|
SARA GROVES DELIVERS ’SONGWRITER’S ALBUM’ WITH “FIREFLIES & SONGS” As one of the industry’s most prolific and most–celebrated artists, Sara Groves will deliver her most personal recording yet, and what she describes as her ‘songwriter’s album,’ “FIREFLIES & SONGS,” on November 17th. With her two previous INO recordings, Add to the Beauty and Tell Me What You Know, Groves focused on a theme and wrote poetic commentary with songs about social justice and the impoverished. However, early in the pre-production process of “Fireflies & Songs,” INO Record’s president Jeff Moseley suggested that "It's been a long time since we've heard from you," saying, "I want to check in with you. What's happening now in your life? What is life like for you as a wife, mother, daughter and friend?" "As soon as he said that, I knew it was true. As a songwriter, it's easier to step back and take an observer's view, and that's what I'd been doing the last couple albums,” she recalls. “Of course, I'm in all those songs, and they're personal, but I wasn't 'digging in the dirt' for sure. It's hard to do that. It's hard to say, 'Here's my stuff. I'm not writing about other people's stuff.' "As I started writing, I revisited some things that have taken place over the last 15 years of marriage," she says. "It wasn't all exactly current, but it was stuff that I hadn't written about yet, and it was good to do so." Soon she had her first conversations with producer Charlie Peacock about the album and, at one point, asked if he had any early direction for her. "I want you to enjoy God and the gift of songwriting," he replied. "I just burst into tears," says Groves. "I don't think anyone has ever told me to do that. And that's what I did. I cried like a baby as every single song came out. And as they did, I thought, I'm more grateful today that I get to do this than ever before." Even now, as she recalls the experience, her eyes well with emotion. Listeners will relate as songs like "From This One Place," calls out to God in response to tangible and recurring anxiety, while the flowing, moody "Eyes Wide Open," is both confessional and declarative, saying, "I’ve got layers of lies that I don’t even know about yet," and concludes, "When the lights come up on this town/When the thing goes down/... I wanna be telling the truth." The gently pleading "It's Me" is at once stark and reassuring as it paints a personal picture of the often polar push and pull couples experience as they pursue a genuine marriage relationship. Fireflies & Songs also expands on the Groves' determined efforts to nurture other marriages by being open about their own shortcomings and lessons learned. Perhaps the most intimately vulnerable song of all is the stealthily titled "Different Kinds of Happy." As she sings, "I’ve got to ask you something/But please don’t be afraid/There’s a promise here that's heavier/Than your answer might weigh," she foreshadows redemptive truth amidst emotional danger. While Groves is the first to confirm Fireflies & Songs is the "most her" musically, it's also the singer's most candid recording. "I tried not to teach on this album," she explains. "And I'm a natural-born teacher. I turn everything into a lesson--for myself, for the people around me. That's how I process my life, that's how I learn. But I wanted Fireflies & Songs to feel more like friends and I are talking at Don Pablo's over nachos and cheese. I'm trying to be more confessional, and I hope these songs encourage other people to live confessionally." Groves is currently doing one-off dates throughout the U.S., and will launch her own O HOLY NIGHT Christmas tour later this fall (tour dates below). For more information please visit http://www.saragroves.com. Fall Dates: October 2009
10/2, 3 Alexandria, MN
10/13 Nashville, TN
10/ 14 San Diego, CA December 2009 O HOLY NIGHT Christmas Tour
12/3 Scotch Plains, NJ
12/4 Presque Isle, ME
12/5 Bangor, ME
12/6 Manchester, NH
12/8 Hershey, PA
12/10 Des Moines, IA
12/ 11 Green Bay, WI
12/13 Niles, OH
12/17 Alexandria, MN
12/18 Maple Grove, MN
12/ 20 Springfield, IL AMAZON CEO ECHOES SARA GROVES SENTIMENTS ABOUT WRAP RAGE IN HER NEW CHRISTMAS SINGLE TOY PACKAGING NASHVILLE, TN....11/20/08.... In a recent letter to Amazon.com customers, the company's CEO Jeff Bezos talked about the "wrap rage" many feel when trying to get products out of "nearly impenetrable packages," and even included a link to videos from customers showing this frustration (www.amazon.com/upload). You can read Bezos' full letter here. Likewise, critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Sara Groves humorously talks about this in her new Christmas single, aptly titled Toy Packaging, from her new holiday offering, O HOLY NIGHT. Comments Groves, "Last year at Christmas I had to use a screwdriver, wire-cutters, and scissors to open a toy and nearly cut off my finger in the effort. I was relieved to see on Amazon.com that I am not the only one who suffers from 'wrap rage' - where better to vent my feelings about toy packaging than on a Christmas album! To get a free download of Toy Packaging, just go to this link: http://www.inorecords.com/saragroves/downloads/mp3download.php?file=08_ToyPackaging.mp3. Lyrics for the song are below, and for more information on Sara Groves, please visit: http://www.saragroves.com.
