|PIC1|The GMA’s (Gospel Music Association) 32nd Annual Music in the Rockies will be held July 30 to August 5, 2006 at the Estes Park Center YMCA in Estes Park, Colorado.

Aspiring songwriters, artists and musicians, will come from all over the world to spend a week being guided and nurtured by seasoned gospel music artists, industry professionals and spiritual leaders.

“Music in the Rockies is more than a professional development seminar for aspiring artists and songwriters to learn the tools and skills needed to make it in the music business and to develop important relationships within the industry. This event is about refreshing and inspiring the soul and helping musicians see how their music matters, whether their stage is global or local or their platform is universal or one-on-one. Many young people come to Music in the Rockies focused on becoming the next big thing and leave knowing that God has called them to greater purpose for their music,” said John W. Styll, president of the GMA.

Having gathered in the Rocky Mountains for more than 30 years now, Music in the Rockies has birthed numerous Christian artists such as Michael W. Smith, Rachael Lampa, Stacie Orrico, BarlowGirl, and Point of Grace.

The event will feature six days of educational/professional development seminars and talent competitions and music events. Compassion International (www.compassion.com), one of the world's largest Christian child development organizations working in Africa, Asia, Central and South America and the Caribbean, is the official ministry partner for GMA’s Music in the Rockies.

The event will kick off with Sunday Evening Worship, a night of praise and worship featuring renowned speaker and youth leader Louie Giglio and PASSION artists including Chris Tomlin and David Crowder Band. Other artists confirmed to appear at the Music in the Rockies Concert Series include Steven Curtis Chapman, Rebecca St. James, Nichole Nordeman, The Isaacs, Kutless, Avalon, Mary Mary, Smokie Norful, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Geoff Moore and Buddy Greene.

In addition, many registrants will compete in the GMA Academy Artist & Song of 2006 competition, the Christian music industry’s official talent competition for unsigned artists and songwriters. At the National Competition held at Estes Park, artist and songwriter competitors perform live for judging panels made up of top industry A&R, record label and publishing executives. The finals for artist performers takes place on Friday evening on the main stage, as part of the evening concert series during GMA Music in the Rockies. Grand prizes are awarded to Vocal Solo 2006, Vocal Group 2006, Band 2006, Instrumental 2006, and Song of 2006.

The concerts are held Sunday through Friday and tickets are included in the registration for Music in the Rockies. Tickets for the public will go on sale in May, 2006.

Founded in 1964, the 4,000-member Gospel Music Association (www.gospelmusic.org) is dedicated to exposing, promoting and celebrating the gospel through music. The GMA represents all styles of gospel music including contemporary pop, rock, urban gospel, praise & worship, southern gospel, country and children’s gospel music. The GMA produces GMA’s Annual Music Awards, which recognizes achievement in all genres of gospel music.