KUTLESS HITS THE ROAD FOR HEARTS OF THE INNOCENT TOUR FUELED BY SUZUKI AUTOMOTIVE & MOTORCYCLE

SEATTLE, Wash. – (September 6, 2006) – BEC Recordings’ Kutless hits the road this fall, fueled by new partner and tour title sponsor American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC), in support of the band’s chart-topping CD Hearts of the Innocent. Tickets for the tour, which kicks off Oct. 25 in Alabama, go on sale this week at iTickets.com and most Christian retailers. The Hearts of the Innocent Tour features special guests Disciple, Red and Run Kid Run.

Because of Suzuki’s involvement in the tour, Kutless will be promoting an online sweepstakes to give away the Automotive Division’s all-new compact sport X-over (2007 Suzuki SX4) and two of the Motorcycle Division’s popular motorbikes (2007 Suzuki RM-Z450 and 2007 Suzuki DR-Z400SM). Beginning this month, fans will be able to register online at www.kutless.com/tour, and tickets to the tour are not required to enter. The sweepstakes winners will be announced live during the tour’s final stop in New York City at the Nokia Theater on Nov. 19.

Kutless has built its loyal fan base due in part to its intense touring schedule; the rock band has performed before nearly 2 million fans in the past four years. The Hearts of the Innocent Tour plays more than 20 dates, many in markets the band has never visited, making the band even more eager to get back on the bus and the road.

“Touring is the lifeblood of Kutless. We thrive on the energy and feedback we get during the live concert experience and the opportunity to connect personally with our fans,” said bandleader Jon Micah Sumrall, who faces a unique challenge of taking the stage after major arthroscopic surgery that will require a physical therapy rehabilitation program while he is on the tour. “There is nothing that could possibly stop us from getting out and performing music from the Hearts of the Innocent record for our fans across the country and I’m especially stoked we’ll be tackling new markets this time around.“

The tour dates and cities for Hearts of the Innocent tour powered by Suzuki concert schedule are:
Wednesday Oct. 25 Birmingham, Ala.
Thursday Oct. 26 Knoxville, Tenn.
Friday Oct. 27 Cincinnati, Ohio
Saturday Oct. 28 Griffin, Ga.
Sunday Oct. 29 Indianapolis, Ind.
Monday Oct. 30 St. Charles, Mo.
Wednesday Nov. 1 Duluth, Minn.
Thursday Nov. 2 Fargo, N.D.
Friday Nov. 3 Minneapolis, Minn.
Saturday Nov. 4 Chicago, Ill.
Tuesday Nov. 7 Detroit, Mich.
Thursday Nov. 9 Huntington, W.Va.
Friday Nov. 10 Pittsburgh, Pa.
Saturday Nov. 11 Albany (Clifton Park), N.Y.
Sunday Nov. 12 Buffalo (Hamburg), N.Y.
Monday Nov. 13 Souderton, Pa.
Tuesday Nov. 14 Manheim, Pa.
Thursday Nov. 16 Bedford, N.H.
Friday Nov. 17 Baltimore, Md.
Saturday Nov. 18 Waterbury, Conn.
Sunday Nov. 19 New York, N.Y.

The Hearts of the Innocent, which was released in March, debuted at No. 1 on Nielsen SoundScan’s Top Christian Rock/Alternative Albums chart No. 2 on its Top Christian/Gospel Albums Overall chart, No. 1 on its Top Christian Rock/Alternative Albums chart and No. 45 on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart. After just four years and four hit CDS (Kutless, Sea of Faces and Strong Tower preceded Hearts of the Innocent), Kutless has emerged as one of Christian and rock music’s hottest acts. Kutless has had eight radio hits from the band’s first three CDs, Kutless, Sea of Faces and Strong Tower, and been nominated for multiple Dove Awards, earning its first last year for the band’s participation on the Special Event Album of the Year, the soundtrack to “Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.” Kutless’ music also has been featured in television and film, including the NBC hit TV show “Scrubs.” Additionally, the band’s groundbreaking video for the song “Shut Me Out” has been placed on an exclusive Microsoft/Wal-Mart DVD Xbox giveaway, estimated to reach 350,000 gamers, and Target Stores recently debuted the “Shut Me Out” video on Target TV (Red Channel) nationwide.

Kutless’ growing popularity and their extreme sports lifestyle attracted Suzuki. The company, widely known for its high-performance motorcycles and life-enthusiast-focused automobiles, made the Kutless connection because it sees an opportunity to connect its products with Kutless’ like-minded consumer demographic of those who choose to live life instead of watch it go by.

The Hearts of the Innocent Tour will specifically promote the three vehicles being offered in the sweepstakes. Designed for those who live an adventurous life, the all-new SX4 features a handsome five-door hatchback design and sophisticated standard all-wheel-drive system to offer an unexpected level of functionality at an affordable price. The championship-winning RM-Z450 offers supremely balanced performance – strong, controllable power delivery complemented by extraordinarily lightweight handling – to give riders confidence on the track. The DR-Z400SM combines the versatility and performance of Suzuki's renowned DR-Z400 with street-legal capabilities.

Featured opener Disciple, long known for its loyal following and high energy rock show, has made a huge imprint on the rock landscape since signing with SRE Recordings last year. In 2005 Disciple dominated the Rock charts, spending a combined 21 weeks at #1 with three different songs. The Hearts of the Innocence Tour marks Disciple’s third opening appearance with Kutless. Rounding out the package will be Essential rock band Red and BEC/Tooth & Nail pop punk band Run Kid Run - two of the best selling new artists of 2006.

About Kutless
With multiple #1 singles and four hit albums, Kutless’ bold lyrics and driving, guitar-based music have garnered them legions of fans worldwide. Launched by original members Jon Micah Sumrall (lead vocals) and guitarists James Mead and Ryan Shrout, the band formed first as a modern rock/worship band at Warner Pacific College in Portland in 2000, influenced by Christian rock predecessors such as the Supertones as well as mainstream modern rockers like Staind, Creed, and Incubus. Kutless signed to Tooth & Nail/BEC in late 2001 and released its self-titled debut the following year, a CD which went on to become the fastest-selling debut in the label’s history. Hearts of the Innocent marks the recording debut of the band’s newest members, drummer Jeffrey Gilbert and bass player Dave Leutkenhoelter, both formerly of alt-rock band Seven Places. Kutless places a big emphasis on giving back and has often played events to benefit battered women and children and cancer victims. Last year, they raised more than $50,000 for Hurricane Katrina relief and recently signed on as an artist representative for world child relief agency Compassion International, which is the ministry partner of the Hearts of the Innocent Tour. Visit Kutless’ website at www.kutless.com.

About American Suzuki
The Motorcycle/ATV Division and the Automotive Operations of American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC), Brea, Calif., were founded in 1963 and 1985, respectively, by Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC). ASMC markets its vehicles via an extensive dealer network in 49 states. ASMC's parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation, based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, automobiles and marine engines. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, it has over 250 distributors in 119 countries. For more information, go to www.suzuki.com.

Courtesy of Andrew Nicolai
PainePR for American Suzuki