Interviews

Micah Stampley’s Eighth Album Has Vertical Worship, Hymns With a Twist

2016-04-16T18:48:03-05:00April 16th, 2016|

By Bob Marovich On May 20, Micah Stampley releases his eighth album, To the King...Vertical Worship.  The live recording, which took place at Oasis Family Life Church in Dallas, Georgia, on June 26 of last year, finds the gospel crooner offering up a batch of new songs, many co-written with his [...]

Jonathan Nelson On Songwriting: “When It’s Flowing, It’s Just Flowing”

2016-03-30T17:29:53-05:00March 30th, 2016|

By Bob Marovich On March 18, the Stellar Award-winning singer-songwriter Jonathan Nelson released Fearless (Light Records / eOne Music), a live recording that JGM gave its highest possible rating, five stars, for its ability to “be musically versatile and passionate yet remain firmly rooted in the atmospheric and hypnotic P&W [...]

Michael Weatherspoon’s New Book Aims to Improve Music Ministry Leadership

2016-02-24T16:49:38-06:00February 24th, 2016|

By Bob Marovich For the past 30 years, musician, producer, and record label executive Michael Weatherspoon has seen what works and what doesn’t in church music ministry. In particular, he’s noticed that church members are often elevated to leadership positions without the proper leadership education. A lack of training, he says, [...]

Vernell Payton Jr. – Former Sunday Best Contestant Steps Out on Faith

2016-02-20T20:40:30-06:00February 20th, 2016|

By Bob Marovich In Mark 6:4, Jesus advises that “a prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown.” This is true, almost to the point of becoming cliché.  It rings true for Vernell Payton Jr. “It took a man from Chicago, who did not know me, who I never met, [...]

“That Dude Deon” Kipping Finds a Place Called Victory

2016-02-08T03:09:02-06:00February 8th, 2016|

By Bob Marovich The stage curtains opened on JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise as the group was about to introduce its new song and soon-to-become-hit, “Incredible God, Incredible Praise.” Holding the microphone was the song’s creator, Deon Kipping. That wasn’t the way it was supposed to go down. “I didn’t [...]

For William McDowell, “Sounds of Revival” Goes Beyond Worship

2016-02-03T04:52:48-06:00February 3rd, 2016|

By Bob Marovich Not two weeks after its January 22 release, celebrated worship leader William McDowell’s fourth album, Sounds of Revival: Live (Delivery Room Music / eOne Music), entered Billboard Magazine’s Top Gospel Album charts.  It knocked Kirk Franklin’s Losing My Religion from the number one position. Recorded live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, [...]

“Oh Come Emmanuel” by Jason Nelson and LIVV: An Interview

2015-12-26T02:28:06-06:00December 26th, 2015|

By Marianne Richard, Special Contributor to the Journal of Gospel Music Jason Nelson just released his Christmas song, “Oh Come Emmanuel,” featuring LIVV, a new gospel singer with a unique voice and a beautiful spirit. When LIVV shared details on the "behind the scenes" of the making of the track, we [...]

Bill Moss Jr. Rearranges CCM Classics for Forthcoming Album

2015-12-24T18:01:21-06:00December 24th, 2015|

By Bob Marovich When the chime struck five last Sunday afternoon, December 20, Third New Hope Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan, was filled with eager anticipation. Members and music enthusiasts were on hand to support the church’s Worship Pastor, Bill Moss Jr., as he prepared to record his first live [...]

Evangelist Myrna Summers: God Gave Her a Song and Now a Ministry

2015-12-07T17:49:56-06:00December 7th, 2015|

By Bob Marovich In 1970, Evangelist Myrna Summers burst on the gospel music scene on the strength of “God Gave Me a Song,” a composition she wrote and performed with the Interdenominational Youth Choir of Washington, DC and Maryland. It was so popular, Atlantic Records handed her a recording contract. [...]

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