
Official Video – "Testify" – The Rev

(Washington, DC) Tall One Outreach Ministries presents “Spare the Rod, Spoil the
Child” gospel play at the Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U Street NW, Washington, DC, on November
5, 2016, at 7:30 PM.
The award-winning gospel stage play is written by Dr. Mildred
Summerville and directed by James A. House. In this gripping and engaging dramatic piece,
a woman simply known as “Grandma” serves as the pillar of her surroundings. Her son’s
family is in crisis, and those within her neighborhood are drowning in chronic troubles of
their own. Through it all, Grandma seeks God on behalf of those who are not spiritually
inclined enough to seek Him for themselves. Even those who resent her, such as her son’s
sometimes-rigid wife, Linda, ultimately end up on Grandma’s prayer list. And when the walls
of the lives of those around Grandma seem to come tumbling down, they know who to turn
to for guidance and sound counsel. It’s not always advice that they want to hear, but it is
consistently the precise word needed to steer them in the right direction.
Using spirit-filled music and memorable characters like James, the doting son, Linda, the
insensitive daughter-in-law, Tracy, the high-strung teenager, and Sister Cantaloupe,
Grandma’s feisty sister, “Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child” portrays issues within the community
such as family dysfunction, peer pressure, substance abuse, and other pertinent matters
that are too often inadequately addressed or considered taboo altogether.
Other characters in the cast bring even more drama to the script. In her God-given wisdom,
Grandma confronts Tracy’s suppressed anger and bitterness, convincing her to disclose facts
about a rape kept secret for years. Also, she fervently prays for her grandson, William, who
has a change of heart and averts a life of gang involvement.
Though compounding events take a toll on Grandma, the audience will rejoice in knowing
that this elderly woman’s life was prayer-centered, purpose-inspired and inevitably not at all
lived in vain. Extraordinary drama, corrupt karma, a supportive pastor, and a praying
grandma, all come together to make “Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child” a must-see theatrical
production. Infused with foot-stomping gospel music, this is soul-stirring entertainment that
will warm hearts, tickle funny bones, uplift the spirits, and search the souls of all those who
experience it.
Gracing the stage are Grammy Award winning artist Le’Andria Johnson, gospel singing
sensation Shawn McLemore, who is known for his hit single “I Believe,” featuring James
Fortune, Dr. Pauline Key, and Comedian Trina Jeffrie aka Sis. Cantaloupe. Viewers are
in for an unforgettable experience! The additional supporting cast members are Hope
Demps, Anthony A.D. Demmer, Bria Walker, Trenton Lumpkin, Elizabeth Henry,
Hasan Texeira, Dana Kristina-Joi Morgan, and Rhonda McLemore.
About the Writer/Producer
Dr. Mildred Summerville recently received an award from the
Heritage Registry of Who’s Who in the field of Spiritual Education
Entertainment for her award-winning play, “Spare the Rod, Spoil
the Child,” and she is an exclusive member of the Heritage Top
100. She was also a 2016 Down East Honoree of the Lifetime
Achievement Award. Dr. Summerville is an active member of Delta
Sigma Theta Sorority and Mt. Calvary Word of Faith Church in
Raleigh where she serves as an armor bearer for Pastor Shirley
Caesar. During her association and work with the renowned
gospel artist, Summerville realized she had a zeal and talent for
entertainment.
Source – Summerville Promotion and Production Co.
“It is Well”
Pastor H.B. Charles, Jr. and the Shiloh Church Choir
From the CD, Joe Pace Presents: Pastor H.B. Charles, Jr. and the Shiloh Church Choir (September 23, 2016)
Shiloh Worship/360MusicWorX
www.Shiloh.church/music
By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever
The sacred hymn “It is Well (With My Soul)” is two years older than the 141 year-old Shiloh Baptist Church, shepherded by Pastor H.B. Charles, Jr. Nevertheless, Joe Pace’s arrangement of the hymn staple, as featured on the project, Joe Pace Presents: Pastor H.B. Charles, Jr. and the Shiloh Church Choir, melds the tune’s enduring lyrics with modern musical and vocal stylings to refresh the morning worship standard for a new generation.
The Shiloh Church Choir’s contemporized version of “It is Well” is characterized by an uptempo rhythmic bounce and a vamp in which they emphatically affirm, “It is well with my soul / It is well with my soul, it is well!“
Pace is a Grammy, Dove, and Stellar-nominated songwriter, producer, and choir director. The music industry veteran presently serves as Shiloh’s pastor of worship and arts.
By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever
The tribute lineup read like Who’s Who in gospel music Friday evening, October 14, at Raleigh’s Mt. Calvary Word of Faith Church, where gospel’s queen Shirley Caesar is pastor. There, a host of artists along with a crowd of over 1,000 gathered to help the pastor-singer celebrate her 78th birthday. Caesar’s longtime friend and industry colleague, Dr. Bobby Jones, was the emcee.
