by Logan Butts | Oct 29, 2013 | News Slider
For the first time in its six year history, the Lipscomb-based variety show Tokens is being broadcast weekly. The show can be heard on world famous country station WSM 650 AM on Sundays from 6-7 p.m. The broadcasts are currently pre-recorded from earlier episodes. These broadcasts will continue until the first live show of the fall on Nov. 24, followed by two holiday specials on Thanksgiving night and Christmas night, concluding the weekly broadcasts. For those unfamiliar with Tokens, the shows feature a variety of acts across various fields to provide a night of music and comedy that even touches on social issues. The show was created by Lipscomb’s own Dr. Lee C. Camp, a Bible professor on campus. To Camp, the mix of talented acts performing together, especially during the holiday specials at the Ryman Auditorium, provides for unique atmosphere for the audience. “The Ryman is just a magical place,” Camp said. “That show itself is always very, very special because of the kind of show we’re doing there. When you’re able to weave together theology and really good music and roots/Americana music, all of that is what the Ryman Auditorium has always been about. So that night is always very special at the Ryman, and it has an almost magical feel about it. And I’m always delighted to have people come and enjoy and participate in it.” Tokens has been able to bring in many big names and talented artists over the years, including Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Keb’ Mo’, Hal Holbrook and many others. This luxury came about thanks to the musical connections made by the...
by Logan Butts | Oct 15, 2013 | Opinion
At most music-related awards shows, Artist of the Year is generally one of the biggest awards given out. The Dove Awards are no exception. Each year, the Dove Awards committee nominates the five artists who they believe were the most successful in the past 12 months for Artist of the Year, and this year’s nominees are one of the strongest groups ever. Chris Tomlin: One of the most successful Christian artists of all time, Tomlin received his seventh Artist of the Year nomination. For someone who has been nominated for a staggering 32 Dove Awards, and six Grammys as well, nominations no longer come as a surprise. Tomlin, known for famous worship songs such as “How Great is Our God” and “Whom Shall I Fear,” will be vying for his third Best Artist Dove Award. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x5aEvl6Zdk Francesca Battistelli: After the huge success of her previous two albums, My Paper Heart and Hundred More Years, Battistelli garnered her fourth nomination for Artist of the Year. Battistelli, who previously won the award in 2011, is known for such hits as “Free to Be Me” and “Strangely Dim.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKSQjSdU8VA Lecrae: Lecrae has spent the last few years blowing up in the Christian nd mainstream music scenes. His 14 Dove Award nominations, including eight in the past two years, are evidence of that. Earlier this year, Lecrae won the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Album for his wildly successful album Gravity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p9BwiOGVj8 Tamela Mann: Thanks to the strength of her recent album Best Days and the lead single “Take Me to the King,” Mann received her first ever Artist of the Year nomination for...
by Logan Butts | Oct 10, 2013 | News Slider
“This is my boat now.” With that one quote, malicious Somali pirate Muse announced his intentions to take over the titular Captain Phillips’ boat. And with that quote, a first-time actor (Barkhad Abdi) showed that he was more than capable of going blow-for-blow with the legendary Tom Hanks. In a rare moment of complete captivation, Captain Phillips (the film, not the character) kicks into high gear. For a story that I already knew the outcome of, I was kept on the edge of my seat for the entire length of the film in a similar way to two of the most successful films of last year (Argo and Zero Dark Thirty). This was partly due to director Paul Greengrass’ ability to craft a moment of tension. Henry Jackman’s score only makes the moments tenser. But, this film belonged to the two lead actors. Once Barkhad Abdi’s character Muse comes aboard the boat and announces his intention to supplant Tom Hanks’ Richard Phillips as captain, Captain Phillips went from a pedestrian thriller to one of the year’s best films. Without the dedicated performances of Hanks and Abdi, this would not have happened. In the role of Captain Richard Phillips, Hanks gives his best performance since 2002’s Road to Perdition (an extremely underrated film). Hanks makes the viewer feel as if you are stuck in that miserable situation with him in an agonizing way. However, the real treat was Barkhad Abdi. No one bats an eyelash at a great Tom Hanks performance. He’s a legend. It’s expected. But when an unknown actor shows up and is able to hold his own with a legend,...
by Logan Butts | Sep 30, 2013 | News Slider
Being a performer was not always the plan for Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Dave Barnes. Barnes, who performed at Lipscomb on Tuesday night, originally just wanted to write music with no intention of performing it himself. He wanted to leave the performing up to the artists. After some prodding from his peers, Barnes decided to give the performing artist title a try. Six albums and countless concerts later, it’s safe to say Barnes made the right decision. Barnes is somewhat of a musical Swiss army knife. His array of talents, which includes the ability to play the guitar and drums in addition to his singing and writing skills, has proven to be a hit with audiences. Barnes’ array of musical skills gives his albums an eclectic sound. Traces of everything from pop to country to rock to soul can be heard in his songs. Despite his success as a performer, Barnes still enjoys writing music for other artists. “I like them both. The thing that writing has on being an artist is the lack of traveling. We have an about-to-be two-year-old little dude. As I’ve gotten older, traveling is a hard thing to do,” Barnes said. “The beauty of being a writer is you can stay at home, but you miss playing shows.” Over the years, Barnes has shown a chameleon-like feel for music. He has written for country crooners, contemporary Christian artists, soul singers, pop stars and even fellow singer-songwriters. Barnes especially plays a big role in the Nashville music scene, having written for local artists such as Brandon Heath, Drew Holcomb and Ben Rector. However, Barnes’ biggest...
by Logan Butts | Sep 25, 2013 | News Slider
Another round of performers and presenters are set for the 2013 Dove Awards, which are set to take place in at Allen Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 15. The line-up of performers continues to grow with the addition of Big Daddy Weave, Captial Kings, Colton Dixon, Jason Crabb, Kristian Stanfill, Rhett Walker Band and Tasha Cobbs. These artists will perform alongside the previously announced artists Gaither Vocal Band, Michael W. Smith, Tamela Mann and TobyMac. New presenters Brandon Heath, Candace Cameron Bure, David Mann, Joyce Meyer and Montell Jordan have been added to the show in addition to previously announced presenters Dr. Bobby Jones, Isaac Carree, Jaci Velasquez, Lecrae and Pastor Rick Warren. Former Dove New Artist of the Year winners Jamie Grace and Chris August will be hosting the pre-show ceremony. The pre-show takes place 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and can be streamed, along with the Dove Cares Red Carpet, at www.hearitfirst.com/live. The awards show will be televised on the UP network on Monday, Oct. 21 at 8 p.m. Tickets for the show are available at the Allen Arena box...
