Fundraiser Concert Raises $61,857 For Nashville

(L-R): Mike Donehey, Jason Ingram, Britt Nicole, Brandon Heath, tobyMac

Nashville native and award-winning singer/songwriter Brandon Heath with songwriter and “Producer of the Year” Jason Ingram raised $61,857 for area flood victims this week, during their third annual “Love Your Neighbor” concert on Tuesday evening, May 18. The free-with-donation show attracted a standing-room only crowd at Fellowship Bible Church in Brentwood, Tenn., and was also streamed live online. The night featured intimate performances by Christian music’s biggest names including tobyMac, Mike Donehey of Tenth Avenue North, Britt Nicole, Heath and Ingram, plus special unannounced guest, Amy Grant.

Brandon Heath said, “More than a benefit, it felt like a big family piled into the living room to share songs, stories, and all that we have. I’m immensely grateful for the generosity of Nashville, and those watching online. Above all, God was glorified and our neighbors were loved.”

Each year, Heath and Ingram tap into their music community friends for a great night of music to raise funds and gather volunteers for a focused need in the Nashville community. This year’s “Love Your Neighbor” proceeds will go towards the rebuilding efforts of El Shaddai Christian Church, a small and growing Hispanic church in South Nashville devastated by the catastrophic flooding that overwhelmed the area earlier this month. Heath and Ingram explain the need of El Shaddai in this video interview here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o61jTb4pESo&feature=player_embedded#!

Heath noted, “Jason and I immediately connected with El Shaddai because we are called to action by God’s Word when He says in Galations 6:10, ‘let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.’”

On Sunday, May 2, six feet of water rushed inside El Shaddai, forcing Sr. Pastor Germán Castro to be rescued from the building by boat. Castro’s amazing water rescue was captured by Nashville Fox17 cameras. Watch the story here: http://www.fox17.com/newsroom/top_stories/wztv_vid_3480.shtml

Pastor Castro stated, “After the flood, we’ve experienced an outpouring of God’s grace through the love of the body of Christ. You stopped and noticed us, you loved us, you did not look the other way, you were His hands and feet, you saw us through His eyes and cared enough to know that we could not build up again alone.” He adds, “The concert, and the encouragement through your lyrics is a seed for El Shaddai to spring up into a field of harvest, and to shine the love of Christ into our community and the nations.”

Strong local media support also contributed to the success of “Love Your Neighbor,” including Heath’s interviews with NewsChannel 5, WSMV Channel 4 “Better Nashville” and Fox17 “Tennessee Mornings.”

NewsChannel 5: http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=12504681

Fox 17 Morning show: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=719950865915

WSMV “Better Nashville”: http://www.wsmv.com/better/index.html

The “Love Your Neighbor” benefit is an annual concert event created by Brandon Heath and Jason Ingram, in partnership with Fellowship Bible Church in Brentwood, Tennessee. In 2008, the event raised $20,000 for Nashville area tornado victims. In 2009, the event slogan to “Save David’s Eyes” did just that, with donations covering the total cost of a critical eye surgery to prevent blindness of a local Centennial high school student, who had recently lost his father and health insurance coverage. Enough proceeds were collected to also create a standing fund for a future need within the student body.

For the latest updates on “Love Your Neighbor,” please visit http://www.facebook.com/loveyourneighbor.

(L-R): Mike Donehey, Jason Ingram, Britt Nicole, tobyMac, Brandon Heath, Amy Grant

In addition to his May 18 benefit show, Brandon Heath participated in multiple flood-relief efforts over the last week in his hometown. On May 6, he answered phones and performed on WSMV
Ch. 4’s “Flood Relief: Vince Gill and Friends” telethon, which raised over $1.7 million for organizations such as the Second Harvest Food Bank, the American Red Cross, and the Salvation Army. On Saturday, May 15, Heath joined WAY-FM radio staff members along with Cross Point Church for a day of work in the devastated Bellevue Community of Nashville. For more information, contact Cross Point Church at 615-298-4422, or www.Crosspoint.tv, or www.WAYFM.COM.

(L-R): Brandon Heath, Vince Gill

Photo credit: WSMV Ch. 4

(L-R): Lorrie Morgan, Brandon Heath, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, Steven Curtis Chapman, Bo Bice, Chuck Wicks

Photo credit: WSMV Ch. 4

About Brandon Heath:

Emmy-Award winning, GRAMMY and American Music Award nominated, Brandon Heath holds multiple Dove Awards including the reigning title as Male Vocalist of the Year for 2009 and 2010, and 2009 Song of the Year for “Give Me Your Eyes.” The Nashville native was featured on the “CBS Evening News with Katie Couric,” while also spotlighted in the Sunday edition of The New York Times as a GRAMMY-nominated newcomer “that shouldn’t be allowed to slip through the cracks.”

Heath released his sophomore album, What If We (8/2008), yielding two No.1 singles, “Wait and See”, and the blockbuster “Give Me Your Eyes” which was selected by NASA as the wake-up song for the orbiting Endeavour shuttle crew on Feb. 8, 2010. The album’s third single “Love Never Fails” recently became a Top 20 hit at Billboard’s AC Monitored radio chart. Heath’s 2006 debut, Don’t Get Comfortable, produced the No.1 radio hit, “I’m Not Who I Was,” which contributed to his New Artist of the Year Dove Award win.

Off stage, Heath seeks opportunities to merge his public platform with his heart for community, regularly working with Young Life, Blood:Water Mission, Restore International and unofficially volunteering for many other human rights agencies on a global scale.

About Jason Ingram:

Jason Ingram has one of the most diverse and accomplished resumes in Christian music. Born in West Virginia, he spent part of his childhood in Dallas and later moved to Santa Cruz, CA. Jason’s father, Chip Ingram, is a prominent speaker/author, but the young Ingram knew early on that music would be his vehicle for sharing the gospel. In 1999, he relocated to Nashville, TN and his self-titled debut album was released in 2002 on Resonate/INO Records. The following year he became frontman for the critically acclaimed band The Longing.

In the past few years, he’s become one of Christian music most successful and respected songwriters and producers. He’s produced Meredith Andrews, Mikeschair, Rush of Fools, Jason Gray and Bebo Norman, among others, and his songwriting credits include, Britt Nicole’s “Set the World on Fire,” Brandon Heath’s “Give Me Your Eyes,” and two Tenth Avenue North songs, “Love is Here” and “By Your Side.” The latter was named Song of the Year at the 41^st Annual GMA Dove Awards and was the No. 3 played Christian song of the decade(2000-2010)according to the Billboard Magazine. Ingram also picked up the Producer of the Year Dove Award, was Billboard Magazine’s 2009 Christian Songwriter of the Year and is a four-time recipient of SESAC’s Christian Songwriter of the Year honor.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Print, TV, Talk Radio, contact: Alisha McArthur, 615/261-6330, alisha.mcarthur@pmgsonymusic.com