Artist Hits #90 on US Charts (Powersource Magazine)Press Release.....

"Candle In The Window"

From Andrew Martin's Christmas CD "The Gift Of Love" has hit #90 on the US National Charts.

This is an amazing feat for an independent Artist!

"Congratulations!" From MSB Agency

Mark Shaw

email: mark@msbagency.com

phone: 613-572-2041
MSB Agency

Update On Kirk Talley

I know many of you have been waiting to hear how the surgery went. I am happy to report it all went as planned. The doctor said Kirk came through it great and this should be the end of all his pain. He is looking great, is very alert and still has his sense of humor as he was telling one of his tall tales to our pastor as I left the hospital. He will go home tomorrow and can start living a normal life almost right away. He just needs to avoid lifting for at least 6 weeks and needs to be careful about bending and stretching. He still plans to be in Birmingham on Thursday. Thanks so much to those of you who have been praying for him! God does answer prayer and God is good! I know if Kirk were writing this he would be telling you how much he appreciates and loves you all.

CMC Distribution To Release "First Stage" Project

CMC Distribution To Release “First Stage” Project

This March CMC Distribution, Canada’s largest distributor of Christian music, will be releasing a compilation of Canadian Southern Gospel and Country Music to be called First Stage. The project, set to release March 6th will feature 15 songs from artists from across Canada.
The roster of featured performers will include multiple GMA Canada Covenant Awards winners like The Torchmen Quartet, Andrew Martin , The Master’s Four and Canada’s Double Portion. The project will also include tracks from The Young Street Vocal Band, Freedom, High Valley and Sweet Presence.
Executive Producer Martin Smith describes the project as an introduction to the great wealth of Canadian Southern Gospel and Country Music. “Our hope is that through First Stage retailers, music fans, the media and concert goers will discover the diversity and strength of Canadian music. We believe that the album will be a great introduction to the abundant talent to be found in Canada”, says Smith. The album will feature both original songs and songs made famous by artists like Rascal Flatts, The Isaacs, Josh Turner and Gerald Wolfe.

Album Sales Up

Gospel album sales went up and digital sales continued to rise in 2006, making it a good year for Christian/Gospel music, the Gospel Music Association (GMA) and Nielsen Christian SoundScan in the US...
Reports follow the announcement of 2006 year-end sales data for the 52-week period ending 31 December 2006.“2006 was a good year for Christian/Gospel music. Album sales were up, albeit slightly; digital sales continue to rise and most importantly, the impact of the Gospel through music reached beyond even what our sales reveal. Everywhere you look, in books, games, TV and movies, music that is inspired by faith seems more prevalent than ever before,” said John W. Styll, president and CEO of the GMA. “There may be many reasons why this is true, but I think chief among them is that people seem to be drawn to the inspiring and compassionate message of Gospel music amid uncertain times.”Christian/Gospel music sales in 2006 represent music that is sold at both Christian and mainstream retail and is compiled by the GMA from Nielsen Christian SoundScan, the data information system that tracks point-of-purchase sales of recorded music product.In the first six months of 2006, Gospel music sales grew 11.6 per cent, compared to the same period in 2005, which experienced a 4 per cent decline during the same time frame.

Southern Gospel In Radio

Southern Gospel

In 2005, The Radio Book, a broadcast yearbook published by M Street Publications, reported 285 radio stations in the USA with a primary format designation as "Southern Gospel," including 175 AM stations and 110 FM stations. In fact, "Southern Gospel" was the 9th most popular format for AM stations and the 21st most popular for FM. Southern Gospel radio promoters routinely service more than a thousand radio stations which play at least some Southern Gospel music each week. Recent years have also seen the advent of a number of internet-only Southern Gospel "radio" stations.