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Tracy Randall: Surviving Cancer & Prepping for Video Shoot of Single “It Feels Good”

((New York, NY)  Lavish Records artist Tracy Randall is heading south–not to escape the Big Apple’s cold spring–but to shoot a music video
for his inspiring new radio single “It Feels Good.” The song reflects
his upbeat attitude about life and his health. In 2006, he was diagnosed
with leukemia and after aggressive rounds of chemo and radiation
therapy, his doctors conceded defeat and gave him just months to live.
He fought back by strengthening his faith, changing his attitude and
improving his diet so that he could live to provide for his wife and
children. He says that still being alive makes him feel good and that’s
the message of his new feel good Jeep beat.

“I opened up my
eyes and thanked God for a new day,” Randall sings on the up-beat
R&B styled song. “I’ve been blessed in so many ways if I wanted to
write `em down there wouldn’t be enough pages.”

The song comes from his
sophomore CD Troubled Times that features fourteen tracks of what he
calls Rhythm & Gospel. “It’s gospel music,” Randall explains. “But
it has that urban R&B beat.” Visit https://soundcloud.com/tracy-randall/it-feels-good-so-good-tracy to stream the song on SoundCloud.

“I
don’t want people to think that I no longer have the illness,” Randall
says of the cancer. “I have pain and depression. There are times that
I don’t sleep for two days because I am afraid to sleep. However, my
faith has grown tremendously. I am still learning and growing. I still
get mad and ask God, `why me?’ If this can be gone from me, then let it
be. Yet, He touched my soul and I am still here. I am honored to speak
on his behalf as a servant. The fact that He can cancel out what man can
say about you, is pretty amazing.”

The video shoot by Regulus
Films & Entertainment begins Saturday, March 30 at 8 PM, at the
Koinonia Church, 1001 West Plant Street in Wintergarden, FL. Gary
Brown is the producer/video director and Alejandro Fuenmayor is the
videographer.

The Lake Charles, LA native grew up on a musical
diet of Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder. After completing his
undergraduate degree from LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Randall was
signed to the Isley Brothers’ T-Neck/Island Records label. After
Universal/Polygram took over the company in 1999, he left to start
Lavish Records. He released his first gospel CD Sinners Have Souls Too
in 2007 and has done a lot of behind the scenes work in the music
industry. Randall co-wrote four songs on Shaggy’s Grammy Award nominated Summer in Kingston CD that reached #1 on Billboard’s Top Reggae
Albums chart in 2012.

“I Wish” – Determined

“I Wish”
Determined
From the CD, Still Determined (2012)
Vision Records

Determined

Tupelo, Mississippi’s quartet-styled group Determined makes good use of their gospel platform to address societal ills with “I Wish” from their 12-track CD Still Determined.

It’s not uncommon for the music of gospel singers to bespeak the times and hope for a better world.  The young group makes such a passionate plea throughout their easy-going musical presentation.

“I Wish” calls for social justice and unity in a society in which discord and hatred are rampant and far too many are still marginalized by pervasive systems of oppression.

Bennie J. Robinson, brother of Sis. Josephine James & Rev. Cleophus Robinson, passes

Dr. Patricia James-Holloway, daughter of Sister Josephine James, informed GMF that Bennie J. “Jay” Robinson passed away.  He was 91 years old and resided in Canton, MS.

Robinson was the brother of Sister James and Rev. Cleophus Robinson, Sr., both of whom were noted traditional gospel singers.

Visitation
Friday, March 22, 2013
3:00-7:00 PM
People’s Undertaking
Canton, MS

Homegoing
Saturday, March 23, 2013
2:00 PM
Mt. Zion Cobbsville Church
Canton, MS

GMF sends its prayers and condolences to the Robinson family during this time of transition.

"Lay Down Your Burdens" – Men of Virtuee

“Lay Down Your Burdens”
Men of Virtuee (2013)
Available at www.indieheaven.com

Men of Virtuee

Just this year, God gave Robert Lunsford, Jr. a vision to bring the singing ministry of his cousins to the forefront. They’ve been singing together for numerous years, but now he, Darnell Woods, Chuck Dixon, and George Pettiford have come together under the moniker Men of Virtuee (yes, with two e’s) to present a new single and concept video “Lay Down Your Burdens.”

Woods takes the lead on the mid-tempo contemporary single, inviting the downtrodden, discouraged, desperate, and disconnected to yield themselves and their life issues to Jesus and be set free.

For more information about the Roxboro, NC based group, peep www.menofvirtuee.com.

Check out the “Lay Down Your Burdens” video here.

"Happy birthday, Delois Barrett Campbell!"

