Casting Crowns Tour

Casting Crowns turns its focus on families in new album and tour coming to The ...

But a funny thing has happened in recent years, DeVevo said, a revelation surfacing as they helped young people work their way through an increasingly tangled world.

“We have a parent gathering at our church — not the snappiest title — and as we talked about what students were going through, we found out that everybody’s dealing with these same issues.

“Like Mark said, the parents are like teenagers with bigger bills to pay.”

The result is a new album, set for release Oct. 18, that speaks out to families, DeVevo said, and a tour that comes Tuesday, Aug. 2, to The Dow Event Center in Saginaw. But in the process of recording “Come to the Well,” he said, “we have something that’s a lot more like our first album, lyrically speaking.

“It’s real fantastic; everyone should buy one,” he added, laughing. For a sneak peek, go to youtube.com for the video to its first single, “Courageous.”

Casting Crowns, which also includes Megan Garrett, Chris Huffman and Brian Scoggin, who replaced Andy Williams when he decided to focus on his ministries, has forged an impressive path since Sawyer Brown front man Mark Miller heard one of its early independent releases and brought it to the world’s attention.

The self-titled release in 2003 quickly raced up the charts, and set a pace that brought hits like “Voice of Truth,” “East to West” and “Slow Fade,” to name a few; a Grammy Award and several Dove Awards, including Artist of the Year in 2010.

But from a youth pastor’s perspective, DeVevo said, “we’ve found out that life isn’t so good at home for many of them. It’s not all mom and dad’s fault, but there seems to be a lack of communication, a wall going up as everyone is more focused on protecting their individual rights than sacrificing for the long-term good of everyone.”

The world is changing, too, he said. Where teens could once count on home as a sanctuary from the bullying and stress of normal life, the Internet and text messages now allow the drama to follow them there.

Casting Crowns To Release "Come To The Well" Oct. 18 - Urban ...

"Teaching through the story of the woman at the well with my teenagers and my families is where it all came from," says Hall. "Your friends aren't the well. They aren't always going to do the right thing or be there for you. Your athletic scholarship can't be the well. If your knee goes out, your well is dry. You need to draw from Jesus, pour into that. That is where it started... with the idea of Jesus being the well versus other things." Come To The Well is filled with songs that both challenge and encourage believers in their walk. Kick-off single "Courageous" contains a powerful lyric that exhorts men to lead bold, uncompromising lives for the Lord, while "Jesus, Friend of Sinners" admonishes the church to show compassion. "Already There" is a potent treatise on God's faithfulness and "My Own Worst Enemy" cautions Christians about falling back into past behavior. Hall collaborated on several of the tracks with top songwriters including Steven Curtis Chapman, Matthew West and award-winning country songwriter Tom Douglas. While the record will be introduced to fans through the radio single, "Courageous," -- vying for adds at Christian AC and CHR beginning Aug. 12 -- "Courageous" will also be showcased in the upcoming Sherwood Pictures film Courageous (in theaters Sept. 30). The "Courageous" music video recently premiered on GodTube and received more than 100,000 views within the first 24 hours of its premiere. "Courageous" continues to air on national video outlets including Gospel Music Channel. In addition to supporting "Courageous" with a 40-station radio promotional tour, Casting Crowns will debut the song live on the road this fall. The 40-city "Come To The Well" tour launches Sept. 22 in El Paso, Texas and will feature premier modern rock bands Sanctus Real and The Afters as well as Christian music newcomer Lindsay McCaul. For a complete list of tour dates, visit: www.castingcrowns.com/tour. Casting Crowns heads into this latest season backed by the momentum of its first RIAA certified Gold single, "Who Am I," from the group's 2003 self-titled debut. The song, selling more than 500,000 copies, is one of only 12 Christian tracks ever to secure Gold status. The title is included among those by fellow Provident Label Group artists Brandon Heath and Bob Carlisle, as well as other top performers MercyMe, Skillet, Relient K, Switchfoot and Chris Tomlin.

Billboard

Billboard

Billboard

Casting Crowns Songs, Voice of Truth, East to West, Until the Whole World Hears, American Dream, Who Am I, If We Are the Body, Lifesong

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