Tag: NC Artist Spotlight

Damion Murrill and Siloam 'give God the glory'

Damion Murrill and Siloam
Photo | Brittney White
Damion Murrill (foreground, left) and Siloam
minister to a capacity congregation at the Yancey Family Ministries “Giving God the Glory” Gospel Explosion at Cornerstone Christian Community Church in Oxford, NC Saturday evening.  Their forthcoming CD is scheduled to drop this summer and features the group’s current single, “Kingdom Come.”

An Interview with Ruth La’Ontra

By Shaundria Williams
Special Contributor
 
Recently, I had the awesome opportunity to speak with North Carolina’s own Ruth La’Ontra (pronounced Lah’Ontrah).   She’s the daughter of radio pioneer Bishop Arvetra Jones—who’s also the president of the North Carolina Gospel Announcers Guild of the Gospel Music Workshop of America—and Mrs. Ruth Jones.  Her grandfather, the late Apostle Arvetra Jones, Sr., was a recording artist as well; so it seems accurate to say that music is in her blood.
 
Our conversation was like talking to a cousin on the porch in springtime as the sun sets just beyond the trees.  La’Ontra’s got such a sweet spirit and a playful personality; but don’t let the giggles fool you.  This young lady is serious about her Kingdom Assignment!
 
Her debut album, So Good boasts four self-written songs, including the title track: “Speechless,” “I’m In Love With This Man,” and “I Believe.”  Of her songwriting process, La’Ontra explains, “I try to keep the song in a storyline, in order to express what I am going through.”
 
“Speechless,” for instance, is the first track on the project, and it is an energetic song of worship fit to minister at any sports half-time show.
 
QUICK SOAP BOX:  Before the Pharisee in you comes out because of her vernacular, yes, some of the lyrics in the chorus are “my Father, my best friend, my boo.”  To that I say, “AWESOME!”  Really, it is, because if you understand what it truly means to be “booed-up” and if God has ever come through for you in a very real way, you get it.  To those who still don’t get it I’ll just encourage you to get booed-up with Jesus, ask Him to be the true LOVER of your soul, then you’ll sing along with Sis. La’Ontra.
 
The entire So Good project is hip and young with nuances of The Clark Sisters, Kim Burrell, Beyoncé, Bilal and Ledisi.  La’Ontra’s producer Bubby Fann translated the images in La’Ontra’s head into hot beats, smooth transitions and mellow lulls.  He also wrote her first single “Count it All Joy,” which has swiftly made its way up the charts.  Her brother, Arvetra Dominic “Dom” Jones, and sister, Princess Jones added “I’ll Trust You” and “I Got This” to this dynamic project.  If you are nervous about doing something that God has placed in your heart, put that last one I mentioned on “repeat” and get it done.  The full collection of songs is sure to encourage and uplift you.
 
Beyond her music, La’Ontra reveals that she wants to develop programs for women and children who have been affected by domestic violence.  While she doesn’t have a personal history with domestic violence, she has seen the effects and wants to provide an avenue for women to express their feelings and leave with hope.  Maybe in some way, this actually works in tandem with her desire “to go outside of the four walls of the church and minister to the mainstream while maintaining gospel roots and go wherever God’s footsteps lead.”  I am positive that wherever God leads the young twenty-something songstress, it will be so good.
 
 

History: Complete Early Recordings – The Yancey Family Singers

The Yancey Family Singers
History: Complete Early Recordings
Yancey Family Ministries (2013)
www.yanceyfamilyministries.org

Yancey Family Singers cover art

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

The Yancey family is to the North Carolina city of Oxford what the Winans are to Detroit.  Full of singing, writing, and musical talent, the 11-sibling family has shared their brand of traditional gospel throughout the region for decades; it’s a legacy passed on to them by their parents, Melcina and the late Willie G. Yancey.  Their longtime supporters probably own the first vinyl records released under the name The Yancey Family Singers.  For younger ones like me—who own the more recent CDs and mp3s by those who’ve become solo artists in their own right—it’s a real treat to be able to step back in time via History: Complete Early Recordings, a 30-track double-disc compilation of the family’s early LPs and 45s.  The Yanceys are grateful to collector John Glassburner who supplied them with several of the hard-to-find original recordings that they were not able to easily access.

