Nightlights Continues To Garner Critical Acclaim And The Second Single, “Grace Amazing” Goes For CHR Radio Adds

NEWS SOURCE: Bozeman Media
August 2, 2010

Nashville, TN (August 2, 2010) —- Singer/songwriter, Jimmy Needham, has been selected to headline fourteen of nineteen Acquire The Fire tour dates this fall and spring 2011. Needham is a natural fit for these tour dates with his strong fanbase of teens and young adults. This was evident with the tremendous success of his third project for Inpop Records, Nightlights that released in mid-May. The CD debuted at #9 on the Contemporary Christian Combined Album Chart and #1 on the Digital Album charts.

Ron Luce, President and Founder of Acquire The Fire, personally invited Needham to join the dates because of the impact of his ministry and music. “Jimmy has an incredible heart to reach the youth of this generation and we are excited to partner with him.”

Nightlights continues on its successful course, as the first single, “Yours To Take,” hit the Top Fifteen on the Adult Contemporary chart and the second single, “Grace Amazing,” went for adds at CHR radio last Friday. With the spins on AC and CHR radio, almost two million fans were tuned in to Needham’s music. On the album and the first single, Tom Krimsier, PD at WBSN / New Orleans says, “We get new music at our station daily. Rarely does a song grab me right away but that’s exactly what happened with the Jimmy Needham song Yours To Take. But Jimmy’s story doesn’t end there. When I got his album, Nightlights, I discovered thirteen great fun, soulful, terrific songs, so focused on what many of us are experiencing today. It aimed for the heart and hit a bullseye!”

Media has solidly embraced Needham’s new album with About.com and NewReleaseTuesday.com listing Nightlightsas one of the top albums of 2010, #3 and #5 respectively. Numerous interviews and reviews have applauded the growth of Needham as an artist with JesusFreakHideout.com saying, Jimmy Needham’s latest release, Nightlights, without a doubt showcases his continued progression as a singer and songwriter and CBN.com adds, The bluesy, soulful sound of Jimmy Needham is irresistible on his new album, Nightlights.

Needham recently returned from a media trip to Orlando, FL that included a performance on WPOZ-FM; podcast interview with Charisma’s “The Buzz;” performed on Relevant Magazine’s online radio station, Relevant FM; and taped two radio shows for Campus Crusade For Christ, The Lighthouse Report and Women Today.

Needham recently spent time in Colorado Springs for an interview with Focus On The Family’s Steve Watters for Weekend Magazine. Needham also performed at the corporate offices of WAY-FM and CBA. On November 14, Needham and band will appear on the Crystal Cathedral’s Hour of Power national television broadcast.

About Jimmy Needham:
Needham released his first album, Speak, in 2006, on Inpop Records, and it generated respect and well-earned recognition from the Christian music industry for this talented singer/songwriter from Katy, Texas. The CD generated three singles “Fence Riders (#14),” “Dearly Loved (#8),” and “Lost At Sea,” which charted for an incredible twelve weeks at the #2 position. Needham’s second project, Not Without Love, resulted in four hit singles including “Forgiven and Loved” as the break-out Christian AC hit, climbing to #6 nationally, while “A Breath Or Two,” peaked at #3 at Christian CHR radio. Needham’s third album, Nightlights, debuted at #1 on iTunes Top 200 Christian & Gospel Albums chart and #25 on iTunes Top 200 Albums chart for all genres of music. Media reviews and interviews have been overwhelmingly supportive of Needham and Nightlights. For press and tour updates please visit www.jimmyneedham.com.

