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R.I.P. Roy "June" Foster, Jr. of The Warrenton Echoes

Roy "June" Foster, Jr. has passed.
GMF extends heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Roy “June” Foster, Jr., who passed away December 21, 2017, at the age of 79.
 
Foster was an original member of The Warrenton Echoes.  The group, according to North Carolina Folklife Institute, is “Warren County, North Carolina’s premier African American gospel quartet. Since the group’s inception in 1957, the Echoes have served as a training ground for North Carolina gospel talent….By the 1960s, the Warrenton Echoes refined their own unique style that featured traditional African American hymns in tight gospel quartet harmony.  Despite their far-reaching acclaim—the group regularly traveled the East Coast and played with groups like the Dixie Hummingbirds—the Warrenton Echoes remained a homegrown enterprise.”
 

Alongside Foster’s tenure with the Warrenton Echoes, the quartet veteran sang extensively as a soloist.  In 2014, he told The Henderson Dispatch’s David Irvine he’d probably performed over a thousand solos over the years.

Homegoing information for Foster is as follows:

Viewing
Friday, December 29, 2017
12 Noon – 7 PM
(Family present from 5 PM to 7 PM)
Davis-Royster Funeral Service, Inc.
926 S. Garnett Street
Henderson, NC  27536

Musical Celebration
Friday, December 29, 2017
7 PM
Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church
515 Raleigh Road
Oxford, NC  27565

Funeral
Saturday, December 30, 2017
11 AM
South Henderson Pentecostal Holiness Church
905 Americal Road
Henderson, NC  27536

“Shout It Loud” – Clifford

“Shout It Loud”
Clifford
From the EP, Love and Worship (2017)
Available at Soundcloud

Cover art for "Shout It Loud" by CliffordBy Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

From the EP Love and Worship, Clifford brings listeners “Shout It Loud,” produced by Dotkeez.  Throughout the CCM vertical worship tune, the singer/songwriter and worship leader extols God’s worth, asserting that he will proclaim his worship thunderously.

Clifford is based in Nigeria and balances careers in both music and medicine. 

"Mercy" – Prince Tai

“Mercy”
Prince Tai
From the CD, Lessons (2017)
Available at iTunes

Prince Tai art workBy Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

I got goodness on my right side
I got mercy on my left
And I know I don’t deserve it
Even my haters callin’ me blessed

Don’t mistake Prince Tai’s declaration for conceit, because while the singer/songwriter acknowledges, “I’m far from what I was,” he makes no bones about his need for God’s continual mercy.  In fact, “Mercy” is the name of his hip-hop tinged contemporary single and the plea therein contained.  The hook alone is infectious, but the prayer lyrically expresses a widespread confession and request: “I’m far from what I was, but I’m not yet what I shall be.  Have mercy on me…”

Prince Tai is based in Norcross, GA, and has caught the eye of notables like Drake, Michelle Williams, Tyrese, Erica Campbell, Tweet, and Missy Elliott.

"King of Glory" – Psalmist Raine & The Refresh Team

“King of Glory”
Psalmist Raine & The Refresh Team (2017)
 
Psalmist Raine King of Glory cover artBy Libra Boyd
 
“King of Glory” is the new single from Psalmist Raine and the Refresh Team’s forthcoming CD, Refresh Worship Live II: For the Nations.  The enthusiastic praise anthem, produced by Nicholas McCree of Salohcin Media Group, invokes the King of Glory’s presence, for “the Lord God strong and mighty is the greatest of them all…King of Glory, we welcome you!”
 
The full-length project was recorded live on September 29, 2017, at Atlanta’s Tabernacle of Praise International Church and is the Chicago-based singer’s fourth live recording.  “King of Glory” is available at CD Baby, and the entire CD is set for release in early 2018.

"The Train" – The Torain Family Singers

“The Train”
Torain Family Singers (October 2017)
www.facebook.com/groups/torainfamily

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

cover art

The Torain Family Singers of Roxboro, NC salute their group’s former lead singer with the spirited single, “The Train,” produced by Demetrius Ledbetter.  As its title suggests, the song incorporates gospel music’s often referenced train metaphor into its rollicking invite for the Heaven-bound ride.

Frances Torain, whose rustic, churchy singing style and non-showy stage presence frequently left congregations craving more, long after she and her group took their seats, boarded the train herself in 2016 (see related story).  

This October, the Torain Family Singers released “The Train,” one of Frances’ most recognizable and requested songs with the group.  Thanks to the magic of digital audio recording and a three year-old amateur live performance archive, Frances rejoins her family on this single for the number’s opening call, “Come on, come on, come on,” to which the family responds, “Don’tcha wanna go?”  From that point, Victor Torain moves the song forward with the family in tow, enthusiastically affirming, “Yes, I want to go!”  The family ultimately charges into the bass guitar-driven vamp with a recurring interjection of “ooh-hoo,” but not before eight year-old Makiyh Allen makes his own affirmative assertion (“Oh yeah!”), echoed by his elders. 

To ride, Victor sings, “You’ve got to be holy / you’ve got to live right / no matter what the people say / you’ve got to live right…”

"Glory to God" ft. Taylor Simone-Butts – Vernon Hill

“Glory to God” featuring Taylor Simone-Butts
Vernon Hill
From the CD, Great Joy (2015)
Available at iTunes

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

“Glory to God” is a featured single from the Great Joy holiday project, presented by producer/songwriter Vernon Hill. 

