Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
GMF was saddened to learn about the passing of Pastor Cassandra Elliott, popular worship leader known by many as the “Purpose Pusher.” Pastor Cassandra transitioned June 27, 2021, after battling health challenges. Our condolences are with her husband Pastor Bryant Elliott and the entire family.
Pastor Cassandra Elliott, also known as the “Purpose Pusher” and the “Giant Slayer” is a walking example of the Five Fold Ministry. A native of New York City, Elliott began playing music at a young age; this passion unfolded into accepting the call as a Pastor of Worship, teaching the word of God, and becoming an innovator and mentor to many. She is a survivor of kidney disease and breast cancer and has used both of these testimonies as a vehicle to encourage others through the preached, taught, and imparting Word of God. In 2016, Elliott launched out into the world of Periscope launching “Morning Manna,” a time of real talk, inspiration, and coaching. Most recently Elliott launched out again into the arena of coaching with her debut of Elliott Consulting.
Pastor Cassandra was also the founder of The Gathering, a worship conference held yearly in North Carolina that drew hundreds.
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
Nashville, TN (June 28, 2021) – RCA Inspiration celebrated the 2021 BET Awards with a powerful night for gospel, as two #1 hits from Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul/RCA) were lauded at this year’s awards. The sixteen-time GRAMMY®-winning artist, songwriter, and producer was honored with the Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award for the second consecutive year, winning for his #1 gospel hit single “Strong God” (from his hit album LONG LIVE LOVE). He emerged the winner among other nominees BeBe Winans, CeCe Winans, H.E.R., Marvin Sapp, and Tamela Mann.
Kirk Franklin performs at the 2021 BET Awards with Lil Baby. (RCA Inspiration)
Franklin also kicked off the night’s broadcast in an exuberant opening performance with Lil Baby, showcasing their #1 gospel hit “We Win” (featured from the soundtrack for the highly-anticipated summer movie Space Jam: A New Legacy). The 2021 BET Awards ceremony was held before a live audience at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 27th.
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
Homegoing services for Madeline Thompson took place recently in Inglewood, CA. Lady Thompson, a longtime member of the Clara Ward Singers best known for her spirited rendition of “Traveling Shoes,” passed away May 22, 2021.
“Traveling Shoes: A Commemorative Cantata,” was the first of two celebrations for the singer on June 6. The next day’s four-hour Celebration of Life service included the reunion of the Clara Ward Singers, offering a musical salute with their hit “Surely, God Is Able” as well as “Sweeping Through the City,” borrowed from the Caravans’ catalog.
You can read more about Madeline Thompson at lasentinel.net. GMF continues to send up prayers for the Thompson family.
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
NEW YORK, NY (June 7, 2021) – BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) is proud to celebrate the 2021 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards, honoring some of today’s legendary and rising Gospel music luminaries. The Gospel Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Publisher of the Year, and the 20 most-performed songs of the previous year were announced today on BMI.com and across the company’s social media platforms. In tribute to this inspiring generation of Gospel songwriters, BMI created a special page featuring uplifting performances and first-hand accounts of the songwriting process behind some of the award-winning songs, as well as special messages from the winners. To view this exclusive content and more, visit https://www.bmi.com/trailblazers2021.
“It is always an honor to celebrate BMI’s incredible community of Gospel music songwriters,” said Catherine Brewton, Vice President Creative, Atlanta. “Their artistry is a gift through which we find the strength to persevere in the face of adversity and the words to rejoice in moments of worship. Today we applaud their outstanding contributions to the genre, which continue to inspire so many with messages of love and hope.”
“Deliver Me (This Is My Exodus),” written by Donald Lawrence and Sir the Baptist, was awarded Song of the Year. Performed by Donald Lawrence and the Tri-City Singers with Le’Andria Johnson, the powerful decree of deliverance spent a total of 99 weeks on the Billboard Gospel Airplay chart, peaking at number one and winning the prized GMA Dove Award for Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year. This is the first BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Award for Sir the Baptist, while Donald Lawrence earns his eighth Trailblazer Award. Lawrence was previously awarded the Gospel Song of the Year in 2015 for “The Gift” and was also one of the 2009 Trailblazers of Gospel Music honorees.
