Today we pause to honor the memory of the one and only Dolly Parton, who died today at 80 years of age.
Dolly is one of only three artists to be in the Gospel, Rock and Roll and Country Music Hall of Fames – joining Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. Read more from CCM Magazine by clicking here.
We salute Dolly with these two videos from her recent collaborations:
In the waiting, in the searching, in the healing and the hurting… Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces Every minute, every moment Where I’ve been and where I’m going..
Congratulations to Bonnie from Mount Vernon, who correctly guessed THERE WAS JESUS and wins the $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica.
Josiah Queen is giving us a preview of his next chapter with his brand-new single, “sundays.”
The high-energy, folk-rock song is a powerful reminder that our faith isn’t meant to be something we practice only on Sundays. Queen compares our need for God to our need for food, water, and even the air we breathe, challenging listeners to live out their faith every day of the week.
“sundays” is the latest glimpse of Queen’s highly anticipated new album, Damascus Road, coming October 23. The 14-track project will be his third studio album and follows his chart-topping 2025 release, Mt. Zion, which earned a Dove Award nomination for Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year.
And this is a huge season for Josiah Queen. The 23-year-old recently received seven GMA Dove Award nominations, including Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year.
Queen also recently revealed the full Damascus Road tracklist and invited his fans to help choose which song would be released next. “sundays” ultimately won the vote, giving fans a chance to be part of the rollout for the new album.
There’s also a special mission behind Damascus Road. Queen is donating 100% of the net proceeds from CD editions of the album sold through his official website to Global Christian Relief.
Once again, the new album, Damascus Road, arrives October 23rd, and “sundays” is out now!
October is going to be an exciting month, because not only is Josiah Queen releasing an album, but Skillet is back with new music, and the rock band is entering a powerful new chapter!
The multi-Platinum band has announced a brand-new six-song EP called After the Storm, arriving October 9. Along with the announcement, Skillet released the project’s newest single, “Lift Me Up,” complete with an anime-inspired lyric video.
Frontman John Cooper says the EP came out of a season when he personally needed hope, writing these songs as a way of asking God to lift him out of some difficult moments.
That message comes through especially in “Lift Me Up,” which combines crushing guitars with a huge, arena-ready chorus. Cooper says the song reminds him of early Skillet while still feeling fresh. At its heart, it’s a prayer asking God to provide strength when life feels overwhelming.
“Lift Me Up” follows “Scream,” which introduced fans to the emotional themes behind After the Storm, including anxiety, anger, and the search for purpose in the middle of all the noise surrounding us.
And Skillet isn’t slowing down anytime soon. The band will hit the road for a nationwide U.S. Live Nation headline tour, kicking off this fall, which is visiting Greenville, Ohio, on September 19th! The new EP comes out October 9th!
You make my striving cease
You lift my burdens off of me
You calm the raging sea
My anxieties
‘Cause that’s just who You are
Congratulations to Sarah from Mount Vernon for correctly guessing “WHY SHOULD I WORRY” by Carly Ann Taylor! Tune in next week for YOUR chance to win!
After 8 years, Francesca Battistelli is making her return with NEW MUSIC.
Her brand-new song, “He Will,” is available today. “He Will” is an uplifting anthem about trusting God, even when you don’t know how He’s going to come through. Backed by a choir, Francesca sings about needing God’s rescue and being confident that He will be faithful.
The song also marks the beginning of what Battistelli says is a new wave of music.
As I said, it’s been eight years since Francesca released her last album, Own It, in 2018. During that time, she stepped away from the spotlight to focus on her growing family. She’s now a mom of seven and has embraced a quieter season of motherhood, including homeschooling and homesteading.
But even while she was away from the music scene, Francesca’s songs continued making an impact. She earned another number-one radio hit, bringing her career total to eight, and her catalog has now surpassed 2 billion career streams.
Francesca says that during her time away, God continued giving her new songs—and she believes the timing is finally right to share them.
“He Will” is the first glimpse of what’s next.
CAIN is bringing their Live and In Worship Tour to Grove City, Ohio, this fall, with special guest Jenn Johnson!
The concert is happening Thursday, September 17th, at The Naz Church in Grove City. It’s a night designed to give you space to come as you are, be refreshed, and experience the presence of God through powerful music and intentional worship.
The evening kicks off at 7 PM, with general admission doors opening at 6.
And if you know anything about CAIN, you know they’re not afraid of a little color! Their bright colors and energetic personalities are a big part of what makes them so much fun.
Well, they want you to join in on the fun, too! So when you come to the concert, make sure you wear RED in honor of the Buckeye State!
