Over the course of a 23-year career in songwriting and performing and now through a year that has thrown many twists and turns for so many around the world, five-time GRAMMY nominee Matthew West continues to share music and encouragement with his fans while also being recognized by his peers for his astonishing talents. From releasing an LP earlier this year to a live EP later this month, a new Christmas single today, his weekly podcast and devotionals, and more, West has no plans to stop anytime soon.
More recently it was announced that ASCAP Named Western Christian Songwriter of the Year. He also received the ASCAP Christian Song of the Year award for “Nobody” by Casting Crowns with West. This is the third time in West’s career that he has been named ASCAP’s Songwriter of the Year, his fifth Song of the Year.
West recently posted: “I’m so lucky to be able to accept these ASCAP Awards with AJ Pruis and the team at Combustion Music. In a year where there’s been a lot of bad news, it’s fun to be able to celebrate something. Writing and I’ll never get tired of collaborating with artists like Mark Hall (Casting Crowns) every day. I love writing songs – and recognition like this is just a bonus. Thank you ASCAP!”
ASCAP Christian Music Awards Winners Announced Virtually, West’s Acceptance Speech Can Be Watched here. West was also recently nominated for a Billboard Music Award for Top Christian Song with Casting Crowns for their song “Nobody” and for four GMA Dove Awardsbroadcast Friday, October 30 on TBN.
Announced earlier today, West has released a new holiday single titled “The Hope of Christmas,” sharing, “I felt like we could use a little Christmas right now! I find myself looking back at the Christmases of my youth, life seemed so much simpler then. There’s a line in the song that says, ‘These days, peace on earth is hard to find, and I need you to remind me of it one more time.’ I guess that pretty much sums up how I’ve been feeling this year, and I have a feeling I’m not alone. I see a world reeling from a pandemic, political division, and racial tension. I’ve always felt that my calling as a songwriter is to extract that hope even from situations where it seems like all hope is lost. Writing this song helped me remember why we can still have hope. Hope has a name. His name is Jesus, the Hope of Christmas.” Be sure to listen to “The Hope of Christmas” here.
Since 2020, he hasn’t been able to include as many live shows as would be typical for West, so instead of in-person live events, he’s been hosting his own live shows. His latest, “West Fall Fest,” will take place tonight, October 16 at 7 p.m. at the center. Click here here to learn more and get tickets.
Alongside his continually active schedule, West is also preparing for the October 30 release of his live EP, Live Before The World Shut Downwith pre-ordering now underway. The six-song EP features songs recorded earlier this year before the global pandemic shut down the live entertainment industry, including No. 1 singles “Nobody” and “The God Who Stays.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, West has been hosting his weekly “Quarantine Quiet Time” from his home studio with his family and has released two new songs that have gone viral: “Quarantine Life” and “Take Heart,” while in August, he launched the weekly “The Matthew West Podcast.” The podcast debuted at No. 1 on the Apple Religion & Spirituality chart and continues to receive thousands of listeners each week. Recent interviews have included Cody Zeller, Korie Robertson and her daughter Sadie Robertson Huff, Max Lucado, Priscilla Shirer, Emmanuel Acho, Angie Smith, Olympian Shawn Johnson East and her husband Andrew East, to name a few. here listen.
Author: Herb Longs (Herb Longs)
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