Bellsburg…The Songs of Rich Mullins (listen HERE) was released earlier this month in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the death of Rich Mullins, thesongwriter American and icon of the gospel music. Upon its release, Bellsburg (Old Bear Records) reached #1 on the iTunes Christian chart and landed in the Top 30 on the overall iTunes chart. Singles from the double album were also featured on key playlists including Apple Music’s Inspired Chill, Amazon Music’s Highly Favored, Spotify’s New Music Friday Christian and Pandora’s New Christian Music Now.
“It’s pretty easy to create music – it’s just an outpouring of our hearts that we’ve learned to turn into a song, a session, an album, but waiting to see if anyone will respond to that music once “Once it comes out, it’s tough,” said Andrew Greer, eight-time GMA Dove Award nominee, co-producer and contributing artist on Bellsburg. “But then when someone responds, and not only responds but resonates with the music, I remember that music is not about being right or wrong, but about creating space for everyone to collaborate on the experience shared in making and consuming music, and that seems very Rich Mullins to me.
To continue to commemorate his life and legacy, Old Bear Records will be rolling out a variety of Mullins-inspired projects in the coming months. Deep Valley, a previously unreleased live recording from Mullins’ early career, will be released on February 10, and Worktapes…More Songs of Rich Mullins, a follow-up to Bellsburg featuring a wide range of singer-songwriters recording more of his famous catalog, will be released on June 2.
Perhaps most important is a recent New York Times article honoring Mullins’ legacy and how his music, even after 25 years of his passing, lives on. Read the story HERE.
“I think Rich embodied the community on a very simple, natural level,” said Anthony Hoisington, Bellsburg executive producer and co-founder of Buffalo-based independent label Old Bear Records. “During the recording of Bellsburg, Connie Hawk, an old friend of Rich’s and the owner of his house where we recorded most of the album, said to me, ‘You guys are so young, younger than the generation that Rich had an impact when he made music.’ She could see this legacy being passed down. It’s the community aspect of Rich’s life and legacy that I admire most. Hoisington is also one third of the American group Brothers McClurg, which played in Bellsburg.
This is a translation of the article: Rich Mullins Tribute Album “Bellsburg” Ranks No. 1 appeared first on TCA.
Author: Herb Longs
