NASHVILLE, Tenn. (12-22-08) Mike & Kelly Bowling have claimed the 2008 Song of the Year according to the January issue of the Singing News Magazine with "Your Cries Have Awoken The Master."
The single topped the charts in August of this year and was written by Sonya Isaacs and Becky Isaacs Bowman. The Singing News Song of the Year is selected according to a point system assigned to radio singles for their duration on the National Radio Chart throughout the year. The Song of the Year announcement came at the one year anniversary of Mike & Kelly Bowling's first number one song written by Carroll McGruder, "We Have A Saviour." Their current single, "A Miracle Today" is currently on the charts in the Top 10. All three singles are included on Mike & Kelly Bowling's debut Canaan Records release Faith To Believe. Word Entertainment distributes the new project to stores worldwide and was released on August 12th.
"Kelly, Jeff and I are grateful for this wonderful honor. From Becky and Sonya writing the song, to Canaan Records including it on our debut record, to the Rick Hendrix Company promoting the single, to radio DJs playing it for the world to hear, to the Harper Agency booking us at concerts to sing, we are thankful to everyone who played a part in this achievement. We sing 'Your Cries Have Awoken The Master' every night on the road and every night we hear a new testimony. It is touching lives and that is what it is all about. We pray it continues to for many, many years," commented Mike Bowling.
Complete Canaan Tracks Available From Latest Canaan Releases
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (12-10-08) Canaan Records announced recently that complete Canaan Tracks are now available for Kim Hopper's I Just Wanted You To Know, Mike & Kelly Bowling's Faith To Believe and The Mike LeFevre Quartet's Nothin' But Good. The complete soundtracks include every song with lyrics from the original Canaan release and singers have the option of singing with or without background vocals on key songs.
The performance tracks are being released to bookstores on January 27th, but can be purchased at a special online price TODAY by visiting www.canaanrecords.com/store.html. Also, Canaan Records is offering a free Christmas gift to customers of the Canaan Records' store from November 1, 2008 until December 31, 2008. Fans can purchase album releases or complete Canaan Tracks from the Hoppers, Mike & Kelly Bowling, the Mike LeFevre Quartet and Kim Hopper or Canaan's two-disc retrospective, Canaan Revisited, to receive their free gift. Personally autographed Canaan Christmas ornaments from the Hoppers, Mike & Kelly Bowling and the Mike LeFevre Quartet will be sent free of charge to fans who purchase a combination of two or more of these Canaan Records projects on the website.
On December 2nd, Canaan Records released their first Canaan & Friends Christmas Podcast from a series of digitally recorded interviews and songs celebrating A Classic Canaan Christmas. A different Podcast is posted each week in December, which includes song clips from A Classic Canaan Christmas, as well as Christmas memories and interviews with Jan-Buckner Goff, Ernie Haase, Kelly Nelon-Clark and more! All four Podcasts are hosted by Les Butler of the Singing News Magazine and can be heard and subscribed to at www.canaanrecords.com. Listeners can also find out how to win two free tickets to the SGMA Hall of Fame and Dollywood by listening to the podcast or logging on to Canaan's website by December 31st. Radio DJs and media outlets may obtain all four Canaan & Friends Christmas Podcasts, to post on their own website, by signing up at the radio page. Each Podcast will be sent through a special MPE e-mail after approval.
Fans can become a Facebook Friend of Canaan and not only receive exclusive updates on release schedules, but audio clips, pictures and more from your favorite Canaan artists as well. Coming Soon titles and a complete release schedule of upcoming old classics from Canaan Records can also be accessed from Canaan's vault page and Canaan's Facebook page. Mike & Kelly Bowling, the Mike LeFevre Quartet and the Hoppers also have their own Facebook pages with specific information about their groups. All pages can be accessed through Canaan's page by following this link: www.facebook.com/pages/Canaan-Records/25884114199.
Christmas Canaan Store Special!
From now through Dec. 31, in the Canaan
Records Official Store, you can get the limited edition, commemorative NQC
2008 Canaan Records Christmas ornament, each individually autographed by Canaan
Records artists! The ornaments are free with the purchase of any two CDs and/or
DVDs.
Canaan Celebrates Christmas With A Classic Canaan Vault Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (9-29-08) On September 16, 2008,
the Canaan Records vault was officially opened
with the release of A Classic Canaan Christmas. This previously released LP features
classic Christmas tunes recorded by Southern Gospel greats such as The Rex Nelon
Singers, The Florida Boys, The Lewis Family, The Happy Goodmans, The Inspirations
and others.
A Classic Canaan Christmas can be purchased through iTunes. Access to purchase and view A
Classic Canaan Christmas through iTunes can be found by logging on to www.canaanrecords.com/vault. Coming Soon titles and a complete release schedule of upcoming old classics from Canaan Records can also be accessed from Canaan’s vault page, as well as additional iTunes assistance.
