Fike & Dana
Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States
Music
Press
“Make A Sound”
Fike & Dana
This husband and wife duo with producer/musician Sean Mulholland have been on the music scene for some time, but ’08 and ’09 have brought new focus to the depth and quality of their songwriting, lyrical sensitivity, and performance. Involved in leading worship for the past several years, they also bring an authentic commitment to worship in the context of community.
- Worship Leader Magazine
Fike & Dana
BACKGROUND: Although Fike (He) & Dana (She) have been on the music scene for nearly 10 years, they’ve largely been under the national radar. They met in ’97, married in ’99 and began writing and performing with the band FaceDown, touring with the likes of Shane & Shane & Robbie Seay. As Fike uncovered a heartfelt desire to serve the local church in worship, and invitation in ’02 to join Vanguard Church in Colorado Springs as worship leaders gave wings to their shared vision. They recorded two albums of songs written for their local church in 2008, while attending GMA’s annual event “Music in the Rockies,” their song “Ascend to Heaven” captured “Song of the Year,” chosen from a field of hundreds of submissions. This opened new doors of ministry and also garnered the pair a trip to the Dove Awards. No longer a best-kept secret, the Fikes and their producer/contributing musician, Sean Mulholland, have released “Make A Sound,” a dimensional, deep and refreshing new album full of pop-rock – intimate and congregational – worship sure to show up in a service near you soon.
SOUNDS LIKE: Pop-rock, alternately acoustic and electric-guitar driven, with a faintly country-soul-pop appearance (Dana on “More Than a Friend”). On the lyrical side for worship, there is a bit more personal “I” material than “We,” with some songs merging perspectives. “Not Just a Story,” “You Called My Name,” “Who Is Like the Father,” “Let God’s People Dance,” and “This Is Our Prayer,” embrace the corporate reality beautifully. The polished production doesn’t always match the plaintive lyrical poetry, and one wishes now and then for a more raw and transparent vocal to underscore such evocative poetry as: “There are days when faith’s a feeling, within years of cold belief, when the warmth of Christ’s revealing thaws the frozen underneath.” Influenced by David Crowder, Caedmon’s Call, Robbie Seay, and Sarah McLachlan, you also hear the influences of Watermark in this duo’s sound.
MORE: The first single “Ascend to Heaven” was released to CCM radio stations throughout the globe through CRW Platinum Gold Promotions. Fike, Dana, and their band will be performing this amazing song and the other 13 songs from “Make a Sound” at worship events and concerts throughout 2009.
~Andrea Hunter
July/August 2009 - Worship Leader Magazine
Fike & Dana – Interview with Richie Fike
Richie Fike made a stop by “Electric Weasel” studios to discuss the skyrocketing careers of their band Fike & Dana. We have a great talk about the unique approach they take toward music writing, their histories and Richie Fike lays down some spontaneous one-take flow over a new Chainsaw Weasel beat.
If you don’t already have a copy of their award winning CD “Make A Sound” you should! And if you do, buy another as a gift. This is really a great CD that blends a mixture of rock driven worship with elements of traditional psalmic styles, hip-hop and balad. I have had a hard time getting this CD out of my player, it’s that good.
Check out their website at www.fikeanddana.com for more info and make sure to tell a friend!
www.chainsawweasel.podbean.com - Chainsaw Weasel
Discography
2008 - Make A Sound
2006 - Morning Is Come
2004 - In & Out of Season
Photos
Bio
There is something beautiful about two souls connected through music. For Richie Fike (Fike - as dubbed by his friends) & Dana, it was like a hand in a glove - a match made in heaven. They married in the summer of 1999, and quickly began writing and performing in the band "FaceDown", which gave them the opportunity to tour with Shane & Shane & Robbie Seay, among others. They traveled throughout much of the south, performing concerts and leading worship.
During those years of touring, Fike felt called to pursue a life of local church ministry. God impressed upon his heart the value of the local Church, and the impact he could have on a family of believers through song-writing, leading worship, and developing relationships.
In 2002, the Fikes moved to Colorado Springs to join the ministry of Vanguard Church. It was there that they were inspired to write worship songs for their church, resulting in their first two independent worship CDs, “In & Out of Season” and “The Morning is Come” produced by their partner & contributing musician, Sean Mulholland.
Fike, Dana, & Sean were blessed to attend the GMA's Music in the Rockies 2008 event, where they submitted 4 songs in the amateur songwriting competition among hundreds of other entries. After 2 of Fike's songs made it to the top 25 out of the 384 in their division, they were honored to win first place - the "Song of the Year" award for the song "Ascend to Heaven", which opened the doors to numerous performing opportunities and a trip to the Dove Awards.
In February of 2009, Fike and Dana challenged the boundaries of worship with their latest release “Make A Sound”, which offers a wide range of musical offerings. A few songs are infused with Fike’s long time love of hip-hop, while the song "More Than A Friend" displays some of Dana’s roots in country music. This latest worship release showcases the best of Fike's songwriting, Fike & Dana's captivating vocal performances, and Sean’s brilliant production.
The first single “Ascend to Heaven” (winner of the 2008 “Song of the Year” award at GMA's Music in the Rockies), has been released to CCM radio stations throughout the globe through CRW Platinum Gold Promotions. Fike, Dana, & their band will be performing this amazing song and the other 13 songs from “Make a Sound” at worship events & concerts throughout 2009.
For more information about Fike and Dana go to www.fikeanddana.com or to book them for your event, workshop, or church worship service, please contact them at fike@fikeanddana.com.
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