Atlanta’s internationally known rock band, Third Day, is celebrating yet another milestone in a year already filled with accolades and success: the band’s critically acclaimed, best-selling, and GRAMMY and Dove Award nominated recording, Offerings – A Worship Album, has been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales in excess of 500,000 units. Essential Records, Provident Music Distribution and Creative Trust honored Third Day for its landmark achievement during this year’s Gospel Music Association Convention with a special Gold Celebration event, Monday, April 23, in Nashville.
“We’ve watched Offerings grow from an fan-inspired idea to a project that is helping to further define what has already been an amazing career,” says Robert Beeson, Essential Records president. “From the incredible outpouring of fan support for the Offerings tour, to sales that have now reached the distinguished Gold level, we are all very proud of the way Third Day and their fans have created and embraced this wonderful rock-worship experience.”
“The distribution company has seen incredible marketing support for this project,” added Don Noes, Provident Music Distribution senior vice president. “Right from the start, retailers’ presentation of this project was extraordinary. They were ready to help make this Third Day’s best selling project ever. We look forward to continuing that relationship as future partnerships with retailers holds even greater successes.”
Dan Raines, Creative Trust president, said, “It is always a defining moment for me when I see talent, hard work, inspired writing, and a passionate vision to impact culture, all come together in such a way as to incite the listener’s desire to know the living God. Third Day does that …one listener at a time…a thousand times a day. I think they are just getting warmed up.”
J. David Huffman, Creative Trust senior vice president, management operations, adds, “We at Creative Trust are ecstatic to celebrate this career milestone with Third Day and everyone in our industry. This achievement represents what a worship and live recording experience desired by fans and strong partnerships between management, distribution, the label, radio, retailers, and God’s provisions can accomplish together.”
Produced by Monroe Jones (Dove-nominated for Producer of the Year) and the band, Offerings – A Worship Album combines the band’s heart for worship with its unparalleled live show. The album includes six live concert versions of Third Day worship favorites, such as “Agnus Dei” and “My Hope Is You.” In addition, the project features five completely new worship songs, like the radio hits “King of Glory” and “These Thousand Hills.” Third Day also gives their own rootsy southern-edged rock treatment to a Bob Dylan classic, the title cut from his critically acclaimed album, Saved.
Even before being certified as a Gold recording, Offerings – A Worship Album had become a phenomenon for fans and retailers alike. The project holds the year 2000 title as the longest running No. 1 project from any artist or group as reported by Sound Scan on the top Christian Albums chart, and has held the No. 1 position on the Rock retail sales chart for the last six consecutive weeks. In addition to sales, Offerings – A Worship Album has enjoyed huge multi-format radio success, producing such top singles as “Your Love Oh Lord,” “These Thousand Hills,” and “King of Glory.” The project also recently helped Third Day members garner an amazing nine Dove Award nominations, more than any other nominee, including nods in the categories of Artist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year (Mac Powell), Praise & Worship Album of the Year, and Group of the Year, among others.
Third Day’s tour in support of the recording has been just as record-breaking as the original project. The band’s recent performance on the “Offerings” tour at the HiFi Buys Amphitheater in Atlanta, promoted by House Of Blues, Inc., was the largest event in Third Day’s career history, with over 15,000 people in attendance.
Third Day, continues to draw larger and larger crowds on its concert tours. After performing for over 100,000 fans in 46 concerts last spring, this year’s Winter/Spring “Offerings” tour drew over 100,000 fans in only 31 cities. Taking its name from the enormously successful, critically acclaimed and fourth Third Day recording, Offerings – A Worship Album, the tour logged an amazing 22 sellouts out of 28 ticketed events. The average attendance for this tour was 3,239 enthusiastic fans. Many of the tour markets’ attendance figures doubled from concerts in the same city one year ago, such as the concert in Atlanta showing 400% growth.
“Seeing people respond this way to Third Day is one of the things that allows me to experience God’s pleasure in my occupation,” said David Huffman, Creative Trust senior vice president, management operations. “We are humbled to work with people who honor their Maker, point people upward, and with each day get a little closer to being the best rock band our industry has ever seen. And this unprecedented tour growth during the last 12 months is evidence of that.”
“Third Day’s fans came and brought friends,” continued Jonathan Thomas, Creative Trust director of live events and promotions. “They are the ones who make things like this work. This tour not only was a great success, but lives were impacted. That’s when it gets exciting.”
Not planning to tour at all this spring, Third Day was encouraged by its fans to extend its already successful fall tour that saw packed venues in 18 concerts across the country. Third Day was rewarded by what became a record-breaking encore tour. The Winter/Spring “Offerings” tour boasted the band’s largest event in its career history. Sponsored by the House Of Blues, Inc., more than 15,000 people packed the HiFi Buys Amphitheater in the band’s hometown of Atlanta. Among the 22 sellouts on the tour were concerts in Los Angeles, Houston, Portland, Phoenix, Dallas, Birmingham and Indianapolis.
According to management, the next full Third Day tour will be in the spring of 2002. While fans may have to wait a year to see Third Day live in concert, the band will be a visible part of next week’s Gospel Music Association (GMA) Convention in Nashville. The band leads the 2001 Dove Awards nominees with nine and will be a featured performer on the televised Dove Awards ceremony to be taped next Thursday. As the GRAMMY nominated recording from Third Day, Offerings – A Worship Album, continues hold No. 1 on the SoundScan compiled Rock chart for its sixth consecutive week, the band will also be honored guests at a Gold Celebration for the recording on Monday.
With career sales of over 1.6 million, three Grammy nominations, and 14 No. 1 songs, as well as its current nine Dove nominations, Third Day is poised for even greater success as band members finish preliminary work on a new studio project. The project, not due out until fall 2001, is slated to be the band’s first full-length studio release in over two years.
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