EMI Music/Vector Recordings is set to release the highly anticipated recording Oh Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration on March 31. The album features performances by 3 Doors Down, Al Green, Patty Griffin, Heather Headley, Jon Bon Jovi, Jonny Lang, Queen Latifah, Joss Stone with Buick Audra and many more (see below for full track listing). For the project, these world-renowned musicians collaborated with Gospel artists and several of today’s top Gospel Choirs to record renditions of some of the most loved and recognizable inspirational songs. It’s been said you don’t just hear gospel music you feel it. It’s woven through the fabric of the American spirit and history and its influence can be felt and heard around the world today and in the background of many of today’s most talented artists and musicians.
The album’s concept resulted from a close partnership between EMI Gospel and Vector Recordings and was produced by Ken Levitan, Bill Hearn, Jack Rovner, Ken Pennell, Drew & Shannon, Johnny K, Sanchez Harley, Obie O’Brien, Keith Thomas, Tommy Sims, Cedric Thompson, Simon Climie, Michael McDonald, Joss Stone and Buick Audra. Of the project, Bill Hearn, CEO of EMI Christian Music Group comments, “We wanted to create an album that honored the legacy of gospel music—it’s the backbone of the American spirit—but also create unique artist pairings that fans could find no where else.” Vector’s Ken Levitan adds, “Gospel music has always been not only spiritually and musically uplifting but also a great American art form. With this project we’ve taken artists who have been successful in other genres and combined them with this great art form to create new powerful music.”
While recording the record at Ocean Way Studio in Nashville, Jonny Lang notes, “(Gospel music) is really all I’ve been listening to for the last few years…it’s my favorite form of music…at least for now…” Lang goes on to say, “it’s such an honor to record with the legendary Fisk Jubilee Singers, their very first take on the song just blew me away. They’re such pros…quite an honor…” Additionally, Heather Headley comments, “It’s not everyday that you get the opportunity to revisit a classic song like “People Get Ready,” record it with a great producer like Keith Thomas, and sing alongside a legend such as Rev. Al Green. It really was a pleasure, and I had a great time doing it.”
Track Listing:
1. Jonny Lang & the Fisk Jubilee Singers “I Believe”
2. 3 Doors Down & the Soul Children of Chicago “Presence of the Lord”
3. Robert Randolph & The Clark Sisters “Higher Ground”
4. Jon Bon Jovi & the Washington Youth Choir “Keep the Faith”
5. Al Green & Heather Headley “People Get Ready”
6. Mavis Staples & Patty Griffin “Waiting for My Child To Come Home”
7. Michael McDonald & the West Angeles COGIC Mass Choir “Storm Before The Calm”
8. Angelique Kidjo “Redemption Song”
9. Aaron Neville & the Mt. Zion Mass Choir “A Change is Gonna Come”
10. Queen Latifah & Jubilation “Oh Happy Day”
11. Joss Stone & Buick Audra “This Little Light Of Mine”
Not easily deterred by Mother Nature, the band and Henderson reconvened in the same studio (completely rehabbed from the hurricane damage) in 2006. Again, they laid down the tracks, completing the majority of the recording in three weeks’ time, only to find a computer glitch had rendered a large portion of the recordings unusable. Because they had meshed so well with Henderson (who said he really wanted to be involved in the rest of the recording), the band was willing to wait to work around his 3 Doors Down schedule in order to re-record the tracks that needed to be redone in Henderson’s new Rivergate Studios (http://www.RivergateStudios.net) in Nashville in 2007.
HalfDown Thomas - “Guiltless (Mend Your Broken Heart)”
“This band is so easy to work with,” says Henderson. “From a production standpoint, they provided me with a wide open palette, bringing some amazing riffs into the studio, then taking my suggestions to the next level in their continuing songwriting endeavors. And they’ve been so amazing about recording the album three times. It was not anyone’s fault; it’s just the way that things went down. But they took it all in stride and they made it fun.”