Toy Packaging Sara Groves and Ben Shive © 2008 Sara Groves Music (ASCAP) admin by Music Services / ????
Nothing makes me lose my cool like
Nothing makes me lose my cool like
In the old days you could hold a box and shake it
Nothing makes me lose my cool like toy packaging SARA GROVES’ ART*MUSIC*JUSTICE TOUR SUCCESSFULLY WRAPS AND IMPACTS WITH MESSAGE OF JUSTICE AND HOPE AUDIENCES RESPOND NATIONWIDE TO SPONSOR OVER 500 RWANDAN CHILDREN FOR FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY, AS FINANCIAL GIVING SURPASSES GOAL SET FOR INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MISSION   NASHVILLE, TN.... 11/6/08....This September and October, critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter Sara Groves gathered a group of fellow-acclaimed artists and friends Brandon Heath, Derek Webb, Sandra McCracken and author/artist Charlie Peacock, to join her on the ART*MUSIC*JUSTICE tour which benefited both the International Justice Mission (IJM) and Food For the Hungry (FH). The tour was such a success on so many levels that plans are already underway to put together a follow-up tour in the fall of 2009. “ I can't say what a joy it has been to collaborate with these incredible artists to take a small step towards a night like we had on the Art Music Justice Tour,” remarked Groves. ”To be surrounded with like-minded artists with a common goal and message, to ask the larger questions about what Jesus is doing in our world, and how we can be the art of God was very life-giving. The responses from audiences confirmed what we had hoped, as they responded generously to the work of Food for the Hungry and International Justice Mission.” In over 20 cities, the artists brought a unique concert opportunity to “add to the beauty, seek justice and give God praise,” each evening, desiring to further educate the church on God's heart for justice, gain advocates for the oppressed, and show evidence of a God at work in this world. Each evening brought with it inspired music and videos of God's people in action and their heroic experiences across the globe. Incredible stories of rescue from the International Justice Mission were told, while giving audience members the opportunity to be involved in Groves 'adopted' village in Rwanda thru Food for the Hungry. As the tour wrapped, 550 kids had been sponsored in the Rwandan Village of Gisanga that the AMJ tour and Groves family support, and their goal to raise $50k for the International Justice Mission was surpassed. Food for the Hungry (www.FH.org) works in more than 26 developing countries providing disaster and emergency relief, and implementing sustainable development programs to transform communities physically and spiritually. The International Justice Mission (www.IJM.org) is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. About the shows, Heath stated, “The sound and feel of the night couldn’t have been more like a family joining other families to end slavery,” while Derek Webb and Sandra McCracken echoed those sentiments, commenting, "we have all been knit together on this tour like a traveling music community, and at the end of the day, we've been able to be part of this larger story of redemption through IJM and FFH." To further cement their commitment to the oppressed, the Groves family will be traveling to Rwanda in March with Food for the Hungry. They will be taking a team of 12 people with them, working on clean water projects, an IJM day to hear from their office about the legal challenges for Rwandans 14 years after tragic genocide, and just loving the kids in the Village of Gisanga. Grove’s site will have updates, pictures, and video footage from the village to keep the FH sponsors plugged in to what is happening there. Aside from the incredible success seen on the road each night, the tour also received critical acclaim, including the following from Relevant Magazine’s official blog, a sponsor of the tour: “ Over the years, there have been many Christian festivals/events/tours, trying to promote some kind of cause/get people involved/push a message. The vast majority of them are quickly forgotten, tossed into the large bin of failed trends within our own subculture. This tour, however, is unique in that rather than pushing a certain action (”wear this purity ring!” “sign this petition against [fill in the blank depending on the year]!”) the audience was encouraged to take what they’d learned, pray deeply about it, and discover their own role in ending injustice.” 