Gospel Music Hall of Fame Member Combines Slide-splitting Comedy and Moving Songs with All-New Recording
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—June 2nd, 2016—GRAMMY® Award-winning singer/songwriter/comedian Mark Lowry has just released Dogs Go to Heaven (Gaither Music Group), an all-new recording available now on CD and DVD. The DVD debuted at the #1 spot on this week’s Billboard Music Video chart and on the Christian Music Video chart, according to Nielsen Soundscan. The audio recording topped this week’s Southern Gospel chart and came in at #5 on the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) chart.
The uplifting collection, filmed LIVE at First Baptist Church in Hendersonville, TN, brings to life moving songs, side-splitting comedy and spiritual truths, including Lowry’s “undisputed knowledge” that dogs go to heaven!
“TOP of the chart??” exclaimed the comedian with laughter upon receiving the news. “I guess this must have been a slow week for everybody, huh?! What a way to wake up on a Tuesday! I’m humbled and I’m so grateful to all of the people who made this happen—‘Q’ Phillips, Matthew Underwood, Troy Collins, Bob Sauer, Gaither Studios and Music Group, First Baptist Church and its choir, the musicians, Capitol Christian Music Group—everyone who had in a hand in it. I’m glad to be doing what I’m doing, and at my age I’m thrilled to be at the top of anything!”
Both a master of comedy and a master of ceremony, the GMA Hall of Fame member takes listeners on a concert journey with this new release, showcasing his musical prowess and heartfelt stories. Featuring guest appearances from The Martins, Stan Whitmire, TaRanda and the First Baptist Church Choir, the nationally-acclaimed performer fills the audience with laughter; yet he shares his contemplative side as well with honest, redeeming messages.
One of the most popular touring artists in Christian music, Lowry loves to connect with an audience; and that passion shows on Dogs Go to Heaven. “That’s why I leave the lights up in the audience,” he explains, “so I can see them. I like to look everybody in the eyes sometime during the night.
“I love it all. I love the opening when we’re getting to know each other (the audience and me), and I love the conversations on stage between me and The Martins or with whoever happens to be with me that night. I love walking out in the audience and getting closer to the people. I enjoy introducing ‘Mary, Did You Know?’ (which I will do every night, probably, for the rest of my life…when you only have one hit, you sing it every night!) And I treasure the serendipitous moments when God shows up, without warning, but very expectedly. We always ask Him to…I love that, and I love the email I receive from people telling me how the concert affected them.”
Lowry’s career has spanned from contemporary Christian music recordings and best-selling comedy videos to his platform as a member of the lauded Gaither Vocal Band for over 20 years. The co-writer (along with Buddy Greene) of “Mary, Did You Know?” his talents have placed him on the Gaither HOMECOMING Video Series and on world-renowned stages including Carnegie Hall and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Dogs Go to Heaven is distributed through Capitol Christian Distribution and is available throughout general market stores and the Christian marketplace in addition to online retailers including iTunes, Amazon and www.gaither.com. Lowry is featured weekly on the Gaither HOMECOMING shows on TV networks including PBS, Dish TV, RFD and TBN, among others; and the new release will be featured in Homecoming Magazine.
For further information about Lowry visit:
Website
Facebook
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Lowry’s current Top 40 radio single “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven” (How We Love)—a song made familiar to him by friend and country music legend Loretta Lynn—features American bluegrass and country music group Dailey & Vincent.
Dogs Go to Heaven CD TRACK LISTING
01. Jesus Laughing
02. Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven
03. Comedy – Old Age
04. Fly Me to the Moon
05. He Leadeth Me (feat. The Martins)
06. Count Your Blessings (feat. The Martins)
07. Worry
08. What a Lovely Name
09. I Thirst (Mom’s Song)
10. You’ll Never Walk Alone (feat. The Martins)
11. How We Love
12. Comedy – Dogs Go to Heaven
13. Glow Worm
14. On Jordan’s Stormy Banks (feat. The Martins)
15. Goodbye World Goodbye (feat. Stan Whitmire)
16. Old People
17. Where Amazing Happens (feat. TaRanda & the First Baptist Church Choir of Hendersonville, TN)
18. The Promise (feat. The Martins)
19. Mary, Did You Know? (Mark with the First Baptist Church Choir of Hendersonville, TN)
20. Come As You Are
Dogs Go to Heaven DVD TRACK LISTING:
1 .Great Is the Lord (feat. Stan Whitmire)
2. Count Your Blessings (feat. The Martins)
3. Jesus Laughing
4. Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven
5. Comedy – Old Age
6. Fly Me to the Moon
7. Interruption (with Bill Gaither & the Gaither Vocal Band)
8. Comedy – Nanny, Papaw & the Baptist Rapture
10. Worry
11. Comedy – The Homecoming Friends
12. What a Lovely Name
13. Interruption (with The Isaacs)
14. Waiting in the Water (feat. The Isaacs)
15. Too Much to Gain to Lose (feat. Mark with The Isaacs)
16. I Thirst (Mom’s Song)
17. You’ll Never Walk Alone (feat. The Martins)
18. How We Love
20. Glow Worm
21. On Jordan’s Stormy Banks (feat. The Martins)
22. Goodbye World Goodbye (feat. Stan Whitmire)
23. Old People
24. Where Amazing Happens (feat. TaRanda & the First Baptist Church Choir of Hendersonville, TN)
25. The Promise (feat. The Martins)
26. Interruption (with Gloria Gaither)
27. Mark on Interruptions
28. Mary, Did You Know? (Mark with the First Baptist Church Choir of Hendersonville, TN)
29. Come As You Are
ABOUT MARK LOWRY
Mark Lowry is known and loved around the world as a trusted voice in the realm of gospel music and beyond. He started making music at age 11, and his legacy is forever sealed as an innately entertaining communicator who can, at once, make audiences laugh, cry and reflect.
Mark is a singer, storyteller, humorist, author and songwriter whose lyric to “Mary Did You Know?” resulted in one of the most loved modern Christmas songs of this century. This captivating song, which he co-wrote with Buddy Greene, has been recorded more than 400 times by artists from many genres including Reba McEntire, CeeLo Green, Clay Aiken, Michael English, Kenny Rogers, Wynonna Judd, the Gaither Vocal Band and a long list of others.
Mark spent more than 20 collective years as the baritone singer for the GRAMMY®-award-winning Gaither Vocal Band and served as the sidesplitting comedic sidekick for Bill Gaither through live concert tours and the best-selling Gaither HOMECOMING Video Series and television airings.
A deep thinker and student of theology with an outrageous sense of humor (for which he often credits his diagnosis with Attention Deficit Disorder), Mark’s life work offers a long list of recordings and DVDs reflecting a wide range of influences, including Mark Lowry on Broadway (RIAA Certified Platinum), Mark Lowry Goes to Hollywood (RIAA Certified Gold), Best of Mark Lowry & Bill Gaither, Volumes I and II (RIAA Certified Gold), Life Gets Loud and more.
In spite of the broad range of musical inspiration found in Mark’s discography, there is one element that never changes–his gift for communicating profound truths through music and storytelling that keeps audiences of all ages on the edges of their seats. Mark maintains a full schedule of solo concerts with longtime friends such as Stan Whitmire and The Martins, as well as select Gaither HOMECOMING tour dates across North America.
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Media Contact:
Celeste Winstead
Gaither Music Group
CWinstead@springhillmusic.com
615-383-5535, ext. 138
