Hearitfirst.Com And The Gospel Music Association Present Second Annual Battle Of The Bands Competiti

Winner to Perform at 2007 GMA Music in the Rockies

Nashville, Tenn. - Christian music Web site hearitfirst.com and the Gospel Music Association (GMA) partner for their second annual Battle of the Bands competition. Kicking off online last week, the contest winner will perform live at the Gospel Music Association’s 2007 Music in the Rockies July 29- August 4 in Estes Park, Colo.

Beginning May 29, bands can submit their entries at www.hearitfirst.com/indiescovery. First round voting opens June 12, at which time fans will be able to view band bios, pictures and hear music clips. Voting ends July 6, with the winner being announced the following week. The promotion, hosted by indiescovery, a sub-brand of hearitfirst.com, is designed to introduce listeners to the best up-and-coming independent artists in Christian music.

“hearitfirst.com reaffirms its commitment to the independent Christian artist community with our second annual Battle of the Bands competition,” comments Mark Adkison, co-creator of hearitfirst.com. “We are excited about this year’s competition and our continued partnership with the Gospel Music Association who shares our vision to expose fans to the best undiscovered talent nationwide.”

“Music in the Rockies has been a place to discover new talent for more than 25 years and it is fun to anticipate what great new bands or artists might emerge each year. I expect the Battle of the Bands competition to further add to the excitement for this year’s event,” said Gabriel Aviles, director of marketing for GMA.

Noel McLeary, who won at last year’s competition and was invited to play the Creation East and Creation West festivals, remarks, “The hearitfirst.com Indiescovery Battle of the Bands was an amazing opportunity that I was so blessed to be involved in! I was completely shocked to be selected, to know that I had that many fans voting for me was just incredible. I signed up for this year’s Battle of the Bands, and I can’t wait for the voting to begin! Here’s to countless opportunities and blessings for the next winner!”

GMA Music in the Rockies is the industry’s official training camp and competition for artists, songwriters, and worship leaders. Thousands have traveled from all over the world to experience this adventure and are drawn by its unparalleled training, professional and personal feedback, one-of-a-kind concert series, and sense of community, all nestled in the beautiful mountains of Estes Park, Colo. Visit www.gospelmusic.org or www.musicintherockies.com for information on how to register for this year’s event.

Originally formed in 1998 and re-launched December of 2005, hearitfirst.com is based in Brentwood, Tenn. Enhancing Christian music’s visibility via the Web; hearitfirst.com welcomes its visitors to learn more about this highly diverse, burgeoning genre. Currently delivering more than 850,000 impressions monthly, the site also exists to serve Christian music fans by connecting them with each other, artists, and great music, all the while serving their need for information and discovery.

The Indiescovery section of hearitfirst.com provides a platform for emerging independent artists. Independent artists can create their own profile on the site which is supplemented with additional audio and video clips. These tools are distributed to fans through the hearitfirst.com newsletter and via other online promotions. For the latest on your favorite Christian artists, visit www.hearitfirst.com.