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“What the Song Does: Field Interviews on Gospel and Religious Life in Harlem and Chicago” – Hongbai Zhu
"What The Song Does" is a fascinating and easy-to-navigate photographic and interview montage of Brown University student Hongbai Zhu's field research in Harlem and Chicago.
Gospel Legend Calvin Bridges Celebrates 50th Anniversary Of His Timeless Classic, “I Can Go To God In Prayer”
Calvin Bridges is marking the 50th anniversary of his treasured composition, "I Can Go To God In Prayer."
Sponsored Posts:
Bob Marovich of the Journal of Gospel Music interviews gospel recording artist Lil Prince.
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Recent Posts
“What the Song Does: Field Interviews on Gospel and Religious Life in Harlem and Chicago” – Hongbai Zhu
"What The Song Does" is a fascinating and easy-to-navigate photographic and interview montage of Brown University student Hongbai Zhu's field research in Harlem and Chicago.
Gospel Legend Calvin Bridges Celebrates 50th Anniversary Of His Timeless Classic, “I Can Go To God In Prayer”
Calvin Bridges is marking the 50th anniversary of his treasured composition, "I Can Go To God In Prayer."
Sponsored Post:
Released under Ruff Moore Media and distributed via DistroKid, Jesus Be a Fence, Vol. 1 captures the essence of the Soul Stirrers’ faith and artistry, combining a touch of modern rhythm with the deeply rooted soul and integrity that made them a household name in gospel music.
Luther Barnes is one of the most compelling gospel singers on the highway today, effortlessly bringing the authentic expressions of the church into the modern era.
Armstead Ford's Anthems of Hope, featuring fellow singer Calvin Ivy, showcases Ford's fealty to traditional gospel.
2026 GRAMMY nominations in the Gospel and Christian Music categories
“I’m Standing With You” Katie Cloyd ECM Group Nashville (release date: October 31, 2025)
This episode includes music reviewed on the Journal of Gospel Music between early June and late September 2025.
LATEST 5 STAR REVIEWS
Casey J The Truth Marquis Boone Enterprises/Tyscot Records (released April 21, 2015) www.tyscot.com By Bob Marovich The next best thing to a live gospel music program is listening to a live gospel music program on a recording. That’s why it was smart for Casey J to release her debut album, The Truth, as a live [...]
The Fairfield Four Still Rockin’ My Soul Fairfield Four Records (2015) www.thefairfieldfour.com By Bob Marovich In 1925, when the Fairfield Four organized in Nashville, Tennessee, quartet singing was done a cappella. No instruments, just the human voice. And God saw that it was good. No--great. Over the years, quartets added to the mix an ever-expanding [...]
Damien Sneed Featuring the Levites Broken To Minister: The Deluxe Edition LeChateau Earl Records (release date: March 3, 2015) www.lechateauearl.com By Bob Marovich Recorded live in Baltimore, Maryland, in 2013, Broken To Minister: The Deluxe Edition builds on Damien Sneed and the Levites’ previously released Broken To Minister EP. The classically- and church-trained Sneed is [...]
Mississippi Mass Choir Declaration of Dependence Malaco Records (2014) www.malaco.com By Bob Marovich Halfway through Declaration of Dependence, the Mississippi Mass Choir’s latest album, I realized that the choir has inherited the mantle once worn by the celebrated Thompson Community Singers. Just as music ministers could not wait for the latest Tommies album to discover [...]
Liz Vice There’s A Light Deeper Well Records (2014) http://deeper-well.com/artists/liz-vice/ By Bob Marovich Liz Vice may not sound like your average gospel singer, but then again, she’s not your average gospel singer. On her CD, There’s a Light, the Portland, Oregon-based singer delivers personal inspirational messages to God and to the listener with the raw [...]
LATEST PICK OF THE WEEK – SINGLES
“Great and Mighty” Dorinda Clark Cole Malaco Music Group (release date: October 13, 2023)
Christian singer Lauren Daigle’s single is her best since the 2018 smash hit, “You Say.”
“You’re Gonna Win” Johnny Ruffin Jr. JBP Music Entertainment (release date: July 21, 2023) By Robert M. Marovich Johnny Ruffin Jr.’s new single “You’re Gonna Win,” is his finest effort to date. The North Carolina singer croons soulfully through his own composition, a heartfelt ballad of encouragement to persist through the tough times. The [...]
Pastor Mike Jr.’s latest single “Windows” is an exhilarating gush of gratitude for blessings so readily available that they flow through open windows like fresh air or rays of morning sunshine.
“Still Holding On” Christina Bell Malaco Music Group (2023)
By Robert Marovich
In A City Called Heaven, gospel announcer and music historian Robert Marovich shines a light on the humble origins of a majestic genre and its indispensable bond to the city where it found its voice: Chicago.
By Robert Marovich
In A City Called Heaven, gospel announcer and music historian Robert Marovich shines a light on the humble origins of a majestic genre and its indispensable bond to the city where it found its voice: Chicago.
By Bob Marovich A lot can happen in two years. Just ask Christon Gray. In 2014, the Christian artist released his solo debut album, School of Roses. It caught the attention of Kirk Franklin, who signed Gray to his Fo Yo Soul Recordings/RCA label. On Friday, March 11, 2016, The Glory Album, Christon’s second solo [...]
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, can be detrimental to both [...]
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, to see something in me [...]
JGM learned from Eric Clark that Harrison Johnson of “I’ve Decided to Make Jesus My Choice” fame passed away December 19, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he was living at the time. He was 86.
The Journal of Gospel Music is saddened to report that Philadelphia's longtime gospel announcer Linwood Heath passed away.