Taylor Simone-Butts leads the delightfully fluid Christian Adult Contemporary worship song.  Melodically, she calls us to proclaim, like the multitude of the heavenly host in Luke’s biblical narrative, 

We sing glory to God in the highest
Glory to God in the highest
Let there be peace on earth
Goodwill towards men
We sing glory to God in the highest 

The Great Joy CD is available at iTunes.

"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" – Wanda Mo'Net

“Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
Wanda Mo’Net
Indie (2014)
www.wandamonet.com

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

“Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” has been recorded by dozens of artists.  Wanda Mo’Net joins the list of singers and instrumentalists who has now covered the decades-old seasonal tune.

The gospel singer and Atlanta native delivers a recorded performance that boasts warm layers of clear, crisp urban contemporary-styled vocals.  Though I occasionally hear pitch correction technology at work, I imagine it is probably more for stylistic effect than for actual pitch inaccuracies.  After all, Wanda has been singing publicly since the age of three, has shared the stage with a host of gospel greats, and is a former member of the Georgia Mass Choir.

60th GRAMMY nominees announced

Congratulations to nominees for the 60th GRAMMY Awards, announced earlier today (November 28).  


Travis Greene, Le’Andria, Marvin Sapp, CeCe Winans, and Anita Wilson are among this year’s Gospel/CCM nominees, along with Tina Campbell, JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise featuring Bishop Cortez Vaughn, Tauren Wells, and the Walls Group.  


The full list of nominees is available here. 

The awards show will air Sunday, January 28, 2018, on CBS.

Gospel music community mourns death of Pastor Shawn Jones [Arrangements]

Pastor Shawn Jones died suddenly while in concert with his group in Pensacola, FL.

The gospel community is still reeling from the unexpected passing of Shawn Jones.  The singer, preacher, and founding pastor of New Thing Empowerment Church passed Saturday night, November 18, while in concert with his group, Shawn Jones and The Believers, in Pensacola, FL.  He was 32.  

Since his transition, condolences have flooded social media, radio, and musical programs.  Many have described the soulful gospel singer as a rising star whose charisma and recordings of “Worthy Is He” with the Alabama Spirituals–of which he is a former member, and “I’m Depending on You” with his own group caused music enthusiasts around the country to take notice.

GMF joins others in extending heartfelt sympathy to Rev. Jones’ immediate and extended family, the New Thing Empowerment Church family of Auburn, AL, and The Believers. 

Homegoing information was posted on the “Shawn Jones Believers” Facebook page Tuesday evening.  Both services will stream live at www.shawnjoneslegacy.com.  Additional information for supporters and guests who plan to attend can be found there as well. 

Official Funeral Arrangements
“The Legacy Concert”
Monday, November 27, 2017
6 PM CT
Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church
Montgomery, AL

Homegoing Celebration
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
11 AM CT
Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church
Montgomery, AL

Photo | Facebook Profile of Shawn Jones

DunAmis Gospel Awards 2017 Winners

Congratulations to all of the winners and honorees announced at the 4th annual DunAmis Gospel Awards, held Saturday, November 4, at Cornerstone Conference IPHC in Browns Summit, NC.  Recording artists Tasha Wall, Greg Drumwright, and Will Harris served as hosts for the four-hour show.
 
GMF’s own Libra Boyd (pictured), who is a musician and the longtime minister of music for New Hope Person Missionary Baptist Church in Timberlake, NC, received this year’s award for Musician of the Year-Female.  MG Music Group’s Cedric Hester aka Deacon Authority (pictured) took home the award for Holy Hip Hop Artist of the Year.  The full list of winners and honorees is below.  
 
The DunAmis Gospel Awards was conceptualized by Bishop Terry Young to honor
independent gospel artists, pastors, pastor’s wives, churches, and other local and regional talent.  GMF celebrates all of the 2017 award recipients and applauds Bishop Young and his team for an excellent production.  For more information about the DunAmis Gospel Awards, visit www.dunamisgospelawards.org.
 
 
Pastor of the Year
Bishop Ben Mittman

Female Pastor of the Year
Pastor Deborah Chambliss

First Lady of the Year
Whitnei Johnson

Church of the Year (Tie)
Christ Cathedral Church of Deliverance – Winston-Salem
East White Oak Baptist Church – Greensboro

Choir Director of the Year
Sir Jerry Sadler

Young Adult Choir of the Year
Voices of Praise

Musician of the Year (Male)
Mike Astyn

Musician of the Year (Female)
Libra Boyd

Gospel Announcer of the Year
Darlene Vinson

Quartet of the Year
George Perkins and Envision

Church Choir of the Year
Citadel of Praise – Greensboro

Soloist of the Year (Male)
Bishop Stephen Williams

Soloist of the Year (Female)
Felesha Maree

Dance/Mime Ministry of the Year
Keith Rick (Open Vessel)

Community Choir of the Year
Dionn Owen and Renaissance

Spoken Word Artist of the Year
Amorah Brown

CD/Song of the Year
Toren Mozingo

Holy Hip Hop Artist of the Year
Cedric Hester (Deacon Authority)

Worship Leader of the Year
Pastor Cassandra Elliott

A Cappella Group of the Year
The Price Family

Producer of the Year
Mischeal Goldsmith

Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree
Rev. Dr. Jerry Wilson

Trailblazer Award Honoree
Minister Corey Williams

Legends Award Honorees
Dr. Ron Bigelow
Elder Lewis Bernard Florence