Please keep praying for the families and community impacted by the school shooting today in Uvalde, Texas. Our hearts are breaking as we lift that city to our Lord in prayer.
Today’s Artist News featured stories:
MAVERICK CITY MUSIC AND KIRK FRANKLIN – a new album and a big tour are ready to launch! Read more here from jesusfreakhideout.com!
FOR KING AND COUNTRY – Brogan shared the story of a NewReleaseToday.com podcast host, who had an up close and personal experience with the Smallbone brothers. Read more by clicking here!
POINT OF GRACE – Joe shared about the digital release of the band’s hymn album, ‘Beautiful Name.’ Read the story from JesusFreakHideout.com by clicking here!
If you’re lookin’ for hope tonight, raise your hand If you feelin’ alone and don’t understand If you’re fightin’ in the fight of your life, then stand We’re gonna make it through this hand-in-hand
The answer? ‘Together’ by for King and Country, Tori Kelly and Kirk Franklin. Congratulations to Flo from Howard, who guessed correctly and wins the WNZR drawstring backpack.
Today for Artist Newsday, Dylan and I shared about events involving some of our artists online and in the local area!
Pray.com is excited to announce that Grammy Award-winning artists Chris Tomlin, Lecrae and Matthew West will join with other influential leaders to participate in the 2022 National Day of Prayer Broadcast on May 5, 2022, at 8 p.m. EDT.
The 2022 National Day of Prayer Broadcast will be carried out in all 50 states. On the evening of May 5th, faith leaders will come together in Washington D.C. to lead the nation in a time of worship and prayer.
Here is what Matthew Porter, who is the founder and head of strategic relationships for pray.com had to say about the even. “What an honor it is to have Chris Tomlin, Lecrae and Matthew West join us for this important annual event” he said. “While these talented, award-winning artists are known for their engaging music, at the heart of everything they create is a desire to exalt the Lord. What a beautiful opportunity it is to have them publicly support this event and join us in prayer.”
The 2022 National Day of Prayer Broadcast will reach more than 300 million homes across the world through television, radio and social media streaming. With a theme of “Exalt the Lord Who Has Established Us,” based on the verses in Colossians 2:6-7, the event will bring people together from all backgrounds to lift their hearts to heaven, praise God for his many blessings, and pray for a revival to take place among His children.
Other speakers who will be involved in leading worship and prayer include Pastors Samuel Rodriguez, Allen Jackson, Ronnie Floyd, Miles McPherson and Mark Batterson, and ministry leaders such as Anne Graham Lotz and Tim Barton, along with National Day of Prayer Task Force President Kathy Branzell.
Here is what she had to say about the event. “What a privilege it is to have these spectacular Christian artists lend their influence to help rally people of faith to participate in the 2022 National Day of Prayer Broadcast. We’re grateful they’ve chosen to align their hearts with us as we exalt the Lord and pray together as a nation.”
Maverick City Music will be in Columbus along with Kirk Franklin for their KINGDOM Tour on Wednesday, June 22nd. The gang will be at the Schottenstein Center performing some of their breakout songs along with songs from their recent EP “Breathe”. Jonathan McReynolds will also serve as a special guest for the tour. The Columbus show will begin at 6:45pm run through most of the night.
For more information on this concert along with many other concerts coming up in the area, visit wnzr.fm, click on the events button, followed by the concerts tab!
We gotta stay awake ’cause nobody knows the day or time, The trumpet’s gonna blow and the skies are gonna open wide
This song, of course, is our #1 on the NZ Top 10: Jesus is Coming Back from Jordan Feliz, Mandisa, and Jonathan Traylor!
Congratulations to Richard of Fredericktown for correctly guessing our song poetry this week! He wins a WNZR Voice of the Cougars drawstring backpack!
Tasha Layton is coming out with a new album! Entitled, “How Far”, Tasha’s album is scheduled for release on May 13th.
Layton co-wrote nine of the project’s 10 tracks, and interestingly enough, How Far also features songwriting contributions from such names as Matthew West, We Are Messengers’ Darren Mulligan, Aaron Shust and Andrew Bergthold (We The Kingdom), among others.