08/26/2008SARA GROVES TO RELEASE FIRST CHRISTMAS PROJECT ON OCTOBER 14TH O HOLY NIGHT BRINGS COMBINATION OF SACRED AND FAMILY TRADITION NASHVILLE, TN….8/26/08…During the last month of the year, you don’t have to travel far to see what Christmas is for many people—a combination of sacred celebration and family tradition. Sara Groves’ first Christmas album, O Holy Night, which will bow on INO Records this October 14th, sits snugly in that spot where the magnificent story of Bethlehem coalesces with the sounds of yuletide gathering of friends and family. “I’ve always dreamed of doing a Christmas album,” Groves says. “Christmas music was such a part of life growing up. We had a huge stack of records that only get played for one month of the year. Ultimately I wanted to convey this story of Christ that’s been told so many times with as much artistry and creativity as possibly because it bears repeating,” she says. Produced by Ben Shive, O Holy Night was originally intended to be an advent album for her family that would consist solely of sacred Christmas songs. When she began working on it, though, she decided to include some of her favorite songs about her family’s Christmas traditions. One such song (one of four originals) is “To Be With You,” about Groves’ family Christmas, a sentimental snapshot of their gathering at her grandma’s house. Another is the fun song any parent who’s stayed up late on Christmas eve can relate to, “Toy Packaging,” which mimics how manufacturers twisty-tie and rivet everything to pieces of cardboard, saying, “my self-esteem is in the can, trying to open the robot man.” Among the sacred Christmas songs included, “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain” both have personal meanings to Groves; the latter recorded with family and friends gathered around, singing together. About the first, which turned out to be one of her favorites on the album, Groves says, “I hadn’t really thought about this song, but the lyrics jumped off the page to me. My family has had a really hard year. We’ve had some death and pain. The second verse of this song talks about “over our sad plains the angels sing.” It talks about how they come to sing about Christ, and “still through broken skies they come.” I was in tears reading the lyrics. It goes back to the theme of peace. You’re not traveling alone. You’re not laboring in vain. You’re not carrying this hardship for no reason. Over this, God still has His way.” For more information on Sara Groves, go to: http://www.saragroves.com 08/13/2008SARA GROVES TEAMS WITH ACCLAIMED ARTISTS FOR ART*MUSIC*JUSTICE TOUR SARA GROVES TEAMS WITH ACCLAIMED ARTISTS FOR ART*MUSIC*JUSTICE TOUR Fall Tour to Feature Brandon Heath, Derek Webb, Sandra McCracken, and Charlie Peacock Benefiting the International Justice Mission and Food For the Hungry, tour Aims to “Add to the Beauty, Seek Justice and Give God Praise” NASHVILLE, TN....8/13/08.... Critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter Sara Groves has gathered a group of fellow-acclaimed artists and friends Brandon Heath, Derek Webb, Sandra McCracken and author/artist Charlie Peacock, for her ART*MUSIC*JUSTICE tour this fall, which will benefit both the International Justice Mission and Food For the Hungry. The International Justice Mission (www.IJM.org) is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. Food for the Hungry (www.FH.org) works in more than 26 developing countries providing disaster and emergency relief, and implementing sustainable development programs to transform communities physically and spiritually. With dates running from Sept 19th through October 26th (concert listing below), the tour is a unique concert opportunity to “add to the beauty, seek justice and give God praise,” desiring to further educate the church on God's heart for justice, gain advocates for the oppressed, and show evidence of a God at work in this world. Each evening will bring inspired music and stories of God's people in action and their heroic experiences across the globe. Incredible stories of rescue from the International Justice Mission will be told, while giving audience members the opportunity to be involved in Groves 'adopted' village in Rwanda thru Food for the Hungry. "God is mighty to save and is actively rescuing the oppressed through His people,” comments Groves. “ Scripture references to the 'slave, the poor, the oppressed' are not