Category: News

Kirk Franklin to perform for District of Columbia Emancipation Day

Concert on Freedom Plaza starts at 4 PM, followed by a fireworks display

(Washington, DC) Councilmember Vincent Orange (At-Large, D) has announced that one of gospel music’s biggest names, Kirk Franklin, will help celebrate DC Emancipation Day with a free, live performance at Freedom Plaza on Tuesday, April 16, 2013, at 4:00 PM.
“We’re very excited to have Kirk Franklin perform for our citizens,” Councilmember Orange said. “His presence makes this year’s Emancipation Day that much more special.”

One of the most popular names in gospel music, the nine-time Gramrny Award winner Kirk Franklin is also the host and executive producer of the gospel talent show Sunday Best, the highest-rated gospel program in BET network history.
“To bring an artist of his magnitude is quite a feat for DC and our holiday,” Orange said. “His performance, to be on Freedom Plaza, is recognition of how important this day is in the District’s history and American history.” Kirk Franklin has also won an American Music Award, eight NAACP Image A wards and two BET Music Awards.

Also performing this year will be the West Virginia State University Jazz Ensemble and Washington, DC’s own, acclaimed jazz saxophonist Brian Lenair. The musical performances will begin after the annual parade down Pennsylvania Ave which this year will also include the world famous UniverSoul Circus. Following the performances is a fireworks display at 8:30 PM.

The DC Emancipation Day celebration is an historic occasion in the nation’s capital. On April 16, 1862, President Lincoln signed the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act. The Act released the 3,100 enslaved persons in the District of Columbia, making them the “first freed” at a cost of one million dollars to the federal government. Nine months later, on January 1, 1863, President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 to begin to end institutionalized slavery in America.

Damon Little to have emergency heart surgery

(Baltimore, MD)  Quartet gospel music legend Damon Little, who is best known for hit
songs such as “You Can’t Straddle The Fence,” “Do Right” or his recent
hit “Make A Way,” has been scheduled for emergency heart surgery to take
place Monday, April 22, in the Baltimore, MD area.  Little wanted his
fans to hear the news straight from him and here’s his letter:


“To all my friends and family, first and
foremost we serve an awesome God, and I am thankful to God for being
merciful and kind to me. I would like to take this time to sincerely
speak to my friends, family and colleagues about an incident that has
occurred.  My message may seem sad, but it’s indeed a blessing for me,
and I hope this message will be of encouragement to others. This year
has been a blessed top of the year for me, as far as my music charting,
concerts, and tour dates, family life, witnessing, and blessing the
saints across the country.   As I ministered last week in the Carolinas,
and was preparing for dates in Florida and Overseas; I noticed
three times that I experienced shortness of breath. I had no chest
discomfort but I remained concerned and mindful of the changes that were
occurring in my body. The spirit led me to go home instead of to
Florida and get myself checked out with a doctor.
      
I went
to the emergency room thinking I had a sinus infection and when I
entered the emergency room, yes saints I lied—I told them my chest was
hurting so that I could be seen quicker, the EKG was taken and came back
great. I was told to go back to the waiting room but I then informed
the nurses that my chest was really beginning to bother me.  I was then
escorted away for a cat scan that found fluid in my lungs. This was the
first sign of congestive heart failure.

Saints, I am in the
hospital where I will be treated by top doctors and you guys know I am
always encouraging everyone—so I am taking this opportunity to encourage
all my singers, fans, friends and family to take better care of
yourselves.  Sometimes you never know how you will write and sing a song
that will turn around and minister back to you:  ‘I don’t know how you
going to fix it, how you going to make away, but Lord I need you to do
something for me today.’    I am asking my pastors, promoters, radio
stations, fans, family, friends, and colleagues, to lift me up in prayer
and most importantly, ask the lord to `Make A Way’ for me, my wife and
family.”

Fans can send cards and well wishes to Damon Little at P.O. Box 29806, Baltimore, MD 21216 or call (410) 462-537, [email protected] for updates.

Tommy Couch, Jr. named President Of Malaco Music Group

(Jackson, MS)  The Malaco Music Group, one of the largest U.S. independent
record companies, announces the Board of Director’s election of Thomas
J. Couch, Jr. as the new President and CEO of the company.  Mr. Couch,
currently a Board  member, has been associated with the company for over
15 years.  He started in the Entertainment business at Ole Miss when he
formed a regional booking agency and started the Waldoxy record label
after graduating. 
Mr. Couch succeeds his father, co-founder Thomas Couch, Sr. in that
position. “Tommy was instrumental and took the lead in several of our
acquisitions throughout the years with the most important being the
purchase of 50% interest in Select-O-Hits, the premier independent
record distributor located in Memphis, TN.  In this ever- changing and
challenging Music Business, Tommy has the leadership, experience and
vision to carry Malaco forward,” according to Couch, Sr.
In the past, Malaco’s expansion has included the  purchase of the Savoy
Gospel label in New York and the The Atlanta International Record
Company with Select-O-Hits, as well as the distribution of numerous
other labels including Apollo Records of New York, Muscle Shoals Sound
Records, Jermaine Dupri’s SoSo Def Records,  BeBe and CeCe Winans’ B
& C label  and Warryn Campbell’s My Block Records.

Bishop Harold Ivory Williams to celebrate 2013 birthday with series of services

Bishop Williams

Pastor Shirley Caesar Williams and the Mt.
Calvary Word of Faith Church family invite you to the birthday celebration services for Bishop Harold Ivory Williams.

