Either folks have REALLY been waiting for this new music, or we may see a couple of dips in sales next week.  In any case, we’ll celebrate this week!

This week, four of the top five positions on Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart are album debuts. Congrats to Shekinah Glory Ministry for topping the chart with the #1-selling album in gospel this week, entitled Refreshed By Fire.  Shout-out to Mavis Staples for debuting at #2 with You Are Not Alone. Big congrats, also, to Jonathan Nelson, whose newest project, Better Days, debuted at #4! Finally, big shout-out to Beverly Crawford on her #5 debut with Live from Los Angeles, Vol. 2.

WHEW! The rest of the top 10 looks like this…

#1 | Shekinah Glory Ministry – Refreshed By Fire
#2 | Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone
#3 | Israel Houghton – Love God. Love People.
#4 | Jonathan Nelson – Better Days
#5 | Beverly Crawford – Live from Los Angeles, Vol. 2
#6 | Marvin Sapp – Here I Am
#7 | WOW Gospel 2010
#8 | Kerry Douglas – Gospel Mix Vol. IV
#9 | Tamela Mann – The Master Plan
#10 | VaShawn Mitchell – Triumphant

Who’s got what on this list?

Did anyone grab the new projects from Shekinah Glory, Mavis Staples, Jonathan Nelson or Beverly Crawford?

Talk to me!

Gospel legend Eugene Smith, famous for his solos with the Roberta Martin Singers, passed away on Saturday at the age of 88 in his hometown of Chicago, IL.

Smith was only 12 years old when he joined the Roberta Martin Singers.  He was known for having brought fire and excitement to the once more-refined sound of gospel music.  He was said to have influenced James Cleveland’s style and sound and is also credited as having written “I Know The Lord Will Make A Way (Yes He Will).”

Here’s a clip of him singing “Walk In Jerusalem” with the Roberta Martin Singers. CLASSIC and beautiful…

Read the full New York Times article here. Let’s celebrate his life, but also pray for his family in their loss.

Congratulations to Cory “CoCo Brother” Condrey and Joann Condrey (formerly Rosario) on your marriage!

The two became one at a New Year’s Eve celebration in Chicago, IL.  It was quite a beautiful event.  We wish you all the best!

I think the last bit of Goodies I gave featured Melonie Daniels, but… that’s the beauty of it being MY blog.  I can do what I wanna.  It’s no secret that she’s one of my favorites on the planet, and I ain’t ‘shamed, I tell ya!

Here, she’s singing on Bobby Jones Gospel (BET) last week or so, and she seems hoarse as all get out!  Still, she continues on (making great choices, in light of her infirmity).  Then, ’round about the 4:19 mark (watch for it), the hoarseness begins to give way and she’s right back in the rafters, as if nothing ever happened.  Great stuff.

It was fine.

It definitely had everyone you’d want to see on a program about gospel music in Detroit– the Clark Sisters, Kierra Sheard, J Moss, PAJAM, 21:03, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Fred Hammond, Mom & Pop Winans, and several others.  And many of them gave very gracious and informative interviews about their music ministry and the influence of the Detroit music scene– gospel and secular– on their craft.

But some of them… it just seemed like some folks wanted to take the opportunity to demand the respect that they feel they’re due.  Mind you, I’ve watched several other Hometown Gospel programs (Chicago, New Orleans, Atlanta) and no other city has exhibited so much self-promotion.  Sure, the artists in other cities said stuff like “Chicago has such a rich gospel music heritage, especially because of people like Thomas A. Dorsey, Mahalia Jackson, Albertina Walker and others.”  The Detroit theme was more like “so now, all of you at home can finally see that DETROIT is where it’s AT!”  It was a bit off-putting.

All in all, though, it was a must-see for any gospel music lover.  There is some really excellent (and OLD) video footage of Fred Hammond with Commissioned, and some clips of Vanessa Bell Armstrong.  Check out the Gospel Music Channel for info on future airdates and times.  And make sure you catch the other cities, too.

One final point, for everyone in the gospel music industry and beyond:  the last name of the legendary family is Winans, with an ‘s‘ already on it.  That means that ANY PLURALIZATION OF THAT NAME (i.e., referring to more than one member of the family) cannot be ‘Winans’… cuz that’s the name already.

No, it must be WINANSES.  Feels weird to say it, I know… but it really is the only way.  Ok?

Winanses.

I’m going home to watch Hometown Gospel in Detroit on The Gospel Music Channel.

It came on last night and we DVR’ed it, cuz we didn’t want to miss Desperate Housewives (you see where our priorities are!).  But, tonight’s the night.

I’ll let you know how it was.

Congrats to Joann Rosario and Cory “CoCo Brother” Condrey on their upcoming nuptials.

The Latin gospel singer and the Atlanta-based radio personality are tying the knot on December 31, 2008 at her father’s church, Maranatha World Revival Church, in Chicago, IL.

Congrats, again, guys!  We’ll see you soon!