“Chris is the hardest-working guy I know,” says guitarist Wesley Smith. “When we were in the studio with him, he’d only get four to five hours of sleep before he was back to work. It was fantastic being in the studio with him. He’s very down-to-earth, and he gets what we are doing.”
The result is HalfDown Thomas’ third-full length album, “Beautifully Strange,” which will be released via Rock Ridge Music on February 17, 2009.
HalfDown Thomas (or HDT) was begun on the verge of the new millennium by a group of friends with one simple goal: to start a band and see how far it could really go. Eight years later, singer Randy Ayers, guitarist Wesley Smith, bassist George White, and drummer Mark Underwood are finding out. Starting as everyone does in sweaty little clubs, opening shows for renowned local acts, HDT spent their time developing a high-intensity stage show to compliment their hard-driving modern rock sound. The band came to the attention of their label after they won a Birmingham, AL, Battle of the Bands and went on to compete in the finals in Biloxi, MS. Henderson’s 3 Doors Down band-mate Todd Harrell was the creative force behind the contest. Rock Ridge Music CEO Tom Derr, who was a judge at the Biloxi contest, was so impressed by HDT that the efforts to sign them began immediately.
The band has continued to plug away live, sharing the stage with acts as diverse and influential as Kings of Leon, OutKast, Evanescence and Fuel, just to name a few. At the same time, HDT has also worked hard to hone their personal sound. With two full-length releases, three EP’s, and numerous compilation spots under their belts, writing and recording have been a large piece of the equation. Somewhere between Pearl Jam and Nickelback, between Stone Temple Pilots and Breaking Benjamin, is where you’ll find HalfDown Thomas’ sound. Throw in individual influences as varied as Southern rock and 80’s hair metal and what shakes out is modern rock alternative with scorching guitar solos, bombastic rhythm work and attention-to lyrical hooks that create an interesting and listener-friendly mix. Just how far can four guys take a dream? The answer seems to be a lot farther than anyone expected. And they won’t let a little something like Mother Nature get in the way.
TRACK LISTING / RUN TIME - “Beautifully Strange”
1. Come Inside / 2:52
2. Guiltless (Mend Your Broken Heart) / 3:19
3. Self Centered / 2:34
4. Way Down / 3:26
5. Trigger Finger / 3:26
6. Beautifully Strange / 3:37
7. Save The Day / 3:39
8. Burn / 3:16
9. Overreaction / 2:50
10. Weight / 3:44
11. Lost Change / 3:18
12. She Falls A Liar / 3:12
13. Yet To Say / 3:15
Clear Channel’s new Stripped series has been a huge success with heavyweights like Linkin Park, Alicia Keys, and Lenny Kravitz stopping by and laying down some truly exhilarating performances. 3 Doors Down recently joined this elite group of artists when they performed material from their newly released album on the online series. The 3 Doors Down episode of Stripped along with a full series archive can be seen HERE
3 Doors Down recently filmed an exclusive live performance for www.IHeartMusic.com which features a version of the Bon Jovi staple, “Wanted Dead Or Alive” which will blow you away! The band also performs classics from their back catalog plus a few off their recently released self-titled album. The videos also include an interview with 3 Doors Down vocalist Brad Arnold.
3 Doors Down announced today their plans for a full headline summer tour in celebration of the upcoming self-titled Universal Republic Records release, 3 Doors Down, to be made available everywhere on May 20th. 3 Doors Down promises the shows will be one of the summer concert season’s more rocking bills, tearing it up live across the US with two of the most invincible road warrior bands, Boston-based Staind and notorious Oklahoma fivesome Hinder.
