| Articles about ECA Publishing and Heal |
Community of Faith
By Candice Hannigan
Published on 3/8/07
CD
“Heal” by Holly Gotfredson (ECA Publishing)
The Canton resident, who said she’s been consumed by music “since I was born,”
recently released this project through ECA Publishing, a new recording and support
venture for Christian artists. The 10 original songs in this collection take the listener
through the many facets of a spiritual journey…the first track “Shadowland” creates a
space for listeners to reflect on grief or pain in their lives. Other tracks address action
within faith, offering hope to others, and praise and forgiveness. “It is my hope that
through this collection of songs, the listener will experience God’s love, comfort, hope
healing and renewal.” Cost $11.00. To order go to www.ecapublishing.com or email
Mrsfred10@yahoo.com
By Candice Hannigan
Published on 3/8/07
CD
“Heal” by Holly Gotfredson (ECA Publishing)
The Canton resident, who said she’s been consumed by music “since I was born,”
recently released this project through ECA Publishing, a new recording and support
venture for Christian artists. The 10 original songs in this collection take the listener
through the many facets of a spiritual journey…the first track “Shadowland” creates a
space for listeners to reflect on grief or pain in their lives. Other tracks address action
within faith, offering hope to others, and praise and forgiveness. “It is my hope that
through this collection of songs, the listener will experience God’s love, comfort, hope
healing and renewal.” Cost $11.00. To order go to www.ecapublishing.com or email
Mrsfred10@yahoo.com
March 10, 2007 edition of the Cherokee Tribune
Saturday Edition
Religion Section
Staff Writer - Donna Harris
"Hitting the High Note"
Three Cherokee County residents want to see contemporary Christian music elevated to a higher
level on today's music scene.
Bob Stewart of Woodstock, Holly Gotfredson of Free Home and Ginger Bisel of Hickory Flat formed
ECA Publishing, a new publishing company in Marietta, last fall to give undiscovered contemporary
Christian singers and songwriters an outlet for recordsing their music and getting it and God's
message out to the public.
We don't really focus on the dollar aspect of this as much as we do trying to help the people we can
with their songs," says Stewart, 59, the owner of the business. "We're not trying to put an artists at
No. 1. We're trying to elevate Christian artists to be a bigger voice for God. It's not about us."
The trio met while performing in the all for ONE praise band at their church, Hickory Flat United
Methodist. Mrs. Gotfredson sings; Stewart plays electric and acoustic guitar and mandolin; and Mrs.
Bisel plays saxophone and flute and sings.
Stewart and Mrs. Gotfredson 34, said they'd "been there, done that" as far as writing and playing
secular music and decided to focus their attention on songs that are uplifting and positive.
"Music is such a powerful tool to bring out ideas and emotions," said Mrs. Gotfredson, a former
member of the pop/rock band Passage, which recorded an album in 1994, toured the Southeast,
received radio airplay and played venues like the "Roxy" before breaking up in 1996. "I've written
songs a long time and did secular music, but three or four years ago, I started writing contemporary
Christian music. It's so fulfilling and has such special meaning. I feel like I'm doing something
worthwhile with what God has given me and just giving people a message of hope."
"I've played music all my life - I started when I was 7- and played all genres, and I've seen
contemporary Christian grow," says Stewart, who also teaches guitar and photography at Kennesaw
State University in addition to running ECA. "for me, it's a renewing of my commitment to Jesus
Christ and a renewing of my faith. It's not about me. It's about helping other people."
He said he came up with the idea for a Christian artist learning center almost three years ago to help
singers, songwriters and other artists develop and use their talents for God.
"The past couple of years, we've had painting art, clay art, music and photography," he said. "We'll
be teaching how to do praise and worship in churches and teaching in different art categories. But
we keep a Christian theme throughout. We're not going to promote anything that's even a little but
off-color."
The nonprofit ECA Learning Center also will critique the work of new songwriters to help them learn
what songs are radio-friendly, "and if they aren't quite ready to make it to radio, we help them develop
their skills as a songwriter," added Mrs. Gotfredson, a stay-at-home mom who also does contract
real estate work.
The publishing company, which also works with different forms of art, became another arm of the
business after Mrs. Gotfredson and Mrs. Bisel asked Stewart to do CD's for them about 1 1/2 years
ago.
"The recording enter pushed us even further out and gives us more of a way to help artists," he said,
noting the company wasn't officially formed until last fall. "We want to help Christian artists become a
bigger voice for God by elevating them to an area they're not used to."
"Artists don't have to be Christian artists, but their work must have a good message," Stewart said.
"We're not going to produce or record anything that teaches hate or anything else like that," he said.
