In the first quarter of 2011, the No. 1 tour in the world – not nation, world – wasn’t Bon Jovi or Lady Gaga or Brad Paisley.
It wasn’t even Justin Bieber.
Nope, the tour that drew a record total audience of more than 500,000 people in 46 markets was The Winter Jam 2011 Tour Spectacular, the Christian music merry-go-round of acts that is clearly tapping into a spectrum of generations.
The $10-at-the-door donation, which is technically optional since a fan will never be turned away, is a likely enticement. But so is the variety of music that is attached to the tour, such as this year’s roster including Skillet, Sanctus Real and illusionist Brock Gill.
Winter Jam and its unique concept, which this year plays 47 dates, is hardly new. It debuted in 1995 as the brainchild of Valdosta-based NewSong.
One of the group’s founders, Billy Goodwin, believes that the combination of dependable -- an unchanging ticket price -- and fresh -- lineups targeting new listeners as well as the faithful -- have solidified the tour’s success.
“Even we’re trying to do new versions of songs. We’ve reworked a couple and have made ‘The Same God’ a little more concert-friendly. We don’t have that long of a set, only about 20 minutes, so doing live stuff, you want to involve the audience more,” Goodwin said earlier this month, just before the tour kickoff in West Virginia. “[These tours are] a step of faith, because you don’t know each night if you can pay the bills. But 17 years later, God has shown himself again and again.”
As one of Christian music’s stalwart acts, NewSong, best known to the masses as the voices behind “The Christmas Shoes,” has witnessed a revolving door of members since its inception in 1981.
At one point, Goodwin’s son, Matthew, played percussion with the group. But on a fateful Winter Jam in 2008, Matthew met Christian music songstress Francesca Battistelli and the couple, who live in the Canton area near the Goodwin family, are now married with a young son. Matthew also plays drums in his wife’s band.
“Both of my sons traveled with us for years, but then Matt met Franny and she took him away,” Goodwin said with a laugh. “I’ve been on the road consistently for 30 years and it’s a commitment, but long ago we made a bigger commitment to put the family first.”
The brainstorm to assemble a package of like-minded Christian artists and charge minimal admission spawned a copycat in the MercyMe-led “Rock & Worship Roadshow,” which played Philips Arena in November.
Goodwin is genuinely pleased too see a second outing based on the same principles as Winter Jam.
“[MercyMe] came out with us and said, ‘Man, this is a great idea!’” Goodwin said. “If there are more people getting out there and getting the word out, we’re with them 100 percent.”
Concert preview
The Winter Jam 2012 Tour Spectacular
Featuring NewSong, Skillet, Sanctus Real, Peter Furler, Building 429, Kari Jobe, Group 1 Crew, Dara Maclean, For King and Country, We As Human, speaker Nick Hall and illusionist Brock Gill. 6 p.m. Sunday. $10 donation (paid at door and not required). Philips Arena, 1 Philips Drive, Atlanta. 404-878-3000, www.philipsarena.com.
About the Author
