KIRK FRANKLIN AND TOBYMAC SHARE DREAM TO UNITE RACES

Nashville, TN ­ With the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. resonating in their hearts, two of the most influential voices of Christian music, Gospo Centric Records recording artist Kirk Franklin and ForeFront Records recording artist tobyMac, are teaming up with the E.R.A.C.E. Foundation (Eliminating Racism and Creating Equality) to break down the walls of discrimination and racism.  The two award-winning artists will embark on "I Have a DreamŠthe Tour," which will visit 15+ major markets this fall.

Franklin and tobyMac have long shared the vision of creating music that transcends all racial barriers, and both have been forerunners in the call for unity between people of all races. "I Have a DreamŠthe Tour" and the tourıs partnership with the E.R.A.C.E. Foundation, is the culmination of that shared vision.

"tobyMac and I are both very uncomfortable with the color barrier that exists between Christians.  Itıs almost an oxymoron to be Christian yet separated by race," comments Franklin.  "We want this tour to be a seed-planter.  God willing, it will be the beginning of something greater."

"Each time Kirk and I did a Billy Graham Crusade together it became more and more clear that we shared a common vision," says tobyMac.  "Our desire is to bring people together, no matter what their color or economic position, and point them to God."

"Because of their passion to cross the racial divide and work together in unity, the E.R.A.C.E. Foundation recognizes Kirk Franklin and tobyMac as leaders in the national movement of racial reconciliation," says E.R.A.C.E. Foundation Director John McGuire.  "It is the desire of the E.R.A.C.E. Foundation to sponsor this tour as Kirk and tobyMac witness to the world that the dream of Dr. King is still alive and that Eliminating Racism And Creating Equality will only be accomplished when people live together in unity."

Franklin, a multi-GRAMMY and Dove award-winning artist, has sold over 12 million records to date, making him one of the top-selling gospel artists of all time.  He currently has eight Platinum records, including his latest album, The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin, as well as his earlier projects, Godıs Property (three-time certified Platinum) and The Nu Nation Project (two-time certified Platinum).  During the past year, Franklin has earned three NAACP Image Awards, five Stellar Awards, two Dove Awards (as artist and producer of The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin) and eight Dove Award nominations.

As founder of the most successful Christian group of all time (dc talk), tobyMac has achieved career sales of more than six million, four GRAMMY Award wins and numerous Dove Award nominations and wins. More recently, tobyMac made his solo debut with the release of Momentum and has already seen much success.  Debuting at #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, Momentum quickly gained sales of nearly 330,000 units, two #1 singles ("Extreme Days" and "Somebodyıs Watching Me"), a GRAMMY Award nomination, and more than 15 Dove Award nominations and six wins.

The E.R.A.C.E. Foundation, although officially organized in early 1997, was the product of nearly four years of heart-felt discussion and conceptualization by dc talk members tobyMac, Michael Tait and Kevin Max, along with manager Dan Pitts and Gotee Records President Joey Elwood. Prompted by a strong desire to take an active role in promoting racial reconciliation among people from all cultural backgrounds, these men envisioned an organization that would be able to encourage communities across the country toward racial harmony. As a result, the E.R.A.C.E. Foundation was formed with a primary goal of educating and equipping the nationıs youth with an understanding of the importance of interracial unity.  For information on the E.R.A.C.E. Foundation log onto www.erace.com.

Gospo Centric & B-Rite Music, owned by Vicki Mack Lataillade and her husband Claude, was founded by Ms. Mack Lataillade in 1993 with $6,000 she borrowed from her fatherıs postal pension.  In addition to Franklin, Gospo Centric & B-Rite Music artists include Stellar Award-winning Female Vocalist of the Year Dorinda Clark-Cole, Gold-selling Stellar Award winner Kurt Carr and the Kurt Carr Singers, GRAMMY Award-winning gospel music legend Tramaine Hawkins, Gold-selling Stellar Award winner Trin-i-tee 5:7, Six-time Stellar Award nominee Byron Cage, Reggae legend Papa San, three-time Stellar Award nominee Natalie Wilson & the SOP Chorale, GRAMMY Award-winning producer/recording artist Percy Bady and American Idol "Wild Card" R.J. Helton.
The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin is distributed by Provident Music Distribution and Zomba/BMG Distribution.

ForeFront Records is an EMI CMG label.  Brentwood, Tennessee-based EMI CMG was founded in 1994.  It is the world's largest Christian music company, operating the Sparrow, ForeFront, Worship Together and EMI Gospel labels in addition to EMI CMG Publishing and Chordant Distribution Group.

EMI CMG is a unit of EMI Music, the third largest recorded music company in the world.