January 4, 1999 / Circulation:  88!

Welcome to the

CCM Discussion List - Vol. III, No. 1
 
"Every day is New Year's Day." -Carolyn Arends

In this issue:
 
• Notes of All Sorts
• Prayer Artist for January: Amy Grant
• The Top 10 of the Year
• Responses to TELL ME
• TELL ME
• This is Wrong?
Notes of All Sorts

Go to https://members.tripod.com/~allisoncm/ccmdl/98ccmdl-awards.html and vote for your favorites! January 15th is the deadline.

Send in your favorite quotes by any Christian artist!

You can preview Lucent's new project by going to: http://surf.to/preview

Smalltown Poets' new CD is being recalled, because it doesn't play on SONY CD players. If the CD doesn't work quite right on your CD player, return it to your Christian bookstore and get a new one!

There is no "Top This" this week on CCM Magazine's site.

Prayer Artist of January: Amy Grant From the TENNESSEAN, December 30, 1998: { "Gary Chapman and Amy Grant regretfully announce their separation after 16 years of marriage," they said in a 2-sentence press release on letterhead from their management company, Blanton/Harrell Entertainment. "They both ask for your prayers during this sad time and hope that you would respect their privacy." ... The couple has not filed for divorce, though music industry insiders have long speculated the parting was imminent. }

It has been confirmed from a number of sources. There have been articles galore. Since Amy and Gary are going through such a trying situation, it is our responsibility to pray for them

To guard against rumors, this is what CCM Communications posted in early December:

"Here's what we know:

1. Amy and Gary are not separated. They still live together at Riverstone Farm. 2. Neither party has filed for divorce. 3. The marriage is troubled and they have been in counseling. 4. Amy has repeatedly claimed that she and Vince Gill are 'just friends.' "

This is a sad time for Amy & Gary and I encourage you to pray for them instead of judge them.

For a full-lenth followup on this story, go to: http://www.tennessean.com/sii/99/01/01/amy01.shtml

Top 10 of the Year
(according to CCM DL's Allison McCulloch, Rebekah and Chris U.)

Top-Ten Songs of '98

1. "Deeper" by Deliriou5?
2. "Draw Me Close" by The Katinas
3. "It Must HAve Been Your Hands" by Clay Crosse
4. "Testify To Love" by Avalon
5. "Nothing is Beyond You" by Amy Grant and Ragamuffin Band
6. "Healing Waters" by Michelle Tumes
7. "I Will Not Go Quietly" by Steven Curtis Chapman
8. "Take My Life" by Cindy Morgan
9. "To Know You" by Nichole Nordeman
10. "God So Loved" by Jaci Velasquez


Top-Ten Albums of '98

1. KING OF FOOLS/Deliriou5? The Brits deliver a praise & worship album that rocks!

2. A MAZE OF GRACE/Avalon Avalon not only has a top-seller, but an album packed full of experiences to share and cool music.

3. STEADY ON/Point of Grace This is probably Point of Grace's best to date. It's worshipful, cool, and has a bunch of neat songwriters like Michelle Tumes, Michael W. Smith, David Zaffiro, and Nathan and Christy Nockels (of Watermark)

4. SCRATCHING THE SURFACE/Erin O'Donnell Erin O'Donnell rocks a little bit more on her sophomore project, while also having some quiet, soothing tunes.

5. LIVE THE LIFE, Michael W. Smith This is not just another "Smitty" project, but it is a calling to "live the life" of a Christian. It's very emotional covering the subjects of faith, death, and perseverance.

6. EXODUS/Various If you're looking for a good compilation, this is it. Artists like Jars of Clay, Cindy Morgan, Sixpence None the Richer and Chris Rice appear on this praise & worship album.

7. LISTEN/Michelle Tumes It sounds like Enya. It sounds like a soundtrack to a movie based in a far-off land. Tumes' lyrics are passionate and encouraging and her voice is ethereal.

