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.

GMF Editor’s Picks of 2013

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

The end of another year is upon us, and 2013 brought with it some wonderful gospel music. Here’s my list of picks for this year.  This list includes only the songs I have reviewed and featured on GMF in 2013.  

LaTonya Earl's "I Run to You" is the GMF editor's pick of 2013.
LaTonya Earl

“I Run to You” 
LaTonya Earl

“He Rescued Me”
Tim Woodson & The Heirs of Harmony


“Won’t Be Like This Always”
PreZ Blackmon

“New Beginnings”
Linda Clark

 
“Joy Comes in the Morning”
 
“Gud 2 Me”
 
“Ready Aim”
“Greater Is Coming”
 

“Heaven”
Changed

“God Brought Us From A Mighty Long Way”
The Yancey Family Singers

History of the Roberta Martin Singers highlighted on Cross Rhythms

Cross Rhythms music editor Tony Cummings charts the history of the Roberta Martin Singers.  Read it here: Roberta Martin Singers: Chicago’s gospel legends of the ’50s and ’60s.

"God Can / You Give Me" [Double Single] – Tim Spady & Inspiration

“God Can / You Give Me” [Double Single]
Tim Spady & Inspiration
From the upcoming CD, Just Believe (Available 2014)
Available on iTunes

Tim Spady & Inspiration art workTim Spady has been making music for most of his 20-something year life. By the time he was a teenager, he was playing for the children’s choir at his aunt’s church and through his college years, he continued to hone his God-given gifts. 

Tim Spady & Inspiration’s double single is the most recent offering—the introduction to their forthcoming project, Just Believe.  “God Can,” an inspirational tune as soothing as its title, features the sultry soprano of Vanessa Williams along with musical stylings reminiscent of the Kurt Carr Singers.  The second single, “You Give Me” featuring Walt Anderson, picks up the tempo and takes it on an urban spin.  Both tracks are right at home among today’s roster of inspirational and contemporary music.

Paul Porter – The Healing Testimony [Video]

Motown Gospel artist Paul Porter, formerly of the Christianaires, shares a powerful testimony of God’s miracle-working power.

Watch as he recalls the long road to recovery from blindness, an aneurysm, and subsequent paralysis.


"Stand Up" – LaJaye Britt

“Stand Up”
LaJaye Britt (2013)
Rebel Hill Music LLC/My Q Music Group
Available on iTunes

LaJaye Britt art work stand up

LaJaye Britt hit the music scene in the 90’s with an R&B single, which partly explains the vibe of his current gospel offering, “Stand Up,” and its occasional Ronald Isley nuances.

For the entire three and a half minutes, the Goldsboro, NC native empowers one to emerge from setbacks and “stand up, stand up…stop lettin’ the devil hold you down.”  Suffice it to say that “Stand Up” runs on a full tank of motivation.

In addition to being a singer/songwriter, producer, and musician, LaJaye is the chief apostle of Kingdom Love Fellowship, Inc., based in LaGrange, NC.

“Noel Noel” – Quebec Celebration Gospel Choir (Video)

"What A Holiday" – Maurice Griffin

“What A Holiday”
Maurice Griffin
From CD, My Holiday (2013)
MGM Chicago Music Group
http://mauricegriffinonline.com

There’s nothing like a feel-good song to get you in the spirit of Christmas, and Maurice Griffin taps into the Memphis soul sound (think Al Green) to do just that.

Griffin’s melismas in “What A Holiday” meet up with a slapping bass and brilliant horns to bring you the same infectious energy that he transmitted to BET Sunday Best 2 viewers when he was a finalist.

The full-length Christmas project, My Holiday, is available at iTunes.

Armstrong Williams says Nelson Mandela was inspired by the music of Shirley Caesar

Peter Cooper On the Gospel Legacy of Nashboro Records

A new disc compiles more than three decades of gospel music released from the Nashboro label.


Read more here.

List of the 56th Grammy Awards Gospel Nominees

From the NARAS 56th Grammy Final Nominations Press List:

Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance
For new vocal gospel/CCM recordings. All sub-genres of gospel/CCM music are eligible.

