Photo by Pixel Peach

GMA week, held each April in Nashville, is a place to meet up with old friends, and meet some new ones. This year we decided to bring out our two-part New Artist Feature again. We met Article One who sat down for a few minutes between time in the studio and playing at an evening showcase.

Article One traversed across Canada for a couple of years. Soon they caught the ear of Inpop Records who released their sophomore album Colors and Sounds on May 27th, after their debut release in 2007. Hailing from Canada, the four guys that make up the band recently experienced a good part of the US by touring with the Newsboys this Spring.

Join with us as we got to know the band a bit better!

As odd as it might seem for a pop/rock artist with such a formidable singing voice, Dave Pettigrew didn't spend his teen years before a full-length mirror learning to emulate powerhouse vocalists like Robert Plant, Luther Vandross or even Steve Perry. On the contrary, it was at the tender young age of five that Pettigrew's unlikely musical education began in earnest as he stationed himself in front of the family TV each week to catch a glimpse of Lennie Baker playing saxophone for doo wop revivalists Sha Na Na on the group's musically-based late `70s sitcom. Sufficiently impressed, he not only took up the instrument but continued playing it all the way up to the time of his entrance into the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. In fact, it wasn't until after he'd already been accepted to Berklee that Pettigrew first discovered, and subsequently decided to hone, his latent vocal talent.

Earlier this year, Delirious? frontman Martin Smith gathered 12 of his singer/songwriter friends to pen a dozen or so songs for Compassionart, a charity that seeks to use music to generate income for the world's poorest citizens. Altogether, 22 songs were written, the first just released April 8 on Wow Hits 1. Some notable artists involved on the project included Michael W. Smith, Chris Tomlin, and Steven Curtis Chapman as well as fellow Delirious? band member Stu Garrard.

It’s hard to believe that a quarter century has passed since Geoff Moore first decided to leave the secure confines of a steady-paying job at the family-owned foundry (Moore Iron Works in Michigan, for the curious), pack up his worldly belongings and head south to Tennessee to carve out a niche in the then still nascent Christian rock music scene. Difficult though it may be, it was indeed 1983 when a newly-married, 22-year-old Moore stepped into a Nashville studio to put together his first demo recording under the watchful eye of Whiteheart guitarist and songwriter, Billy Smiley. And the rest – sixteen albums, nine Number 1 singles, thousands of concert appearances and a house full of kids – is, as they say, history.

RadioU reports that The Rocket Summer is among those appearing on the cover of Alternative Press magazine's April issue. TRS is included in AP's annual "100 Bands You Need to Know..." feature, along with fellow cover boys The Matches, Sonny and pop/punk outfit All Time Low.

The magazine's official website offers little insight into its profile of sole TRS member Bryce Avary, save for this teaser: "... Avary has no problem helping your grandma cross the interstate, but he'd rather steer clear of anything that keeps him away from music - whether it's his or anyone else's."

Not exactly Cloverfield-esque, we admit, but Avary is definitely an interesting cat. Chances are at least one iR staffer will be reading the article.

CCM magazine, perhaps the longest-standing authority on contemporary Christian music, will be moving exclusively to the Web following the release of its April issue. Salem Communications, owner of the magazine and a host of other print, online and broadcast media outlets, made the announcement last week.

In a press release posted on CMSpin.com, Salem President of non-print media Jim Cumbee said CCM readers have told the company they "want more information and want it faster than can be delivered in a monthly printed magazine.

"Accordingly, we will discontinue the printed version of CCM Magazine to put increased energies toward the continued growth and enhancement of our comprehensive Christian music and entertainment online network," he said.

On the eve of the 38th annual Dove Awards ceremony, to be held in Nashville on April 25th, we thought it was about time to give you the answers to our little quiz from last year. We are not attending the festivities this year, yet we are already planning a big bang for next year.

After you check out the answers to the quiz, please look here for more information on this years awards.

RadioU reports that The Rocket Summer (a.k.a. Bryce Avary) is finishing up its first album for Island Records. Titled Do You Feel and set to be released this June, the album has been recorded in a number of different studios-a departure from the last TRS record, which Avary says was recorded entirely in a producer's kitchen.

Submitted by April Hefner of Rocketown Records

1. Watermark - A Grateful People

Watermark's Christy Nockels could sing the phone book, and I'd still pay money for admission. Combine her talented vocals with her husband Nathan's crisp production and harmonies, and it's the perfect combination. With A Grateful People, the duo gathered friends and family for a night of worship music in their home church, inviting folks like Chris Tomlin Charlie Hall, Point of Grace, Shane & Shane, and others to join them on stage. The result is breathtaking music that directs the listener's attention to the source of our praise.

It is a very happy new year for the Gospel Music Association. According to their latest press release, album sales rose in 2006, albeit slightly. John W. Styll, President and CEO of GMA, has a theory for the increase in sales: "There may be many reasons why this is true, but I think chief among them is that people seem to be drawn to the inspiring and compassionate message of Gospel music amid uncertain times."

In 2005, Gospel Music sold 43.5 million units (CDs, cassettes, etc). 44.9 units sold in 2006, an increase of 3.4%. Overall music sales were up 1.5% in 2006.