Seven-state Christmas tour begins this weekend

Critically-acclaimed singer/songwriter Peder Eide will launch his 14th annual Christmas tour this weekend.  The 16-show tour entitled “Live Like Christmas” will take Eide and his band (pictured right) to seven different states, including Wisconsin, North Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, Michigan and culminating Christmas Eve in Colorado.  Eide will be singing songs from his two critically-acclaimed Christmas CDs, Perfect Surprise and Christmas: Come On In.  When it was released two years ago, Perfect Surprise was chosen as a favorite Christmas CD by USA Today.

Peder will be joined by special guest, comedian Daren Streblow, at the December 14 concert in Fargo, North Dakota.  Eide and Streblow recently teamed up to record a parody tune called “The Donut Song” set to the music of “Sleigh Ride.”  Eide will join Streblow on his new syndicated radio show releasing in late December.

Eide just released his 14th studio recording entitled Rescue and is donating a portion of the proceeds of the sale of the CD to the Highly Vulnerable Children’s Fund via Compassion International.  The fund is specifically for children who have been orphaned or have severely ill parents, as well as for kids who are at high risk for exploitation or abuse.  Eide has been a Compassion artist for over 14 years, acquiring thousands of sponsors for the non-profit organization.

In addition to his contributions to Compassion, Eide is an adoption advocate, having adopted two orphans into his own family from overseas.  Eide and wife Sherri adopted their daughter Makenzie from Korea in 2004.  Then, four years later, they brought home a little boy named Teshome from Ethiopia.  Along with their older children -- 15-year-old Taylor, 11-year-old Allison and 10-year-old Ethan-- the Eides are clear that their decision to adopt was one of the "best decisions" they ever made.

Eide regularly performs for over 100,000 people each year, having played main stages at music festivals such as Sonshine (MN), Kingdom Bound (NY), Lifest (WI), LifeLight (SD) and Spirit West Coast (CA). He has shared the stage with artists such as the MercyMe, Jeremy Camp, TobyMac, Hawk Nelson, Third Day, among others.

Eide's original "Taste Worship" events continue to be scheduled year-round at various churches and conferences.  It is geared toward bringing parents together with their tweens and teenagers in an interactive worship environment.  Coupling music with teaching, Eide offers families practical "ingredients" to create a worship-filled lifestyle. 

Eide has been featured on several national television shows and radio programs including The 700 Club program on CBN, FamilyNet, Daystar network, LeSea network, Cornerstone television, and Focus on the Family’s Weekend Magazine radio show. Eide has been involved with groups such as Youth Ministry Network, Youth Unlimited, Navigators, Youth for Christ, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Youth Encounter, and other events. Eide has been honored by the Minnesota Jaycees as one of their prestigious "Ten Outstanding Young Minnesotans."

For more information and a complete list of tour dates, visit www.PederEide.com.