All services will be held at the church, which is located at 3100 Sanderford Road in Raleigh.

Guests for the celebration are as follows:
 
Wednesday, April 17 – 7:30 PM
Dr. Mable Weaver
Seed Time and Harvest Fellowship, Inc.
Durham, NC 

Thursday, April 18 – 7:30 PM
Bishop Ralph D. Graves
The Gathering Place
Raleigh, NC

Friday, April 19 – 7:30 PM
Pastor Raymond Boney
Victory at Calvary Covenant Ministries
Durham, NC

Sunday, April 21
11 AM
Bishop Harvey L. Rice
Mt. Calvary Holy Church
Salisbury, NC

5:00 PM
Bishop Freddie Marshall
Greater Church of Deliverance
Winston-Salem, NC

A Touch of Joy’s 3rd Annual Gospel Fashion Dinner Show – April 13

Click to enlarge

BET “Celebration of Gospel” airs this Sunday, April 7

Click to enlarge

You could be the next producer and/or writer for GI’s new album

If you have talent, read on.
If
you are a music producer and/or songwriter, here is your chance to have
your work possibly featured on Stellar & Dove Award nominated trio
GI’s next album!! GI is looking for creative, original material to be
used for their upcoming album!



Read the official statement from GI below:



“Good people! We are excited to announce that this week we start on our 3rd album! We’re looking for producers/songwriters for our new album.



If you think you’ve got what it takes send your HOTTEST and most ORIGINAL tracks (it can be music/or music & lyrics) to [email protected].  If
you are only a songwriter, email your contact information and the label
will send you tracks to write to. Any questions on style, direction,
etc. can also be emailed. This opportunity will only be available from April 3rd to May 3rd, so be sure to hurry and get you submissions in! Also, be sure to include your contact information (name, phone number, and email address) when submitting material.”

It's GMF's Second Anniversary!

Today GMF celebrates two years of being your “red hot spot for all things gospel,” and I am deeply thankful for the support of every subscriber, reader, artist, media colleague, and social media follower.

As we enter into year three, continue to keep GMF lifted as we keep on uplifting and advancing gospel music.  As the old hymn line goes, “Every round goes higher and higher.”

With heartfelt gratitude,

Libra Boyd, Founder & Editor
2013 Rhythm of Gospel Nominee – Internet Media Group of the Year

Tracy Randall: Surviving Cancer & Prepping for Video Shoot of Single “It Feels Good”

((New York, NY)  Lavish Records artist Tracy Randall is heading south–not to escape the Big Apple’s cold spring–but to shoot a music video
for his inspiring new radio single “It Feels Good.” The song reflects
his upbeat attitude about life and his health. In 2006, he was diagnosed
with leukemia and after aggressive rounds of chemo and radiation
therapy, his doctors conceded defeat and gave him just months to live.
He fought back by strengthening his faith, changing his attitude and
improving his diet so that he could live to provide for his wife and
children. He says that still being alive makes him feel good and that’s
the message of his new feel good Jeep beat.

“I opened up my
eyes and thanked God for a new day,” Randall sings on the up-beat
R&B styled song. “I’ve been blessed in so many ways if I wanted to
write `em down there wouldn’t be enough pages.”

The song comes from his
sophomore CD Troubled Times that features fourteen tracks of what he
calls Rhythm & Gospel. “It’s gospel music,” Randall explains. “But
it has that urban R&B beat.” Visit https://soundcloud.com/tracy-randall/it-feels-good-so-good-tracy to stream the song on SoundCloud.

“I
don’t want people to think that I no longer have the illness,” Randall
says of the cancer. “I have pain and depression. There are times that
I don’t sleep for two days because I am afraid to sleep. However, my
faith has grown tremendously. I am still learning and growing. I still
get mad and ask God, `why me?’ If this can be gone from me, then let it
be. Yet, He touched my soul and I am still here. I am honored to speak
on his behalf as a servant. The fact that He can cancel out what man can
say about you, is pretty amazing.”

The video shoot by Regulus
Films & Entertainment begins Saturday, March 30 at 8 PM, at the
Koinonia Church, 1001 West Plant Street in Wintergarden, FL. Gary
Brown is the producer/video director and Alejandro Fuenmayor is the
videographer.

The Lake Charles, LA native grew up on a musical
diet of Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder. After completing his
undergraduate degree from LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Randall was
signed to the Isley Brothers’ T-Neck/Island Records label. After
Universal/Polygram took over the company in 1999, he left to start
Lavish Records. He released his first gospel CD Sinners Have Souls Too
in 2007 and has done a lot of behind the scenes work in the music
industry. Randall co-wrote four songs on Shaggy’s Grammy Award nominated Summer in Kingston CD that reached #1 on Billboard’s Top Reggae
Albums chart in 2012.

Good Day LA interviews Pastor Shirley Caesar

Photo credit: myFOXla.com
There are two video interviews with gospel’s (relatively new) queen, Pastor Shirley Caesar, on her forthcoming CD Good God (in stores on March 26) and her accomplished career in gospel music. Check them both out here: http://www.myfoxla.com/story/21652483/gospel-singer-shirley-caesar-committed-my-life-to-the-lord-at-12.

Related Story 
“God Will Make A Way” – Shirley Caesar