Christian Music Gets a New Voice

Rebekah Maddux El-Hakam

The music world has a new angel working on spreading her wings. Houstonian Rebekah Maddux El-Hakam has been a Contemporary Worship Leader at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church for quite sometime all the while writing her own songs and music, being a wife and a mother of 4.

“You don't always have to know what you want to be when you're in college, for me it was just being a mom and being happy in Houston then ...and then....God gave me music.”

Rebekah has been a singer since she was a tiny girl with her mother remarking at her album release party,

 

“She would sing all of the time when she was a young girl, I am so proud of her today.”

She was literally made for this moment. The more songs that she shared in worship folks would keep coming up to her after service asking how they could get these songs, how could they could share them. Part of the encouragement was that people didn't know they were her songs. People would say these tunes had been stuck in their heads all week; they would Google the lyrics and not be able to find them. It was clear she was meant to make an album. But how do you do that? How do you even make an album? Where do you start? God! That is where! So after much prayer and soul searching Rebekah and her family started this journey.

Music is an expensive industry if you want to do it correctly and El-Hakam wasn’t about to take on the load of something so special and not give it the proper attention and effort it deserved. She researched studios, producers, mastering, mass disk production, sales, cover art, photography, marketing materials, you name it she became an expert or found the best to do it with her. Putting a budget together she then turned to her friends, family, church family and strangers to help fund this new and exciting project. She turned to a funding website so folks could chip in no matter where in the world they lived. She had this to say about this process, 

“These are hard times but when you get enough people that care and believe that it can happen it will. And at $15 or so a pop, the price of a CD, and a ton of support you can accomplish anything.”

She put the project on KickStarter.

While working on the funding El-Hakam was knee deep in the search for a producer. Seems a difficult task since she wasn’t even sure which city she would record the album in, Nashville or Houston. Ultimately she knew she needed to get out of her daily life to be able to really buckle down and make a great album. After finding the perfect producer in Marshall Altman (http://marshallaltman.com/) it seemed Nashville was the place to be. With the support of one of the most amazing husbands on the planet and both sets of parents their parents stepping up to take care of the four little people the beginning of this dream could finally happen.

Needless to say, the project fully funded and is in the top twenty-five of highest funded indie albums on KickStarter to date. When God gives you a dream He makes sure you can do it.  So now it’s off to promote this new worship album so keep an eye out for Rebekah Maddux El-Hakam at your church or have your worship leader get in touch with her and bring her to your church. It will be an experience you won’t soon forget.

Visit www.RebekahME.com for more information about Rebekah.

Radiant You is available on iTunes  The album is mastered for iTunes. The highest quality of mastering an album can get!

Will be on CCLI, Christian Copyright Licensing International, soon so if you’re a worship leader you will soon be able to use her songs for your church services.

Also look for Rebekah to be featured as the “New Artist to Watch” on www.NewReleaseTuesday.com this November.

