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NewSong | |
|---|---|
 NewSong in 2017 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Valdosta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Genres | Contemporary Christian,Christian rock,gospel |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Labels | |
| Members |
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| Past members |
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| Website | newsongonline |
NewSong is an Americancontemporary Christian music group that was established in 1981, at Morningside Baptist Church inValdosta, Georgia.[1] They have had twelveGMA Dove Award nominations, and oneGrammy Award Nomination.
They are also the founders of theWinter Jam Tour Spectacular, the United States' largest annual Christian music tour.[2] It began in 1995, and is hosted by NewSong. Winter Jam has artists perform includingTobyMac,Hillsong UNITED,Newsboys,Lecrae,MercyMe, andSkillet.[3]
NewSong has provided support for organizations working with abandoned and underprivileged children. For years they worked withWorld Vision. Then in 2006, the band became involved withHolt International.
The original four members included the current members Eddie Carswell, Billy Goodwin, and former membersEddie Middleton and Bobby Apon.
NewSong recorded three customalbums independently. In 1982, they signed on with Covenant Records, and released-The Son In My Eyes the next year. In 1984, they signed a contract withCanaan Records, a branch of CCM label giantWord Records and releasedThe Word. NewSong continued to stay with Word Records until 1991 when they signed on withDaySpring Records. The next year they releasedOne Heart At A Time, The Best of NewSong, which featured 12 hits from their previous albums. In 1993, they joined up with the Benson Music Group and releasedAll Around The World, which brought four No. 1 hits.[citation needed] In 1993, lead vocalistEddie Middleton left to pursue a solo career, and Bobby Apon left to spend more time with his family.
In 1994, songwriter Leonard Ahlstrom, soloistCharles Billingsley, musician Scotty Wilbanks, and the lead vocalist from the contemporary Christian bandTruth, Russ Lee, joined NewSong. That year NewSong releasedPeople Get Ready which brought four No. 1 hits,[citation needed] and featured a re-recorded version of "Arise My Love", which was first recorded by the original group in 1987.
In 1996, Billingsley left to pursue a solo career. In 1997, NewSong releasedLove Revolution. It featured four No. 1 hits, including "Miracles," which stayed at No.1 on the CCM Adult Contemporary chart for four consecutive weeks.[citation needed]
In May 1999, Apon died. He was recognized on the albumArise, My Love, The Very Best of NewSong. This featured 12 of their previous No. 1 hits. It also included two new songs which became No. 1 hits, "Can't Keep A Good Man Down", and "Jesus To The World (Roaring Lambs)", which was inspired by Christian speaker and authorBob Briner, who died later that year. They also had a third new song, "Like Minded, Like Hearted", which NewSong recorded withOut of Eden ofGotee Records.
Lee and Wilbanks left NewSong in 2000. They were replaced by soloist Michael O'Brien, Steve Reischl, and former Truth member, Matt Butler.Songwriter and electric guitarist Leonard Ahlstrom also left later to help a friend manage a recording label inFlorida.
Leading up to 2000, NewSong caught the attention of radio personality, DC Daniel (then, of "Steve & DC") and began collaborating on production ideas for future projects. The partnership led to releasing the albumSheltering Tree, in late 2000.
