Search

Driving Notes

The Official Blog of WNZR's Afternoon Drive

Category

Artist Tour

Happy Birthday Katy Nichole!

Today on Artist Newsday we celebrated Katy Nichole’s birthday, and with that we went over all that she has accomplished in this past year! We also got updated with what’s happening with Forrest Frank and his back injury.

Katy Nichole was born today, July 29, 2000, making her 25 years of age this year. Since her last birthday in 2024, Katy Nichole has appeared on the NZ Top 10 with her song When I Fall, speaking to listeners far and wide with her deeply honest song which emphasized her desperation for God through very painful moments in her life. This song is set to appear on her brand new full-length album coming out on August 15th, which is called Honest Conversations!

Forrest Frank has been recovering in bed since his injury a week-and-a-half ago when he fell off his skateboard at his home, breaking his back. He fractured his L3 and his L4, and this is what he has been up to since then.

Forrest says on his Instagram account, “Following God is kind of hilarious because I’m feeling thankful for my back breaking???????” He goes on to declare, “Drugs don’t do this, money can’t do this, nothing else…. only JESUS”. Forrest is finding joy in every circumstance he finds himself in… even in the midst of recovering from a broken back. What an example he is leading to a generations young and old on social media– To rejoice always, glorifying God no matter what situation he finds himself in!

Today we pulled some lyrics from a song we heard on The Afternoon Drive and played Song Poetry! Here were the lyrics we picked today:

Come see all the captives run free
He’s tearing down the walls
He’s tearing down the walls
There’s grace shaking power when we sing
The Name above them all
Your Name above them all

Today’s Song Poetry was a stumper! If you think you know which song these lyrics are from, and who sings this song, listen in next week during The Afternoon Drive and give us the answer! If you can guess this stumper, you will get two $5 gift cards to Watts Restaurant in Utica! Tune in tomorrow for some fun facts for Who Knew Wednesday!

Thank you so much for listening!
– Ethan Hershberger

We’re “Counting Our Blessings”, Listening To Seph Schlueter’s New Full-Length Album!

We’re absolutely loving the music Seph Schlueter has been putting out! We get to see some of our favorites from him, and some brand new ones, in a full-length, 11-song album called “Counting My Blessings”, including the title track which was his first big hit!

On Artist Newsday today, we went more in depth with Seph’s new album that is out now, Josiah Queen’s new album, and something new coming from a band from the vault we hear on WNZR, called Kutless!

Seph Schlueter blows us away with his style of music that the Lord has spoken through to so many people, touching so many lives. This album reminds us of God’s grace and that His grace is always sufficient for us and never runs out. It’s an album full of worship and gratitude towards God. We’ve been so blessed to hear songs like Running Back To You and the title track, Counting My Blessings, on WNZR, which you can find on this new album!

With this new release, Seph will be taking his these new songs with him on his Counting My Blessings Tour this Fall alongside a favorite new artist, bodie! They’ll be stopping at The George in Cincinnati, Ohio on Thursday, October 2nd! You can find more details and ticket information on the Concert page on our website by clicking HERE!

What can you look forward to next with new album releases? You can keep an eye out for Josiah Queen, who’s releasing a new, full-length album titled MT. ZION. This new album includes the new one from Josiah and Brandon Lake, Can’t Steal My Joy, alongside some songs of his that have been blowing up on social media! God is once again using artists like Josiah to spread the love of God to areas like social media, and spread the Good News of the Gospel to people who may not have heard that much about Jesus or what He did to pay for each and every one of all our sins!

Josiah Queen be here in Ohio soon, joining the stage with Tauren Wells at the Ohio State Fair on Monday, July 28th! Keep listening in for ticket giveaways for this concert! We’re doing Tauren Wells and Josiah Queen trivia questions, and whoever calls in first with the correct answer takes home two tickets to the concert! Don’t miss your chance and tune into The Morning Thing, 6am – 9am, and The Afternoon Drive, 4pm – 6pm! More details about this concert and the Ohio State Fair can be found HERE on our website!

With their unique and hard rock style, the band Kutless creates a Revelation-inspired 6-song EP which is called The Seventh Seal. You can find this new EP on their YouTube channel, by clicking HERE and find it where they stream music!

Today we played Song Poetry! We took a segment of lyrics from one of the songs we heard during The Afternoon Drive. Here were the lyrics we had for Song Poetry today:

I don’t know who I’d be if I didn’t know You,
I’d probably fall off the edge.
I don’t know where I’d go if You ever let go,
So keep me held in Your hands.

This week’s song was… “Thank God I Do” from Lauren Daigle! Congratulations to Janell from Mount Vernon for calling in and guessing both the song title and artist correctly, taking home the $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica! Tune in tomorrow for a game of Who Am I? and some fun facts on Who Knew Wednesday!

Thank you so much for listening!
– Ethan Hershberger

Lauren Daigle From The Super Bowl To The U.S. Capitol!

Lauren Daigle has been taking audiences by storm, performing in some of the U.S.’s most well-known areas! Today is Artist Newsday, and we’re highlighting how incredible it is to be getting artists like Lauren Daigle to perform in all these areas where she gets the opportunity to let Jesus shine through her!

You may remember when Lauren sang live at this past year’s Super Bowl, wowing the stadium with her rendition of America The Beautiful with singer and trombone specialist Trombone Shorty. That train continues as she got the opportunity to sing at the U.S. Capitol for the 45th Anniversary of PBS’s Capitol Fourth Concert, singing live in front of thousands. She brought her special rendition of America The Beautiful with her once again, along with her version of Walking On Sunshine, and one of her biggest hits Rescue for her performance in D.C.