Night of Superstars

Not only can you make dreams come true, you can actually be there when it happens!! You DO NOT want to miss this night full of celebrities and local high-profile personalities, 800+ guests (including YOU), red carpet, limos, TV Cameras and tons of photographers, enterainment, great food, drinks, etc.! ALL of this to honor 30 amazing kids who are affected by varying types of disabling conditions and have overcome great adversity! Join us for Night of Superstars, a formal red carpet event created to recognize these Superstars for their incredible accomplishments! The event is formatted much like "Night at the Oscars" but 30 kids are the honored celebrities. The day of the event, they get pampered at DEAR CLARK HAIR STUDIO (hair/make-up/nails), dressed in formal attire provided by WATTERS, then driven by limo to the Winspear Opera House (AT&T Performing Arts Center). Once they arrive, they are escorted down the red carpet by guest celebrities from the TV/Film, Radio/Music and Sports industries. As they progress down the red carpet, YOU and our 800+ guests cheer them on, asking for their autographs and pictures! Several TV stations and local publications are on site to interview the kids and our guests. Following the red carpet event is an awards ceremony where each of our "Superstars" is recognized and given an award. After the awards ceremony, the kids and their parents return to their complimentary hotel rooms for a weekend "staycation" and we proceed with our Celebrity/Sponsor Post Reception for great food/drink & entertainment!! Just a few among the list of our distinguished celebrities include: Nellie Sciutto (The Departed, Shutter Island, The Aviator, etc); Amy Vanderoef of Good Morning Texas (ABC); Kent Rathbun, Iron Chef America & Restaurateur, Owner of Abacus and Jasper's in Frisco, The Woodlands and Austin; LeeAnne Locken (Actress/Model/Host); Gina Miller (CBS 11); Kim Fischer (NBC 5); Fiona Gorostiza (FOX 4); Jan Strimple (Model & Fashion Industry Icon); Brendan Higgins (host/producer of "Wasted America"); and many others! PLEASE FORWARD THIS INVITE TO YOUR NETWORKS! We want to absolute blow these kids' minds with a SOLD OUT CROWD!! DATE: Saturday, June 25th LOCATION: Winspear Opera House DOORS OPEN: 5:30p RED CARPET EVENT: 6:30p - Our Superstars/kids arrive at 6:30 sharp, so please be sure to be in place along the red carpet by NO LATER THAN 6:20p (you must check in PRIOR). CELEBRITY/SPONSOR POST RECEPTION: 9:30p - ALOFT Hotel (Downtown Dallas) ATTIRE: WOMEN - Cocktail | MEN - Jacket required | NOTE: Formal Attire Optional TICKETS: $55 - Ticket includes both the main event at Winspear Opera House and the Celebrity/Sponsor Post Party at ALOFT Hotel, 2 complimentary drink tickets AND hors d'oeuvres!   VIP TABLES: $1,000 - Includes a table for 8 during the main event with preferred seating, company logo in all materials and mention during the awards ceremony. BENEFITING: Wipe Out Kids Cancer | Hoffen Foundation | American Foundation for the Blind, Center on Vision Loss | Challenge Air for Kids & Friends | Spina Bifida Assoc of North Texas SPONSORS (to date): Sheehan Advertising & Marketing | PromotionalMerchandise.com | Rona Zafari-Ata Insurance Agency (Farmers - Allen, TX) | Emerald Building Services | Watters | Palomino | Capital Grille | Nobu | Shannon Bryan PR Services | Dear Clark Hair StudioSee more

Texas! Time to get your YOGA on!!

Don't count your health, wellness and DIET resolutions out just yet! Get on the road for a trip down I-45 for the weekend and get your YOGA on! Friday night, of course, hit up the Nicola Parente Grimillion Art Gallery Opening on Vantage Street from 6:00 - 8:00 pm.

You can go to Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Cook Off in the evening and learn all about the many different styles and lineages of yoga during the day! You can also practice any type of yoga while you visit the Texas Yoga Conference!

It's happening on the University of St. Thomas Campus at the Jerabeck Athletic Center Feb 25-27, 2011. There will be over 72 presentations and you can take yoga classes with some of the top instructors in the world. DISH will absolutely be there!

But it's not just yoga! It's DJs Spinning and live music, food and so much more!!

It's starts Friday Night with the Bhakti Bash from 5:30-9:30 p.m. led by Sean Johnson! DJ Hyfi will spin music and Dana Flynn will help us rejoice with a Laughing Lotus yoga class. In room 202 at 5:30 p.m. Etan Boritzer will be holding a lecture Yoga and the Buddha’s Teachings which is good for all, including yoga teachers, to enjoy. Then at 7:30 p.m. the party begins with a music concert with Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band, dancing, food, massage, and henna tattoos!

Saturday night is MC Yogi in concert at 7:30 p.m. with Sean Johnson playing afterwards on February 26, 2010.

Our lineup includes Duncan Wong, Sadie Nardini, Dana Flynn, Sierra Bender, Les Leventhal, Christina Sell, & KK Ledford and of course all of our fabulous Texas talent!

Manduka, Luna Bars, 002 Magazine, Kulae, Luke's Locker, I Love Yoga, Prana, and Natural Awakenings Magazine are just a few of our sponsors participating this year. Shopping and yoga are in store for you! Be prepared to have a blast meeting our presenters and sponsors in 2011! They are awesome!

To promote yoga in Texas help us to unite the Texas yoga community and spread the bliss of yoga by mentioning us in your newsletters, Facebook pages and other marketing avenues that you may use.

Can't wait to see you there DISHIES!