Melvin Crispell, III spreads Christmas cheer with ‘The First Noel’

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

Melvin Crispell, III releases single titled "The First Noel.

Since winning the ninth season of BET’s Sunday Best, Melvin Crispell, III has made waves as a solo artist who connects to the present generation of gospel music lovers while embracing a rich musical heritage passed down to him from his late parents, composer Melvin Crispell, Jr. and singer Tunesha Crispell. This year, in the spirit of the Yuletide season, the Grammy-nominated gospel artist delightedly released his latest holiday single, “The First Noel.”

In his heartfelt rendition, Melvin imbues the traditional Christmas carol with the spirit of a worship leader, softly and tenderly at first—as if serenading the Christ Child himself, before his tenor voice soars in adoration of the King of Israel. Melvin was intent on creating a seasonal piece that broke free from the monotony of recycled holiday music, and he teamed up with producer Chuck Butler to make it happen. 

“There were a few song choices that came across for Christmas,” Melvin shared with GMF by phone recently. “There were a lot of different ones that had been done over and over again for years. And so we were trying to figure out a good one that not many people have done before, or not many people have redone recently. And so we came across ‘The First Noel’ and thought, this will be an amazing take on a Christmas classic.” 

Melvin also had the privilege to perform the single on the “Stellar Tribute to the Holidays,” an experience he describes fondly.

“To be able to take [the single] and almost immediately [have] the opportunity to perform at the Stellar Christmas special, that was absolutely amazing. I got to see so many friends and familiar faces, and we all came together to have a good time and just do what we do best.”

 “The First Noel” is available on all digital outlets. Additionally, you can catch Melvin’s performance on the “Stellar Tribute to the Holidays.” For TV airdates and times specific to your state, please visit stellarawards.com.

In an upcoming feature, Melvin talks to GMF about his current project (No Failure), Grammy award nomination, and legacy of faith.

Director Michael Gentry discusses creating ‘Gospel In Person’ documentary

Michael Gentry, creator, producer, and director of Gospel In Person documentary

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Erin Ganey-Hill, cultural arts program director at Kirby Cultural Arts Complex, had an idea, recounts Michael Gentry.

Over the years, Erin had witnessed how the community celebrated Black gospel music and its singers in their small city of Roxboro (population, roughly 8,100) and throughout Person County. Several quartet-styled groups regularly booked the Kirby to host their singing anniversaries or major programs, and Erin and the Person County Arts Council envisioned a project that would pay homage to the valuable legacy of music and culture in the community.

“Erin’s goal was to talk about the history of gospel [music], but from the standpoint of quartets,” Michael explains. “She wanted to celebrate the history of that [in Person County] and [the impact its] singers had.”

The culminating result is a feature-length documentary titled Gospel In Person. It premieres on Father’s Day at the Kirby Theater. Michael is the film’s creator, producer, and director.

Map of NC with Person County highlighted
Image Credit | Amy Rudersdorf

Gospel In Person chronicles over eight decades of the rich Black gospel music history found in Person County, located in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, along Virginia’s border. Much of the history is told by the singers themselves, many of whom still travel the circuit singing God’s praises. In their vivid accounts, they also reminiscence about area legends who are no longer with us, such as Roosevelt Whitfield of the pioneering Silver Moon Quartet and his son, prolific singer and multi-instrumentalist Michael Whitfield; Martha Pettiford of the Joylettes; Leroy Cash of the Spiritual Lights; Victor Hester of another pioneering group, the Traveling Sextet; Willie Carrington of the Mighty Harmonaires; and many more. Additionally, the film features classic performances of the Mighty Gospel Travelers, Original True Lights, Spiritual Lights, Mighty Prophets, Joylettes, and others. And although they may not be household names beyond the region, their impact has created ripple effects throughout the broader gospel music scene, as their stories reveal.

Michael grew up in Person County and in church. Admittedly, he was more interested in playing basketball as a youngster than attending weekend gospel music programs. His parents, on the other hand, “know all about this music scene,” he asserts. “This is what they grew up in. Of course, as I grew in Christ and grew in ministry, as God had told me that my work would be in Person County, I developed an interest in wanting to get to know [some of these singers’ stories]. I just didn’t know that I would be called upon to do this.

