JGM’s The Best of 2019

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 music in 2019 in terms of overall music quality.

Artists whose music does not appear here: please don’t despair. These lists were compiled from hundreds of releases that came across the JGM desk during 2019. I love you all, but I had to narrow down the lists to a select few.

Best CD:
Bless Somebody Else – Kurt Carr (RCA Inspiration)

The Rest of the Best:
The Cry: A Live Worship Experience – William McDowell (Integrity Music)
Do You Know – Pastor Willie E. Kirkpatrick Presents Joseph Price & the Prince of Peace Choir (Prince of Peace)
Exodus – Donald Lawrence Presents the Tri-City Singers (RCA Inspiration)
I Made It Out – John P. Kee (eOne)
Need You – BeBe Winans (Malaco Music Group / Regimen Records)
Now More Than Ever – Out of the Dust (Independent)
On a Glorious Day – Pastor Donald Gay (The Sirens)
Sacred Lullabies – Camille Nelson (Heart Dance)
Settle Here – William Murphy (RCA Inspiration)
Testimony – Gloria Gaynor (Gaither Music Group)

Best Song:
“Jehovah Sabaoth (God of Angel Armies)” – Donald Lawrence Presents the Tri-City Singers

The Rest of the Best:
“All In His Plan” – PJ Morton feat. Le’Andria Johnson and Mary Mary
“Amazing Grace” – Rachel Hawkes
“Born for This” – BeBe Winans
“Grace Brought Me Back – Love Lifted Me” – Kurt Carr feat. Le’Andria Johnson and Lorraine Stancil
“Haven’t Seen it Yet” – Danny Gokey
“He Loves Me” – Yael Hilton
“Into the West” – Camille Nelson feat. Alex Sharpe
“Now More Than Ever” – Out of the Dust
“Reach” – DOE (independent)
“Stay” – William McDowell

Best Historic Reissue:
The Gospel According to Malaco (Malaco Music Group)

The Rest of the Best:
Bring Back Those Happy Days – Sister Rosetta Tharpe (Jasmine)
Cadillac Baby’s Bea and Baby Records – Various Artists (Earwig)
The D-Vine Recordings – Elizabeth King and the Gospel Souls (Bible and Tire)
Didn’t It Rain / Only a Look / The Old Ship of Zion: 1947-1962 – Roberta Martin Singers (Fremeaux & Associes)
Many Little Angels in the Band – Jewell Gospel Singers (NarroWay)
No Better Love – Various Artists (Tompkins Square)
Put the Whole Armour On – Various Artists (NarroWay)
Sacred Sounds: Dave Hamilton’s Raw Detroit Gospel, 1969-1974 – Various Artists (Kent Soul)
The Time for Peace is Now – Various Artists (Luaka Bop)