David April, host of “The Gospel Train” radio program, reports: “Governor Ed Rendell dedicated several blocks of Poplar Street near the old Met Theater in Philadelphia as Dixie Hummingbirds Way. The ceremony was followed by a cd release party for The Dixie Hummingbirds: Still Keepin’ It Real/The Last Man Standing.” (Photo: James Davis, Founder of the Dixie Hummingbirds in 1927, with guitarist Mr. Howard Carroll and Rev. Joe Williams at the ceremony) “The Gospel Train” can be heard 9-10 pm EST Tuesdays on www.wrdv.org

“Can’t Forget”DeNetria ChampJDI Records 2006www.jdirecords.com It’s hard to forget DeNetria Champ: she sings as effortlessly as she breathes. Her lyrical rhythm turns a song into a musical conversation, and her sound is a clone of Aretha Franklin’s. Both singers seem to have been born without a natural voice break, which allows them to run up and down the scale with playful confidence. Add DeNetria’s youthful energy to the mix and…well, you get my point. DeNetria’s latest radio single, “Can’t Forget,” pairs her vocal prowess with a heavy beat that is instantly likeable and far more infectious than the songs on ...

He’ll Take the Pain AwayCarl Lavon BellCedar Hill 2006www.eddiecrook.com Hailed as the “Nat King Cole” of gospel music, Carl Lavon Bell definitely sounds more comfortable singing sacred than Nat did when he performed with the First Church of Deliverance choir back in the day. The original gospel ballads on Bell’s five-track CD – specifically the title track and “I Won’t Complain” – outperform the traditional material, though Bell does a nice job reprising Mahalia Jackson’s spirited arrangement of “Come On Children Let’s Sing.” He’ll Take the Pain Away, featuring Carl Bell’s pleasant baritone, will appeal to fans of Nat Cole ...

Jesus I’ll Never ForgetEvening Light BrothersChurch of God2006 Frequent live, in-studio performers on WLUW’s “Gospel Memories” radio program, the Evening Light Brothers a cappella quartet now have a CD available that captures their superb renditions of classic recordings from gospel’s Golden Age. All members of the Church of God at 46th and Drexel in Chicago – an area that once provided quarter to the pioneer gospel song publishing firms and still does to the iconic First Church of Deliverance – the Evening Light Brothers seem to have studied the songbooks of classic quartets such as the Soul Stirrers, Pilgrim Travelers, ...

“Tell Somebody”The Texas BoyzFrom the Blackberry album Never Left Me AloneBlackberry 2006 The Texas Boyz started singing three decades ago, first as the Gospel Five, then as The Mighty Supreme Voices of Dallas, Texas. It was as the latter that the quartet hit the big time, earning recording contracts with Savoy, GosPearl, and J&B Records, and filling auditorium after auditorium. The quartet – recently lauded at the Gospel Music Workshop of America – has stayed true to its roots while sounding fresh enough to please a new generation of gospel fans. “Tell Somebody” blends both the old and the new ...

Click below for Peter Margasak’s superb review of a compilation produced by “Gospel Memories” contributor Rob Sevier and Numero Group: Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymnal. The CD brings together a sampling of long-forgotten but still compelling and vibrant gospel cuts from indie label 45 rpm singles that have never been reissued on CD, and if it weren’t for Numero Group, might never have reached a larger audience. Thank God for Good God! Gospel Funk

“Packin’ Up”Ward SingersSavoy 40801956[also on Savoy LPs MG14020 and DBL7015] Quintessential Ward Singers, with the classic lineup of Gertrude Ward, Clara Ward, Willa Ward Moultrie, Marion Williams, Frances Steadman, and Kitty Parham. Williams takes center stage on this track, lofting her signature high whoos up and over the ladies’ energetic, tight harmonies. The highlight is the chorus, during which the Wards sing a quick-tempo, heart-pounding counterpoint to Williams’s soaring notes while a steel guitar delivers a hit-and-run riff. The heavenly combination is enough to scare the devil out of his red smoking jacket.

TBGB received the link below for the John Work Singers from Dr. Nate Thomas, former vocal group bass. John Work was instrumental in revitalizing the Fisk University Jubilee Singers in the early 20th Century and led the ensemble through their first recordings for the Victor and Columbia labels. Go to the link to hear classically-rendered Spirituals in the John Work style. www.alcurtismanagement.com/work.htm

From The Belle Report, by way of Bil Carpenter. TBGB congratulates all the winners of the En Sound Music Awards, but most especially Margaret Allison of the Angelic Gospel Singers, who was a guest on TBGB’s “Gospel Memories” radio show (www.gospelmemories.com) and June Rochelle, a former TBGB “Pick of the Week.” Newark, NJ — The 1st Annual En Sound Music Awards was a complete success this past Saturday evening. Held at the Robert Treat Hotel and hosted by comedian RodZ , the evening celebrated independent gospel artists – who are often ignored by other awards shows that cater to major-label ...

DETROIT (August 21, 2006) – Joe Bagby, Bishop P.A. Brooks, Kurt Carr, the late Davis Sisters, Merdean Fielding Gales, Bishop Albert Jamison, Dr Curtis Lewis, Professor Iris Stevenson, Take 6, and Rodena Preston are this year’s inductees to the International Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum® (IGMHFM). The 2006 inductees, nominated from around the world and selected by the IGMHFM board, were announced by founder David Gough. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the International Gospel Music Hall of Fame awards. This year’s induction and awards celebration will be held at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center ...