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.

Tommy Couch, Jr. named President Of Malaco Music Group

(Jackson, MS)  The Malaco Music Group, one of the largest U.S. independent
record companies, announces the Board of Director’s election of Thomas
J. Couch, Jr. as the new President and CEO of the company.  Mr. Couch,
currently a Board  member, has been associated with the company for over
15 years.  He started in the Entertainment business at Ole Miss when he
formed a regional booking agency and started the Waldoxy record label
after graduating. 
Mr. Couch succeeds his father, co-founder Thomas Couch, Sr. in that
position. “Tommy was instrumental and took the lead in several of our
acquisitions throughout the years with the most important being the
purchase of 50% interest in Select-O-Hits, the premier independent
record distributor located in Memphis, TN.  In this ever- changing and
challenging Music Business, Tommy has the leadership, experience and
vision to carry Malaco forward,” according to Couch, Sr.
In the past, Malaco’s expansion has included the  purchase of the Savoy
Gospel label in New York and the The Atlanta International Record
Company with Select-O-Hits, as well as the distribution of numerous
other labels including Apollo Records of New York, Muscle Shoals Sound
Records, Jermaine Dupri’s SoSo Def Records,  BeBe and CeCe Winans’ B
& C label  and Warryn Campbell’s My Block Records.

Bishop Harold Ivory Williams to celebrate 2013 birthday with series of services

Bishop Williams

Pastor Shirley Caesar Williams and the Mt.
Calvary Word of Faith Church family invite you to the birthday celebration services for Bishop Harold Ivory Williams.

All services will be held at the church, which is located at 3100 Sanderford Road in Raleigh.

Guests for the celebration are as follows:
 
Wednesday, April 17 – 7:30 PM
Dr. Mable Weaver
Seed Time and Harvest Fellowship, Inc.
Durham, NC 

Thursday, April 18 – 7:30 PM
Bishop Ralph D. Graves
The Gathering Place
Raleigh, NC

Friday, April 19 – 7:30 PM
Pastor Raymond Boney
Victory at Calvary Covenant Ministries
Durham, NC

Sunday, April 21
11 AM
Bishop Harvey L. Rice
Mt. Calvary Holy Church
Salisbury, NC

5:00 PM
Bishop Freddie Marshall
Greater Church of Deliverance
Winston-Salem, NC

Official Video – “Losin’ It” – Mario Brown

Gospel artist Mario Brown has released the second video from his album The Mario Brown Project. 
Mario has had tremendous success with his first single “Glory” which has
been on radio charts for over ten months.

Related Story
“Glory” – Mario Brown

A Touch of Joy’s 3rd Annual Gospel Fashion Dinner Show – April 13

Click to enlarge

BET “Celebration of Gospel” airs this Sunday, April 7

Click to enlarge

You could be the next producer and/or writer for GI’s new album

If you have talent, read on.
If
you are a music producer and/or songwriter, here is your chance to have
your work possibly featured on Stellar & Dove Award nominated trio
GI’s next album!! GI is looking for creative, original material to be
used for their upcoming album!



Read the official statement from GI below:



“Good people! We are excited to announce that this week we start on our 3rd album! We’re looking for producers/songwriters for our new album.



If you think you’ve got what it takes send your HOTTEST and most ORIGINAL tracks (it can be music/or music & lyrics) to [email protected].  If
you are only a songwriter, email your contact information and the label
will send you tracks to write to. Any questions on style, direction,
etc. can also be emailed. This opportunity will only be available from April 3rd to May 3rd, so be sure to hurry and get you submissions in! Also, be sure to include your contact information (name, phone number, and email address) when submitting material.”

It's GMF's Second Anniversary!

Today GMF celebrates two years of being your “red hot spot for all things gospel,” and I am deeply thankful for the support of every subscriber, reader, artist, media colleague, and social media follower.

As we enter into year three, continue to keep GMF lifted as we keep on uplifting and advancing gospel music.  As the old hymn line goes, “Every round goes higher and higher.”

