Lead Single “Love Is A Beautiful Thing” Is A Top 10 Hit
At Country Radio; Video Currently Airing On GAC And CMT
Award-winning singer-songwriter Phil Vassar will make his Universal Records South debut on April 22nd with Prayer Of A Common Man, his fourth studio album. Produced by Mark Wright (Gretchen Wilson, Brooks & Dunn, Lee Ann Womack), the record finds Vassar – hailed by Jimmy Webb as “an awesome pianist, performer and songwriter” – adding several more layers of artistic expression to his deepening repertoire.
Lead single “Love is a Beautiful Thing,” written by friends Craig Wiseman and Jeffrey Steele, is already a Top 10 hit at country radio and the accompanying video – made with the help of a few thousand of Vassar’s fans – is in heavy rotation at CMT and medium rotation at GAC. Fans can check it out along with behind-the-scenes footage from the video shoot and a contest where they can win a new upright Yamaha piano at Phil’s new website:
http://www.philvassar.com
Vassar is currently taping a special for GAC, which has selected him as its Artist of the Month for May. He will be the subject of a People magazine feature and performances on AOL “Sessions” and cmt.com’s “Unplugged at Studio 330” are in the offing. Vassar will play a special acoustic show at his home, which will be broadcast on 20 radio stations across the U.S. on April 28th. On a personal note, Phil recently teamed up with Clorox to raise awareness of one of his favorite charities, America’s Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network, through the company’s ongoing “Wipe Out” campaign. Ads featuring Vassar will run in Country Weekly and on GAC TV in May.
“Prayer Of A Common Man paints a picture of my life,” says Vassar, and indeed, his writing has grown more introspective and personal as “This Is My Life” and the title track attest. “Experience changes you and affects what comes out in your writing.”
Although he has grown more contemplative, one listen to tracks like “My Chevrolet,” “Why Don’t Ya” and “Baby Rocks” make it clear that Vassar hasn’t forgotten how to cut loose and have fun. Even love songs such as “Around Here Somewhere” and “Save Tonight For Me” are imbued with wit and a sense of playfulness.
Vassar grew up in the factory town of Lynchburg, Virginia, but moved to Nashville after college to pursue a music career and began playing local clubs and was soon writing #1 hits for artists such as Tim McGraw (“For A Little While”), Alan Jackson (“Right On The Money,” “My Next Thirty Years”) JoDee Messina (“Bye-Bye,” “I’m Alright”) and Collin Raye (“Little Red Rodeo”). Since the 2000 release of his self-titled debut album, Vassar has been topping the charts himself with hits such as “Carlene,” “Just Another Day in Paradise,” “Six-Pack Summer,” “American Child,” “In a Real Love” and “I’ll Take That As a Yes.” The only solo artist in the last decade to have his first seven singles crack the Top 15, Vassar has performed on numerous national television shows and won a host of awards, including ASCAP “Songwriter of the Year” (twice), Billboard Magazine “Top New Country Artist of the Year,” Billboard “Country Songwriter of the Year,” Music Row Magazine “Breakthrough Artist of the Year” and the Academy of Country Music “Top New Male Vocalist.”
A whirling dervish on the piano, Vassar’s live shows are legendary and he is currently on the road, giving fans a preview of material from Prayer Of A Common Man. Fans who pre-order Prayer Of A Common Man will receive a key code that unlocks exclusive online content, including an acoustic version of “I Would,” videos, behind-the-scenes footage and more.
Track Listing – Prayer Of A Common Man
1. This is My Life
2. Around Here Somewhere
3. My Chevrolet
4. Love is a Beautiful Thing
5. Prayer of a Common Man
6. I Would
7. Why Don’t Ya
8. It’s Only Love
9. Let Me Love You Tonight
10. Baby Rocks
11. The World is a Mess
12. Crazy Life
Phil Vassar – Tour Dates
3/31 Blacksburg, VA VA Tech Burruss Hall
4/13 Indianapolis, IN Country Music Expo
4/20 Florence, AZ Country Thunder USA
5/8 Napavine, WA Napavine Theater
5/9 Astoria, OR Liberty Theater
5/10 Astoria, OR Liberty Theater
5/11 Detroit, MI Elm’s Hoedown
5/17 South Roseburg, TX Fort Bend County Fair
5/18 Chesapeake, VA Chesapeake City Park
5/23 Harris, MI Island Resort and Casino
5/24 Harris, MI Island Resort and Casino
5/31 Bristow, VA Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge
6/13 Danville, VA Carrington Pavilion
6/14 Sandusky, OH Cancun Cantina
6/20 Somerset, WI Float Rite Amphitheatre
6/21 Columbus, OH Moondance Jam, Walker
6/26 Richland Center, WI Star Spangled Celebration
6/27 Milwaukee, WI Summerfest
6/28 Chicago, IL Joe’s on Weed Street
6/29 Urbandale, IA Waterworks Park
7/4 Nashville, TN Riverfront Park
7/5 Prospect, PA Big Butler Fairgrounds