{"id":3314,"date":"2019-04-04T08:27:16","date_gmt":"2019-04-04T08:27:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/michaelwsmith.com\/?p=3314"},"modified":"2019-04-04T18:05:05","modified_gmt":"2019-04-04T18:05:05","slug":"over-35-artists-will-celebrate-35-1-hits-and-the-35th-anniversary-of-friends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michaelwsmith.com\/over-35-artists-will-celebrate-35-1-hits-and-the-35th-anniversary-of-friends\/","title":{"rendered":"Over 50 Artists Will Celebrate 35 #1 Hits and the 35th Anniversary of &#8220;Friends&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-3315 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/michaelwsmith.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Screen-Shot-2018-12-11-at-2.02.59-PM-e1544559938670.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"275\" height=\"405\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 275px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 275\/405;\" \/>Rascal Flatts, Point of Grace, Phil Keaggy, Henry Cho, Nate Bargatze and John Crist Added To Star-Studded Tribute Concert &#8217;35 Years Of Friends: Celebrating The Music Of Michael W. Smith&#8217; April 30 in Nashville.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>UPDATED OFFICIAL RELEASE:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>When the stars align, they surely align, and that is exactly what is happening as country music\u2019s chart-topping group Rascal Flatts, award-winning CCM icons Point of Grace and Phil Keaggy, and comedians Henry Cho, Nate Bargatze and John Crist have all signed on to perform and honor Michael W. Smith during the once-in-a-lifetime tribute event taking place April 30th. \u201835 years of Friends: Celebrating The Music Of Michael W. Smith\u2019 will take place at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, and will also include performances by Amy Grant, Bob Goff, Brian Littrell from the the Backstreet Boys, CeCe Winans, Chonda Pierce, Danny Gokey, Donnie McClurkin, Francesca Battistelli, The Gatlin Brothers, The Isaacs, Jars of Clay, Jason Crabb, Jim Brickman, Jordan Smith, Jordin Sparks, Justin Flom, Laura Story, Lee Greenwood, Mac Powell, Matt Maher, Matthew West, MercyMe, Natalie Grant, Newsboys, The Oak Ridge Boys, Phillips, Craig and Dean, Randy Travis, Ricky Skaggs, Russ Taff, Sandi Patty, Scott Hamilton, Vince Gill, Wayne Kirkpatrick and the Original MWS Band, and Wynonna.<\/p>\n<p><iframe data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QulsvozAosA\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Promoted by Outback Concerts and produced by Tony Conway of Conway Entertainment Group, music lovers will experience over 40 artists from all genres, performing a set list to include many of Smith\u2019s 35 #1 hit singles. With over 45 Dove awards, three Grammy awards, and an American Music award, Michael W. Smith has forever enshrined his mark in the music history books. Smith garnered yet another Grammy nomination in 2018 for &#8216;Best Contemporary Christian Music Album&#8217; for his latest worship effort, &#8216;Surrounded.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>Tickets are available at all Ticketmaster locations and the Bridgestone Arena box office.\u00a0 Get tickets here:\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www1.ticketmaster.com\/35-years-of-friends-celebrating-the-music-of-michael-w-smith\/event\/1B005587E85AE23C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www1.ticketmaster.com\/35-years-of-friends-celebrating-the-music-of-michael-w-smith\/event\/1B005587E85AE23C<\/a><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE FROM DECEMBER 2018:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>With over 45 Dove awards, three Grammy awards, and an American Music award, Michael W. Smith has forever enshrined his mark in the music history books. Smith garnered yet another Grammy nod last Friday with a nomination for &#8216;Best Contemporary Christian Music Album&#8217; for his latest worship effort, &#8216;Surrounded.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>In a once-in-a-lifetime tribute event, promoted by Outback Concerts and produced by Tony Conway of Conway Entertainment Group, friends and fellow musicians will pay tribute to Smith on April 30, 2019, at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Celebrating his remarkable 35-year career will include Amy Grant, Bob Goff, Brian Littrell from the the Backstreet Boys, CeCe Winans, Chonda Pierce, Danny Gokey, Donnie McClurkin, Francesca Battistelli, The Gatlin Brothers, The Isaacs, Jars of Clay, Jason Crabb, Jim Brickman, Jordan Smith, Jordin Sparks, Justin Flom, Laura Story, Lee Greenwood, Mac Powell, Matt Maher, Matthew West, MercyMe, Natalie Grant, Newsboys, The Oak Ridge Boys, Phillips, Craig and Dean, Randy Travis, Ricky Skaggs, Russ Taff, Sandi Patty, Scott Hamilton, Vince Gill, Wayne Kirkpatrick and the Original MWS Band, Wynonna and more to be announced soon.