figurative. There are 27 million people enslaved today, after more than in 400 years of trans-atlantic slavery. God is calling us to respond. All of us on this tour want to convey, it is not a burden to help, it is an adventure. We’re excited to get out there and share what God is doing!" To listen to audio of Sara sharing about the tour, and for more tour information, please go to: www.myspace.com/artmusicjustice. In addition, all of the artists on the tour are offering songs on NoiseTrade.com for the price of telling three friends about them or paying any amount they choose in exchange for an immediate download. Webb co-created NoiseTrade.com after the success of giving away over 80,000 full downloads of his project “Mockingbird,” Through NOISETRADE, any artist can freely distribute their music online via NoiseTrade’s embeddable widget. For the Art*Music*Justice Tour widget, go to www.myspace.com/artmusicjustice 11/14/2007SARA GROVES HAS No.1 CHRISTIAN ALBUM ON iTUNES FOR OVER A WEEK WITH 'TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW' As singer/songwriter Sara Groves’ latest, “Tell Me What You Know” (11.6) holds in as the No. 1 Christian album on iTunes for over a week, the project also scanned 33% above her last record, debuting at No. 3 on CMTA’s Digital Album’s SoundScan chart, as well as No. 8 on Christian Retail and No. 14 on the Overall Christian Retail chart. Groves’ current radio single, "When the Saints" continues to build momentum at Christian radio with over 35 reporting stations on board already. The song was also recently chosen to be a Discovery Download on the iTunes Store, and was one of the top downloads ever for a Christian song. In addiiton, Groves currently has the No. 1 video on the Gospel Music Channel with the song 'I Saw What I Saw' based on her life altering trip to Rwanda. To watch, go to: www.youtube.com. INO Records has also developed a great e-card on Groves. To view/use, go to: Sara's Ecard. As always, Groves’ is a magnet for critical acclaim with her poignant, though-provoking and eloquent songs. Groves’ recently spoke with fellow songwriter Carolyn Arends for Christianity Today’s Christian Music Today cover story, (“Running to Justice”), writes regular columns for Radiant Magazine, has features in upcoming and current issues of CCM, Christian Single, Women First and Aspiring Retail, and continues to garner incredible support from media with reviews including: “Sara Groves' thoughtful songwriting about hope amid hopelessness combines well with radio-friendly roots pop, yielding her most satisfying album to date.” *ChristianMusicToday.com “It’s impossible to over-rate this gripping, thoughtful, delightful album. Straight from the front lines of battle, it is one of the year’s most important contributions.” *CMCentral.com “Groves has perfected the art of creating warm, intimate pictures of life, love, and faith. ‘Tell Me What You Know’ adds to her catalogue of excellently crafted folk/pop” *JesusFreakHideout.com “’Tell Me What You Know’ is Groves at her best, and it enraptures from the first track.” *CBNMusic.com “This is simply a wonderful project that should convince any listener that Sara Groves is a compelling, important artist who needs to be heard by a wider audience, and has perhaps just given us one of the best albums of the year.” *Tollbooth.org Groves will also be touring this fall on the Behold the Lamb of God Christmas tour with Andrew Peterson, Sara Groves, Bebo Norman, Jill Phillips, Andrew Osenga and Andy Gullahorn. Groves will be performing songs from “Tell Me What You Know” as well as previous projects, and join Peterson and the rest of the line up in the second half of the evening featuring Christmas music. The tour will be hitting the following markets (all dates subject to change): 11/27/07: Bethany Lutheran Church / Elkhorn, NE/ 11/28/07: Immanuel Baptist Church / Wausau, WI/ 11/29/07: Christ Community Evangelical Free Church / Leawood, KS/ 11/30/07: Christ United Methodist Church of Sugarland / Sugarland, TX/ 12/1/07: The Heights Baptist Church / Richardson, TX 12/2/07: Bellevue Baptist Church / Cordova, TN / 12/3/07: Grace Covenant Church / Austin, TX / 12/5/07: Southwood Presbyterian Church. / Huntsville, AL / 12/6/07: World Gospel Church / Terre Haute, IN / 12/7/07: Countryside Church / Michigan City, IN / 12/8/07: New Milford High School / New Milford, CT / 12/9/07: Faith Evangelical Free Church / Milford, OH / 