Don’t forget to vote for Artist of the Year and New Artist of the Year either. This is the first year that listeners have been able to vote for these two awards I believe. Make sure your voice is heard!

Traci and Jamie over at Third Day Pix are having a little contest that gives you the opportunity to score a copy of Third Day’s newest album “Revelation” along with a t-shirt too and celebrating the Revelation release day.

All you’ve got to do is visit their site and leave a comment about your favorite song from the album.

Stukenberg’s “Mountain of Pieces” album is another one I’ve been listening to for the last couple of weeks and really enjoying. They’ll be performing at Cornerstone 2008 in Bushnell, IL the week of July 4th.

My first impression after popping the album in my computer was of a ska band on their initial song “Don’t Mind”, but after continuing through the album they’re so much more than that.

Stukenberg is a group out of Wisconsin that consists of five members all sharing their last name and an apparent love for engaging and uplifting music.

• David Stukenberg
• Kyle Stukenberg
• Steve Stukenberg
• Matt Stukenberg
• Thea Stukenberg

There are a few different songs that really remind me of the early work and old school music of The Newsboys and Audio Adrenaline. They could sure do worse than that right? Stukenberg really delivers some great music on this album.

Watch this video to learn about Stukenberg for yourself and hear their music.

Here’s the full track listing for the album and they’re all great songs!

1. Don’t Mind
2. Fights
3. Hide and Seek
4. I See
5. Feb 20th
6. Hypothesis
7. Half Empty
8. Senses
9. Starbuck Algeria
10. Mrs. Barker’s Pew
11. Backslide
12. Otherwise

There are a couple of songs where they work in this real angelic, vocal orchestration. On the track “Feb. 20th” it really works in well and adds so much to the song’s rhythm and energy. I’m listening to it now and just can’t keep my legs from bouncing and shaking to the beat.

Here’s the good news folks. With a big thanks to Machine Records, I’ve got two copies of this album to give away to some people. We’re going to make this really easy to try and win this album. Just leave me a comment on this post and I’ll randomly select someone. Be sure to include your e-mail address when you complete the comment form so I can contact you and let you know you’ve won and get your address.

If you’re like me, you may not have heard of Dispatch before so here’s a little bit about them:

Known as the band that redefined independent music history, the members of Dispatch released album after album on their own label, rising up without the assistance of a major record label and selling over 600,000 albums. Dispatch became pioneers, making their reputation largely by touring, word-of-mouth and file sharing. The three nights at MSG, marked the band’s first appearances together since their 2004 farewell show, which drew more than 110,000 fans from 25 countries, making it the largest independent music event in history. Coming together for a cause that’s greater than anything that drew them apart, Dispatch: Zimbabwe not only raised funds to alleviate suffering in Zimbabwe, but also marked the first time an independent band sold out Madison Square Garden.

They’ve got a great world-music sound if that’s your thing. I’ve been becoming a fan or more culturally diverse music for a little while now as of late and this has been a great album to add my collection.

Catch the Dispatch Zimbabwe “Live at Madison Square Garden” Trailer

Here’s what some other people you may have heard of have to say about the group:

Applauded by Rolling Stone Magazine, Spin, MTV, The New York Times, Esquire, The Boston Globe and the Associated Press, among many others, Dispatch donated 100% of the net profits from the “Dispatch” Zimbabwe” concerts to their recently founded Dispatch Foundation, earmarking the funds towards fighting disease, famine, and social injustice in the poverty stricken Zimbabwe. A portion of the net proceeds from “Dispatch: Zimbabwe – Live at Madison Square Garden,” will also be donated to the Dispatch Foundation and its efforts in Zimbabwe. For more information, check out dispatchmusic.com and dispatchfoundation.org.

This album has been out for awhile now, but if you haven’t heard it now it’s new to you. Take the opportunity to learn more about the group and their efforts.

Win A Copy of Dispatch Zimbabwe “Live at Madison Square Garden”

Here’s how you can get a copy of this dual audio CD and DVD of the sold-out concert. Leave a comment or write a post of your own about the group or about news that’s occurring in Zimbabwe. I’ll then pick one of the comments or link backs randomly to the person to get to win a copy of the CD and DVD.

Let me know if you have any questions.

If you register as a user of the site and reference me (Jason Bean) as the one who referred you we can win handwritten lyrics by Cindy Morgan.

I thought that was a pretty cool contest and can already see the lyrics nicely framed with a picture of a hummingbird and my daughter super-imposed together accenting the lyrics.

Let’s try and win together, just visit the Cindy Morgan website by clicking here and sign-up for their site. Be sure and put my name in as the one that referred you.

Here’s your chance to attend the Dove Awards that are coming up down in Nashville next week.

HearItFirst is having a contest where you can win 4 tickets and hotel accommodations. Just remember, if you win you’ve got to take me!

I wish I had heard about this earlier. Worship Leader Magazine has had a contest going on where you could win a $15,000 stage makeover for your church. The problem is the entries have already been submitted and now you can vote for who you think should be the winner.

At first I was thinking “Ahhh man! Why didn’t I hear about this sooner?” Then I started thinking, could $15,000 be used in a better way to reach more people for Christ?

What do you think? Surely the $15,000 could be used by the church to hopefully improve things and assist them in reaching more and more people each service. But would $15,000 have been better used by a local shelter or even Compassion International?

Image Source: WorshipLeader.com

Do you live in the Indianapolis, IN or Omaha, NE area? How would you like to get the opportunity to get backstage with Jeremy Camp and TobyMac at one of their concerts? Yeah? That’s what I thought.

I just came across the New Covenant Productions website and they’re behind some upcoming concerts for Jeremy Camp and TobyMac and they’d like to give you a pair of tickets, backstage passes and autographed CD’s for helping them promote the concerts.

Follow this link for all the details.

I’m hoping to be able to attend the concert here in Indianapolis in a couple of weeks. My wife will be out of town and it’s a school night, so I need to figure out some plans for my two kids. We’ll see.

If you’re a musician and you’ve got yourself a band looking for an opportunity to break into the Christian music scene, the Band With A Mission website should be your first stop (among many!).

Welcome to Band With A Mission: Band With a Mission is an independent A&R company contracted out each year by a different major record label. We showcase bands and artist and help them harness their gifts to develop effective ministry tools. One band will get chosen to work with Fervent Records!

Bands come to Nashville to showcase and get a full page critique on what they are great at, and what they can work on to improve their ministry. 20 bands get selected to come back and showcase for the labels staff. We then knock the number down to 5 bands. At this point each band will get coached in order to enhance their individual showcase. There is 1 final showcase for the 5 bands where Fervent Records will then choose 1 band to work with, and then construct a contract for that particular band/artist. (It sounds like a lot, BUT at the most, you will have to travel to Nashville 2 times) We are already booking dates for 2008!!!

Let us know if you’re pursuing this, I’d love to cover your progress in achieving your goals on the Christian Music Fan website.

Take advantage of this opportunity to vote for the final design on Jars of Clay Christmas t-shirt design.

Vote for the Jars of Clay Christmas t-shirt design here