With a non-stop momentum, crunk rock band Family Force 5 gears up for the 22-city HeartSupport tour, a partnership with HeartSupport ministry offering hope and practical resources to those struggling with addictions. The tour begins January 17^th in Abilene, Texas, and also will feature musical guests Falling Up, Spoken, and This Beautiful Republic.

HeartSupport, a new organization started by Craig Gross (XXXchurch.com) and Jon Bell (Author Rob Bell’s brother), offers an online community for people who are dealing with addictions, self-injury, depression, eating disorders, and suicide. The ministry believes everyone has a unique life story, that there is strength in numbers, and that others have walked down the same path before. Each tour stop will feature Jon Bell Emceeing the show with HeartSupport videos between music sets. Bell will give a private talkback session, offered during the first musical set to leaders of teens and college students, which aims to heighten awareness of the issues and give resources on how to deal with each struggle. HeartSupport also will set up a “Your Story Confessional” booth on site, where concert attendees can share their personal stories and struggles.

With an ever-increasing fan popularity, Family Force 5 swept the recent CCM Magazine Reader’s Choice Awards, earning them not only seven category wins, but also the cover story of this month’s CCM.  The band nabbed the honors for Best Artist, Best Band, Best Live Performance, Most Underrated Artist, Artist You’d Most Like to See on the Cover of CCM, Best Website, and finally Most Likely to be the Breakout Artist of 2008. This issue of CCM Magazine is significant as it featured five separate covers, (each of the five band members got their own cover photo) a first for the magazine since 2001’s dcTalk cover story. On their recent Dance, Rawr, Dance Tour, Family Force 5 awed more than 16,000 people, and played 16 sold-out shows. The tour raised more than $6,000 for Jedidiah’s Hope Collection Charity for the Invisible Children’s Fund; 2007 also was punctuated with an online Family Force 5 surge including 1,000,000 views of the band’s “Really Real” shows on You Tube, more than 200,000 person community on the Family Force 5 MySpace site, and 8,000,000 online music plays. Fans can anticipate a new music video “Never Let Me Go,” as well as a new Rock radio single “Face Down.”

Since their debut 2006 release Business Up Front, Party in the Back, Family Force 5 has been catapulted onto the music scene with a performance on CBS TV’s The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, two performances on DIRECTV’s CD USA, music video play on MTVU.com, and a win as Yahoo! Music’s “Who’s Next” contest. The band’s debut has sold more than 100,000 copies while racking up two #1 rock radio hits “Replace Me” and “Love Addict” at Christian radio. Family Force tours more than 200 dates a year including 2006’s Journeys Backyard BBQ Tour, 2007’s Van’s Warped Tour and dates with TobyMac. Led by front man and guitarist Solomon Olds (aka Soul Glow Activator), Family Force 5 includes Solomon’s two brothers, Jacob Olds (aka Crouton) on drums/vocal, and his twin Joshua Olds (aka Fatty) on bass/vocals. The force of five is rounded out by Nathan Currin (aka Nadaddy) on keyboard and Derek Mount (aka Chap Stique) on guitar.

HEARTSUPPORT TOUR DATES

Check out the band here.