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Among the Thirsty

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Hometown	Port Richey, FL
Genres	Christian, Pop
Band Members	Ryan Daniel; Scottie Henderson; Brock Douglas; Greg ... » more
Achievements	» more
Upcoming Shows	None

Contact Information:	Manager Mike Turza miketurza@gmail.com 727-849-1679 Label Rev Music Group mike@revmusicgroup.com 727-849-1679
# Years Experience Performing Live:	6
# Live Perfomances Past Six-months:	26
Market Draw:	Pittsburgh: 451-500; Birmingham: 451-500; Tampa: 451-500; Great Falls: 451-500; Shreveport: 451-500; Chattanooga: 451-500
Venue History:	Lake Junaluska Conference Ctr - Lake Junaluska, NC Kingdom Bound Festival - Darien Lake, NY Soulfest - Gilford, NH J-Fest - Chattanooga, TN Freedomfest - Pinellas Park, FL Downpour Festival - Great Falls, MT Hot Rods Stadium - Bowling Green, KY
Opener Experience:	Casting Crowns, Third Day, Big Daddy Weave, Skillet, Newsboys, Mercy Me, and many more
Similar Artists:	Sidewalk Prophets,Rush of Fools, Chasen
Performing Rights Society:	ASCAP
Discography:	I Wanna Stay Here Single—2010; Wonder LP—2009; A Very Thirsty Christmas EP—2007; Homeward Bound LP—2006

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About the Artist

Our purpose is to present a unique style of the Gospel to the world through our music. We strive to live a life that is worthy of God's presence, to proclaim the Majesty and Holiness of Christ with our gifts, and to speak words of hope and life to all...

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Music

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Achievements

Christian Winner, March 2013

Top 10 in Christian, February 2013

Top 10 in Christian, January 2013

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Press Coverage

Praise the Lord, and tighten the guitar strings by By MICHAEL KRUSE Published August 28, 2005
We'd love to get our music out everywhere," he was saying. "We'd love to get them on secular stations - not just Christian radio.

AMONG THE THIRSTY PERFORM AT BCF by
On Tuesday, April 3, The Baptist College of Florida (BCF) in Graceville, Florida, welcomed Christian recording artists Among the Thirsty. The band, which has played with such artists as Casting Crowns and Skillet, is currently on tour and said they were thrilled about the opportunity to play for BCF students. Band members Ryan Daniel, Brock Douglas, Brian Henderson, and Greg Smith are from Clearwater, Florida. Since their current tour took them through Graceville, band manager Mike Turza contacted Mindy Nettles, BCM Director, who accepted the band's offer to play a free concert for BCF students. Among the Thirsty led worship during BCM's Salpiza service and performed a concert afterwards. The band identifies themselves among the thirsty found in the scripture in Revelation 21:6, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts." According to BCF students, the style of music was a more upbeat, rock combination of praise and worship songs. Band members said they appreciated the welcoming atmosphere of the school and look forward to visiting again in the future. More information about events at The Baptist College of Florida can be seen on the website at www.baptistcollege.edu.

