A new Bishop Paul Morton compilation album, Memorable Moments, debuted at #8 on Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart this week.  The project features some of his greatest hits, including “Cry Your Last Tear” and “Let It Rain”.

I love to hear Bishop Morton sing– even more, I love to WATCH him sing.  Great man of God with lots of gifts…  Did anyone pick up the compilation project? Check it out by clicking here.

In related news, WOW Gospel 2010 still sits at #1 on the chart, followed by BeBe & CeCe Winans and James Fortune & FIYA at #2 and #3, respectively.

Tamela Mann’s The Master Plan is at #4 and Fred Hammond’s Love Unstoppable rounds out the top 5.

And that’s about it.

Little movement in Billboard’s top 5 this week, with the exception of Mary Mary’s return to the mix, from the #6 spot to the #5 spot.

Other than that, WOW Gospel 2010 is still at #1, followed by BeBe & CeCe Winans, James Fortune & FIYA, and Tamela Mann at #2, #3, and #4 respectively.

Other than that, things are pretty… simple.

Just wanted to write a quick post to let you guys know that, as some predicted, BeBe & CeCe Winans won the NAACP Image Award on Friday night for “Outstanding Gospel Album,” for their reunion project, Still.

Also, as I joked but didn’t really EXPECT to happen, Mary Mary won “Outstanding Song” for “God In Me.”  The chart-topping single was up against Maxwell’s “Bad Habits” and “Pretty Wings,” Jamie Foxx’s “Blame It” and Jay-Z’s “Empire State Of Mind.”  And the Marys won.  That’s HUGE for them.  Whoo hoooo, ladies!

Side note–  Tamela Mann gave an awesome performance of her single, “Joy Of The Lord,” in tribute to Tyler Perry, who was honored with the Chairman’s Award.  She looked great and sounded great.

I’m more than a little miffed that the dude from the movie Precious arrograntly refused to stop speaking when they kept giving cues to do so– it meant that the LIVE telecast was cut off, and we only got to see the first verse and chorus of Mary Mary performing “God In Me,” which was the show’s finale, of sorts.

It’s like… this ain’t the Oscars, buddy.  The network isn’t gonna delay their scheduled programming for your speech or, as much as I love it, for the NAACP Image Awards.  And, as my wife pointed out, you made the Marys have to stand in position while you gave your lil’ speech– one is 8 months pregnant and the other had laryngitis.  Don’t mess with our Marys, dude!

*glaring at him, then realizing that I’m too invested in this*

Oh well.  Maybe he’ll send them a lil’ written apology for that move– maybe I’ll start a petition to encourage it. LOL  Kidding.  I’m sooooooo not writing anything else about this… I’m just sayin’.

Who else watched?  What did you think?

Don’t forget to tune-in to FOX tomorrow night, February 26th, at 8pm ET for the LIVE broadcoast of the NAACP’s 41st annual Image Awards.  The nominees, announced in January, for “Outstanding Gospel Album (Traditional or Contemporary)” are:

Donnie McClurkin - We All Are One
Shirley Caesar - A City Called Heaven
Fred Hammond - Love Unstoppable
BeBe & CeCe Winans - Still
Vickie Winans - How I Got Over

As I predicted earlier, I’m banking on BeBe & CeCe for this one.  Also, don’t forget that Mary Mary is nominated in the “Outstanding Song” category (the overall category, not the gospel one)… dunno if they’ll win that one, but given the favor on them lately, I can’t say I’d be surprised.  Yay Marys! LOL

To see a full list of nominees, click here.

You tuning-in???

The charts have such little activity right now, I nearly didn’t wanna look at ‘em.  And I definitely didn’t feel like typing it… but I shall.

The top 7 albums are in precisely the same spots that they were in last week…

WOW Gospel 2010 is #1, BeBe & CeCe Winans are #2, James Fortune & FIYA’s Encore is #3, Tamela Mann’s The Master Plan is #4 and Fred Hammond is #5 with Love Unstoppable, Mary Mary sits at #6 and Hezekiah Walker & LFC at #7.

Brian Courtney Wilson’s Just Love gets bumped up to #8 from its #9 spot last week.  And Vickie Winans makes a huuuuge leap, from #22 to #9 this week.  I’m assuming that’s from her appearance last week on The Mo’Nique Show on BET.

The next album to shake things up will be Marvin Sapp’s Here I Am, hitting stores in just 3 weeks, on March 16th.  But, stay close to me, folks… some of you are gonna receive it before then…

The nominees for the 41st annual Dove Awards were announced on Thursday.

Natalie Grant and Bart Millard will host the awards show on April 21st.  Unlike last year, the awards will not be broadcast live– they will air on gmc on Sunday, April 25, 2010 from 8pm-10pm EST.

There are 43 categories and you guys don’t know most of the names in ‘em, so I’m not typing it all… sorry.  BUT, you can visit http://www.gmclife.com/41st-dove-award-nominees for the full list.

