Category: News

DeVaughn Murphy posthumously ordained as an elder in Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship

Bishop Jerry Hutchins of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Bishops Council announces DeVaughn Murphy’s posthumous ordination as an elder in the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International at the conclusion of Murphy’s homegoing celebration today at Detroit’s Second
Ebenezer Church.  His nephew, William Murphy IV (standing with the choir, second from right), looks on.

Murphy, beloved songwriter, musician, producer, and worship leader,
passed July 20, 2015 (read here).  He was 33 years old. 

Marvin Sapp elevated to bishop in Global United Fellowship

Bishop Marvin Sapp (2nd from right) with fellow newly installed Bishops (from left) Antoine Wright, Leofric Thomas, Sir Walter Mack, and Carroll Baltimore.
Photo Credit | Facebook Page of The Official Global United Fellowship

Congratulations to Pastor Marvin Sapp, who was installed as a bishop on July 10, during the Global United Fellowship’s annual conference, held in Jacksonville, FL.  


The pastor and gospel singer will continue to lead his flock in Grand Rapids at the Lighthouse Full Life Center Church.


As a bishop in Global United Fellowship (GUF), under the leadership of Presiding Bishop Neil C. Ellis, Sapp will overssee GUF’s North Central Province which consists of 70 pastors and churches in nine states.

Norris J announces new single & video premiere party – July 24

Inspirational rapper Norris J is dropping a new single, “Put U In,” and he’s celebrating with a video premiere party Friday, July 24, at E-Gallery Studios in Dallas.

The event includes guest appearances by Gabby and NoJo Wallace as well as surprises throughout the evening.

Norris J is an award-winning performer, having picked up KHVN’s Heaven 97 Rap Artist of the Year for the last three consecutive years.


It’s going down:


Friday, July 24, 2015
Doors open at 7 PM
E-Gallery Studios
1330 Motor Circle 
Dallas, TX  
$5 cover

Tribbett launches benefit concert for families of Charleston massacre victims – July 23

From Bill Carpenter

Emanuel 9

The Charleston Church Massacre (June 17) has prompted Grammy Award
winning recording artist Tye Tribbett to launch a “Hate Won’t
Win” concert to benefit the families of the nine people who were shot to
death in that tragic incident. The concert features some of the biggest
names in Christian music such as gold-selling artist Israel Houghton, Tasha Cobbs, Mali
Music, and Columbia, SC native Travis Greene. The concert takes place
Thursday, July 23 at 7 PM at The Medallion Conference Center in Columbia,
SC and caps the first day of Tribbett’s second annual “The Chosen
Music Mentorship” conference for church worship leaders.
 
“Gospel
is the good news,” Tribbett says of his use of music as a healing tool
to create racial harmony in the Carolinas. “By spreading the music we
induce hope, and we train new worship leaders so they are equipped with
the same intent to go fearlessly where some have lost hope and to boldly
declare through this gospel that there is yet hope.”
 
The
Chosen Music Mentorship Program runs July 23-25 and boasts some of the
country’s top gospel

Tribbett

practitioners such as producer Donald Lawrence and
rising star Jonathan McReynolds to provide spiritual and practical
workshops that will improve the lives and ministries of
the participants. It all takes place at The Medallion Conference Center,
7309 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, SC 29209.  The general public can
call (973) 351-1569 or email chosenmentorship@gmail.com for more information and detail.

Sign up for exclusive content from 'Jubilee Showcase'

Before BET’s Bobby Jones Gospel, Jubilee Showcase was celebrated as the longest running gospel music program on television.  From 1963 to 1984, gospel greats of the day appeared on the weekly 30-minute show, produced and hosted by Sid Ordower. 

A documentary about Jubilee Showcase is presently in the works, and Ordower’s son, Steve–who is entrusted with the archive of content–invites you to visit jubileeshowcase.launchrock.com.  Once there, sign up with your email to get free and exclusive access to rare footage of gospel performances.

Shirley Caesar to receive star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever


Congratulations are in order for Pastor Shirley Caesar, who is named among the honorees to receive a star on the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame.  The Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2016 was announced Monday (June 22) via live stream.  

The 11-time Grammy Award-winning singer, whose recording career spans well over a half century, will join only a handful of her fellow legendary Black gospel music luminaries (James Cleveland, Andraé Crouch, Mahalia Jackson, and BeBe & CeCe Winans) with the distinction of having a star cemented into the world-famous stretch that now extends along both sides of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Los Angeles.