<\/p>\n<p>Dubbed \u201835 Years of Friends: Celebrating The Music of Michael W. Smith,\u2019 music lovers will experience over 35 artists, from all genres, performing a set list to include many of Smith\u2019s 35 #1 hit singles. In addition, 2018 marks the 35th Anniversary of Smith\u2019s Top 10 single \u201cFriends,\u201d which helped introduce his music to both secular and non-secular audiences. Smith once again shared the song with the world when he performed it at the Washington, D.C. memorial service for his dear friend, President George H.W. Bush, last Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Michael is a Christian music icon and we can think of no better way to celebrate him than with this star-studded lineup we have put together,\u201d says Outback Concerts\u2019 Morgan Carney. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be an event not to be missed, and will be a fantastic celebration of one of the greats.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FuykrV8VqVc\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I\u2019ve had the privilege of working with Michael for over thirty years,&#8221; said John Huie, Head of Music at CAA in Nashville. &#8220;I\u2019ve seen his music impact people from all walks of life &#8211; from Presidents to pedestrians. This celebration of his contributions to music and the impact of the song &#8216;FRIENDS&#8217; will be very special. It\u2019s been fun watching it come together as so many artists from all genres are anxious to celebrate Michael and his music. An event like this is a first for a Christian artist \u2013 and it\u2019s going to be great!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Putting a tribute event together can be a tremendous amount of work, unless you are doing a tribute to Christian superstar Michael W. Smith,&#8221; said Tony Conway (Conway Entertainment Group\/Ontourage). &#8220;I have been a fan and follower of his music and mission in life since he started performing. Every single artist that his manager Chaz and I talked with said yes right away. It is an honor to work alongside Michael, Chaz and the promoter, Mike Smardak of Outback Concerts. One thing we can all promise, and that is this will be a very special, one night only concert, with lots of surprises and magical collaborations.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Tickets go on sale at <strong>10 am<\/strong> (CT) <strong>Friday, December 14<\/strong> at all <b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ticketmaster.com\/event\/1B005587E85AE23C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ticketmaster<\/a><\/b> locations and the Bridgestone Arena.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rascal Flatts, Point of Grace, Phil Keaggy, Henry Cho, Nate Bargatze and John Crist Added To Star-Studded Tribute Concert &#8217;35 Years Of Friends: Celebrating The Music Of Michael W. Smith&#8217; April 30 in Nashville. UPDATED OFFICIAL RELEASE: When the stars align, they surely align, and that is exactly what is happening as country music\u2019s chart-topping group Rascal Flatts, award-winning CCM icons Point of Grace and Phil Keaggy, and comedians Henry Cho, Nate Bargatze and John [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"video","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3314","post","type-post","status-publish","format-video","hentry","category-news","post_format-post-format-video"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelwsmith.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3314","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelwsmith.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelwsmith.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michaelwsmith.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michaelwsmith.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3314"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/michaelwsmith.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3314\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3578,"href":"https:\/\/michaelwsmith.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3314\/revisions\/3578"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelwsmith.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3314"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michaelwsmith.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3314"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michaelwsmith.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}