DC, Eddie Carswell and Leonard Ahlstrom penned the bonus track "The Christmas Shoes" forSheltering Tree, which became a No. 1 mainstream radio hit in aBillboard chart-record three weeks, toppingBillboard's Adult Contemporary Chart.[citation needed] Shortly after this, Clive Calder shut down the Benson label. NewSong stayed with Zomba Music, on the major Reunion label, and released a full studio Christmas album,The Christmas Shoes, which was nominated in 2003 for aGrammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album.[citation needed] Along with the title track, the album featured a variety of original Christmas tunes and Christmas classics "O Holy Night". The song's success inspired Christian authorDonna VanLiere to write a book based on the song.[4] The book was later made into aTV movie forCBS, calledThe Christmas Shoes, starringRob Lowe andKimberly Williams-Paisley, which was released on December 1, 2002.[5]
In 2003, Donna VanLiere releasedThe Christmas Blessing, the second book in the series spawned by "The Christmas Shoes" song. It was later made into a TV movie byCBS. It had an appearance by NewSong, which showed them singing their holiday single "The Christmas Blessing". NewSong also received a Dove Award for Musical of the Year forThe Christmas Shoes Musical.[citation needed]
In March 2004, NewSong announced that they were leaving Reunion Records and moving to Integrity Music. In November 2004, NewSong recorded their live worship album and DVD,Rescue: Live Worship atFirst Baptist Church of Woodstock.[citation needed] The album was officially released in May 2005, and the DVD of the concert came out in September. In November, Wilbanks left to join the groupThird Day, and to produce bands. Also in 2005, NewSong was inducted into theGeorgia Music Hall of Fame.[citation needed]
In March 2006, O'Brien left to restart his solo career and Drew Cline was asked to fill in. In September, Eddie Carswell, Matt Butler, Billy Goodwin, and guest artist Drew Cline releasedThe Christmas Hope, featuring traditional Christmas carols, NewSong originals, and three songs to complement the book trilogy by Donna VanLiere. In November,The Christmas Shoes movie was released on DVD.The Christmas Hope, the third TV movie installment of the trilogy, was released in December 2008 by CBS.[citation needed]
In March 2007, Christian solo artist Nate Sallie joined NewSong. In April,The Christmas Hope album was nominated for a Dove Award, for Best Christmas Album of the Year.[citation needed] On December 29, 2008, in an email to subscribers of his newsletter, Russ Lee announced that he will be rejoining NewSong as lead vocalist.[citation needed]
Founding memberEddie Middleton died on August 21, 2021.[6]
| Year | Album | Chart positions | Label | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Christian | US | US Heat | |||
| 1981 | More Than Music | Independent | |||
| NewSong Alive | |||||
| All the Best | |||||
| 1982 | The Son in My Eyes | Covenant | |||
| 1984 | The Word | Canaan | |||
| 1986 | Trophies of Grace | Word | |||
| 1987 | Say Yes! | ||||
| 1989 | Light Your World | 34 | |||
| 1990 | Living Proof | 19 | DaySpring | ||
| 1992 | One Heart at a Time: The Best of NewSong | ||||
| 1993 | All Around the World | Benson | |||
| 1994 | People Get Ready | 16 | |||
| 1997 | Love Revolution | 25 | |||
| 1999 | Arise My Love: The Very Best of NewSong | 25 | |||
| 2000 | Live...The Hits | ||||
| Sheltering Tree | 5 | 130 | 2 | ||
| 2001 | The Christmas Shoes | 9 | 113 | 1 | Reunion |
| 2003 | More Life | 10 | 172 | 9 | |
| 2004 | Simply NewSong | Provident | |||
| 2005 | The Very Best of NewSong | Reunion | |||
| Rescue: Live Worship | 10 | 15 | Integrity | ||
| 2006 | The Christmas Hope | 25 | 5 | ||
| 2009 | Give Yourself Away | 10 | 149 | 5 | HHM |
| 2011 | One True God | 1 | 27 | ||
| 2013 | Swallow the Ocean | 3 | 65 | ||
| 2015 | Faithful: Live Worship | 3 | 88 | Integrity | |
| 2016 | The Best Christmas Ever | — | — | HHM | |
| 2018 | Greatest Hits[7] | — | — | ||
| 2020 | Just Jesus[8] | — | — | ||
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US AC | US | US Country | US Christ | |||
| 2000 | "The Christmas Shoes" | 1 | 42 | 31 | 20 | Sheltering Tree |
| 2004 | "When God Made You" | 33 | — | — | — | More Life |
| 2012 | "The Same God" | — | — | — | 25 | One True God |
| 2017 | "I Am a Christian" | — | — | — | — | Just Jesus[8] |
| 2018 | "Down" | — | — | — | — | |
| "Bright" | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Glue" | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Already Loved" (featuringTedashii) | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Shine" | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Look Up" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2025 | "Church People" | — | — | — | — | — |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
