The following press release from Mike Ericksen of Empath Media LLC was published on News Wire.com on 25 May 2018.
Cedar Breaks Band, a part of Empath Media LLC, has won friends across the country with award-winning music and films. Cedar Breaks Band’s messages of faith, family, and heritage continue to build religious and cultural bridges worldwide. This spring, the Utah band’s films and music were screened at festivals in Hollywood, Mammoth, Provo, Muskogee, Toronto, and Orlando, which netted the band five wins. In the past few years, Cedar Breaks Band has won over 50 awards including Best Country Song, Best Music Video, Best Short Video, Best Rock Song, Best Gospel Song, Best Musical Documentary, Best Historical Documentary, and Best of the Year.
Cedar Breaks is known for rich harmonies, strong messages, beautiful cinematography and a fresh new sound. The band believes that the message of their songs and media has the power to help ask the right questions and that answers can come to those that will take the time to listen. Band member Mike Ericksen is quoted as saying, “Having our music showcased in diverse festivals including Christian events is exhilarating and humbling.” He went on to say, “The directors and patrons were helpful, enthusiastic and kind. It seems that there is a lot of room for tolerance and the celebration of our common values.”
One of the largest festivals, the International Christian Film and Music Festival, included several of the band’s songs, videos, and a live performance. They also screened the award-winning historical documentary “Walking in Obedience, The Ole Madsen Story,” the story of the Mormon handcart journey that is an adaptation of the historical novel Upon Destiny’s Song.
The band spends a lot of time making films that contain a moral theme and highlight the beauty of their home state. These include award winners like:
“Prayer” (filmed on the shores of the Great Salt Lake – award winner)
“Light” (used at the 2002 Winter Games; filmed in the Wasatch Mountains)
Two new releases, “Ayre” and “Willow” topped the list this spring.
“Willow” speaks of a love that transcends distance and time. It’s a simple lullaby about true love and longing for someone that is away. “Willow” won over a dozen festival awards since its release in the fall of 2017, including Best Song, Best Music Video, and Fan Favorite.
“Ayre” speaks to the inner desire to get back to nature and has also won a number of festival awards, including Best Rock Song, Best American Song, and Best Music Video.
Though the basic trend of Cedar Break’s music is labeled “New Age Folk,” the band is very diverse and loose with that designation, presenting songs with rock, blues, bluegrass, and gospel leanings. They combine strong and interesting harmonies with diverse settings of instrumentation including classical guitar, rock guitar, violin, piano, banjo, and drums.
Members of the band include classical guitarist Mike Ericksen; guitarist and pop singer Michael Gibbons; classical singer Rebecca Croft; pop singer Diana Rogers Glissmeyer; and banjo player Keith Behunin.
The interesting combinations of style, age and different musical backgrounds of the band members has produced a sound that has been noted as being “fresh, distinctively different and timeless.”
Cedar Breaks also works with a talented naturalist photographer, Norm Bosworth from BCI video, and dancer, BYU student Chanel Kostich.
