Category: News

Enjoy Mario Brown’s remake of the Donny Hathaway classic “This Christmas”

Boston, MA (December 20, 2012) – Gospel newcomer Mario Brown has recorded one of the all-time Christmas favorites, “This Christmas,” and is making it available to all.
Mario says 2012 “has been a great year. My album [The Mario Brown Project] has been released and I am surrounded by family and friends.”
“God has truly blessed me,” Mario reflects. “My gift to the community comes in song. ‘This Christmas’ has always been special to me so I give everyone the gift of my version of the classic.”
The singer, songwriter, and musician is signed with Bronx Bridge Entertainment, Inc. and F. Hammond Music.
Enjoy!
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“Glory” – Mario Brown

Culpepper’s legacy discussed in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Michelle Shaw of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently profiled Maurice Culpepper, who passed Sunday, December 2, 2012, from cancer complications.  Read the piece here:Maurice Culpepper, 60: Held the keys to gospel music in Atlanta.

GMF's Libra Boyd to be in-studio guest on WNCU's "Hallelujah Praise" – Dec. 16

Tune in to WNCU 90.7 FM this Sunday, December 16, at 8:30 AM EST.  GMF’s founder and editor Libra Boyd will be a live in-studio guest on the “Hallelujah Praise” show with co-host Carolyn Pettiford-Ryals.

“Hallelujah Praise” is broadcast every Sunday morning from the campus of North Carolina Central University. The program plays a mix of traditional gospel music, including oldies and new releases by local and national artists.

You can also stream live at www.wncu.org.

Tammy Edwards & The Edwards Sisters on Bobby Jones Gospel – Dec. 9

Tammy Edwards and the Edwards Sisters of Greenville, NC will make their national television debut this Sunday morning on Bobby Jones Gospel.  The show airs at 9 AM EST on BET.
The group’s current release is On the Right Road Now, on the 4 Winds Records/Malaco label.

GMF spotlighted Tammy Edwards and the Edwards Sisters in May 2012 for their hard-driving number “All Go Back.”  You can read our review here: “All Go Back” – Tammy Edwards and the Edwards Sisters.

Gospel Nominees for 55th Grammy Awards

Mary Mary, Tamela Mann, James Fortune, Israel Houghton, Fred Hammond, Marvin Sapp, and Lecrae are among those who got nods for the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards.  The show airs February 10, 2013, on CBS.  The gospel categories are below.  See www.grammy.com for the complete list of nominees.
Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance


“Jesus, Friend Of Sinners”


Casting Crowns
Track from: Come To The Well
[Beach Street/Reunion Records]
 

“Take Me To The King”


Tamela Mann
[Tillymann Music Group]
 

“Go Get It”


Mary Mary
[Columbia Records]
 

“10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)”


Matt Redman
Track from: 10,000 Reasons
[sixstepsrecords/Sparrow Records]
 

“My Testimony”


Marvin Sapp
Track from: I Win
[Verity Gospel Music Group]
 
Best Gospel Song



“Go Get It”

Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell & Warryn Campbell, songwriters (Mary Mary)
[Columbia; Publishers: EMI April Music, It’s Tea Tyme, That’s Plum Song, Wet Ink Red Music]
 

“Hold On”


Cheryl Fortune, James Fortune & Terence Vaughn, songwriters (James Fortune & FIYA, Monica & Fred Hammond)
Track from: Identity
[Light Records/eOne Music]

 

“I Feel Good”
Phillip Feaster, Fred Hammond, Jonathan Miller & Calvin Rodgers, songwriters (Fred Hammond)
Track from: God, Love & Romance
[Verity Gospel Music Group;
Publishers: fHammond Music/Bridge Bldg Music/CJMS Music/Music Feast
Productions/Jonathan Miller Publishing]

 


“My Testimony”


Aaron Lindsey & Marvin Sapp, songwriters (Marvin Sapp)
Track from: I Win
[Verity Gospel Music Group; Publishers: Universal Music-Brentwood Benson Songs/Marvin L. Sapp Music/Ardent Media]

 


“Released”

Donald Lawrence, songwriter (Bill Winston & Living Word Featuring Donald Lawrence)
[Source Media; Publisher: Quiet Water Ent.]
 
Best Contemporary Christian Music Song
“Jesus, Friend Of Sinners”


Mark Hall & Matthew West, songwriters (Casting Crowns)
Track from: Come To The Well
[Beach Street/Reunion Records]
 

“10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)”


Jonas Myrin & Matt Redman, songwriters (Matt Redman)
Track from: 10,000 Reasons
[sixstepsrecords/Sparrow
Records; Publishers: Thankyou Music/sixsteps Music/worshiptogether.com
Songs/Said And Done Music/Shout! Publishing]
 

“When Mercy Found Me”


Jeff Pardo & Rhett Walker, songwriters (Rhett Walker Band)
Track from: Come To The River
[Essential Records; Publishers: Sony ATV Music, Ships In A Bottle/Simple Tense Songs]
 

“White Flag”


Jason Ingram, Matt Maher, Matt Redman & Chris Tomlin, songwriters (Passion & Chris Tomlin)
Track from: White Flag
[sixstepsrecords/Sparrow
Records; Publishers: sixsteps Music/worshiptogether.com Songs/Vamos
Publishing/Said And Done Music/Valley of the Songs Music/Sony ATV Timber
Publishing/West Main Music/Windsor Hill Music/Thankyou Music]
 

“Your Presence Is Heaven”


Israel Houghton & Micah Massey, songwriters (Israel & New Breed)
Track from: Jesus At The Center Live
[Integrity Music; Publishers: Integrity’s Praise! Music/Sound of the New Breed, Regenerate Music]

