The Bridge 98.3 FM will celebrate its first anniversary Friday night by bringing what it pegs as one of the biggest contemporary Christian music acts to come to Washington: Phillips, Craig and Dean.
“They’re one of those groups where you know every one of their songs,” said Gary Baltz, one of the managing partners of the radio station. “It’s just great praise and worship music.”
Phillips, Craig and Dean is a contemporary Christian music trio comprised of Randy Phillips, Shawn Craig and Dan Dean. Since forming in 1991, they have released 10 albums and earned 16 No. 1 radio singles.
The group has received nine GMA Dove Award nominations and sold more than two million units, receiving one Dove Award for participating in the special-event album “My Utmost for His Highest.”
Some of their most popular songs include “Favorite Song of All,” “My Praise,” “I Want to be Just Like You,” “Friend of God,” “Top of My Lungs” and “You Are God Alone.”
Since all three singers are full-time pastors and make it a priority to be at their respective churches for Sunday services, they have declared a virtual moratorium on Saturday-night concerts.
Their most recent album, “Fearless,” was released Aug. 4, 2009. It sold more than 10,000 copies during its first week and reached 46 on the Billboard 200, becoming the trio’s highest-debuting album to date.
The album’s first single was “Revelation Song.” It reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart in August 2009.
“It’s pretty amazing,” Craig admitted. “I count these guys as true friends and love this journey.”
There will be no opening act for Friday’s 7:30 p.m. show. The group will play for an hour, have a short intermission and come back for an additional hour.
The concert will be at Transitions Theatre, 230 E. Eighth St. Baltz said it is the perfect venue.
“There are about 1,100 seats in it, and there is not a bad seat in that place,” he said.
Tickets are available online from mybridgefm.com and at the door. The prices range from $15 to $25 each. Tickets may be purchased in advance until noon Friday. After noon, remaining tickets will be available on a first-come, first -served basis at the door.
Baltz said everything just fell into place for Friday’s concert. The station managed to reach the group when it was in Virginia and arrange everything.
The show might have to compete with Smoke on the Water, Music in the Streets and the WHS Playmakers, but Baltz said he believes people could fit every event into a fun-filled weekend.
The Bridge concert has an advantage over other events because it is pulling people from all over the region, Baltz said, adding that people from as far away as Florida have ordered tickets.
The station has set the bar pretty high for future anniversaries and sponsored shows, said Baltz, adding he is not worried about that.
“We’ve been batting around three or four acts that we would like to bring to Washington,” he said. “We’re just going to kind of sit back and let God do his thing.”