Author: Libra Boyd

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.

Sensational Nightingales to give free live concert in Burlington – May 19

Mark your calendars for Thursday, May 19, 2016.  The Sensational Nightingales will appear live in concert at the Allred New Mission Baptist Church.  The service begins at 7:30 PM, and the church is located at 244 Kerr Chapel Road in Burlington, NC.

Admission is free, and a love offering will be received.

The service, hosted by James Dixon and Pastor Jimmy Richmond, also features gospel singer Evangelist Barbara Dixon.

Brown, Franklin earn triple Billboard Award nominations

Brown

Congratulations to this year’s finalists for the 2016 Billboard Music Awards.  

Stellar Award history-maker Anthony Brown and group therAPy and Kirk Franklin earned noms in each gospel category–Top Gospel Artist, Top Gospel Album, and Top Gospel Song. 

Tasha Cobbs, Travis Greene, and Marvin Sapp each earned two noms.  Johnathan McReynolds, Erica Campbell, and Brian Courtney Wilson also landed one nomination each.


You can view the complete list here.

The show will take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on May 22, 2016, at 8 PM ET and will be broadcast live on ABC.

Tye Tribbett named host of new BET Sunday morning inspirational show

(New York, NY)   BET Networks has announced the new programming that’s heading to its
network of stations which includes BET and Centric. The announcement
came at its annual Upfront presentation last week, with a commitment to
offer more original programming than ever before. It was announced that two-time GRAMMY®, Soul Train, Dove, and Stellar Award winning
recording artist Tye Tribbett has been tapped to host the network’s new Sunday morning inspirational series Joyful Noise.

Tribbett states, “I
have not stopped smiling and dancing since I received the news! I am
beyond honored to be continuing such a monumental legacy as new host of
BET’s Sunday
morning inspirational show Joyful Noise. Dr. Bobby Jones has laid an
INCREDIBLE foundation and I’m so ready to continue to BUILD. All I have
to say is LET’S GOOOOOO!”

The
hour-long show will feature a blend of performances from today’s gospel
super stars, rising new artists, powerful personal testimonies, and
insightful man-on-the-street interviews. In addition to a variety of
musical performances, each show will also feature a power-filled
sermonette by one of the nation’s leading pastors. Finally, Joyful Noise will showcase amazing local churches from around the nation, giving
viewers the opportunity to get their hometown church featured on the
show.

In
addition to Tribbett’s new hosting job, the radical singer, songwriter,
and preacher who’s known for his edgy and energetic live performances is
also preparing for his next live recording. The session, titled A Bloody Win, will take place on Friday May 6, at The Redemption Center in Greenville, SC beginning at 7 PM ET. The recording is free and open to the public.
 From the J. Hardy Agency

Barnes, Jenkins, Stampley, et al. to appear in concert for historic college-prep school – April 30

Barnes

The Piney Woods School, one of only four remaining African-American
college-preparatory boarding schools in the country, is hosting its
second annual “Give From Your Heart” scholarship fundraising concert on Saturday, April 30, 2016 at 5 PM at Word and Worship Church, 6286 Hanging Moss Road, Jackson, MS 39206. Tickets ($20 in advance/$25 door) are available at www.pineywoods.org or www.eventbrite.com.

The concert line-up includes Luther Barnes and his band, Pastor
Charles Jenkins, Micah Stampley, hip-hop artist Uncle
Reese, Jermaine Dolly and Lady Erica Donalson. The Piney Woods School
Choir (aka The Cotton Blossoms Singers) will open the program. The event
will be hosted by Willie Moore, Jr., the host of the syndicated radio
program “The Willie Moore Jr. Show” that is heard in 21 markets.

“We’re
very excited,” says radio executive Jerry Smith, one of the event
organizers. “So many artists have offered their support via either a PSA
or donating time to perform at the concert.”

A public service
announcement campaign featuring Jussie Smollett and James T. Alfred from
FOX TV’s drama series Empire and gospel artists ranging from Kirk
Franklin to Candi Staton is in force at radio stations nationwide.

The
Piney Woods School is not an ordinary institution. It is a boarding
school that provides an oasis for students thirsty to escape their rough
environment–over 75% of them hail from lower income neighborhoods
where peer pressure and failing school systems often discourage
learning–to pursue higher education. The Piney Woods School’s rigorous
educational, spiritual and vocational curriculums surround students with
positive peer pressure and 99% of the graduating seniors are admitted
to colleges and universities. The school has been chronicled on 60 Minutes, and U.S. News & World Report profiled it as one of the top
10 boarding schools in the nation. 