The calling of which he speaks came about after Erin took notice of Just Love In Person, an organization Michael co-founded that is committed to strengthening Person County through acts of service powered by love. One way the organization does this is by sharing first-person narratives of people in the community with webisodes fittingly called “Just Love Stories.” The web series piqued Erin’s interest so much so that she jotted Markeith Gentry’s name down to contact about her idea. Markeith is the head of Gentry Visuals multimedia publishing company, the official publisher of Just Love In Person’s “Just Love Stories” series. He is also Michael’s younger brother. In the meantime, she ran it by fellow arts council board member Kim Hargrove. 

“So it just so happens that Erin asked Kim one day, ‘Hey, do you know Markeith Gentry? I need to find a way to get in touch with him,’” Michael recalls. What Erin did not know, he says, is Kim “is like my brother’s second mother.” 

It turns out Markeith’s schedule was full, but he had already been showing his big brother the ropes when it came to videography. Erin and Michael finally met in March 2022 and began developing the project.

The first Sunday in June, Michael visited New Hope Person Missionary Baptist Church in south-central Person County to invite its pastor to appear on “Just Love Stories.” “I went to the church—this is after I had met with Erin—and of course, who do I see? Dr. Libra Boyd. And that’s when I told you about this idea that the Kirby had. And you got on your phone, pulled up several pictures, and said, ‘Here are the people you have to contact. Here are some of the older groups.’”

One of the first people Michael contacted was David Ramsey, a renowned singer and bass guitarist who has been a member of several of the groups discussed in the Gospel In Person film. He is also a longtime radio personality and host of the David Ramsey Gospel Show on WRXO 1430 AM / WKRX 96.7 FM. “I started with David Ramsey, and he’s just a gold mine of knowledge.”

You’re going to
see a lot of things
that were not in
the stories we’ve
already [released]. . . .
We have not released
any information on
Facebook or in
these concerts about
maybe the most
talented gospel
singer in Person
County history.

Ambitiously, he went on to conduct interviews with more than 60 people for Gospel In Person and estimates working on the project an average of eight hours every day for just over one year. “But my soul was getting fed. My knowledge was being increased. So it was a labor of love—emphasis on love, not labor.” Still, the most demanding task may have been condensing nearly 100 hours of accumulated interview and archival footage into a suitable documentary length for one sitting. Gospel In Person runs approximately three hours and is divided into three parts. “From a quartet standpoint, you’re talking about probably 85 years of history.” 

And even though the film focuses on singers of the quartet style, both choirs and churches are acknowledged in this body of work because “all the quartets, for the most part, come directly from a church choir,” he points out. “They were in the choirs, even though they were singing full-time, you know, every weekend, all evening long. They were always in their churches on Sunday morning.”

Another eye-opener, one that blew him away as he collected stories and listened to audio and video recordings, was, “I believe all of these groups could have been professional. Traveling the country. Famous. And I think had these groups been in a larger city, they would have been. . . . You know, they weren’t just ‘Roxboro’ good. They weren’t just ‘North Carolina’ good. They were awesome. But not only that; they had relationships with professional groups. . . . ‘I’m coming through North Carolina. Can I come stay at your house?’ (laughs) The professionals knew them. Some of these singers were singing alongside professionals before they were professionals.” 

The Gospel In Person documentary rounds out the “Gospel In Person” series, which since the fall of 2022 has featured live concert performances of MG Music Group, the Torain Family, Just Us Guys, the Spiritual Lights, the Mighty Harmonaires, and John Thorpe and Truth. Concertgoers were treated to short documentaries spotlighting the headliners, but Michael is quick to emphasize that the full-length documentary is a new release and not a stringing together of the previously released short docs. “You’re going to see a lot of things that were not in the stories we’ve already [released]. . . . We have not released any information on Facebook or in these concerts about maybe the most talented gospel singer in Person County history.”

“Historic and monumental” is how the talented producer and director describes the significance of Gospel In Person; and yet, his prayers and hopes for it are profoundly humble.

“My prayer for [Gospel In Person] has been that it moves people spiritually because that’s [Just Love In Person’s] assignment; our assignment is to make a spiritual impact. I pray that it gets folks saved, revitalizes people, strengthens the spiritual work of quartets in Person County, and continues to strengthen the church community. I hope it encourages the active quartets to continue the work they’re doing and realize they’ve made an impact. And then my prayer is that people can know, understand, and appreciate what exists in our community. We have greatness all throughout. I hope people understand what is in these roots and see it as their responsibility to continue to feed these roots by producing more greatness. My main prayer is that God is glorified and the people are encouraged.

