Nashville, TN (April 28, 2006) On the heels of making history winning his 50th Dove Award, a feat accomplished by no other artist in this industry, Sparrow Records’ artist Steven Curtis Chapman will make history again during his 19-city international tour. Beginning today, Friday, April 28th, Chapman and his band will perform in New Zealand and then head on to Australia, Singapore, the Philippines, South Korea and in several cities within China. In addition to ground-breaking events in China, Chapman is putting on five concerts in South Korea for U.S. troops; a historic event because it will be the first Christian concert ever for U.S. troops based there. The official international tour schedule is listed below.

After his tour closes in China, Chapman’s family will join him there to spend a month working in area Beijing orphanages. Upon his return to the U.S. later this summer, Chapman will head into the studio to start recording for his 2007 spring release.

For years, Chapman’s music has been heard and seen around the world. Now with this year’s international album release, titled Musical Blessings, Chapman has just topped the mainstream radio chart by nabbing the No. 1 spot on Thailand’s biggest radio station, 105.5 Eazy FM, for two consecutive weeks with his single “The Blessing.”

As Chapman was rehearsing for his international tour, he also made numerous appearances in Nashville and around the country. Not only was he joined by his two musician sons to perform on Easter Sunday in front of over 10,000 people for a church service held at Middle Tennessee State University’s Murphy Center, earlier in the month Chapman and wife Mary Beth met with Tony Dungy, the current head coach of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts, at the “Legends of the Hardwood Breakfast” held during the Final Four basketball series. Chapman performed at the annual event while Dungy shared his testimony in front of the thousands of attendees where there were 144 decisions for Christ. The “Legends of the Hardwood Breakfast” provides business executives the opportunity to hear from college and professional coaches and players who come to share about their successes, failures, families and faith. Also while in Indiana, the Chapman’s took time to meet with Duke University’s honored senior J.J. Redick, one of the top NCAA college basketball players of this year.

Another highlight this spring is the release of “A Thunder and Lightning Bug Story,” the third book from the Chapman’s children’s picture book series, Shaoey & Dot, published by Tommy Nelson, a division of Thomas Nelson Publishers. Now on shelves, this installment of the well-known series tells the touching tale of Shaoey, also the star of the first two books in the series, and her ladybug friend named Dot, as together they help others conquer their fear of the dark. A Thunder And Lightning Bug Story was written from the personal experience of the Chapman’s and is sure to comfort any little one who is hesitant to turn out the lights.

For all the most updated information about Steven Curtis Chapman, please visit http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/, http://www.shaohannahshope.org/ and http://www.sparrowrecords.com/.

STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN 2006 INTERNATIONAL TOUR:
4/28 - Wellington, New Zealand
4/29-30 Addington, New Zealand
5/2 Melbourne, Australia
5/3 - Sydney, Australia
5/4 Brisbane, Australia
5/7 - Manila, Philippines
5/9-10 Singapore, Singapore
5/12-17 - South Korea US Army Base Tour
5/18 - Seoul, South Korea
5/20-21 Shanghai, China
5/25-26 Beijing, China