TOMMY SHAW AND THE CONTEMPORARY YOUTH ORCHESTRA ‘SING FOR THE DAY!’ DEBUTS AT #5 ON BILLBOARD’S “CLASSICAL ALBUMS” CHART

SING FOR THE DAY!, TOMMY SHAW’s solo 2016 concert performance with the Contemporary Youth Orchestra made a grand debut on four of Billboard’s charts this week, including #5 on the “Classical Albums” chart. It also debuted at #5 on the “Classical Crossover Albums” chart, #6 on the “Top DVD Music Videos” chart, #8 on the “Music Video Sales” chart, and #49 on the “Rock Albums” chart. SING FOR THE DAY! was released June 29 via Eagle Rock Entertainment on Blu-ray, CD, and Digital Audio / Video. It jumped to #2 in its second week on the “Top DVD Music Videos” chart.

“I’ve gotten used to being part of the Classic Rock family of bands,” explains SHAW, “but the news of debuting at #5 on the ‘Classical Albums’ chart is something I never anticipated! It was a magical evening of music I’ll never forget.” 

Filmed before an enthusiastic audience at the intimate Waetjen Auditorium in Cleveland, SING FOR THE DAY! presents unique versions of such classics as “Blue Collar Man,” “Girls With Guns,” and “Too Much Time On My Hands.” Under the direction of principal conductor / founder Liza Grossman, with accompaniment by guitarist/musical director Will Evankovich, the Cleveland-based Contemporary Youth Orchestra blended seamlessly with Shaw to create a one-of-a-kind experience. The songs of STYX / TOMMY SHAW / Damn Yankees are infused with the energy of the finest high-school-aged musicians in Ohio, as evidenced by such performances as the epic duel between SHAW’s guitar licks and a prodigious young violinist / CYO alum Lavinia Pavlish on “Renegade.”

Additionally, the set includes a special version of the STYX classic “Crystal Ball” featuring the debut of a lost verse that was never recorded.

As TOMMY SHAW says, “SING FOR THE DAY!, a retrospective look at some of my favorite songs I’ve written and co-written, performed with  Contemporary Youth Orchestra, now remixed in glorious 5.1, takes them all to a higher place I’d never imagined."

This show also marked the 10-year anniversary of STYX’s original 2006 performance with the Contemporary Youth Orchestra -- One With Everything (previously released via Eagle Rock Entertainment on multiple formats). 

It was truly a night to remember, as SHAW notes: "It was so much bigger and more everlasting than any of us imagined it would be."

In addition to the full 13-song set, the SING FOR THE DAY! Blu-ray includes 96K stereo audio of four songs with TOMMY SHAW and the Contemporary Youth Orchestra not included in the program -- “Down That Highway,” “The Great Divide,” “I’ll Be Coming Home,” and “The Night Goes On” -- soundtracking a slideshow of photos from the show, rehearsals, and behind-the-scenes.

The high chart debuts are no doubt thanks in part to AXSTV’s “Saturday STYX” block of programming that aired on June 30, headlined by insightful conversations and classic performances. The day began with “The Big Interview” for a sit-down with Dan Rather, TOMMY SHAW, JAMES “JY” YOUNG, and LAWRENCE GOWAN to discuss the band’s legendary career, the creative process behind some of their most enduring songs, and what drives them to keep performing. Next, STYX joined The Red Rocker for an epic hangout session backstage at The Venetian in Las Vegas in “Rock & Roll Road Trip With Sammy Hagar.” Then, the band sailed into Sin City for an unforgettable career-spanning set in “STYX: Live At The Orleans Arena Las Vegas,” followed by “Sing For The Day!”

“TOMMY SHAW’s performance with the incredibly talented Contemporary Youth Orchestra and led by Conductor Liza Grossman was truly a landmark event,” said Evan Haiman, Vice President Of Programming And Development, AXS TV. “Our team at AXS TV was honored to have been a part of this outstanding one of a kind program, delivering the special to a passionate audience of classic rock connoisseurs across the country, and bringing increased awareness to these gifted students.”

In further STYX news, the highly anticipated reissue of their critically acclaimed first new studio album in 14 years, THE MISSION, will be released July 27 via Alpha Dog 2T/UMe. The two-disc package will include a CD of the original album, as well as a Blu-ray of THE MISSION mixed in 5.1 Surround Sound by singer/guitarist TOMMY SHAW and producer Will Evankovich accompanied by stunning visualizations for each of the album’s 14 songs based on the album artwork. Other extras on the Blu-ray include: “The Making of The Mission Documentary” of exclusive interviews of SHAW and Evankovich, four music videos—“Gone Gone Gone” (official video), “Gone Gone Gone” (video created by NASA), “Radio Silence” (lyric video) and “Radio Silence” (live video from Syracuse, NY)—and three hi-res audio playback modes. Pre-orders are available now here.

"THE MISSION, a concept album of all new music, is a trip,” declares TOMMY SHAW. “Now it’s coming to you in 5.1 Surround and you’re cordially invited to strap yourselves in and take that trip with us, then take it again!”

THE MISSION was released June 16, 2017 and debuted on various Billboard charts, including: #6 Top Rock Albums, #11 Physical Albums, #11 Vinyl Albums, #13 Current Albums, #14 Top Albums, #16 Retail, #17 Mass Merch/Non-Traditional, #29 Digital Albums, and #45 Top 200 Albums (includes catalog and streaming).

In touring news, STYX wrapped up their co-headlining trek with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and Tesla in Holmdel, NJ Sunday night at the PNC Bank Arts Center in front of a sold-out crowd. They’ll now head back out on their own headlining dates throughout the rest of the year. New shows are already in the works for 2019 and will be announced in the coming months.