The nominees for the 43rd Annual GMA Dove Awards were just announced!
Among the nominees in the more major categories– Kirk Franklin’s “I Smile” got a nod for Song of the Year AND for Male Vocalist of the Year, Lecrae got an Artist of the Year nomination (that’s major)…
Music World Gospel continues to crank out the album releases! Next up is Andrea Helms, runner-up of the most recent season of BET’s Sunday Best.
The worshipful vocalist’s debut album, titled Moving Forward, will be available on March 6th. The 7-track EP will feature songs she performed on the nationwide talent competition, including “Yesterday,” “Changed,” and “The Heaven’s Are Telling.” The ever-popular title track features a duet with Sunday Best winner Amber Bullock.
Learn more about the project, and pre-order it, at Amazon.com.
Kirk Franklin was a notable double winner at this past Friday’s 43rd Annual NAACP Image Awards, winning Outstanding Gospel Album (Hello Fear) AND Outstanding Song for “I Smile,” a category in which his contenders included Beyoncé, Cee Lo Green, Jill Scott and Adele.
Kirk’s album was certified GOLD last week by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Sounds of Blackness also garnered an award in the Outstanding World Music category, for their latest self-titled album. And Bishop T.D. Jakes was honored in the Outstanding Literary Work (Instructional) category for his book, The T.D. Jakes Relationship Bible: Life Lessons on Relationships from the Inspired Word of God.
Congrats!
Hey folks, just a quick reminder to tune-in to the NAACP Image Awards tonight, February 17th, at 8pm ET/7pm CST.
The 43rd annual black-tie awards program will be held at The Shrine Auditorium in LA, to be hosted by actors Sanaa Lathan and Anthony Mackie.
In the category of Outstanding Gospel Album, here are your nominees:
Yolanda Adams – Becoming
Deitrick Haddon - Church on the Moon
Kirk Franklin - Hello Fear
Mary Mary - Something Big
Andraé Crouch - The Journey
Also, in the Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration category, long-time favorite choir Sounds of Blackness was nominated!
The new project from JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise, titled After This, hits stores on March 27, 2012! It’s the group’s sixth project, recorded live in July of 2011, and featuring guest appearances from Hezekiah Walker, John P Kee, Tye Tribbett, LaShun Pace and more!
The lead single and title track, “After This,” has made an impact at radio and online since it was released a couple of months ago. It continues to rise, having broken into the Top 15 at radio.
1.Lord of All – feat Hezekiah Walker
2.My King
3.Now – feat James Fortune
4.After This – feat Bishop Eric McDaniels
5.Love Lifted Me – feat Tye Tribbett
6.You
7.Victor
8.Grateful
9.Working Out For Me – feat John P. Kee & Lisa Knowles
10.I Am
11.The Blood – feat Lashun Pace
12.Reap
You can pre-order After This now at Amazon.com by clicking here.
Heads-up– the annual SuperBowl Gospel Celebration is airing in various markets across the nation this month into next. Some markets have already passed (sorry, folks!), but others are coming up soon.
This year’s show, hosted by Rev. Run, featured performances from CeCe Winans, Donnie McClurkin, Hezekiah Walker, Natalie Grant, Wess Morgan and Fantasia.
Click here for a listing of airdates, times and channels!
The newest project from Marvin Sapp, titled I Win, will be released on April 3, 2012, a three-week delay from the previously announced March 13 release date.
No worries– the project promises to be as good in April as it would’ve been in March. 
With production by Aaron Lindsey and vocal arrangement from Myron Butler, Marvin Sapp has said that his newest project features much of the same signature style that won audiences over the past several albums.
The album’s lead single, “My Testimony,” has already been making waves at radio and its live performance video just premiered yesterday. The title track, written by Brittney Wright, is said to be a favorite of Sapp’s.
A live performance DVD will accompany the CD, so if you didn’t attend the packed-house live recording in October, you can still feel like you did!
Here’s a track listing:
1. Intro
2. Teach My Hands To War
3. I Belong To You
4. Never
5. I Win
6. Glory
7. The Hymns Medley
8. Deeper
9. My Testimony
10. Do Me Like You
11. Keep It Movin’
Pre-order I Win, right here, right now.
On the heels of winning her first Grammy Award this Sunday, gospel powerhouse vocalist Le’Andria Johnson releases her sophomore album, The Evolution of Le’Andria Johnson today.
The 7-track disc is a follow-up to her chart-topping debut, The Awakening of Le’Andria Johnson, and features new tunes, including “I Shall Leap,” which Le’Andria performed after being crowned the winner of Sunday Best.
Listen to snippets of the new album and buy it right here–
JUST IN!!!
Here are the winners in the gospel categories at this year’s 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards!!!
Winners highlighted below in blue.