The four-hour program included musical tributes from the Mt. Calvary Word of Faith Choir, mime minister Arie Pope, Ami Rushes, Melvin Williams, Teddy and Tina Campbell, Wess Morgan, Le’Andria Johnson, and Beverly Crawford. Nieces Tammy Caesar and LaDehra Alston along with Shirley Caesar Group mainstay Bernard Sterling also honored Caesar with musical tributes. Interspersed between the performances were humorous anecdotes, no fewer than three frenzied praise breaks, and congratulatory videos from Karen Clark-Sheard, Regina Belle, Jekalyn Carr, and Stellar Awards executive producer Don Jackson.
The honoree took the stage as the night drew to a close. Flanked by the program participants, Pastor Caesar and the audience revisited her recent Hollywood Walk of Fame experience with video excerpts from the star dedication ceremony. Afterward, the gospel music matriarch offered expressions of gratitude–sprinkled with humor and sermonic tuning–and treated her fans to an abbreviated version of “Jesus, I Love Calling Your Name.”
Pastor Caesar’s birthday was October 13, and Friday’s musical was the third of four services this week commemorating her birthday. This year’s events are also in recognition of her 26th pastoral anniversary, 50-year solo music career, and star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The celebration series culminates Sunday, October 16, at 5 PM, with a choir competition dubbed, “Battle of the Choirs.”
Congratulations to all of the winners and honorees at the 47th Annual Dove Awards, which took place October 11, at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena in Nashville. Kirk Franklin (pictured accepting award) and Anthony Brown & group therAPy were among the gospel artists who carried trophies away from the ceremony.
For a recap of the show and the complete list of winners, click here. The Dove Awards will air on TBN this Sunday, October 16, at 10PM ET (7PM PT).
Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Dove Awards
“Grateful”
Ted Winn & Balance feat. Maranda (2016)
Shanachie Entertainment
Available at iTunes
By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever
Ted Winn’s gospel ballad “Grateful” doubles as a personal expression of thanks and a tribute to his friend and musical influence, the late Bishop Walter Hawkins.
Inspired by Hawkins as well as three generations of matriarchs in his own family, Winn said of the self-penned single, “‘Grateful’ is a song I penned as I thought about the significance of my mom, my grandmother and great-grandmother in my life. My dad wasn’t present but God orchestrated it so that these powerful women were. So I realized you can cry over who left or celebrate who stayed. I chose to be grateful.”
Strings and a simple piano chord progression open the track, leaving ample room for Winn’s impassioned words of gratitude:
Taught me how to love myself
Recognized my value, my internal wealth
Now I see my potential the way you do
And I am grateful to you
The song ascends from its bridge to the chorus, accompanied by group members Balance, before making its segue into the Hawkins classic “Be Grateful,” where jazzy Maranda Willis trades the lead with Winn.
“Grateful” is from Winn’s forthcoming album, set for release in 2017.
“Come On Everybody”
Greater New Hope Mass Choir (2016)
Touch One Musiq
Available at CD Baby
By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever
Greater New Hope Mass Choir in Oxford, NC is having some foot-stomping church, and they don’t intend to do it alone. They issue an exuberant invitation to “praise the Lord…for He is good, He is good, He is good” with their current single, “Come On Everybody,” recorded live during a spiritual service.
“Come On Everybody” has all the hand clapping, horn stabbing, organ riffing, and tambourine shaking you’d expect in a traditional church choir song. Punctuated by pulsating bass and the lead vocal of the song’s writer and producer Brian Foster—who is Greater New Hope Baptist Church’s minister of music and co-founder of the North Carolina Community Choir (Malaco)—”Come on Everybody” has Sunday Morning written all over it.
Enjoy Mike Body’s official music video, “Gospel on Sunday,” which features Jarell Johnson and is directed by King G. “Gospel on Sunday” is the self-written single from Body’s 2016 EP, Signs of Maturity.
(Virginia Beach, VA) Rejoice! MSF (Musical Soul Food Radio Network) has signed gospel music legend Hezekiah Walker to an exclusive syndication and sales partnership. Rejoice! MSF will handle production, distribution, and syndication duties while Sun Broadcast Group will supply sales support for Walker’s new syndicated radio program.
The working title for the show that will launch the first week in November is, “The Hezekiah Walker Show.” The Grammy, Stellar, and Dove Award winning recording artist has sold millions of records over the years and is known for classic songs such as “Every Praise” and his current No. 1 hit “Better.” Hezekiah Walker joins Rejoice! Musical Soul Food’s illustrious roster of gospel stars who also host syndicated radio shows such as Dorinda Clark Cole, Melvin Williams of the Williams Brothers, Dottie Peoples, and Coko Clemmons of the R&B group SWV.
“The Hezekiah Walker Show” will target urban, urban adult contemporary, hip-hop, and gospel stations with a one-hour, weekday music-driven inspirational format to kick-off the mornings with a burst of inspiration. Additionally, Walker will also package a two-hour weekend program targeting multi-formats.
“The addition of Hezekiah Walker to our lineup of powerful celebrity-driven shows positions us to increase our impact in the gospel music arena,” says Mike Chandler, Rejoice! MSF President. “We’ve been blessed to have some of the most recognizable names in the gospel industry as part of our talent pool.”
Hezekiah Walker says, “I am excited about teaming up with such an influential organization in the gospel music industry as the Rejoice Musical Soul Food Radio Network….so radio look out, here we come!”
SOURCE Bill Carpenter