Congratulations to the 2005 Grammy Winners!

The Black Gospel Blog wishes to congratulate the following gospel artists on receiving “the hardware” at the most recent Grammy Awards:

Traditional Soul Gospel Album: “There Will Be a Light,” Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama.

For gentlemen who have been around long enough to have cut loads of 78 rpms, they definitely deserve each and every one of their Grammies. They may soon need an even bigger trophy cabinet to hold them all!

Contemporary Soul Gospel Album: “Nothing Without You,” Smokie Norful.

We Chicagoans in particular can cheer for one of our own walking away with this Grammy. Congratulations, Smokie — you make us very proud!

Gospel Choir or Chorus Album: “Live … This is Your House,” The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.

I have not heard this recording but am familiar with BTC’s work and am sure they deserve the honor, even though for my money, there are far more soulful and pulse-quickening choirs out there…like Chicago’s Cosmopolitan Church of Prayer, for example.

Surprise: Gospel Performance: “Heaven Help Us All,” Ray Charles and Gladys Knight.

Heaven help us is right. Don’t get me wrong: I absolutely adore the late Ray Charles and Gladys Knight for their outstanding work in soul and rhythm and blues, and don’t deny them any honors at all. But honestly, of the many thousands of superb gospel artists out there, Recording Academy members couldn’t find one of them — ONE — to give this Grammy to? What about LaShell Griffin’s “Free?” T.D. Jakes’ “Take My Life,” featuring Micah Stampley? Byron Cage? Benita Washington? Tye Tribbett? The list goes on, and I’ll get off my soapbox.

Note to self: find ways to encourage more gospel music industry experts to vote next year.

Meanwhile, I’ll snicker that iTunes was all over the Grammy Awards, but until recently, one of the biggest songs of the Grammys, Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying,” wasn’t available on iTunes!