A week since the release of FFH’s fourth label project, early sales reports indicate that Ready to Fly is flying off store shelves. The project claimed key positions atop multiple Christian SoundScan® charts: No. 2 on both the Top Christian Albums and Top Adult Contemporary Albums charts in addition to No. 5 on the Overall Top Current Contemporary Christian chart. Ready to Fly produced the band’s highest debut sales numbers to date.

FFH’s impressive retail standings reflect the group’s swelling popularity since 1998. Nina Williams, Essential Records’ vice president of marketing, comments, “FFH consistently produces quality music that resonates with listeners, and this week’s numbers are a very positive reflection of that impact. We are thrilled to be in continued partnership with the group’s music and ministry.”

Buzz generated from strong print reviews prior to release day aided Ready to Fly’s initial sales. CCM Magazine remarks, “Ready to Fly hangs together on more than just the group’s trademark harmonies. The songwriting is more mature, and the production takes some chances. With Ready to Fly, it seems like FFH has hit its stride. …If the group continues at this level of progression on future projects, it should be exciting to hear the results.”

Early momentum at radio boosted the record’s profile as well. “You Found Me,” the album’s debut radio single, continues to climb its way up the charts, bulleted this week at No. 3 on Radio & Record’s Christian AC Top 30 chart.

In support of its latest project, FFH recently embarked on a national “Ready to Fly” tour, which kicked off yesterday in Cedarville, Ohio. Its first headlining tour since “Found A Place” in spring 2000, FFH is joined by labelmate the Paul Colman Trio as well as Inpop recording artist Go Fish. The band will continue to fulfill its mission statement to “reach as many people for Jesus as quickly as possible” by setting aside 10% of the tour’s tickets for outreach and evangelistic purposes.

FFH is Michael Boggs (guitar, vocals), Jennifer Deibler (vocals), Jeromy Deibler (guitar, lead vocals) and Brian Smith (vocals, bass). Sales of the band’s three recordings have collectively reached close to one million copies and generated numerous radio hits, including “Watching Over Me,” “On My Cross,” “Before It Was Said,” “ I Want to be Like You” and “One of These Days.” The group toured as an independent artist for more than seven years before signing with Essential Records.

For more information on FFH, please visit www.ffh.net or www.essentialrecords.com.

Provident Music Group is among the world’s top Christian music companies and includes Essential Records among its labels. Provident Music Group is a division of the Zomba Group of Labels, which was recently acquired by BMG.