The Dutton Band has released their 3rd album “Welcome Home” and is now available on iTunes. They recently had a CD release party at their home The Heights Baptist Church in Richardson, Texas on April 28th. The album was really to connect with their home church, but has become very popular to all of their fans. This video really introduces the band well and talks about the purpose and meaning behind their new album.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here’s a track list for the album:

1. Welcome Home
2. Your Name is God
3. All We Have is Christ
4. Jesus, Be Lifted Higher
5. No One Higher
6. Share
7. Boldness
8. Bread of Life
9. Out of the Depths
10. Your Voice

When “This Is the Stuff” first started playing on the radio in the car, my little girl said “Hey that’s Mommy’s theme song!” Ever since that day every time we hear that song we love it. All of Francesca’s Battistelli’s songs are great music that really connect with people and where they’re at in their everyday lives.

Looks like my family isn’t the only one that’s really enjoying “This Is The Stuff” and the rest of her songs on her sophomore release “Hundred More Years”.

Fervent Records artist and reigning Dove Awards Female Vocalist of the Year Francesca Battistelli received a surprise greeting from the staff at Word Entertainment after her performance at Sunday’s sold out Winter Jam concert at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. Her label family along with her renowned producer, Ian Eskelin showed up at Bridgestone Arena adorned with foam No. 1 fingers in celebration of her sophomore album Hundred More Years debuting at the top of the ChristianSoundScan Album Chart. Battistelli scored a different No. 1 this week at AC Indicator with her current single “This is the Stuff,” making it her first No. 1 single off her new album.

Battistelli recently received another big achievement with four nominations at the upcoming 42nd annual Dove Awards including a nomination in the prestigious Artist Of The Year category, making her the most nominated Female Artist this year.

In Photo (L to R): Ian Eskelin, Producer, Francesca Battistelli, Kellyn Bailey, Word Entertainment Marketing Director, Joshua Bailey, Word Entertainment Senior VP of A&R and Rod Riley, Word Entertainment President & CEO

PHOTO CREDIT: Warner Music Nashville

The worship band known as Dutton has been playing together since early 2004 when front man Logan Walter pieced together a group to play with him at University Baptist Church (located on Dutton Avenue in Waco, Texas). UBC, founded in the mid-1990s by David Crowder and a collection of forward-thinking 20-somethings, needed a steady back-up band when the ascending David Crowder Band hit the road on national tours. But UBC got more than a "B-team" when Walter, guitarists Brian Patterson and Shane Wilson, and drummer Nathan Jennings gelled together as Dutton.

By the summer of 2005, Dutton’s reputation as a band that delivered a true worship experience with rock n’ roll punch had spread, and the boys’ calendar began to fill up with camps, retreats and discipleship weekends. In March 2007, The Heights Baptist Church in Richardson, Texas scooped up UBC’s "back-up band" to lead worship on Sunday mornings for their contemporary service. That led to a permanent partnership as Dutton has now become the regular worship band at The Heights. That is, when Dutton’s touring schedule "dutton" interfere (pun intended). The boys’ are currently playing conferences, church events and concerts across the nation.

What started as a collection of collegians with a shared love for God and music has developed into a full-time band of passionate worshipers who pour themselves into original songs designed specifically for the corporate worship setting. Walter, Jennings, Patterson and Wilson, along with new bassist Josh Hicks, bring a worship experience that is spiritually uplifting and sonically pleasing. Off stage, they’re as easy-going and fun-loving as any band in any genre. On stage, there’s no mistaking their commitment to the overall worship experience.

Simply put: This band "dutton" disappoint.

For more info about Dutton and to hear songs from their latest album "All Things Fade," check out www.duttonband.com

(Left to Right) Shane Wilson, Brian Patterson, Logan Walter, Josh Hicks and Nathan Jennings make up the worship band known as Dutton.

(Left to Right) Nathan Jennings, Shane Wilson, Brian Patterson, Josh Hicks and Logan Walter

The benefit of all this social media stuff in the music industry (and just about any other industry) is that you can really feel like you get to know the artists. You can follow people on twitter, see behind the scene videos that are taken off-the-cuff and shared instantly and read about what they’re doing from their own mouth in their blog.