“I’m grateful that God called me to the work because it is, to me, it’s been the most important thing that I’ve really ever worked on.”

Flyer for Gospel In Person documentary film

Gospel In Person premieres Sunday, June 18, at Kirby Theater on 213 N. Main Street in Roxboro. Showtimes are 1 pm and 5:30 pm. Admission is FREE. GMF’s Libra Boyd appears in the film.

Editor’s Note: The group pictured on the graphic is The Mighty Gospel Travelers. Seated from left to right are the late Michael Whitfield, David Ramsey, and Stacey Pettiford. Standing from left to right are the late James Lunsford, Rev. McArthur Pettiford, the late Victor Hester, the late Burley Pettiford, and the late Freddie McGhee.

Kelontae Gavin talks new music, sharing his platform, and ‘the necessity of being alone’

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

Kelontae Gavin

Kelontae Gavin was only a high school freshman in 2014 when a cafeteria worker captured him on video singing Rev. Paul Jones’ popularized version of “I Won’t Complain.” The South Carolina native was already such a force that when the video was posted on social media, it spread with virality.

Just nine years later, Kelontae has Billboard charting music—including the single “No Ordinary Worship”—over 55 million audio streams, two full-length albums (The N.O.W. Experience and The Higher Experience), and a Stellar Award. He is set to release his third album, Testify, this summer. The first two singles from it, “Live Again” and “Good Love” have already dropped. It might appear that his music career is progressing at lightning speed. 

When I caught up with Kelontae, he had just performed at the 8th Annual Black Music Honors, a star-studded celebration of music legends including this year’s gospel honorees, The Hawkins Family. He took some time to talk with GMF about music, mentoring, and maturing.

First off, I love the new single “Live Again”! It represents a fresh start and the joy of being able to walk into a new beginning. That being said, what fresh start(s) are you celebrating?

One fresh start that I am celebrating is I just launched a worship mentorship for worship leaders and aspiring artists—those who have the big dreams, but they’re from small towns. You know, many of us come from small churches or smaller ministries where we don’t really have the facilitators to help us grow in our gifts. And so I wanted to be the lifeline for worship leaders that have felt like the communities that they’ve served have overlooked them. It is not really the case, it’s just God develops us in the dark. And those who may have felt like you are unseen, you are seen, like, you got all of heaven backing you up! And God has given them gifts that are beyond their last name, that are beyond where they come from. And so the “live again” for me is being the platform for somebody else.

So, yeah, let’s talk about platforms. You have multiple #1s on Billboard and Mediabase Gospel charts, and you’ve earned a Stellar Award so far. How do these achievements fit in with what you envisioned at this stage for your platform of music and ministry?

Yeah, I would have, like, I don’t even know if the little boy in me knew that I would even be answering a question like this. Everything that I have, God gave it to me. Every place that I’ve been, God took me. Everything that I know, God has placed people in my life to help teach me. And the awards are just the consequence, the byproduct of my relationship with God, of trusting God and knowing that the gifts and talents that He has given me are not just to shine my light, but it’s also for people to see his light.

“Live Again” is the first single from your upcoming album. “Good Love” is the second one. What is it that we absolutely must know about the full-length project that drops later this year? What can we expect?

Yeah, Testify is gonna be incredible! And Testify is the name of my upcoming album that is dropping. Testify is an album that is a collaboration of worship songs and life songs that you will hear and you can sing that will not just be a testimony to you, but be a testimony for others as well [of] just how great our God is. I’m so excited that people will get the opportunity to purchase and download and stream and even share with other people. This record is special. It’s another baby of mine that I’m birthing out for the world to hear and just be changed and encouraged.

Kelontae Gavin seated

A final thought as we’ve talked mentoring, music, and testimonies:  If your life were a book, what wisdom would a chapter titled, “The Maturing of Kelontae Gavin” contain?

