FLAGSTAFF, AZ. (Jars Of Clay Official Website) - Grammy winning, multi-platinum band Jars of Clay continues on the road this
Spring with another leg of their popular and critically-applauded 'Redemption Songs & Stories' tour. This newly announced set of dates follows two highly successful legs in the
Spring and Fall of 2005 traveling in support of their recently Grammy-nominated Redemption Songs CD. In addition, Sara Groves returns as a popular addition from the fall leg, as well as longtime friend of the band, Derek Webb.
This tour, which kicks off February 6th in Flagstaff, Az. will visit 16 cities through all of February, and promises to provide fans and friends of the band with intimate, acoustic performances and the stories behind some of their biggest hits and favorite hymns, as well as previewing several new songs from their forthcoming, still yet untitled new project due in mid 2006. Redemption Songs is a collection of soulful recordings crafted from ancient 18th century hymn texts and spiritual songs. Since debuting at No. 1 on Nielsen SoundScan, it has already produced the No. 1 radio hit 'God Will Lift Up Your Head,' while standing at No 14 on Apple iTunes' Top 100 Albums chart.
Jars of Clay guitarist, Stephen Mason commented, 'Between Derek's wake up call to the church, Sara's artistic vision for how believers can add to the beauty, and our attempt to mine the history of hymns, there's a real special opportunity to connect with the story of the gospel in ways most of us haven't yet. These are all different colors of the same voice, provoking us to live a vibrant, interactive Christian life, calling us from isolation into community.'
'We're finishing up the new record, and with the excitement we have about these new songs, we can't pass up the opportunity to play a few new tunes for the people, before debuting the whole project on the summer festival tour and its release this Fall.'
Since her debut release in 2001, Conversations, Sara Groves has become one of the most critically-acclaimed artists in the Christian music industry, receiving rave reviews across the board for each recording by the likes of Billboard, and consistently topping year-end reader's polls and album of the year nods from the likes of CCM magazine, Christianity Today online and more. Her latest, Add To The Beauty, released October 4, 2005 and is another creative _expression of faith and relationships. This project was recently named 2005's Album of the Year by CCM magazine. Candidly truthful and compassionately hopeful, this new project echoes Sara's first release in its' intimate and honest lyrical journey.
Critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Derek Webb is raising eyebrows and getting people talking with his new CD, Mockingbird, his most controversial project to date. This is his third recording with INO Records and released on December 26th, following his 2003 release She Must And Shall Go Free and 2004's I See Things Upside Down. Writing and singing about concerns of social justice, poverty, war and politics in the folk stylings for which Webb is well known, these new songs are easy on the ears, yet pull at the heart and mind with introspective, yet provocative, lyrics.
Webb plays over 150 shows a year, most recently touring with wife and fellow artist Sandra McCracken and friend John Davis (formerly of Superdrag).
Multi-Platinum and three time GRAMMY Award winning band Jars of Clay launched its career with its hit, 'Flood,' in 1995. Since then, it has amassed more than five million in career sales along with several RIAA certifications (5 Gold, 2 Platinum and 1 Double Platinum) an American Music Award nod, 17 No.1 radio hits, and numerous film credits and BMI honors for songwriting and performing. Most recently, Jars of Clay was invited to participate in the world's most impactful concert event, Live 8, where they performed before a live audience in Philadelphia of more than 1 million people while the event was broadcast to an estimated 3 billion worldwide.
While celebrated for its music and writing, Jars of Clay is most concerned with the needs in Africa. Compelled to make a difference, members Dan Haseltine, Stephen Mason, Matt Odmark and Charlie Lowell founded the Blood:Water Mission in early 2002. The first effort of this non-profit was the '1000 Wells Project' with a goal of raising funds to build, rebuild and repair 1000 wells in urban and rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa. To date, 42 wells have been constructed bringing clean water to more than 34,000 people.
*'Redemption Songs & Stories with Jars of Clay and Friends' Tour Dates:*
/*All dates, cities and venues subject to change without notice/
2/6 - Flagstaff, AZ - Prochnow Auditorium – Northern Arizona University
2/7 - Phoenix, AZ - Celebrity Theatre
2/9 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues
2/10 - Yorba Linda, CA - Friends Church
2/11 – Valencia, CA – The Ice Station
2/12 - Granite Bay, CA - Bayside Church
2/16 - Redding, CA - Redding Convention Center
2/17 - Portland, OR - Sunset Church
2/18 - Redmond, WA - Overlake Christian Church
2/19 - Spokane, WA - Spokane Opera House
2/21 - Billings, MT - Faith Evangelical Church
2/23 - Grand Junction, CO - Grand Junction H.S. Auditorium
2/24 - Fort Collins, CO - Timberline Church
2/25 - Farmington, NM - Farmington Civic Center
2/27 – Joplin, MO – Memorial Auditorium
2/28 - St. Charles, MO - Harvester Christian Church
/* Sara Groves not on 2/6, 10, 11 and 23 dates /
/* Derek Webb not on 2/10 date/
