Pillar frontman Rob Beckley, who lives in Broken Arrow, has announced that he plans to release his first solo record in March. His album will be the first release on new record label idefi Music.

“I am incredibly excited that Idefi believes in me enough to be their initial launch artist. I believe in Idefi and what it stands for and am incredibly honored” he says in the announcement. “An unknown future is as exciting as it gets in business, especially the music industry.”

For years, Beckley served as lead …

Pillar

Point of Grace

Two bands will Oklahoma ties have earned nominations for the Gospel Music Association’s 2010 Dove Awards, reports Oklahoma Rock Newsblog.

Tulsa-based Pillar , a three-time Dove Award winner was nominated for best rock/contemporary album of the Year for “Confessions.”

Point of Grace, which includes Norman-raised member Denise Jones, earned a nomination for country recorded song of the year for “King of the World.” The trio has previously won 10 Dove Awards.

The Dove Awards are the highest industry honors for the Christian and gospel music genre.…

Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist St. Vincent (AKA Tulsa native Annie Clark) released the music video for “Marrow,” from her album “Actor,” this week:

Also, “Twilight” author Stephenie Meyer announced on her Web site that St. Vincent and the indie band Bon Iver would collaborate on a song on the soundtrack for the hotly anticipated sequel “The Twilight Saga: …

Pillar

Tulsa-based Christian rock band Pillar releases its new studio album, “Confessions,” today on Provident Music Group (which is part of Sony Music Group).

In DVDs, the new short “Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death” comes out today. I’m a huge Wallace and Gromit fan, so I got my review in early. You can read it by clicking here.

And in books, I’m currently reading the entertaining new memoir by Scottish-American “Late, Late Show” host Craig Ferguson, ” “American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot,” …

My colleague Heather Warlick-Moore did an enlightening interview with Oklahoma rock/pop duo Sugar Free Allstars, who have discovered great success performing children’s music. They also are popular in Italy.

She brought the Allstars into the NewsOK studios so they could record an interview and also perform a couple of their fun, popular songs.

The duo of Chris Wiser and Rob Martin (AKA Dr. Rock) will be doing a 56-show tour of the Oklahoma City area’s Metropolitan Library System this summer. They also are getting ready to release a DVD.

In addition, …

This Hanson display is part of the “Another Hot Oklahoma Night” rock ‘n’ rock exhibit at Oklahoma History Center. (Photo by Paul Hellstern/The Oklahoman)

Today’s featured event:

Celebrate the grand opening of the new exhibit “Another Hot Oklahoma Night,” which explores and celebrates Oklahoma’s rock ‘n’ roll history.

The grand opening is today at the Oklahoma History Center, 2401 N Laird.

From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, the opening will feature live music by John Moreland & the Black Gold Band, Crocodile, The City Lives, The …

Today’s featured event:

Rock hard with Sevendust, along with A New Revolution, Soulidium, Overscene and Tulsa-based Christian rock band Pillar, at 7 p.m. today at historic Cain’s Ballroom, 423 N Main, Tulsa.

For more information, go to www.cainsballroom.com.

For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.

-BAM…

Rob Beckley, lead singer of Tulsa-based Christian rock band Pillar, and venerable songbird Sandi Patty, who was born in Oklahoma, will be among the presenters at the 39th Annual GMA (Gospel Music Association) Dove Awards, according to a news release.

The Dove Awards will broadcast live from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn., at 7 p.m. Wednesday on the Gospel Music Channel.

Artists set to perform include past “American Idol” finalists Phil Stacey, Mandisa and Chris Sligh; Dove female vocalist of the year Natalie Grant with country songstress Wynonna; “American Idol” winner …

Tulsa-based Christian rock band Pillar pays tribute to Christian music in “Turn It Up,” a song from its new album “For the Love of the Game.”

 Except for two lines, every lyric in the song is an album or song title from another Christian band. There are 34 bands represented in the song, all of which have influenced Pillar.

Here are the lyrics, with the name of the band represented in parentheses:

I can only imagine (MercyMe)/All of the magic that would happen if we all come together (Third …

 

 From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman. To hear an audio clip, click here.

Lead singer of Tulsa band Pillar bowled over by success

Just a decade after starting a band in college, Rob Beckley is witnessing his music reach Grammy- and Super Bowl-level success.

The lead singer of Tulsa-based Christian rock band Pillar has watched in amazement as the title track off the group’s fifth studio album, “For the Love of the Game,” has been played at the Super Bowl, on ESPN’s World Series show “Baseball …