Another use for duct tape by EVA WOLEVER
CLEARWATER (FBW)–Six years ago Greg Smith decided to stop envying the “jocks” of his middle-school band – members of the percussion section – and join them instead. No drums? No problem. The determined youngster confiscated his mother’s pots and pans, placed them in the best drum formation he could, and began banging away. A broken broomstick wrapped in Bible tracts and duct tape served as drumsticks, Smith told Florida Baptist Witness. “I didn’t see the vision of him as a drummer. We were seeing him as a baseball player and a golfer,” Smith’s mother, Lori, said. “My husband was heartbroken when he wanted to replace a golf club with drumsticks.” After using pots and pans to practice, Smith, who grew up attending Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater, said his first performance in the student-led praise band was memorable. “I was so bad. I love that I went to a school where I graduated with 27 because there [were] not that many people there to make fun of me,” Smith said. “As I look back I can just see that God was preparing me for something that He had in store for my life.” Smith, now 20, is the drummer of Among the Thirsty, a Christian band performing in venues across Florida. Among the Thirsty seeks to strike the “final blow” to the line separating Christian music from the mainstream, Smith said. The band aims to reach all people in a variety of settings, not only “recycling” the Gospel to those already in churches, Smith continued. “We’re never going to stop playing in churches,” Smith said, eager to avoid confusion. “But we feel people in the church, people out of the church, Christians, [and] non-Christians.., should hear our music and what we have to say.” Smith said what the band has to say is a reflection of the group’s name. “We’re not above the thirsty; we’re not below the thirsty but we’re among everyone who thirsts for something,” Smith said. “With our lyrics we try not to pound Jesus Christ into everybody, but we say, ‘Look, there’s a hope out there and our hope is Jesus Christ.’” Smith said the band, which opened for Bon Jovi’s concert in the St. Pete Times Forum in February, did not have a problem playing in the secular arena. “We want to spread God’s word in our unique way and style of music,” Smith said. “We’re not going to compromise and hide… saying that we’re not a Christian band.” The band’s rhythm guitarist, 24-year-old Brian Henderson, said the band played their own songs in a 30-minute set, saying the “J-word” (Jesus) on Bon Jovi’s stage and singing about prayer and worship in songs like The Altar. Quoting The Altar’s chorus, “The altar is where I’ll meet you and where I’ll find you Lord, but, oh, if I could see you smiling as I praise your Word,” Henderson stressed Among the Thirsty is not a “screamo” band and listeners can understand the words. Called to ministry in eighth grade, Henderson, still in high school, played guitar and sang at Eagles Lading Baptist Church in Port Richey where his father, David, is senior pastor and his mother, Denise, is worship leader. Henderson said as the church’s ministry assistant, he now incorporates a mix of praise choruses and hymns in worship. “I’ll… pull out an old hymn and kind of jazz it up,” Henderson said. “The older people… don’t mind me jazzin’ it up either because I don’t change it. It’s still the old hymn they like, but I kind of make it sound something to where the kids will like it too.” The foursome entered a radio contest and beat 150 bands, most of them secular, to perform at the Bon Jovi concert, Smith said. Winning the contest depended on which band got the most fan votes, so the group e-mailed, called, handed out fliers, and blogged for three days to gather 1,200 votes. “For some reason it was God’s will to have Christian music in a non- Christian environment that night,” Smith said. Smith also credited the band’s management and their families’ support for helping get the group off the ground. All of the band members live with their parents. Brock Douglas, the band’s bass guitarist, Henderson, and Daniel have part-time jobs while Smith continues to work towards a degree in business management by taking online classes. “We’re just trusting the Lord. As far as He takes [our son], we are willing to let him follow his dream,” Lori Smith said. “It hasn’t changed the way he is. It hasn’t changed his character or personality and I know he truly wants what God has for his life.” Smith said he had to “totally” trust God’s will when he left the University of Central Florida in Orlando to become an online student. “God had a different plan,” Smith said, “[T]o jump out, leave everything, and just see where He can take me… I think my faith has just really grown a lot because of it.” Their families also help the band as a whole. Smith’s father, a certified public accountant, is the band’s CFO. The father of lead singer, Ryan Daniel, is the band’s manager and often worked at large festivals and concerts as a sheriff’s deputy, Smith said. Their moms help out at the merchandise tables. Their sisters also assist in sales, but they are not allowed in the green room where the band prepares before each performance, Henderson said. No girls are allowed backstage and hugs are given from the side, on a strictly “ex-girlfriend” level. “We’re not focused on what girl we need to be with,” Henderson added. “We’re focused on … what God has for our lives with this band and that other stuff can fall into place later – we think.” For more information on booking, visit www.amongthethirsty.com.

Rock of the Bay by Sean Daly
Among the Thirsty, Homeward Bound There's a good reason why Clearwater Christian rockers Among the Thirsty were chosen to open for Bon Jovi at the St. Pete Times Forum in February. And that reason is because they don't really sound like a Christian rock band at all. Jovi wasn't looking for religion; Jovi was looking for a band that rocks with style. And on debut disc Homeward Bound, Among the Thirsty does just that, unloading all-together-now choruses and layer upon layer of ferocious power chords. When this quartet of teens and 20-somethings slows things down, the ballads border on lackluster. But when Among the Thirsty plugs in and makes a racket, there's a switchblade edge to them, especially on The Arms of Love, which has an astounding guitar line that slithers and strikes in all the right places. The boys thank Jesus Christ in the liner notes, but a nod to the Edge would have been appropriate, too. (To buy Homeward Bound, go to www.AmongtheThirsty.com.)

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Stage Specs

Technical Requirements

Raised Stage (4'high/20'x 24') with Drum Rise
Adequate Sound & Light System
At least 16 channels of input
All Microphones & Stand
Sound Enginee
Light Enginee
Merchandise Tabl
2 People to Run Merchandis
Meals Before(light) and After(Dinner
Plenty of Water Bottle
Accommodations for 4-

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Among the Thirsty

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