Tickets and more information are available at WNZR.fm. Just click on the Events button, then select the Concerts tab for everything you need to know!
Lord, I am so thankful for the ways that You blessed me Everything You say making waves like a jet ski You love every part of me, even when I was messy Now I see the art in Your beauty So, I can finally sing out…
Congratulations to Tisha from Fredericktown for correctly guessing “YOUR WAY’S BETTER” by Forrest Frank! Tune in next week for your chance to win!
Brock, Daniel and I are hosting the show alongside On The Road With Big Blue this week! Make sure you check this link on our website, WNZR.fm, to find out about the Knox County Fair and our amazing prizes!
Oh, and YES we are still giving away tickets this week to see FOR KING + COUNTRY at the Ohio State Fair on Monday!
Now to the news…
WILLIAMSTOWN, KENTUCKY – The 40 Days of Christian Music festival — the world’s largest — returns TODAY for its sixth consecutive year at the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum in northern Kentucky.
This massive event runs today through September 5, featuring dozens of prominent Christian performers and speakers for an unforgettable experience. The festival just announced the addition of Jeremy Camp, Grammy Award nominee and winner of five GMA Dove Awards on September 5.
Attendees can explore two of America’s best-known biblical attractions, the life-size Noah’s Ark at the Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum, but also enjoy live performances from some of the biggest names in Christian music in state-of-the-art facilities.
This year’s lineup beyond Jeremy Camp includes CAIN, Crowder, Passion, Matthew West, Jamie MacDonald, Jon Reddick, Cochren & Co., David Phelps, Tasha Layton, Jason Crabb, Triumphant Quartet, Karen Peck & New River, Mark Trammell Quartet, The Isaacs, The Inspirations, Gold City, and Joseph Habedank, among many others. In total, more than 100 artists will take the stage throughout the 40-day event with performances every day, except Sundays.
Matthew West has announced a brand-new album! It’s called Jesus Is King and arrives September 25. The 12-song project is centered on faith, surrender, and the hope we have in Christ.
Along with the album announcement, Matthew has also released a brand-new single, “Back to Jesus.” He says making this record was a reminder to his own heart that no matter how loud fear, failure, or the noise of the world may seem, only Jesus gets the final word.
The new song, “Back to Jesus,” is a powerful reminder that no one is ever too far gone for God’s grace. It’s a message of redemption for anyone who’s wandered or wondered if there’s a way back. Matthew says he hopes these songs remind listeners of one simple truth: Jesus is King.
The new project follows Matthew’s 2024 album, Don’t Stop Praying, which became one of the biggest moments of his career. The title track spent two weeks at the top of the Christian radio charts and inspired a nationwide prayer movement.
Matthew will also be taking these new songs on the road this fall with his Jesus Is King Tour, which kicks off September 10 and brings his music to audiences across the country.
ELEVATION RHYTHM has released a brand-new live album! It’s called WASHED and is available everywhere now.
The nine-song project was recorded live during ELEVATION Church’s weekly youth nights in Charlotte, North Carolina, and captures what God has been doing in the lives of young people through worship. The album is named after the group’s current No. 1 hit, “WASHED,” which recently became ELEVATION RHYTHM’s first song to reach No. 1 across multiple Christian radio charts.
Creative director Josh Holiday says each live album is like a “time capsule,” capturing what God is doing in a specific season. He says WASHED reflects stories of identity, freedom, and new life found in Christ.
The album also features guest artists including Josiah Queen, Jonathan Stamper, SEU Worship, Avery Marillo, and Lizzie Morgan.
Fans will have the chance to experience these songs live this fall as ELEVATION RHYTHM launches the WASHED Tour, featuring worship nights, Bible studies, and opportunities to build community in cities across the country.
Today’s artist news features notes about two powerful voices in contemporary gospel music! Read more about these stories from our friends at JesusFreakHideout.com by clicking the artist’s names in the story.
Motown Gospel—part of Capitol Christian Music Group, Capitol Records, and Universal Music Group—just signed GRAMMY-nominated artist Koryn Hawthorne, kicking off an exciting new chapter for one of Gospel music’s most powerful contemporary voices.
You may remember her from her amazing duets with Matt Maher, Lecrae. Natalie Grant and Danny Gokey, including “How Great” and “We All Need Jesus.”
The announcement comes as Koryn gets ready to drop new music and step into a fresh creative season. This fall, she’ll release her first project with Motown Gospel, promising a fresh, elevated sound while staying rooted in the faith-centered message that’s made Koryn stand out.
