It’s no secret that Donald Lawrence is one of my favorite artists in gospel music.  There aren’t many artists who can honor the rich heritage and sound of gospel, while still adding their own element to it.  He’s not of this era– he’s got few contemporaries– but he’s still relevant. That’s not an easy feat.

In case you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to read my album review at gmc’s official website.  That’s my official and formal deal on Donald Lawrence’s new album, YRM (Your Righteous Mind).

Here, I’ll allow myself to be a fan, just chattin’ about my favorite parts of the project… let’s go!

The a cappella intro to D. Lawrence’s remake of Commissioned’s “How Can We Sing (In A Strange Land)”… perfection.  And it only gets better, as Keith Staten and Jason Nelson take turns on lead.

Listen to “Spiritual,” the latest single from this album, to hear how masterfully Donald incorporated the classic “fruits of the Spirit” segment from the Clark Sisters’ 1981 tune “Walk In the Spirit” (Twinkie was before her time, by the way). THIS type of stuff is where he shines.

If you attended any of the regional Verizon Wireless How Sweet the Sound events last year, you probably remember Marvin Sapp and CeCe Winans performing the Walter Hawkins classic “When the Battle Is Over” with Donald. On the album, singers Kim McFarland and Dante Hall (one of Donald’s newer full-time vocalists) tag team on it. It’s gospel like it’s s’posed to be.

There aren’t many duos like sisters Tobbi and Tommi.  And they demonstrate it on their remake of Chaka Khan’s “Through the Fire.”  The bass line is true to the original, which is wise– this feels like a great, updated version of something we’re still jamming to anyway.

I adore the complex harmonies on the vamp of “The I AM Factor.”  That, with the string arrangement… wow!

Aaaand Floyd Wilkinson’s performance of the Daryl Coley tune “II Chronicles,” is a more-than-fitting pairing. He executes it with precision and passion– definitely a fave.

Other stand-outs for me are “Second Wind” (featuring Anita Wilson) and “We Agree” (featuring Israel Houghton), the latter of which is a refreshing and unexpected pairing.

In a nutshell… buy it.

By the way, for street day (August 9, 2011), Amazon.com is selling it for $3.99!
Grab it here!

We’re continuing our weekly series, The Prayer List, with the addition of a legend in gospel music– Daryl Coley.

Known for his vocal acrobatics and incredible range, Daryl Coley gave us a little scare a few years ago when word of his failing health spread like wildfire.  Since then, we’ve seen him progressing and doing much better.  His contribution to the industry, as well as his influence on younger singers, is undeniable.  Let’s hold him up in prayer.

Father, thank You for the ministry that You have given Daryl Coley.  Thank You for the gifts that You gave him, to equip him for the work he would have to do on this Earth.

Lord, I pray that Your hand of preservation would be on Daryl Coley.  I pray that You would sustain him.  Reward his faithfulness to You with a life full of peace and joy in You.

God, any ailments and infirmities that he continues to experience, I pray that you would minimize them and give him comfort.  I pray for healing.

I pray that You will continue to shape Daryl Coley, Lord.  I pray that You will continue to chisel away at any areas that are not like You, and continue to make the areas that glorify You even brighter in his life.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Okay, sisters and bros… let’s hear your prayers!

This is a dope performance.  It’s a classic tune, already incredible from Daryl Coley’s lead vocal with Donald Lawrence & Tri-City…

No one needed to ever touch it.  But if it was GONNA be touched, I’m not mad at all that LeJeune Thompson is doin’ the touchin’! LOL

Check it–

Speak on it!!!

You know how, from time to time, you’ll be on YouTube, just searching through stuff, and you find a rare gem that you either never knew of, or completely forgot about?  Then, you get so excited that you run to your gospel music blog to post it for the masses to enjoy???

That’s what I just did.

Here’s the incomparable Patti LaBelle and Daryl Coley singing Michael Jackson’s “Will You Be There” BACK IN THE DAY.  And peep MJ in the audience… I miss him (and I’m SO mad at Dr. Conrad Murray right now!!!).

Enjoy:

Speak your mind, people!

People don’t SING LIKE THIS anymore!

And I don’t mean that they’re not vocally able to do it– but folks like Daryl Coley riff cuz they FEEL it. You can’t replicate it simply by running up and down some scales– it’s an expression, not a musical task to be completed…

I could go on and on, but just you listen!  One of my faves from him– “Beyond The Veil”:

Classic stuff…

The scene:  Dr. Mattie Moss-Clark is ad libbing to “Center Of My Joy,” trading lines with Bishop Richard White aka ”Mr. Clean.”  Then, when she’s good and tired, Daryl Coley and Richard Smallwood take turns demolishing it before Karen Clark-Sheard tries her hand at it.  And for good measure, Dorinda Clark-Cole clobbers the song before handing the mic to Bettye Nelson to thrash it good and plenty (note: she’s wearing red, suffers from chronic asthma and has only one functioning lung)!  And FINALLY, they get the mic to Twinkie Clark so she can kill it one good time on the vocals before her solo on the organ, which she’s been playing ALL THAT TIME!!!

A bit long, and the sound is rather shabby, but it’s 10 minutes well spent.

This Goodies entry is so delicious it’s got to be fattening.  On the classic recording of “When Sunday Comes,” anyone can hear that Daryl Coley absolutely clobbers the lead, but when you WATCH him do it… incredible.  It’s effortless, precise and heartfelt.

The folks behind him are, of course, Donald Lawrence & the Tri-City Singers, on whose album, Bible Stories, the song first appeared.  Pardon the minute-long interview and stuff before it… couldn’t find a better clip on YouTube: