Category: News

Musician Joey Sellars needs your prayers, contributions for heart transplant

Joey Sellars is a trooper.  He has continued to serve others through his gift of music as much as his health has permitted over the past several months, and now you have a chance to be a blessing to him.  The longtime NC/VA area musician is in need of your prayers and financial support toward a heart transplant.

Contributions can be made online at www.helphopelive.org (search for “Joey Sellars”).  The site also provides information if you wish to mail a check or pay by phone.

Additionally, the following benefit musicals are currently scheduled:

October 19, 2013
6 PM
Springdale AME Church
5554 S NC Hwy 62
Burlington, NC 27215
Free Admission – Please Bring Monetary Gifts of Love
Guests: Tony & The Magnificent Voices, New Creation, John Thorpe & Truth, Chosen Disciples

November 9, 2013
4 PM
Hamer Baptist Church
4425 NC 62
Blanch, NC 27212
Free Admission – Please Bring Monetary Gifts of Love
Guests: The Original Stars of Faith (Durham), One Accord, One Way, The Heavenly Stars

Your prayers and support are much needed and greatly appreciated.

2014 Rhythm of Gospel nominees announced

Nominees have been announced for the 2014 Rhythm of Gospel Awards. Online voting begins November 1, 2013 and continues through March 1, 2014.  See the complete list of nominees here.


Congratulations to all from GMF! 

PBS to air “Jubilee Showcase” anniversary special – Oct. 10

Sid Ordower

By Bill Carpenter

For the first time in almost three decades, fans of Jubilee Showcase,
a groundbreaking gospel music television program that aired from 1963 to
1984 on WLS Channel 7 in Chicago, will be able to see highlights of
the venerable show as it celebrates its 50th anniversary during a Public
Broadcasting System (PBS) Pledge special.  Veteran entertainer Clifton
Davis will host
the pledge break program on WTTW, the Chicago PBS affiliate, on October 10, 2013 at 9 PM CST. The special will also air nationally on PBS stations throughout the United States beginning in December 2013.

The hour-long broadcast
will present historic footage of The Staple Singers, The Soul Stirrers,
and The Caravans among others, from the television show that opened each Sunday morning
with this announcement: “Hello, I’m Sid Ordower and welcome to Jubilee Showcase, the program presenting songs truly American:
gospel, spiritual and jubilee songs–the great inspirational music of
the past and present.”  Dorothy Norwood, who
was once a member of The Caravans and appeared on the program during its 20 year run, will make a cameo during the pledge break to reflect
on the show and its cultural significance at the time.

Sid Ordower launched Jubilee Showcase in 1963
from an auto dealership on 47th Street. As a white man active in
the civil rights movement, Ordower became acquainted with gospel music
because so many political activities took place in churches where he
came in contact with gospel performers. He became a fan of the genre and
created the television show as a mainstream showcase for the artists.

At
its height, Jubilee Showcase boasted over 250,000 weekly viewers and
presented some of the biggest names in gospel. Many Chicagoans fondly remember watching
Jubilee Showcase on Sunday mornings as “church before church.” Log on at www.jubileeshowcase.com for news and updates.

Salvation & Deliverance Church Choir hopes to land a spot in Verizon’s HSTS finals

Salvation & Deliverance Church Choir won the finals in 2011.
Click here for update.

Salvation and Deliverance Church Choir of Tarboro is one of six choirs participating in Verizon’s How Sweet the Sound Baltimore tour in hopes of landing a spot in the gospel music competition’s grand finale.

The tour stops in Baltimore, MD, on October 2, at 7:30 PM, where an audience will join co-hosts Donald Lawrence and Yolanda Adams with judges Tamela Mann, Bishop Hezekiah Walker, VaShawn Mitchell and Byron Cage to see who will advance to the finals in Los Angeles.  The competing choirs also have a chance to win a recording contract and up to $50,000 in cash and prizes.
Salvation and Deliverance Church Choir–Verizon’s How Sweet the Sound 2011 national winners–will be
competing with Powerfied
(Salisbury, MD), Greater Morning Star Bishop’s Choir (Suitland, MD), Gentle
Giant Music Ministries (Hyattsville, MD), Beth-El Temple Celebration Choir (Baltimore, MD), and Total Prayze Chorale (Denton, MD).
Because I believe NC is home to some of the best gospel music makers on this side of Heaven, I’m behind Salvation and Deliverance 100 percent!

Visit to South African music school inspires launch of Jonathan Butler Foundation

Butler plays with members of the school’s first youth band, Freeborn.

(Eersterust, Pretoria)  Surrounded by children who danced with joy, Jonathan Butler, recently visited the Tshwane School of Music, of which he is Patron.

Butler visited the South Africa school to pay homage to the children who had inspired him to launch the Jonathan Butler Foundation, the reason why he is in the country this heritage week. The Jonathan Butler Foundation is established to help young people who are at risk by providing them with the means to create and develop a new heritage for themselves. Butler will be an active contributor to the foundation and its work, returning to South Africa as often as his hectic touring and recording schedule will allow. The foundation will roll out several music related programs and art therapy interventions across the country. Some of these have already been implemented in communities such as Eersterust.

While the Jonathan Butler Foundation has been a dream of the international music icon for many years, it was the meeting with Freddy Arendse, founder and CEO of the Tshwane School of Music, that could make a reality.

“I didn’t want to die and then have someone suggest ‘why don’t we do something to remember Jonathan Butler?’ I want to create a living legacy while I am still around to contribute to the initiative,” said Butler who was visibly emotional while surrounded by all the excited children. “It has taken time to implement this project as it of the utmost importance to work with the right people. Through the Tshwane School of Music, I now have the right team to assist me in making this dream come true.”

Aiming to replicate the success of the Tshwane School of Music around South Africa, the foundation is already in discussion with several partners and sponsors.

About the Jonathan Butler Foundation

The main aim of the Jonathan Butler Foundation (JBF) is to be a self-funded organization providing positive intervention to promote access to music and arts education for children. Underlying this, the JBF focuses on helping to prevent kids falling into a life of substance abuse.  For more information about the foundation, visit www.jonathanbutlerfoundation.org.za.

Luther Barnes to give concert at Duke Chapel – Sept. 22

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the integration of Duke University, gospel singer Luther Barnes will be performing in concert this Sunday, September 22, at Duke Chapel.  The musical is one of four events commemorating the occasion.

The performance starts at 4 PM and will feature Barnes with a local choir.  Tickets are free and open to the public.  For more information, call 919-684-8353.

“Church Girl” movie stars Ja Rule, features production & music by Israel Houghton

Click to enlarge
(Beverly Hills, CA)  Hollywood newcomer Reverence Gospel Media
(“RGM”) announced today that their first feature film, I’m In Love With A Church Girl, will open domestically on October 18, 2013 with an international
release to follow.

Based on a true story, the film stars Jeff “Ja Rule” Atkins who, as a successful
entrepreneur haunted by a criminal past and surrounded by old friends still “in the life,”
finds faith, redemption and inspiration when God puts a woman of faith (Adrienne
Bailon) in his life. Rounding out the cast are Stephen Baldwin, Vincent Pastore, Michael
Madsen, T-Bone, Martin Kove and TobyMac. Steve Race directs.

Galley Molina wrote the film and has produced it alongside Christian music superstar and RGM vice president Israel Houghton, who also
contributed to the movie soundtrack. Houghton, who also shares screenplay
credit on Reverence Gospel Media’s next two films, is a multiple Grammy, Stellar and
Dove Award winner, and is a worship leader at Lakewood
Church in Houston.

I’m In Love With A Church Girl (102 minutes, rated PG) will be distributed in the US by High Top Releasing.  Check out the official trailer below.

Habakkuk Music releases compilation CD for exclusive sale at Cracker Barrel

(Baltimore, MD)  Noted entrepreneur April Washington’s Habakkuk Music recording label has compiled a black gospel CD collection for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store®. Gospel Legacy: The Collection was made available on August 26, 2013 exclusively in all Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® locations and online at crackerbarrel.com.
 
“As a minority business owner, it’s important to stay relevant and inspired to create innovative ways to market your product,” Washington says. “We are excited to establish a relationship with Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® by providing this genre of music that we hope their guests will find inspirational and uplifting.  What’s more, this CD creates a bridge to building a business relationship for diversity inclusion with such a notable corporation.”
 
This soul-stirring, twelve-song CD boasts vintage and present day gems by some of America’s most beloved recording artists. There are rousing traditional gospel songs such as Aretha Franklin’s 1972 rendition of “How I Got Over,” Fred Hammond’s “Jesus Be A Fence Around Me” and Vickie Winans’ “Long As I Got King Jesus.” There are contemporary tracks like Kirk Franklin’s double platinum smash “Stomp” and Gerald Scott & Co.’s festive “Alright.”
 
Passionate songs like Kurt Carr & The Kurt Carr Singers’ “In The Sanctuary” and Shirley Caesar’s “Jesus (I Love Calling Your Name)” are some of the most memorable praise and worship tunes around. The Winans’ pristine ballad “Tomorrow” and Cece Winans’ “Mercy Said No” show off the softer side of gospel, while The Commodores’ “Jesus is Love” is a power anthem known throughout the globe.
 
Gospel Legacy: The Collection will be featured Labor Day Weekend (August 29  – September 1) at the 2013 Allstate® Tom Joyner Family Reunion (TJFR) in the Orlando, FL area. The Grammy® Award nominated artist, Kurt Carr, who appears on the CD, will perform in concert at the TJFR Gospel Explosion, followed by an in-store autograph signing at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® located at 5400 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway on Sunday, September 1, 2013 at 2:00 PM near the Gaylord Resort in Kissimmee, FL. 
 
Founded in 2007, Habakkuk Music is sold through normal distribution channels by INgrooves Fontana (a division of Isolation Network, Inc.) and has released superlative gospel music by brilliant artists such as Lisa Page Brooks, Cheneta Jones, Earl Bynum & The Mount Unity Choir, Gerald Scott & Co., and The Temple of Deliverance Choir. Its acts have won Stellar Awards and enjoyed chart-topping hits on the Billboard gospel charts. Washington has successfully formed marketing relationships with organizations such as the American Heart Association | American Stroke Association, Chick-fil-A and Rejoice Radio Network, etc. to broaden and expand the reach of her musical products.
 
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. provides a friendly home-away-from-home in its old country stores and restaurants.  Guests are cared for like family while relaxing and enjoying real home-style food and shopping that’s surprisingly unique, genuinely fun and reminiscent of America’s country heritage.

Pastor Shirley Caesar sings “How I Got Over” at 50th Anniversary of MOW (video)

In 1963, gospel’s Queen Mahalia Jackson took to the platform and rattled the heavens with the Clara Ward-inspired “How I Got Over” at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.  Exactly half a century later, gospel’s reigning queen, Pastor Shirley Caesar, did the same during the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington commemorative celebration.


GMA announces 44th Annual Dove Awards nominees

Nominees for the 44th Annual GMA Dove Awards have been announced.  The awards show will be held Tuesday, October 15, at 7:30 PM CT, at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena in Nashville.  It will air Monday, October 21, at 8 PM EST on the UP! Network.

You can view the list of nominees here.  Second ballot online voting opens September 3, from which the winners will be chosen.