I’m captivated by Thomas Whitfield’s music and ministry, primarily because I was too young to fully enjoy him while he was alive, so I find myself constantly longing to live it out, now.

Someone posted this rare footage of “Oh, How I Love Jesus,” and “Hold Me,” two of my favorite Whitfield songs. And I’m posting ‘em here.

If you are not as familiar with him, PLEASE do yourself a favor and check out his catalogue of music. If you are familiar, just watch the videos and enjoy the musicianship that God gave us through this amazing dude and his phenomenal group of singers (and I mean PHENOMENAL).

This is why I love gospel music.

“Oh, How I Love Jesus”–

“Hold Me”–

There’s nothing like Thomas Whitfield’s arrangement of “Nothing But the Blood,” featuring Lateria Wooten on lead vocals.

Found a dope clip of it being performed live. The sheer overwhelming passion of her vocals, laid over gorgeous chord progressions and ensemble arrangements– priceless.

What a contribution to contemporary gospel music!

I will never forget my first real introduction to LaShun Pace’s solo artistry. I was watching the 1999 Stellar Awards and she won an award for her album, Just Because God Said It.

The music they played from her album as she walked to the stage was the album’s opener, “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder),” a clever Christian remake of Maxwell’s mainstream tune.

I was so captivated by the tone and harmonies on it that I went and purchased it from my favorite Chicago music store, Dr. Wax. And I wore that CD out.

Tunes like the title track, her remake of Walter Hawkins’ “Be Grateful,” and the “Prophetic Medley,” showcased a soprano so soaring that she can reach the rafters, and vocals so strong that they can shake them once she gets up there.

My absolute favorite tune on the project is “Where I Am,” a heartfelt believer’s declaration of the joys of being saved and sanctified: “I can’t remember how it felt to be anywhere but where I am.”

Take a listen to snippets of it here:

Help us wish Troy Lilly, Associate Editor of GospelPundit.com, a big ol’ HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Besides writing a bunch of great articles for the site (read some of his work right here), Troy is a gifted photographer (check him out at http://www.urbansophistic.com). And he does about 8,724 other things at once.

Most importantly, Troy loves Jesus and is a man of integrity and grace. He’s a great guy to know and work with.

Leave a birthday message in the comment section below and check him out on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/UrbanSophistic.

…”God Is Able,” by Norman Hutchins.

Like… it’s so traditional and RIGHT to me. Favorite part is when the sopranos shout out “ABLE… ABLE… AAAAAABLE!”

Peep the video–

The full album from Norman Hutchins, If You Didn’t Know Now You Know, was released in June of 2011.

Check out some snippets via the widgets below, and grab it if you want it!

On iTunes–

On Amazon–

Check out Jessica Reedy’s in-studio performance of “Blue God,” one of the tunes on her debut album, From the Heart.

This song is cleverly written by Mali Music and features some awesome vocals!

In case you missed BeBe & CeCe Winans with Mary Mary and the choir from West Angeles COGIC on Jay Leno last week, here it goes one mo’ ‘gain…

Great job, folks!

One of my favorite tunes from one of the best gospel albums of the past decade– it’s Donnie McClurkin and Marvin Winans singing “Who Would’ve Thought” on Donnie’s Live in London album.

Love that!!!

When I was a young lad, I was so mesmerized by a choir in my hometown of Chicago– they were everywhere, doing everything, and I thought they were the coolest thing around. If you were a kid who loved to sing gospel music in Chicago, you tried out for the Soul Children of Chicago. It was just what you did. Lol

A year after this performance, I was a full-fledged member, rockin’ my robe and overlays. Haha!

This is Walt Whitman & The Soul Children of Chicago, singing their classic arrangement of “Joy to the World,” at a special ‘Christmas at the White House’ program. Watch closely and you’ll catch George Bush, Sr. tapping to the beat, and Barbara Bush yelling “bravo” at the end.

SCC!!! WHAT!

Sorry. lol

One of my household’s FAVORITE Christmas videos EVER. Aside from the fact that Tina & Erica Campbell (Mary Mary) are singing their naturally born faces off, my wife and I are particularly fond of the tambourine breakdown at the end.

Here’s Mary Mary with “Call Him Jesus”:

Oh, and shout-out to Latrice Pace, Rachel James and Charmaine Swimpson on BGVs, rockin’ it.

LOVE IT!