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18-time GRAMMY® Award-winning icon CeCe Winans is bringing her acclaimed Christmas tour to the West Coast for the first time in over a decade. Joined by special guests and her sisters Angie Winans and Debbie Winans, Christmas with CeCe Winans will visit six cities this December for an evening of beloved Christmas classics, worship favorites, and songs from throughout CeCe’s celebrated career.
The West Coast Christmas tour is not all. CeCe will also co-headline the highly anticipated Christmas Together tour alongside Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith. The tour will feature an evening of holiday favorites, career-spanning hits, and moments of worship as three of Christian music’s most beloved artists come together. They kick off this tour on Friday, November 27 in Columbus at the Schottenstein Center.
This one was a STUMPER last week:
When all I’m holding onto is a promise
God, You promised that You’ll never leave me
When I’m scared of the dark, You’re right there with me
Your kindness never fails, it’s always reaching after me
Congratulations to Jon from Mount Vernon – he correctly guessed Honest by Leanna Crawford and wins TWO $5 gift cards to Watts Restaurant un Utica!
When was the last time you truly slowed down? In a world that’s always telling us to do more, Leanna Crawford’s new song is a reminder that sometimes the most important thing we can do is simply be with Jesus.
Leanna has released a brand-new single called “Living Room Floor,” the latest preview of her upcoming album, Thank God, arriving July 24. Inspired by the biblical story of Mary and Martha, the song encourages listeners to slow down and spend time in God’s presence instead of getting caught up in life’s endless to-do list.
Leanna says she’s always related to Martha—the one who’s constantly busy and trying to get everything done. But she says Jesus reminds us that He isn’t looking for our productivity; He simply wants us. She hopes this song gives people permission to pause, wherever they are, and simply spend time with Him.
One of my favorite lyrics in the song says, “Been running on empty, I don’t know what for… and what good is it to have the world but lose You, Lord?” That line really challenged me. It’s such a powerful reminder that no amount of busyness or accomplishment can replace intentional time spent in Jesus’ presence.
Along with the new music, Leanna is also giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Thank God through a new documentary series on YouTube, with new episodes premiering every Monday leading up to the album’s release.
If you’ve been waiting for one of the biggest Christian concerts of the year to come close to home, your wait is almost over.
Forrest Frank’s Jesus Generation Tour is proving to be one of the biggest events in Christian music this year. His recent stop at Nashville’s GEODIS Park drew more than 25,000 fans for a sold-out night that blended a high-energy concert with a bold, Gospel-centered message.
After an opening set from Tori Kelly, Forrest took the stage to an electric crowd, performing fan favorites while consistently pointing the audience back to Jesus. The evening also included a powerful Gospel presentation from Sadie Robertson Huff, making it clear that the tour is about more than great music—it’s about introducing people to the hope found in Christ. Thousands of fans, from young children to grandparents, gathered together for a night of worship, celebration, and encouragement.
The exciting news for Ohio residents is that The Jesus Generation Tour is coming to Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati on Monday, July 27. If you’ve been wanting to see Forrest Frank live—or be part of one of the most talked-about Christian tours of the year—this will be your chance. With record-breaking crowds, an uplifting atmosphere, and a Christ-centered focus, it’s shaping up to be one of the biggest Christian concert events of 2026.
When all I’m holding onto is a promise
God, You promised that You’ll never leave me
When I’m scared of the dark, You’re right there with me
Your kindness never fails, it’s always reaching after me
Song Poetry was a STUMPER this week, so if you know these lyrics, tune in next week for your chance to win a $5 gift card to Watt’s Restaurant in Utica!
Some of Anne Wilson’s most personal songs yet are on the way, and they’re inspired by a season filled with both joy and heartbreak.
Anne Wilson is giving fans even more music to look forward to this summer with the announcement of Stars (Blue Hour Deluxe), arriving July 10th.
The GRAMMY-nominated and PLATINUM-certified artist is expanding her latest album with five new songs, bringing the project to 17 tracks and continuing its message of faith, hope, healing, and trusting Jesus through every season of life.
Anne says that since releasing Stars, she’s experienced incredible highs, deep heartbreak, and moments that challenged her faith. Through it all, she says God has remained faithful, and these new songs reflect the next chapter of that journey.
The expanded album features her recent collaboration with country artist Cole Swindell, an acoustic version of “Carry Me,” a live recording of “God Story,” and a brand-new song called “Me & Jesus,” inspired by the loss of a close friend. Fans will also hear “Maker’s Mark,” a collaboration with Drew Baldridge that reflects on legacy, purpose, and living a life that leaves a lasting impact.
