It's O Brother meeting the contemporary "newgrass" sounds of Nickel Creek... The sensitive warmth of Alison Krauss bumping into the organic pop of Chris Rice... But more than anything, new Rocketown signing Alathea (pronounced uh-LAY-thee-uh) is a group of three East Tennessee women determined to engage their faith in a fresh way through authentic Appalachian roots music.

Alathea, the name comes from the Greek word for truth, was born five years ago when its three members were in college working with Young Life and began singing together at a leadership retreat. "We were surprised," says member Cristi Johnson, "to find that unlike Young Life, which takes months and sometimes years to earn the right to be heard, music creates a mysteriously immediate relationship. Your listeners are really hearing you in a matter of minutes."

Rocketown Records President Don Donahue met the group in 2000 when members Carrie Theolbald, Mandee Radford and Johnson were working on their second independent release, The Rains. When the trio visited the label this spring with new songs for their third independent album, Donahue couldn't resist the opportunity to work with the mountain-tinged, underground folk material.

"From the first day I met with these women, there was an instant connection," said Donahue. "Their personalities are a natural fit for Rocketown, and I'm really encouraged to see how they've grown as performers and songwriters over the past couple of years. I think Alathea's debut is going to give Christian music fans something wonderfully unexpected and unique."

The members of Alathea added, "Signing with Rocketown feels like being adopted into a family that will walk with us and encourage us to keep making honest music. Rocketown has a history of being their artists' biggest fans, like all good families do. We're honored to have found a home with them."

Currently in the studio, the group's debut album is scheduled for a March 4, 2003 release. For more information on Alathea, see www.alathea.com or www.rocketownrecords.com.