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Caesar: "Daddy Harold, I will see you again!"

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

Pastor Shirley Caesar-Williams speaks at the homegoing of her husband, Bishop Harold Ivory Williams
Pastor Shirley Caesar-Williams

A capacity crowd filled the pews and every available chair of Raleigh’s 1500-seat Mt. Calvary Word of Faith today (July 12) for the second and final day of “Celebration of Life” services for Bishop Harold Ivory Williams.

During the joyous four-hour service, a host of clergy tributes were interspersed between uplifting musical numbers from the combined choirs of Washington, DC’s Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church.  Bishop Terence Sykes and Pastor Frenchee Wiggins each rendered stirring hymn solos.  Sykes’ a cappella rendering of “Great is Thy Faithfulness” gave rise to the morning’s first sanctuary-wide praise frenzy, and “To God Be the Glory” as ministered by Wiggins was one of Bishop Williams’ favorite songs.

Elder Hope Mason

Elders Marc and Hope Mason and Pastor Shirley Caesar-Williams also fondly remembered their beloved with family tributes.  Hope spoke first, sharing warm memories of “Daddy,” followed by her husband, Marc, who recalled invaluable albeit humorous advice he received from his new father-in-law the day he and Hope eloped. Pastor Caesar then gave reflections of “Daddy Harold,” as she lovingly called him, and expressed deep gratitude before bursting into dance and minutes later, the chorus of “He’s Working It Out For You.” At least twice, she addressed Bishop Williams directly and with admiration, first declaring, “Daddy Harold, I will see you…I will see you again!” and then, in her final words before leaving the pulpit, “We remember you, Daddy Harold.”

Additional expressions of sympathy were acknowledged from The Clark Sisters, Bishop T.D. Jakes, President Obama, and others.

Archbishop Alfred Owens, Jr., Presiding Prelate of MCHCA and spiritual son of Bishop Williams, delivered the eulogy. 

“The Last Mile”
Pastor Caesar-Williams prepares to escort “Daddy Harold,” her love of 31 years, to his resting place.

Bishop Harold Ivory Williams remembered at first of two ‘Celebration of Life’ services

The Caesar Singers sing "You Can Make It" at Friday evening's celebration of life service for Bishop Williams
The Caesar Singers sing “You Can Make It” at Friday evening’s memorial musical.

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

Hundreds gathered this evening to celebrate the life of Bishop Harold Ivory Williams, Sr. at the first of two days of services for the former Presiding Prelate and Senior Bishop Emeritus of the Mount Calvary Holy Church of America (MCHCA), Inc.  Bishop Williams, who passed July 4, at age 93, was remembered as “The Patriarch, The Preacher, The Pianist.”

Among the many who gave remarks and musical tributes during the two-and-a-half hour service at Raleigh’s Mt. Calvary Word of Faith Church were Bishop Barbara Amos, Bishop George Bloomer, organist/songwriter Michael Mathis, the Caesar Singers, and the Cornerstone Church of Jesus Christ Combined Choir. 

Bishop Williams was praised for his humility, humor, leadership, scholarship, and particularly his musicianship.  In fact, many in attendance learned tonight that his middle name, Ivory, was acquired in association with a group he founded in the 1940’s, The Ivory Gospel Singers (which also had Thelma Jackson, who later sang with the Clara Ward Singers, as its member).  It happens that Mahalia Jackson was the first to refer to him by “Ivory,” causing the name–actually a fitting one, considering his gift for tickling the ivories–to remain with him.

Saturday’s national “Celebration of Life” service will begin at 11 am, at Raleigh’s Mt. Calvary Word of Faith Church, with viewing for two hours prior.  According to Bishop Kelvin Shouse, you can go to www.mchca.org for information about live streaming.

“God Will Make It Work” – Jscott Martin f. The Glove (Video)

“Even though this is an R&B song, I would like to consider myself a Christian artist,” says Jscott Martin, bassist, vocalist, and producer during the musical interlude of his band’s R&B groove, “God Will Make It Work.”

Check out the video, recorded live at Berklee College of Music, which expresses a lover’s confidence in courtship guided by faith in God and inspired by Proverbs 18:22.  “God Will Make It Work” features Martin on lead vocals and bass, along with his band, The Glove.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm1LbEf3Amg

"All That I Am" – Isabella

Isabella All That I Am cover art

“All That I Am” 
Isabella
From the CD, All That I Am (2014)
www.isabellamelodies.com

Isabella’s sultry alto is the lone voice on her vertical contemporary worship ballad, “All That I Am.” Forward-moving strings and guitar-laced orchestration, all atop warm piano accompaniment, escort her as she makes a melodic ascent to the Throne, pronouncing, “To worship You I live / My heart to you I give…”  The song is the title track of her current project, available at iTunes.

Isabella is based in London and has several music awards to her credit, including a Nigeria Gospel Music Award for Best Female Artiste in Diaspora and an Africa Gospel Music Award for Artist of the Year (Europe).  She is the worship pastor at The Father’s House International Church.

Gladys Knight has gospel project in the works

Tehillah Enterprises announced today (July 8) that its client, R&B legend Gladys Knight, is prepping to drop a gospel album entitled Where My Heart Belongs. The release date is set for September 9, 2014.

Bishop Harold I. Williams, Patriarch of MCHCA, husband of Shirley Caesar, dies at 93

 
From the MCHCA site

Bishop Harold Ivory Williams, Sr., former Presiding Prelate and Senior Bishop Emeritus of the Mount Calvary Holy Church of America (MCHCA), Inc., passed today (July 4).  He was 93 years old. 

