THE CHOIR TO RELEASE 11TH STUDIO ALBUM ON GALAXY21 MUSIC GRAMMY NOMINATED AND DOVE AWARD WINNING GROUP IN THE STUDIO NOW NASHVILLE, TN....2/ 06 /05.... Grammy nominated and Dove Award winning Christian Modern Rock band The Choir is set to release their 11th studio album, not yet titled, April 2005, on independent label Galaxy21 Music. The CD will be released in advance on their website in March 2005. The Choir has been heralded as one of Christian music’s leading modern rock bands. During the 90’s they topped the CCM Magazine readers’ poll as Favorite Alternative Band, and received awards for Favorite Alternative Album and Favorite Long-Form Video. Campus Life Magazine named 1990’s Circle Slide Album of the Year, and the group took home a Dove Award for Best Modern Rock Album for 1996’s Free Flying Soul and received a Grammy nomination for 2001’s Flap Your Wings. Original Choir members Steve Hindalong (drums/percussion), Derald Daugherty (vocals/guitars), Tim Chandler (bass) and Dan Michaels (sax/lyricon) and newest Choir boy Marc Byrd have been tracking their new CD at Roswell East studios in Nashville, TN. The album is being produced by Marc Byrd (Dove nominated producer of the year, Dove winner for City On A Hill series). Hindalong, Daugherty and Byrd also make up the team that wrote and produced the City On A Hill series that featured the hit songs “God Of Wonders”, “Sing Alleluia”, “It’s Christmas Time” and “Beautiful Scandalous Night”. Says Hindalong, “It’s been a fine fun time working on another Choir project. After all these years, our creative chemistry feels better than ever. And of course, our motivation is absolutely non-commercial, so that’s very freeing. We’re all really pleased and excited about this fresh batch of tunes. Jordan Richter has been engineering and our good friend Marc Byrd is our producer. Those guys are great. We’re so anxious to get it done and out. Only a few finishing strokes are required!” Updates and progress of the making of the new CD is being posted at the band’s website www.TheChoir.net. Video clips, pictures and news entries from the studio can be found at their website. Comments Daugherty, "It's been exciting to be back in the studio with the band. I think this is our best batch of songs yet. It's humbling to still be able to make music after all these years and I can't think of anyone I would rather do it with than Steve, Tim, Marc, and Dan. Jordan Richter has done a great job of engineering, Marc Byrd has given his very best in producing and Steve and I haven't had one silly argument yet. I'm very proud of this band and this album and can't wait for everyone to hear it." The anticipation for a new Choir album is warranted. The band has released 10 critically acclaimed studio albums, 2 live albums, 2 long form videos and an 8 CD box set over the past 20 years. The Choir has retained a large and loyal fan-base through extensive touring in the US, Canada and Europe. They have maintained a consistent connection with their listeners through their website’s online community, messageboard and e-news updates. While The Choir members hold their history, music and ministry with the group close to their hearts, each have achieved individual successes outside of the band. Steve Hindalong is a highly sought after producer, songwriter and percussionist. Derald Daugherty is in demand as a producer, writer, recording engineer and studio owner. Daugherty is also a featured member of The Lost Dogs. Dan Michaels has a career as an executive at INO Records and works with such artists as MercyMe, Sonicflood, Sara Groves and Derek Webb. Tim Chandler has put in time playing bass in the studio and on the road with artists like Daniel Amos, Tonio K, The Lost Dogs, Randy Stonehill, Chuck Girard, Pierce Pettis, Fernando Ortega and others. Marc Byrd comments, "There are some artists who need to stop making records. The Choir is not one of those artists. The lyrics are thoughtful, the music is as cool and relevant as ever and the band still enjoys the creative process. No, the Choir needs to make records--want to make records--should make records. If there is one thing the CCM world needs it's a new record by the Choir. I say that as a fan. And as a fan I am honored to have been asked to come on board as producer and join the band as a member. For me it's a dream come true. Circle Slide was and is the best Christian record of all time in my humble opinion. Circle Slide was a high point but this new record could be the best to date. Either way we certainly enjoyed making it." Tim Chandler adds, "As always, it was a true pleasure to be able to work on a Choir record again -- and this time with Marc Byrd as well! (Marc puts the "Youth" back in Youth Choir! Sort of. Well, he's younger than the rest of us.) We're really grateful to the people who've stuck with us all these years and we hope that they enjoy this new record as much as we enjoyed making it." Guest musician Matt Slocum (Sixpence None The Richer) lends his skills as a cellist on the song “How I Wish I Knew”. The Choir started out in the early 1980s in Southern California during the post “Jesus Music” movement associated with Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa. They have recorded for Word Entertainment (Myrrh Records), Maranatha! (Broken Records) and Provident Label Group (Benson’s Tattoo Records). The group members relocated to Nashville, TN in the mid 90s to further their work in Christian music. www.thechoir.net