Here is what Tasha had to say about the upcoming release. “The whole album is summed up in the message of the title track, ‘How Far’. It’s about how God continues to reach out and pursue us even when we run from Him. It was God’s love for us that propelled Him to give His life on the cross. Arms stretched open wide—that’s how far He will go.”
Anne Wilson has landed her first Billboard Music Award Nomination for “Top Christian Song” with her breakout hit single “My Jesus,” making her the only female nominated in the category. The 2022 Billboard Music Awards will be held live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 15th at 8pm and air on NBC.
Here is what she had to say about this honor. “I am blown away and forever grateful that I was nominated for a BBMA. I never dreamed this would happen but I’m so thankful for it. Thank you Billboard for supporting my music and believing in me!! All glory to God.”
“My Jesus” was the longest-running No. 1 song on the Billboard Christian Airplay Chart of 2021 for seven weeks total. Her hit made her the first female artist to hit the top of the Billboard Christian Airplay chart with a debut song. Her debut album My Jesus will be available this Friday, April 22nd. She also performed this past Saturday at the Grand Ole Opry.
Now I ain’t nothing perfect I still stumble every single day I still get knocked down But the difference now Is that’s not where I stay
Congratulations to Bonnie of Mount Vernon for correctly guessing today’s song poetry, “Walking Free” by Micah Tyler! She wins a Voice of the Cougars drawstring backpack!
Katy Nichole and We Are Messengers are in the news! Both of them have had huge surprises come their way in completely different ways.
We Are Messengers celebrated their first #1 single at Christian radio with “Come What May” with a commemorative plaque presentation on the Grand Ole Opry stage during Casting Crowns’ “The Healer Tour”.
The band’s label, Curb Records surprised the group after their opener for Casting Crowns and this is what they had to share about the experience. “[We are] so very thankful for the kindness of God in our lives, His spirit working through these songs and the incredible team that has worked tirelessly with us for many years. What. A. Night!!”
We Are Messengers are set to embark on their Wholehearted Tour starting Thursday, April 7th. The tour takes the band through 19 sites all the way until May 7th.
New music star Katy Nichole has hit hits No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs Chart with her song “In Jesus Name (God of Possible)”. Her viral debut single has also topped the iTunes Christian & Gospel Songs chart for eight consecutive weeks so far, never leaving No. 1 since it released Jan. 26.
As the song continues to resonate with people of all backgrounds across the world, Nichole is also receiving numerous invitations to sing the song live. Going from 0 to 50 concerts on her schedule so far, upcoming events include “Good Friday Nashville” with Chris Tomlin at Bridgestone Arena April 15th. She also recently sang “God Bless America” at the NASCAR WISE Power 400 live held at Auto Club Speedway, joined Big Daddy Weave for four concerts and sang “In Jesus Name (God of Possible)” last week during Jason Gray’s SiriusXM The Message Acoustic Story Time event.
She created this song from words in her prayer journal that were written in the midst of a global health crisis and in response to her own story of suffering, hope and healing. She suffered for years with scoliosis before a new doctor took out the metal rods that had been placed in her back, which miraculously went straight, no longer giving her pain.
People worldwide are hearing Nichole’s song and telling their own heart-warming, and many times heart-breaking, stories. Each story branches out into a series of new shares that continues branching virally. More than 7,200 examples of this can be seen now on TikTok.
You picked up your share of scars along the way But now you’re standing in the sun, you’ve fought your fight and your race is run The pain is all a million miles away
This, of course, comes from Casting Crowns with their top song “Scars in Heaven”!
Congratulations to Janell of Mount Vernon for correctly guessing this week’s song poetry. She wins a Voice of the Cougars drawstring backpack!
As we prepare for Lifeline 2022, we still have time to share some of your favorite artists who are in the news this week!
FOR KING & COUNTRY will host “What Are We Waiting For? The Worldwide Special”, a FREE livestream on their YouTube page to celebrate the release of the new album. Believe it or not, this event will be held LIVE FROM THE MOJAVE DESERT!!!
