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The Inspiration Network announced today that it is accepting entries for the seventh season of its top-rated Christian Artist Talent Search (C.A.T.S.) series. The premier platform for discovering Christian talent, C.A.T.S. brings together 32 finalists from across the country to perform on national television and the opportunity to land a national recording contract. The winner of the seventh season will record with the Grammy®-nominated and Dove Award-winning Lamon Records and Dave Moody Productions.

A variety of extraordinary singers from across the country have performed on C.A.T.S. since we started the series,” said Ron Shuping, Executive Vice President of Programming for INSP. “We’re confident that this season will once again deliver the best Christian talent there is to offer.”

Shuping said that the network also is excited to have Lamon Records and Dave Moody on board for the Grand Prize recording contact. “Lamon Records and Dave Moody Productions will continue to build on the caliber of performers C.A.T.S. launches in the Christian music industry,” said Shuping. “This team will offer the winner the necessary guidance and expertise to have an impactful career in Christian music.”

INSP Kicks Off Entry Period For Christian Talent Search Contest; Grand Prize Winner To Receive National Recording Contract

Winner to record with Lamon Records and Dave Moody Productions.

Charlotte, NC (Vocus/PRWEB ) January 22, 2008 — The Inspiration Network announced today that it is accepting entries for the seventh season of its top-rated Christian Artist Talent Search (C.A.T.S.) series. The premier platform for discovering Christian talent, C.A.T.S. brings together 32 finalists from across the country to perform on national television and the opportunity to land a national recording contract. The winner of the seventh season will record with the Grammy®-nominated and Dove Award-winning Lamon Records and Dave Moody Productions.

This team will offer the winner the necessary guidance and expertise to have an impactful career in Christian music.
“A variety of extraordinary singers from across the country have performed on C.A.T.S. since we started the series,” said Ron Shuping, Executive Vice President of Programming for INSP. “We’re confident that this season will once again deliver the best Christian talent there is to offer.”

Shuping said that the network also is excited to have Lamon Records and Dave Moody on board for the Grand Prize recording contact. “Lamon Records and Dave Moody Productions will continue to build on the caliber of performers C.A.T.S. launches in the Christian music industry,” said Shuping. “This team will offer the winner the necessary guidance and expertise to have an impactful career in Christian music.”

Lamon Records has more than forty years experience producing, manufacturing, distributing, and promoting music artists. The company has won numerous industry awards and produced two Grammy-nominated records, several Dove Award-winning albums, many industry-nominated records, and numerous chart singles and albums in a variety of music genres. Lamon Records is headed by Grammy-nominated instrumentalist/artist/producer and Dove Award winner Dave Moody, the driving force behind the legendary “The Moody Brothers.” Lamon Records and Dave Moody Productions have worked with Young Harmony, Corey Brooks, Sounds of Victory, One Reason, and Leonardo, among others.

C.A.T.S. invites submissions from all Christian genres, including Gospel, Contemporary, Southern Gospel, Rock, and Rap/Hip Hop. Entries will be accepted from soloists and groups from now until April 11, 2008. To qualify, contestants must submit a CD or audiocassette with two Christian songs, two copies of a recent photo, and two copies of their biography. All entrants must be 15 years of age or older by April 11, 2008. Contestants can visit www.insp.com to view the rules and regulations and download the entry form. Additional information also is available by calling 704.561.7955.

Finalists will participate in televised performances that will be produced at INSP’s studios in Charlotte, NC. The seventh season of C.A.T.S. will begin airing in January 2009. Music industry professionals and celebrity judges from the Christian entertainment community will judge the performances and select a winner from the 32 finalists. Past judges have included Russ Lee, Janet Paschal, Tammy Trent, Bob Carlisle, Kim Hopper, Maurette Brown Clark and Michelle Williams.

Season six of C.A.T.S. is currently airing during the “INSP Saturday Night!” lineup on INSP — The Inspiration Network. The show also airs on i-Lifetv -– Inspirational Life Television. Viewers can check their local program guides for more information.