The CD set features music from two of their 1970’s albums, God Brought Us From A Mighty Long Way and Mind Your Own Business as well as several singles.  The set also includes two early 70’s tracks from The Yancey Glorietts, younger siblings of The Yancey Family Singers.  The presentation of the early performances is as initially recorded, and there doesn’t appear to have been any remixing or remastering (which may explain the volume adjustments you’ll need to make and the clipping you’ll hear on just a few of the tracks).  Among the standouts is “God Brought Us From A Mighty Long Way,” a retrospective musical narrative through which Willie N. Yancey recalls the family’s humble beginnings—when there were only four siblings and their father worked for a meager wage (60¢/hour), while Mother Yancey handmade their clothes to help make ends meet. Yet, “we were thankful…He brought us from a mighty long way.”

The compilation boasts its share of homespun quartet selections, including the punchy “Jesus Never Let Me Down” and sauntering “He Loves Me”—both of which hint at stylings of the Williams Brothers and Jackson Southernaires.  One might even think the Keynotes’ Paul Beasley showed up for a vocal workout, but it’s actually the keen falsetto of Willard Yancey on “Jesus Don’t Leave Me.”  Another tune, “Poor Man Cry,” ambles into country music territory and still another, “Pray for the Nation,” wallows in bluegrass as it tugs on our social consciousness.

The folksy “God’s and Satan’s War” puts sister Susie out front, while “I Had A Dream” and “You And God” are respectively plaintive and cautionary, capturing the piping vocals of a preteen Larry Yancey on the former and a barely teen Gloretta McNeil née Yancey on the latter.  Along with a pair of “mother” songs, the remaining numbers are quintessential Yancey gems that bespeak Dorothy Norwood’s endorsement of the singing family as the “best kept secret of Granville County.”  Of course, in the minds of all the Yanceys’ longtime friends, fans, and followers far and near, the secret has long been out.

Favorites
“God Brought Us From A Mighty Long Way” – “He Loves Me”- “I Had A Dream”

Fever Meter
SMOKIN’ (4 of 5 Stars)

Napper Singers: ‘God is Real!’

Napper Singers
Photo | Libra Boyd

The Napper Singers of Winston-Salem were a crowd favorite at tonight’s Furniture City GospelFest, held at Living Water Baptist Church in High Point.  Included on the roster of selections was their signature arrangement of the hymn “God Is Real.”  One can tell by watching and listening to the Napper Singers that the sisters grew up during a time when singing was singing.  It would not be surprising to learn that gospel trailblazers like the Barrett Sisters and Roberta Martin Singers were a couple of their influences.

"Stand Up!" – Jay McGee

“Stand Up!”
Jay McGee
From the CD, Testimony!! (2012)
Beacon Records
Available at CD Baby

Jay McGee Stand Up art work
Jay McGee’s vibe is reminiscent of Sam Cooke and Johnnie Taylor, a couple of the finest and most recognizable voices in soul. Augmenting the vibe is a call he issues through “Stand Up,” from his fourth full-length project, Testimony!! 
 
Simply put, McGee wants those who believe in Jesus Christ to be bold witnesses. “Stand up and be counted / Everywhere you go, let the people know you love Him—My Jesus.”
 
Originally from Fayetteville, NC, McGee is a singer, songwriter, producer, and arranger whose music extends into various genres.

"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.

"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.

Cheylaine Murchison: Rising artist with "a desperate generation in mind"

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

With Stellar Award winner Maurette Brown Clark at the helm of the judges’ panel and a demo recording package with M.Y.R.O.H. Music Group at stake, Cheylaine Murchison emerged as last year’s winner of the gospel singing competition “Sunday’s Showcase.”  The competition was presented by NC’s Greater Cleggs Chapel Missionary Baptist Church to find the area’s next Christian singing sensation.

In the year since her win, Cheylaine has been on a journey–both to complete her recent CD, which she debuted at this year’s “Sunday’s Showcase” in April, and to minister from a deeper level to as many as the Lord will allow her to reach.

I caught up with Cheylaine to hear more about her journey and her passion.

Libra:  You emerged as the winner of the 2011 “Sunday’s Showcase.”  What has your year been like since then?

Cheylaine:  My year has been amazingly blessed. I have been given such a wonderful opportunity, and being able to do what I love in this capacity has been spiritually and mentally rewarding for me. Everything from meeting and working with new people, to enhancing my writing skills, and even learning the business side of the music industry has contributed to this beautiful experience. I have spent quite a bit of time writing lyrics and working in the studio, both of which are somewhat new endeavors for me. So, it has been a learning experience as well. I am just so grateful to be in this position. A year ago,  I could not have imagined this for myself, but today I feel as though I am one step closer to my destiny.

Libra:  Part of being the showcase winner was the opportunity to record, and your project was released in April.  Tell us about your CD and the musical style we will hear.

