“Heavenly”TaMyya JFrom the MM Music Group CD Love for Your Namehttps://tamyya-j.com/ By Robert M. Marovich “Heavenly” is the type of contemporary gospel song you swear you’ve heard before, which means it’s a solid record. Former Mary Mary background singer TaMyya J, who has already posted some singles on the Billboard gospel charts, likely has another one. Written by Fred Jerkins III and Delisha Thomas Johnson, “Heavenly” is about the journey from brokenness to completion through the blessings of the Most High. “I take credit for nothing / ‘Cause I know where they come from,” the Willingboro, New Jersey, native sings ...

PJ Morton Gospel According to PJ Morton Inspiration / Tyscot (digital release date: August 14, 2020; physical release date: November 27, 2020) www.tyscot.com By Bob Marovich Much is being made about Gospel According to PJ being PJ Morton’s return to gospel. But like the Reverend C. L. Franklin said of his GRAMMY-winning daughter Aretha, Bishop Paul S. Morton can say of his GRAMMY-winning son: he never really left the church. That’s because most of Gospel According to PJ is a re-introduction, in new arrangements, of sacred songs that Morton, a multi-genre musician, singer, songwriter and record producer, created for other ...

Playlist: He Loves Me – Yael Hilton Grace Brought Me Back – Love Lifted Me – Kurt Carr feat. Le’Andria Johnson and Lorraine Stancil Haven’t Seen it Yet – Danny Gokey Reach – DOE Born for This – BeBe Winans Now More Than Ever – Out of the Dust Into the West – Camille Nelson feat. Alex Sharpe Amazing Grace – Rachel Hawkes All In His Plan – PJ Morton feat. Le’Andria Johnson and Mary Mary Stay – William McDowell Jehovah Sabaoth (God of Angel Armies) – Donald Lawrence Presents the Tri-City Singers

Episode 139 Playlist He’ll make a way – Prince of Peace Choir Great Jehovah – Travis Greene I’ve decided to make Jesus my choice – Marcel McManus Sr. Arise – Jason Williams He loves me – Yael Hilton Praying and Believing – Erica Campbell Revelation – Keith Reed Jr. Psalms 34 – Chris Wesley & Undignified Praise feat. Dana Hemphill Middle of the night – Beverly Heath Closer to you – Ian Copeland Green Now more than ever – Out of the Dust All in his plan – PJ Morton feat. Le’Andria Johnson and Mary Mary Peace – Kirk Whalum

“Praying and Believing” Erica Campbell My Block Records (release date: August 25, 2019) By Bob Marovich On this quintessential “coming to Jesus” song, Mary Mary’s Erica Campbell recognizes that the problems and complications she’s experiencing (first verse) and society is facing (second verse) are ours to accept but not to fix. Rather than blaming God for all the troubles, Erica prays to God for healing and strength—for herself and everyone, including “the mother praying for her child to come home.” The arrangement, featuring dramatic percussion and an imploring choir, gives Erica plenty of room to improvise. By the end, she ...

“All In His Plan” PJ Morton feat. Le’Andria Johnson and Mary Mary Morton Inspiration/Tyscot (release date: September 20, 2019) www.tyscot.com By Bob Marovich “All In His Plan” addresses the issue we all grapple with: why do bad or hurtful things happen to us when God has the power to wipe it all away? The song’s conclusion: it’s “all in His plan.” There is a reason for everything—we just can’t see it yet. As maddening as it feels sometimes, we have to put our trust in God “because He already worked it out, in the end.” PJ Morton gives the ballad ...

Koryn Hawthorne Unstoppable RCA Inspiration (release date: July 13, 2018) www.rcainspiration.com By Bob Marovich Hearing just the first few bluesy bars of the Jimi Hendrix-like fuzz guitar that open Koryn Hawthorne’s “Warriors,” the opening track on her full-length solo album, Unstoppable, you know you are in for a sonic adventure. Hawthorne combines the relentless vocal energy of Lady Gaga and the power praise of Cheryl Fortune with the out-of-the-box innovation of Royce Lovett. Producer Warryn Campbell, no stranger to pop-infused gospel, helps facilitate this mélange of sound, while the lyrics remain grounded in praise, worship, and inspiration. Those who watched Hawthorne rise ...

“We Livin’” Tina Campbell From the Gee Tee Creative / Malaco Records album It’s Still Personal (release date: September 29, 2017) www.malaco.com By Bob Marovich Tina Campbell is “livin’ that blessed life” but, as you’ll hear, there’s two interpretations of that statement. On her latest single, “We Livin’,” Tina, one-half of the Mary Mary gospel duo, sings that your high life isn’t so high if God isn’t a part of it. She acknowledges that people want to live big, garnering material wealth and respect, and she doesn’t disparage it.  She herself has reaped rich rewards in her singing career.  But at ...

Snoop Dogg Snoop Dogg Presents Bible of Love RCA Inspiration / All The Time Entertainment (release date: March 16, 2018) www.rcainspiration.com By Bob Marovich Calvin Broadus Jr. assumes the pulpit. In soft tones, he looks the congregation in the eye and strongly recommends that those who point fingers at others should instead point them at themselves. Treat your neighbor right is the sermonette, in rhyme. The choir nods its collective head. The organist anticipates a praise break. The orator is better known to the world as Snoop Dogg, and the song, “Voices of Praise,” is on Snoop Dogg Presents Bible of Love. The two-CD album, ...

By Bob Marovich Jekalyn Carr frequently listened to her mother, Jennifer Selvy Carr, as she sang with the award-winning family gospel group the Selvy Singers. But this time it was different. The preteen was watching the Selvys sing from the set of Don McGlynn’s 2010 gospel music documentary, Rejoice and Shout. “We were on the set of [Rejoice and Shout] and they found out I could sing,” Jekalyn told JGM during her recent visit to Chicago. “They wanted me to sing ‘Amazing Grace.’” Jekalyn’s “Amazing Grace” stole the show. But for all the buzz about the young girl’s performance, it was ...