The 13th annual BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards, held during Stellar Awards weekend each year, will honor Kirk Franklin and Hezekiah Walker at this year’s event on Friday, January 13, 2012 in Nashville, TN.
No word yet on who is slated to perform, but we’re hoping Donald Lawrence will, as always, arrange the musical tribute.
The invite-only tribute luncheon has become one of the most well-attended, highly anticipated events of the weekend. In recent years, the event has been later broadcast on gmc.
Folks, I don’t know if you’re in the Los Angeles area, on your way there, or can get there this evening, but the Staples Center is THE PLACE to be tonight for the finale of Verizon Wireless’ How Sweet the Sound.
In addition to incredible performances from the best church choirs across the country, the audience will be treated to live performances from hosts Donald Lawrence and CeCe Winans, as well as Marvin Sapp and more.
Judges for the evening are Sapp, Shirley Caesar and Israel Houghton.
Plus, Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton will perform a song from their upcoming film, Joyful Noise.
Doors open at 6pm, the show starts at 7:30pm and there are still a few tickets left. Tickets are only $10 and $15, and you know you can’t REMEMBER when you paid so little for a gospel show.
Shirley Murdock’s new album, The Journey, is a 17-track collection of music with an underlying theme of encouragement running through them. It’s solid, though perhaps not astounding, as a demonstration of great vocals and heartfelt ministry.
With Grammy Award winner Cedric Thompson at the helm of production (Donald Lawrence,Karen Clark Sheard, LeJuene Thompson), The Journey is the culmination of the first live recording of Murdock’s career. And it’s packed with powerhouse vocals from favorites in gospel and mainstream music, including Kelly Price, Beverly Crawford and Regina Belle.
Standout tracks on The Journey include the urban soul-tinged groove “It’s In Your Hands,” ”Upward Way” featuring Regina Belle, and “Lord You Reign,” a building and beautiful worship chorus.
Also, look out for “He Is the Rock,” on which Beverly Crawford outright shines with Murdock, the piano-driven “Keep Lovin’ Me,” which features the incomparable Kelly Price on guest vocals, and the project’s inspiring first single, “Dream.”
Given her success as a touring mainstream artist, it seems that a live set like this would’ve come earlier. Murdock is a natural as she interacts with the audience. Her sweet and genuine personality translates beautifully to this album and leaves you just plain old enjoying her.
My only qualms with the project are that some of the songwriting could have been a bit stronger and, at the height of some of the singers’ ranges, there was audio distortion in the mix. Still, Murdock’s vocals do a great job of making a lot of the songs work well and it’s a pretty good offering.
The Journey hits stores on October 18, 2011 (Tyscot Records), but you can listen and pre-order it right now, right here–
LOTS of changes to Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart this week, starting from the top… the highly anticipated album from Jessica Reedy, From the Heart, has debuted at #1 on the gospel chart! Congrats!
Le’Andria Johnson, who had been at #1 for 3 consecutive weeks, still sells well, landing at #2 this week.
Reach Records also had a great sales week, with 116 Clique’sMan Up debuting at #3 and Lecrae’s history-makingRehab jumping to the #4 slot. That’s a good week for holy hip-hop!
The Journey, the new project from gospel legend Andraé Crouch , debuts at #6 (read my review here… I love this album), and the Gospel Mix V compilation from radio personality CoCo Brother debuts at #8 on the chart.
Now, the entry of 4 new albums into the Top 10 means that 4 albums have been bumped out of it… the casualties were Mary Mary’sSomething Big, Dorinda Clark Cole’sI Survived, and the latest albums from Earnest Pugh and Deitrick Haddon.
Still, it was a fun sales week, with plenty of changes!
The full top 10…
1 | Jessica Reedy – From the Heart
2 | Le’Andria Johnson – The Awakening of Le’Andria Johnson…
3 | 116 Clique – Man Up
4 | Lecrae – Rehab
5 | Kirk Franklin – Hello Fear
6 | Andraé Crouch – The Journey
7 | WOW Gospel 2011
8 | CoCo Brother – Gospel Mix V
9 | Isaac Carree – Uncommon Me
10 | Donald Lawrence – YRM (Your Righteous Mind)
I’m not aware of any big releases this week that could upset this list, so it will be interesting to see how sales are next week, now that pre-orders and anticipation have been accounted for.
Which of these albums do you NOT have yet, but are planning to get SOON?
For the third straight week, the season three winner of BET’sSunday Bestis in the #1 position onBillboard’s Gospel Albums chart. If you still don’t have her debut project, The Awakening of Le’Andria Johnson…, read our review and buy it!
Here’s this week’s Top 10 in Gospel…
1 | Le’Andria Johnson – The Awakening of Le’Andria Johnson…
2 | Kirk Franklin – Hello Fear
3 | Isaac Carree – Uncommon Me
4 | WOW Gospel 2011
5 | Donald Lawrence – YRM (Your Righteous Mind)
6 | Da’ T.R.U.T.H. – The Whole Truth
7 | Mary Mary – Something Big
8 | Trin-i-tee 5:7 – Angel & Chanelle
9 | Dorinda Clark Cole – I Survived
10 | Deitrick Haddon – Church on the Moon
I am EAGER to see next week’s chart, where we’ll see how this week’s new releases from Jessica Reedy, Andraé Crouch and CoCo Brother’s fare in stores.
