Congratulations to all the nominees! Category #1 ARTIST OF THE YEAR – Donald Lawrence presents the Tri-City Singers; Goshen; RCA Inspiration – JJ Hairston; Miracle Worker; JamesTown Music / Entertainment One – Kirk Franklin; Long Live Love; Fo Yo Soul/ RCA/ RCA Inspiration – Tasha Cobbs Leonard; Heart. Passion. Pursuit. (Live at Passion City Church); Motown Gospel Category #2 SONG OF THE YEAR – Big; Michael McClure, Curtiss Glenn & Rodeny Turner; Black Smoke Worldwide – Deliver Me (This Is My Exodus); Donald Lawrence, William Stokes, Marshon Lewis, Robert Woolridge & Desmond Davis; RCA Inspiration – Love Theory; Kirk Franklin; ...

By Bob Marovich The Journal of Gospel Music learned of yet another passing, that of Pastor James R. McClain of the Willing Four. Here is a quick history of the Willing Four, much of which comes from McClain’s own unpublished history of the gospel quartet from Chicago. Chicago’s Willing Four was organized in 1951 in the home of Deacon and Mrs. Renzy and Linda Beene. Founding members of the quartet were Isaiah and Sylvester Beene, W. C. and Arthur Smith, Jake Akins, and Clifton Love. First tenor George Hudson joined in 1955. The quartet sang a cappella until 1956, when ...

By Bob Marovich The Journal of Gospel Music was saddened to learn of the passing of the Reverend Maceo Woods today. Maceo Len Woods was born April 23, 1932, to Fred and Rosa Anna Anderson Woods, who migrated from Mississippi to Morgan Park. By age twelve, Maceo was serving as organist for Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Morgan Park, where his family was a member. Initially drawn to a career in medicine, Woods became more interested in music. Woods organized his first singing group, the Maceo Woods Male Chorus, at Mt. Calvary. Woods’ godfather, Eugene Smith of the Roberta Martin ...

Washington, DC — The Independent Gospel Artists Alliance, Inc. (IGAA) has announced the 2nd Annual Independent Gospel Artists Alliance Awards celebrating independent Gospel, Christian, and Inspirational artists and their music. Artists can submit entries for award consideration starting January 1, 2020. The Independent Gospel Artists Alliance Awards recognizes the best recordings and performances of the past year in 10 different categories. Artists who are nominated for these awards are distinguished artists and musicians in their local communities and around the country. The 2nd Annual Independent Gospel Artists Alliance Awards will be held on July 10, 2020, at The Mount in ...

From a press release: TIME LIFE WILL RELEASE AUDIO PERFORMANCES FROM THE EMMY® AWARD WINNING GOSPEL TV SERIES “JUBILEE SHOWCASE” AS A STREAMING-ONLY ALBUM FEATURING RAW PERFORMANCES BY ICONIC GOSPEL ACTS SUCH AS ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAMERS THE STAPLE SINGERS & THE SOUL STIRRERS, AND MORE! TIME LIFE will release Jubilee Showcase, 36 raw, live performances – before a studio audience – from the Emmy® Award winning  TV concert series, Jubilee Showcase, as a streaming-only album on January 17, 2020 – MLK Weekend. It will stream globally on more than 300 digital service providers, such as Apple Music ...

By Bob Marovich MonaLisa Brown informed the Journal of Gospel Music that Ms. Catherine Austin Baymon, a longtime gospel vocalist with Chicago’s Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, passed away on Sunday, January 5, 2020. Born in Canton, Mississippi, Catherine moved to Chicago with her mother when she was about to enter high school. She graduated from Du Sable High School and worked for many years as a general accountant at Kraft Foods as well as for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. She joined Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church on June 27, 1956, where gospel pioneer Roberta Martin was in charge ...

The Journal of Gospel Music was saddened to learn of the passing today of the Reverend Dr. Clay Evans, founder and pastor emeritus of Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago. Our deepest sympathies to Ms. Lou Della Evans Reid, Rev. Pharis Evans, the rest of the Evans family, and the Fellowship M.B. Church community. The following is a short bio that I wrote for the Malaco Music Group website, with the generous assistance of Ms. Patty Nolan-Fitzgerald: Reverend Dr. Clay Evans An iconic pastor, singer, songwriter, recording preacher, community organizer, and civil rights leader, the Reverend Dr. Clay Evans was ...

Congratulations to the nominees in the Gospel and Christian categories for the 62nd GRAMMY Awards, to be held at L. A.’s Staples Center and televised Sunday, January 26. I am honored to be part of this list for the first time (see Category 67). 36. Best Gospel Performance/Song LOVE THEORY Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin, songwriter TALKIN’ ‘BOUT JESUS Gloria Gaynor Featuring Yolanda Adams; Bryan Fowler, Gloria Gaynor & Chris Stevens, songwriters SEE THE LIGHT Travis Greene Featuring Jekalyn Carr SPEAK THE NAME Koryn Hawthorne Featuring Natalie Grant THIS IS A MOVE (LIVE) Tasha Cobbs Leonard; Tony Brown, Brandon Lake, Tasha ...

Bob Marovich, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Gospel Music, and Hasan James, publisher and editor of Root Magazine, talk with host Jon Caramanica on The New York Times Popcast about the new Kanye West album and film, Jesus is King. Listen to the Popcast here: https://nyti.ms/2JyAjEs