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.

A Celebration Fit for a Queen!

Bishop Harold I. Williams presents his wife, Pastor Shirley Caesar, 
as the newly crowned “Queen of Gospel.”
 

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

“Mahalia Jackson is gone, but we have Shirley Caesar!” shouted longtime Caesar Singer, Bernard Sterling to a capacity crowd at Mount Calvary Word of Faith Church.  “We’re gonna love her while she’s here!”

A jubilant ovation erupts.  It was one of many during the five hour salute.

Every pew was packed and folding chairs were filled inside the 1500 seat sanctuary Sunday night as its pastor, Shirley Caesar, was crowned “Queen of Gospel.” 

The symbolic crown–previously worn by greats Mahalia Jackson and Albertina Walker–was passed to Walker’s protégé Caesar, whose accolades include 11 Grammy, 13 Stellar, and 18 Dove Awards; McDonald’s Golden Circle and SESAC Lifetime Achievement Awards; and induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

Throughout the celebratory musical, no less than 14 performers paid tribute with several of Her Majesty’s hits like “Jesus, I Love Calling Your Name,” “Heaven,” and the perennial favorite, “No Charge.”  Pastor Caesar smiled, clapped, swayed, and occasionally stood in awe.

Even the youngest generation of gospel singers was well represented in the persons of twelve year-old Michael Boone, nine year-old Rev. Leniyus Sullivan, and eight year-old Symone “Baby Shirley” Spencer.

Also in the house as a surprise guest was Douglas Miller, whose classic “My Soul Has Been Anchored” ripened the atmosphere for a praise break.

In the styling of the British monarchy, Sunday’s coronation followed similar protocols such as Pastor Caesar being anointed with oil (left) by Bishop Harold I. Williams, Patriarch of the Mount Calvary Holy Church of America, Inc.  Dressed in an exquisite floor-length gown with dainty gold accents, the ageless beauty then rose to receive the charge from Evangelist Carolyn Sanders.  Following the charge and presentation of the Holy Bible, master of ceremony Jerry Smith of Radio One crowned Pastor Caesar, as the title “Queen of Gospel” was bestowed.  To a thunderous standing ovation, she was given a bouquet of flowers and presented with more gifts, including a trophy.

As the long evening drew to a close, Queen Shirley took to the lectern, graced the congregation with “Strong Man”–sprinkling a sermonette over its chorus–and expressed heartfelt gratitude along with a sobering exhortation.

“I charge you tonight,” she urged, “as many as who stand on my shoulders…walk holy…live holy….Live what you sing.  Live what you preach and teach.”

_________________________________
 
From left to right: twelve year-old Michael Boone sings “No Charge,” eight year-old Symone Spencer performs “Jesus, I Love Calling Your Name,” and nine year-old Rev. Leniyus Sullivan delivers the Caravans’ “Lord Keep Me Day By Day.”
 
Grammy-winning producer Sanchez Harley recalls how Pastor Caesar orchestrated an opportunity for him to produce on her 1983 gospel album Sailin’, which garnered a Grammy.  After citing Caesar as his favorite singer, he adds, “That [crown] is not an imaginary token crown. She is the Queen–the real deal.”
 
 

Jerry Smith, of Radio One’s The Light 103.9FM, prepares to crown Pastor Caesar as Bishop Williams and Bernard Sterling look on.

 
 
The newly crowned “Queen of Gospel” receives more gifts including a framed commemorative announcement of the ceremony and a trophy presented by Dr. Mildred Summerville (second from left), on behalf of The Diamond Club.
 
 
 
 
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Lecrae, Burrell, Franklin win at 43rd Dove Awards

Lecrae

Lecrae, Kim Burrell, and Kirk Franklin were among a diverse list of winners at this year’s 43rd annual GMA Dove Awards, held April 19, at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre.  Vocalists Deitrick Haddon and Richard Smallwood also took home honors for Urban Album of the Year and Traditional Gospel Album of the Year, respectively.

See the complete list of winners here: 43rd Annual GMA Dove Award Winners.

GMF Anniversary Giveaway! (April 27)

Today wraps up the month-long celebration of GMF’s first anniversary.  Thank you for joining in the celebration and thank you for reading Gospel Music Fever.  As we enter our second year of being your “RED HOT blog spot for all things gospel,” we look forward to continuing to bring you news, interviews, articles, reviews and more on your favorite gospel artists.

