From a Press Release: James Lott, beloved Minister of Music for Sweet Holy Spirit Church and CEO of Utopia Music Group LLC, made his transition Saturday, June 5, 2021. To say the Gospel Music Industry is shocked and saddened would be an understatement. God called his dedicated servant home after a lengthy illness. The void left by his physical presence will be deeply felt and hard to fill. Please keep James’ family, Bishop Larry D. Trotter, Sweet Holy Spirit Church, and Utopia Music Group in your prayers. Their current recording project “Alright” will continue forward and a new CEO will ...

By Bob Marovich Chicago’s Malcolm Williams & Great Faith walked off with no less than four honors, including Contemporary Choir of the Year and the coveted Rhythm of Gospel CD of the Year, during the 10th annual Rhythm of Gospel Awards this past week. Held in “Yeah That Greenville,” South Carolina, from June 20 to 24, the Rhythm of Gospel Awards celebrated its tenth anniversary with music showcases, awards ceremonies, banquets, and pageants. Other top honorees at the ceremonies included the remarkable holy hip hop artist Jonathan J. Wimbush with three awards; Ms. C. Ashley Brown-Lawrence, who picked up Contemporary Song ...

          Click on the image above to begin streaming the program. Playlist for Episode 116: It pays to serve Jesus – LaVarnga Hubbard Bigger than me – Le’Andria Serve – Jermaine Dolly Because of you – Sherwin Gardner If it wasn’t for your love – Meg Elliott Simply because – Dana Fields feat. Adam Brock The call – Personal Praise Worth fighting for – CASS I still do – Doc Pearson feat. Al Johnson & Kathy Horry You are holy – William E. Johnson III Wings – Natasha Owens Where are u? – CL Carr I ...

“It Pays to Serve Jesus” Lady LaVarnga Hubbard Utopia Music Group (2017) Available from digital media stores By Bob Marovich No matter how many vocalists travel down the P&W path, you can count on Lady LaVarnga Hubbard, the Duchess of Gospel, to keep delivering church rousers the old-school way. “It Pays to Serve Jesus” is the latest single (and the third) pulled from Hubbard’s album, Better Is Coming, released on Bishop Larry Trotter’s Utopia Music Group. True to form, the Duchess glides along the backbeat, inviting listeners to sidestep the static and remember that following Christ is the route to solving ...

By Bob Marovich Lady LaVarnga Hubbard, known as the Duchess of Gospel Music, has been a member of the Chicago Mass Choir since it was the Ecclesiastes Community Choir, under the leadership of the late James C. Chambers. Her lead on Chicago Mass’s “Call Him Up” has ensured the song a place in the choir’s repertory. So when it was time for her to release solo music, all Hubbard had to do was call up her extended Chicago Mass Choir family. That’s what she did for her latest single, “Worthy.” “Worthy” was written especially for her by Grover Lafayette Simmons, whose ...

By Bob Marovich Gospel music has had its share of fathers and mothers, kings and queens, princes, crown princes, princesses, godfathers, thunderbolts, wonder boys, and boy wonders, but as far as I know, only one duchess: Lady LaVarnga Hubbard. When Hubbard opens her mouth to sing, she channels the best of gospel’s traditional church-raised no-nonsense female shouters. Born in Chicago, LaVarnga (pron. luh-VARN-juh) Hubbard was nine years old when she began singing for Christian Doctrine Baptist Church, under the pastorate of Rev. Herman Billingsley. She joined Chicago Mass Choir when it was still called James C. Chambers and the Ecclesiastes ...

Click on the image to your left to hear the latest episode of the Music Hour, where you can hear the music you read about on the Journal of Gospel Music.     Track Listing (in order of appearance): I’ll stick with Jesus – Mississippi Mass Choir I got better coming – LaVarnga Hubbard He delivered me – Pastor Marlon Lock #War – Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago Forever I will – Lonnie Hunter feat. Structure Just for me – Tim Spady feat. Jeff Murrell I know a man named Jesus – Shawn Brown & Da Boys Get right with ...

“I Got Better Coming” LaVarnga Hubbard Utopia Music Group (2015) On her new single, Lady LaVarnga Hubbard of Chicago has “got better coming,” and she’s not afraid to shout down the church rafters to let you know. Church shouting is what the “Duchess of Gospel Music” does.  She rollicks along on the up-tempo, traditional-laden “I Got Better Coming” like a twin sister of fellow Chicagoans Lemmie Battles or Angie Spivey. Old-fashioned gospel music will never die as long as the likes of Lady LaVarnga have a breath in their body. She comes from the Caravans-Davis Sisters-Gospel Harmonettes tradition, where Zion ...