Today is GMF’s first anniversary! Praise God and thanks to each and every one of you for your well wishes, feedback, and support.
In the spirit of it being more blessed to give than to receive, GMF will celebrate with a giveaway every Friday, through the month of April. Be on the lookout for your chance to win.
GMF and its founder and editor–yours truly–will keep celebrating God, enjoying gospel music, and anticipating all that is to come from the many talented people who share their gifts with others. I can neither hide it nor deny it–I have gospel music fever!
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
Noted singer/songwriter Freda Battle will have her popular song “For All You’ve Done” featured on the season premiere of the reality show Beverly’s Full House. The series that follows the family life of supermodel Beverly Johnson will air on Oprah’s OWN network tonight at 10 PM EST.
Freda Battle and the Temple Worshippers first recorded “For All You’ve Done” in 1998. The assembly re-recorded the piece in 2006, on its Here Is Our Praise project.
Battle is currently readying for the spring release of her fourth album, How Glorious & Excellent is Our God, which will feature appearances from Stephen Hurd, Bobby Perry, Rodney Posey, and others.
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
William McDowell, John P. Kee, LaCrae, and Kim Burrell are just a few fan favorites who are nominated for Dove Awards this year. The complete list is available here.
Performances will be by Donnie McClurkin, Ruben Studdard, Mandisa, nominees LaCrae and Kim Burrell and more.
David Mann, famously known as “Leroy S. Brown” from Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns, and comedian Chonda Pierce are the co-hosts.
The awards will be taped April 19, at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre.
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
If you enjoy the worship music Israel Houghton has delivered to the masses for more than ten years, you can now hear some of his best-loved songs on one CD.
The Houston-based worship leader recently released a double-disc collection, Decade, that features twenty-six songs including “Friend of God,” “Not Forgotten,” and “Again, I Say Rejoice.” The project also contains a new mid-tempo tune, “Jesus At The Center,” which will be the title track of Houghton’s forthcoming project, due to drop this fall.
“After a decade worth of projects, hundreds of songs, thousands of nights of worship, and hundreds of thousands of people who have allowed us to usher them to Jesus, whether by way of recording or live events, I am so grateful that you gave us an opportunity to worship with you,” said the four-time Grammy Award winner to his fans in a statement.
He added, “There’s one decade down and generations more to come. We feel like we’re just getting started and we’re already putting finishing touches on the first project of the next decade.”
Decade is available in retail stores and all major online portals.
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
Editor’s Note:International gospel music veterans Delois Barrett Campbell and Jessy Dixon passed away in August and September 2011, respectively; however, both were excluded from the NAACP Image Awards memorial segment. The following inquiry was initially sent as a private email to the Image Awards on Friday, February 17, 2012, immediately following its airing on NBC. After waiting nearly one month for a response, I sent a second email Thursday, March 15, 2012. To date, I still have not received any acknowledgment of my emails.
Dear NAACP Image Awards:
I am extremely disturbed that two giants in gospel music, Delois Barrett Campbell and Rev. Jessy Dixon, were omitted from the 2012 program’s memorial segment. Certainly, gospel music has been the foundation of the African-American experience and should be revered as such.
President Barack Obama posits that “the potent words of gospel gave strength to a generation that rose above the din of hatred to move our country toward justice and equality for all.” Delois Barrett Campbellwas one such voice. She is hailed as “The Royal Lady of Gospel” and recognized internationally for her pioneering contributions to the art form. Media coverage of her passing was massive, and her three-day funeral services brought tributes from President Obama, Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson, Rev. Jesse Jackson and others. The New York Times published a well-written article chronicling her seven-decade career.
Singer/songwriter/musician Rev. Jessy Dixon’s discography includes collaborations with Paul Simon, Diana Ross, Earth, Wind & Fire, Billy Preston, and James Cleveland–and this is the short list. The Chicago Sun-Timespublished a piece detailing his impact on the music industry. The 54th Grammy Awards mentioned him in its memorial segment; unfortunately, the NAACP Image Awards did not.
I submit this inquiry: If wedo not esteem our own, who will? If we do not honor our own in death as we have celebrated our own in life, who will? If we fail to recognize those who blazed trails for Jennifer Hudson, Aretha Franklin, Richard Smallwood, Donald Lawrence, and Kirk Franklin, who will?
I am kindly requesting a reply and explanation of these omissions. Thank you in advance for taking time to address my concern about these exclusions. I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Libra N. Boyd, Founder & Editor Gospel Music Fever™
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
Utterly tragic is the February 26th murder of 17 year-old Trayvon Martin. Utterly outrageous is that Sanford, FL police state they don’t have sufficient evidence to refute the gunman’s claim of self defense, and therefore can’t arrest him.
Are you kidding me? Martin was unarmed, carrying a bag of Skittles and a bottle of iced tea. George Zimmerman, the gunman, pursued him, despite being told by a 911 dispatcher not to. Details of the case are too many to recall here; you can refer to ABC News for the overview.
This matter reeks of the racism that remains alive and pervasive in this society. Martin is Black; Zimmerman is White and Hispanic. I posit, however, that even if one removes the notion of race as a factor, the matter is equally egregious: an adult followed and murdered an unarmed child holding some candy and a drink.