Lauren Daigle performing Rescue at “2025 A Capitol Fourth”, courtesy of PBS and Capital Concerts

Seeing this is so incredible to see, as artists like Lauren will get to reach other audiences on these platforms and spread the Gospel of Jesus through music, that of which she is unashamed of! We’re excited to see how the LORD uses Lauren and other artists to spread His Word and build His Kingdom next!

Matthew West is going on tour with a new Christian artist! On his Don’t Stop Praying 2025 Tour, Matthew is bringing Peter Burton along with him, of which we got to learn a little about him during Momentum 2025. We got to see one of the songs he has been working on, called Where Would I Be, and he will be bringing these songs with him as he goes with Matthew West on this tour!

Peter Burton’s Where Would I Be Lyric Video

Matthew West will be bringing his Don’t Stop Praying 2025 Tour to the Genoa Baptist Church in Westerville, OH on November 6th! If you want to be a part of this prayer, worship-filled night, and hear more from Peter Burton, click the link HERE to find more information and purchase tickets! Matthew has been so passionate about prayer, and strongly believes that prayer makes a difference, and that’s what he wants to bring to Ohio, and this entire tour.

So much artist news this week! If you want to join CeCe Winans on her More Than This tour with Charity Gale, make sure to find ticket information on our website, wnzr.fm. She will be in Kettering, OH on July 23rd!

Today we played Song Poetry! Here were today’s lyrics that we took from a song played during the Afternoon Drive:

Wide awake while the world is sound asleep, and
Too afraid of what might show up while you’re dreamin’
Nobody, nobody, nobody sees you
Nobody, nobody would believe you…

Today’s song was God Only Knows, from for King & Country! Congratulations to Jennifer from Centerburg for calling in and guessing the song title and artist correctly, taking home that $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica! Tune in tomorrow for a game of Who Am I? and Who Knew Wednesday!

Thank you so much for listening!
– Ethan Hershberger

TobyMac is bringing a very special tour to Ohio!

Today is a very special Artist News Day! We’ve got news from TobyMac, a unique tour from him, Seph Schlueter, releasing his first full length album and announcing a full tour along with it, and news from Stars Go Dim as well!

Last week, TobyMac announced the Heaven On My Mind Start To Finish Tour, and it’s a little different from other tours he has taken. He’s stopping at the Akron Civic Theatre in Akron, OH on November 6th, which is one of five states he will be visiting on this tour! This is an intimate, more personal concert, where TobyMac will be performing his entire latest record live from start to finish, as the name suggests! Not only that, he’ll also be performing other great hits from his earlier records as well!

Ticket sales go live tomorrow, Wednesday, July 2nd and if you want to buy tickets, click HERE! The concert is on November 6th, at 7PM!

TobyMac’s latest record is called “Heaven on My Mind”, where TobyMac is on the other side of grieving the tragic loss of his son, Truett. This record is deeply honest, and as the record title says, after everything TobyMac has gone through, he has Heaven on his mind, keeping his “eye on the prize”, so to speak. He is counting on God, and he’s diving in even deeper into his trust in God!

Seph Schlueter is coming out with a his first ever full-length album on July 11th! It will have a whole 17 songs on it, and includes collabs with the likes of Matt Maher and Essential Worship. Alongside this album release, he’s going on tour with this record and all of his other songs, so you’ll get to hear songs like “Counting My Blessings”, “Running Back To You”, and many more! He’s coming to Cincinnati, OH with bodie to bring you a fun, worship-filled night! If you want to order tickets for this concert, click HERE!

Stars Go Dim is releasing a full length album called Roses on July 11th! Check it out HERE!

Today we played Song Poetry! Here were the lyrics we took from a song we’ve heard during today’s show:

I will not be afraid
In the end, you will lose
I will dance on your grace
With the one who buried you.

Today’s song was “Oh Death” from MercyMe! Congratulations to Kelly from Mount Vernon for calling in and guessing the song and artist correctly, taking home that $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica! Tune in tomorrow for Who Knew Wednesday!

Thank you so much for listening!
– Ethan Hershberger

Third Day Returns For 30th Anniversary Tour!!! MercyMe’s 12th Full Length Album Release!!!

Today’s Artist Newsday is packed with exciting news! MercyMe is releasing their twelfth full length album called “Wonder & Awe”, which includes songs like “Oh Death”, which we hear on WNZR! Not only that, but Third Day is back for the first time in such a long time, with their 30th Anniversary Tour, featuring a Zach Williams!

We haven’t seen Third Day on the road since 2018 after their Farewell Tour and lead singer Mac Powell decided to pursue a solo career. They will be in Dayton, Ohio on May 7th, but if you want to go, be prepared. Their last tour, the Farewell Tour, sold out in just twelve minutes, so if you want tickets for this tour, they’ll be available this Friday at 10am! If you want to save the link, click here!

MercyMe has been anticipating listeners with their newest full length album! They have given us a taste of what “Wonder & Awe”, their new album, is going to look and sound like with their song “Oh Death”, and they have announced this record will release on August 8th on streaming services! They talked about their upcoming record, the heart behind it, and what they want listeners to take away from listening to it on their YouTube channel!

Today we played song poetry! We picked four lines of lyrics from a song we hear on WNZR, and spoke it like a poem! Here were the lyrics to our Song Poetry:

Yeah, I don’t always feel it,
Yeah, but that’s when I need it the most.
So, I’ma keep on singing,
‘Til my soul catches up with my song.

Today’s song was Brandon Lake and Jelly Roll’s “Hard Fought Hallelujah”! Congratulations to Brylan from Mount Vernon for guessing the title and artist correctly, taking home that $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica! Tune in tomorrow on Wednesday for a game of Who Am I? and Who Knew Wednesday!

Thank you so much for listening!
– Xander and Ethan

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