Okay, the official word is that you can purchase “Are You Listening,” the Haitian relief song written and produced by Kirk Franklin, TODAY at 5pm ET, exclusively at VerityRecords.com for just $1.29.
Next week, you can purchase the single from iTunes or grab a tangible copy at Wal-Mart.
I’ve got the single, heard it, love it. But I’m not streaming it on the PunditPlayer because I need you to buy it for yourself. “You won’t even let us listen before we buy it?” NO. The minimal cost you’ll have to pay JUST TO LISTEN is nothing in comparison to the greater need in Haiti. So… yeah. You’re gonna have to pay $1.29 just to listen (unless you find it on another site). Just do it– you’ll feel great and folks in need will benefit. 
And, don’t forget to tune in to Gospel Music Channel today at 7pm ET to watch the hour-long special recapping the recording of this awesome track in Nashville during Stellar Awards weekend.
Let’s all support this effort– it’s MAJOR.
I thought "I Never Would Have Made IT" was prophetic,but "He Saw The Best In Me" is so soul riveting I can't stop listening to it ! Marvin Sapp has done it again !
Okay I pray this doesnt come out the wrong way.. I loove looooooooove looooooooooooove the song Kirk and United artists fro Haiti have just produced. Great great great track BUT upon watching the clip I was a bit disturbed that only 2 white singers were a part of it ( or shown in the clip - even when the mass choir came in there were no white artists amongst them)... and No I'm not white I'm black so I'm not just making a fuss. To crown it all Michael W Smith tweeted that he and a group of others would be recording a Haiti relief track on Wed..............I guess what I'm trying to say is that it seems as tho there is a degree of segregation btn black christian singers and white christian singers and one would have thought that for a cause like this they could all unite. I do recognise that it s not logistically feasible to get everyone involved but I think that if there had been a near even balance of white and black artists it would have sent out the message that we're all in this together. I mean the track was recorded in Nashville which is FULL of CCM artists and I'mm certain a few more could have been included...I hope u all hear the heart of my message but I'm still supporting the project....
@ Kwaema, those "White Christian" artists you are talking about are Jeremy Camp, Natalie Grant and Amy Grant. And color should have not to be a problem.
I was excited to hear Kirk wrote a song for Haiti but soooooo disappointed he was not apart of the benefit that was telecast. No gospel artists were apart of the benefit and that was disappointing.
Love the song. Great effort. I thought kirk would have been ad lib more . I think the gosppel artists may not have been invited to the Haiti telecast. Any, lets all purchase Kirk's song so that we can help rebuild Haiti.
Kwartema, that's such a petty thing to be worried about right now. The true heart of this song combined with the existing problems in Haiti are SOOOOOO much bigger than what you're talking about right now. I'm disappointed that all you took from listening to this song was the ratio of black to white artists singing on the track!!! Disgusting. The inclusion of Jeremy Camp, Natalie Grant, etc PROVES that there was an effort to include everybody! Because I don't think those two were in town to appear at the Stellar Awards like the rest of the line-up. When Michael W. Smith creates his Haiti relief charity single, will you also blog about the numerical difference of black & white artists featured on THAT song?
@ Keisha, I agree, and what difference does it make if someone like Jeremy Camp, who I do love by the way and has a awesome ministry perform w/people of color? I wish Christians do not make it an issue and reach out to their brothers and sisters in the CCM industry. I believe this is a start, and on a separate note, I love the way Mama Shirley and Jeremy voices blended in the song. And btw, I did download the song tonight. @ MRS RBK, There were some gospel artists that were represented--The West Angeles Choir and Stevie Wonder, who by the way is a member of that church.
Gayle I think you've misunderstood my post I was just saying that I would have loved to have seen more 'white' artists singing with them... I know Michael W Smith is recording a track with some other folk but it doesnt make sense that they couldnt just come together and do this project ....I know that u wont be able to get everyone there but I think that the black gospel community needs to extend its arm out a bit more to the white ( sorry to use that word - no offence is meant) christian recording community not just to the white singers who sound black... I dont think I'm being petty I started off by saying I loved loved loved the project but think that they could have bridged the CCM crowd and the gospel crowd together..after all we are one body and its such a worthy cause. Hope I've explained my self a bit better No offence was meant please
The inclusion of Jeremy Camp, Natalie Grant, etc PROVES that there was an effort to include everybody! Because I don’t think those two were in town to appear at the Stellar Awards like the rest of the line-up Hi Keisha Slight point of correction pls....natalie and Jeremy were in town that weekend . They both live in Nashville and I follow Natalie on twitter so know that she was home off the road ( ie not on tour). If you're abreast with the christian music scence you'll know that there is a chasm btn CCM & Gosple henc the reason EJ has Elvin doing the blog Across the Aisle - bridging the gap netween gospel and CCM. I know you think its petty but the truth of the matter is its only when we're united as a body that we have impact.....Nashville is full of CCM artists and southern gospel artists so it would have been nice of the gosple community to extend an arm them....thats all I was saying .. I never said thats all I took from the clip so please dont use the word Disgusting on me....I started off by praising the effort the song etc and then added my observation and anyone in the gospel industry knows that this is a problem ie figuring out how to bridge the gap. I hope I've clarified things a bit.....Altho I'm black I love CCM ....I believe the lyrical depth of alot of the CCM artists is to be admired so I was in NO way having a go at them but rather stating that I would have loved to have seen more of them being invited to be part of this as MOST of them live in Nashville anyways....
