February 15, 1999 / Circulation:  107!

Welcome to the
CCM Discussion List - Vol. III, No. 6
 "One of the days I'm  gonna walk the streets of gold that were paved
for me, One of These Days I'm  gonna see my savior face to face..."
-FFH,  "One of These Days"

In this issue:
 
• Notes of All Sorts
• Top This!
• Doves might air on non-cable TV
• Amy & Deliriou5?
• Responses to TELL ME
• TELL ME
• This is Wrong

Thanks to Chris U. for the FFH quote!

See https://members.tripod.com/~allisoncm/ccmdl/ordercds.html for details on how to get $10 off of a purchase of $20 or more at CDnow. This is a great promotional that helps trim down the cost of music.

Go to http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/contests/contest1.html to see how you can win an Insyderz album!!

Pray for Chris Rodriguez (prayer artist of February), that as a new artist he will please God and continue to do his best, writing songs.

#1 Adult Contemporary Single-- Jars of Clay's "Needful Hands" / Week #1
#1 CHR Single -- Newsboys' "Believe" | Week #2
#1 Inspirational Single -- Kim Hill's "You Are Still Holy"

#1 Christian Retail Top-Selling Album -- A MAZE OF GRACE, Avalon
#1 Mainstream Retail Top-Selling Album -- THE NU NATION PROJECT, Kirk Franklin

(info from www.ccmcom.com)

You heard right: the Doves might be on channel 2 CBS. But the GMA needs your help to contact the station. Go to: http://www.doveawards.com/ca/ major broadcast to learn more about how you can help get the Doves on TV this year. If CBS doesn't air it, it might not be aired at all. (GMA's President Frank Breeden said this might help the ratings, but you know what happened last year when they tried to get the ratings up...)

STREAMS, a Word project will feature a song called "Find Me In the River" with Amy Grant on lead vocals with Deliriou5? backing her up. Michael W. Smith is supposed to appear on it also. Brent Bourgeois is producing the album.

A. Sixpence None the Richer's "Kiss Me" was nominated for GMA's best short form video. But GMA's new restrictions as to what defines a gospel song has made it ineligible for nomination, so it has been pulled from the category as of Jan 28. What do you think of that?

(David G.) It all goes 'round the same old story of "is this Christian music or music made by Christians or for Christians or for the Christian market or whatever?" The lyrics for this love song may not be considered "Christian" in the sense of "evangelical" content but is a love song sung by Christians with a pure, simple "white" content ... not gospel ... but it's up to GMA's gurus to tell what they think of a certain song ... 'cause they give the awards ...

(Christina S.) Are you serious?? That sucks. That's just plain stupid... and I don't even like Sixpence! But come on, shall we try saying wait til next year to make a change like that... especially with nominations already out. What's this 'new restriction' it can't be on a sound track? Or something dumb like that... oh man, I wish I didn't know that... now I'm mad.

[NOTE: It's OK if it's on a soundtrack, but it has to be Biblically inspired. And "Kiss Me" was not.]

(Rebekah) I think it's ok. Personally I think "Butterfly Kisses" should not have won song of the year a few years ago. I think it wasn't Biblically based when such songs as "In the Light", "Between You and Me", "I'll Lead You Home", "Flood", and "Lord of the Dance" were up for nominations. I thought it was really unfair that Bob over here won when all he wrote about was his daughter and other people are writing about the love of Jesus. It's a sweet song but by all means, it did not deserve song of the year for a Christian music award. It's awesome that "Kiss Me" is being played so much (especially since it's on Squint entertainment and Steve Taylor is the man), but it doesn't seem to have much Christian value to it... and even if it does, it's not being interpreted that way. When I talk to people and tell them that they are a Christian band, they don't believe me. I think a song should win because of it's musical and lyrically value for Christ... not just whether it does well in the secular world.

B. If you owned a Christian music radio station, would you have any basic criteria for the singles you would like to promote?

(David G.) YES! (in fact, I had a radio program for 5 years.) I would promote ANY single with positive content (according to a few biblical parameters), from general or Christian market labels.

(Rebekah) No, probably not. I feel as long as everyone knows that it's a Christian band with good intentions, it deserves to be played, but not necessarily to win an award (see above).

A. What artist that is currently just on a Christian label (and has had no mainstream success) do you think should go mainstream?

B. If you were an artist (or a manager of an artist), and had offers from Word, Sparrow, and Essential to be signed, which would you choose? Why?

Next issue

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