Kanye West was named Songwriter of the Year for penning three of the award-winning Gospel songs “Hands On,” “On God” and “Selah” from his highly celebrated ninth studio album Jesus Is King, which garnered top industry accolades from Billboard and the GRAMMYS. West collaborated with gospel great Fred Hammond for the crossover track “Hands On,” which landed on Billboard’sChristian, Gospel, R&B Hip-Hop and Hot 100 charts. The record’s single “Selah” broke into the top 20 on Billboard’sHot 100 and was nominated for Top Gospel Song at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards, competing against “On God” that same year. With this distinction, West earns his first three Trailblazer Awards, adding to his extensive collection of 38 BMI Awards from R&B/Hip-Hop, Pop, and London.
Publisher of the Year went to Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing for representing three of BMI’s 20 most-performed Gospel songs including “I Made It Out,” written and performed by Pastor John P. Kee, featuring Zacardi Cortez, “Keep The Faith,” written and performed by Charles Jenkins and “Won’t Let Go,” written and performed by Travis Greene.
In addition to the major award winners, BMI also paid homage to the 20 Most Performed Gospel Songs of the Year (2020). This year’s talented group of songwriters includes 19 first-time Trailblazer Award winners including Zacardi Cortez, Cydel C. Young, Renee Spearman, Terrence “Pusha T” Thorton, Natalie Lauren Simms, Allison Jeffrey LaValley, and more.
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
Calvin D. Tucker, Jr. is a professional actor, model, inspirational recording artist, and award-winning songwriter. Recently, the Baltimore-born performing artist returned from a nine-year hiatus in recording to release his self-penned single, “One 800.” Coined “the mental health song,” the uptempo composition raises awareness about grief and suicide prevention. Loss and grief are experiences to which Tucker relates.
Libra:Let’s talk about your single, “One 800.” You wrote this song a few years back in memory of your childhood friend, Ronnie Marvin Collins, Jr., and your cousin, Tamitrea Carter. Now, it serves as a tribute to your father, Calvin Donald Tucker, Sr., who passed in January. Tell us about the song and why it’s titled, “One 800.”
Calvin: “One 800” is still dedicated to my cousin and childhood friend. I just didn’t realize when I started recording the song, how soon it would become dedicated to my dad.
This song began as a recurring dream that I would have of me and my cousin as well as some [dreams] with me and my friend. They were literally visuals of us hanging out and they would be short. This would happen randomly and spread out over years until finally, I was listening to a different Techno/Dance track that my friend Chris Sherman produced and needed lyrics for. As I sat and listened, the track evoked the lyrics to what was then called, “Take The Pain Away.” That was 2014.
In 2019, I said to myself, “I need new music,” and began recording the song before the very first [COVID-19] shutdown. By the time COVID-19 hit and we started losing people in great numbers, I began to feel that this song needed a heavier title that was indicative of the desperation and despair of grief. That [title] became “One 800.” When you hear [phone numbers beginning with 1-800], you think of needing relief, emergencies, help, etc. That’s the heart and soul that this song was birthed from: simply needing help.
Libra: How differently does this song resonate with you now compared to 2014?
Calvin: The song resonates way more personally now because my father passed a few weeks before the song’s debut. I was already promoting a Feb 1, 2021 release date even though the song was completely finished in November 2020. I decided to go ahead and let my father hear the song on a Saturday in December 2020. I told him this was the song I wrote, dedicated to Mitrea and Ronnie. He cried and said, “That’s nice.” Two days later he passed away from his battle with ALS.
Libra: We all handle grief differently and “One 800” is geared toward grief awareness and management as well as suicide awareness and prevention. How personal is this for you?
Calvin: I am a testament that grief can be very difficult. I was young when my friend and cousin both passed away and it was hard. I drew closer to my family and friends, worship, and my relationship with the Lord. God showed me that the performing arts is a powerful outlet and means of coping and so I definitely continued to put my all into those ventures.
I’ve thought about suicide before once, and it didn’t have to do with someone’s death. It was [because of] personal issues I faced. Although I didn’t put a plan together and attempt to execute it, I still feel for those who struggle with suicidal thoughts, emotions, and scenarios.
Libra:One of the great tragedies of the COVID-19 pandemic is the depth of grief and loss experienced by countless many. How are you coping in the midst of this pandemic?