GMF remembers the Royal Lady of Gospel, Delois Barrett Campbell, on what would be her 87th birthday.  Born March 12, 1926, Campbell was a prominent member of the Roberta Martin Singers for nearly 20 years and the lead singer of her sibling trio, The Barrett Sisters, who continue to perform.  Campbell passed August 2, 2011, at age 85.

For years, birthday musicals were hosted in her honor in Chicago and brought in singers and guests from far and near.

This year in February, The Barrett Sisters celebrated the release of a feature length documentary movie entitled The Sweet Sisters of Zion: Delois Barrett Campbell and The Barrett Sisters, detailing the extensive career and travels of the internationally recognized group.  GMF’s Libra Boyd talked with the film’s producer and director Regina Rene about the project.  Read the interview here.

“Happy birthday, Delois Barrett Campbell!'”

“Greater Is Coming” – Jekalyn Carr

“Greater Is Coming” [Album Version]
Jekalyn Carr
From the upcoming CD, Greater Is Coming (Spring 2013)
http://myjekalyncarr.net

Jekalyn Carr Greater is Coming art work
Jekalyn Carr’s résumé resembles that of someone who’s been in the business for as long as she is old.
 
A frequent psalmist at Benny Hinn crusades, a fiery evangelist whose YouTube videos show her preaching preceding generations into frenzies, and a special musical guest on the Word Network, the 15 year-old diminutive dynamo makes quite an authoritative declaration with the single “Greater Is Coming,” from her forthcoming CD of the same title.
 
Jekalyn pours every ounce of conviction she can muster into this worshipful ballad of affirmation to proclaim that “greater” is just over the horizon.  Her intensity is palpable as she announces, “Look out World, here comes your Healer!  Look out World, here comes your Deliverer!”
 
Look out World, here comes powerhouse Jekalyn Carr.

Detroit Free Press interviews Thomas M. Dorsey, son of “Precious Lord” composer

Professor Thomas A. Dorsey (1899-1993)
Cassandra Spratling of Detroit Free Press talks with the only son of Professor Thomas A. Dorsey–Thomas M. Dorsey–about his father’s legacy and the lasting impact of one of the most beloved hymns in all of gospel.
Professor Dorsey, The Father of Gospel Music, composed “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” in 1932, in response to the passing of his wife who died in childbirth and their newborn baby who died shortly afterwards.
Read the interview here.

"Living Right" – Kirby Wills and Southern Sound

“Living Right”
Kirby Wills and Southern Sound
From the CD, Living Right (2012)
Indie

Kirby Wills and Southern Sound

One need not look far to behold the atrocities of a society in moral decay.  Yet, as voices crying in a 21st century wilderness, Kirby Wills and Southern Sound present the sobering question: “What’s wrong with living right?”

“Living Right” written by Bill Adams, is the title track of the Durham group’s southern gospel CD and is performed by Wills–who could’ve easily enjoyed mainstream success as a country artist. Pianist Angela Fluet offers vocal harmony support in the chorus.  While Wills and Fluet are the dominant voices on the song, the entire band is filled with singers and musicians, all of whom serve the First Pentecostal Church of Durham.

Fluet describes their music as multi-genred, encompassing southern gospel, bluegrass, and rockabilly, but there is no question about the singular message of “Living Right.”  The message is holiness: Not a denomination, but a lifestyle.

Mary Mary reality show renewed for third season

(New York, NY)  WE tv announced today that the women’s network has greenlit a third season of its popular docu-series, Mary  Mary, just
ahead of the season two finale airing tomorrow night, February 28 at 9 PM, ET/PT.   WE tv has ordered 10, one-hour episodes.  Production will
begin in Los Angeles in mid-March.


Commented Lauren Gellert, WE tv’s SVP of original production & development:  “During the current season of Mary Mary, viewers
witnessed two incredible births: Tina’s baby boy and  Erica and Tina’s
hit single, ‘Go Get It,’ which went on to win the duo a Grammy Award. 
It’s exactly this type of dimensionality that WE tv spotlights in women.
 Erica and Tina juggle their lives with grace and style; they are
amazing role models for today’s young women and a great addition to WE
tv.”


Added Erica Campbell: “We’re so excited about the next season as we
enter a new phase in our lives and careers. This past year has been
both overwhelming and exciting and we were happy to share those moments
with our fans.  We are grateful to provide viewers with an honest look
into who we are and how we handle our differences, and we hope to
continue to inspire and encourage people through our show in addition to
our music.”
Mary Mary is produced for WE tv by eOne Televison, executive
produced by Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell, Tara Long, John Morayniss,
Eric Hoberman and Mitchell Solarek.  Kate Farrell serves as the
executive producer for WE tv.