In the meantime, a quick recap of some of the folks you’ll find there:

Donnie McClurkin, Israel Houghton, Melinda Watts, Freddy Washington, Brian Courtney Wilson, Mali Music, Vickie Winans, Smokie Norful, Mary Mary, Crystal Aikin, Bishop Paul Morton, Hezekiah Walker, Heather Headley, Mandisa, B. Reith, Fred Hammond, Group 1 Crew, Da’ T.R.U.T.H., BeBe & CeCe Winans… see, there are just too many to name!

Ok, more Dove Awards info and discussion as the time draws nigh.  Until then, tell me what you think about the nominee list!

WOW Gospel 2010 is still at the top of Billboard’s gospel album chart, while James Fortune & FIYA’s Encore drops from #2 to #3, switching places with the reunion project from gospel duo BeBe & CeCe Winans.

Tamela Mann’s The Master Plan and Fred Hammond’s Love Unstoppable remain at the #4 and #5 spots, respectively.

What’s weird to me– remember how I’ve been rooting for James Fortune to have two albums in the top 10, but he just missed the mark because, though Encore debuted at #2, The Transformation fell to #11?  Well, now I dunno WHEN it’ll happen, cuz The Transformation just dropped from #11 to #24.  What’s up with that?!

In related news, Byron Cage’s Faithful To Believe jumps from #12 to #10 this week, which reminds me to ask you folks why his project hasn’t been doing better in sales.  In my estimation, it’s time for another single because the title track has been at radio since around July or August.  I think he could use a boost in exposure (though, I think the Stellar Awards probably helped a bit)… another track from the project might be just what the doctor ordered.

Whatd’ya think???

The industry is finally seeing some evidence of the fabled BeBe & CeCe Winans reunion tour… The Alliance Agency is booking dates for the gospel duo NOW.

I’m glad it’s happening and I definitely wanna go.  I just hope that the excitement and energy for it hasn’t faded away for the other fans.  If a BeBe & CeCe reunion tour can’t sell well in the gospel industry, what can?

Who’s going when it comes to your town???

Over the past week, as BET has broadcast episodes of The Mo’Nique Show featuring various gospel artists, discussions have been swirling around the web about Mo’Nique’s incessant use of profanity and the reactions (or lack thereof) from gospel artists.

Apparently, in recent interviews with both Marvin Sapp and Kirk Franklin, Mo’Nique didn’t hold back from using casual profanity and, sometimes, crude humor.  I’m grateful that neither of them went to slingin’ oil and rebuking her, despite the fact that (to me) they appeared be a bit uncomfortable with it.  Anyway, some of you thought they should’ve been more outspoken against it.

Personally, I thought “who the heck cares,” because I won’t declare myself the arbiter of how artists should act when they get a national platform.  It ain’t easy to do and I don’t know how I’d handle a personality as strong as Mo’Nique’s in that moment, with the cameras rollin’, before a live studio audience… I just can’t say.  Plus, I tend to enjoy her show– she’s hilarious and she features great interviews with great people in the African-American community.  In any case, I definitely wasn’t gonna enter the discussion.

BUT last night, when Mo’Nique featured gospel duo BeBe & CeCe Winans, she didn’t curse.  Not once.  I was prepared to just say “oh, well whatever” until SHE said, from her own mouth, that her words were twisted because, as it relates to “God’s angels,” God told her “Mo’Nique, don’t you FOOL with BeBe & CeCe, now.”

Now, whether God spoke to her or not, there is clearly something about BeBe & CeCe that Mo’Nique respected differently as compared to Kirk Franklin and Marvin Sapp (I won’t even say “respected more”).  She perceived that she had to treat them differently.

And so I wondered– what do BeBe & CeCe have, exhibit, carry and/or represent to Mo’Nique that Kirk Franklin and Marvin Sapp might not?

I know a BUNCH of y’all are gonna talk about the anointing, but to be clear– I think Kirk Franklin and Marvin Sapp are super duper anointed for what God has called them to do.  I love them and adore their ministries.  What else might it be?

I thought maybe it’s gender… maybe it wasn’t as much about BeBe as it was an issue about CeCe.  Maybe it’s a respect for women, because I don’t recall Mo’Nique using profanity with Yolanda Adams a few months ago either.

Maybe it’s… I dunno.  I just know that it happened.  And maybe it’s not even worth discussing.  But maybe it is…

No movement whatsoever in Billboard’s Top 5.  AT ALL.

WOW Gospel stays at #1, James Fortune & FIYA’s Encore is #2, BeBe & CeCe are #3, Tamela Mann’s The Master Plan is at #4 and Fred Hammond rounds it out again at #5.

In fact, #6 and #7 stay the same, too, with Mary Mary and Hezekiah Walker holding fast, respectively.

Props to Brian Courtney Wilson for jumping from #12 to #8.

The charts may look the same for a while, at least until Marvin Sapp’s Here I Am comes out next month.  Then, it’s all over. LOL

Whatd’ya think??