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Gospel Artists' Fifth CD Release in Stores August 26
Promo Tour Scheduled in Conjunction with Release
(June 4, 2008 - New York, NY) - As the country celebrates its freedom on Independence Day, Darwin Hobbs' new single, "Free" will go for adds at Gospel radio on June 30, in hopes that radio will help support Hobbs' effort to spread a message of mental, emotional, physical and spiritual freedom. The heartfelt song addresses the acclaimed artists' newfound sense of freedom following his disclosure about a 30 year secret of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of his mother's now deceased husband and is featured on Hobbs' fifth CD release, FREE in stores August 26, 2008 on Tyscot/Liaison Records. "Free" follows the first single released, "He's Able," a bonus track featured on the forthcoming CD, which is currently at #24* on the R&R Gospel Singles Chart.
"'Free' is an incredible song of declaration that offers a message of hope and healing," comments Jeff Hargrove, Vice President of Promotions at Tyscot Records on the significance of the single. "This song and Darwin's courageous testimony will help those that are bound find the courage and strength to be free. The decision to go for adds during the same week that our country celebrates its' freedom and honors those who died for it is significant because this song reminds the body of Christ of our greatest freedom and the price that Christ paid so we could obtain it."
FREE is Hobbs' first release on his newly-formed production company, Liaison Records in partnership with Tyscot Records, founded by Darwin and his wife, Traci. Hailed as one of gospel's foremost Praise and Worship leaders, Hobbs makes his debut as a songwriter and producer on the new project which is co-produced by Aaron Pearce of AMP Music (Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Joy Enriquez, Vickie Winans, Martha Munizzi, Israel Houghton) with the exception of "He's Able." The album is executive produced by Dr. Leonard S. Scott, Bryant S. Scott and Darwin Hobbs.
FREE is a 12-track praise and worship album. At the center of the album, Hobbs addresses finally being able to come to terms with the sexual abuse he experienced as a child. At the age of 40, he decided to share publicly his past of childhood sexual abuse with his newfound sense of freedom. The project puts an exclamation point on his personal statement of having been set free. "This album is to date, the absolute most accurate depiction of who I am as an artist, a worshipper and a human being," says Hobbs. "It's the very first album I've recorded as a free man. Never before have I walked in such transparency or nakedness as it pertains to the most private parts of my life. For years, I've been bound by the haunting reality of the past. It's almost as if I'd been under the restriction of a gag order placed on me - as if I was walking through an earthly version of hell. Because of contractual obligations, I often had no choice but to record albums from unhealthy places in my heart. But God's been faithful, He never left me. And just as He promised, 'If I walked in truth, He'll set me free.'"
A Cincinnati native, Hobbs' phenomenal, God-given gift for singing was discovered at age 10 - on his first day in the church choir. He sang constantly throughout his childhood and adolescence, in church and school, both as a soloist and in various ensembles. In 1996, Hobbs and his wife Traci moved to Nashville and he was soon signed to EMI Gospel where he released four CDs including his successful 1999 debut, MERCY, the sophomore follow-up, VERTICAL released in 2001, selling over 100,000 copies, followed by BROKEN and THE BEST OF DARWIN HOBBS.
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