Here is today’s trivia:

In September 2011, GMF quoted this renowned gospel singer, who called national singing aggregation the Yancey Family “the best kept secret in Granville County [NC].”  She also features them as songwriters and lead vocalists on her current CD.

4/30/12 1:06 PM EST – Congratulations to Joyce Thorpe who was the first to email us with the correct answer: Dorothy Norwood.  You can read a bit more about the Yancey Family here.

Be the first to email the correct answer to [email protected] and receive the Yancey Family’s CD, All in One.

The Best of Elder Goldwire McLendon – Elder Goldwire McLendon

Elder Goldwire McLendon
The Best of Elder Goldwire McLendon
Music World Gospel (2012)
www.musicworldent.com/artists/eldergoldwire

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

Many viewers of BET’s Sunday Best 3 were captivated by Elder Goldwire McLendon from the moment he mesmerized judges Donnie McClurkin, Kim Burrell, and Tina Campbell at his audition with the Gaither hymn “He Touched Me.”  He went on to delight audiences every week with his velvet vocals and “soft-shoe shuffle” when the Spirit moved him.  Ultimately, the elder and former pastor became the runner-up to Le’Andria Johnson in the finale.  The fans he picked up along the way have anxiously awaited the release of his new project–The Best of Elder Goldwire McLendon–which features seven new recordings of the songs he wowed audiences with throughout the music contest.

At 81 years old, Elder McLendon may be new to the broader gospel community, but he is a legend in Philadelphia, where he was a member of Savoy recording group The Savettes, and where he was honored at Philadelphia’s First Annual Living Legend Music Awards (alongside Chubby Checker, Dee Dee Sharp, and Billy Paul).

Certainly, Elder McLendon has the skill and anointing to invoke the Holy Spirit’s presence.  It was a younger Goldwire McLendon who sang at the 1970 funeral of Ruth Davis, lead singer of the Golden Era gospel group, The Davis Sisters.  According to Anthony Heilbut’s book, The Gospel Sound, when he sang “Just to Behold His Face,” gospel icon Clara Ward “fell out, hollering long, loud, eminently musical shrieks.”

If there’s a number on The Best of Elder Goldwire McLendon that could create a similar effect, I imagine it would be “The Battle Is the Lord’s,” especially if it were to be experienced live.  “Jesus Be A Fence Around Me” may not make you fall out, but hand-clapping, toe-tapping, and head-bobbing are probable.  It’s in the vamp especially, that Elder McLendon rhythmically riffs over a funky organ driven musical backdrop, inserting phrases like “can’t no devil penetrate that fence” and “don’t leave no gap in between Lord.”

Not surprisingly, McLendon is very much at home with hymns, as is obvious by his equal parts simple and stirring rendition of “How Great Thou Art,” over lone piano accompaniment, and by his polished tenor on the traditional “I Know It Was the Blood.”  On the latter, he swings occasionally into a deliciously sweet falsetto before taking you to church in the vamp.  He does similarly on his cover of Edwin Hawkins’ “O Happy Day.”  Also for your listening and swaying pleasure are his covers of Alvin Darling’s “He’s All Over Me” and “I’ll Take You There,” popularized by the Staples Singers.  

With clean production by Stanley Brown and the tunes that kept the elder at the top week after week, my only disappointment is that this isn’t a live project with a companion DVD.

Favorites
“How Great Thou Art” – “I Know It Was the Blood” – “O Happy Day”

Fever Meter
SMOKIN’ (4 of 5 Stars)

Shirley Caesar to be crowned this Sunday

Click flyer to enlarge

“El’gebra” – Bryan Wilson

“El’gebra”
Bryan Wilson
From the digital-only EP, Bryan’s Back (2012)
www.bryanwilson.com

Bryan Wilson became an immediate pre-teen gospel sensation after his performance of “His Eye is on the Sparrow” with the Mississippi Children’s Choir in 1994.  After 18 years and several projects, accomplishments, and a university degree, Wilson is back with a digital-only extended play (EP) release aptly titled, Bryan’s Back.  The six-song project features the contemporary christian tune “El’gebra.”

Citing that “El” means God in Hebrew and “Algebra” is derived from an Arabic word meaning restoration, Wilson presents “El’gebra” as his term for restoration with God.  In the mid-tempo guitar driven song, Wilson creatively uses math concepts to express his love for Jesus.

