Category: News

GMF’s Libra Boyd earns doctorate

Libra Nicole Boyd, founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™, was awarded the Doctor of Philosophy degree in educational studies at the 125th Commencement of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) on Friday, May 6, 2016. Approximately 2,500 students received undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Libra’s research interests include cultural and social foundations of education, culturally responsive teaching and leadership, community-based pedagogical spaces, and the role of gospel music in social movements. In her dissertation, she explored the significance of gospel music to social activism in North Carolina. While completing doctoral studies at UNCG, she presented her research at conferences of the American Educational Studies Association, National Association for Multicultural Education, National Council for Black Studies, and the Southeastern Association of Educational Studies. She also served as a journal manuscript reviewer for Educational Studies and the Journal of Negro Education. Additionally, she published in the peer-reviewed journal, New Horizons in Adult Education & Human Resource Development and co-authored a chapter in the forthcoming (August 2016) book, Culturally Affirming Literacy Practices for Urban Elementary Students.

The UNCG School of Education recently honored Libra for her exemplary graduate research and presented her a Graduate Research Scholar Award during its 2016 Student and Faculty Research Award Ceremony. At the awards ceremony, she gave a poster presentation on the significance of gospel music within the context of the North Carolina-based Forward Together Moral Movement.  

In addition to being GMF’s founder, editor, and primary writer, Libra is an award-winning author, speaker, musician, and educator.

The doctor is in: Lee Williams receives honorary doctorate

From LWSQCs Facebook Page

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

Congratulations are in order for Lee Williams–Dr. Lee Williams, that is.  This past weekend, the beloved quartet frontman of the Spiritual QC’s received the Honorary Doctorate of Sacred Music from Bible Believers Christian College in California.  Other members of the Spiritual QC’s–Leonard Shumpert, Patrick Hollis, and Al Hollis–were also celebrated with certificates of recognition in sacred music.

Williams began singing at eight years of age, mentored by his uncle Mitchell Thornton, who eventually formed the Spiritual QC’s.  The group established by Thornton disbanded in the 1960s, but Lee and his brother Willie maintained the group’s name and enlisted new personnel to continue singing.  His brother no longer performs with the Tupelo-based group, but Lee is a mainstay as the quartet’s lead singer and primary songwriter.  Since achieving national acclaim in the late 1990s with a pair of well-received albums–Jesus Is Alive and Well and Love Will God All the Way–he and the QC’s have become one of the most in-demand quartet gospel groups in the country with Billboard-charting albums, more than a dozen releases, and multiple Stellar Awards.  Lee Williams and the Spiritual QC’s currently travel and perform roughly 50 weeks of the year.

Desmond Pringle’s ‘Get Us Through’ single honors victims of Charleston church shootings

Desmond Pringle has a personal connection to Charleston, SC and the historic “Mother Emanuel” AME Church. The gospel singer and songwriter grew up less than a mile from the church where nine people were murdered during Bible study on June 17, 2015. Three attendees survived, including the pastor’s wife and daughter who hid.


Pringle remembers that horrific day and the national dialogue that followed concerning racism, hate crimes, and the symbolism of the Confederate flag. Exactly one year since the tragedy, he is releasing a new single, “Get Us Through,” to pay tribute to the victims and to send a message of hope and uplift to others who have been impacted by devastating events.



In a press release, Pringle shared his reaction to what has become known as the Charleston Church Massacre. He recalled, 

It
was very personal. As I watched the news, I am seeing places that
are very familiar to me–every street sign and every landmark. One of the
ladies who was killed was the wife of the pastor at the church I grew up in. I
sang at Emanuel AME just a few months prior and had been in talks with Rev. Senator
Clementa Pinckney (Emanuel AME’s pastor who was also killed) to come back and
do a concert there. It was crazy.


As
I watched the reports, I just sang to myself, ‘Get us through, Lord, Oh get us
through.’ And there the song was. It came very organically.

On June 25, Pringle will headline a gospel concert at Mother Emanuel. The concert starts at 6 PM, and will culminate a week and a half of events taking place in the city to mark the anniversary of the shootings.
“Get Us Through” will be released June 17 and will be available on iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon, and other digital platforms.

PJ Morton presents urban inspirational artist JoJo Martin on Morton Records

New Orleans (LA)  Maroon 5’s PJ Morton is excited to present JoJo as the latest signing to his newly formed record label, Morton Records. JoJo’s debut radio single “Run On” will soon hit multiple radio formats.

“’Run On’ is a very personal single release for me,” says Morton. “JoJo has sung background for me and toured with me for ten plus years. His support over the years not only to me but the likes of Fred Hammond has been amazing. I’m excited for the masses to hear what I’ve been fortunate to hear for years. JoJo’s voice is truly special.”

“‘Run On’ is a song that speaks to every part of you and whatever situation you may face,” JoJo says. “It helps you to know that nothing is too big or too devastating that you can’t just pick up and press forward–‘Run On!’ I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of a modern day, God ordained movement called Morton Records! I believe this was all a part of God not only connecting me to PJ and his family, but giving me the discipline to stay and fully support another man’s dream for so many years! It’s only because I was faithful to his dream, that God gave him to idea to turn around to make my dreams come true.”

JoJo was born Josiah Martin on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.  The son of a church pastor, he is the youngest of five boys. He began to sing at the age of four and by the age of seven, he was traveling around California singing at musicals and performing sermonic selections before his father preached. Later on, he and his siblings traveled and performed together as The Martin Boys. With some direction from his mother, a trained vocal instructor, JoJo began to develop as a soloist and ended up as a finalist for the NAACP ACT-SO Competition in Houston. He eventually sang lead on “Just Praise Him” and “So Good” with Joe Pace and The Colorado Mass Choir. It was during this time that JoJo discovered he wanted to make music his primary focus.

JoJo traveled the country with a musical stage play called, “The Rock and The Rabbi,” and has also had the opportunity to share the stage with Tyrese, Fred Hammond, Kirk Franklin, Maroon 5, PJ Morton, Bishop Paul S. Morton, Sr., Mary Mary, Frank McComb, Tweet, Dave Hollister and others.


– From Bill Carpenter

2016 BET Award nominees announced; Gospel category renamed to honor Dr. Bobby Jones

Clockwise from top left: Campbell, Lecrae, Brown, Franklin, Mann, and Cobbs

Congratulations to this year’s BET Awards gospel nominees. 

Finalists for the newly named Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award (formerly called the Best Gospel Artist Award) are Erica Campbell, Lecrae, Anthony Brown and group therAPy, Kirk Franklin, Tamela Mann, and Tasha Cobbs.

You can view the complete list here.

The show will take place at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on June 26, 2016, at 8 PM ET and will be broadcast live on BET.

Franklin sweeps gospel categories at Billboard Music Awards

By Libra Boyd 
Gospel Music Fever

Kirk Franklin walked with not one, but all three of the awards for which he was nominated at this year’s Billboard Music Awards.  The ceremony took place Sunday evening (May 22) in Las Vegas and aired live on ABC.  Kirk won in the categories of Top Gospel Artist, Top Gospel Album (Losing My Religion), and Top Gospel Song (“Wanna Be Happy?”).

The gospel luminary is currently enjoying the success of his “Twenty Years in One Night” World Tour–which commemorates his tenure in the music industry with songs he recorded across the span of his two decade career.

The complete list of Billboard Music Award winners is available here.

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