For Immediate Release Media Contact: Steve Kappler or Marjorie Beenders
May 15, 2008 Phone: 573-636-8282 « Email: info@tbwgroup.net
Crossover Christian Music Festival Celebrates
10th Year at Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks
Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. –Some of the nation’s top Christian contemporary and rock recording artists, plus several rising stars, will perform at the 10th annual Crossover Christian Music Festival, June 12-14, at Central Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks. One of mid-America’s largest Christian music events, the Crossover festival is expected to attract 10,000 music fans to the Stoneridge Amphitheater in Camdenton.
New this year, the three-day worship experience will offer both the main stage and a side stage featuring up-and-coming acts, as well as food concessions, merchandise vendors, and opportunities to meet the performers. In addition, Crossover will participate in Essential Records’ National Talent Search on the new Alternative Stage. Admission is free for the shows on the alternative stage from 9:00 a.m. to about 3:00 p.m.
The spirit will fill the air starting at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, as Spirit FM 91.7 sponsors Praise & Worship Night, with free parking and admission. The headliner will be John Waller, currently touring with Casting Crowns, one of the top three groups in Christian contemporary music. Also appearing will be Mission 5:16, the Allen Lorton Band, Christy McDermott-Pond and the Open Bible Praise Center Worship Team.
The music will pick up again Friday at noon on the new alternative stage with performances by Chicago vocalist Brooke Barrettsmith, whose self-titled debut album on the Essential label will be released in August. That evening the impressive lineup includes the Christian rock group Skillet, who has been nominated for two Grammy awards, for “Collide” in 2005 and for its current release, “Comatose,” which recently won a Gospel Music Association Dove Award for Rock Recorded Song of the Year. Alan Sullivan, festival manager, recalls, “In 1999 Skillet pulled up to our first Crossover festival in a rusty old van. This year they’ll arrive in a big tour bus. They put on a great show.”
Also on Friday night, Remedy Drive, three brothers from Lincoln, Neb., will perform songs from their newest CD, “Rip Open The Skies,” and BarlowGirl, three sisters from Elgin, Ill., will sing highlights from their current chart-climber, “How Can We Be Silent.” Building 429, a three-man group from Fayetteville, N.C., named 2005 GMA New Artist of the Year, will promote their new album, “Iris to Iris.” And the Juno, Dove and Covenant award-winning Canadian group, Downhere, will feature its third CD, “Wide-Eyed and Mystified.”
On Saturday the side stage will spotlight two groups which have had songs on the Christian music charts. Wavorly is a Tupelo, Miss., group whose debut album, “Conquering the Fear of Flight,” will be released by Flicker Records in June. Also on the side stage will be Dallas-based Addison Road, who recently released a self-titled album on the INO label.
Saturday evening, fans will look forward to the return of the popular Jeremy Camp to Crossover, singing hits from his latest CD, “Beyond Measure.” His recent single, “Open Up Your Eyes” was included in the soundtrack for the movie “Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” Camp has received three gold records. In 2004 he was named GMA new artist of the year, and in 2005 he was named best male vocalist of the year and his single, “Stay,” was named Rock Recorded Song of the Year.
Another highlight Saturday night will be former Lonestar lead singer Richie McDonald, who left the group to pursue a solo career in Christian music. “Richie was the voice of Lonestar, a great country group,” Sullivan says. “He has a new single out and his new CD will be released just before Crossover. He’s doing a 45-minute set so we urge all country music fans to come out and see this great talent.”
Crossover favorites, 33 Miles, will be back. “They’re a kind of Rascal Flats-type group,” Sullivan says. “They played last year in the early afternoon and we’re very excited to give them more stage time this year.” In addition, the Christian rapper and Dove award winner KJ-52 will perform his Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year, “Never Look Away,” among others. Also on stage Saturday night will be This Beautiful Republic promoting their new Forefront Records CD, “Even Heroes Need A Parachute;” House of Thomas, whose CD “Without A Doubt” will be released on the Fidelity Entertainment Group label on Aug. 1; and Australian rockers JaeL.
After each concert, fans can stop by the vendor pavilion to meet their favorite performers, get autographs and purchase CDs and merchandise. Booths offering T-shirts, CDs, jewelry, gift items, Bibles, books and more also will be open for business throughout the festival.
In addition, Crossover will be one of 14 festivals around the United States participating in Essential Records’ National Talent Search. One winner selected from each venue will compete in Nashville for the ultimate prize: a recording contract. “Everyone who participates will have the opportunity to perform in front of representatives from the record label,” Sullivan says. “You can enter the competition as a band or you can sing with a track. There are a lot of talented people around the Lake and mid-Missouri and we hope a lot of them will come perform.” For complete information, click on Talent Search on the Crossover web site, www.crossoverfestival.org.
Festival sponsors will include presenting sponsor Heartland Creamery, Spirit FM, Lake Sun Publications, 101.9 FM The Wave, Horizon Broadcast Network, Essential Records, God Tube, 107.9 The Coyote, and Lake of the Ozarks CVB/Tri-County Lodging Association.
Until June 11, Tickets will be $25 for Friday or Saturday, or $30 each night at the gate. A two-day pass will cost $45. Children age 5 and under will be admitted free, and ages 6-11 are half-price. Veterans and active-duty military with an ID, and their families, will be half price. In addition, groups of 15 or more will receive special discount tickets; call the Crossover ticket office, 800-393-2393, or visit the Crossover web site for details. Tickets may be purchased online. Event parking will be $5 on Friday and Saturday.
“We will have non-stop music going from 9:00 in the morning until10:30 at night both Friday and Saturday, and the vendor tent will be open, too,” Sullivan says. “We invite everyone to come spend the whole day with us, because although Crossover is a spiritual event that brings together people of all denominations, it’s also a great opportunity for people to come to the Lake of the Ozarks and enjoy everything the Lake area has to offer.”
For more information on the Crossover Christian Music Festival, visit www.crossoverfestival.org or call 800-901-6977. And for complete information about Lake-area lodging, dining, shopping and attractions, call 800-FUN-LAKE (386-5253) or visit the Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau’s web site, www.funlake.com.
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