Best Gospel/CCM Performance
“Do Everything”
Steven Curtis Chapman
Track from: re:Creation
[Sparrow Records]
“Alive (Mary Magdalene)”
Natalie Grant
Track from: Music Inspired By The Story
[WOW Joint Venture/EMI CMG]
“Your Love”
Brandon Heath
Track from: Leaving Eden
[Reunion Records]
“Jesus”
Le’Andria Johnson
Track from: The Awakening Of Le’Andria Johnson
[Music World Gospel]
“I Lift My Hands”
Chris Tomlin
Track from: And If Our God Is For Us…
[Sparrow Records / sixstepsrecords]
Best Gospel Song
“Hello Fear”
Kirk Franklin, songwriter (Kirk Franklin)
Track from: Hello Fear
[Verity Gospel Music Group/Fo Yo Soul Ent.; Publisher: Aunt Gertrude Music]
“Sitting With Me”
Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell, Gerald Haddon & Tammi Haddon, songwriters (Mary Mary)
Track from: Something Big
[Columbia Records; Publishers: Precious Baby Music/T Bella Music/EMI April Music, It's Tea Tyme, That's Plum Song]
“Spiritual”
Donald Lawrence, songwriter (Donald Lawrence & Co. Featuring Blanche McAllister-Dykes)
Track from: YRM (Your Righteous Mind)
[Verity Gospel Music Group; Publisher: Quiet Water Entertainment]
“Trust Me”
Richard Smallwood, songwriter (Richard Smallwood & Vision)
Track from: Promises
[Verity Gospel Music Group; Publishers: Universal-Z Tunes/T.Autumn Music]
“Window”
Canton Jones, songwriter (Canton Jones)
Track from: Dominionaire
[Cajo Records; Publisher: CAJO Music]
Best Gospel Album
The Love Album
Kim Burrell
[Shanachie Entertainment]
The Journey
Andraé Crouch
[Riverphlo Entertainment]
Hello Fear
Kirk Franklin
[Verity Gospel Music Group/ Fo Yo Soul Ent.]
Something Big
Mary Mary
[Columbia Records]
Angel & Chanelle Deluxe Edition
Trin-I-Tee 5:7
[Music World Gospel]
Best CCM Song
“Blessings”
Laura Story, songwriter (Laura Story)
Track from: Blessings
[Fair Trade Services; Publishers: New Spring/Gleaning Publishing]
“Hold Me”
Jamie Grace Harper, Toby McKeehan & Christopher Stevens, songwriters (Jamie Grace Featuring Tobymac)
[Gotee Records; Publishers: Universal Music, Brentwood Benson Tunes, Songs of Third Base/Chriscendo Music, Meaux Mercy/Achtober Songs]
“I Lift My Hands”
Louie Giglio, Matt Maher & Chris Tomlin, songwriters (Chris Tomlin)
Track from: And If Our God Is For Us…
[Sparrow Records/sixstepsrecords; Publishers: sixsteps Music/worshiptogether.com Songs/Vamos Publishing/Thankyou Music/spiritandsong.com Publishing]
“Strong Enough”
Matthew West, songwriter (Matthew West)
Track from: The Story Of Your Life
[Sparrow Records; Publishers: External Combustion Music/Songs For Delaney/Songs of Southside Independent Music]
“Your Love”
Brandon Heath & Jason Ingram, songwriters (Brandon Heath)
Track from: Leaving Eden
[Reunion Records; Publishers: Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing/Big Skwawka Music, Sony/ATV Timber Publishing/Windsor Hill Music]
Best CCM Album
Ghosts Upon The Earth
Gungor
[Brash Music]
Leaving Eden
Brandon Heath
[Reunion Records]
The Great Awakening
Leeland
[Essential Records]
What If We Were Real
Mandisa
[Sparrow Records]
Black & White
Royal Tailor
[Essential Records]
And If Our God Is For Us…
Chris Tomlin
[Sparrow Records / sixstepsrecords]
Whitney Houston has passed.
Each step of writing this post has been surreal– from typing the headline to finding the photo– I just can’t wrap my mind around it. I’m numb and on auto-pilot with this one…
No other musician’s passing has hit me as hard as the sudden and unexpected death of Whitney Houston. I don’t have any flowery reflections to give just yet– hasn’t really hit me.
But I do know that we’ve gotta pray. Even as individuals, touched by her iconic music and now rocked with grief, WE have got to pray.
Pray for her daughter, Bobbi Kristina, pray for her mom, Cissy Houston, pray for her ex, Bobby Brown. I’ve gotta pray for the family and friends who will be infinitely more rattled and confused than I was as I read “Whitney Houston… Dead at 48.”
I praise God for the remarkable gift He gave this woman. I praise God for how she had the opportunity to sing of Him, speak of Him, and make Him known through various gospel songs and in many interviews, especially in later years. I pray she knew Him. And I pray He welcomed her home.
Whitney Houston will be more than missed.
