Tag: News

Maurice Culpepper, noted choir director, has passed

GMF is sad to report that Minister Maurice Culpepper, founder and director of the Showers of Blessings Choir, passed away Sunday morning.

Culpepper was a well-known and respected minister of music, having shared his gifts with several choirs and churches, including the Praise Power Fellowship Choir, Citadel of Hope Evangelistic Church Of God In Christ, and Decatur’s New Piney Grove Missionary Baptist Church.  Additionally, he and his singing aggregation, the Maurice Culpepper Singers, provided background vocals for Juanita Bynum’s 2006 gold-selling album, A Piece of My Passion.

GMF extends condolences to his wife Tina and to the entire Culpepper family, as well as to his many friends.

Homegoing arrangements will be announced by Gus Thornhill’s Funeral Home, Inc. of East Point, GA. 

Rance Allen interviewed about his gospel roots

Rod Lockwood of toledoblade.com recently interviewed gospel’s main man, Bishop Rance Allen.  Check it out here: Rance Allen Group’s gospel roots run deep in Monroe, Toledo.

Related Story
Rance Allen Group to release new music and documentary on Nov. 27

Homegoing Arrangements for Sunday Best Finalist Dontavies Boatwright

November 13, 2012- JACKSONVILLE, FL – Arrangements have been finalized for Dontavies Boatwright, PEInc Gospel recording artist, who passed away on Thursday, November 8, 2012, in Jacksonville, Florida.
 
Friday, November 16th
 
PUBLIC VIEWING – 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
J.E. Fralin & Sons Funeral Service

5065 Soutel Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32208

 
MEMORIAL CONCERT – 7:00 PM
Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church
A.B. Coleman Auditorium

1118 W. Beaver Street
Jacksonville, FL 32204

 
Saturday, November 17th
 
HOMEGOING CELEBRATION – 11:00 AM
Bethel Baptist Institutional Church

215 Bethel Baptist Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202

 
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Dontavies Boatwright Memorial Scholarship Fund can be sent to:
 
c/o Parriscope Entertainment, Inc.

5103 San Juan Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32210

 
The Parriscope studios will be open Tuesday through Friday, 2-6 PM, for anyone who wishes to drop off monetary or food gifts.

Sunday Best 2 finalist Dontavies Boatwright dies

GMF has just confirmed the passing of BET’s Sunday Best 2 finalist Dontavies Boatwright.  BET’s Torrence Glenn reports the cause of death as an apparent heart attack.  He was 33 years old.

Boatwright began singing publicly at the age of 12 and gained international recognition after placing in the top five during the second season of BET’s Sunday Best.  His approach to gospel music was a hit with fans because of his resounding baritone which was enhanced by his opera background.  Though he did not win the gospel contest, he eventually earned the title of “The Pavarotti of Gospel Music.”  Boatwright recently released the CD single “Sunday Best Medley: Glory to Glory” on the Parriscope label.

GMF extends its deepest condolences to Boatwright’s family, friends, and fans.

Malaco Music Group signs Kevin Vasser

Jackson, MS (November 9, 2012) – Malaco Music Group is proud to announce its latest signing of Kevin Vasser, the Director of Worship and Arts at Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago (Pastor Charles Jenkins, Pastor) to an exclusive recording agreement.

Expect a full project from Kevin Vasser in 2013. The lead single “Only You Can Deliver” featuring DeWayne Woods will be impacting radio soon.

D.A. Johnson, executive director of Malaco’s gospel division, states, “From the very moment I heard Kevin’s voice singing ‘Only You Can Deliver,’ I knew that this was a special song and it would touch the hearts
of millions.”

Kevin started his singing career with the singing group Youth Edition, which was comprised of his eldest brother and two cousins. Youth Edition’s introduction to the music industry was catapulted by the hit song “Anything Is Possible” written and produced by the amazing songwriter/producer Percy Bady.

“It is truly an honor to be a part of the Malaco Music family,” says Kevin. “I don’t take lightly the rich tradition of the label and I look forward to a long and successful relationship with Malaco.”