Man, if my life were a book, I would say that the wisdom in that chapter of “The Maturing of Kelontae Gavin”…I would just talk about the fear of being different. We all want a crew, we want friends. We wanna belong to something, we wanna run with the herd. But as I am growing and maturing as a man, I’m realizing that some of the greatest leaders in the world and leaders in the Word of God were lonely, or felt lonely, or practiced the art of being alone. And many people don’t understand that true leadership is evolved, nurtured, developed—not when everybody’s applauding, but when you’re by yourself looking in the mirror to your core [at] who you are. Do you love who you are when there is no best friend, when there is no marriage, when you’re not dating, when you didn’t get the promotion? So I think a chapter on maturing would definitely entail a lesson called “The Necessity of Being Alone.”

Wow, man! If you were to write it, I would certainly read it. It would be profoundly introspective.

What else would you like to share with GMF?

I would say get the album! I’m so excited about Testify! Subscribe to my YouTube channel: I Am Kelontae Gavin. [I’m] dropping some new heat, some exclusive releases and videos, and I’m just excited. And of course, follow me on Instagram @kelontae_gavin, Facebook @Kelontae Gavin, and stay locked in for all that I have going on in my life, my journey, and on the road.

Singing policeman Mervin Mayo releases Christmas tune and video

Singing policeman Mervin Mayo

The last two years have been a whirlwind for Richmond, Virginia policeman, Mervin Mayo, who became a viral sensation when his impromptu church rehearsal of a Marvin Sapp song garnered over a million Facebook views in 2020. The surprise fete also earned him coverage on CNN’s Headline News channel and a record deal with Tyscot Records. Earlier this year, he dropped “The Best Friend” which has already amassed a million digital streams, and now he’s heralding an original holiday song, “Christmas Time is Here” (Mervin Mayo / God’s Glory / Tyscot).

On the romantic ballad, Mayo celebrates both the sacred and secular aspects of the holiday season. His robust tenor bounces off an uplifting suite of strings, piano, and a soft backing choir. Producer Jeremy James (who’s worked with a variety of artists ranging from The Clark Sisters to Mali Music) combines the perfect balance of urban condiments with the bells and whistles that usually accompany yuletide tracks. It’s a welcome addition to the urban canon of seasonal melodies such as Stevie Wonder’s “Someday at Christmas” and The Jackson 5’s “Give Love on Christmas Day.”  

Music has always been a solace for Mayo who was raised by a single mother in Richmond’s tough Creighton Court housing projects where killings were regular happenings. His father was a heroin addict who was in and out of jail most of his life. “When I look back, I grew up in the wild wild West, but I didn’t know it was,” he says. A now-retired police officer, Curtis Simmons, became a role model to Mayo as a teenager and inspired him to become a policeman, a gig he’s held since 2005. “I said if I ever become a police officer, I want to do for others what he did for me,” he says. 

Throughout his life, Mayo has sung for fun. He grew up singing in church. As an adult he sang with the regional R&B group, CHARM  (Cool, Handsome, Attractive, Romantic, Men), and then later with the gospel group, CHANGED. In 2020, he was at his church singing Marvin Sapp’s “The Best in Me” and someone posted it on Facebook. In days, the video had gone viral, and the post eventually garnered a million views. A Tyscot Records exec spotted him and signed him up. 

Now, Mayo has a larger platform to share his music and to also spread the word that there are more good police than bad. “People want to think police are trigger-happy,” he says. “The last thing a police officer wants to do is shoot somebody because if you shoot somebody your career is done forever. That’s not what the average policeman wants. They just want to make it home.”

– From a media release

For Person County’s Torains, singing is a family affair

The Torain Family is presently comprised of third and fourth generation relatives. Victor (far left) is the group’s longest active member.

Sponsored by the Kirby Cultural Arts Complex – Fifty-four years ago, 30-ish year-old Frances Torain formed a singing group with her family that would go on to delight audiences throughout northern Piedmont North Carolina and South-Central Virginia. Now with its fourth generation and a new single on deck, the quartet-styled ensemble known simply as The Torain Family is next up to be featured in concert as part of the Kirby Cultural Arts Complex’s “Gospel In Person” series.

“Gospel In Person” is a multipart celebration of the rich Black gospel music history found in North Carolina’s rural Person County, located in the Piedmont region along Virginia’s border. The schedule of events includes live concert performances and a documentary feature film to round out the series.

