Third Day!”

Third Day’s “Come Together Tour” featured Bebo Norman and Paul Colman Trio on its spring leg, while the fall leg paired the band with special guests TAIT and, once again, Paul Colman Trio. Traveling to 76 cities nationwide, the “Come Together Tour” consistently broke attendance records across the country, selling out more than 30 shows and placing Third Day in front of more than 300,000 fans. The tour was a monumental achievement, becoming the biggest tour in the band’s history, and one of the most successful tours ever held in Christian music.

According to Pollstar magazine, the “Come Together Tour” was one of the Top 50 grossing tours of the summer, placing Third Day in front of more people than such respected acts as Alicia Keys, Nelly Furtado, Harry Connick Jr., Bush, B. B. King, Enrique Iglesias, Diana Krall, Willie Nelson and more. The tour’s 16,000 fans at the AmSouth Amphitheatre in Nashville stands as one of the biggest Christian music concerts ever held in Nashville and the biggest concert ever in the history of Nashville’s Dove Award winning WAY-FM.

The “Come Together Tour” raised both financial support and awareness through its partnership with ecumenical ministry, Habitat for Humanity. Through the spring and fall tour segments over $230,000 was raised. “Third Day and their great fans are an incredible blessing to the ministry of Habitat for Humanity,” says Millard Fuller, Habitat for Humanity International Founder and President. “To date, this wonderful partnership has committed to build eight Habitat houses across the United States and overseas, and the partnership continues. We are profoundly grateful for this generosity and heartfelt support.”

“I have been Third Day’s agent for a long time,” states Jeff Gregg, booking agent with the Creative Artist Agency (CAA). “This is the best year they have ever experienced artistically, business-wise and spiritually. The guys are united and transparent, and I think their fans feel that and want to come out and experience it again and again.”

This sentiment is echoed within Third Day’s management team as well. Jonathan Thomas, director of events and promotion for Creative Trust, says, “It has been an amazing year of synergy and strong, collaborative team efforts from Third Day, CAA, concert promoters, Essential, Provident and from the team here at Creative Trust. Team Third Day strives to make the best of every moment and the band continues to strongly lead that charge. We are thankful for all the momentum they are experiencing.”

“Third Day had an amazing year in 2002 and I was very glad to be apart of it,” states Mike Clark of New Covenant Productions. “To see the crowds come out for the guys this year and the strong level of worship we saw at each show was wonderful. Certainly, all the hard work and touring that these guys have done over the years paid off this year. Third Day’s band and production crew help me, as a promoter, remember why I do this and I enjoy being with them on the road.”

In addition to the “Come Together Tour,” Third Day and multi-platinum, Grammy-winning artist Michael W. Smith, who took home this year’s esteemed Artist of the Year Dove Award, partnered for the “Come Together and Worship Tour.” This highly-touted tour launched Nov. 1, to a sold-out crowd of over 18,000 in Atlanta, Ga., and concluded with another sold-out arena holding more than 17,000 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The “Come Together and Worship Tour,” which traveled to 16 cities with an average per-night attendance of 11,500, exceeded all expectations, boasting 10 sell-out dates and an overall audience of more than 180,000. In addition, ministry partners World Vision and Compassion International jointly reported more than 5,000 child sponsorships generated through presentations made during the tour.

Darin Lashinsky of Outback Concerts says, “The ‘Come Together Tour’ and ‘Come Together & Worship Tour’ were the highlights of our year. Third Day and its entire organization are at the top of their game. We are looking forward to another successful 2003 with them.”

The “Come Together and Worship Tour” was covered by numerous media outlets including “NBC Nightly News;” FOX News Network’s “Your World w/Cavuto,” and John Gibson’s “The Big Story;” NBC’s “Today Show;” and most recently, “ABC’s World News Tonight.” In addition, Public Radio International’s, “Marketplace,” USA Today, The New York Times, and the Atlanta Journal Constitution all profiled the tour. NBC’s “Today Show” co-host Matt Lauer called it “one of the biggest concert tours of the fall.”

In addition to two major headlining tours, Third Day also performed at more than 17 festivals and special events in 2002, landing them in front of more than 750,000 people throughout the year. With three No. 1 radio singles in 2002 (“Show Me Your Glory,” “Come Together,” “It’s Alright”), the band garnered attention from the music industry and music fans alike. In addition to two GRAMMY nominations for Best Rock Gospel Album of the Year and Long Form Video of the Year, Third Day took home multiple Dove Awards for Group of the Year (the second year in a row), Rock Album of the Year, and lead vocalist Mac Powell was named Male Vocalist of the Year. Campus Life magazine readers named Third Day the Best Band or Group of the Year in the “2002 Campus Life Reader’s Choice Music Awards.” The Inspirational Network (INSP) and Inspirational Life TV viewers named Third Day’s Come Together the Rock/Alternative Album of the Year, while Live In Concert – The Offerings Experience was voted Long-form Music Video of the Year.”

Third Day, three-time GRAMMY nominee and reigning Gospel Music Association Group of the Year has, over its ten year career, the 5 piece rock band has garnered 16 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, 18 No. 1 radio singles and has sold over three million records. The group’s last three albums – Time, Offerings and Come Together – have been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) within the past 18 months.

For updated Third Day tour information, please visit www.ThirdDay.com

Nashville-based Essential Records was founded in 1992 to provide relevant music from a God-centered perspective. Essential Records and its affiliated label, Watershed Records, are distributed through Provident Music Distribution and through partnerships with parent company Zomba Music.

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