AU: Woven Threads Live Concert CD Now Available

Recently Anderson University hosted two special concerts entitled “Woven Threads” that brought together some of AU’s most well-known alumni musical talent to support the university where each developed their talent and began their careers. A special CD of the live performance is now available for purchase online at Rivet Merch.

“Woman Threads is a gift of love to Anderson University,” said President Dr. James L. Edwards. “We are so grateful to Sandi Patty and each of the artists who have given so generously of themselves to provide a truly unique project, one I know you will love.”

“Woven Threads” features many familiar songs specifically selected by award-winning Christian artist and AU alumna Sandi Patty which were uniquely arranged and presented by each artist. Along with Patty, legendary gospel performers Bill and Gloria Gaither are featured on the CD. Additional alums performing include pop rock singer-songwriter Jon McLaughlin; Dove Award-winning Christian band Sidewalk Prophets; and Jeff Owen, lead guitarist of Tenth Avenue North. Additional artists include Dove Award-winning songwriter Christa Wells as well as singer-songwriters Ally and Anna Long of the Christian band Alanna Story and AU student performer Rob Krosley.

“It is such an honor to be a part of the Woven Threads project,” said Patty. “Anderson University has such an incredibly gifted group of alumni represented on this project. There’s so much shared history between us, from our alma mater to our journeys in our profession. It felt like a big family reunion. And it’s a family that I’m very grateful to be a member of.”

Each portion of the live concert involved Anderson University alumni including the artwork, lighting, and audio. Providing the digital storefront, Rivet Merch Principal + Creative Director, Dan Wagoner is a 2004 alum.

“Our strong personal connections to Anderson University have made our involvement with the Woven Threads project especially exciting,” said Wagoner. “As we reflect on our time spent as students at AU, it’s incredibly humbling to consider how we’ve truly come full circle. Anderson University equipped us with skills that allow us to work with Grammy award level artists on a daily basis. Now we’re bringing expertise back to the very university that played such an integral role in shaping us as entrepreneurs and professionals.”

About Sandi Patty:
Sandi Patty has won 40 Dove Awards, five Grammy Awards, four Billboard Music Awards and became a Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductee in 2004. Her albums have sold more than 11 million units, garnering her three platinum and five gold recordings. As the most-awarded female vocalist in contemporary Christian music history, her voice is still the gold standard by which all who follow are measured. For more information, visit: www.sandipatty.com.

About Bill and Gloria Gaither:
Gospel music legends Bill and Gloria Gaither began their relationship with Anderson University as students. After their college days, they launched successful careers in music ministry. The Gaithers have collaborated on hundreds of popular gospel songs, winning many Grammy Awards and Dove Awards from The Gospel Music Association (GMA). They have earned the title of the GMA’s “Songwriter of the Year” eight times. In the year 2000, Bill and Gloria were named “Songwriters of the Century” by ASCAP (American Society of Composers Authors, Publishers. For more information, visit: www.gaither.com.

About Jon McLaughlin:
Jon McLaughlin has sold more than 170,000 albums and more than 1 million digital tracks. McLaughlin released his 2007 debut album Indiana, followed by OK Now in 2008. The albums yielded placements on the TV Series Scrubs and movies including Georgia Rule and Bridge to Terabithia. Jon’s most recent album Promising Promises was released last year and includes his latest single “Summer Is Over” featuring Sara Bareilles. For more information, visit: www.jonmcl.com.

About Sidewalk Prophets:
Sidewalk Prophets is a contemporary Christian band from Nashville, Tenn. Their album These Simple Truths contained the single “The Words I Would Say,” which is also featured on WOW Hits 2010 and WOW Hits 2011. The group has won the 2010 GMA Dove Award for “New Artist of the Year.” The band has toured in the Rock and Worship Roadshow with MercyMe and Francesca Battistelli, among others. For more information, visit: www.sidewalkprophets.com.

About Jeff Owen:
Jeff Owen is the lead guitarist for Tenth Avenue North, a contemporary Christian band from West Palm Beach, Fla. The band has toured with David Crowder Band, Casting Crowns and MercyMe and headlines their own dates throughout the U.S. They won the “New Artist of the Year” award at the 40th GMA Dove Awards in April 2009. The band’s song “By Your Side” won the GMA Dove Award for Song of the Year in 2010. For more information, visit: www.tenthavenuenorth.com.

About Christa Wells:
Known for the past several years for her poignant, poetic and honest songwriting, Christa Wells is finding her own place as a performing artist. Christa has written with numerous Nashville artists and had songs cut by artists such as Plumb, Point of Grace, Sara Groves, Selah, and Natalie Grant. Several have been hit singles, including most notably “Held” recorded by Natalie Grant, which received airplay in both Christian and mainstream markets and earned her the GMA “Songwriter of the Year” award in 2006. For more information, visit: www.christawellsmusic.com.

About Alanna Story:
Born in Bellingham, Wash., into a family with a deep faith and musical heritage, Ally and Anna Long were captivated by the musical arts from an early age. In 2009, Alanna Story released an 8-song EP entitled “Keep Breathing.” The sisters—along with band members Stephen West (guitar), Joel Burkhead (bass), and Ben Hodge (drums) came back in 2012 with a with a 9-song EP called “Flickering Spark.” Both projects have earned high praise from music critics and listeners alike. For more information, visit: www.alannastory.com.

Anderson University is a private Christian university in central Indiana. Anderson University continues to be recognized as one of America’s top colleges by U.S. News and World Report, The Princeton Review, and Forbes. Established in 1917 by the Church of God (Anderson, Ind.), Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, music, nursing, and theology.