A Five-Plus-Decade Family Affair

The Torain Family’s beginnings as a singing aggregation date back to 1968, with its earliest members being Frances Torain and her twin brother Frank, along with their siblings Thomas (also a founding member of the St. Luke Gospel Singers the year before), Catherine, Becky, Barbara, and nephew Victor. The family’s matriarch Myrtle also joined in and remained a part of the singing group for 15 years or so. The early years progressed, bringing in another sibling, Ponzell, and eventually yet another, Nathaniel. 

Presently, The Torain Family lineup is comprised of its third and fourth generation of singers and musicians. With the passing of their beloved founding member and lead singer Frances in 2016, Victor became the group’s longest active member and is also the primary lead singer. Alongside him to spread the gospel message in song are several other relatives including Michelle Torain, Kizzy Torain, Sterling Torain, Antonio Torain, Makiyh Allen, and Franklin Torain, who serves as the music director. Their current single is titled “Over There,” with Kizzy on the lead mic. Before that, they released “The Train,” a single in memory of Frances, whose interpretation of the Meditation Singers’ “Don’t You Want to Go” was an audience favorite (see GMF’s music review).

Known for their rustic, churchy singing style, The Torain Family’s concert performance is sure to be a celebration of gospel as well as a homage to Frances and other family on whose shoulders they stand. The event, presented by the Kirby Cultural Arts Complex in partnership with Just Love In Person community service organization and Gentry Visuals production company, takes place at the Kirby Theater in Roxboro, NC, on Saturday, December 3, 2022, at 6 PM. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/19211/kirby-cultural-arts-complex/.

The Torain Family at their 41st anniversary, pictured with their founder, Frances Torain
The Torain Family is pictured at their 41st singing anniversary in 2012. Frances Torain, founding member, is seated second from left. | From the Torain Family Singers Facebook Group

Appearance in Gospel In Person Documentary

In addition to their upcoming concert, The Torain Family’s contributions to Person County’s gospel music landscape are highlighted in the documentary, Gospel In Person, set to premiere in June 2023. According to Michael Gentry, the film’s creator and producer, Gospel In Person “will tell the history of the great musical anointing that has rested upon Person County.”

“I admire all of the groups and individuals I have interviewed for this documentary,” says Gentry, “but the Torain family has a special place in my heart because they are indeed a family. The late Frances Torain started the group with her siblings and her mother. By the names that were mentioned throughout the interview, I count at least eight siblings who were members at some point in time, which by itself is incredible.”

He continues, “The current lineup is made of third- and fourth-generation Torains. But I could not tell who were siblings and who were first or second cousins because they all seemed like brothers and sisters, which was just beautiful to me. Some family members who were not part of the interview were sitting in the kitchen lobbing additional facts over to us in the living room and sharing in the laughter of the many humorous memories. And Aunt Lee, who is married to original lead singer Thomas Torain, was working the stove inside and the grill outside. It felt like Christmas on a Sunday afternoon in September.”

(Video courtesy of Gentry Visuals)

James Dixon to host annual birthday musical – April 3

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

James Dixon

This is the time of year James Dixon looks forward to, and it’s not just because of college basketball’s March Madness and the fact that he’s a diehard Duke fan. James, a lover and loyal supporter of gospel music, has a special day coming up. The radio announcer and former drummer for The Sensational Nightingales uses his birthday to bring family, friends, and great gospel singers together.

Libra: Who is James Dixon?

James: A child of the most High God, a servant of God!

Libra: Let’s go back some years. When did you realize your love for gospel music?

James: You can’t help but love gospel music when you’re born into a gospel music family. My mom and my aunts had a group; and my brothers, my two cousins, my uncle and myself had a group. If we weren’t singing anywhere, me and my mom were going to a quartet program.

Libra: How did you get started with the Sensational Nightingales and what was that experience like? Is there a concert moment or conversation etched in your mind from the time spent with The Gales?

James: I got started with The Sensational Nightingales in 1997. The Sensational Nightingales performed a charity concert with Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers in Charlotte. That’s a concert moment I won’t ever forget.

Libra: You’re a radio host as well. Tell us about Church Time Radio Show and the kind of gospel music that grabs your attention.