  1. BREAK EVERY CHAIN [LIVE] Tasha Cobbs
    Track from: Grace [Live] [EMI Gospel/ Motown Gospel]     
  2. HURRICANE Natalie Grant [Curb Records]
  3. LORD, I NEED YOU Matt Maher
    Track from: All The People Said Amen (Live) [Essential Records]
  4. OVERCOMER Mandisa
    Track from: Overcomer [Sparrow Records]
  5. IF HE DID IT BEFORE… SAME GOD [LIVE] Tye Tribbett
    Track from: Greater Than [Live] [Motown Gospel]

Best Gospel Song
A Songwriter(s) Award.  (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

  1. HAVE YOUR WAY
    Calvin Frazier & Deitrick Haddon, songwriters (Deitrick Haddon)
    [RCA Inspiration; Publishers: Deitrick Vaughn Haddon Publishing/Calvin Frazier Publishing]
  2. IF HE DID IT BEFORE… SAME GOD [LIVE] Tye Tribbett, songwriter (Tye Tribbett)
    Track from: Greater Than [Live]
    [Motown Gospel; Publisher: Everything Fresh Entertainment LLC]
  3. IF I BELIEVE
    Wirlie Morris, Michael Paran, Charlie Wilson & Mahin Wilson, songwriters (Charlie Wilson)
    Track from: Love, Charlie
    [RCA Records / P Music Group Inc.; Publishers: Nephew Wirlie Music/EMI Music Publishing/Pacific Coast Pirate Publishing/Mamas Pebbly Publishing]
  4. A LITTLE MORE JESUS
    Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell & Warryn Campbell, songwriters (Erica Campbell)
    [My Block Inc / Eone Music; Publishers: That’s Plum Song-EMI April/It’s Tea Tyme-EMI April/Campbell Kids
  5. STILL Percy Bady, songwriter (Percy Bady Featuring Lowell Pye)
    Track from: Kingdom Inspirations
    [Maranatha! Music/K-Bizz Ent.; Publisher: Kingdom Bizz Songs BMI]

Best Contemporary Christian Music Song
A Songwriter(s) Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

  1. HURRICANE
    Matt Bronleewe, Natalie Grant & Cindy Morgan, songwriters (Natalie Grant)[Curb Records; Publisher: Razor & Tie Music Publishing]
  2. LOVE TAKE ME OVER
    Steven Curtis Chapman, songwriter (Steven Curtis Chapman)Track from: The Glorious Unfolding
    [Reunion Records]
  3. OVERCOMER
    David Garcia, Ben Glover & Christopher Stevens, songwriters (Mandisa)Track from: Overcomer
    [Sparrow Records; Publishers: Ariose Music/9T One Songs/Meaux Mercy/LarryDavid Music/Capitol CMG Publishing/Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing/D Soul Music]
  4. SPEAK LIFE
    Toby McKeehan, Jamie Moore & Ryan Stevenson, songwriters (Tobymac)
    Track from: Eye On It
    [Forefront Records; Publishers: Achtober Songs/EMI CMG Publishing/Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing/Songs Of Emack/Jamnu Music/Hole-Steen Music]
  5. WHOM SHALL I FEAR (GOD OF ANGEL ARMIES) Ed Cash, Scott Cash & Chris Tomlin, songwriters (Chris Tomlin)Track from: Burning Lights
    [sixstepsrecords/Sparrow Records; Publishers: Sixsteps Songs/Worship Together Music/A Thousand Generations Publishing/EMI CMG Publishing/Alletrop Music/McTyeire Music]

Best Gospel Album
For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal gospel recordings.

  1. GRACE [LIVE]
    Tasha Cobbs
    [EMI Gospel/ Motown Gospel]
  2. BEST FOR LAST: 20 YEAR CELEBRATION VOL. 1 [LIVE]
    Donald Lawrence
    [Quietwater Entertainment/EOne]
  3. BEST DAYS YET
    Bishop Paul S. Morton
    [Tehillah Music Group/EOne]
  4. GOD CHASER [LIVE]
    William Murphy[RCA Inspiration/ Verity Gospel Music Group]
  5. GREATER THAN [LIVE]
    Tye Tribbett
    [Motown Gospel] 

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal contemporary Christian music recordings.

  1. WE WON’T BE SHAKEN Building 429
    [Essential Records]
  2. ALL THE PEOPLE SAID AMEN [LIVE] Matt Maher
    [Essential Records]
  3. OVERCOMER Mandisa
    [Sparrow Records]
  4. YOUR GRACE FINDS ME (LIVE) Matt Redman
    [sixstepsrecords/Sparrow Records]
  5. BURNING LIGHTS Chris Tomlin
    [sixstepsrecords/Sparrow Records]