David Phelps: The Lift Your Voice Tour

DAVID PHELPS:
A graduate from Baylor University, David Phelps is credited among today’s most spectacular voices. His seemingly endless vocal range, which extends more than three octaves, coupled with his gift for communicating a song, has brought the house down in the world’s most prestigious venues. For nearly 20 years, David served as a member of the popular and prestigious Gaither Vocal Band, and during that time received numerous Dove Awards, two Grammy Awards, and multiple platinum-selling recording projects.

As a solo artist, he received 2009 Dove Award nominations for Male Vocalist of the Year and Long Form Video for the Christmas DVD, O Holy Night to add to his many awards and honors. Since 2012, David has topped the Billboard charts time and time again with releases like: the 2012 live DVD Classic (#1), the 2015 live DVD Freedom (#1), the 2017 live DVD The Best Of David Phelps (#1 topping such popular video releases as The Beatles’ Eight Days A Week), and most recently the 2018 live DVD It Must Be Christmas (#2). The various recordings have been featured on numerous television networks, including the Public Broadcasting System (PBS), and have received acclaim in both secular and gospel music genres. In 2020, David returned with his newest release, GameChanger. The album contains a sensational mixture of 15 pop, jazz, Inspirational, R&B, and Broadway-inspired selections – all weaving together the themes of redemption and unity.

Phelps says of the diverse group, “While some might think GameChanger is a departure for me, it’s really just the next step in my development as an artist; this is who I am. I started out in contemporary music before I joined the Gaither Vocal Band. I was blessed to be part of that amazing, iconic group, and I loved those years very much, but I am and always have been a stylist, and that makes my music and career very eclectic.”

Growing up in a musical family, his natural gift for song was evident when he was very young. Even as he sang in church as a teenager, he knew that he wanted to be a performer. At the age of 18, while earning his degree in vocal performance from Baylor University, David began what would be a lifelong passion for traveling around the world to share music, inspiration, and good news. While studying music at Baylor, David met Lori Purtle, who has been his wife and rock-solid partner in his career for three decades. The couple has four great kids – Callie, Maggie Beth, Grant, and Coby. David and Lori reside on their farm outside Nashville, Tennessee.

SELAH:
After more than 4 million records sold, 11 Dove Awards, and over 900 million streams, what could Selah possibly do next to challenge themselves creatively? For their 22nd album, the beloved trio – Todd Smith, Amy Perry, and Allan Hall – made a bold decision: every song on the album would be original, written or co-written by at least one member of the group. It was a first in their 27-year career.

Coming off the heels of two more traditional projects – At This Table (a long-awaited Christmas album) and Greatest Hymns, Vol. 3 (a nod to their debut) – the group set their sights on something more personal, contemporary, and soul-stirring.

The album, Higher Name (releasing November 1, 2024), was born out of real-life experiences that deeply impacted each member. Allan, grieving the recent loss of loved ones including his mother, penned “The Rock Is My Foundation,” a powerful reminder of God’s presence in the midst of sorrow. Amy’s heart-wrenching foster care journey inspired “He Is Still” and “You Don’t Leave Me,” emotionally raw songs that speak to pain, surrender, and divine love. Todd, focused on spiritual warfare and biblical truth, wrote songs like “Victory” and “Higher Name” to empower believers with the authority they have in Christ.

More than just a record, Higher Name is a tapestry of life – heartbreak, healing, hope, and triumph – all wrapped in Selah’s signature harmonies and lyrical honesty. This deeply personal project marks a creative turning point for the group and invites listeners into an intimate space where God’s faithfulness shines through every note.

With Higher Name, Selah proves once again why their music continues to resonate after nearly three decades – because it’s real, it’s heartfelt, and it points always to Jesus, the Higher Name.