Christian rock band Skillet's name has a meaning similar to the purpose of the 2008 Winter Jam Tour.

Just as their name represents taking a mixture of various sounds and throwing them into one skillet, said the band's vocalist John Cooper, the Winter Jam Tour is bringing together contrasting flavors of Christian music artists to one venue.

Skillet is one of several acts to perform at 2008's Winter Jam Tour Spectacular that will be at the Red Bird Arena in Normal at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24. Other music artists set to perform at the Red Bird Arena are MercyMe, BarlowGirl, "American Idol" contestant Mandisa, pureNRG and Group 1 Crew. Tony Nolan and the Xtreme sports Real Encounter BMX Skate Team are the guest speakers, and the creator of the Winter Jam Tour, Christian music act NewSong, will host the event.

According to the tour's press release, Winter Jam is Christian music's largest annual musical tour, spanning 35 cities across the nation for 2008. The 10-week tour launched Jan. 10 in Johnson City, Tenn., and will conclude in Nashville, Tenn.

Traveling with the tour for the first time, Cooper said the band is excited to be included with the Winter Jam, as they see it as an opportunity to spread a positive message and share their music to a new audience.

"That's a crowd that may not know Skillet's music, but may find they like it," Cooper said. "We may not be too edgy for them."

With a dash of old school progressive rock with modern alternative and a touch of classical, Skillet - including Cooper, his wife Korey Cooper on keyboards, guitarist Ben Kasica and Lori Peters on drums - was recently nominated for a Grammy for the second time for Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album.

"I was shocked the first time, and I was shocked the second time," Cooper said. "I didn't think people knew our name or our music.

"It would be awesome (if we won). How many people can say they've won a Grammy? I would be ultra-excited about it."

Though the group did not win their first nomination, a win this time is looking a lot more promising with their 2006 album "Comatose."

"This is our biggest album to date," Cooper said. " 'Collide' (released in 2003 by Ardent Records and re-released in 2004 by Lava Records) has far been our biggest album, but 'Comatose' is selling out more."

"Collide" had been the group's best-selling album with more than 200,000 units sold, but "Comatose" has surpassed that level with over 300,000. The album has also produced four No. 1 hits, including their latest, "The Older I Get."

Cooper, who aids in the songwriting of the band, credits the change in focus of the song lyrics on the success of the "Comatose" album.

Growing up in a strict Southern Baptist Christian family, Cooper recalled that he "couldn't listen to anything with a drum beat." With that in mind, Cooper stayed content with writing songs from a Christian perspective.

"(With this album), I moved from writing songs about what Christians go through and began writing songs about what people go through," he said, describing the lyrics as being more relatable to a broader audience. "That's helped the response of this work become really big."

"What I like about the record is the humanity of it," he said. "It allows us to reach out to people who've maybe been turned off by what they think is 'Christian music,' which may get them out to a concert to hear even more of our message. I think by far it is our best album."

WHAT: 2008 Winter Jam Tour Spectacular, with NewSong, Skillet, MercyMe, BarlowGirl, "American Idol" contestant Mandisa, pureNRG, Group 1 Crew, Tony Nolan and the Xtreme sports Real Encounter BMX Skate Team

WHEN: 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 24

WHERE: Red Bird Arena, Illinois State University, Normal

ADMISSION: $10 at the door; no tickets required

ON THE WEB: www.skillet. com, www.jamtour.com, www. premierproductions.com

EXTRA: A free youth leader reception will begin 30 minutes prior to the concert. Listen at the concert for time and location information.

Alicia Spates can be reached at aspates@herald-review.com or 421-6986.