12/10/07: Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center / Huntsville, AL / 12/11/07: Oak Mountain Presbyterian Church / Birmingham, AL / 12/12/07: Mecklenburg Community Church / Charlotte, NC / 12/13/07: Ryman Auditorium / Nashville, TN / 12/14/07: Christ Community Church / Tampa, FL / 12/15/07: Imperial Theatre / Augusta, GA / 12/16/07: Christ Church / Jacksonville, FL / 10/30/2007 SARA GROVES CHOSEN BY iTUNES FOR COVETED DISCOVERY DOWNLOAD Singer/Songwriter Sara Groves is the latest artist to have one of her songs chosen as a DISCOVERY DOWNLOAD with iTunes. Just days before her new album, TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW, hits the streets on November 6th, her single, “When The Saints” has been chosen to be a Discovery Download on the iTunes Store (www.itunes.com) for the week before the project releases, starting October 30th, and will be listed under the Free downloads section on the iTunes homepage On her new album, Tell Me What You Know, Groves explores what she has learned over the past two years, lessons on the value of long defeats, and the defiance of hope in the face of insurmountable odds. Since the 2005 release of her last project, Add to the Beauty, Groves has been questioning just how, exactly, she is called to do that. Sara explains, “I believe God invites us to add to the beauty of his plan, letting us participate in his redemptive work. But I found myself asking, ‘How have I applied this idea?' I had groomed and groomed and groomed my personal faith, but to what end?” Her answers came in a series of global conversations and experiences, from the flood-ravaged gulf of Louisiana, to the genocide memorials of Rwanda, to the testimonies of Southeast Asia sex trade survivors. These experiences showed the disparity between some of the American pursuits of comfort and wealth and the joy of joining the difficult work of social justice and engaging in the suffering of the afflicted. As Groves explains, such is the case with the song “When The Saints”: "’When the Saints’ was inspired by the work of The International Justice Mission. Their work made me think about the people I have admired in history and made their kind of action seem more accessible. I used to read about amazing heroes like Harriet Tubman who secured her own freedom from slavery and then helped rescue many others through the Underground Railroad. I have always wondered how I would have responded in different times in history. Would I have opened my home to the Underground Railroad or given Anne Frank refuge? We think those stories are removed from us, but right now there are millions of slaves, millions of people hiding from their oppressors. I realized not too long ago, that I have not been the Good Samaritian. I have been the other guys, who walk on the far side of the road. It is my heart’s desire to change that, and ‘When the Saints’ is a celebration of people who were placed by God for certain times and events, and a prayer that I will have the strength to show up for my time. " No stranger to critical acclaim, TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW is already drawing praise from media for “revealing that she’s not content with glossy cultural Christianity,” (RELEVANT magazine) and how she “soaks up life’s myriad experiences and pours them into compelling songs that both enlighten and entertain, and we are all richer for her efforts” (CCM magazine), as well as: “ Tell Me What You Know may leave you in a world of rumination, it’s passionate and beautifully emotional, but it will also leave you in a place of peaceful contemplation. Groves, it seems, just keeps getting better.” -Worship Leader magazine “It’s hard to feel anything but warm about Groves’ soaring vocals and acute pop sensibilities. Listeners will be grateful that Groves shares what she knows –honesty, artistry and how to write a good song.” -Christian Retailing "No question, Sara Groves remains one of the most skillful and thoughtful songwriters in Christian music. Tell Me What You Know is on par with her best work." *Russ Breimeier, Online Managing Editor ChristianMusicToday.com "Sara Groves strikes gold yet again- a heartfelt, emotive offering steeped in introspective songwriting sensibilities, deftly executed earthy instrumentation and an overall uplifting demeanor. Perfect for fans ofher past work and a solid introduction to the uninitiated." *Andy Argyrakis (contributor to The Chicago Tribune, Illinois Entertainer, CCM