Cheylaine:  The name of my first project is titled Journey to Me. It basically reflects my journey to find out who I am in God and who He intended for me to be. It includes six tracks. I wrote the lyrics for all six tracks, which for me, was a feat in itself. All of the songs are based on scripture.  But most of all, it is real music. It’s uplifting, it’s heartfelt, and is intended to reach a variety of people. You can expect to hear worship, praise, and contemporary tracks as well. I wrote these songs with a desperate generation in mind. People do not want gimmicks and tricks anymore. They simply desire to experience and know the power of God, and I hope that my music will help them do just that.

Libra:  Who were your musical influences growing up?

Cheylaine:  Oh wow! I love music, so my influences are endless. My parents brought me up listening to gospel artists such as Timothy Wright, Walter Hawkins, and Milton Brunson. As I got older I spread my wings a little. Some of my favorite gospel artists were, and still are, Mary Mary, Kirk Franklin, Isaac Caree/Men of Standard and Kim Burrell. I think they all are wonderful examples of artists who really know and own their craft. I appreciate the consistency and authenticity of artists like Fred Hammond and Yolanda Adams. Vocally, I get a lot inspiration from Jazz artists and crooners. Vocalists like Brandy and Chrisette Michele challenge me technically to be a better singer. The list could go on, but these are just a few that have contributed to my style.

Libra:  That’s quite an impressive and diverse list.  As a rising artist, what are your music ambitions?

Cheylaine:  My biggest dream is to reach the masses. I want to take this as far as it will go. That includes traveling and ministering to those all over the world, as well as ministering locally. I hope to make music on a much larger scale and that this is the first CD of many. And if anyone hears my music and walks away changed or blessed, then I will have succeeded at what I set out to do, with the help of God.

Libra:  Amen!  Along with the larger platform is the need to remain grounded in and covered by your local assembly.  Would you like to shout out your church?

Cheylaine:  I serve faithfully as a praise and worship leader, Sunday School teacher, and youth president at Hood’s Chapel United Church of God, where my leaders are Bishop Philmore and Evangelist Diane Hester. We are located in Lenoir, NC–this is basically the foothills of the mountains in western NC. I love my little church on the hill!

Libra:  How can GMF readers get your CD?

Cheylaine:  Currently, we are only selling physical copies of the CD, meaning you have to get it from me or another individual selling CDs for me. The price of the CD is $7. In special cases, I have mailed the CDs to individuals who are out of state or much further from the Raleigh-Durham area for $10. So, this is an option as well. We are hoping to make the CD available on iTunes in the near future.
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GMF readers who would like to book Cheylaine or obtain a copy of her current six-track CD Journey to Me can contact her at [email protected].  Here’s a snippet of one of her tracks, “Sacrifice.”

"I Trust in God" – John Thorpe and Family

“I Trust in God”
John Thorpe and Family
From the CD, Child Of God (2012)
Available at CD Baby

John Thorpe and Family "Live" with Dr. Bobby Jones art work

Kudos to the groups and choirs of today that reserve spots for a traditional, minimally altered hymn or two in their otherwise trendy, radio-friendly repertoires.

McCollins Thorpe, Sr. solidifies this space for John Thorpe and Family with “I Trust in God,” an arrangement of the W.C. Martin hymn, “My Father Watches Over Me.”  It’s Thorpe, Sr., the eldest brother of the 14 siblings, whose vibratic tenor hinges on the upswings and downward slopes of every note to create a moderately slow but soulful number that baptist pastor Martin himself, were he to overhear from Glory, would give a nod to.

While John Thorpe and Family are a choir that occasionally consists of all 14 brothers and sisters plus a niece and nephew, their material is crafted with a traditional quartet-like vibe—a subgenre in which the Thorpe brothers, who are the primary lead singers, are firmly planted.  This is why Thorpe, Sr. is able to guide them from the flowing expressive verses right into a toe-tapping chorus and vamp with ease, adding just the right amount of spice to the sweetness of the early 20th-century composition.

"All Go Back" – Tammy Edwards and the Edwards Sisters

“All Go Back”
Tammy Edwards and the Edwards Sisters
From the CD, On the Right Road Now (2012)
www.malaco.com

Tammy Edwards and the Edwards Sisters

Traditional quartet at its core is what Tammy Edwards and the Edwards Sisters bring to “All Go Back,” from their current CD, On the Right Road Now.

The number is a spin on the traditional “Old Landmark” that turns a sharp corner in the vamp with Edwards and the sisters rockin’ out on the line, “Take it back!”

“You can do it….It’s yours for the asking!” Edwards declares.

The Greenville, NC group blazes this track from start to finish with a drive that won’t quit, even after the music stops near the four-minute mark.

Tammy Edwards and the Edwards Sisters have carried their message up and down the east coast and different parts of the country for more than 30 years.