Calvin: So far I’ve lost an uncle to COVID-19. There are tons of people I know from the church, and family of friends who have passed due to COVID-19 and it’s horrible. I continue to heal through my relationships with God, my family, friends, and therapy through the performing arts. I am considering actually going to standard therapy, I just haven’t felt the pull to go yet.
Libra: What would you say to the families who are grieving, Calvin?
Calvin: I say, this is the time to grow closer together; remember all the fun and goofy times. These things always relieve stress and guilt and other emotions that come with grief management. I say still do things that are fun, play your favorite music and TV shows, go to the park and ride your bike, take a road trip. Don’t become a prisoner to this pandemic; just use every precaution while enjoying life and healing.
“One 800″ features vocals from Carrie Boone and is available on all digital platforms. Tucker invites you to connect with him via www.calvinthespecialist.com and on Instagram @Calvin2ent.
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
CHICAGO, May 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Central City Productions revealed the nominees in 28 categories for the 36th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, which will be taped on Saturday, July 10, at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, TN. The Stellar Awards recognizes the year’s best performances in the genre, honors gospel music icons, and acknowledges the accomplishments of individuals instrumental in advocating for the industry.
“We’re extremely pleased and proud to present our 36th annual Stellar Awards, appropriately themed ‘Lighting the Way with Our Faith, Music and Family,” remarked Don Jackson, Founder of the Stellar Awards and Chairman of Central City Productions, Inc. “Over the past year, gospel music has taken on an even more pronounced role in the lives of people around the world – dealing with a double, global pandemic of COVID-19 and social injustice – who have relied on gospel music as a source of comfort, strength, and encouragement until we can get to better days ahead.”
Each year, the preeminent industry event recognizes the year’s best album releases and pays special tribute to those gospel trailblazers who continually set the bar higher. This year’s recipient of the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement is The Clark Sisters, who saw a resurgent appreciation of their musical longevity after the release of their biopic. Lady Tramaine Hawkins will be honored with the Aretha Franklin Icon Award as a testament to her 50+ years in the industry. Pastor Shirley Caesar will receive the Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones Legends Award for her 70+ years of longevity in the industry. Bishop Dr. Leonard Scott is tapped to receive the Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award as the founder of Tyscot Music + Entertainment, the oldest operating Black-owned gospel record label. Black Smoke Music founder Kerry Douglas, label executive and A&R guru Skip Barrett, and Gospel Today magazine founder Teresa Hairston will be inducted into the Stellar Honors Hall of Fame.
Millennial gospel superstar Jonathan McReynolds (pictured), co-host of the 35th Annual Stellar Awards, tops the list of nominees this year with eight nominations. Embarking upon a career in gospel music less than a decade ago, McReynolds continues to bless audiences and is nominated for his work on People (eOne Music), receiving nominations in the categories of Artist of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Producer of the Year, Contemporary Male Artist of the Year, and Contemporary Album of the Year. He also is nominated for Song of the Year and in the category of Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year for his work on “Movin’ On ft. Mali Music” (eOne Music).
Anthony Brown & group therAPy, Kierra Sheard, Maverick City Music, and Pastor Mike, Jr. are among a four-way tie of gospel artists this year, each receiving seven nominations, including a nod each for Artist of the Year. Brown’s contemporary music genre ignites roof-raising praise, which resulted in nominations for 2econd Wind: Ready (Key of A/Tyscot/Fair Trade) in six additional categories of Male Artist of the Year, Duo/Chorus Group of the Year, Producer of the Year, Contemporary Duo/Chorus Group of the Year, Contemporary Album of the Year, and Special Event Album of the Year.
Sheard’s inspirational project Kierra (Karew/RCA Inspiration) was recognized in the categories of Albertina Walker Female Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Contemporary Female Artist of the Year, Contemporary Album of the Year, and Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year. She also received a nomination for Song of the Year for her work on the project “Something Has to Break (Live) ft. Tasha Cobbs Leonard” (Karew/RCA Inspiration).
Maverick City Music stirs up spirit-filled worship with the contemporary album Maverick City Music Vol. 3 Part 1 (Tribl Records) which received additional nominations in the key categories of Duo/Chorus Group of the Year, New Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Contemporary Duo/Chorus Group of the Year, Special Event Album of the Year, and Praise and Worship Album of the Year. Rounding out the four artists tied with seven nominations is Pastor Mike, Jr. whose hip hop gospel sounds in Big: Freedom Sessions (Black Smoke Music Worldwide) garnered nominations in the categories of Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Contemporary Male Artist of the Year, Contemporary Album of the Year, Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year, and Rap Hip Hop Gospel Album of the Year.