magazine, Christian Single magazine, Concert LiveWire and more) “Sara's new disc has been in heavy rotation in our station wagon since we got our copy. It's all there -- genius writing, innovative production, great vocals, and a message that matters and moves. The whole thing is brilliant, but the first time I heard cut 2 ("In The Girl There's a Room"), it was so good I had an actual physical reaction (which involved slamming my fist against the steering wheel and shouting "Woah"!) That doesn't happen to me very often. Then again, an artist like Sara doesn't come along very often. She's given us another extraordinary gift in Tell Me What You Know.” *Carolyn Arends - CT contributor/award-winning singer/songwriter and author. 03/08/2007 Sara Groves Song Featured In 20th Century Fox Film Starring Oscar Nominee Abigail Breslin and James Garner NASHVILLE, TN....3.8.07....Critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter Sara Groves will be in theaters nationwide this weekend as her song “Something Changed” is played as the title credit song of the 20th Century Fox feature film “The Ultimate Gift.” Groves will also perform the song before an international audience on this weekend’s syndicated broadcast of “The Hour of Power.” When asked about her song being used for the film, Groves commented, "I'm honored to have this song chosen for the film. The story of personal redemption has been the cornerstone of the music throughout my career. This movie captures that beautifully." At his grandfather's death, a young man is presented with an unlikely inheritance taking him on a journey that will change him forever in “The Ultimate Gift,” which opens Friday, March 9 in theaters throughout the U.S. and Canada. Winner of the Heartland Film Festival's Crystal Heart Award, “The Ultimate Gift” sends trust fund baby Jason Stevens (Drew Fuller) on an improbable journey of discovery, to answer the ultimate spiritual question: "What is the relationship between wealth and happiness?" Featuring an all-star cast including Golden Globe winner and six-time Emmy nominee Brian Dennehy, Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee James Garner, and Academy Award nominee Abigail Breslin (“Little Miss Sunshine”, “Signs”),”The Ultimate Gift” is the "uplifting" (MovieReporter.com) story based on Jim Stovall's best-selling novel which has sold more than 3 million copies worldwide. The movie has already generated millions of dollars in donations to charity through more than 300 pre-screenings benefiting various nonprofit groups. News, clips and reviews of “The Ultimate Gift” can be found on the movie’s official website – TheUltimateGift.com. Groves is currently doing one-off tour dates and working on her next studio recording, produced by Brown Bannister and scheduled to be released this fall. For tour dates and more information on Sara, please go to : http://www.saragroves.com. Also visit Groves’ newest online endeavor to benefit, educate and inform people on social justice issues and organizations at http://www.addtothebeauty.com. 06/28/2006 Sara Groves Chosen As Subject of Reality Film INO Records and documentary film-makers from the Nomad Series have collaborated to release "Sara Groves: Just Showed Up For My Own Life" a music infused, reality style film featuring Groves' in all aspects of her life over the past year. The project will be available nationwide on August 8, 2006. A very rare opportunity in Christian music, this project invites the audience to view an artist beyond the studio, beyond backstage and beyond the road life. Travel with Groves to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in Slidell, Louisiana as relief efforts are underway to restore a community ravaged by the storm. See the beautiful country of Rwanda on an emotional trip with Groves and her team to learn about the challenges of reconciliation and economic development 11 years after mass genocide. Due to some sensitive footage from a Rwandan Genocide site, the packaging will include a warning with a self-imposed PG rating "Contains some graphic footage which may not be suitable for younger viewers". The film will feature music from Groves, while additional features will include her live set from the 2006 Jars of Clay tour, short sermon and teaching illustration clips from Sara for use in small groups/church services, discussion starters, as well as trailers from upcoming releases. View the trailer now at http://www.nomadshow.com |
