Casting Crowns, Smokie Norful, Meredith Andrews featured in Billboard article

THE AUGUST 30th issue of influential music trade magazine Billboard has published a three page feature on CCM and gospel artists who balance a recording career with local church ministry. The article by Deborah Evans Price included interviews with Casting Crowns, Smokie Norful, Phillips Craig & Dean and Meredith Andrews. The article began, "The goal of most every aspiring musician is to land a record deal and quit his or her day job. But for Christian artists, music and ministry are intricately intertwined, and an increasing number are maintaining dual careers, juggling the responsibilities of recording and touring as they serve in full time staff positions in their local church. There are rewards and challenges to this scenario: The artists reap the benefit of staying connected to their core audience - and those experiences infuse their music. But when a record company has to work photo shoots, interviews, radio tours and promotional opportunities around the schedule of an artist who must be home for church services on Sundays and Wednesdays, it can make for a logistical nightmare."