With this project produced by Kevin Vasser and his music director Phil Feaster, of the Fred Hammond production team, it has all the ingredients to be his career defining hit, but more importantly it has the music to encourage the nations.

Gospel Music Fever nominated for Rhythm of Gospel Award

Congratulations are in order for Gospel Music Fever (GMF), which has been nominated for the 2013 Rhythm of Gospel Award in the category of Internet Media Group of the Year.  The televised awards show will take place July 27, 2013, in Jacksonville, FL.

News of the nomination took GMF’s founder and editor Libra Boyd by surprise.

“I am really humbled, honored, and thankful that what I do to advance gospel music is being recognized and appreciated,” says Libra, who actually learned of the nomination from a singer she’d recently featured on the blog.

“I had emailed an artist to inform her that she’d been spotlighted on GMF.  She emailed me back to thank me and then she congratulated me on being nominated,” Libra explains.  “I was so puzzled and surprised that I went to the [Rhythm of Gospel] site to verify what she said before I replied to her email!”

According to its website, the awards show, presented by the National and Independent Gospel Music Association (N.I.G.M.A), is “the largest national independent gospel awards show…that recognizes outstanding churches/pastors, choirs and independent gospel music artist[s] of all genres, for their outstanding contributions toward the betterment and advancement of their communities.”

GMF was founded in spring 2011 as a result of Libra’s enduring love of gospel music.  Since its inception, Libra has been the blog’s chief writer and editor, publishing articles, interviews, and reviews covering every style and era of gospel music.  Accordingly, GMF (dubbed by multimedia mogul Steve “Bro. Steve” Harris as “the NAACP of gospel music” for its emphasis on the advancement of the genre), has grown in popularity and name recognition among gospel music’s fans and followers, including Sister 2 Sister magazine, for which Libra has been a contributing writer.

Voting is now open for you, our GMF readers, to vote an UNLIMITED number of times through March 1, 2013.  The awards site requires that you vote in every category; GMF is in category #41.  CAST YOUR VOTES HERE: http://www.therhythmofgospelawards.com/VOTING.html

66th Anniversary of the Sensational Nightingales – Nov. 4, 2012

Brother Joseph “Jo Jo” Wallace and the Sensational Nightingales invite you to “praise the Lord Jesus” with them at their 66th anniversary appreciation celebration.  The event takes place this Sunday, November 4, 2012, at the Durham Amory, on the corner of Morgan and Foster Street, in downtown Durham, NC.

In addition to the ‘Gales, the Swanee Quintet, Brooklyn Allstars, and Luther Barnes and the Sunset Jubilaires are among the concert headliners.

The program starts at 3:30 PM (doors open at 2:30 PM).  Advance admission is $20 (at the door, $25).  Ticket purchase locations are listed on the flyer.
Click to enlarge

