“No Other Name (Holy)”Phil TarverFrom the CD Draw NearerKingdom Records 2008www.kingdomrecordsinc.comIt’s hard not to picture in your mind the colorful, swirling banners; the lithe, leaping praise dancers; and animated chorus of Shekinah Glory Ministry when hearing “No Other Name (Holy)” from Phil Tarver’s debut solo CD, Draw Nearer. The psalmist [...]
“Do It” Dottie PeoplesFrom the CD Do ItDP Muzik Group 2008www.dottiepeoples.comLike last week’s Pick of the Week, “Do It” is a traditional performance, demonstrating that there will always be room on playlists for good old-fashioned gospel singing. Fact is, the song has already inched its way onto the Radio & [...]
LaShell GriffinDreams Are PossibleDAP Music 2008www.lashellgriffin.orgShe won Oprah’s Pop Star Challenge in 2004. Her first single, the inspirational anthem “Free,” debuted at #3 on Billboard’s Gospel Charts and even climbed as high as #11 on Radio & Records’ Urban AC charts. Her performance of “Free” at the Gospel Music Workshop [...]
Various ArtistsGospel Truth Magazine Presents Gospel Mix ‘08World Wide Records 2008www.gospeltruthmagazine.comIf WOW Gospel is the World Series of black gospel music, Gospel Truth Magazine founder Kerry Douglas’ new Gospel Mix ’08 is the All-Star Game, a mid-season summary of the music charts. True, many of the artists on Gospel Mix [...]
From Central City Productions: First Stellar Awards BallotDue to a number of discrepancies, the Nominating Committee is revising the FIRST Stellar Awards Ballot. SAGMA members will be allowed to re-vote on the revised categories only. The voting will be online only and will be available from September 10, 2008 to [...]
TBGB reader and gospel music historian David Jones informed us that Elma Opal Moore, longtime member of Chicago's First Church of Deliverance Radio Choir, passed away just after Labor Day.Moore had been a member of the church's storied music department since at least 1950, and accompanied the group on piano [...]
Marion Williams, dubbed "one of the greatest American singers of the 20th century," had a voice that launched a thousand others, from gospel to RnB to rock and roll. Hear an elongated "high whoo" in someone's voice after 1950, and you can pretty much attribute it to the influnce of [...]
Shirley CaesarRevisitedCalvin Records 2008In 1967, Shirley Caesar stepped out of the Caravans lineup to release her debut solo album, I’ll Go, for Hob Records, a company founded in Detroit by salon owner Carmen Murphy and later purchased by Scepter Records. With tracks featuring the Young People’s Choir of the Institutional [...]
“What Did you Do” Paul PorterFrom the CD A New DayLight Records 2008www.lightrecords.com“What did you do when the Lord saved you?” Paul Porter sings. “Did you…dance?”If the newly converted were listening to Porter’s “What Did You Do,” the first radio single off the former Christianaires’ debut solo album A New [...]
“I’m Alive”Deitrick HaddonFrom the CD RevealedVerity 2008www.verityrecords.comFrom the first few bars, “I’m Alive” steps into your personal space and demands your attention. It’s an urban inspirational track with an unusual but nevertheless fascinating melody, and energetic vocal work by Deitrick Haddon. The lyrics encourage listeners to shake off their shackles [...]
