Billboard, AUGUST 28, 1999 Artists & Music Top Contemporary Christian,.

a' COMPILED FROM A NATIONAL SAMPLE OF RETAIL STORE, MASS MERCHANT, SoundScan® , w = AND INTERNET SALES REPORTS COLLECTED, COMPILED, AND PROVIDED BY HMIII logs of enduring artists on its in -house labels -Ben- '' ° ARTIST TITLE son, Brentwood, Essential, and Reunion Records."

' 'HIGHER S' IMPP'J ',I! ''DISTRIBUTING LABEL Tho ,mmrianv will mina thn avtanaiva ratalnvc fnr future releases. --.mum No. 1 OM0 Wes King, Kim Hill, Al Denson, Michael James, 1 I 9 STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN Billy Sprague, and Michael Card are among the SPARROW 1695 / CHORDAN1 7 weeks at No. 1 (SPEECHLESS) GRO RD. artists who will be featured on the six initial releas- 2 3 9 VARIOUS ARTISTS es from the "Greentree Signature Songs" series. The MARANATHATNTEGRITY 1583/WORD WOW WORSHIP: TODAY'S 30 MOST POWERFUL WORSHIP SONGS by Deborah Evans Price projects will feature liner notes written by the artists 3 2 4 VARIOUS ARTISTS themselves sharing their personal experiences. WORD 9776 WOW -THE 90S: 30 TOP CHRISTIAN SONGS OF THE DECADE The releases will be priced at $9.99 for both CD and will receive $5 off the purchase SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER SPIRIT -LED LAUNCHES: The praise and worship cassette. Customers @: 7 35 launch of yet of any two with an accompanying coupon. To promote SQUINT 7032/WORD ® SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER music juggernaut continues with the another new label devoted to the genre. Spirit -Led the series, radio will receive the complete six -CD 5 4 46 KIRK FRANKLIN GOSPOCENTRICANTERSCOPE90241 /WORD THE NU NATION PROJECT Records, a Nashville -based venture headed by Rod boxed set, and there will be ads placed in retail cata- and Susan Riley (Provident's former corporate P.R. logs. In addition to the contemporary Christian acts 6 47 DC TALK VIRGIN /FOREFRONT 5195/CHORDANT SUPERNATURAL ® chief), will focus on praise and worship music from the featured in the series, future collections will spotlight VARIOUS ARTISTS local church level. The company will debut with an ini- inspirational and Southern gospel artists. 1 5 43 SPARROW 1686/CHORDANT WOW-1999: THE YEAR'S 30 TOP CHRISTIAN ARTISTS AND SONGS tial series of recordings that have harvested worship experiences in churches from Seattle to Indianapolis. CARMAN SELLS CATALOG: Carman has sold his 8 9 3 MXPX ROCK CITY/TOOTH & NAIL 1147 /CHORDANT LIVE AT THE SHOW Spirit-Led's initial product line, Portraits of Praise Some -O -Dat song catalog to Los Angeles -based Music Lehsem 9 8 25 SONICFLOOD GOTEE 2802/CHORDANT ® SONICFLOOD and Worship Live, is slated for an Oct. 5 release. & Media International and its subsidiary There will be two distinct series: "Portraits Of Praise Music for an undisclosed price. The catalog includes ® 13 11 VARIOUS ARTISTS WORD 5782 STREAMS Live," which will deliver upbeat praise music, and approximately 225 copyrights, among them such clas- "Portraits Of Worship Live," with an emphasis on sics as "Lazarus Come Forth," "Serve The Lord," and 11 11 21 AVALON SPARROW 1687/ CHORDANT IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT devotional songs. The first "Portraits Of Worship "The Champion." Live" recording will feature music from the Seattle - Carman's manager, Joe Jones, says they feel confi- 10 9 OUT OF EDEN GOTEE 2806 /CHORDANT IS NO TURNING BACK 12 based Westgate Chapel Choir with Geron and dent that Music & Media's Billy Meshel and his staff a will be able to "broaden the uses" of the copyrights in 13 14 10 DELIRIOUS? FURIOUS ?