“I didn’t add up…You made me equal when Your love subtracted all my evil….And then You multiplied Your favor….Now it’s You and I forever,” he sings.  Wilson’s full length CD is scheduled for release later this year. 

Besides singing, Wilson is also a minister.  On April 28, he will be elevated to the office of Apostle of the Bapolstogic Movement, Inc., a non-profit organization that he founded.

“The goal is to win souls with love, signs and passion,” says Wilson. “It’s a movement to make ride or die witnesses for Jesus Christ. It’s an infusion of doctrines I learned from the Baptist, COGIC, Apostolic and Deliverance denominations. I also studied Jewish history at Princeton Theological Seminary as a master’s of divinity student and have re-inserted that into the Christianity we practice. After all, Christianity is a Jewish religion but we’ve gotten away from that and I want to bring that culture back.”

Y’Anna Crawley to host uGospel’s first official on-air show

Y’Anna Crawley

Stellar Award winner and Sunday Best Season 2 champ Y’Anna Crawley is gearing up to host uGospel Radio’s first official on-air show.  Tentatively called “Billboard Top 20 Countdown with Y’Anna Crawley,” the program will feature the powerhouse chatting it up each Tuesday about gospel’s top songs as she plays them.  The show premieres Tuesday, April 24, at 2 PM EST on www.uGospel.com.

“When I was presented with the opportunity to host my very own show on uGospel Radio, I was honored to see ‘My Promise’ being fulfilled again,” comments Y’Anna.  “Radio is an area that I’ve expressed to my manager for some time that I’m interested in tackling. With the expansion of my brand by partnering with Khalif M. Townes and uGospel.com, who is one of the leading internet outlets for news and information for our genre, I’m excited and grateful.  We’re working on a few features that will make things fun, interesting and relevant, as well as keeping the listeners informed. This is gonna be great!”

Townes

Y’Anna’s powerful voice and stage presence earned her the win on BET’s Sunday Best in 2009.  This year, she brought home the Stellar Award for New Artist of the Year.  Presently, Y’Anna is at work on music for her second project.

uGospel and Khalif M. Townes, CEO/Founder of Urban Roundup Group, LLC, launched uGospel Radio last month. The online radio station now broadcasts live from Townes’ website, uGospel.com.  As an officially licensed ASCAP, BMI and SESAC internet radio station, all music played on the site will generate respected royalties to the artists.

John Thorpe and the Thorpe Family Anniversary Concert – April 21

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GMF Anniversary Giveaway! (April 20)

The giveaways for Gospel Music Fever’s first anniversary continue today as well as next Friday!  Are you ready to put your (re)search skills to work?

Here’s this week’s question:

In August 2011, GMF covered the appreciation musical honoring gospel singer John K. Thorpe for his community involvement and dedication to the advancement of gospel music.  Besides performing with his family, Thorpe is also affiliated with what NJ area singing group?

Be the first to email the correct answer to [email protected], and receive John Thorpe and the Thorpe Family’s brand new CD release, John Thorpe and the Thorpe Family “Live” with Dr. Bobby Jones.

"Free" – Tim Bowman, Jr.

“Free”
Tim Bowman, Jr.
From the upcoming CD, Beautiful (Available April 24, 2012)
www.timbowmanjr.com

Tim Bowman, Jr. scatted his way to notoriety on his aunt Vickie Winans’ radio hit, “How I Got Over.”  Now the 22 year-old Wayne State University pharmacy student–whose father is the renowned jazz guitarist Tim Bowman, Sr.–is stepping again to the forefront of the music scene with “Free,” the current single from his own soon-to-be-released CD, Beautiful.

“Free is a song that is very dear to me because it is a song that I can relate to myself,” says Bowman, who penned the inspirational song with producer/composer Josh Davis.  “As a young person in a traditional church setting where things are sometimes so cookie cutter or strict, it kinda makes it a little challenging for young people my age to express themselves as it relates to their way of worshipping God.  So this song just simply declares that I’m free to worship, free to shout, free to dance without any restraints or reservations. I want all of my music to cause people to feel again and to be liberated to worship God. So I encourage everyone to declare and walk in your freedom.”

Beautiful drops April 24, and features guest appearances by Vickie Winans and Dorinda Clark Cole.  Marvin Winans, Sr. sits in the producer’s chair for a medley on the 13-track set.