Steven Curtis Chapman Announces JOY: The Christmas Tour Featuring Third Day and Brandon Heath

By Vincent Funaro, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, September 03, 2014

Steven Curtis Chapman sings 'Cinderella' at the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute's annual gala, Sept. 13, 2012, Washington, D.C. — Steven Curtis Chapman sings "Cinderella" at the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute's annual gala, Sept. 13, 2012, Washington, D.C. | (Photo: The Christian Post/Napp Nazworth)

Steven Curtis Chapman will embark on Joy: The Christmas Tour this holiday season which will hit more than a dozen cities.

The tour will also feature Grammy nominee Brandon Heath and special guest singer/songwriter Jillian Edwards. Joy starts off in Houston, Texas on Nov. 29 and will travel throughout the East until the week of Christmas.

"The Christmas season is my very favorite time of year, and I'm so looking forward to this get-together of friends and family," said Chapman in a press release. "My band, crew and I have been working on the plan for the tour and the song list, and it's going to be a great night of caroling, worshipping, storytelling and fun as we celebrate the hope and the joy of our Savior's birth together. We're praying God will use this time and we hope you can join us."

Chapman's Christmas albums have sold close to 1.5 million copies and he will be performing songs from each of them during the tour. Selections from "JOY," his fourth career Christmas album will highlight the night.

The acclaimed singer will also be collaborating with his tour mates during the dates. Heath will perform songs from his "Christmas is Here" project and Chapman's daughter in-law, Jillian Edwards, will perform cuts from her forthcoming Christmas EP.

The band Third Day will join Chapman as co-headliners on three of the tour dates including Roanoke, Virginia; Augusta, Georgia; and Tampa, Florida. These nights will be billed as Joy & Worship dates and will feature the singer's Christmas set with Third Day's more worship-focused line-up.

Show Hope, an orphan care ministry founded by Chapman and his wife Mary Beth, will be highlighted on the tour as the title presenting sponsor for most of the dates.