RETAILERS VISIT MCKEEHAN'S HOME

Sunday, 25 April 2004 08:00 PM America/New_York

Yesterday, retailers participating in the Christian Music and Video Retailers (CMVR) education track piled onto buses headed for Franklin, Tenn., to visit Toby McKeehan, who hosted the fifth annual CMVR field trip. McKeehan, his wife, Amanda, and their three children opened their home to CMVR participants and hosted a lunch and music showcase in the backyard of his Civil War-era house. Retailers enjoyed performances by new artists Bethany Dillon and Jadyn Maria, as well as a rousing gospel set by Smokie Norful and the debut of new songs by McKeehan from his upcoming project, tentatively titled Phenomenon.

Also over the weekend at GMA, artists Steven Curtis Chapman and Jaci Velasquez hosted private media events at their homes. Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth, with adopted daughters Shaohannah and Stevey Joy on hand, invited guests to preview Chapman's upcoming fall release, All Things New (Sparrow), in his home studio.

Velasquez officially announced her new record label, A'postrophe, and introduced the label's debut artist, Michael Cook, who performed several songs from his upcoming release.