Grammy and Dove Award winning artist Steven Curtis Chapman, along with his wife Mary Beth, and eldest children Emily, Caleb, and Will, opened their hearts on Good Morning America about the loss of their daughter and sister Maria Chapman this past May 21st. The special interview was aired with Robin Roberts from The Chapman’s home in Franklin, Tenn., on August 6 in the 8a.m. EST hour.
Also, a live interview from Los Angeles on Larry King Live will air on August 7, and there will be an extensive feature in an upcoming issue of People magazine. The decision to speak publicly was not an easy one, and these will be the first interviews the family has participated in since Maria’s death.
“Initially Steven talked about never doing any concerts or media ever again,” comments Jim Houser, Chapman’s manager. “But quickly God began to show Steven that if he ever believed the songs he was writing, singing and recording before May 21 and Maria’s loss, they must still be true now. It’s the family’s hope that these appearances will serve as a chance to proclaim to a watching world what they know and are deeply convinced of even in these difficult days, the Gospel is true and faith in Christ is our Hope.”
As a part of the family’s acknowledgement of the tragedy and God’s faithfulness to them through this difficult time, Chapman has also written a new verse to his song “Yours” from his current project, This Moment:
I’ve walked the valley of death’s shadow
So deep and dark that I could barely breathe
I’ve had to let go of more than I could bear
And questioned everything that I believe
But still even here
in this great darkness
A comfort and hope come breaking through
As I can say in life or death
God we belong to you.
“Yours” is the follow-up single to his hit “Cinderella,” a song written about Maria and her sisters, for which Chapman is also now changing the poignant last line in live performance to “’Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight/But the truth is… The dance goes on.” “Yours” will be available for purchase via digital service providers including iTunes®, Amazon, Rhapsody, Napster, etc. as of August 5, with 100 percent of Chapman’s royalties from the sales of this single being donated to Shaohannah’s Hope. Producer Matt Bronlewee and co-writer on “Yours” Jonas Myrin have also joined the effort with 100 percent of their royalties from the single going to Shaohannah’s Hope, and additionally monies received by Sparrow records from the sales of this single, after deduction of expenses and royalties, will be donated to Shaohannah’s Hope. Shaohannah’s Hope is a 501C(3) organization with the goal of elping families reduce the financial barrier of adoption, and as of July 2008 has provided grants to more than 1,700 families wishing to adopt orphans in the United States and around the world. For more details on Maria’s Miracle Fund and Shaohannah’s Hope, please visit www.showhope.org.
Be sure to look for Chapman’s major market tour taking place this fall with additional details to be announced within days.
About Steven Curtis Chapman:
With his release of This Moment, Chapman has sold more than 10 million records including two RIAA certified platinum albums and seven RIAA certified gold albums. Along with his Dove and Grammy© awards, Chapman has won an American Music Award, has recorded 44 No. 1 U.S. radio hits and been awarded 54 Dove Awards, more than any other artist to date. Since his recording career began in 1987, Chapman has recorded 16 projects with Sparrow Records. He has performed at the White House and has appeared on multiple national programs via CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, CMT, FOX News, the Hallmark Channel and E!, including Good Morning America, Larry King Live, CBS Sunday Morning, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and more. More than five years ago, Chapman and his wife Mary Beth created The Shaohannah’s Hope Ministry after bringing their first adopted daughter, Shaohannah, home from China.
