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Tweet, Baby, Tweet

By Christa A. Banister, senior music editor, GospelMusicChannel.com

They’ve Got the Tweet

Since I’m already addicted to Facebook like everyone else on the planet, have a barely used MySpace page, blog regularly and also keep track of what I’m reading on GoodReads, I really never saw the point of signing up for Twitter, despite its insatiable popularity.

I don’t why, but I just couldn’t wrap my mind around the masses wanting to know what I’m doing several times a day, let alone having “followers.” But a little peer pressure goes a long way, and I finally caved. So @Christabanister was officially launched.

While I’m still not sure if my status updates are quite witty enough (although I certainly give it the proverbial college try), I have discovered that Twitter is a pretty great way of keeping tabs on your favorite Christian musicians.

In fact, a recent trip through the Twitterverse offered a few interesting revelations...

It’s Already Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

Matthew West is “thinking Christmas thoughts” and getting into the spirit several months early in anticipation of his upcoming holiday album. In fact, while cutting vocals at producer Brown Bannister’s studio for Give This Christmas Away, West and Company even put up a Christmas tree to set the mood. Here’s hoping it was a fake since it was 80+ degrees that day. (Follow Matthew West at http://twitter.com/matthew_west).

These Jars are Full of Insights

Of all the artists I follow, Jars of Clay’s Dan Haseltine, Charlie Lowell, Stephen Mason and Matt Odmark are, hands down, the most active “tweeters.” Surely, they must have killer cell phones to deliver this sort of productivity. From updates on their travels (the boys recently played a show with Delirious in NYC) to lighthearted banter about recent IKEA purchases, there’s always some amusing reading. (Follow Dan Haseltine at http://twitter.com/scribblepotemus, Charlie Lowell at http://twitter.com/cdlowell, Stephen Mason at http://twitter.com/StephenDMason and Matt Odmark at http://twitter.com/modmark.

The ’Mac is Back No Slack

Proving he’s no imposter, tobyMac’s Twitter handle is http://twitter.com/therealtobymac. And for those wondering when a proper follow-up to 2007’s Portable Sounds (after all, even if they’re good, remix albums don’t count right?) is coming, Toby offers dedicated fans a glimmer of hope: “Songs are coming, God is gracious! Askin’ Him for songs and He delivers...breathin’ them through me as long as I stay hollow of my junk.” Not sure what that means exactly, but it sounds like new songs are on the way nonetheless.

Bringin’ the Noise, Bringin’ the Funk

On her frequently updated Twitter log, Mandisa (http://twitter.com/mandisaofficial) gives readers a snapshot of her very busy life (mostly from the airports she’s flying in and out of) while she’s singing and performing on the Women of Faith circuit. And like me, she’s also a sucker for the occasional E! “True Hollywood Story.”

Revealed: The Life and Times of Singer/Songwriters

Brandon Heath has been drooling over Harleys (http://twitter.com/brandonheath), Shawn McDonald (http://twitter.com/ShawnMcDonald) recently watched a bonfire that was “like, 25 feet high” and Bebo Norman (http://twitter.com/bebonorman) has spent his summer break introducing his son Smith to his first snowball (cute pictures included).

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Meet Norman Hutchins (Again)

Considering his Sparrow Records debut released in 1992, and that his songs have been recorded by everyone from Mom & Pop Winans to the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Norman Hutchins is hardly what most people would consider a new artist. But in a way, his latest project God is Faithful is a step in a decidedly new direction for the veteran artist.

“With my career, I’ve had what you’d call a quiet, long, winding road up a cliff,” Hutchins told GospelMusicChannel.com in a recent interview. “It's sort of like, people know the music, but they don't know the person behind the music. And the truth is, I can live with that. It's not mine anyway, it belongs to God.”

As a pastor, the founder of Frontline Ministries, and a musician, Hutchins doesn’t really have time to be concerned anyway. “Every good and perfect gift comes from Him, after all,” Hutchins continues. “I have to focus on what God has given me to do. And I believe the music that I've written over the years is designed for Sunday morning worship. That’s my way of ministering to the body of Christ.”

In the past, however, Hutchins’ music has fallen under the gospel umbrella, save for a song or two. But with his fifth project, God is Faithful, Hutchins embraces a new musical direction.

“It's actually the first project I've ever done in terms of an acoustic, more contemporary Christian music sound,” Hutchins says. “I got a vision to record an album like this, and really, God is bigger than just traditional black gospel. He’s called us to minister to the masses.”

Crafting songs more vertical in focus, Hutchins enjoyed switching things up on God is Faithful, which recently debuted at #30 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart. “The lyrics are more of singing to God than about Him, which I’m really happy about. And stylistically speaking, I feel like I’m really being me. I feel like I’m expressing all of who I am musically, which is a real gift.”

For more information about Hutchins, check out normanhutchins.com.

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About the Writer

After graduating with a B.S. in Journalism from North Central University in 1998, Christa Banister moved from Minneapolis to Nashville, Tenn. and eventually started working at CCM Magazine/Salem Publishing in various editorial capacities as an editor, columnist and website guru for five and a half years. After that, she launched her own freelance writing company and writes for numerous clients including Salem Publishing, Crosswalk.com (she review movies for them each week), Christian Single, Christianity Today, Threads Media, Songs4Worship.com, PassAlong.com and also helped kickstart the first Christian music blog for MTV. In addition, she also writes bios for professional recording artists and authors and penned her first two novels, Around the World in 80 Dates and Blessed Are the Meddlers for NavPress.



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