/SPARROW 1677/ CHORDANT® MEZZAMORPHIS Becky Davis. Volume two in the series will be recording from the Franklin, Tenn. -based New Song the Some -O -Dat catalog. Meshel has an impressive ® 15 18 CAEDMON'S CALL ESSENTIAL 10486/PROVIDENT 40 ACRES Christian Fellowship Choir with Dave Williamson. publishing background, having founded Los Angeles' The debut "Portraits Of Praise Live" will feature the Arista Music Publishing in 1976. He later served as a 17 33 VARIOUS ARTISTS HOSANNA /INTEGRITY 1424/WORD SHOUT TO THE LORD 2000 Indianapolis -based Calvary Temple Choir with president of BMG Music Publishing in L.A. before James White. The second in the series will be by the becoming president /partner of All Nations Music 16 12 5 RAZE FOREFRONT 5210/CHORDANT II POWER Columbus, Ohio -based TurnPoint Church Choir (1988 -97) prior to his current post as president/owner He works with writers 11 18 54 POINT OF GRACE WORD 5444 STEADY ON with Mark Condon. of Music & Media. currently Spirit -Led will be distributed by Provident Music and catalogs that cover a variety of musical genres, 18 20 43 BURLAP TO CASHMERE SQUINT /A&M 5562/WORD pa ANYBODY OUT THERE? Distribution. Brentwood- Benson Publishing, also a among them Petra's Bob Hartman, Even Stevens, subsidiary of Provident Music Group, will co- promote Chris LeDoux, the Smithereens, Rick Hall Music, 19 22 9 GOSPEL GANGSTAZ B -RITE 6582/WORD ® I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW Spirit -Led product via accompanying songbooks, and John and Dino Elefante. musicals, and other vehicles targeted toward the 20 16 4 VARIOUS ARTISTS INTEGRITY 1543/WORD BEST SEATS IN THE HOUSE church. NEWS NOTES: Eric Mullett, director of publicity and has resigned from Musicforce.com 21 19 25 THE SUPERTONES BEC 7415/CHORDANT CHASE THE SUN partnerships, PROVIDENT REACTIVATES GREENTREE: In . Anointed drew a record crowd of more than 4,000 22 23 17 VARIOUS ARTISTS STAR SONG/SPARROW 0230/CHORDANT PASSION BETTER IS ONE DAY other Provident news, the company is reviving the during a recent performance at the Vista Ridge Mall long- dormant Greentree label. "Greentree Signature in Lewisville, Texas. The group was appearing as part 23 24 26 CHRIS RICE ROCKETOWN 5310/WORD PAST THE EDGES Songs" is slated to be the first in a series of more than of the "Brown Bag Concert Series," sponsored by two dozen new releases to be issued before the end of Christian station KLTY Dallas. The trio's perfor- 26 76 JENNIFER KNAPP GOTEE 3832/WORD ® KANSAS ® the year by Provident Music Distribution, which han- mance marks the largest such event held by the sta- "Listen: Louder," the youth -targeted version 25 21 59 NEWSBOYS STAR SONG 0169/CHORDANT STEP UP TO THE MICROPHONE dles catalog development for the Provident system. tion ... The Greentree label originated in the mid -'70s and of Sparrow's "Listen To Our Hearts" series, will be RE THE KATINAS GOTEE 2804/CHORDANT OM KATINAS Featured are cuts by Deliriou5?, ® -ENTRY was home to such seminal artists as Tim Shepherd, released in October. Reba Rambo, the Wall Brothers Band, and Dallas Newsboys, Jennifer Knapp, Audio Adrenaline, VARIOUS ARTISTS © 30 42 Holm. Switchfoot, the Waiting, Chasing Furies, Rebecca 80401 /MADACY SONGS 4 LIFE FEEL THE POWER! TIME LIFE - According to senior VP Don Noes, Provident has St. James, Luna Halo, RAZE, Sarah Masen, and 28 25 13 GAITHER VOCAL BAND SPRING HILL 5475 /CHORDANT GOD IS GOOD "a virtual gold mine in master recordings from cata- Kevin Max with Sonic Flood.

