Tag: vashawn mitchell

Official Video – "Greatest Man I Know" – VaShawn Mitchell f. Israel Houghton

“Greatest Man I Know”
VaShawn Mitchell feat. Israel Houghton
From the CD, Created 4 This (2012)
Motown Gospel

VaShawn Mitchell Created 4 This art work

By Shaundria Williams
Special Contributor

“Nobody greater, nobody greater nooooo, nobody greater than You! Searched all over (insert sound of a screeching record).”  I am sure there are some people who are wondering why VaShawn Mitchell would release another single about the greatness of God.  Really?  Well, how great is your god?

Church folks say, “If I had ten thousand tongues, I couldn’t praise Him enough.” By that theory, Bro. Mitchell could do an entire project entitled He’s Great, each track could be called “He’s Great,” and it still wouldn’t be enough to illustrate the breadth and depth of His Majesty–I digress.

“Greatest Man I Know,” written by Baltimore native Steve McKoy, is a one-song praise and worship session.  Adding the King of Multinational Worship in the body of Israel Houghton heightens the energy and produces a complete worship experience.  This song invokes a child-like worship, as if the saints have all encircled the throne to twirl, skip, hop, dance, and sing before Him in the beauty of Holiness—in Spirit and in Truth.  It’s a sure anthem for the sincere worshipper—sealed with a simple war cry. (I hope you know the power of a war cry.)

It follows the trend of simple “everybody” songs, like “Break Every Chain” (Tasha Cobbs).  You don’t have to be able to read sheet music or become involved with lengthy ostentatious verses to be able to sing along with the song.  Just love God and sincerely express how GREAT He is to you—which speaks to VaShawn’s most prominent gift: worship leader.

According to his bio on vashawnmitchell.com, Mitchell is a six-time Stellar Award-winner and GRAMMY® Award-nominated recording artist.  However, his first love is his church ministry.  He started his music ministry as the assistant music director when he was a young teenager.  He’s grown in ministry under the tutelage of Lonnie Hunter, the covering of Bishop Larry D. Trotter, and he’s worked with artists such as Smokie Norful, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, and Bishop Paul S. Morton.

You can find “Greatest Man I Know” on VaShawn’s latest project Created 4 This. You can also check out the official video below.

VaShawn Mitchell wins big at Stellars (Complete List of 2012 Winners)

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

Photo Credit: Rick Diamond
For VaShawn Mitchell, it was a weekend to remember at the 27th annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards.  Mitchell had his hands full, leaving with six trophies for his CD Triumphant, which features Billboard’s number one gospel song of 2011, “Nobody Greater.”
A special moment in the evening came when Kirk Franklin, after having won Song of the Year for “I Smile,” shared his award with fellow category nominee Darius Paulk, the writer of “Nobody Greater.”
Other honorees of the evening were Vy Higginsen, who was presented the Thomas Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award, and John P. Kee, who received the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award.  Higginsen is perhaps most recognized as the founder of Gospel For Teens and as the first black female writer, producer, and director of the longest running Off-Broadway musical in the history of American theatre, Mama, I Want to Sing.

Photo Credit: Rick Diamond
The James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Kee for his remarkable music career that spans over three decades and encompasses a myriad of gospel music accolades.  In the late 1980’s, he was crowned the Prince of Gospel.
During the pre-show (see related story), the Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones Legends Award was given to Dorothy Norwood.
Daughters of “The Royal Lady of Gospel” Delois Barrett Campbell (who passed in August 2011, at age 85) were also recipients of a special Stellar Award at the pre-show. The trophies will now bear Campbell’s name among the inscriptions.  Additionally, fans of the Barrett Sisters were thrilled to learn that a film documentary chronicling the life and extensive career of Campbell and her siblings is scheduled for release in March.  It will feature vintage music footage and lively candid interviews with the internationally acclaimed trio.
The Stellar Awards will air nationally on the Gospel Music Channel, Saturday, February 11.  Visit www.thestellarawards.com and click Local Airdates for the broadcast dates and times in your area.

Below is this year’s complete list of winners.

Artist Of The Year
VaShawn Mitchell 

Song of the Year
“I Smile” – Kirk Franklin

Male Vocalist Of The Year
VaShawn Mitchell

Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year
Kim Burrell

Group/Duo of the Year
Mary Mary 

New Artist of the Year
Y’Anna Crawley

CD of the Year
Hello Fear – Kirk Franklin

Choir of the Year
Ricky Dillard & New G

Producer of the Year
Kirk Franklin

Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year
Mary Mary

Traditional Group/Duo of the Year
The Rance Allen Group

Contemporary Male of the Year 
VaShawn Mitchell

Traditional Male of the Year
Smokie Norful

Contemporary Female of the Year
Kim Burrell 

Traditional Female of the Year
Beverly Crawford 

Contemporary CD of the Year
Hello Fear – Kirk Franklin

Traditional CD of the Year
How I Got Over – Smokie Norful

Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance Of The Year
VaShawn Mitchell 

Music Video of the Year – Short Format
“Nobody Greater” – VaShawn Mitchell 

Music Video of the Year – Long Format
Church on the Moon – Deitrick Haddon

Traditional Choir of the Year
Mississippi Mass Choir 

Contemporary Choir of the Year
Shekinah Glory Ministry 

Instrumental Gospel CD of the Year
Music Remastered and Sacred Organ – Moses Tyson, Jr. 

Special Event CD of the Year
Bishop Morton Celebrates 25 Years of Music – Bishop Paul S. Morton

Rap Hip Hop Gospel CD of the Year
Rehab: The Overdose – Lacrae

Children’s Project of the Year
Teen Pure In Heart Live – Pure-N-Heart 

Quartet of the Year
The Rance Allen Group

Recorded Music Packaging of the Year
Make It Loud! – Martha Munizzi

Praise and Worship CD of the Year
Triumphant – VaShawn Mitchell

Spoken Word CD Recording of the Year 
Look at You Loving Me – Selah

Radio Station of the Year – Major Market
KJLH 102.3FM – Los Angeles, CA 

Radio Station of the Year – Large Market
WHAL 95.7FM/1460AM – Memphis, TN 

Radio Station of the Year – Medium Market
WLOU 1350AM – Louisville, KY 

Radio Station of the Year – Small Market
KOKA 980AM – Shreveport, LA

Legal Battles in Gospel Music: “Nobody Greater” and Mahalia Jackson

Two gospel music legal battles are in the news this week.  At the core of both are copyright infringement allegations.

Songwriter Travis Malloy has filed a suit against EMI Christian Music Group, Inc., Sony Music Entertainment, Inc. and Darius Paulk, claiming that he was not given co-writing credits for Vashawn Mitchell’s version of “Nobody Greater.”  As a result, it is reported that Malloy seeks one million dollars in damages.

According to www.examiner.com, Paulk, the anthem’s credited writer, insists that he is the sole composer of the work and Malloy’s “claim is baseless.”

Meanwhile in Atlanta, Bishop Frank E. Lott-Johnson was given until today to deliver a copy of the biography Just Halia, Baby to the court, in an effort to prove that playwright Tom Stolz used content from his copyrighted work for the play “Mahalia: A Gospel Musical” without permission.  Lott-Johnson is the copyright claimant of the biography.

Last month, the bishop also claimed ownership of Jackson’s name.  The judge dismissed several of the original allegations as “too vague” and “frivolous.” Lott-Johnson subsequently filed an amendment to his complaint and is expected to provide a copy of the biography and each infringed-upon work that he cited in the amendment.