Matthew Mayfield is launching a new website and he says he’s most excited about the new blog section.

I’m also launching the new website. I’m really excited because with the new blog section, I’ll be able to upload early morning demos and ideas and get some feedback from you guys.

So, get to know Matthew a little more and visit the new site, read the blog, follow him on twitter and let him hear from you.

Christian music duo Farrell & Farrell has released Acoustic Christmas, an intimate acoustic collection of Christmas carols and Bob Farrell originals.  As Bob states, “This album is one we’ve had in mind for years…acoustic guitar, light percussion–songs and favorite carols that focus on the Christ of Christmas, including a couple of songs I wrote for other artists along the way.  All the instrumental work is that of Tom Hemby, our longtime friend and co-producer of the Superpower album.”

This album is not intended to be a high-profile new release reminiscent of the very techno Farrell & Farrell albums of the 80’s–rather a sort of Christmas card from the Farrells to their extended family that will hopefully keep on giving for years to come.

Downloads and CD’s are available at farrellandfarrell.com

They’ve released a new 2-disc album titled “Beautiful History: A Hits Collection”

Even though the album is a collection of their hits, which honestly would just be a copy of every one of their albums to do date, there are some new tracks like “Hang On”. Even you’re a member of the Hear It First email newsletter you can download “Hang On” for free from their website.

Here are the other songs on the first disc of the album:

1. Stranded
2. Here With Me
3. Damaged (Redemption Extended Version)
4. God-Shaped Hole
5. Real
6. I Can’t Do This
7. Cut
8. Better
9. Blush (Only You)
10. In My Arms (Radio Edit)
11. Hang On
12. Beautiful History

Disc Two

1. In My Arms (Bimbo Jones Radio Edit)
2. Cut (Bronleewe & Bose Radio Edit)
3. Hang On (Digital Dog Radio Edit)
4. Always (jRyann Radio Edit)
5. In My Arms (Bronleewe & Bose Extended Mix)
6. Cut (Digital Dog Extended Mix)
7. Hang On (Dave Aude Extended Mix)
8. Always (Bimbo Jones Extended Mix)

If you’re not familiar with Tiffany Arbuckle’s, her angelic voice or the sound of Plumb together, you really owe it to yourself to check them out. This could be a great album to introduce you to the music of Plumb.

If you like Alanis Morissette, Kate Voegele, Jonatha Brooke, Sarah McLachlan, Superchic, Evanescence, you’ll probably love Plumb.

Featuring all-stars Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber, this new seasonal DVD tells the story of Saint Nicholas, the world’s greatest giver, and introduces Nicky the Pepper, the first new VeggieTales character in five years. Bonus features include an original new song by critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Matthew West, “Give This Christmas Away,” performed by West and Grammy Award-winning artist Amy Grant.

“VeggieTales Christmas releases are fan-favorites and Saint Nicholas is sure to become an evergreen title,” said Greg Fritz, SVP of Sales and Marketing at Big Idea. “A national cross-promotion with Operation Christmas Child and extensive radio play of the featured song by Matthew West with Amy Grant will build great awareness of the timely message of giving.”

For the family, here’s a Christmas cookie recipe from VeggieTales and a coloring sheet for the kids to enjoy.

I love VeggieTales, it’s always good to see them continuing to release more videos and family friendly entertainment to the market.

Following up their debut EP release, All We Need Is Sound, Word Records newest four-piece rock band Satellites & Sirens released their Breaking the Noise EP on Tuesday as their single “Take Me Back” continues to climb the charts. Including the tracks “Breaking the Noise”, “Come On”, and “Anchor” as well as the music video for the title track, the EP can be purchased at the bands official website and on iTunes.

The band recently participated in the Nashville chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s annual Light the Night Walk as well as provided an exclusive concert for participants. Lead singer Geoff Hunker shared the band’s excitement: “It is so great to be teamed up with a cause that is so much bigger than us! We have all be affected by cancer in our lives, and to be a small part of something making such a difference is really exciting!”