Francesca Battistelli Brings Hundred More Years Tour To ETBU’s Centennial Celebration

MARSHALL, Texas (912/12)- One of the leading artists on the contemporary Christian scene, Francesca Battistelli, will perform on Founders Day at East Texas Baptist University Monday, October 22, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. Many at ETBU believe that bringing Battiselli’s Hundred More Years Tour to campus during the University Centennial is no accident.

"This will be a great event for the campus and how she became available is a providential occurrence,” said ETBU Director of Student Activities Blair Prevost. "We were working on bringing another artist to campus but due to a tour scheduling conflict it fell through,” added Vince Blankenship, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing.

At the time the promoter suggested Battistelli, the ETBU contingent did not know the tour name, they just knew of her success as a Christian artist. "To have the ‘Hundred More Years’ Tour on our campus on Founder’s Day, celebrating 100 years of ETBU, is just amazing,” said Prevost.

Battistelli brings her Hundred More Years Tour to Baker Auditorium of the Ornelas Spiritual Life Center on campus. The concert will also feature Sidewalk Prophets with special guest Andy Cherry. General admission tickets are $10. They can be purchased online now at www.etbu.edu or in the Business Office of ETBU starting September 24th.

Battistelli, who has toured with such Christian music greats, like Big Daddy Weave, Aaron Shust, Newsong and Mercy Me, won three GMA Dove Awards in 2011. She won Artist of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, for the second consecutive year, and Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year, "This is The Stuff.” Her music has been heard on such popular TV shows like ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, NBC’s The Biggest Loser, FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance, and TLC’s Jon and Kate Plus 8.

Battistelli was originally an independent artist and released an independent album, Just a Breath, in 2004. Her first studio album on Fervent Records, My Paper Heart, was released in July 2008. The album produced four major hits on the Christian charts, "I’m Letting Go,” "Free to Be Me,” "It’s Your Life,” and "Beautiful Beautiful.” Her official website (www.francescamusic.com) reports the release of My Paper Heart was the biggest-seller for a debut Christian artist in nearly a decade and the longest running #1 for a female artist in Billboard Christian Album history.

Hundred More Years, released March 2011, is the second studio album by this New York City born, Florida raised singer. Her piano-pop sound is a blend of her music interest in jazz, rock, gospel and R&B. The Hundred More Years project features such known songs "Angel By Your Side,” "This Is the Stuff,” and "Motion of Mercy.”

During the concert, ETBU will draw for the winners of the Centennial Celebration Student Car and Centennial Celebration Truck Giveaways. The 2012 Dodge Charger will be won by one full-time student who registered for the free drawing and is present at the concert. The winning ticket for the 2012 Dodge Ram 4x2 Quad Truck will be drawn from those who obtained a ticket with a $50 donation. Patterson Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Marshall is the major sponsor for the giveaways.

As part of the Centennial Celebration all ETBU students, faculty, and staff, can receive a free ticket to the concert from the Student Affairs office, ETBU ID Required.

For concert information call 903-923-2320.

Click here to purchase tickets online