In a show of their heartfelt affection for their fans, 3 Doors Down is also taking on the hard-hit economy, creating flexible, fan-friendly ticket prices that will vary in price, starting at $25 at all venues. Charismatic front man Brad Arnold affirms he recalls a thing or two as a huge music fan himself about saving a penny in order to see your favorite rock band. “Being from Mississippi, I remember how great it was to head out to a rock concert as soon as the weather broke,” says Brad. “We’re so grateful to our fans for being there through thick and thin and supporting our new single “It’s Not My Time,” the idea of keeping ticket prices down is just one way we plan to return the favor. Of course, the upside to this is we will be accepting no excuses when it comes to having a great time at one of our shows.”
Drawing on almost a decade of material (and 13 million albums sold worldwide), the acclaimed rockers will be rolling out several songs from the new 3 Doors Down album on their new show. The self-titled follow-up to their platinum-plus 2005 effort Seventeen Days, has been the subject of a frenzied online buzz, with fans speculating over set-lists and repertoire choices culled from previous 3 Doors Down multi-platinum releases. The new effort embodies the fiery passion and restless creativity fans have come to expect from the versatile band, with the scorching kickoff single, “It’s Not My Time,” becoming a dominate staple of 2008 Active Rock and Alternative playlists.
The melodic/tough-around-the-edges Mississippi/Nashville-based band first thundered into the rock scene at the top of the decade, redefining the music landscape with their across-the-board smash “Kryptonite.” The excitement continues to build around the veteran band as fans and critics anticipate the highly touted new album and the stellar 2008 lineup for the summer tour.
About Staind:
In the past decade, Staind has had four No. 1 singles at mainstream rock radio, seen six more singles break the Top 10, and watched their last three albums debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Album Chart. The group has earned their place as one of the most successful rock bands of the new millennium, with four major-label studio recordings and a highly anticipated new release due later this summer. Staind’s music and core sound remains timely and relevant, as the group’s primary focus has always been songwriting over fashion and the latest trend.
About Hinder:
Channeling the spirit of 80s arena rock, Hinder released their Universal Records debut, Extreme Behavior, in September of 2005 going triple platinum and spent 2 ½ years on the road in support remaining on Billboard’s Top 200 for more than 70 weeks. Their first single, the anthemic “Get Stoned,” crowned them as rock’s new bad boys taking them to #4 at Mainstream Rock. The band’s second single, the monster hit “Lips Of An Angel” reached #1 at Mainstream Top 40 radio as well as becoming the first rock band to reach 3 million in ring tone sales making them the biggest selling rock artist in the history of the mobile formats. The hit song was also recognized as Active Rock Radio’s most popular rock single of 2006. Following up with “Better Than Me,” Hinder once again had a Mainstream Top 40 radio hit peaking at #21. Hinder are currently in the studio recording their sophomore release, slated for September, once again with producer Brian Howes.
3 Doors Down Summer Tour with Staind and Hinder
Date City
July 9 Maryland Heights, MO — UMB Bank Pavilion
July 11 Cuyahoga Falls, Oh – Blossom Music Theatre
July 12 Milwaukee, WI — Marcus Amphitheater
July 13 Tinley Park, IL — First Midwest Bank Pavilion
July 15 Portland, ME — Cumberland Co. Civic Center
July 16 Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
July 18 Hartford, CT – New England Dodge Music Center
July 19 Harrington, DE — Delaware State Fair
July 20 Saratoga Springs, NY– Saratoga Performing Arts Center
July 22 Mansfield, MA — Tweeter Center
July 25 Darien Center, NY –Darien Lake Theme Park
July 26 Camden, NJ — Susquehanna Bank Center
July 27 Hershey, PA – Hershey Park Stadium
July 30 Clarkston, MI – DTE Energy Music Theater (Finger Eleven replaces Hinder)
Aug 6 Sturgis, SD — Buffalo Chip Campground (Finger Eleven replaces Staind and Hinder)
Aug 8 Saskatoon, SK – Saskatoon Credit Union Centre
Aug 9 Brandon, Manitoba – Turtle Crossing
Aug 21 St. Paul, MN – Minnesota State Fair
Aug 23 Calgary, AB – The Pengrowth Saddledome
Aug 24 Edmonton, AB — Rexall Place
Aug 26 Vancouver, BC — General Motors Place
Aug 27 Seattle, WA – WaMu Theater
Sept 6 Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center (Staind not performing on this show)
Sept 7 Burgettstown, PA — Post Gazette Pavilion (Staind not performing on this show)
3 Doors Down have just leaked some behind-the-scenes footage from the video shoot for their single, “It’s Not My Time.” The clip features interviews with the Mississippi hard rockers and director Shaun Silva along with extra footage from the shoot. The single is currently the #1 song on the iTunes Rock charts. The band will embark on a co-headlining tour with Staind and Hinder which will kick off on July 9th in Maryland Heights, MO. Head over to www.3ddfanclub.net for all the dates and pre-sale info.