29 21 21 CARMAN SPARROW 1704/CHORDANT PASSION FOR PRAISE VOLUME ONE

LEANN RIMES` 30 31 101 IN THE SPIRIT CURB 77885/CHORDANT YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE - INSPIRATIONAL SONGS (Continued from preceding page) CLAY CROSSE 32 10 "Independents are definitely a been increased sales and increased ed performances from William © I SURRENDER ALL (THE CLAY CROSSE COLLECTION VOL. 1) REUNION 10008/PROVIDENT force to be reckoned with," notes visibility in the marketplace." Becton and Vickie Winans, while 32 28 63 JACI VELASQUEZ MYRRH 7026/WORD JACI VELASQUEZ Bullard. "My prayer is that they The proof appears to be in the also providing the backdrop for the will come together under one pudding for Ward, as initial sales Gospel Announcers Awards Cere- BILL & GLORIA GAITHER AND THEIR HOMECOMING FRIENDS RE -ENTRY umbrella for economic strength on her Sacramento, Calif. -based mony. Verity pulled out all the © KENNEDY CENTER HOMECOMING: A CELEBRATION OF OUR FAITH & HERITAGE SPRING HOUSE 2213/CHORDANT while maintaining their individual- Genesis Choir are in the 25,000- stops for a late -night meet -and- 34 35 13 VARIOUS ARTISTS WORD 6622 SONGS FROM THE BOOK ity." 30,000 range. greet with Hammond, Kee, Virtue, Jackie Ward, who founded her Despite the onslaught of inde- Albertina Walker, Richard BILL & GLORIA GAITHER AND THEIR HOMECOMING FRIENDS © RE -ENTRY Miami -based label, Noah's Ark pendents, the majors made their Smallwood, and Helen Baylor. 2215/CHORDANT SO GLAD! SPRING HOUSE Music, in 1997, agrees. "Gospel is presence felt as well. Malaco Among the newer acts generat- 36 33 84 AVALON SPARROW 1639 /CHORDANT ® A MAZE OF GRACE an "independent- friendly market- kicked off the conference with its ing the most buzz were Ametria place. We're able to thrive by know- annual opening showcase, a musi- (MCA Records), Winans Phase 2 31 38 40 SOUNDTRACK 550 MUSIC/MYRRH 5772/WORD TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL: THE ALBUM ing the marketplace, as well as cal marathon of its award -winning (Myrrh Records), Montrell Dar - strategic planning and partner- roster of acts, including LaShun rett (EMI Gospel), and Atlantic MXPX TOOTH & NAIL 1122/CHORDANT LET IT HAPPEN ® RE -ENTRY ing." Ward partnered with Detroit - Pace, the Georgia Mass Choir, and Christian signee Damita Haddon Missis- (wife of Deitrick Haddon), who 39 39 57 TRIN -I -TEE 5:7 B-RITE 0072/WORD pm TRIN -I -TEE 5:7 based Inner Court Records and the Grammy- nominated San Francisco -based Gospel Soul sippi Mass Choir, whose latest brought the house down with her 40 29 38 FFH ESSENTIAL 10498/PROVIDENT I WANT TO BE LIKE YOU Music to host a luncheon. project, "Emmanuel (God With spirited delivery. "With the same money you can Us)," was released this month and So satisfied were the GMWA Q Records with the greatest sales gains this week. Recording Industry Assn. Of America (RIM) certifi- cation for ne shipment of 500,000 album units (Gold) RIM certification for net shipment of 1 million use to promote one project, you can is expected to be Malaco's biggest execs by the success of the conven- units (Platinum). RIM certification for net shipment of 10 million units (Diamond). Numeral following do three," Ward continues. "We've seller yet. tion that they've broken with tra- Platinum or Diamond symbol indicates album's multi -platinum level. For boxed sets, and double albums with a running time of 100 minutes or more, the RIM multiplies shipments by the number of discs and/or tapes. partnered on a whole lot more than CGI Records wowed announcers dition, planning next year's meet All albums available on cassette and CD. *Asterisk indicates vinyl available. =indicates past or present Heat- the workshop, and the results have with a lavish luncheon that includ- for New Orleans as well. seeker title. © 1999, Billboard/BPI Communications. 42 www.billboard.com BILLBOARD AUGUST 28.1999 www.americanradiohistory.com