Nightvision Artists 2023

Kurt Neuswanger • June 2, 2023

Here is a snapshot of the ten artists who will be appearing at Nightvision in Grand Junction on June 9 & 10. Several of them have appeared frequently on the West Slope, but five artists are making their first appearance.

 

FRIDAY

 

Tasha Layton got a Master of Divinity degree in California, where she became a professional vocalist and spent four years singing background vocals for pop singer Katy Perry. Since 2019, she has recorded several popular songs including “Love Lifting Me” and “Look What You’ve Done.”


           Previous appearances:

           none


Ryan Stevenson grew up in Bonanza (not the TV show!), Oregon. He attended Bible school, worked as a paramedic, and launched his music career in 2003.


           Previous appearances:

           2013   with Audio Adrenaline in Grand Junction

           2017   with Newsboys at Las Colonias amphitheatre


Unspoken says their name has two meanings: “First, we want our lives to be unspoken testimonies to God’s love and power. But we realize, also, the need to speak what oftentimes goes unspoken.”


           Previous appearances:

           none


Newsboys have become regular visitors to the West Slope. This visit marks the debut of Adam Agee, who shares lead vocals with Michael Tait. Agee was formerly lead singer with Stellar Kart and Audio Adrenaline.


           Previous appearances:

           2007   Nightvision

           2016   Nightvision

           2017   Las Colonias

           2019   Nightvision


Phil Wickham comes from a musical family. His parents were members of 1970's Christian group Parable. His older brother, Evan Wickham, is also a worship leader.


           Previous appearances:

           2012   Nightvision

           2017   Canyon View Vineyard Church


SATURDAY


Jon Reddick is the son of a pastor and a church pianist from Memphis. He currently leads worship along with Chris McClarney at Church Of The City in Nashville, home to a number of Christian artists.


           Previous appearances:

           none


Katy Nichole developed congenital scoliosis at a youth and could barely sing. Spinal fusion surgery left her bedridden in constant pain until she had the rods removed in 2019. Her pain and depression disappeared, to the glory of God!


           Previous appearances:

           none


Jordan Feliz used to be the lead singer of an obscure Christian heavy metal band. He quit that to become a worship leader in his church, and now lives in Nashville. He has been a regular visitor in recent years.


           Previous appearances:

           2016   Nightvision

           2018   Avalon

           2019   Nightvision

           2021   with Chris Tomlin at Las Colonias

           

Big Daddy Weave was founded by brothers Mike and Jay Weaver in 1998 while attending college in Alabama. Sadly, Jay died in 2022 from COVID. This year Big Daddy Weave recorded a duet with Katy Nichole called “God Is In This Story.” We are hoping Katy will join Big Daddy on stage to sing their song together!


           Previous appearances:

           2009   Rally in the Rockies, Rifle

           2013   Nightvision

           2018   Nightvision


TobyMac was a founding member of the 1990s group DCTalk. He continued as a solo artist since 2000. In 2019, his son Truitt was found dead in his home of an accidental drug overdose, causing TobyMac to go on hiatus. In 2022, he released his first album in four years, called “Life After Death.”


           Previous appearances:

           none

Wayne Watson and "Almighty"

By Kurt Neuswanger • June 26, 2025
Recently I played a KJOL classic, “ Almighty ” by Wayne Watson . For those who don’t remember Watson, he had a string of hits during the 80s and 90s, including: Celebrate Friend of a Wounded Heart For Such A Time as This Home Free Another Time, Another Place (with Sandi Patti) Touch of the Master’s Hand As for “Almighty,” I found an article that explains the back story. In 1990, when Wayne was 36, a close family friend became ill and died, leaving behind her four young daughters. As Wayne struggled to understand how God could allow this tragedy, he sat at his piano and began to write a song that reaffirmed the sovereignty of God. Well time marches on, with the innocence gone, And a darkness has covered the earth But His Spirit still dwells, He speaks, "it is well, " And the hopeless still offered new birth He will break the leash of death, it will have no sting Let the prisoner go free, join the dance and sing Almighty (almighty) Most holy God Faithful through the ages Almighty, Most holy Lord Glorious, Almighty... When his friends heard the song, they told him he should record it. Wayne was reluctant, thinking it didn’t really match his typical style. Eventually he started singing it in his concerts, and the response was so strong, he included it on “ Home Free ” in 1991 and it became a No. 1 hit.

