Many of today’s top recording artists, leaders in their respective genres in the field of Christian/Worship music, have been tapped for Beatitudes, a full-length album releasing from Stugiology Music April 21 with management, marketing and distribution through The Fuel Music. The first single from the project, “Oh Blessed,” was released Friday to iTunes, Spotify and everywhere great digital music is sold, while the artists, album cover art and track listing are being revealed for the first time.
The recording is part of The Beatitudes Project, which is also a book, Words From the Hill (An Invitation to the Unexpected) from NavPress releasing in April, and a documentary film, View From The Hill, currently in production. The project reveals a wide world of connected stories: real people from all faiths and walks of life who embody mercy, poverty, meekness, the hungry and thirsty, the peacemakers, the mourners, and the pure in heart-as seen, heard and experienced through a 21st century lens.
Featured on the Beatitudes album are Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Hillsong UNITED, Matt Maher, John Mark McMillan, Audrey Assad, All Sons & Daughters, Amanda Cook, Propaganda, The Brilliance, Anthony Skinner, Terrian Bass and Becky Harding (spoken word), as well as Martin Smith and Stu Garrard (Stu G), which marks the first time these two have recorded together since their band, the RIAA Certified Gold-selling, GRAMMY-nominated and Dove Award-winning British band Delirious?, disbanded in 2009. Collectively, these artists have sold more than 62 million records, won 11 Grammy, 90 Dove Awards and amassed dozens of hit songs and millions of followers on social media.
In addition to Garrard and cowriter Skinner, the first single from Beatitudes, “Oh Blessed,” features The McCrary Sisters, widely known for singing backup with Elvis and Bob Dylan.
“‘Oh Blessed’ is the introduction song to The Beatitudes Project and is the only song so far that speaks of all the themes in the Beatitudes,” says Garrard. “When things are broken and when things aren’t working out, God is on our side and fully present with us. We can lift our heads and hear the invitation to carry on.”
Over a decade in the making, The Beatitudes Project is the culmination of guitarist, songwriter and author Garrard’s excavation of these “blessings at the bottom of life.”
“The Beatitudes Project is meant to be a reset button in a world plagued with violence and division,” says Garrard, who also authored the book. “These upside-down Jesus announcements on a hillside by the Sea of Galilee in Matthew 5 where Jews, Greeks, Romans and people of all ethnicities were gathered are a reminder that there is another way.”
Representing the Beatitudes visually, noted musicians/artists Jimmy Abegg and Cory Basil collaborated to create eight different paintings that became the basis for the Beatitudes cover art and most of the artwork for the project.
Pictured at The Smoakstack studio in Nashville during the recording of the Beatitudes album (except where noted) are artists Michael W. Smith (left top), Joel Houston (left center, at Record Plant recording studios in Los Angeles), Martin Smith (left bottom, at RAK Studios in London), All Sons & Daughters’ Leslie Jordan and David Leonard with Stu Garrard (right top), John Mark McMillan (right, upper middle), The Brilliance’s David Gungor (right, lower middle) and Audrey Assad (right bottom).
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Pictured at The Smoakstack studio in Nashville during the recording of the Beatitudes album (except where noted) are artists Matt Stanfield, Jimmy Abegg, Anthony Skinner, Paul Moak, Steve Hindalong and Stu G (left top), Amanda Cook (left, upper middle), Propaganda (left, lower middle, at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles), Paul Moak, Stu G and Jimmy Abegg (left bottom), Terrian Bass (right top), Matt Maher (right middle) and Amy Grant (right bottom). (Photos by Daniel C White, Jeff Arnold, Tom Williams.)
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Watch for more information on The Beatitudes Project soon, including a launch event and more.
The full Beatitudes track listing with featured vocalist follows:
1. Listen pt 1 – Becky Harding
2. Oh Blessed – Anthony Skinner
3. You Will Make A Way – All Sons & Daughters
4. Listen pt 2 – Becky Harding
5. Carry On – Michael W Smith
6. Heaven Is Around Us – John Mark McMillan
7. Let My Dreams Fly – Terrian Bass
8. I Will Be Your Home – Audrey Assad feat. Hassan Al Zoubi (Syrian refugee)
9. Listen pt 3 – Becky Harding
10. Oh Mercy – Matt Maher, Audrey Assad
11. Morning light – Amy Grant
12. Undivided – Amanda Cook
13. In The Middle – Stu Garrard
14. Make a Little Trouble – Propaganda
15. Holy Troublemakers – Martin Smith
16. Listen pt 4 – Becky Harding
17. The View from Here – Hillsong UNITED
18. Listen (full version) – Becky Harding
BONUS DIGITAL
19. Makers of The Peace (View From The Shepherd’s Field) – The Brilliance
20. Oh Mercy Demo (View From The Writer’s Room) – Matt Maher
* Final track listing will be different for physical and digital albums.