Other celebrated artists receiving multiple Stellar nominations include: Jekalyn Carr, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, The Clark Sisters, Rev. Luther Barnes and the Restoration Worship Center Choir, and the Chicago Mass Choir.
The Stellar Awards live show taping is returning to Nashville, debuting at the glamorous Schermerhorn Symphony Center in the heart of the city’s booming downtown area on Saturday, July 10, 2021. Although great strides are being made to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the country is not yet back to normal. Given this, tickets will not be sold to the public; but nominees, show talent and special invited guests will make up the audience for the taping of the 36th Annual Stellar Awards. Viewers around the country will be able to watch the show in national broadcast syndication starting July 30th through September 5th.
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
Pervis Staples, Co-Founder of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees, The Staple Singers, Passes Away at the Age of 85
Pervis pictured with sister Mavis in 2017
Pervis Staples, a co-founding member of the legendary gospel group, The Staple Singers, passed away suddenly on May 6, 2021, at his home in Dolton, Illinois according to Adam Ayers, a member of Mavis Staples’ 525 Worldwide Music management team. He was 85 years old. Beginning in 1956 with “Uncloudy Day” on Chicago’s Vee Jay Record label and stretching into the early 1980s, the Staple Singers were one of the most influential acts in gospel, soul, and social protest music. Their signature songs such as “Uncloudy Day,” “Why Am I Treated So Bad,” “Respect Yourself” and “I’ll Take You There” are hailed as soul music masterpieces.
Pervis Staples was born November 18, 1935, in Drew, Mississippi. His family moved to Chicago for economic opportunities, and he was raised on the city’s Southside where his guitar-playing father, Roebuck “Pop” Staples, started teaching his children gospel songs to entertain them and occupy their time. Eventually, word spread throughout the Chicago church community about the singing family, and they cut their first recordings for a local label, United Records. However, it’s when they started recording for Vee Jay Records that they gained a national following with rootsy songs such as “So Soon,” “If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again,” “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” and “Uncloudy Day” – which has been reported to have sold a million copies.
The early Staples sound was constructed around Pop Staples’ lite tenor and his understated, blues-influenced guitar playing. Surrounding it, was his teenaged daughter, Mavis’ raspy contralto; his daughter, Cleotha’s soprano; and son Pervis’ warm tenor. “Pervis’ childhood was filled with wonderful experiences,” Mavis Staples remembers. “He liked to think of this period of his life as setting the stage for all that he wanted to do in life. Some of Pervis’ best friends as a youngster included Sam Cooke, Lou Rawls, and Jerry Butler. Pervis and the guys would stand under the lamp posts in the summertime singing doo-wop songs.”
The Staple Singers, circa 1953
Mavis’ unusually low voice on most of the songs led many to assume that was Pervis singing. “We’d trick ‘em,” Pervis told journalist Greg Kot in his Mavis Staples biography, I’ll Take You There (Scribner). “The audience would be looking for me to come up with the low part – this was for the people who heard the record but had never seen us before, I’d come up to the mike and switch over at the last second where Cleotha was, then Mavis would step up. That messed them up, but it woke up the crowd.”
After graduating from the Dunbar Vocational Career Academy, Pervis served in the U.S. Army where he served with the Field Evaluation Agency and was a member of the U.S. Army Choral Group. While he was away from the group, his sister, Yvonne, stepped in to sing. After he was honorably discharged, he returned to the group.