CeCe Winans takes NPR listeners to church

By Kurt Neuswanger • June 19, 2025
CeCe Winans was a guest at NPR (National Public Radio) this week, and took them to church. She performed a half-hour concert, called a “ Tiny Desk Concert , ” before a small friendly audience in the NPR building. Between the songs, she shared her faith: “God is faithful, and what I love about him, he stays the same. It doesn’t matter what we’ve done or where we’ve been, I just want everybody to know that God loves you with an everlasting love. And because He never changes, we can always run to Him. Just know that if God be for you, who can be against you!” She also appeared in an 8 minute interview on the NPR news program. The host said she had listened to Cece’s song “Alone In His Presence” when the host was a child. CeCe said, “Yep, his presence is definitely my hiding place, being in the spirit of God. And I live a life to please him, and that has brought me good success, you know?” She added, “I don't have to fear about what's going to happen because I serve a God who knows the end from the beginning. So I can actually experience true peace of mind and heart because of that relationship. So my hope is in him. You can hear CeCe’s latest song, “ Come Jesus Come ,” on KJOL right now. It was written and originally recorded by Stephen McWhirter in 2023. CeCe performed it for the American Idol Easter special in April.

Newsboys Canadian tour canceled

By Kurt Neuswanger • May 30, 2025
The Newsboys were supposed to be touring Canada starting May 31. But the tour was abruptly canceled last week. Both the Newsboys and the promoter are claiming the other side is at fault. The Canadian promoter said it canceled the tour because there were too many unanswered questions about why Michael Tait abruptly left the band in January, just days before the Newsboys started their world tour. The Newsboys said the promoter breached the contract so the band canceled the tour. Neither Tait nor the Newsboys have given a clear explanation for Tait’s sudden departure . Band member Adam Agee took over as lead singer and the band quickly re-recorded their new single with Agee on lead vocals instead of Tait. The concert promoter said fans in Canada were confused about who the new lead singer was, wondering if this was the same Newsboys band they were expecting. Then on May 26, the promoter announced that Sanctus Real had agreed to be the last-minute replacement for the Newsboys. Sanctus Real had to hurry, because their first concert was just six days later in Canada! The timing works well for Sanctus Real, which just released their new single, The Difference , on May 29. Listen for it on KJOL in the coming days and weeks.

The story behind "Shout to the Lord"

By Kurt Neuswanger • May 14, 2025
Every week, an estimated 30 million worshippers sing the most popular worship song of our generation, “Shout To The Lord” by Darlene Zschech and Hillsongs Australia. You’ve probably heard (and sung) it. But do you know the story behind the song ? Darlene Zschech wrote “ Shout to the Lord ” 30 years ago. She says the song was born out of a low point in her life. She had married at age 19 and moved to Sydney, where she began singing at the Hills Christian Centre. But at home her husband’s business was failing and times were tough One day she sat down at her daughter’s piano and started singing some words she’d been thinking about. She turned it into a song but was too shy to tell anyone. Finally she sang it for the worship director (but she made him turn around and not look at her!). He convinced her to sing it at church. By the end of the first chorus, people were standing to their feet and singing along! In 1994, the Hills Christian Centre recorded it, and in 1996, Hosanna Music released “Shout to the Lord” in the U.S. under the name Hillsongs Australia. It went straight to the top of the praise & worship charts. It has had more than 160 million views on YouTube just in the last 10 years.

See You There!

By Dave Andrews • May 7, 2025
We like to say around here that our Secretary Martha is the most famous person at KJOL. We mean it too! With a naturally likable personality, and an active disposition, a lot of people know her.

Tenth Avenue North and The Archers return!

By Kurt Neuswanger • May 1, 2025
Tenth Avenue North is back with a new album Back in 2019, Tenth Avenue North announced they were retiring. They had formed in 2000 in Florida. Founder Mike Donehey said the name came “Tenth Avenue North” was supposed to be temporary. They had been scheduled to play at a conference and could not agree on a name for their band. So they chose the name of the street where they lived in West Palm Beach. And the name stuck for 25 years! In 2019, they released “ Greater Than All My Regrets .” And then they announced plans to retire, with a farewell tour in 2020. However, COVID interrupted that. In 2021, they finally played two farewell concerts. But four years after the break “sharpened the band’s focus and God used what they thought was an end to create room for them to experience Him in a new way.” So in 2024 they started recording new music , and the full-length album is being released on May 30. The Archers return! Fifty years after the Archers (siblings Tim, Steve, and Janice) made their debut in contemporary Christian music, they are back with a new album called “Legacy Medley.” It contains new versions of five of their previous hits: Give Us This Day 1980 It Won’t Be Long (Andrae Crouch) 1972 Make Me An Instrument 1977 I Never Knew Love 1991 (from their hit album “Spreadin’ Like Wildfire”) Pickin’ Up The Pieces 1979 The Archers debuted at Jesus festivals during the height of the Jesus Movement in 1971. They came to the attention of Andrae Crouch, Ralph Carmichael, and Pat Boone among others. (They were the first to record Crouch’s “Jesus Is The Answer.”) In 1975, they released their first major label album on Light Records. In 1994, they disbanded.
Show More