By Bob Marovich As is our custom for this time of year, the Journal of Gospel Music presents its “best of” lists in the category of CDs, songs, and historical releases. The recordings were not chosen as “best of” based on sales, chart status, promotion, voting, fan popularity, number of likes or retweets, committee decisions, throwing darts, reading tea leaves, arm twisting, or anything other than 1) JGM was serviced with the music for review and 2) JGM believes they best represented gospel/sacred music in 2021 in terms of overall music quality. Artists whose music does not appear here: please ...

From a press release: This holiday season in partnership with e-Camp Mentoring and the Black Rose of Durham Radio, both from Canada, Cloud Records of Philadelphia is sponsoring a free virtual Christmas concert, “Songs of Hope,” on December 23, 2021, at 8:00 PM EST on Cloud Records’ YouTube channel and Facebook page. Featuring artists from around the world, the concert will support the people of Haiti who have experienced some of the worst human devastation. In particular, Cloud Records wants to gain at least one million viewers for this concert and raise at least $500,000 for this very important cause. ...

Monica Butler of the Butler Group seeks to transform the historic Second Baptist Church in St. Louis’s Central West End community into a Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Read more here from reporter Steph Kukuljan of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: https://www.stltoday.com/business/local/local-producer-aims-to-turn-holy-corners-church-into-gospel-music-hall-of-fame/article_6b08e0a3-e364-5d57-966a-7a7646d7998b.html

By Robert M. Marovich On Friday, November 12, 2021, Baylor University opened the doors to its new Black Gospel Archive and Listening Center. It is an extension of the Black Gospel Music Restoration Project, funded initially by Charles Royce and helmed by Baylor professor Robert Darden. JGM’s Bob Marovich was honored to be part of the grand opening celebration program, where he and Prof. Darden discussed “Why Gospel Music Matters.” You can take a quick tour of the new facility via this video from Waco, Texas, Fox affiliate channel 44:

By Robert M. Marovich On Saturday, November 13, 2021, the Grammy Award-winning Charles Fold Singers of Cincinnati celebrated their 50th Anniversary with a program at Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church, where Dr. Fold had been minister of music. Maryanne Zeleznik on Cincinnati Public Radio’s “Cincinnati Edition” conducted an interview with Charles Fold’s sister Christine Brown, one of only two living founding members of the group; Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church Director of Music and Gospel Music Workshop of America National Board Member Ron Logan, the other founding member of the group; Zion Global Ministries Pastor Freddie Piphus; and Cincinnati Pops ...

Birdsong and Lilly will receive recognition for their contributions to the gospel music industry  St. John’s, Antigua – James C. Birdsong, Jr., a member of the renowned famed Birdsong family and award-winning figure in gospel music; and Lillian Lilly, the longtime principal vocalist of the world-renowned GRAMMY® Award-nominated Mississippi Mass Choir, are among the nine honorees for the 7th Annual Antigua Barbuda Gospel Music & Media Awards (ABGMA). The event will take place on Friday, October 22, 2021, at Kentish Pentecostal Church in St. John’s, Antigua, West Indies, during an invitation-only event. Birdsong and Lilly will receive their recognition at ...

Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz Proclaims Friday, September 24 Rance Allen Group Day in Toledo, Ohio In Celebration of New Release, “Love Makes the World Go Around” Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz has proclaimed Friday, September 24, 2021, as Rance Allen Group Day in the gospel trio’s adopted hometown of Toledo, Ohio. Steve Allen and Tom Allen visited with the city’s chief executive in his office earlier this week when he officially presented them with the proclamation. The front man, Bishop Rance Allen, passed away in October 2021. His widow, Ellen Allen, called in on the speakerphone to thank the mayor for honoring the ...

By Nicole McCraySpecial Feature – Journal of Gospel Musicwww.nicolemccray.com Christian music has been chiefly regarded as hymns. However, it has evolved into a multitude of genres, breaking the barrier between what people think of as “typical church music” and branching out into other styles, all of which remain grounded in worship. Independent artists are emerging in Christian music, and with the majority of Americans today identifying as Christian, religion makes up a massive chunk of popular culture. In addition, evangelicals are influencing others in the ways of Jesus. Christian bands and artists are creating hit songs, bridging gaps between secular and ...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 3, 2021) – Sea Walker Media Corporation has announced the formation of Singing News Television, an expansion of the Singing News brand the organization acquired recently from Salem Media Group. Ray Flynn and Scott Godsey made the announcement during an invitation-only press event held Tuesday, June 2, 2021, in Gallatin, TN. The new network will include a vast variety of gospel music, Christian-based television shows, original and organic programming with gospel artists, movies, series, inspirational moments, news, and ‘on demand’ options that will be exclusive to the Singing News Television network. The network will be available on ...

(FEBRUARY 16, 2021) – CHICAGO, IL – Global spiritual leader, thought provoker, and celebrated GRAMMY®- and Stellar Award-winning artist Charles Jenkins continues his mark as an author with the release of the book SEASONS: How To Grow And Succeed During Times Of Transition. Additionally, as an artist, his gospel music single, “He’ll Make It Alright” (Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago) lands at #2 on Billboard’s Gospel National Airplay Chart. Jenkins’ SEASONS is available now on Amazon.com and at CharlesJenkins.com; the single “He’ll Make It Alright” is available on all major digital streaming and retail outlets. SEASONS seeks to give readers ...