Numerous congregations wore hoodies yesterday, symbolic of their stand against senseless violence and injustice. I wore mine also–along with a badge of Trayvon Martin and me pictured in hoodies, side by side. Underneath was a scripture from 1 Samuel 17:29: “And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?”
And like Mahalia Jackson, Sallie Martin, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other gospel singers and clerics who were vocal about the issues of injustice in their day (especially during the 1960’s civil rights movement), people from the gospel community are speaking out in their own way regarding this injustice.
Fortune’s Twitter Avatar
“Where’s the justice?” asked James Fortune on Twitter. He also changed his avatar in protest.
Brian Courtney Wilson tweeted, “Still expecting justice for #TrayvonMartin.”
“So Zimmerman says he’s sorry for shooting #Trayvon Martin?” producer Kevin Bond posted on Twitter just this morning. “Yet you were standing your ground? #FOOLISHNESS and #RACIST!”
Perhaps with reconciliation at the heart of his tweet, Pastor John P. Kee posted, “Wish I could grab 3 of my nephews! We’d roll into Florida and find Zimmerman and pray with him!” He, too, donned a hoodie in his avatar. (See more photos of other gospel artists who are showing support for Trayvon Martin at NuthinButGospel blog.)
Today, Pastor Jamal Bryant and others will lead a National March of Justice at Centennial Park in Sanford, FL. Accordingly, the prominent pastor tweeted this morning, “Dear Lord 2day get justice 4 TRAYVON, redeem those who’ve been done wrong, protect kids from harm & don’t let us wait long!”
I am glad to see the gospel community join this fight, and I hope the momentum continues. In his work, Privilege, Power, and Difference, sociologist Allan G. Johnson asserts, “There is no such thing as doing nothing. There is no such thing as being neutral or uninvolved. At every moment, social life involves all of us.”
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
Pastor Arvetra Jones, Jr., president of the NC Gospel Announcers’ Guild has announced this year’s Prestige Award nominees. The awards banquet will be Friday, May 18, at 7 PM, at Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Durham. Visit www.ncgag.org for more info.
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
Ever since his vocal contributions to James Fortune & FIYA’s “The Blood” and “I Believe,” it seems folks just can’t get enough of Zacardi Cortez.
The buzz about the 26 year-old’s debut CD, Zacardi Cortez: The Introduction, is so strong that a five-song digital EP has been released to tide fans over until the full-length project drops later this spring.
The self-titled EP is now live and available for streaming and downloading on iTunes, Amazon.com, Google Play, eMusic.com, Rhapsody, Spotify.com, and Zune.
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
Since GMF first reported “Shirley Caesar to be crowned ‘Queen of Gospel,'” it has been brought to our attention that portions of GMF’s piece have been published verbatim on other websites without proper credit.
We welcome you to share the information you read here, but please credit Gospel Music Fever™ and/or post a link to the original GMF post. Thank you.
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
Over the last decade, Stephen Hurd has distinguished himself as one of the leading voices in urban praise and worship music and his songs “Undignified” and “Lead Me To The Rock” are sung at faith gatherings around the globe. Now, he’s preparing to release his most ambitious project yet, O That Men Would Worship, his sixth CD and the first on his own Hurd The Word recording label. He has designed the new CD as a tool to inspire men to take on a greater leadership role in church worship services.
Recorded live at The First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro, MD, where Hurd is the Minister of Music, the collection is scheduled to hit retail stores on March 20, via a distribution deal with Central South Distribution, Inc.
“My goal is to get men and especially men of color to realize that worship is not a feminine sport,” Hurd says. “In this season, I feel we should come together and lift up a sound that has the power to change families and strengthen communities and help brothers to get a glimpse of what real worship is. I think when men see other men worship it gives them freedom to worship without feeling emasculated.”
Joining Hurd for this manly worship experience are Verity Records artist Jason Nelson, Christian pop artist Anthony Evans and Minister Deonte Gray who is a member of the 7 Sons of Soul vocal group. Hurd created an all male sextet of singers to back certain songs and a coed group called Extol to back the CD as a whole. Aside from co-writing most of the songs, Hurd produced the fifteen track set alongside up-and-coming producers Kenny Shelton and Anthony Brown. Celebrated producer Steve Ford, who’s worked with acts ranging from Phyllis Hyman to Richard Smallwood, created the lush string arrangements while the in-demand Phil Lassiter (John P. Kee, Marvin Sapp) delivered the hearty horn arrangements.
“It was the easiest thing I’ve ever done,” Hurd says of the recording. “There was no drama. Everybody was excited to be there and came with the attitude of what can I do to make this impact?”
A praise party mini-concert to celebrate the new CD is set for Tuesday, March 20, at 7:30 PM, at First Baptist Church of Glenarden. There is no admission and CDs will be available for purchase. The church is located at 600 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774. Visit www.hurdthewordmusic.com for more information on Hurd.
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.
Over the last decade, Stephen Hurd has distinguished himself as one of the leading voices in urban praise and worship music and his songs “Undignified” and “Lead Me To The Rock” are sung at faith gatherings around the globe. Now, he’s preparing to release his most ambitious project yet, O That Men Would Worship, his sixth CD and the first on his own Hurd The Word recording label. He has designed the new CD as a tool to inspire men to take on a greater leadership role in church worship services.