Blog

Nominees in for 2017 BET Awards

Nominees for the 2017 BET Awards have been announced, and congratulations are in order for the following nominees in the Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award category:

CeCe Winans
“Never Have to Be Alone”

Fantasia ft. Tye Tribbett
“I Made It”

Kirk Franklin ft. Sarah Reeves, Tasha Cobbs, and Tamela Mann
“My World Needs You”

Lecrae
“Can’t Stop Me Now (Destination)”

Tamela Mann
“God Provides”


The BET Awards will air live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on June 25, at 8 PM ET.  Click here for the complete list of nominees.

The Napper Singers' Constance Napper Daniels passes away

Constance Napper Daniels (right), a lead singer of the Napper Singers, has died.
Photo from Napper Singers Facebook page

Thanks to Pastor Scottie Torain for sharing the sad news that Constance Napper Daniels (right), a lead singer of the Napper Singers, has died (April 11, 2017).  She was 68 years old.

Journalist Audrey Williams of The Winston-Salem Chronicle authored a feature on the Nappers 33 years ago, in which Constance is described as “the stronghold” of the family group.  “Until I die,” Constance told Williams.  “Until I die they’ll be together.”

Indeed, the Napper Singers are a vibrant part of Winston-Salem, NC’s gospel music legacy.  The singing group was organized in 1958 by the Napper siblings’ parents, the late Dr. Warren Jake and Mary Mack Napper. Through the years, they released several recordings, including the albums We Are On The Lord’s Side (1984) and Do You Know Him? (2010).  Constance inscribed fervor and conviction into the songs she ministered, among them, “God is Real” and “It’s Gonna Rain.”

Please join GMF in lifting the Napper and Daniels families in prayer during this difficult time. 

The homegoing service takes place Monday, April 17, at Winston-Salem’s Emmanuel Baptist Church on 1075 Shalimar Drive. The wake begins at noon and the funeral begins at 1 PM.

Nominees for the 2017 Billboard Music Awards announced

Nominees for the 2017 Billboard Music Awards were announced today.  Travis Greene, Kirk Franklin, and Hezekiah Walker earned three nominations each.  Other nominees in the gospel and Christian categories are:


Top Gospel Artist
Jekalyn Carr
Kirk Franklin
Travis Greene
Tamela Mann
Hezekiah Walker

Top Gospel Album
Tamela Mann, One Way
Kirk Franklin, Losing My Religion
Travis Greene, The Hill
Tasha Cobbs, One Place: Live
Hezekiah Walker, Better: Azusa – The Next Generation 2


Top Gospel Song
Jekalyn Carr, “You’re Bigger”
Tasha Cobbs ft. Kierra Sheard, “Put A Praise On It”
Kirk Franklin, “Wanna Be Happy??”
Travis Greene, “Made A Way”
Hezekiah Walker, “Better”

Top Christian Artist
Lauren Daigle
Hillsong Worship
Hillary Scott & the Family
Skillet
Chris Tomlin


Top Christian Album
Casting Crowns, The Very Next Thing
Lauren Daigle, How Can It Be
Joey + Rory, Hymns
Hillary Scott & The Family, Love Remains
Skillet, Unleashed


Top Christian Song
Lauren Daigle, “Trust In You”
Hillary Scott & The Family, “Thy Will”
Skillet, “Feel Invincible”
Ryan Stevenson ft. GabeReal, “Eye Of The Storm”
Zach Williams, “Chain Breaker”


The Billboard Music Awards will air May 21, 2017, at 8 PM on ABC.  Congrats to this year’s nominees.  The complete list of nominees is available here.

32nd Annual Stellar Awards Winners and Honorees

GMF congratulates all of the winners and honorees at the 32nd Annual Stellar Awards. The complete list of this year’s recipients is available here.  


The Stellar Awards, hailed as “Gospel’s Biggest Night,” will be televised Sunday, April 9, at 6 PM EST on TVOne. 

James Dixon celebrates 41st birthday with free musical – April 1

James Dixon, former drummer for the Sensational Nightingales and current lead singer of James Dixon and Company, invites you to his 41st birthday musical.  This year, James is bringing together family, friends, and a host of talent–all of whom are gospel music lovers–for a celebration that won’t soon be forgotten.  The service is free and open to the public.  No April foolin’ here.  Check out the flyer for details. 