David Cerullo is the Executive Producer of C.A.T.S. Ron Shuping is the Co-Executive Producer. Fred Shaheen is the Senior Producer.

About The Inspiration Networks:
The Inspiration Networks are available to more than a billion people worldwide through multiple distribution platforms, including Internet Broadband (www.inspiration.net) and four satellite and cable TV networks (INSP - The Inspiration Network; i-Lifetv — Inspirational Life Television; LFC — La Familia Cosmovision; and INI - Inspiration Network International). The Inspiration Networks also operate “Inspiration Video On Demand,” the first inspirational platform for cable television video on demand (VOD) delivery; and “Inspiration Global,” providing broadband video content in the world’s four major trade languages – French, Italian, German, and Spanish.

Music Association’s reigning Artist of the Year, sixstepsrecords worship leader Chris Tomlin begins 2008 on top with his current project, See The Morning, certified Gold this month by the Recording Industry Association of America. His second consecutive Gold record, See the Morning’s third radio single “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone),” also became the album’s third consecutive No. 1 hit.

With career sales exceeding more than two million units, six No. 1 radio singles, 4 Top 25 CCLI songs, two GRAMMY nominations, 12 Dove Awards, and now two Gold albums to his credit, Chris Tomlin is among the most well-known artist/worship leaders in the world. This month he celebrates the success of his fastest-selling album to date, See the Morning, released Sept. 26, 2006. The record ended 2007 at No. 3 on SoundScan®’s Top Selling Christian/Gospel Albums at Christian Retail year-end chart and was the No. 8 Top Selling Christian/Gospel Album overall. Only weeks later, the CD was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.

“It’s no small thing to see this kind of success in a shrinking market, further evidence of God’s favor on Chris’ life and the songs He is birthing through him,” says Louie Giglio, sixstepsrecords founder and director. “The strength of See The Morning, especially on the heels of what we continue to see with Arriving, is incredibly humbling and gratifying to everyone who has worked so hard to help connect Chris’ music with worshipers around the globe.”

“The sales success we have witnessed for See The Morning is something to be grateful for and celebrated,” says President of EMI CMG Label Group, Peter York. “This is yet another milestone in Chris’s ministry that proves his songs continue to impact the global Church. We are truly thankful for our continued role in supporting his music and ministry.”

The project has been widely praised by such noteworthy publications as Time, Billboard, CCM, All Music Guide, Worship Leader and more. The album garnered Tomlin his first and second GRAMMY nominations for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album and Best Gospel Performance for “Made to Worship.” The record also debuted at No. 1 on the SoundScan® compiled Christian retail charts, landed Tomlin his highest Billboard Top 200 position ever at No. 15 with 47,420 units sold in its first week, and was named iTunes’ 2006 “Best Christian Album” of the year. See the Morning additionally boasts accolades including a 2007 Dove Award for Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year, Praise and Worship Album of the Year and Tomlin’s first two GRAMMY nominations for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album and Best Gospel Performance. The record has also yielded the No. 1 Radio & Records Christian Adult Contemporary and Inspirational single “Made To Worship” as well as “How Can I Keep From Singing,” No. 1 on Radio & Records Adult Contemporary Indicator chart.

But the highest-selling single off See the Morning is its latest No. 1 radio song on both the Radio & Records Christian AC Monitored chart and the Mediabase Christian AC chart, “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone).” Tomlin’s version of the traditional hymn includes a new refrain that he wrote with Louie Giglio to be highlighted in last year’s movie Amazing Grace.

Tomlin explains, “When I started doing some research on the most famous hymn, ‘Amazing Grace,” I was surprised that the last verse, ‘When we’ve been there 10,000 years bright shining as the sun,’ was written about 100 years after the original poem. The original last verse by John Newton, ‘The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,’ was this incredible verse that I’d never seen in a hymn book. It made me start thinking about the author, John Newton and where he’d come from. He went from being the former Captain of slave ships to the author of a poem about the grace and salvation of God in his own life. What a great reminder, we’re all made slaves to sin in our life, but God has set us free and His grace is enough for all of us. He has ransomed us from our slavery.”