To Mrs RKB: There was plenty of gospel last night on the telethon. Rewatch (or better yet, pre-order for purchase on iTunes) the songs of John Legend ("Motherless Child"), Mary J. Blige ("Hard Times Come Again No More"), and Jennifer Hudson ("Let It Be").If you don't think their treatment of those songs and lyrics was gospel, and you weren't moved...well, I am very sorry for you. Completely ignoring gospel that's in front of you just because it isn't sung by gospel-only singers seems very unbecoming in this situation. And Mary J. Blige and Jennifer Hudson are getting some of the biggest praise of the entire telethon from "Mainstream" music critics, by the way.
Hello to all that are making replies to my comments. I enjoyed all of the artists and the message in the songs..very heartfelt and moving. It was great to see these artists and hear them. What I meant was I would have liked to see Gospel & and other genres on the show: You see these artists all the time..Mary J, J Hud, John Legend, Alicia Keys, etc lend their gifts with choirs backing them all the time. This benfit was wonderful and my comment was in no way meant to detract from what was done. I do appreciate your passionate replies.
Artists from different genres---people... Rance Allen, Yolanda Adams, Kirk Franklin,Williams Bro, Bres Hammond, Ziggy Marley, Malinda Watts, Kenny G, Dave Koz, for example....I think at this point you all know what I mean. And if not that's fine too.
MrsRKB: Thank you for your explanation. I now understand what you are saying about gospel artists. I think for the most part, producers of those shows are going to go with the more recognizable people. Remember this was being broadcast in many other countries other than the US, and the singers you list are probably more recognizable over the world than Kirk or Kim Burrell. Just FYI: "Let It Be" the Jennifer Hudson song last night, was first released by Aretha Franklin as a gospel song. The writer, Paul McCartney released his own version with The Beatles a couple of months later (both released in 1970), but I guess he wanted Aretha to sing it too. :-) Aretha's version is AMAZING; I bought the mp3 single of it. I don't think it's on YouTube but a sample can be heard on Amazon.com.
@Kwatmana--CCM also should reach out to the gospel music industry also. It goes both ways. I been calling for diversity in the Christian music industry for so long now. Pop and R&B has broken down barriers--and the Christian music industry is the only separate industry that segragrates all instead of having unity. But that is the fault of the entire Christian church though as well because everyone does not accept music styles and some think that music styles does not belong in mainstream congregations. @ Nttt-Yes, John Legend and Jennifer Hudson did sing gospel material so the music was not forgotten.
Kwartema, Nothing is ever going to appease everybody. I would like to the see the ENTIRE industry come together from pop, rock, jazz, R&B, gospel, etc and record one big song. There are a few artists missing that I'm sure others would have to liked to have heard as well. But that's such a small minute detail in the grand scheme of things & that's what you DON'T understand by continuing to carry on about such a small issue. Get over it. That right there is NOT what matters. Kirk tried an effort to bridge the gap by inviting those artists because he did NOT have to at all! He could've stuck with the artists who flew into town for the award festivities that weekend. But he tried thus the Jeremy Camp and Natalie Grant invitations...they may not be YOUR favorite artists in CCM but don't look down on this collaboration effort just because you would've liked to have seen 50/50 on both sides or whatever your problem is. Just do your part to support the relief efforts in Haiti or don't. That's what this song & the REAL situation is about.
@ Keisha, Amen. I'm black also, but that should not be important, but also love CCM and Gospel too. I have favorite artists such as Jeremy Camp (who has an awesome testimony and his ministry was birthed in Southern California--his first wife passed away, but it did not interrupt his ministry) Natalie Grant, Jars of Clay, Casting Crowns, Mercy Me and so on and so on, just as those favorites in the gospel industry. I hope I'm not venturing off subject and forgive me EJ if I'm am, but I think Kirk did do a good job reaching out to artists and still doing, and maybe some of the CCM artists had schedules which prevented them from doing so. Kirk is one of the champions of diversity in both Christian and Gospel music and so is Toby Mac. But to criticize Kirk was unfair and instead of being criticial, we should support and buy this MP3 file. I'm sure that Michael (W. Smith) will also invite gospel artists and CCM artists as well.
this song had me cryin sooo many great parts..cece does anybody knos my naaaame whew...jeremy and shirley was great...dorinda WONDERFUL and natalie grant whew...smokie was so simple but effective whew...i cud go on and on....love it
@Keisha - pont of correction please I didnt look down on anybody I mentioned that I follow Natalie Grant on twitter and love her...I think your response was bit rude and there really is no need for that as we're all just having a discussion and people are allowed to bring out thier views and we all discuss in a respectful christian manner so i'm not too sure why you came across as cross - @Gayle - thanks for your input. Very well put... Sorry I didnt mean to critisise Kirk at all and if thats how it sounded then my deep appologies - I was referring rather to the bigger picture in the body of Christ & christian music industry - segregation adn how it kinda showed in the clip....but like I said earlier great song..... Natalie Grant Jeremy Camp and Dorinda Clark Cole were my fav's on the song.... I really felt Jeremy Camp just SMASHED it ( sang so well) and yes I will definitely be supporting the project.. God bless
Kim Burrell should have been there with her new take on life. Im sure it would have been great publicity for her.....
@deon. R u being sarcastic Lol
Gayle January 23rd, 2010 on 11:21 am @Kwatmana–CCM also should reach out to the gospel music industry also. It goes both ways. I been calling for diversity in the Christian music industry for so long now. Pop and R&B has broken down barriers–and the Christian music industry is the only separate industry that segragrates all instead of having unity. But that is the fault of the entire Christian church though as well because everyone does not accept music styles and some think that music styles does not belong in mainstream congregations. @Gayle - thanks so much for the above....The above is what I've been trying to articulate but guess was unable to do so well enough. Once again my appologies if I offended anyone
lol @ deon