Last week, we shared news of the release of 2001 alumna Laura Cooksey’s debut album, Unshakeable. In less than 24 hours, the release reached No. 11 on iTunes for Christian/gospel albums. But as it turns out, that’s far from the only Baylor-related happening in the world of music.
That same day saw two other BU-related CDs among iTunes’ top 20 for Christian/gospel: Give Us Rest, from the David Crowder Band, and World Mandate 2011, a live worship set from a Waco church attended by hundreds of Baylor students.
Earlier in January, Baylor senior Brett Allen released his third CD, A Beautiful Life, under the artist name Tidewater. The one-man band recorded a 10-song album in 2010 and followed it up with a three-song EP last year and now this new three-song release. (Read about Baylor’s impact on Allen — including his switching majors from music to film and digital media — in this Lariat article.)
And now this week, Josh Grider, BA ’02, released the result of his winning the first-ever “Live at Billy Bob’s” recording contest. After topping a fan vote last summer, Grider got to join a list of country stars that includes Merle Haggard, Waco native Pat Green and former BU student Willie Nelson in recording a live album at the famous Fort Worth honky tonk. Live at Billy Bob’s Texas: Josh Grider is now available from iTunes, Amazon and other music stores.
Last but not least, five student acts signed to Uproar Records, Baylor’s student-run music label, are nearing completion on their albums to be released later this year. Groups O, Loveland and Fifth & Fite as well as solo artists Layne Lynch, Trannie Stevens and Holly Tucker will each release albums this spring; we’ll keep you posted on that.
Sic ’em, Baylor recording artists!
[2/9 update: Here's one that's a little older: Ryan Pryor, BA '10, released "Lovely Days," a five-song EP, on iTunes and Amazon in November. You can hear the entire album -- including a song called "Waco" -- in its entirety on his Facebook page.]