Acquire The Fire Tour Dates (subject to change):

10/9/10 - Mullins Center - Amherst, MA
10/23/10 - Copps Coliseum - Hamilton, ON
10/30/10 - Life Changers International Church - Hoffman Estates, IL
11/6/10 - Wolstein Center - Cleveland, OH
*11/12/10 - The Rock Church - Anaheim, CA (Needham headlining)
*11/19/10 - Metra Park - Billings, MT (Needham headlining)
12/4/10 - Veterans Memorial Coliseum - Phoenix, AZ

Needham headlining all dates below:
1/28/11 - Richmond Coliseum - Richmond, VA
2/4/11 - Minneapolis Convention Center - Minneapolis, MN
2/11/11 - Kemper Arena - Kansas City, MO
2/18/11 - Church in the Now - Conyers, GA
2/25/11 - Municipal Auditorium - Nashville, TN
3/4/11 - Freeman Coliseum - San Antonio, TX
3/11/11 - Legacy Church - Albuquerque, NM
4/1/11 - Comcast Arena - Everett, WA
4/8/11 - Arco Arena - Sacramento, CA
4/15/11 - Memorial Coliseum - Portland, OR
4/29/11 - Denver Coliseum - Denver, CO
5/6/11 - 1st Mariner Arena - Baltimore, MD

For more info on Jimmy Needham, visit JimmyNeedham.com.

It’s been a whirlwind of activity for singer/songwriter Jimmy Needham around the release date of his third project, Nightlights. The project’s street date was May 18, 2010 and immediately the album sent fans into the stores and online to buy a copy. For the first time in his career, Needham debuted at #9 on the Contemporary Christian Combined Album Chart with sales that doubled his first two releases. At the same time, Nightlights reached the #1 position on the Digital Album charts.

After the success of Needham’s first two projects, expectations were high for the development of this artist and Needham did not disappoint his fans, radio or media. CCM Magazine proclaims, “The growth curve climbed exactly as imagined…the Houston native’s progression continues at the same impressive rate as before on Nightlights.” Radio is also responding to Needham’s first single from the album, “Yours To Take,” as it’s the highest debut this week at #23 on the Christian AC Indicator chart.

“Jimmy has truly become an artist whose staying power continues to rise with each new release,” says Andrew Patton, GM/VP of Label Operations, Inpop Records. “The growth in sales and continued strong radio airplay shows the consumer base responding and growing with each record. Just spend a few minutes listening to fan comments on the social sites or through digital outlets, and you’ll see for yourself the impact his songs and artistry is having on people.”

Nightlights was produced by Calvin Turner (Marc Broussard) and features twelve new songs written or co-written by Needham, with the thirteenth song being a remake of the pop classic, “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You).” Millions of fans were treated to a live performance of the new tunes during a worldwide broadcast of Needham’s CD release party in The Woodlands, TX. An upcoming feature in the Houston Chronicle will feature the concert in an artist profile of Needham on May 28th. Needham was in Nashville this week to perform “Yours To Take” live on Nashville’s Fox 17 TN Mornings and then taped “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” on WSMV’s Better Nashville. The show will air on May 28th. The following week, Needham has several interviews on tap that include LifeWay’s Stand Firm Magazine, The Christian Manifesto and CMAddict.com.

Inpop Records announced this morning that Jimmy Needham’s new CD, NIGHTLIGHTS, reached the #1 position on iTunes Top 200 Christian Albums chart. At the same time, the CD is #25 on iTunes Top 200 Albums chart that covers all music genres. Today is the official street date for the highly-anticipated project with fans and media embracing the project.

Houston Press - Needham is no stranger to secular pop or hip-hop — in his bio, he shouts out Maroon 5, Michael Jackson and Jay-Z as the musical inspirations behind “Grace Amazing,” while Nightlights single “Yours to Take” has already made him a rising star in Christian circles.

JesusFreakHideout.com - New and old fans will both be greatly impressed with this latest release, and future releases will no doubt be just as successful if this variety continues.

Christian Manifesto - Jimmy Needham should be the darling of CCM. Ever innovative, original and fresh, his music is akin to a zap of electricity for an oft-tired industry.

Christian Music Today - …his bluesy arrangements are beautifully crafted and his lyrics sincere.

Needham will celebrate the release of NIGHTLIGHTS this evening in The Woodlands, TX. The show will broadcast live at Needham’s website, JimmyNeedham.com or at Facebook.com/JimmyNeedham, 8:00 – 9:30 pm EDT where millions of fans around the world can watch Needham’s performance. The Houston Chronicle will be covering the show for an upcoming artist feature that will run later this month highlighting Needham’s incredible career.

DOWNLOAD NIGHTLIGHTS ON ITUNES NOW!