The Winter Jam Tour Spectacular, the #1 tour in the world (first quarter) for two consecutive years, announced its blockbuster 2013 artist line-up Tuesday morning on local radio station J103.
Founded and hosted by Grammy-nominated Christian music mainstay NewSong and presented by World Vision, the Winter Jam 2013 Tour Spectacular will be headlined by Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist TobyMac.
The 44-city tour will also feature RED, Matthew West, Jamie Grace, Sidewalk Prophets and Royal Tailor, with a message from national speaker Nick Hall. In addition, the Youth Music Vault Pre-Jam Party will include performances from Jason Castro, OBB and Capital Kings.
Kicking off its 18th year, the tour stops in Chattanooga opening weekend on Sunday, Jan. 6 at the UTC McKenzie Arena at 6 p.m. Winter Jam admission is $10 at the door, with no ticket required. The doors open at 5 p.m.
“As we prepare for Winter Jam’s 18th year, we are more passionate than ever about the ministry that drives the tour,” said Eddie Carswell, creator of Winter Jam and founding member of NewSong. “Led by TobyMac, this year’s line-up represents the diversity—and future—of Christian music. And we are thrilled that Nick Hall will be back with us to share the Gospel message, as that has always been the heart of Winter Jam.”
Promoted by Chattanooga-based DMI Concerts and Premier Productions, Winter Jam 2013 Tour Spectacular partners include J103, the University of Mobile, Teen Missions International, Premier Christian Cruises, Xtreme Conferences, Camp Electric, Wayne E. Bailey Produce, and Texas TransEastern. World Vision will host the Hoops of Hope Youth Leader Reception, a free backstage event open to all youth pastors and leaders in attendance.
Earlier this year Winter Jam shattered its own record to become the #1 tour in the world (first quarter) for the second consecutive year, according to Pollstar’s 2012 Worldwide First Quarter Ticket Sales Charts - Top 100 Tours. The 47-city tour saw 32 sold-out concerts and surpassed the previous year’s record attendance by more than 10,000, playing to a total of nearly 535,000 people.
The Winter Jam Tour Spectacular, created by NewSong in 1995, has featured the genre’s biggest names—including Skillet, Newsboys, Jeremy Camp, Steven Curtis Chapman, Third Day, Francesca Battistelli, Tenth Avenue North and Fireflight—and has introduced Christian music to new audiences across the country, while providing a powerful platform for the Gospel message.
Five-time Grammy Award winner and multi-platinum selling artist TobyMac is known as one of the industry’s “most innovative and visionary artists” (Billboard). With over 11 million units in career sales, his fifth and latest solo project, Eye On It, entered the Billboard Top 200 chart at No.1, a first for a Christian act in 15 years, while also topping the overall iTunes Chart just hours after its release. In 2012 he celebrated his eighth consecutive Grammy nomination, while his album Tonight received Grammy nods for “Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album" and "Best Contemporary Christian Song" for the RIAA Gold certified track “City On Our Knees.”
NewSong has recorded 17 albums, garnering 20 #1 Christian radio singles and a Grammy Award nomination, in addition to being inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, among numerous other achievements. The band’s 30-year ministry has been highlighted by such defining songs as “The Christmas Shoes” and “Arise, My Love.”
NewSong’s latest project, One True God, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Christian/Gospel Albums chart last year and features the hit single “The Same God.” The group's new recording, Swallow The Ocean, is slated to bow in February.