During the National Quartet Convention in Louisville, KY, Canaan Records adorned their booth with Christmas decorations and invited fans to participate in a trivia quiz by naming artists featured on A
Classic Canaan Christmas. Although ineligible to win, Les Butler of Singing News Magazine was the only individual to get all ten artists correctly matched to their Christmas song. A special grand prize drawing took place where Gregg Smith of Palestine, IN was awarded a Crosley 4-in-1 Turntable system from Canaan. Limited Edition Canaan Christmas ornaments were given to DJs and registrants during the week. Each ornament was signed by members of the Hoppers, Mike & Kelly Bowling and the Mike LeFevre Quartet. These same ornaments will be featured in a store special on Canaan’s website starting November 2008. Pictures from the entire week of NQC are posted on Canaan
Record’s Facebook page. Fans can become a Facebook Friend of Canaan and receive exclusive updates on release schedules, as well as audio clips, pictures and more from your favorite Canaan artists. Mike & Kelly Bowling, the Mike LeFevre Quartet and the Hoppers also have their own Facebook pages with specific information about their groups.
Hoppers Named Mixed Group of the Year
LOUISVILLE, KY (9-18-08) Canaan Record’s recording
artist, the Hoppers, were named by the readers of the Singing News Magazine as
their Favorite Mixed Group at the 2008 Singing News Fan Awards held during the
National Quartet Convention in Louisville, KY on Saturday.
During the ceremony, Kim Hopper was also honored with Favorite Female Singer and Favorite Soprano. Kim was given the awards on the heels of her brand new solo project, I Just Wanted You To Know, released by Canaan Records and Word Entertainment August 12th. The Hoppers also performed numerous times during the week and Kim made her debut solo performance on the NQC main stage Wednesday night. Hopper fans once again showed their support by awarding the group with standing ovations. The Hoppers showcased their family harmony and amazing songs throughout the week, including new selections from their North America Live project and their current radio single, “The Dove.”
Just before NQC 2008, Canaan Records released two additional new projects to stores worldwide. Nothin’ But Good from The Mike LeFevre Quartet and Faith To Believe from Mike & Kelly Bowling all released in bookstores, mainstream retail outlets and online. They are both distributed by Word Entertainment.
Mike & Kelly Bowling Celebrate Number One Songs
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (8-19-08) Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee was filled with the unmistakable sound of Mike & Kelly Bowling Thursday, August 14th as friends, family and industry members joined together at the Warner Bros. building to celebrate the trio’s two number one songs, “We Have A Saviour” and “Your Cries Have Awoken The Master.”
Mike & Kelly Bowling earned their second consecutive #1 on the Singing News National Radio chart in August 2008 with “Your Cries Have Awoken The Master,” which was written by Sonya Isaacs and Becky Isaacs Bowman. The latest number one was the follow-up to the group’s hit song written by Carroll McGruder “We Have A Saviour,” which claimed the number one spot in December of 2007. Both singles are included on Mike & Kelly Bowling’s debut Canaan Records release Faith To Believe. Word Entertainment distributes the brand new project to stores worldwide and was released on August 12th. “A Miracle Today” is currently playing on radio from the trio.
Although formed a little over a year ago, Mike & Kelly Bowling are no strangers to the Christian music world having a long list of accomplishments during their vocal careers. While Mike began singing and playing piano at a very young age, he had a very impressive beginning to his professional career at only 16 years old when he embarked on a two year span singing with the legendary LeFevres. Mike then went on to earn a degree in Respiratory Therapy before returning to the music world. In 1995, he joined the New Hinsons, a perfect blend considering Mike’s vocals are very distinctively similar to those of the late Kenny Hinson. After lending his vocal abilities to several of their high-charting songs, Mike went on to join another successful family group, the Perrys. While with the Perrys, Mike was featured on songs such as "God Sent Angels," “By Faith I Can Touch Him Now" and “Not Even A Stone." After Mike’s marriage to Kelly, he spent the next six years traveling as a soloist garnering a tremendous amount of success. In fact, he has been noted as the first Southern Gospel soloist to achieve three consecutive number one songs on the Singing News Top 80 charts (“Thank God For The Preacher,” “The Call” and “I Take Him Back”). Kelly spent more than 15 years with her family, The Crabb Family. During that time they were the recipients of three GRAMMY nominations, 11 Dove Awards, 16 number one songs and numerous other accomplishments. Kelly’s unmistakable voice can be heard on the family's hits "Don't You Wanna Go," "Good Day," "Jesus Will Do What You Can't" and "Trail Of Tears." After the birth of the Bowling's third child, Kelly realized it was time to join her husband on stage as Mike & Kelly Bowling. In October 2006, Mike & Kelly added Jeff Snyder of Owensboro, KY. Jeff brings an incredible tenor voice to this exciting trio. He is a graduate of Kentucky BibleCollege with a degree in Theology and Music. Together, Mike and Kelly have created a sound that is as refreshing as the trio sounds of the early 70s. History will note that they have been true to the excellence of their ability without diminishing or distancing the listener. They have appeared on the Gaither Homecoming series concerts and videos, TBN, during Gospel Music Week, at GMA’s Seminar in the Rockies, presented during Gospel Music’s Dove Awards and performed at numerous other major events.
