Christian music’s largest annual tour announced its 2012 artist and city lineup Monday in Nashville.
Grammy-nominated alternative rockers Skillet will headline the Winter Jam Tour Spectacular, which kicks off in Charleston, W.V., on Jan. 6.
NewSong, the Grammy-nominated Christian mainstay, founded the tour 17 years ago and hosts it annually. The 47-city tour will also feature Sanctus Real, former Newsboys frontman Peter Furler, Kari Jobe, Building 429, Group 1 Crew, illusionist Brock Gill and national speaker Nick Hall.
In addition, the OneVerse Pre-Jam Party will include performances from Dara Maclean, For King & Country and We As Human. VeggieTales’ Bob and Larry will also make a special appearance.
“With one of the most powerful lineups of Christian music’s top artists in Winter Jam history, we are thrilled to announce what promises to be our biggest tour yet,” said NewSong founding member and Winter Jam creator Eddie Carswell.
“After seeing more than 90,000 people make decisions for Christ during last year’s tour, we enter Winter Jam’s 17th year of ministry excited to begin the adventure of what God has in store for us—and audiences around the country.”
The announcement comes shortly before Winter Jam tours 11 cities in the West for the first time in November.
Since its formation in 1995, the tour has featured many of the top names in Christian music, including TobyMac, Third Day, Newsboys, Steven Curtis Chapman and Jeremy Camp, among others.
The Winter Jam 2011 Tour Spectacular outpaced attendance for all other tours in the first quarter, including Bon Jovi, U2, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber, according to Pollstar’s 2011 Worldwide First Quarter Ticket Sales “Top 100 Tours” chart.
Admission is $10, and a complete list of dates and cities can be found at jamtour.com.
