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JGM Pick of the Week: June 11, 2025
“Bless Your Name” is a straightforward worship song based on the opening verses of Psalm 34, but where some worship leaders would play it straight, Tonya Baker juggles the melodic line like a jazz chanteuse.
Imari Tones – Coming Back Alive
Coming Back Alive, the title of the group's nineteenth full-length album, is not metaphorical.
JGM Pick of the Week – April 7, 2025
Nearly dying from hypothermia while hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2019 infuses the message music of singer-songwriter Anya Lee.
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Recent Posts
JGM Pick of the Week: June 11, 2025
“Bless Your Name” is a straightforward worship song based on the opening verses of Psalm 34, but where some worship leaders would play it straight, Tonya Baker juggles the melodic line like a jazz chanteuse.
Imari Tones – Coming Back Alive
Coming Back Alive, the title of the group's nineteenth full-length album, is not metaphorical.
JGM Pick of the Week – April 7, 2025
Nearly dying from hypothermia while hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2019 infuses the message music of singer-songwriter Anya Lee.
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The Journal of Gospel Music was saddened to hear that keyboardist, songwriter, producer, and group organizer Bishop Michael A. Brooks made his transition on July 16, 2024. He was 62.
“99 and ½ Won’t Do” Bobby Rush, Blind Boys of Alabama, Dom Flemons, and Dustbowl Revival 72MM Records (release date: July 19, 2024)
The Wooten Choral Ensemble, the oldest continuously-operating community choir in the nation, celebrates its 75th anniversary Sunday, July 21, at Beth Eden Baptist Church.
The Journal of Gospel Music is sad to report the passing of Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon.
Paul Wenske informed the Journal of Gospel Music that Kansas City gospel legend Genetter Bradley, 82, passed away a week ago.
LATEST 5 STAR REVIEWS
Deitrick Haddon’s LXW (League of Xtraordinary Worshippers)Tyscot Records (released April 22, 2014)www.tyscot.comBy Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel BlogDeitrick Haddon and Tyscot Records want to bring the choir back. To make manifest their pledge, they’ve released Deitrick Haddon’s LXW (League of Xtraordinary Worshippers). The album not only celebrates the youthful verve of the gospel choir [...]
The Williams SingersDestinedDeznell Music Group (rel. April 2014)By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel BlogNot to be confused with the Williams Brothers of Mississippi, the Williams Singersis a quartet from Indianapolis, Indiana, the city that brought you, among other artists, Brown’s Inspirational Singers, Robert Turner and the Silver Hearts, and Al “the Bishop” Hobbs.Darnell, Dezrale, [...]
North Carolina Community Choir A Story To Tell Malaco Records (2013) www.malaco.com By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog If there’s a choir to give the Mississippi and Chicago Mass Choirs a run for their money, it’s the North Carolina Community Choir. Formed initially to back the Sensational Nightingales on “Every Promise in the [...]
Denita Gibbs Without You Audiostate Entertainment 55 (released August 13, 2013) www.audiostate55.com By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog Without You is Denita Gibbs’ sophomore release but her first for Audiostate 55 Entertainment and its muscular distribution. It is also her first album in nine years but it is well worth the wait. A [...]
Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago The Best of Both Worlds EMI Gospel/Inspired People (2012) www.emigospel.com By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog. It could not have been easy for Charles Jenkins to succeed the iconic Rev. Dr. Clay Evans as Pastor of Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago. Evans, a Civil Rights leader and [...]
LATEST PICK OF THE WEEK – SINGLES
“That Name Is Jesus” Beloved St. John Evangelistic Church Independent (2022) www.BelovedStJohn.org By Robert M. Marovich As long as Pastor Clement M. Lumpton III and the Beloved St. John Evangelistic Church of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, keep on singing, the church choir will remain relevant. On its latest single, “That Name is Jesus,” the choir celebrates the [...]
“He is the King” M. Cornelius Wyche & Octave Praise From the Enon Music Group album The Script (release date: January 14, 2022) www.enonmusic.com By Robert M. Marovich On their latest single, “He is the King,” M. Cornelius Wyche & Octave Praise worship the Lord, who is the antidote for the depression and despondency brought [...]
“Nothing Else Matters (Instead of Complaining, Praise Him)” Brent Jones JDI Records By Robert M. Marovich Brent Jones’ latest single, “Nothing Else Matters,” is a four-minute festival of praise set to a bouncy mid-tempo arrangement featuring Jones and the full-throated choir in call-and-response. “I don’t care who’s looking at me,” Jones declares, preparing to get [...]
“Majestic One” Katy Weirich Independent (release date: January 14, 2022) https://katyweirich.com/ By Robert M. Marovich A life filled with ups and downs, joys and sorrows, depression and happiness informs the songs and singing of Katy Weirich. A young vocalist and worship leader who evokes Lauren Daigle and Hillsong’s Brooke Fraser, Weirich offers the praise power [...]
“Never Give Up” Del Harrison Independent (release date: March 1, 2022) www.iamdelharrison.com By Robert M. Marovich In achingly soulful tones, Del Harrison wants you to never forget that sunshine comes after the rain. Even if your prayers don’t seem to be getting through, “the Holy Spirit heard you / It’s gonna be alright.” Yes, this [...]
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 Ask today’s Christian hip hop artists about their inspirations, and they will talk about artists such as Lecrae, Trip Lee, and Sho Baraka. But Pastor Robert McCloud is old school. Coming of age during rap's emergence as a popular entertainment form, his inspirations include Run DMC and LL Cool J. Nevertheless, he [...]
By Bob Marovich “I always did love music,” Jonathan McReynolds told the Journal of Gospel Music, “but I don’t think I ever envisioned a music career to come out of it.” Nevertheless, McReynolds, a rising star on the gospel music circuit, is poised to release his sophomore album, Life Music: Stage Two (eOne, Tehillah Music Group), on [...]
Last week, Motown Gospel artist Tasha Cobbs released her second album, One Place Live. Recorded at Redemption Church in Greenville, South Carolina, the album received five of five stars from the Journal of Gospel Music. JGM’s Bob Marovich caught up with the award-winning vocalist last Friday, the day of the album release. JGM: How do [...]
By Robert M. Marovich JGM learned the sad news from radio announcer Elder Lee (The Sheriff) Williams that gospel quartet singer Roy Tyler has passed away. Tyler was a member of the Gospel Hummingbirds, a Bay Area group that put out some very fine albums and singles, including “A Better Home” (Bar-Tone) and “Trouble Don’t [...]
(ATLANTA, GA) - July 8th, 2022 - Popular gospel group Half Mile Home lost member David "Ready Writa" Felder. Felder unexpectedly passed away earlier this week at the age of 42. Felder was a loyal member of the Billboard chart-topping group. He was a dedicated father of 4 and known throughout the industry for his talents [...]
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