NASHVILLE, TN…..8/16/07….TobyMac’s latest masterpiece, PORTABLE SOUNDS, is continuing to break records for this award-winning artist, now having over 100 Christian radio stations playing his smash hit singles “I’m For You” (50 AC stations) and “Made to Love”, (53 AC stations) which is currently No. 1 on R&R chart CHR chart as well. Reaching such a career milestone for an artist whose songs have primarily spent airtime in the CHR and ROCK world is sure to propel his just-announced fall 2007 tour. In addition, TobyMac recently discussed an issue close to his heart, racial reconciliation, with The Washington Times (see attached).
In follow-up to his successful spring tour, “The Portable Sounds Fall Tour“ with special guests Barlow Girl and Thousand Foot Krutch is set to kick off September 20th in Mobile, Alabama and stop in about 28 cities through November 11th (*see current tour dates below). In addition, TobyMac Christian Rock radio hit “Boomin’” will be featured in one of the trailers for the film “Underdog”, in theatres now, while “feelin so fly” is featured in the new Disney film “Gameplan”, staring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (Sept. 28).
BarlowGirl has solidified their rock stature in the Christian and mainstream music scene with their 2004 self-titled debut and follow-up 2005 project, Another Journal Entry. The success of these two albums resulted in sales of over 500,000, four #1 hits, nine Dove Award nominations and the mega-hit, “I Need You To Love Me,” became the longest #1 single in Christian Radio Weekly’s CHR chart history at a record 13 weeks. BarlowGirl has been featured on NBC News/Today show, Associated Press, Sophisticates Hairstyle magazine, winner of Yahoo! Music’s “Who’s Next” series and recently was named the 2007 Youth Ambassador for the National Day of Prayer. BarlowGirl is supporting their third album and July 24 release, How Can We Be Silent, while on tour this fall.
Thousand Foot Krutch returns with their most prolific and inspiring release to date, “The Flame in All of Us,” which hits stores September 18th (Tooth & Nail Records). This record is a perfect blend of the band’s patented rawk sounds, coupled with beautiful ballads that explore what truly burns inside of us and the common core amongst humanity, depicting the title “The Flame in All of Us.” The Toronto, Canada natives have sold more than 450,000 copies to date of their albums Set It Off, Phenomenon, and The Art Of Breaking. Thousand Foot Krutch broke out with their 2003 Phenomenon album, which landed them an impressive six No. 1 songs on rock radio and even a step into the mainstream with songs “Rawkfist” and “Move.” It was “Rawkfist” that became the first great sports anthem of the 21st century being heard everywhere from sports stadiums to commercials (NHL, NFL and major league baseball, ESPN) to the WB’s Smallville.
“Portable Sounds” debuted on the Billboard Top 200 chart at No. 10 and No. 1 on SoundScan Contemporary Christian Overall chart, marking this his highest solo career debut selling 50,645 units. Ringing true to the title and TobyMac’s intent on making this project “portable” for the masses, 14 % of street week numbers were from digital sales landing at No. 4 on the Billboard Digital Sales chart. Also during street week, “Portable Sounds” broke into the Top 10 overall albums on iTunes. Prior to street week, TobyMac’s retail single “Made to Love” debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Singles chart and remains in the Top 5. This single also topped the SoundScan Christian Digital Track chart.
TobyMac released his solo debut (Momentum 2001) followed by the critically acclaimed Welcome to Diverse City (2004), which both releases received GRAMMY nominations, and most recently both were awarded RIAA Gold Certification last month. TobyMac is a founding member of the GRAMMY Award winning and best-selling group (over 8 million albums sold) in Christian music, dc talk. He is the founder of Gotee Records and co-founder of the E.R.A.C.E. Foundation (Eliminating Racism and Creating Equality) in Franklin, TN. Recently TobyMac was honored with the “Artist of the Year” nomination for the 38th Annual GMA Dove Awards, which will be held on April 25, 2007.
www.tobymac.com
###
THE PORTABLE SOUNDS TOUR
(*all dates subject to change)
09.20.07 Mobile, AL Cottage Hill Baptist Church
09.22.07 Charlotte, NC Carrowinds Theme Park
09.23.07 Johnson City, TN Freedom Hall Civic Center
09.27.07 Knoxville, TN Coliseum
09.28.07 St. Louis, MO Church on the Rock
09.29.07 Huntsville, AL Big Spring Jam
09.30.07 Frisco, TX Pizza Hut Park
10.03.07 Cullman, AL Fairgrounds
10.05.07 Chattanooga, TN Chattanooga Memorial Auditorium
10.06.07 Cincinnati, OH Landmark Church
10.07.07 Columbus, OH Grove City Church of the Nazarene
10.11.07 Worcester, MA Palladium
10.12.07 Portland, ME Portland Expo Center
10.13.07 E. Rutherford, NJ Continental Airlines Arena
10.18.07 Ft. Wayne, IN Grand Wayne Convention Center
10.19.07 E. Lansing, MI MSU Auditorium
10.21.07 Des Moines, IA Val-Air Ballroom
10.25.07 Milwaukee, WI Oak Creek Assembly
11.01.07 Little Rock, AR Church at Rock Creek
11.02.07 Wichita, KS Central Christian Church
11.03.07 Dodge City, KS Dodge City Civic Center
11.04.07 Oklahoma City, OK Bethany First Church of the Nazarene
11.09.07 Tulsa, OK Victory Christian Center
11.10.07 Houston, TX Berry Center
11.11.07 Hattiesburg, MS Forrest County Multi Purpose Center