New All-Star Worship Band Releases Debut CD

Billy Smiley, Ryan Dubes, Dave Ellefson, Jeff Ochletree, Brennan Smiley and Greg Hagan record newest project in Worship Hymn series

By Justin Camacho, Christian Post Correspondent Monday, August 29, 2005

Brand new all-star worship collaboration Symphony In Red have released their debut project, The Old Made New.

The album, which released on Tuesday, is the new addition to Symphony In Red founder Billy Smiley’s new project series “Worship Hymn,” which contains over 150 re-written, and re-arranged hymns. The Old Made New features some of the industry’s finest musicians including Ryan Dubes (keyboards/vocals), Dave Ellefson (F5 bassist and former Megadeth bassist), Jeff Ochletree (drums/vocals), Brennan Smiley (guitars), and Greg Hagan (guitars/vocals, formerly with the Katinas). Worship leader Carson Joyner of Chandler, Arizona joins Smiley and Ochletree on lead vocals. The album also features vocals from Brash Music recording artist Aaron Shust and newsboys guitarist Bryan Oleson.

“Symphony in Red was a natural by-product of creating the Worship Hymn series,” states Smiley. “As an artist and a worship leader, I hope to perform with these incredible musicians at worship conferences, our own ‘Worship Hymn’ conferences, and concerts throughout the coming years promoting the Hymns and the power of the worship within these great songs.”

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Smiley, who is independent producer of more than 40 albums, began the Worship Hymn project three years ago to address the, “need in our church for Hymns.” The heart of the Worship Hymn project, which also conducts an annual nationwide hymn search, consists of 15 worship leaders (called the “Hymn Boys”) who come together every 4 months to a cabin retreat in the mountains of Arizona to record, rewrite and rearrange the hymns.

“We have writing these songs for the past three years, and it is so great to see the new demand for hymns – and artists this year are starting to record them,” says Smiley. “We hope to create a new hymnal for a new generation, and we want our songs to reach the church in a new and exciting way.

For more information about Symphony In Red and Worship Hymn, go to www.symphonyinred.com and www.worshiphymns.com.