POPULAR VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL COMPOSER JEFF SLAUGHTER'S FIRST BOOK IS RELEASED

Friends Celebrate Release of Autobiographical It's All True,
Which Shares Singer/Songwriter's Journey From Sorrow to Joy NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 21, 2013) - Popular singer/songwriter and worship leader Jeff Slaughter, best known to millions as the composer behind Lifeway's Vacation Bible School's most beloved songs, is celebrating today's release of his first book, It's All True: Walking By Faith in a Funky World. The autobiography, released by Skyhorse Publishing, tells of joys and tragedies in Slaughter's life, including reaching success as a Christian musician, witnessing the tragic death of his young niece and enduring the lengthy battles that both of his parents lost with illness. Slaughter, with co-writer Randy Winton, balances his heartbreak with tales of joy from his childhood growing up along the Mississippi Delta. Music superstar Amy Grant wrote the foreward for the book.

To kick off Street Week, Slaughter gathered with scores of friends and family May 19 to celebrate the latest achievement by the noted singer/songwriter. Slaughter's manager, Amy Fenton, co-hosted the event with Ruthann and Eric Ross, who held the book release party in their historic Franklin, Tenn., home.

"To be surrounded by friends and family, many who are mentioned in the book, was humbling," Slaughter said about the book release event. "Having my book come to fruition is such a blessing to me. Years ago I heard someone say the stories that we share about the miraculous and incredible things the Lord does in our lives are like a fuel that He uses to light revival fires in people's hearts. With It's All True, my prayer has been that people's hearts will be set ablaze with the fires of hope and encouragement as they read these stories so that they will continue to press on."

Among the surprise guests at the book release party was Dixie Ball, Slaughter's mom's first cousin from Jackson, Miss., one of the few remaining living relatives on that side of the family, Slaughter said. "When she walked in, it was like having a piece of my mother there," he said.

Whether it's the grief of watching someone you love deteriorate, or the hilariously awkward retelling of personal family matters, It's All Truereaffirms that it is possible to thrive in a funky world.

It's All True is already garnering praise from Slaughter's colleagues in Christian music and Christian ministry, including his friend, Amy Grant. 

"I love a good story. A good one at the right time can change your life. Reading Jeff's has certainly affected mine," Grant writes in the book's foreward. "There are pivotal moments in all our lives, but rarely has one man's courageous story so gracefully expressed the perseverance, hope—and, yes, faith—we all rely on to get by."

Industry experts estimate more than 46 million people have sung Slaughter's songs throughout the world. The inspiration for some of his most touching and meaningful songs comes from the experiences he recounts in It's All True, including the song entitled "It's All True." From his childhood in Greenwood, Miss., to his world tours through Vacation Bible School, Slaughter's story will speak to those who search for faith, and for the hope that life will lead them beyond their present circumstance.

"We know you'll be touched by Jeff's honesty and humor (and amazing songwriting talent, which can't help but shine through in these pages!)," says Grammy Award-winning artist Michael W. Smith and his wife, Debbie Smith.

It's All True is available at major retailers, including Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million and Amazon. For more information about Slaughter and It's All True, visit jeffslaughter.com.

Photo caption, top: Skyhorse Publishing is releasing It's All True, the first book from popular singer/songwriter and worship leader Jeff Slaughter, today. (Skyhorse Publishing photo)

Photo caption, bottom: Slaughter, left, enjoys visiting with Dixie Ball, right, the first cousin of Slaughter's deceased mother. Ball traveled to Franklin, Tenn., from Jackson, Miss., to attend Slaughter's release party. (McCain & Co. Public Relations photo)

About Jeff Slaughter:
Jeff Slaughter is a popular recording artist and world-renowned worship leader who has worked with some of the biggest stars in music, including Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn, Faith Hill, and Amy Grant. He was enlisted by Lifeway—the world's largest provider of Christian resources—to be the sole songwriter for their Vacation Bible School for 16 years, and his songs have impacted millions of children and families. Christian music fans will recognize him as the writer of the No. 1 radio single, "One More Broken Heart," by Point of Grace.

As a solo artist, Slaughter has toured extensively throughout the U.S., Europe, Africa, Australia, Asia, Canada and Central America.

For more information about Slaughter and It's All True, visit jeffslaughter.com or like him on Facebook (facebook.com/pages/Jeff-Slaughter-Ministries) or Twitter (@jeff_slaughter).

About Randy Winton:
Randy Winton, co-author of It's All True, is also the author of In My Shoes and a youth ministry veteran, following an award-winning career as a sportswriter.