Music Duo Keith And Kristyn Getty Wrap 2015 With Many Firsts

NASHVILLE, TN (January 13, 2016) – Major network media coverage, multiple tours across the U.S., a Public Television special, new attendance records & new venues, continued sell-outs at prestigious concert halls, and most important, the arrival of their third child, are just some of the highlights of an incredible 2015 for celebrated musicians Keith and Kristyn Getty.

In December, the Gettys completed their fourth annual “Joy-An Irish Christmas” holiday tour, which continued making records and inroads including:

• A sold out performance in their return to New York’s Carnegie Hall, Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, Verizon Hall at The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia, and Severance Hall in Cleveland.
• The group’s debut at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
• A private performance for United Nations ambassadors in New York City
• Concertgoers exceeded 50,000. To date, more than 200,000 people throughout North America have attended a Gettys show.

Coinciding with the tour, American Public Television stations aired Joy-An Irish Christmas nationally during the holiday season including broadcasts in at least 55 major U.S. television markets and to some 45+million households. The 60-minute TV special, presented by Detroit Public Television, was taped in 2014 in the historic Tennessee Theatre.” The 60-minute TV special, presented by Detroit Public Television, was taped in 2014 in the historic Tennessee Theatre.

Additionally, a national radio broadcast of the Christmas concert was aired by Moody Radio, one of the largest Christian radio networks in the US with more than a million listeners each day.

Looking back deeper into the year, Keith & Kristyn made their national network television debut when they were featured on the CBS Television Network news broadcast, CBS Sunday Morning, on Easter Sunday. For the segment, titled In Praise of Hymns, the Gettys were interviewed in their Nashville home by CBS News correspondent Tracy Smith and recorded while performing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

The spring and fall of the year saw the final two legs of the Hymns for the Christian Life concert tours, taking the duo and their band of Irish and American musical virtuosos to 18 U.S. states and 2 Canadian provinces. Along the way, the Gettys participated at a city-wide prayer gathering in D.C. held at The Lincoln Memorial, at Good Friday services held at the Pacific Amphitheater in Anaheim, CA, and made two appearances at The Grand Ole Opry. A scheduled concert in Columbia, S.C. turned into a fundraising performance at the 3,400-seat First Baptist Church sanctuary to help local families affected by floods that devastated the area.

In June, the hymn “Facing a Task Unfinished” was premiered to an international audience assembled in Singapore and streamed live around the world as part of the 150-year anniversary celebration of the missions organization, OMF International. Originally authored by Frank Houghton in the early 20th century to galvanize Christians in response to the martyrdom of missionaries in China, “Facing a Task Unfinished” has been re-written by the Gettys in modern parallel as an encouragement to today’s Christian church in the face of a resurgence of martyrdom.  The song will also anchor their 2016 new album release and international touring.

In October, the Gettys released a new album of live recordings, Joy-An Irish Christmas Live, and made their Public Television special available for purchase on DVD and digital download.
Additionally, the first choral print music release under the Getty Music Series was published by Lifeway, one of the largest providers of religious and Christian resources in the world. And, the Gettys unfolded a new line of gift products including a calendar and greeting cards.

The year also saw the reach of “In Christ Alone” and the Gettys’ broader catalog continue to increase. Taking into account the registered activity of Western congregations and the broader uncounted church population in Asia, non-English speaking countries, and the underground church, their hymns are sung by no fewer than 40 million people a year in services and churches around the world.

Finally, Keith & Kristyn, who hail from Northern Ireland, welcomed a new addition to their family over the summer. “We are so blessed,” says Keith Getty. “The safe arrival of our third daughter, Grace Alexandra, truly made 2015 an incredible year.”

Looking ahead, the Gettys anticipate their biggest and most far-reaching year yet. Some of the highlights include:

• A new album and world tour anchored by the song “Facing a Task Unfinished.”
• An inaugural global conference on congregational singing bringing together internationally-known thinkers, speakers, and musicians to take place in Nashville in 2017, the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.
• An expanded Christmas tour and continued development of the multi-year broadcast agreements with Public Television in the US and the BBC in the UK.
• The introduction of a line of music developed and recorded especially with families in mind.

Check out a list of Keith & Kristyn's songs here