According to the MCHCA site, Bishop Williams led MCHCA for more than 37 years as Senior Bishop, succeeding the organization’s founder Bishop Brumfield Johnson, before choosing to take emeritus status in 2008. Simultaneous to his leadership of the parent organization, he pastored Winston-Salem’s Mount Calvary Holy Church, Washington, DC’s Mount Calvary Holy Church, and founded a church in Baltimore, according to his bio.  At the time of his demise, he and his wife of 31 years, Pastor Shirley Caesar-Williams, were co-pastors of Raleigh’s Mount Calvary Word of Faith.

Along with pastoring, Bishop Williams was an accomplished pianist and songwriter, guesting on his wife’s projects Sailin’ (vocals on “Time to Come Back Home”), Stand Still (spoken word on “Step Out”) and Shirley Caesar Live …He Will Come (piano on his composition “Our Father”).

In addition to Pastor Caesar, Bishop Williams is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Elder Hope and Prophet Marc Mason, grandchildren, and a host of additional relatives, friends, and spiritual sons and daughters.  His son, acclaimed jazz pianist Harold I. Williams, Jr. preceded him in death. 

With bittersweetness, GMF bids Bishop Williams adieu and extends heartfelt condolences to Pastor Caesar-Williams and family.

Update (7/6/14 at 2:07 am) – Elder Hope Mason has shared homegoing information for her father, Bishop Williams. She notes via Facebook that “the Friday night service is a musical memorial and his remains will be available for viewing from 12:00-6:00 pm Friday afternoon, but not at the service.” 

Update (7/9/14 at 7:30 am) – Elder Hope Mason has provided updated homegoing information for Bishop Williams. The latest information includes lodging accommodations (click image below to enlarge).

The Jones Family Singers "make a way" in music, film

Jones Family Singers
 

Rolling Stone named the Jones Family Singers as a “Top 25 Must-see Act” at this year’s SXSW festival.  Check out the video of their scorching quartet single “Down on Me” from their current project The Spirit Speaks, and you’ll see why.  Besides Rolling Stone, the soulful family has garnered praise from NPR and Wall Street Journal.  Additionally, they’ve gotten the attention of filmmakers who are now interested in creating a feature documentary of the family’s life on and offstage. 

An Indiegogo campaign is underway to help fund the film, The Jones Family Will Make A Way.  Find out more about the documentary and fundraising campaign, and most definitely watch the video “Down On Me” here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-jones-family-will-make-a-way.

Donald Lawrence asks for your support of The Thomas A. Dorsey Project

Professor Thomas A. Dorsey, Father of Gospel Music

(Springfield, IL)  The Thomas A. Dorsey
Project is proud to announce the support of Grammy, Dove and Stellar
Award winning recording artist, Donald Lawrence.

Donald Lawrence is an international songwriter, producer, music and
choir director and gospel extraordinaire with a storied musical career.  In support of The Thomas A. Dorsey Project, Lawrence issued this
statement:

As the Father of Gospel music, Mr. Thomas A. Dorsey has had a
profound impact on me as an artist. In fact, one of the first
songwriting awards I won as a young songwriter was the “Thomas A. Dorsey
Song of the Year Award,” during The Thomas A. Dorsey Convention of
National Choirs and Choruses. Mr. Dorsey not only paved the way for
future Gospel artists, he laid the foundation for which our genre of
music was built upon. All generations of musicians, regardless of their
musical preference or style need to study the work and life of Thomas
A. Dorsey. What better tool to learn the man than a piece of literature
written by his own grandson, Thomas A. Dorsey III? Thomas is currently
raising money via PayPal to facilitate the creation of this book about
his grandfather. Please contribute to this cause so that all of us
maybe allowed a window into the life of this musical genius.


The Thomas A. Dorsey Project is committed to protecting the image,
works, and reputation of Thomas A. Dorsey while preserving the legacy of
the most prolific innovator of gospel music. Dorsey arguably produced
the soundtrack to the Civil Rights Movement. Dorsey’s songs have been
recorded and performed by the likes of Sam Cooke, Albertina Walker,
Clara Ward, Elvis Presley, Whitney Houston, and Melonie Daniels, just to
name a few. The project is currently in Phase 1 of its Crowdsourcing
& Fundraising Campaign in which all funds received will assist in
facilitating logistics such as research, writing, editing, artistic
design and licensing necessary to complete a factually based narrative
which chronicles nearly a century of American History.

The Thomas A. Dorsey Project is seeking to transform Dorsey’s life story
into a manuscript, film and beyond. Please send all monetary
donations to:

The Thomas A. Dorsey Project
c/o Thomas A. Dorsey III
P.O.
Box 1825
411 East Monroe
Springfield, IL 62705

Online donations can
be made at PayPal.

For exclusive content and photos please “follow” The Thomas A. Dorsey Project on Twitter @Dorsey_Project, “like” on Facebook at The-Thomas-A-Dorsey-Project, or visit the official Tumblr blog at http://thethomasadorseyproject.tumblr.com.  

The preceding content is from a press release issued by The Thomas A. Dorsey Project.

Bobby Womack succumbs

Soul singer Bobby Womack died Friday, June 27, at age 70.  Womack had roots in gospel music and cited R.H. Harris of the Soul Stirrers as one of his influences.  

Womack and his brothers performed gospel music before gaining the attention of Sam Cooke who eventually signed them to his label (SAR Records) as The Valentinos, where they made the transition to R&B.

Read more about Womack’s life and music in the LA Times.