8. LONG WAY HOME/Wayne Watson This is not a typical Wayne Watson album. I picked it up, not expecting very much. I was in for a great surprise. He only has a few of the expected ballads, but has a few "rockers" on this one.

9. YOU ARE THERE (live)/Ashley Cleveland Afraid to buy someone who covers the Rolling Stones on the first track of her album? She also covers a couple of hymns, but in a very enthusiastic manner. New songs and old, Ashley Cleveland's live album turned out spectacularly.

10. WILSHIRE/Wilshire This new group rocks and is trying to pursue your heart for Christ.

Honorable mention:

-THE LOVING KIND/ Cindy Morgan
-WIDE-EYED/ Nichole Nordeman
-WATERMARK/ Watermark


Top-Ten Best Things that happened in '98

10. Selling exactly 106, 213 units, DC Talk debut-ed at the #4 position on Billboard Top 200 album chart with their new album, SUPERNATURAL. That was the highest number of albums a Christian artist has sold in the first week of the album's release.

9. Cindy Morgan was being recognized as a songwriter.

8. Artists like Nichole Nordeman, Michelle Tumes, Wilshire, FFH, and Mukala came to the Christian music scene.

7. The Apostle and Prince of Egypt had many CCM artists record songs for their soundtracks.

6. GMA defined Christian music.

5. Mitch McVicker continues to receive healing from the 1997 accident with Rich Mullins.

4. Garth Brooks covered "You Move Me" as recorded by Susan Ashton (and Pierce Pettis) and written by Gordon Kennedy and Pierce Pettis.

3. Avalon broke the record of the number of weeks a single had been #1, with their "Testify to Love" staying on the charts for 6 weeks.

2. When Trinitee 5:7 had the top-selling record, and knocked LeAnn Rimes off the charts (after being there for 4- weeks.

1. A new recording by Rich Mullins & the Ragamuffin Band, THE JESUS RECORD was released despite Rich Mullins' death.


Top-Ten Disappointments of '98

10. Amy Grant and Gary Chapman announce their separation.

9. Nikki Hassman leaves Avalon.

8. Radio did not pick up Michael O'Brien's "Let There Be Light."

7. dc Talk's Supernatural

6. O'Landa Draper dies at 33, and J.D. Sumner dies.

5. Geoff Moore and the Distance breaks up, as well as Grammatrain, Eager, Church of Rhythm, and Reality Check. Susan Ashton leaves the Christian music industry.

4. Naomi Judd & John Tesh hosted the Doves.

3. Rich Toomey, formerly of Considering Lily died in July and Chris Yoeman of Shaded Red died in January 98.

2. Rich Mullins won the GMA's prestigious Artist of the Year awards, just because he died.

1. LeAnn Rimes stayed on the charts for so long that her "inspirational" recording was the #1 selling album of 1998.

Responses To TELL ME

-Do you feel that Christians should not examine other Christian people's music, because it might be called judging? What do you feel is the difference between examining an artist for the music they put out and judging them?

(Rebekah) Judging them is saying they flat out stink. They have no talent, no one will like them, etc. But I take judging as more of a personality thing than a musical thing. It may be, however, nicer to say that you did not care for their music, but if you liked certain other artists, then maybe you would like them too...

TELL ME

A. What do you feel about artist's merchandize (items in addition to CDs & cassettes)? Do you feel it aids, their ministry or fanaticism...or?

B. Rate these songs 1 -10 (1=don't like 10=my favorite!)

-"Basic Instructions" by Burlap to Cashmere
-"Brighten My Heart" by Sixpence None the Richer
-"Revival Town" by Delirious

Rate this album 1-10

-PRAY by Rebecca St. James

This is Wrong

[ Everybody just seems to love "The Cartoon Song" by Steven Curtis Chapman. ]

DayDay said "I guess SCC The Cartoon Song isn't by SCC" but Chris U. commented more specifically that 'The Cartoon Song' was done by Chris Rice."

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