Billboard highlights tie-ups between US big business and Christian music

IN THE 30th September issue of US trade magazine Billboard, a feature looked at the long term relationship between corporate America and Christian music. Particularly highlighted in the article by Deborah Evans Price was Walt Disney's Night Of Joy event. Launched 24 years ago the annual Christian music festival, held in Orlando, Florida at Disney World's Magic Kingdom, has drawn more than 900,000 attendees during its history. This year the two-night event, held on 8th and 9th September, featured MercyMe, BarlowGirl, Rebecca St James, Matthew West, Jeremy Camp, David Crowder Band, Casting Crowns, Hawk Nelson, Smokie Norful, TobyMac, Kirk Franklin and others. Said TobyMac, "Disney is a massive corporation and for them to acknowledge our little industry is not just great promotion. It's sort of like we have their signature [saying], 'This is a force to be reckoned with. This is legitimate.'"

Also mentioned in the article were Suzuki's sponsorship of Kutless for their autumn tour, Third Day's long term agreement with Chevrolet and McDonalds' new sponsorship deal with Smokie Norful.
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