The Australian duo is partnering with Convoy of Hope for the livestream in order to support our brothers and sisters through Christ in Ukraine.
Also, congratulations to FOR KING & COUNTRY for hitting #2 on the Billboard Album Chart for ALL GENRES with “What Are We Waiting For?”. God is moving through their music and it has been great to see!
Dan Bremnes announced last week that he is releasing a new album titled Into The Wild on June 17th. You can listen to one of the featured songs titled “Lover Of My Soul.”
His album invites listeners to leave fear behind and allow God to guide. Produced by Mike Wise, Andrew Bergthold, Benjamin Backus, Mark Campbell and Abe Parker, Bremnes’ second full-length project with Curb | Word Entertainment grafts pieces of his global expeditions into a sonic landscape that’s both diverse and accessible. This album describes many emotions including being full of gratitude for the present, adoration for his wife, and hope amidst uncertainty. The album features it’s lead single titled “Hold You Tight” as well as other previously released songs, “Run Away With Me” and Wouldn’t Change A Thing.”
“Lover Of My Soul” marvels at the mystery of a God who stays when we give Him every reason to walk away. Loaded with urgent strings and a high church choir, the heartfelt chorus transitions into a final bridge of total surrender. The album also features Carter Frodge along with former Tenth Avenue North frontman Mike Donehey, who also co-wrote seven of the album’s 10 tracks.
We gotta stay awake ’cause nobody knows the day or time, The trumpet’s gonna blow and the skies are gonna open wide
The song was Jesus is Coming Back from Jordan Feliz!
Congratulations to Brenda of Fredericktown for correctly guessing this week’s trivia and winning a Voice of the Cougars drawstring backpack along with an On the Road with Big Blue t-shirt!
It’s Artist News Day today on the show. I talked about how Lifeline 2022 is coming up. I also shared some artist news about artists related to the station.
Here are both of the stories that I used:
Last week, Maverick City Music and Kirk Franklin announced that they are going to tour together. The tour is called the Kingdom Tour which will feature special guests Jonathan McReynolds and Housefires. The tour kicks off June 1st at the FTX Arena in Miami, FL and wraps up in Denver, CO at Ball Arena on July 31st.
They will be in Cleveland on Friday, June 17th at the Blossom Music Center.
They’ll also make an appearance in Columbus on Wednesday, June 22nd at the Schottenstein Center.
Tickets go on sale starting this Friday, March 18th at 10am on Ticketmaster.
This past Friday, Jordan Feliz released his Say It (Deluxe) album. It has 18 tracks in it and it is his third full length album ever. One song that is in it is a song that we play here on WNZR titled “Jesus Is Coming Back” featuring both Mandisa and Jonathon Traylor. “Jesus Is Coming Back” is quickly rising up the charts. As of last week, it was number seven on the Billboard NCA Monitored chart and number four on the AC Indicator Chart.
Here is what Jordan had to say on the song. “‘Jesus Is Coming Back’ is one of my favorite songs…and being able to have Jonathan Traylor and Mandisa sing on this has been massive,” he said. “I’ve known Mandisa for four or five years…she’s just the sweetest human. And I’ve been a fan of Jonathan’s ever since hearing him sing. They are two incredible people and singers, and they brought so much to this song.”
Some other songs in the album include; Glorify, Stained Glass, Next To Me, and many more! There are 18 songs in the album.
We gotta stay awake ’cause nobody knows the day or time, no The trumpet’s gonna blow and the skies are gonna open wide Ooh, yeah. He’s coming for us (Yeah, yeah) just like He told us (Yeah, yeah) It’s been a long wait (Yeah, yeah) but there’s a new day (Yeah, yeah) And we’re gonna sing Hallelujah when the King arrives (Yeah, yeah, yeah) Oh, you know you gotta
We had a stumper this week! Make sure to tune in next week for a chance to win TWO 2021 Voice of The Cougars drawstring backpacks!
Driving Notes 