IMC ACQUIRES SPRINGSIDE MUSIC

Johnson City, TN – Over the years, IMC has become one of the leading concert promoters in Christian Music. Additionally, the company has focused on creating special interest cruises, artist management and a wide range of services utilized by Christian recording artists. Now, IMC President Landon Beene has announced that the company is adding another service to the extensive array presently offered. “We are very excited to announce the acquisition of Springside Music, a company founded over 30 years ago by our great friends, Paul and Shelia Heil,” Beene states. “IMC has always been dedicated to bringing audiences an uplifting musical experience, whether it be through the artists we represent, the products we produce or the concerts we promote. We believe the services we will be able to provide through Springside will simply give us more ways to provide quality Christian music to fans who already love it and allow us the opportunity to introduce this great music to even more people around the world.”

Since 1986, Springside has been America’s leading mail-order source for Southern Gospel music recordings, videos, songbooks, accompaniment tracks and books. The company has offered products from all major record companies and all major artists. For people throughout North America and even around the world, Springside has become, as their slogan says, “Your Source For Southern Gospel.” “With that motto in mind,” states IMC Vice President Nathan Goble, “We are able to offer music from all of the major record labels in Southern Gospel, as well as some independent artists, to fans all over the globe.”

Springside Marketing was created in response to an inquiry Paul Heil’s syndicated radio program, The Gospel Greats, was constantly receiving. “We started Springside’s mail-order service back in 1986 because people were having difficulty finding Southern Gospel recordings in local stores,” Heil states. “Our desire was to make Southern Gospel Music, from all top record companies and artists, more readily available.  Springside soon became a one-stop source for Southern Gospel Music.”

Springside’s first effort was the sale of “Harmony” recordings, LPs and cassettes, created as a fundraiser by the Southern Gospel Music Guild, of which Heil was a founding member. Thousands of these compilations were quickly sold by mail and through a special radio offer. Soon, a small catalog of various current recordings and other items was created and mailed to individuals who had written to The Gospel Greats program over the years. This catalog rapidly expanded to include recordings from all of the charting Southern Gospel artists.

Springside quickly became known by Southern Gospel Music lovers for having current recordings, as well as videos, from all of the major artists and all the major labels, in addition to accompaniment tracks, songbooks and other Southern Gospel music-related books and items.

In the fall of 2005, Springside added online ordering capabilities, bringing a new level of convenience to long-time customers and to the many new customers who became acquainted with their services via the internet. As IMC’s Goble explains, the plan now is to offer even more services and products. “Our goal is to make Southern Gospel Music more and more accessible to fans all over the world with our online presence. Our Accompaniment Track selection is HUGE with over 400 pieces.  We will also begin offering new products, such as artist cookbooks, theatrical performances from Sight & Sound Theaters and hymnals/accompaniment tracks for congregational worship.  We’re also looking to expand our selection of books, Christian movies, and more.”

Springside founders, Paul and Shelia Heil are delighted that IMC has the vision to carry on the tradition they established more than three decades ago, as well as the abilities to take the service to new heights. “Our friends at IMC, Landon Beene and Nate Goble, share our love for Southern Gospel Music and a desire to make it available to people everywhere.  They’ve done this through their top-notch concert promotions across the country and now they’re applying their expertise to

making it even more readily available through Springside Music.  We could not be happier than to pass the torch to Nate and Landon.”

Individuals looking to order products offered by Springside may visit www.springside.com or call 1-800-38-MUSIC.