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It’s O Brother meeting the contemporary "newgrass" sounds of Nickel Creek… The sensitive warmth of Alison Krauss bumping into the organic pop of Chris Rice... But more than anything, new Rocketown band Alathea (pronounced uh-LAY-thee-uh) is a group of three East Tennessee women determined to engage their faith in a fresh way through authentic Appalachian roots music.

Alathea, the name comes from the Greek word for truth, was born five years ago when its three members were in college working with Young Life and began singing together at a leadership retreat.

"We were surprised," says member Cristi Johnson, "to find that unlike Young Life, which takes months and sometimes years to earn the right to be heard, music creates a mysteriously immediate relationship. Your listeners are really hearing you in a matter of minutes."

Rocketown Records President Don Donahue met the group in 2000 when members Carrie Theobald, Mandee Radford and Johnson were working on their second independent release, The Rains. When the trio visited the label in the spring of 2002 with new songs for their third independent album, Donahue couldn’t resist the opportunity to work with the mountain-tinged, underground folk material.

"From the first day I met with these women, there was an instant connection," says Donahue. "Their personalities are a natural fit for Rocketown, and I’m really encouraged to see how they’ve grown as performers and songwriters over the past couple of years. I think Alathea’s debut is going to give Christian music fans something wonderfully unexpected and unique."

Alathea’s Rocketown Records’ debut, What Light Is All About, was produced by Michael Aukofer (Phil Keaggy, Mitch McVicker) and engineered by Russ Long (Sixpence None the Richer, Steve Taylor) and is slated for a March 4, 2003 street date. The album aptly represents the warmth and thoughtfulness of these three personable women. Acoustic in nature, the songs offer an array of eclectic influences and instrumentation, thanks to the group’s Appalachian roots and diverse musical tastes.

Internet retailer Grassrootsmusic.com notes, "Through intimate verse and intricate execution, these three young women expose their souls and invite us to join with them as we meander the recesses of their fears, doubts and infinite hope."

"What Light is All About is not just a random collection of songs," says Johnson. "These songs tell the simple story of our lives, sung out as creatively and honestly as we know how to be. From the images and instrumentation to the recording and photography, we tried to keep everything true to the passion of the songs and their setting in the mountains of East Tennessee… We were even able to record some of the album at the cabin. In an age of waste and trend and endless change, we wanted to offer something that connects with the simple, changeless needs of the human heart."