Tasha Cobbs marries music director Kenneth Leonard in private ceremony

GRAMMY®-Winning Recording Artist Tasha Cobbs Weds Acclaimed Music Director & Producer Kenneth Leonard In Surprise Private Ceremony

(Atlanta, GA)  GRAMMY® Award-winning recording artist Tasha Cobbs shocked friends, family and fans this weekend with a surprise wedding to longtime beau, acclaimed music director and producer Kenneth Leonard, Jr.
On Friday, March 3, 2017, the pair exchanged vows before an unsuspecting group of family and close friends who believed they were gathering for a private dinner party. News of the wedding surprised many as it saturated social media, but the nuptials had actually been in the works for quite some time.
“We’ve never kept our relationship a secret, but with both of us working publicly in the music industry, we wanted the opportunity to celebrate privately,” shares Cobbs. “After a year of pre-marital counseling and much planning, the timing was finally perfect. It was incredible to be able to surprise those closest to us!”
Kenneth Leonard, Jr. is the accomplished music director and keyboard player for several artists, including soul singer Anthony Hamilton, R&B songstress Tamia, and Cobbs. Holding a bachelor’s degree in Engineering from North Carolina State University, Leonard is also an active music producer. His successful HISound conference equips professional musicians in various areas, including musical skill and industry know-how.
Tasha Cobbs became one of gospel music’s top artists when her 2013 hit, “Break Every Chain,” topped charts and garnered numerous accolades, including a GRAMMY® Award. Named by Billboard Magazine as the Most Streamed Gospel Artist and Top Female Gospel Artist of 2016, Cobbs is currently working on new music, to be released on Motown Gospel later this year.

Angelics' Theresa Burton-Richmond walks down 'Gospel Lane' with group's biggest hit

Theresa Burton-Richmond of the Angelic Gospel Singers sings at Greater Cleggs Chapel Community Missionary Baptist Church.

Theresa Burton-Richmond of the famed Angelic Gospel Singers performed a pair of Margaret “Babe” Allison (1921-2008) and the group’s beloved gems, “Touch Me, Lord Jesus” and “If You Can’t Help Me,” last evening at Greater Cleggs Chapel Community MBC’s Black history musical in Timberlake, NC. The former, first recorded by the Angelics in the late 1940s, was the title of their biggest selling release.
 
The program, called, “Traveling Down Gospel Lane,” featured a narrated contextual overview of gospel’s pioneers and trailblazers as well as performances of sacred music spanning the 17th century to the present.

"Glimpse" – Juan Santiago & Uninhibited Praise

Juan Santiago & Uninhibited Praise "Glimpse" art work

“Glimpse”
Juan Santiago & Uninhibited Praise (March 4, 2017)
www.jsuplive.com

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

“Glimpse” is the new single from multi award-winning international recording group, Juan Santiago & Uninhibited Praise (JSUP). Ecstatic applause and a one-minute guitar-infused intro kick off the CCM track through which JSUP proclaims, “Just to get a touch from You / Just to get a glimpse of You / We will be whole.” Santiago, the ensemble’s founder, allows his expressive vibrato to come to the fore as he enthusiastically leads the pulsating vertical worship song.

“Glimpse,” penned by Anthony Shepard, was recorded live in Baltimore and produced by Damion Murrill. It appears on JSUP’s forthcoming full-length project, scheduled for release later this year.

William Bright of Dixie Hummingbirds remembered as pioneer, mentor

William Bright of the Dixie Hummingbirds has died

Funeral services were recently held in Philadelphia for William Bright, a longtime member of the Dixie Hummingbirds.  Bright died earlier this month (Feb. 4), on his way to a radio interview about the group. 

The quartet veteran was born in Greene County, NC, and grew up in Philadelphia.  His love of singing eventually married him to the Dixie Hummingbirds. 

Arlene Edmonds, correspondent to The Philadelphia Tribune reported on the homegoing service and Bright’s contributions to gospel music: Dixie Hummingbirds era ends with singer’s passing

GMF continues to lift the Bright family as well as The Birds in prayer.

Franklin, Mann win at 2017 Grammys; Caesar receives Lifetime Achievement Award

Congratulations to the gospel winners at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards, announced this afternoon (February 12, 2017) in Los Angeles. 

Best Gospel Performance/Song
“God Provides” – Tamela Mann; Kirk Franklin, songwriter

Best Gospel Album
Losing My Religion – Kirk Franklin

Best Roots Gospel Album
Hymns – Joey + Roey

Congratulations also to eleven-time Grammy recipient Shirley Caesar, who receives one of this year’s seven Grammy Lifetime Achievement Awards bestowed by the Academy.  Of Pastor Shirley Caesar, The Recording Academy writes, 

A deeply spiritual and affecting gospel singer, Shirley Caesar’s emotive vocal talents were discovered in a church choir when she was 10 years old. She is arguably best known for her eight-year tenure with the Chicago-based gospel group the Caravans, whom she joined after appealing to Albertina Walker to sing a solo with the group. Electing to pursue a solo career in 1966 alongside her own choir, the Caesar Singers, she subsequently carved out a profile that earned her the title of First Lady of Gospel Music. Caesar’s roll call of achievements includes 11 GRAMMY Awards®, 14 Stellar awards, 15 Dove awards, a NAACP Image Award, a Soul Train Music Award, and two current 59th GRAMMY nominations.

Caesar, 78,  enjoyed a highly successful 2016 that, in addition to this year’s Grammy nominations for her Billboard chart-topping album Fill This House, included a number one spot on the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs chart for “Hold My Mule” (as result of the viral Internet success of the “U Name It” Challenge featuring a portion of the sermonette), and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.