"We record demos and things that are not all contemporary Christian or gospel, but the songs have a
great message."
The artists pay the studio to record their music but the studio will help them copyright their original
songs and will try to help them promote their work," said Stewart.
"We're here to protect the artist," he said. "The artist is foremost at this company."
While they're not advertising for artists, Stewart said they're "staying pretty busy" with the interest
being generated from word of mouth and the company's website.
Sandra Daniel recorded the company's first album, "the Best is Yet to Come," followed by Mrs.
Gotfredson's debut album "Heal," which was released last month and features songs written by
Sewart, Mrs. Bisel and her. Mrs. Bisel is working on an album that should be released soon.
"The focus of the 'Heal' album is basically like a spiritual journey," she said. "I was struck by a lot of
the tragedies in the world. I know people this year who lost a child or a parent and I wanted to write
something to comfort them. 'Shadowland' based on Psalm 23, offers the presence of God with you
within that valley. And there are some reflection songs that I hope will draw people closer to the
presence of God."
Mrs. Gotfredson who plans to be a local performer, said it took a year and a half to finish the project,
but she had to take a few breaks during that time.
"The process took twice as long because I had so much material," she said, noting she would often
change the arrangement or lyrics of the songs after recording them. "I recorded about 24 songs over
that period but focused on 10 and really filled them out with accompaniment and different instruments
and made the album out of them. Had I had less material and had all the songs already arranged, it
would have gone much faster."
Stewart added the recording process can take as little as a few hours for a demo, only three or four
months if the singer works full time on it or as long as a year or more for a 10 to 15 track project.
"It can easily take one week to do one song to get it to CD quality," he said.
In writing their songs, both Stewart and Mrs. Gotfredson said they are inspired by different things,
including their past life experiences.
"Some of my songs are kind of looking back at my past, at my experiences," Mrs. Gotfredson said.
"Sometimes they're not-so-good experiences, but I try to draw on those and find hope, even in pain
and darkness. Other songs are inspired just by God's Word and by His presence."
Stewart said he spent "A lot of years" writing about his past, but his songs of late are showing how
he gets "joy from singing praises to God and His good grace."
"I haven't written too many songs lately that focus on a big portion of the past," he said. "It's more my
joy and why there's joy in my life now. Sometimes I'm reminded of my past and something that needs
to be written about, but there are different trends. Right now I'm in a trend of writing songs for praising
God and worshiping God."
Mrs. Gotfredson said she hadn't pursued songwriting much since her 1999 marriage and the birth of
her daughter in 2001.
"I didn't really get back into it until 2004," she said. "I took a step in 2001 when I joined the church
and renewed my faith in God. Then I started getting inspiration for different songs. The CD is the end
result of that whole process."
Beside their work at ECA, Stewart and Mrs. Gotfredson also play in an as-yet-unnamed prison
ministry band that performs and leads worship once a month at local youth detention centers.
The group of musicians and songwriters from several different churches does all original music.
"It's such a wonderful experience for us just to see how music that has a positive message and
music with a message of hope can soften the hearts of these young people," Mrs. Gotfredson said.
"It's so transforming. It's just a blessing to us."
Saturday Edition
Religion Section
Staff Writer - Donna Harris
"Hitting the High Note"
Three Cherokee County residents want to see contemporary Christian music elevated to a higher
level on today's music scene.
Bob Stewart of Woodstock, Holly Gotfredson of Free Home and Ginger Bisel of Hickory Flat formed
ECA Publishing, a new publishing company in Marietta, last fall to give undiscovered contemporary
Christian singers and songwriters an outlet for recordsing their music and getting it and God's
message out to the public.
We don't really focus on the dollar aspect of this as much as we do trying to help the people we can
with their songs," says Stewart, 59, the owner of the business. "We're not trying to put an artists at
No. 1. We're trying to elevate Christian artists to be a bigger voice for God. It's not about us."
The trio met while performing in the all for ONE praise band at their church, Hickory Flat United
Methodist. Mrs. Gotfredson sings; Stewart plays electric and acoustic guitar and mandolin; and Mrs.
Bisel plays saxophone and flute and sings.
Stewart and Mrs. Gotfredson 34, said they'd "been there, done that" as far as writing and playing
secular music and decided to focus their attention on songs that are uplifting and positive.
"Music is such a powerful tool to bring out ideas and emotions," said Mrs. Gotfredson, a former
member of the pop/rock band Passage, which recorded an album in 1994, toured the Southeast,
received radio airplay and played venues like the "Roxy" before breaking up in 1996. "I've written
songs a long time and did secular music, but three or four years ago, I started writing contemporary
Christian music. It's so fulfilling and has such special meaning. I feel like I'm doing something
worthwhile with what God has given me and just giving people a message of hope."