Pop Staples had routinely turned down offers for the group to record R&B music as he felt it was a conflict with his faith. Pervis witnessed friends such as Lou Rawls and Sam Cooke crossover and he kept nudging his father to expand the group’s repertoire. The compromise was message music after they signed with Riverside Records in 1961. The family became fast friends with folk artists like Bob Dylan on the festival circuit. Pervis and Dylan were close. In Kot’s book, Pervis recalled Dylan showing him the song, “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall” at the President Hotel in 1962. He lobbied Pop Staples to let the family record it. He did and it was done as a duet between Mavis and Pervis for the 1966 LP, This Little Light of Mine (Epic Records). Although Mavis opened the song, Pervis led the bulk of it in a smooth, mellow, and commanding voice that was reminiscent of his father’s but uniquely his own. Another stand-out solo for Pervis was his lead on The Staple Singers’ remake of Hank Williams’ 1952 cut, “Be Careful of the Stones You Throw,” on their 1965 LP, Amen (Epic Records). Underneath a gentle southern-blues melody, Pervis recites the song in a pleasing tone as his sisters provide urgently earnest background vocals for the morality tale about a young girl who is killed saving the child of a woman who had gossiped about her.
Pervis’ last album with The Staple Singers was their first for Stax Records, Soul Folks in Action (Stax Records), in 1968. The album featured new songs such as “The Ghetto” and their interpretations of tunes like Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” and The Band’s “The Weight.” In Kot’s book, Steve Cropper, an iconic session musician at Stax Records, credited Pervis with helping him with production on the album. “If I had an idea, he would work with the girls and stretch the idea,” he said. “He would become the band leader, work with them over and over. Every idea wouldn’t work right away, so he’d work on it until they got it right.”
Pervis is also featured on duets with Carla Thomas on “I’m Trying” and “It’s Unbelievable How You Control My Soul” for the LP, Boy Meets Girl (Stax Records), in 1969. He also appeared on the all-star, “Soul-A-luja,” track that featured Stax artists such as Johnnie Taylor, William Bell, and Mavis Staples. It’s during this period that Pervis left the group to begin managing another Chicago act, The Hutchinson Sunbeams, who later became known as The Emotions. He was involved with several business ventures, including Perv’s House, a successful nightclub that was one of the most popular nightlife spots on the south side in the 1970s.
The Staple Singers were awarded the Rhythm & Blues Foundation’s Pioneer Award in 1992. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and earned a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005. They were also inducted into the Nashville-based Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2018. “Pervis was one of a kind- comical and downright fly,” Mavis Staples recalls. “He would want to be remembered as an upright man, always willing to help and encourage others. He was one of the good guys and will live on as a true Chicago legend.”
Staples was preceded in death by his parents, Roebuck and Oceola; three sisters, Cynthia, Cleotha, and Yvonne. He is survived by his sister, Mavis Staples. He also leaves six children: Gwen Staples, Reverly Staples, Perleta (George) Sanders, Pervis Roe Staples, Paris Staples, Eala Yvonne (Michael) Sams; seven grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
Pervis Staples’ funeral services will be held Monday, May 17, 2021, in the King’s Chapel at Leak & Son’s Funeral Homes, 7838 South Cottage Grove Avenue, Chicago, IL. The wake is 10 AM and the funeral is 11 AM.
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
Kevan Peabody is no stranger to the gospel music industry. The Bay Area singer, musician, and executive presents his latest offering, “Wait.”
With Psalm 27:14 and Proverbs 3:5-6 as references, “Wait” was written by Steven Roberts and features Peabody as the sole vocalist. Peabody’s tenor performance is mellifluous, with hints of the overlapping genres of blues and jazz. “Wait, I say, oh wait on the Lord!” he fervently sings in repetition, each round more passionate than the former. Meanwhile, the full-bodied music arrangement – predominantly piano and organ – aptly complements Peabody’s vocal, making “Wait” an aural delight for traditional gospel and jazz enthusiasts alike.
An industry veteran, Peabody’s production credits include Rev. James Cleveland, Edwin Hawkins, Dr. Bobby Jones, Lawrence Beaman, and Emmit Powell & The Gospel Elites.
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
Cincinnati, OH – Crossroads Music announces the release of their newest single, “Conquered Grave.” Written by Austin Livingood, Dustin Smith (from Here Be Lions), and Robbie Reider, and produced by Chad Carouthers, “Conquered Grave” will be featured on the upcoming Conquered Grave EP along with three additional songs scheduled to release on Good Friday, April 2.
Although the song is timely with Easter right around the corner, it is a needed daily reminder — that Jesus conquered the grave and reigns victorious over death! Robbie Reider, the director of Crossroads Music, said, “I may be the only one who needs a reminder that Jesus conquered death every morning…but I don’t think so. When I have a fresh reminder of His power and authority it changes how I walk through my day. To the degree that we believe, not simply know, that Jesus is more powerful than death, is the degree that we’ll walk in freedom.”