From Bill Carpenter

Tye Tribbett gears up for live recording, The Bloody Win, May 6

(Nashville, TN)  Two-time GRAMMY®, Soul Train, Dove and Stellar Award winner Tye Tribbett preps for his next live recording, The Bloody Win.  A powerful and highly in demand artist, Tye’s music ministry is a gift to all who experience it–and on Friday, May 6,
he will unleash a new body of work for his upcoming album release. The
recording will take place at The Redemption Center in Greenville, SC. It’s a free concert, open to the public and is destined to be
life-changing. Doors open at 6 PM, the recording begins at 7 PM.

The
radical singer, songwriter, and preacher who’s known for his edgy and
energetic live performances continues to shatter the mold of what is
traditionally known as gospel music. A true innovator, with one of the
most relevant voices of this generation, Tribbett is set to create a
dynamic new caliber of music.
The recording is the follow-up to Tribbett’s best-selling album Greater Than (Live)
(Motown Gospel) which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums
Chart (four consecutive weeks), #4 on Billboard’s Digital Albums chart,
and #9 on Billboard’s Top 200 (all genres). The success of the album led
to Tribbett earning two GRAMMY® Awards for Best Gospel Album and Best Gospel Song, a Soul Train Music Award for Best Gospel/Inspirational Performance, a GMA Dove Award for Contemporary Gospel/Urban Album of the Year and a Stellar Award win for Male Vocalist of the Year.
From the J. Hardy Agency

"Oh How We Love YOU" – TIFF JOY

“Oh How We Love YOU”
TIFF JOY
From the CD, TIFF JOY (2015)
Walkway Music Group/Tyscot Records


Tiff Joy Oh How We Love You art workBy Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

“Oh How We Love YOU” is the current radio single from TIFF JOY, the Stellar Award-winning singer/songwriter who wrote and performed the hit “Amazing” with Ricky Dillard and New G.

TIFF JOY opens the exultant praise from her self-titled album with an invitation to “put’cho hands together” before directing lyrics of adoration to the Lord.  The beginning lines of which are, “Glory to God in the highest / You are great and greatly (You are greatly to be praised)…”
“Oh How We Love YOU” is co-written by TIFF JOY, Phillip Feaster, Angel Feaster, and Calvin Rodgers.  GMF featured the official lyric video here: Official Lyric Video – “Oh How We Love YOU” – TIFF JOY

Official Lyric Video – "Oh How We Love YOU" – TIFF JOY

Enjoy TIFF JOY’s official lyric video, “Oh How We Love YOU.”  The song–co-written by TIFF JOY, Phillip Feaster, Angel Feaster, and Calvin Rodgers–is the current radio single from her self-titled 2015 full-length project with Walkway Music Group/Tyscot Records.

Pugh leaves Houston’s Lighthouse Church, launches non-profit

Earnest Pugh

Earnest Pugh is ending his tenure as pastor of worship at Lighthouse Church in Houston.

“Pastor Keion Henderson and I mutually agreed that seasons have changed,” Pugh stated in a press release.  “I am moving on to pursue some dreams that have laid dormant in my heart for years.  Our joint efforts of laboring in the vineyard at Lighthouse have been fruitful and we believe God’s best is yet to come for all involved parties.  To God be the glory for the wonderful things He has done, is doing and will do to advance the Kingdom through our lives and ministries.”

In upcoming months, Pugh will launch Vets Rock, a non-profit organization to assist women combat veterans.  A vet himself, the singer is retired from 15 years of active-duty in the Army.  The organization’s official launch on November 21 in Washington, DC will include an “Oh Give Thanks” concert, a Thanksgiving dinner voucher giveaway to 250 vets and their families, and a birthday gala for Pugh.

In addition to establishing Vets Rock, Pugh is reportedly beginning a 50-city tour to commemorate his journey to 50 years of life and more than 20 years in the gospel music industry.

"Let Him Work on You" – Arthur Roland

“Let Him Work on You”
Arthur Roland
From the CD, Stepping Out of Myself (2015)
Nosmoke Records

Arthur Roland Stepping out of myself cover artBy Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

In his self-written and self-produced toe-tapper, Arthur Roland recounts a list of frustrations common to mankind—hard times, failed plans, and bad news.  Then, he urges, “Turn ya life over to Jesus; let Him work on you!”

“Let Him Work on You” is from Roland’s CD Stepping Out of Myself, inspired by the Michael Brown incident.

In 2014, Roland, a 30-year industry veteran, was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame as a member of Lucille Pope and the Pearly Gates.

"Author" – Latice Crawford

“Author”
Latice Crawford
From the upcoming project, Diary of a Church Girl (Available 2016)
Available at iTunes

Author - Latice Crawford - art workBy Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

Hearing Latice Crawford intertwine the lyrics and melody of her current single “Author” is like reading, or listening to, an aural diary.

“Author, please write me better / Potter, mold me better,” she sings.

The fact is, intimately and steadily, Latice delivers the same impressive, impassioned vocal that landed her in the top three on BET Sunday Best 2.

“Author” is the second single from Latice’s forthcoming project, Diary of a Church Girl.