Best Gospel Album



Identity


James Fortune & FIYA
[Light Records/eOne Music]

 


Jesus At The Center Live

Israel & New Breed
[Integrity Music]

 


Gravity


Lecrae
[Reach Records]

 


I Win


Marvin Sapp
[Verity Gospel Music Group]

 


Worship Soul

Anita Wilson
[EMI Gospel]

 

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album


Come To The Well


Casting Crowns
[Beach Street/Reunion Records]

 


Where I Find You

Kari Jobe
[Sparrow Records]
 

Gold


Britt Nicole
[Sparrow Records]
 

Eye On It


TobyMac
[ForeFront Records]
 

Into The Light


Matthew West

[Sparrow Records]

GMF Sightings – Thomas "Butch" Cobbs, Founding Member of the Gospel Persuaders

GMF’s Libra Boyd and Thomas Cobbs
I had the privilege to worship with the God’s Temple Holiness Church family in celebration of Pastor Mary Cobbs’ anniversary Saturday night. It was a pleasant surprise to learn that her husband is Deacon Thomas “Butch” Cobbs, founding member of the Gospel Persuaders. He appeared equally surprised to learn that I own one of the group’s popular 1980’s 45 singles, “God Will Take Care of You.”

The Gospel Persuaders were a traditional quartet group from the Danville, VA area that traveled nationally during the zenith of their music career. In addition to being the founder and guitarist, Cobbs was the group’s chief songwriter. Among the Persuaders’ most popular tunes was their gospelized cover of “You’ve Got A Friend.”

Rance Allen interviewed about his gospel roots

Rod Lockwood of toledoblade.com recently interviewed gospel’s main man, Bishop Rance Allen.  Check it out here: Rance Allen Group’s gospel roots run deep in Monroe, Toledo.

Related Story
Rance Allen Group to release new music and documentary on Nov. 27

Malaco Music Group signs Kevin Vasser

Jackson, MS (November 9, 2012) – Malaco Music Group is proud to announce its latest signing of Kevin Vasser, the Director of Worship and Arts at Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago (Pastor Charles Jenkins, Pastor) to an exclusive recording agreement.

Expect a full project from Kevin Vasser in 2013. The lead single “Only You Can Deliver” featuring DeWayne Woods will be impacting radio soon.

D.A. Johnson, executive director of Malaco’s gospel division, states, “From the very moment I heard Kevin’s voice singing ‘Only You Can Deliver,’ I knew that this was a special song and it would touch the hearts
of millions.”

Kevin started his singing career with the singing group Youth Edition, which was comprised of his eldest brother and two cousins. Youth Edition’s introduction to the music industry was catapulted by the hit song “Anything Is Possible” written and produced by the amazing songwriter/producer Percy Bady.

“It is truly an honor to be a part of the Malaco Music family,” says Kevin. “I don’t take lightly the rich tradition of the label and I look forward to a long and successful relationship with Malaco.”

With this project produced by Kevin Vasser and his music director Phil Feaster, of the Fred Hammond production team, it has all the ingredients to be his career defining hit, but more importantly it has the music to encourage the nations.

Gospel Music Fever nominated for Rhythm of Gospel Award

Congratulations are in order for Gospel Music Fever (GMF), which has been nominated for the 2013 Rhythm of Gospel Award in the category of Internet Media Group of the Year.  The televised awards show will take place July 27, 2013, in Jacksonville, FL.

News of the nomination took GMF’s founder and editor Libra Boyd by surprise.

“I am really humbled, honored, and thankful that what I do to advance gospel music is being recognized and appreciated,” says Libra, who actually learned of the nomination from a singer she’d recently featured on the blog.

“I had emailed an artist to inform her that she’d been spotlighted on GMF.  She emailed me back to thank me and then she congratulated me on being nominated,” Libra explains.  “I was so puzzled and surprised that I went to the [Rhythm of Gospel] site to verify what she said before I replied to her email!”

According to its website, the awards show, presented by the National and Independent Gospel Music Association (N.I.G.M.A), is “the largest national independent gospel awards show…that recognizes outstanding churches/pastors, choirs and independent gospel music artist[s] of all genres, for their outstanding contributions toward the betterment and advancement of their communities.”

GMF was founded in spring 2011 as a result of Libra’s enduring love of gospel music.  Since its inception, Libra has been the blog’s chief writer and editor, publishing articles, interviews, and reviews covering every style and era of gospel music.  Accordingly, GMF (dubbed by multimedia mogul Steve “Bro. Steve” Harris as “the NAACP of gospel music” for its emphasis on the advancement of the genre), has grown in popularity and name recognition among gospel music’s fans and followers, including Sister 2 Sister magazine, for which Libra has been a contributing writer.

Voting is now open for you, our GMF readers, to vote an UNLIMITED number of times through March 1, 2013.  The awards site requires that you vote in every category; GMF is in category #41.  CAST YOUR VOTES HERE: http://www.therhythmofgospelawards.com/VOTING.html

66th Anniversary of the Sensational Nightingales – Nov. 4, 2012

Brother Joseph “Jo Jo” Wallace and the Sensational Nightingales invite you to “praise the Lord Jesus” with them at their 66th anniversary appreciation celebration.  The event takes place this Sunday, November 4, 2012, at the Durham Amory, on the corner of Morgan and Foster Street, in downtown Durham, NC.

In addition to the ‘Gales, the Swanee Quintet, Brooklyn Allstars, and Luther Barnes and the Sunset Jubilaires are among the concert headliners.

The program starts at 3:30 PM (doors open at 2:30 PM).  Advance admission is $20 (at the door, $25).  Ticket purchase locations are listed on the flyer.
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