Only a few weeks into quarantine Austin Livingood, Dustin Smith, and Robbie Reider met via zoom to write what would become Crossroads Church’s Easter “victory over death” anthem. From Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee, they battled video lag and buffering to pen the lyric, “Death has died, crushed by nail-pierced hands” as a reminder to each follower that our ultimate struggle has already been laid to rest by what Jesus did on the Cross.
The arrangement took form as the veteran worship leaders created the rise and fall, the tension and release that they wanted to lead their communities through. They’re excited to have these words on the lips of their community this Easter: “Every day we wake to a conquered grave.” These words root us deeply in the belief that Jesus is in fact the “Author of freedom.”
Co-writer, Austin Livingood, said, “When the global pandemic shut down everything in March 2020 and we were in quarantine, it was wild to wake up to what felt like the same day over and over again. Easter was approaching, and I remembered a different idea I had that turned into this song. The overarching theme was regardless of me waking up to the same day over and over again, I also wake up to the same hope and mercy every morning. Every day I wake up to a conquered grave and a defeated death. I don’t need four cups of coffee in the morning to get excited about that!”
The Crossroads Music team’s hope for the church is that this isn’t something to just be self-reflective and somber over, but that we can celebrate and have confidence in the fact that Jesus paved a way to life that’s just ahead of us. We don’t have to be paralyzed by our broken past but can have momentum in our relationship with God and the world because of Jesus dying and coming back to life. The cross is pivotal in the gospel story, but the cross without a conquered grave means nothing.
It’s all about Jesus and they are honored and humbled that they get to be a part of what He is doing in the church — at Crossroads, and the global Church.
Additional information about Crossroads Music can be found on the Crossroads Music website. You can stream or download their single on all major music platforms here.
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
Award-winning actress Danielle Brooks stars as Mahalia Jackson in the Lifetime biopic Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia. (Photo from Lifetime)
Danielle Brooks is known for her roles as Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black and Sofia in the 2015 Broadway production of The Color Purple – portrayals which won her multiple Screen Actors Guild awards and a Grammy, respectively. She started young, cutting her acting teeth in a church play at the age of six and going on to graduate from the prestigious Juilliard School. Yet, when it came to starring as gospel queen Mahalia Jackson in Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia, the award-winning formally trained actress knew she faced a lofty task.
Born in New Orleans, Mahalia Jackson began singing at an early age and went on to become one of America’s most admired gospel figures. In the late 1940s, her arrangement of W.H. Brewster’s “Move On Up A Little Higher” reportedly sold two million copies. Jackson rose in acclaim, performing to racially diverse audiences at Carnegie Hall, touring internationally, and debuting The Mahalia Jackson Show on the CBS radio network. During the 1950s and 1960s, Jackson’s music was threaded into the country’s civil rights movement. An active supporter, she sang at numerous rallies, including the 1963 March on Washington alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., hoping her music would encourage and inspire racial equality.
Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia covers 40 years of Jackson’s life and features several of her most recognized musical numbers. Brooks does her own singing in the biopic, showcasing a set of pipes previously unheard by many, if not most, of her followers. “A little tricky” is how she described the situation during a recent Zoom interview.
“The fear comes because most people say ‘big shoes to fill,’” Brooks, 31, explained. “I say that’s a big choir robe to fill – to be the ‘Queen of Gospel Music’ when people have not heard [me] as a vocalist yet.”
She continued, “As people of color, we have high expectations for our people because we only want the best. We want to present the best. So I just wanted to make everybody proud, make my ancestors proud, make Mahalia proud, make my church family from Bethlehem Baptist Church in Fountain Inn, SC proud.”
If the film trailer is any indication, Brooks has succeeded.
Among the lessons to be learned from Mahalia, Brooks said, are the importance of relying on our own faith in challenging times and the significance of using our own gifts to bring hope and effect positive change.
Mahalia is executive produced by Robin Roberts and Linda Berman from Rock’n Robin Productions and Lincoln Square Productions, respectively. Brooks along with Tony Award winner Kenny Leon are co-executive producers. Leon is also the film’s director.
Mahalia premieres April 3rd at 8/7c on Lifetime, one day before both Easter and the anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination.
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
