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Calling Glory

Written by The Bingham Group

An ambitious idea was born nine-years    ago by a group of McMinn County    musicians who believed they could make a difference in musical ministry. The four planned, prayed, created and practiced, and after a time, the band Calling Glory
was born.

Today they are making their mark in Contemporary Christian music with a grammy ballot appearance, musical creations regularly played on Sirius Radio’s The Message, Klove, Air 1,  and other venues, along with downloads available on Amazon, Pandora, I-tunes, Google Play and many other sites. Currently they have more than 130,000 fans.

Band members include lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dana Potvin, lead guitarist Jones Beene, Drew Crabtree on bass, and drummer Rico Acosta.

Calling Glory’s busy schedule encompasses playing conferences, churches and festivals throughout the U.S. and as far away as Nicaragua. The trip to Nicaragua presented a challenge with only a few weeks to receive passports, book transportation and prepare logistics.

“We didn’t know what to expect in Nicaragua,” said Dana. “We thought we might be playing for roosters.  We arrived at an old baseball stadium in a small town and suddenly they were bussing in thousands.”  More than 10,000 attended the two day event, with hundreds being saved and receiving prayer.  Calling Glory will likely
be returning to that country soon for another event.

The bands set list depends upon the venue, according to Dana. He said they are capable of a full concert of originals, or a mix of current Contemporary Christian songs. Band members are also involved with their local church worship teams.

The group has released a number of projects, with several making top charts in the music industry. Currently they are working on their latest creations at Full Circle Music in Nashville.  Studio owner and producer Seth Mosely is directing the recordings.  He has produced such groups as For King and Country, Newsboys, Francesca Battistelli, and Mercy Me.  Mosely is a grammy and Dove Award winner. Calling Glory also had previous projects produced by Jason Hoard at his Georgia studio.

The creative side of Calling Glory often entails meeting at one of their homes, bouncing ideas off of each other, and slowly putting together their next release.

“We like to think of ourselves as not just a band but a worship band, said Drew. That means using their own ideas and creations to draw listeners to Christ.

Jones added, “We pray that through our music, listeners will be challenged to consider the cross and the sacrifice made for them.”

Their single, “I Am With You” was the bands first song eligible for a Grammy, as best Contemporary Christian Song of the Year.  It reached number 44 on the Billboard Christian Chart.  Other songs have hit as high as 24 on the charts.

During off times, the band members work their regular jobs. Jones is a Vice-President  at Athens based Plastic Industries, where Drew is a computer expert. Dana is a music director at Dalton First United Methodist Church, and Rico spends his off hours as a Nashville musician.

And while their current success has reached far beyond their original goals,  future plans may include larger and longer tours. “That probably will be our next step by the grace of God,” said Dana.

Currently the band’s releases are under the “Soncured” corporate record label.

“Soncured is not a huge corporate record label,” said Jones, who is owner of the company.  He said the label is entirely self-funded and currently has other artists, including Tanner Clark, Josh Gilbert, and new artist Asher.  “At our core we believe that Holy Spirit inspired music has the ability to change lives, and our mission is to find and promote unknown Christian artists who otherwise might never have the opportunity to share the message God has given them with the world.”

With thousands of fans, songs hitting the Billboard charts, and huge events on the horizon, band members make it clear that fame is not the goal of Calling Glory. Their goals are to tell the world about Christ through testimony and music.  And those who follow their travels know that will be the key to their future success.

“A big issue in our lives and the whole point of the band is that we always make space for worship,” Dana said. “And to tell audiences how Christ has made a difference in our lives.”

BAND INFORMATION

Dana Potvin – Lead singer, guitar and keyboard
Dana is originally from Nebraska. Since he moved to Tennessee, he has led worship in several churches for the past 15 years.

Jones Beene – Lead Guitar
Jones is a Tennessee native who attended Lee University. He has ministered with Chosen and The Ramp.

Drew Crabtree – Bass
Drew is a graduate of Tennessee Wesleyan College with a degree in music education.

Rico Acosta – Drums
Rico is a full time Nashville musician.

For information about booking Calling Glory, visit www.soncured.com, Facebook at calling glory, Instagram @callinggloryband, Twitter @ Callingglory, Youtube – Calling Glory.

About the author

The Bingham Group

We are a full service advertising and marketing agency that's been in business since 1989. Our team handles everything from web development, graphic design, and videography to digital marketing and advertising as well as the production of Monroe Life, Farragut Life, and McMinn Life magazines.

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