"I've played music all my life - I started when I was 7- and played all genres, and I've seen
contemporary Christian grow," says Stewart, who also teaches guitar and photography at Kennesaw
State University in addition to running ECA. "for me, it's a renewing of my commitment to Jesus
Christ and a renewing of my faith. It's not about me. It's about helping other people."
He said he came up with the idea for a Christian artist learning center almost three years ago to help
singers, songwriters and other artists develop and use their talents for God.
"The past couple of years, we've had painting art, clay art, music and photography," he said. "We'll
be teaching how to do praise and worship in churches and teaching in different art categories. But
we keep a Christian theme throughout. We're not going to promote anything that's even a little but
off-color."
The nonprofit ECA Learning Center also will critique the work of new songwriters to help them learn
what songs are radio-friendly, "and if they aren't quite ready to make it to radio, we help them develop
their skills as a songwriter," added Mrs. Gotfredson, a stay-at-home mom who also does contract
real estate work.
The publishing company, which also works with different forms of art, became another arm of the
business after Mrs. Gotfredson and Mrs. Bisel asked Stewart to do CD's for them about 1 1/2 years
ago.
"The recording enter pushed us even further out and gives us more of a way to help artists," he said,
noting the company wasn't officially formed until last fall. "We want to help Christian artists become a
bigger voice for God by elevating them to an area they're not used to."
"Artists don't have to be Christian artists, but their work must have a good message," Stewart said.
"We're not going to produce or record anything that teaches hate or anything else like that," he said.
"We record demos and things that are not all contemporary Christian or gospel, but the songs have a
great message."
The artists pay the studio to record their music but the studio will help them copyright their original
songs and will try to help them promote their work," said Stewart.
"We're here to protect the artist," he said. "The artist is foremost at this company."
While they're not advertising for artists, Stewart said they're "staying pretty busy" with the interest
being generated from word of mouth and the company's website.
Sandra Daniel recorded the company's first album, "the Best is Yet to Come," followed by Mrs.
Gotfredson's debut album "Heal," which was released last month and features songs written by
Sewart, Mrs. Bisel and her. Mrs. Bisel is working on an album that should be released soon.
"The focus of the 'Heal' album is basically like a spiritual journey," she said. "I was struck by a lot of
the tragedies in the world. I know people this year who lost a child or a parent and I wanted to write
something to comfort them. 'Shadowland' based on Psalm 23, offers the presence of God with you
within that valley. And there are some reflection songs that I hope will draw people closer to the
presence of God."
Mrs. Gotfredson who plans to be a local performer, said it took a year and a half to finish the project,
but she had to take a few breaks during that time.
"The process took twice as long because I had so much material," she said, noting she would often
change the arrangement or lyrics of the songs after recording them. "I recorded about 24 songs over
that period but focused on 10 and really filled them out with accompaniment and different instruments
and made the album out of them. Had I had less material and had all the songs already arranged, it
would have gone much faster."
Stewart added the recording process can take as little as a few hours for a demo, only three or four
months if the singer works full time on it or as long as a year or more for a 10 to 15 track project.
"It can easily take one week to do one song to get it to CD quality," he said.
In writing their songs, both Stewart and Mrs. Gotfredson said they are inspired by different things,
including their past life experiences.
"Some of my songs are kind of looking back at my past, at my experiences," Mrs. Gotfredson said.
"Sometimes they're not-so-good experiences, but I try to draw on those and find hope, even in pain
and darkness. Other songs are inspired just by God's Word and by His presence."
Stewart said he spent "A lot of years" writing about his past, but his songs of late are showing how
he gets "joy from singing praises to God and His good grace."
"I haven't written too many songs lately that focus on a big portion of the past," he said. "It's more my
joy and why there's joy in my life now. Sometimes I'm reminded of my past and something that needs
to be written about, but there are different trends. Right now I'm in a trend of writing songs for praising
God and worshiping God."
Mrs. Gotfredson said she hadn't pursued songwriting much since her 1999 marriage and the birth of
her daughter in 2001.
"I didn't really get back into it until 2004," she said. "I took a step in 2001 when I joined the church
and renewed my faith in God. Then I started getting inspiration for different songs. The CD is the end
result of that whole process."
Beside their work at ECA, Stewart and Mrs. Gotfredson also play in an as-yet-unnamed prison
ministry band that performs and leads worship once a month at local youth detention centers.
The group of musicians and songwriters from several different churches does all original music.
"It's such a wonderful experience for us just to see how music that has a positive message and
music with a message of hope can soften the hearts of these young people," Mrs. Gotfredson said.
"It's so transforming. It's just a blessing to us."