Tamela Mann makes history


Congratulations to Tamela Mann on an unprecedented achievement in gospel music.  Read about it here:
 

DMV veteran announcer Cheryl Jackson to be honored with anniversary concert – June 20

From Bill Carpenter


A who’s who of the gospel music world is coming together to celebrate the 25th anniversary of veteran radio personality and broadcast executive Cheryl Jackson (the midday hostess at Praise 104.1 in Washington, D.C. and Praise 106.1 in Baltimore, MD) for “Cheryl Jackson’s 25th Anniversary Celebration Concert” on Saturday, June 20, 2015 at 6 PM at Ebenezer A.M.E. Church, 7707 Allentown Road, Fort Washington, MD 20744.


Grammy Award winning gospel music icon Karen Clark Sheard will headline the big show. Grammy Award nominated artist Vashawn Mitchell will host the program that features performances from luminaries such as J.J. Hairston of Youthful Praise, Anthony Brown & Group therAPy, Dottie Jones, Bruce Parham, Phillip Carter & Sounds of Victory, Darius Brooks, Eddie Ballard, Joshua Copeland, Tonisha Harris and Charles Butler & Trinity. Tickets are $30 and available from eventbrite.com.


Jackson’s been a popular voice in the DMV gospel music community since she launched her career in June 1990, at WDIH 90.3 FM in Salisbury, MD. Her pastor, the late Elder Ricky McCrimmons, got Jackson’s radio demo tape into the hands of Radio One founder Cathy Hughes who ended up hiring Jackson for Radio One’s WWIN gospel station in Baltimore. Later, Jackson moved to the 50,000 watt Heaven 1580 AM station in Lanham, MD, first as an announcer but eventually worked her way up to program director where she was instrumental in breaking Christian Hip Hop artists. She was also one of the first program directors to introduce an urban inspirational format that featured inspiring songs by the likes of R. Kelly and Whitney Houston alongside the popular gospel acts of the day. Since 2010, Jackson has fluctuated between afternoon drive and midday host on Radio One’s Praise 104.1 station, where she is a consistent ratings winner. In May, Jackson became the new voice for sister station Praise 106.1 FM in Baltimore, MD–the Charm City’s first FM gospel station.  

DeWayne Woods features Mint Condition on single, “They Said”

From Bill Carpenter


The award-winning vocalist DeWayne Woods teams up with Lawrence Waddell and Stokley Williams of the legendary R&B band Mint Condition for the third radio single from his best-selling album Life Lessons (Soul Therapy).  The smooth track combines intimate urban balladry with a powerfully revelatory message of God’s love and self-affirmation. “When everybody had given up on me He knew I was redeemable and made me whole,” Woods sings of God’s intervention during his lowest moments.  In the second verse, he hits naysayers with, “Used to be so hung up on what others said about me; so busy casting stones they overlooked their own wrong.”

“I’ve made many mistakes and bad decisions in my life and most of us at one point or another have allowed what others said about us to affect us in a negative way, but God has the final word and gives us a second chance,” says Woods, who is currently performing alongside Yolanda Adams and Donald Lawrence on The McDonald’s Celebration Inspiration Gospel Tour running through October. “It’s mind blowing to be afforded this amazing opportunity to be a part of such widely respected national tour and to sing this empowering song to the thousands who have been attending the shows.”

“Working with DeWayne on ‘They Said’ was amazing,” Waddell and Williams said in a joint statement about the song they tailor-wrote and produced for Woods. “He sings with a genuineness and musical sensibility that is at once moving and awe-inspiring. Beyond a vocalist, he is an instrumentalist with words.”

DeWayne Woods led a late `90s incarnation of the R&B group Atlantic Starr before making a leap into faith music with John P. Kee.  His debut album, Introducing DeWayne Woods & When Singers Meet, won four of five Stellar Award nominations–including New Artist of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year.  His sophomore set, My Life’s Lyric, hit  #3 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart.  Woods’ latest project, Life Lessons, debuted at #2 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart and features “Never Be The Same” (#23 Billboard Hot Gospel Songs chart) and the Anthony Hamilton & Dave Hollister collaboration “Friend of Mine” (#13 Billboard Hot Gospel Songs chart).

The Church and B.B. King

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

Over his nearly 70-year professional career, blues legend B.B. King (1925-2015) returned to his gospel roots once, in 1959, to record a vinyl album entitled B.B. King Sings Spirituals. The Crown Records release captures 30-something year-old King wailing, at times both vocally and on his guitar, tunes that we now know have withstood the test of time in traditional gospel.  Among them is “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” composed by a former blues pianist who is now recognized as the Father of Gospel Music, Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey. 

King passed May 14, at the age of 89.

In his essay for The Washington Post, “How the church gave B.B. King the blues,” Daniel Silliman explores King’s church upbringing. Read it to gain insight into the King of the Blues’ relationship to the church and gospel music in his own words. 

B.B. King’s official website reports that there will a public viewing Friday, May 22, from 3 PM to 7 PM at the Palm South Jones Mortuary, 1600 South Jones Blvd, Las Vegas.  For complete information about the memorials and funeral, visit www.bbking.com.