NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Following a serendipitous introduction at Nashville’s historic Grand Ole Opry last year, GRAMMY-nominated, Dove Award-winning Gotee singer/songwriter Ryan Stevenson and multi-Platinum country icon Deana Carter have joined forces for an inspiring new collaboration. “Rich,” Stevenson’s latest single, finds deeply personal common ground for the acclaimed artists and has already landed on such key playlists as Spotify’s Country By The Grace Of God and Apple Music’s New In Christian. Co-penned by Stevenson and Brent Loper and produced by Thomas Toner, “Rich” features guitar contributions from Grand Ole Opry member and Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill. The country ballad, which echoes the words of Stevenson’s late mother, serves as a powerful reminder that true wealth isn’t found in material things: “The bottom line ain’t always what it seems/And the treasures of your heart can change how you see everything/The most special things in life/They don’t come with a dollar sign/But you don’t have to have a fortune to your name/To be rich in different ways.”
“I wrote ‘Rich’ to remind me of a truth my mom used to declare over our family,” Stevenson shares of the song’s inspiration. “She would say, ‘We might not have a lot financially or in the sense of material things, but we’re extremely wealthy in the things that matter. We’re rich in different ways.’ That sentiment was stamped on my heart as a young kid and has carried me through life.” “When I finished the song, I knew it needed to be a duet,” he adds of collaborating with Carter. “I don’t normally pray for a sign, but I prayed, ‘Lord, give me a sign, who should we ask?’ The very next day I found out I had been invited to make my Grand Ole Opry debut, which was a dream come true. I grew up on ‘90s country and pop, and when I learned that Deana Carter would be on the show that same night, it was absolute confirmation to me that she was the one for the duet. Deana has been so generous and gracious to be part of this song. It wouldn’t be the same without her.”
“I was so happy to be there for Ryan’s debut at the Opry, and he came by my dressing room to say hello and introduce himself,” Carter recalls. “Later, when the call came about duetting, I listened to the song and sent a note right back and said, ‘This is awesome!’ ‘Rich’ is my mantra because I always say I’ve won the lottery. In my lifetime, God has been so good to me that I’ve won the lottery over and over and over in different ways. It was just meant to be how God worked it all out, and I’m so honored Ryan invited me to be part of the song.”
“Rich” arrives on the heels of Stevenson’s acclaimed summer pop anthem “Just As You Are,” which released to Christian radio and streaming platforms last month. The distinctly different tracks showcase Stevenson’s breadth as both a songwriter and recording artist, inaugurating a new season of creative freedom for the seasoned hitmaker.
ABOUT RYAN STEVENSON
A GRAMMY and Billboard Music Award nominee with a Dove Award and multiple ASCAP Christian Music Awards to his credit, Ryan Stevenson’s music has provided a soundtrack of hope and encouragement for listeners around the world for more than a decade. Co-writer of TobyMac’s 2014 GRAMMY-nominated, Platinum-selling #1 hit “Speak Life,” Stevenson was further propelled into the spotlight with his own Gold-certified, Dove Award-winning 2016 chart-topper “Eye of the Storm,” which held the top spot at Christian radio for 16 weeks and has garnered more than 40 million streams to date on Spotify. A Pacific Northwest native who spent seven years as a paramedic before signing to Gotee Records in 2013, Stevenson has amassed a string of Christian radio favorites and is the author of Eye of the Storm: Experiencing God When You Can’t See Him (Harvest House).
ABOUT DEANA CARTER
More than 25 years after her recording debut, Deana Carter remains one of the most recognizable female voices in country music. Her 1996 breakout single, “Strawberry Wine,” became the CMA’s Single of the Year and Song of the Year in 1997, paving the way for the multi-Platinum certification of her album, Did I Shave My Legs For This? “Strawberry Wine” was one of the most played songs on country radio in the ‘90s, helping define a new sound for the genre. Carter’s additional signature songs include “How Do I Get There,” “We Danced Anyway,” “Count Me In” and the GRAMMY-nominated “Did I Shave My Legs For This?” Over the past two decades, she has continued to perform across the country and returns frequently to the Grand Ole Opry stage. Carter has also appeared on such hit television shows as “The Masked Singer” and “American Idol.”
For further information, visit ryanstevensonmusic.com, gotee.com or turningpointpr.com.
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PHOTO CREDIT: Jack Rodriguez (Joaquinfilms.com)