Congratulations to David McGee, former editor at Rolling Stone, whose popular TheBluegrassSpecial.com is now Deep Roots: www.deeprootsmag.org. In the past few years, McGee garnered more than 100,000 readers of The Bluegrass Special (its archives will remain available online). Readership continues to grow as he launches this expanded, nonprofit enterprise with the tagline, "Roots Music [...]
Check out this video of Reverend John Wilkins playing and singing "I Want Jesus To Walk With Me" in Hunter's Chapel, his church in Como, Mississippi.It's part of The 78 Project, which records modern musicians on a 1930s Presto direct-to-disc 78 rpm field recorder.Rev. John Wilkins, who released the critically-acclaimed You [...]
“He Never Gave Up On Me”Michael NelsonFrom the Vee Kay Music CD Nikao!www.veekaymusic.comTBGB first reviewed Michael Nelson in July 2011. More than a year later, the singer-songwriter is still abiding by the principle of his album title, “Nikao,” which means “to overcome, to prevail, to conquer.” On his latest single, [...]
Darius PaulkLyrics & Melodies (2012)Available on iTunes, Amazon.comBy Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.It is very likely that songwriter Darius Paulk will never forget the 2012 Stellar Awards ceremony.His composition, “Nobody Greater,” had taken top honors in the Music Video of the Year and Urban Inspirational Song of the [...]
VaShawn MitchellCreated 4 ThisEMI Gospel (2012)www.emigospel.comBy Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.A fascinating moment on VaShawn Mitchell’s new CD, Created 4 This, is when he begins a medley of worship songs by singing the first few bars of his hit, “Nobody Greater.” The audience gathered in the Thornton High [...]
“Waiting” Carolyn Traylor Malaco Records (2012) www.malaco.com Carolyn Traylor (“There’s A Story Behind My Praise”) is waiting for her change to come. She knows it’s on the way, too, because whenever she gets discouraged, “I pull out the resume and I see how you always brought me through.” If that [...]
“Genesis”Christian Life CenterMass ChoirFrom the CD Live in Stockton- He Shall www.clministry.comTo a playful marching rhythm, the Christian Life Center Mass Choir of Stockton, California echoes the narrator’s declarations from the Book of Genesis in a variety of musical mannerisms, from melodramatic cascading vocal lines to typewriter-like staccato to an [...]
Deon KippingI Just Want To Hear YouVerity Gospel Music Group (Released September 4, 2012)www.verityrecords.comBy Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel BlogDeon Kipping the songwriter is also Deon Kipping the singer.Released yesterday, I Just Want To Hear You, Kipping’s debut solo CD for Verity, is an opportunity for the larger gospel [...]
“Champion”Shekinah Glory MinistryFrom the forthcoming Kingdom Records CD Surrender(available September 25, 2012)www.kingdomrecordsinc.comShekinah Glory Ministry injects its distinctively gentle but confident praise and worship sound on “Champion,” its latest single, written by Ashaala Shanae. Opening with a litany of adjectives to describe God, the group transitions to an metaphorical exposition of [...]
Marjane’ Grateful J Jane Music Group (2012) www.marjanemusic.com By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog. Stellar-nominated singer-songwriter Marjane’ (pron. Mar-Jan-Ay) of Hawthorne, California, wrote that her new eleven-song project, Grateful, “is part of a journey that’s had some rough and joyous times." From the opening and title track, [...]