With heartfelt gratitude,

Libra Boyd, Founder & Editor
2013 Rhythm of Gospel Nominee – Internet Media Group of the Year

"B A Beacon (Se' Un Faro)" – Everett Drake

“B A Beacon (Se’ Un Faro)”
Everett Drake
From the CD, Amen Goes Right There! (2011)
Dherico Music

Everett Drake cover art

It’s not often that you get to hear something like “B A Beacon (Se’ Un Faro)” from Everett Drake.  The reason is that he’s usually seen churning out more traditional tunes with Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones and the Nashville Super Choir.  With songs like this quick-paced Latin jazz piece though, Drake shows that he’s quite capable of writing (along with the project’s producer Derrick Lee) and performing a diverse repertoire of gospel and inspirational music. 

Vocalist Kyla Jade and trumpeter Rod McGaha join Drake on “B A Beacon (Se’ Un Faro)” urging, “B A beacon, let your light shine!” 

"The Blood" – Divas Redemption f. Paul Smith

“The Blood”
Divas Redemption featuring Paul Smith
From the CD, I Finally Made It (2010)
Jay St. Records

Divas Redemption

Alternating staccato lines and the promise of victory in Jesus Christ are the highlights of Divas Redemption featuring Paul Smith’s performance of the Benny Hill-penned ballad “The Blood” from their CD, I Finally Made It.

Smith and the Divas (an acronym for Divinely Inspired Victoriously Appointed) melodically narrate the revelation of Jesus Christ to John of Patmos in such a way that one envisions the glorious scene of the first resurrection unfolding right before one’s eyes: “How John said he looked…and he saw a number that no man could number…”

Hailing from New Jersey, Divas Redemption featuring Paul Smith (of the Brower Brothers) continue on to testify that the Blood of Jesus “will set you free!”

Tracy Randall: Surviving Cancer & Prepping for Video Shoot of Single “It Feels Good”

((New York, NY)  Lavish Records artist Tracy Randall is heading south–not to escape the Big Apple’s cold spring–but to shoot a music video
for his inspiring new radio single “It Feels Good.” The song reflects
his upbeat attitude about life and his health. In 2006, he was diagnosed
with leukemia and after aggressive rounds of chemo and radiation
therapy, his doctors conceded defeat and gave him just months to live.
He fought back by strengthening his faith, changing his attitude and
improving his diet so that he could live to provide for his wife and
children. He says that still being alive makes him feel good and that’s
the message of his new feel good Jeep beat.

“I opened up my
eyes and thanked God for a new day,” Randall sings on the up-beat
R&B styled song. “I’ve been blessed in so many ways if I wanted to
write `em down there wouldn’t be enough pages.”

The song comes from his
sophomore CD Troubled Times that features fourteen tracks of what he
calls Rhythm & Gospel. “It’s gospel music,” Randall explains. “But
it has that urban R&B beat.” Visit https://soundcloud.com/tracy-randall/it-feels-good-so-good-tracy to stream the song on SoundCloud.

“I
don’t want people to think that I no longer have the illness,” Randall
says of the cancer. “I have pain and depression. There are times that
I don’t sleep for two days because I am afraid to sleep. However, my
faith has grown tremendously. I am still learning and growing. I still
get mad and ask God, `why me?’ If this can be gone from me, then let it
be. Yet, He touched my soul and I am still here. I am honored to speak
on his behalf as a servant. The fact that He can cancel out what man can
say about you, is pretty amazing.”

The video shoot by Regulus
Films & Entertainment begins Saturday, March 30 at 8 PM, at the
Koinonia Church, 1001 West Plant Street in Wintergarden, FL. Gary
Brown is the producer/video director and Alejandro Fuenmayor is the
videographer.

The Lake Charles, LA native grew up on a musical
diet of Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder. After completing his
undergraduate degree from LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Randall was
signed to the Isley Brothers’ T-Neck/Island Records label. After
Universal/Polygram took over the company in 1999, he left to start
Lavish Records. He released his first gospel CD Sinners Have Souls Too
in 2007 and has done a lot of behind the scenes work in the music
industry. Randall co-wrote four songs on Shaggy’s Grammy Award nominated Summer in Kingston CD that reached #1 on Billboard’s Top Reggae
Albums chart in 2012.