Recently in Christian music events Category

The Save The GMA fundraiser took place on Monday night, and it looks like the event might have gone a long way towards helping to keep the Gospel Music Association on its feet.

According to the press release, the event - which drew 350 people at $1,000 a ticket plus more than 10,000 online viewers - raised more than $350,000.

Billed at the "Concert of the Decade" the Save The GMA fundraiser featured performances from Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Casting Crowns, MercyMe, Kirk Franklin, Point of Grace, Jason Crabb, Martha Munizzi, the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Natalie Grant, Bernie Herms and the Booth Brothers. Brown Bannister, five-time Dove Award-winning Producer of the Year, produced the concert.

The Gospel Music Association is holding a "Save The GMA" fundraiser on October 12 to raise funds for GMA to ... well, basically, keep functioning.

The GMA is the umbrella organization for the gospel and Christian music industry. GMA promotes Christian music; holds events like The Dove Awards, Immerse (formerly GMA in the Rockies) and the annual Gospel Music Week; and supportes the industry by doing things like advocating "with members of Congress and other governmental agencies on issues like digital rights, music piracy, and other concerns affecting GMA members."

The problem is that GMA membership is declining, the industry is branching off as it tries to define itself in a changing music environment, and GMA is struggling to stay afloat.

The fundraiser, billed as the "Concert of the Decade," is a $1,000 a ticket concert featuring Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Casting Crowns, MercyMe, Natalie Grant, Kirk Franklin, Point of Grace, Fisk Jubilee Singers and The Booth Brothers. But GMA has teamed up with HearItFirst.com to offer fans the chance to stream the concert live for free.

Natalie Grant and American Idol's Melinda Doolittle are just two of the artists joining The Katinas for a benefit concert to help the tsunami ravaged islands of Samoa and American Samoa.

The Katinas, who were born and raised on American Samoa, said in a letter to family and friends:

"Our Dad, 4 sisters, brother and 2 nephews that live there are okay. However, some of our friends and close family members are still missing. We have confirmed news that on of our cousins from the village of Leone (our Mother's birthplace and place where our Dad pastors) died yesterday in the aftermath of the tsunami."

The brothers had already been planning their third mission trip to the island in November, and now have also organized a benefit concert to assist with immediate and long term needs on the island.

The concert will take place:

This just in: Hillsong United hits movie theaters across the U.S. in November with the event, "Hillsong United: We're All In This Together." The event happens Wednesday, November 4th at 7:30 p.m. EST / 6:30 p.m. CST / 5:30 p.m. MST and 8:00 p.m. PST.

The event will feature a live introduction by lead singer Joel Houston, followed by a performance from Hillsong United pre-recorded in Sydney the previous night at their home church, and will conclude with the debut of their cause-based documentary "The I Heart Revolution: We're All In This Together."

According to the press release, "The I Heart Revolution: We're All in This Together" documentary is the second of the three-part "The I Heart Revolution" project - a movement of people helping people.

The Sean Hannity Freedom Concerts are wrapping up this month, with shows August 15 in Jackson, NJ; August 21 in Cincinnati, OH; and August 22 in Atlanta, GA. The line up for the concerts has included CCM legend Michael W. Smith, Billy Ray Cyrus, Charlie Daniels, Lee Greenwood and Col. Oliver North. I don't know if tickets are still available for those shows, but you can find out in the Freedom Concert ticket sale website. Just click the city you want to check out and you'll get all the info.

Since I wasn't able to attend any of the concerts, I thought I'd share some comments from readers who were:

Denise writes:

My husband and I were at the concert in Glendale AZ on 8/9/2009 and we were both so touched by the performances. We loved Michael W Smiths music and were especially moved by his song She Stands along with the video played along with it. We enjoyed the entire show and would love to buy a dvd of the show someday. Hopefully they decide to put one together to raise even more money for families of our fallen heroes!

Another reader wrote:

I purchased Golden Package for August 8th concert and we had a blast. We were so moved by families of fallen heroes and folks around us. You have to be there and feel the atmosphere around you, everyone is like one big family. I am very proud to be an American, especially now when it is not popular.

Sean Hannity and Oliver North are Great Americans. The program they created to help families of our fallen heroes goes beyond good... and for people who are still talking trash like Jake and Daisy, I will say this... you are lucky you do not know what its mean to live in the country like Russia (I was born there and lived half of my life there), where you can disappear without a trace if you start saying things against the government, so shut up and enjoy the freedom here until it will be taken off by your buddy "O".

SARG, thank you for your services to this Great country and God Bless you all.

Were you able to attend one of the Hannity Freedom Concerts? If so, tell us about it!

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