The tribute album ‘Bellsburg’ was released earlier this month in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the passing of Rich Mullins, the American songwriter and Gospel music icon.

Upon its release, Bellsburg (Old Bear Records) hit No. 1 on the iTunes Christian chart and landed in the Top 30 on the Overall iTunes chart.

Singles from the double album set were also featured on key playlists, including Apple Music’s Inspired Chill, Amazon Music’s Highly Favored, Spotify’s New Music Friday Christian, and Pandora’s New Christian Music Now.

“It’s fairly easy to create music that’s simply an overflow of our hearts that we’ve learned to fashion into a song, a session, an album, but waiting to see if anyone will respond to that music once it’s released, that’s tough,” commented Andrew Greer, an eight-time GMA Dove Award nominee, co-producer, and contributing artist on Bellsburg.

“But then when someone does respond, and not only responds but resonates with the music, I remember that music is not about getting it right or wrong, but creating a space for everyone to collaborate in the shared experience of making and consuming music, and that feels very Rich Mullins to me,” he added.

To continue commemorating his life and legacy, Old Bear Records will roll out a variety of Mullins-inspired projects in the coming months.

Deep Valley, a never-before-heard live recording from Mullins’ early career, will release on February 10, 2023, and Worktapes…More Songs of Rich Mullins, a follow-up to Bellsburg featuring a wide array of singer/songwriters recording more of his celebrated catalogue, will release on June 2, 2023.

A variety of artists also hosted a string of events coinciding with the release of Bellsburg,  with a sold-out show in Nashville, TN.

In addition, a “Friends & Family” concert was held at Mullins’ alma mater, Friends University in Wichita, Kansas, alongside a ground-breaking ceremony on the campus for “Rich’s Room,” an archive of artefacts reflecting his life slated to open from September 2023.

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