28th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards Nominees Announced

CHICAGO, Oct. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Two of Gospel music’s biggest acts will share the microphone when Kirk Franklin and Tina and Ericka Campbell of Mary Mary co-host the 28th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards. The annual salute to gospel’s best and brightest performers returns to Nashville‘s iconic Grand Ole Opry House Theater Saturday, January 19, 2013.
The Stellar Awards will air in broadcast syndication on 150 stations in
over 125 markets around the country and on the GMC TV network from January 19 to March 3, 2013. Today the nominees in twenty-eight categories of excellence were announced via webcast (www.thestellarawards.com) and social media. 
With
more than 30,000 fans logging online to cast their votes for their
favorite projects of the year, show co-hosts and WEtv reality stars Mary Mary
lead the list of nominees with nine total nominations based on their
latest disc Go Get It.  Nominations include “Song of the Year,”
“Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year,” and “Contemporary CD of the Year,”
in addition to recognition for the project in the “Producer of the
Year,” “Music Video of the Year” and “Recorded Music Packaging of the
Year” categories. 
Newcomer Charles Jenkins
who, in addition to earning a “Best New Artist” nomination for his
debut CD The Best of Both Worlds, garnered recognition in seven
additional categories including “Artist of The Year” and “Song of The
Year.” Other multiple nominees include superstars Marvin Sapp and Fred Hammond
with six nominations each, both nominated in the hotly-contested “Male
Vocalist of the Year” and “CD of the Year” categories; legendary Andraé Crouch
with five nominations, including “Artist of the Year” and “Song of the
Year” for his disc The Journey; and “Best New Artist” contender Isaac Carree with five nods for his solo debut Uncommon Me.
“We’ve participated in the Stellar Awards for years and always look forward to it,” said Tina Campbell of Mary Mary.  Erica Campbell added, “Serving as hosts this year with our friend and colleague Kirk Franklin is an added bonus–we’re looking forward to having an amazing time!”
Hailed as “gospel music’s biggest night,” this year’s Stellar Gospel Music Awards features live performances by Tamela Mann, Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago, Israel Houghton, Marvin Sapp, Tye Tribbett and Le’Andria Johnson, among others.
This
year, the Stellar Awards will also present five special categories
highlighting the top radio stations serving urban gospel music
audiences. Via an online fan voting campaign that runs November 1 through November 25, the award for “Radio Station of the Year” will let viewers decide who should receive the highest honor among terrestrial radio, internet, syndicated and satellite programs that broadcast gospel music. 
In
addition to recognizing the year’s most outstanding contributions in
the genre, The Stellar Awards also bestows special honors upon
individuals whose names are synonymous with greatness through
distinguished careers in the gospel arena. This year, global inspirational leader Bishop T.D. Jakes will receive the Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award; the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to gospel music great Kurt Carr; and the Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones Legends Award will be bestowed upon Inez Andrews for her contributions to the industry. 
“It
is always humbling to be recognized for the work you do in service of
others,” said Jakes, who will be acknowledged for his work as a
faith-leader, author and producer. “To receive the Most Notable
Achievement Award from The Stellar Gospel Music Awards is a true honor.” 
The live taping at the Grand Ole Opry House Theater in Nashville, TN is open to the public and tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster. Ticket prices range from $55 to $200. Balcony seats are available for students for $35.
In addition to the awards ceremony, there are a number of ancillary
activities that celebrate and recognize outstanding achievement in the
genre which are open to the public, including the Stellar Awards
Pre-Show on Friday, January 18 and the Stellar Gospel Radio Awards and Showcase on Saturday, January 19.
For additional details, visit the Stellar Awards website.

Upcoming ‘Quartet Divas’ project to underscore female talent in quartet music

Milon Fenner, President and CEO of MILestONe Music, professes that he’s “placing a marker at every mile, leaving a trail in music.”  Among the next of his markers is a new project that features rising women talents in quartet music entitled Quartet Divas.

The forthcoming CD is part of the singer/songwriter/producer’s vision to increase the visibility of singin’ sisters who are helping to keep quartet music alive and thumpin’.

“Quartet female artists are often overlooked by the gospel music industry,” comments Fenner regarding the inspiration for Quartet Divas.  “This project seeks to highlight the talents and gifts of female artists who promote the same message as the well-recognized male artists.  Women, just as men, have powerful
ministries and a great deal of anointing that has been stunted because
of the industry’s male domination.” 

Tallie Rogers, RuBena Cooper-Woods, Tuekellia Jones, Karen George, Ruby Glenn, Brenda Northern, Flossie Johnson, Formecia Wallace, Melvette Armond, Shaleah Lewis, Sherice Wilkes, and Annie Whishop are among those set to appear on the project, which is scheduled for release in early 2013.

R.B. Greaves, pop singer and nephew of Sam Cooke, dies

Pop singer R.B. Greaves has died at the age of 68.  His passing in Los Angeles on September 27th was confirmed by his son.
Greaves scored success in 1969 with his self-penned single “Take A Letter Maria.”  The song reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Greaves was the nephew of gospel and soul singer Sam Cooke.  

You can read more of his career highlights at nytimes.com.

Photo credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images