PRODUCT INFO Israel Houghton Love GodLove People in stores 08.31.10 Amazon / iTunes

Spreading the message of God's love as manifested through mankind set to a soundtrack of "soul music" at its most profound, internationally acclaimed artist/composer/producer Israel Houghton has done it again. Building on the theme of his Grammy-winning 2009 offering The Power of One, Houghton returned to the studio, this time London's famed Abbey Road Studios, to record his new masterwork, Love God. Love People., with a little help from his friends. There, holed up in a hallowed space of classic recordings by Rock royalty The Beatles, Houghton and his crack team of co-producers Aaron Lindsey and Tommy Sims, along with guests Fred Hammond, Kirk Franklin, and Take 6's Claude V. McKnight, Mark Kibble and Joey Kibble, created a new ode to love in this epic, 12-song cycle.

The result, Love God. Love People. (Integrity Music/Columbia), delivers the musical versatility, profound lyrics and galvanizing displays of vocal and instrumental virtuosity fans have come to expect from the multiple Grammy and Stellar Award winner. And it is the perfect and fitting manner in which to celebrate Israel Houghton's 20 against-the-grain years of music ministry and over a decade of his group New Breed's mission of creating "kingdom music."  

"During my career, a lot of people told me to stop trying to merge styles," Houghton reflects of his signature blending of pop, rock, Latin and R&B influences. "But the times I feel most true to myself are when I am intentionally creating dialogue through music that allows everybody to get involved in the conversation. I thank God that I stayed the course. Now, people are saying, 'Wow, your music is fresh!' Ten years ago, people were saying it was confusing! But when God puts something in your heart, you've got to stick with it."  

Over the course of the past two decades, Houghton has traveled the world and seen up close the best and the worst of the human spirit at work. He is heartened to report that, of late, he has witnessed great improvement, which inspired and fortified the overall theme of this dynamic new disc.  

"This whole concept of a love revolution - thinking beyond yourself - is the great equalizer to our theology," Houghton states. "Because of the music we make as New Breed, we get invited into a lot of worlds that otherwise would not co-exist. That's a huge part of our life's mission - to be effective in all kinds of streams. Even though we may differ in theologies, we as Christians are still the 'Love People.' If we can agree that Jesus is Lord, we can connect on what The Lord said, which is 'Love The Lord your God with all your heart, your soul, your might and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. Couple that with Matthew: 25 'Love to the least of these,' and there's a lot we can do together as Christians instead of focusing on things we don't believe.