James: Yes, I’m a radio host. Well, I got started with Church Time Radio Show in 2020, [and] quartet music, well, good gospel music [is what grabs my attention].

_______________________

James’ birthday musical has become an annual tradition. This year, it is set for Sunday, April 3, at 3 PM. The celebration takes place at the Mebane Arts Community Center in Mebane, NC. Admission is $10 for persons 13 and above.

James Dixon 46th birthday musical flyer

Deacon Authority: ‘My Music is About Growth’

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

Deacon Authority

Deacon Authority’s mantra is, “Stay salty.” But don’t take that to mean he wants you angry, irritated, or upset. Certainly, that’s not how the Christian hip-hop artist Cedric Hester, known as Deacon Authority or simply “DA,” moves. In contrast, he’s an encourager who simply chooses to remind Jesus’s followers of their Matthew 5:13 call to influence and make a difference: “You are the salt of the earth…”

As founder and CEO of MG (Mighty God) Music Group, Deacon Authority dedicates his time to writing and producing music for a number of artists as well as himself. He also performs with several of the artists at churches, amphitheaters, and a variety of other venues up and down the East Coast. The door was even opened for them to share their hip-hop gospel message in the UK in 2019. 

Deacon Authority gave his life to Christ in 1998. Since then, he has been on a mission to share his faith and spread the gospel message through his gifts and talents. Recently, he chatted with me about his process. 

Libra: Talk about how you knew rap to be the avenue for you. 

DA: I was in church listening to my pastor and words started coming to me during the sermon. 

Libra: Is this how you get much of the inspiration for the music you write?

DA: Currently my inspiration comes from current events and life. I remember how my Pastor broke down the scripture for me to understand, rather than [just giving a] quotation. Now my inspiration comes from wisdom and experiences. I want my music to help people long after I’m gone. To me, my music is about growth and encouraging the listener. 

Libra: Who has been the biggest influence on your music style and how? 

DA: I’m influenced by all genres of music. I hardly listen to hip-hop unless it’s music that I’ve produced. I like to understand how artists come up with their music. I’m a student of music. 

Libra: MG Music Group has been invited into some very traditional worship spaces that aren’t accustomed to God being sung about in this style. What has been your approach to engaging an audience that can’t seem to get with how you minister? 

DA: Honestly, I pray and most of the time I pick songs according to the Holy Spirit. My goal is to minister according to the needs of the people. Sometimes I’m praising for my [own] breakthrough. 

Libra: What’s your favorite song to perform?

DA: “Mighty God.”

Libra: Is that also your most popular?

DA: “You Forgot.”

Libra: MG Music Group is constantly releasing new music and new music videos. First, let’s talk about what goes into the creative process. 

DA: The videos are organic. We hardly prep. We have a great chemistry with our videographer!! We are being ourselves on each video. We believe in “what you see is what you get”!! 

Libra: I want us to also talk about the collaborative process because rarely do we see just one MG Music Group artist featured on a song or video. How do these collabs come about and why do you find them meaningful? 

DA: They stem from fellowships, personal experiences, and conversations. There are certain things or topics that we can relate to that turn into our content. 

Libra: What topic seems to resonate most with your audiences?

DA: Being truthful and honest.

Libra: Outside of MG Music Group artists, who would you most like to collaborate with? 

DA: For me, Richard Smallwood. 

Libra: Wow, I totally would not have guessed that! Please tell me why this would be a dream collab for you and how you envision the different styles coming together.

DA: His music moves me and I enjoy his messages. I truly feel if we got in the studio together, it would be crazy.

Libra: I would definitely look forward to that. On another note, do you feel the industry has changed for the better as it relates to indie artists? 

DA: In some ways, yes, because it’s easier to get your music out. At the same time I’m noticing that music is being more watered down because some people do it for money and attention instead of the art. 

Libra: What positive impact has the pandemic had on your ministry? 

DA: I was able to slow down and focus on my personal life and focus on things that I didn’t have time to address. This allowed me to grow and that growth is always incorporated into the music.

Calvin D. Tucker, Jr. talks grief and ‘mental health song’

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

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.

“Wait” – Kevan Peabody

“Wait”
Kevan Peabody (2020)
Twinkem Productions

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

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.

Danielle Brooks explains why Mahalia Jackson role is ‘a big choir robe to fill’

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

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 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.