Million-selling, GRAMMY and Dove Award-winning rock band Third Day has accepted an invitation to perform at the 2004 Republican National Convention at Madison Square Garden in New York City.  Third Day will be taking the stage during a primetime slot at the convention alongside Vice President Dick Cheney. Also, the band celebrated its first No. 1 single from its May 4 release Wire with “I Believe” topping the indicator charts the week of August 15.

Third Day lead vocalist, Mac Powell, anticipates the GOP convention next week.  He comments, “This is a time unlike any other.  With so many differences in opinion in cultural and world view values, it’s time for each individual to make a stand for the things that we believe in and hold dear. Third Day supports President Bush in is reelection efforts and look forward to working with the RNC in the coming weeks leading up to November’s election.”

“George W. Bush has responded in a significant way to an issue that is very important to us personally, the pandemic of AIDS in Africa,” remarks band’s bass player Tai Anderson.  “We are honored to stand up for the president who is standing up for those that are suffering around the world.”

RNC Chairman, Ed Gillespie, who has worked with the band via the MTV Choose or Lose campaign, comments, “I’m extremely proud of Third Day’s support for the President and the Republican party. I've enjoyed getting to know them and appreciate their work to get more young people involved in the democratic process. In addition to being great artists, they should also be commended for being great citizens by making sure that Americans of all ages get out and exercise their right to vote.”

Third Day’s most recent studio album, Wire, was released May 4 and debuted on Billboard’s Top 200 album chart at number 12. The band recently completed the spring leg of the Wire tour, which performed to capacity crowds in 29 cities across the United States. The band is currently playing selected summer festival dates in preparation for the 44-city fall leg of the tour, which begins Sept. 30 in Champaign, Ill.

Over its career, Third Day has garnered 21 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, 21 No. 1 radio singles, a GRAMMY Award, multiple ASCAP honors, an American Music Award nomination, and is nearing the four million mark in career sales.  Third Day’s success on tour is unparalleled with an audience of more than 750,000 in 2002 and ranking twice on touring magazine Pollstar’s “Top 100 Tours of 2002” list, ranking above acts including the Counting Crows and Alanis Morissette.  This fall, they continue their live performance run on the “Live Wire” tour sponsored by Chevrolet, Habitat for Humanity and World Vision. 

The 2004 Republican National Convention will take place at Madison Square Garden in New York City from August 30 - September 2, 2004. For more information about the 2004 Republican National Convention, please visit www.gopconvention.com.   For updated Third Day information, please visit www.ThirdDay.com or www.essentialrecords.com.