Sunday at McKenzie Arena, you can get a small sample of what the music will be like during this summer's Family and Faith Night at the Riverbend Festival.
Riverbend officials have booked Christian folktronica musician Crowder, who's headlining Winter Jam on Sunday at UTC, to perform on Riverbend's main Coca-Cola Stage on Tuesday, June 13. The nine-day festival runs June 9-17 at Ross's Landing. Also announced for the festival are Sidewalk Prophets, Jamie Grace, Calling Glory and Finding Favour.
Tuesday is known as Family and Faith Night because the evening is dedicated to contemporary Christian music. Alcohol sales also are suspended, earning the evening the nickname "Sweet Tea Night."
Only three stages are utilized on Family and Faith Night. Crowder will have the Coke Stage to himself, while Sidewalk Prophets and Jamie Grace will be on the Bud Light Stage.
Calling Glory and Finding Favour will perform on the Chevrolet Stage, which will move from under the Olgiati Bridge because of the construction on Highway 27 to the green below AT&T Field near Power Alley.
This will be the 16th year in the festival's 36-year history that Family and Faith Night has been included. It is funded in large part by a group of local Christian business and McKee Baking. Friends of the Festival Executive Director Chip Baker says the night previously went dark to regroup or make needed on-site adjustments, but he had wanted to find another use for it.
"We had all of this expensive infrastructure sitting there and the streets closed and it was not being used," he says. "I think this has been embraced by the community, and it seems to work well."
Crowder is fronted by David Crowder, a multi-award-winning contemporary Christian artist. He is one of more than a dozen artists performing Sunday at Winter Jam, Christian music's largest tour. He'll be doing a full set of his music on June 13 at Riverbend.
Crowder previously fronted the David Crowder Band, which won Gospel Music Association Dove Awards for Special Event of the Year in 2006, 2007 and 2009, among other awards. He has performed as a solo artist since 2012.
Sidewalk Prophets, hailing from Nashville, earned the 2010 Dove Award for New Artists of the Year. The band is led by Dave Frey and Ben McDonald.
Jamie Grace is a singer, rapper and songwriter from Atlanta who was discovered by artist/producer TobyMac. In 2012, she was nominated for a Grammy and won the Dove Award for New Artist of the Year.
Calling Glory has been making "Christ-centered music" since 2008. The group consists of Dana Potvin, Jones Beene, Drew Crabtree and Logan Early.
Finding Favour has released two albums, "Reborn" and "Finding Favour," since forming in 2008.
Previously announced headlining acts are Toby Keith, Boz Scaggs, George Thorogood, the Purple Xperience, Morris Day & The Time with Cameo, Corey Smith, Here Come the Mummies and Don Felder. Other announced acts include the Joy Formidable, White Denim, Mother's Finest, Billy Joe Shaver, Whiskey Meyers, Last Bandoleros and The Yardbirds.
General-admission wristbands are $42. Separate tickets for Star Seating, closest to the Coca-Cola Stage, are available at riverbendfestival.com. The purchase of a wristband is also required.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.