3 Doors Down hits stores and online retailers on May 20th
(New York, NY, March 24, 2008) Universal Republic rock icons 3 Doors Down are putting up massive radio numbers with their first single, “Its Not My Time,” from their soon-to-be released self-titled album, due in-stores on May 27. Their much anticipated fourth studio album has spawned rock’s biggest radio hit of the year so far, with the debut single becoming the fastest moving song at Active Rock radio in the past five years. The #1 most added song at Alternative radio the past 3 weeks in a row, “It’s Not My Time” was also the biggest Gainer at the coveted rock radio format, leaping from #20 to #16 as it closes in on the prestigious 50,000 mark in digital sales in less than a month of release.
“The early radio success of “It’s Not My Time” is an incredible indication of more great things to come from this band and this album,” stated Monte Lipman, President & CEO of Universal Republic Records. “3 Doors Down have become a signature presence in rock through hard work and passionate songwriting that speaks directly to their audience. They have delivered a career-defining album that we cannot wait to get into the hands of fans.”
The new CD has already got internet fans buzzing, with talk of other choice tracks such as the adrenalin-fueled “Train,” and the rousing “It’s The Only One You’ve Got”, pointing to more milestones from the Mississipi fivesome, from a new album steeped in rock anthems and power-driven radio hits. The follow-up to their #1 debut album, 2005’s Seventeen Days, lead singer Brad Arnold cites this effort as perhaps the most communal band effort. “3 Doors Down has always been about every band member giving everything we’ve got,” says the singer/songwriter. “On this album we really wanted to make every song count. We owe it to our fans who have been there to support us from day one.”
The group’s followers have embraced “It’s Not My Time” in record numbers, making it one of the bigger request records of the new year. The single’s jump from #10 to #4 on the Active rock chart marks one of the fastest launches into the Top Ten of any 3 Doors Down song in their history.
With nearly 13 million albums sold worldwide, the fiery group has rewritten the rock script on maintaining commercial success and securing rabid fan appeal without bowing to trends or compromising their grassroots approach. Braced by front-man Brad Arnold’s enduring vocal power, 3 Doors Down has put together an amazing streak of powerful albums and chart-topping singles, including their 6 million selling 2000 breakthrough effort, The Better Life, and epic mega-hit signature songs such as the #1 “Kryptonite,” and “When I’m Gone,” from 2003’s 4 million selling epic Away >From The Sun.
The group also broke with convention when writing the songs for the new album, holing up in a Nashville cabin together until the songs were completed, and then hightailing it down to Orlando, FL, to record the new CD with producer Johnny K. (he also helmed Seventeen Days).
The group kicked off a Spring tour in Panama City Beach, FL. on March 20th, and continue on with promotional stops that include kicking off the Indy Race Car season on March 29th at the Homestead Miami Speedway, and a highly touted upcoming show in association with the NCAA CokeFest on April 6 in San Antonio, CA. 3 Doors Down will film a Coke commercial during their show on the 6th which will air before the NCAA Championship Game on April 7. The band are also lined up to appear at the Gridiron Bash in Tempe, AZ on April 18th. On May 17th Dale Jr. will drive his third 3 Doors Down car in NASCAR’s All Star Race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C.
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