Anne will spend the summer performing at festivals across the country before heading overseas for appearances in the United Kingdom. She’ll then continue her Stars Tour, including a stop in Tiffin, Ohio, on July 29th at the Seneca County Fairgrounds. Visit wnzr.fm for more information about tickets!
With more than two billion career streams, Anne Wilson continues to impact listeners through her music, her new book, REBEL: Following Jesus When the World Looks the Other Way, and a message centered on faith and hope.
You can hear Stars (Blue Hour Deluxe) when it releases on July 10th.
What happens when some of Christian music’s biggest voices come together for one night of worship? Tauren Wells is giving fans the answer with a brand-new live album coming this fall.
The eleven-time GRAMMY nominee and multi-platinum artist has announced Here Comes The Church, a live worship project set to release on October 2nd.
Recorded before a sold-out crowd at the Austin City Limits Moody Theater in Austin, Texas, the album captures an unforgettable night of worship featuring artists from across the Christian music landscape, including Naomi Raine, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Israel Houghton, Hulvey, Tiffany Hudson, Pastor Mike Jr., Paul and Hannah McClure, and members of Red Rocks Worship.
The live project draws heavily from Tauren’s latest album, Breathe On It, while highlighting a message that has become central to his ministry: unity within the Church.
Tauren says the album isn’t about representing one style of worship, culture, or community. Instead, he hopes it reflects the beauty of believers from different backgrounds coming together to worship the same Savior.
The 17-track collection includes songs like “Serve the Lord,” “Making Room,” “What a Miracle Feels Like,” “Let the Church Sing,” and the title track, “Here Comes The Church.”
You can listen to Here Comes The Church when it releases on October 2nd.
You’re the Lord of all creation
And still You know my heart
The author of salvation
You’ve loved us from the start
Congratulations to Jonathan from Johnstown for correctly guessing this week’s song: “Waiting Here For You” by Christy Nockels! Tune in next time for your chance to win a $5 gift card to Watt’s Restaurant in Utica!
Jamie MacDonald is hitting the road this fall with her brand-new headlining tour, fittingly named after her hit single, Left It In The River.
The tour kicks off on October 20 and will make stops in 17 cities across the country. And good news for Ohio listeners—Jamie will be bringing the tour to Cincinnati on November 21!
Jamie says she’s excited to create nights that feel like a gathering of friends, filled with songs, stories, laughter, and meaningful moments in the presence of Jesus. Fans can expect to hear favorites like Desperate, Left It In The River, My Family, and more from her debut album.
The tour follows a breakout year for MacDonald, including her CMA Fest and Grand Ole Opry debuts. She has earned two consecutive No. 1 radio singles, racked up more than 253 million global streams, and made her national television debut on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Jamie also took home Song of the Year honors at the K-LOVE Fan Awards and was named a 2026 Artist to Watch by Spotify and Amazon Music.
Over the past year, she’s shared the stage with some of Christian music’s biggest names, including Chris Tomlin, TobyMac, Phil Wickham, Benjamin William Hastings, and Tauren Wells.
Pre-sale tickets go on sale June 25, with public ticket sales beginning June 26. For more information, visit the tprlive.co
Terrian, known for songs like Testimony and Honestly, We Just Need Jesus, has announced her brand-new album, Mad Big World, set to release this August!
The album features 17 new tracks, and the title song is available now. Mad Big World captures the heart behind the project—a message of faith, hope, and confidence in God, even when life feels overwhelming.
Terrian says the album was inspired by a lesson she’s been learning while traveling around the world: stay close to the Lord. She describes these songs as personal devotionals set to music, filled with reminders to keep her eyes fixed on Christ through every season of life.
The announcement comes after a remarkable few years for the rising Christian artist. Since launching her solo career, Terrian has amassed more than 335 million streams, earned four Top 20 radio singles, and completed her first-ever headlining tour. She’s also shared the stage with some of Christian music’s biggest names, including TobyMac, KB, Crowder, CeCe Winans, and Elevation RHYTHM.
Earlier this year, Terrian performed at the K-LOVE Fan Awards and received a nomination for Female Artist of the Year. This fall, she’ll also be joining CeCe Winans on her COME WORSHIP! Tour.
Can’t wait to hear what this new record has in store!
Oh, look what the Lord has done
When the thief tried to steal and destroy
The Lord gave me an anthem of joy
I am a living, breaking, walking…
Congratulations to Nicole from Mount Vernon for correctly guessing this week’s song, “Testimony” by Terrian!
Driving Notes 