Gospel hip-hop fave Da’ T.R.U.T.H. lands at #2 on Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart this week with his new album, The Whole Truth.
Still reigning at #1 is winner of last season’s Sunday Best on BET, Le’Andria Johnson, with her debut album, The Awakening of Le’Andria Johnson. I expected a bit of a sales dip, but I’m quite proud of her for that staying power!
Trin-i-tee 5:7 also experiences a notable sales bump, moving from #19 to #5 this week with their latest album, Angel & Chanelle.
Here’s a glance at the full Top 10 in Gospel…
1 | Le’Andria Johnson – The Awakening of Le’Andria Johnson…
2 | Da’ T.R.U.T.H. – The Whole Truth
3 | Kirk Franklin – Hello Fear
4 | Isaac Carree – Uncommon Me
5 | Trin-i-tee 5:7 – Angel & Chanelle
6 | WOW Gospel 2011
7 | Donald Lawrence – YRM (Your Righteous Mind)
8 | Dorinda Clark Cole – I Survived
9 | Mary Mary – Something Big
10 | Earnest Pugh – Earnestly Yours
I’m not expecting to see any big debuts on the charts in the coming week, but the following week, I think we’ll see strong showings from Jessica Reedy, Andraé Crouch and CoCo Brother’sGospel Mix V compilation, all of which hit stores on the 27th of September.
I know that the Sunday Best finale was bumped to this Sunday, but you’re gonna have to set your DVRs for one of these shows… you don’t wanna miss this.
This Sunday, September 11th at 8pm ET, Donald Lawrence will be featured on TV One for a special gospel edition of “One on One” with Cathy Hughes. The two will be chatting about the popularity of gospel music and more.
The feature is part of the ramp-up of the Donald Lawrence-hosted Verizon Wireless’ How Sweet the Sound, which kicks off in Dallas, TX on September 15th (visit their official site for details).
Congrats to Dorinda Clark Cole, whose new album, I Survived, debuts at #3 on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart this week. Click here to read our review, in case you missed it.
Last week’s strong debut from Isaac Carree still sells high, landing at #2, with Kirk Franklin reclaiming the #1 position for his album, Hello Fear.
The full top 10…
1 | Kirk Franklin – Hello Fear
2 | Isaac Carree – Uncommon Me
3 | Dorinda Clark Cole – I Survived
4 | WOW Gospel 2011
5 | Donald Lawrence – YRM (Your Righteous Mind)
6 | Earnest Pugh – Earnestly Yours
7 | Mary Mary – Something Big
8 | PRo – Dying to Live
9 | Marvin Sapp – Playlist: The Very Best Of Marvin Sapp
10 | Deitrick Haddon – Anthology: The Writer & His Music
Do you have the new albus from Dorinda Clark Cole yet?
It feels like Uncommon Me, the debut solo album from 20-year industry vet Isaac Carree, took FOREVER to get here. But it finally “got here” SO powerfully last week that it debuted at #1 on both the Billboard Gospel Albums chart AND the Christian Albums chart! Congrats, man!
Finally, Tyscot’s Deitrick Haddon compilation, titled Deitrick Haddon: The Writer & His Music, has debuted at #7.
The rest of the top 10 shakes out like so…
1 | Isaac Carree – Uncommon Me
2 | PRo – Dying to Live
3 | Kirk Franklin – Hello Fear
4 | Donald Lawrence – YRM (Your Righteous Mind)
5 | WOW Gospel 2011
6 | Mary Mary – Something Big
7 | Deitrick Haddon – Anthology: The Writer & His Music
8 | Earnest Pugh – Earnestly Yours
9 | Deitrick Haddon – Church on the Moon
10 | Lecrae – Rehab
Now, if I were a betting man, I would say that Dorinda Clark Cole’sI Survived will debut at #1 next week. And rightly so. If you don’t have it yet, click here to read my review and get it!
This week, Kirk Franklin’s Hello Fear regains the #1 position on Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart, after Donald Lawrence debuted at #1 last week with his new project, YRM (Your Righteous Mind).
D. Lawrence now follows at #2, with the WOW Gospel 2011 project at #3, Mary Mary’sSomething Big at #4, and Earnest Pugh rounding out the top 5.
The full top 10 at Billboard:
1 | Kirk Franklin – Hello Fear
2 | Donald Lawrence – YRM (Your Righteous Mind)
3 | WOW Gospel 2011
4 | Mary Mary – Something Big
5 | Earnest Pugh – Earnestly Yours
6 | Pastor James R. Adams – Times of Refreshing
7 | Richard Smallwood – Promises
8 | Deitrick Haddon – Church on the Moon
9 | Lecrae – Rehab
10 | Various Artists – Gospel’s Best Worship
Unless you’ve been under a rock, you know that Isaac Carree’s new album, Uncommon Me, hit stores this week (check the review right here). I’m expecting that project to chart well next week. Do you have it yet?
Which of these projects in the Top 10 are you still not sure that you wanna buy?
Shirley Murdock’s new album, The Journey, is a 17-track collection of music with an underlying theme of encouragement running through them. It’s solid, though perhaps not astounding, as a demonstration of great vocals and heartfelt ministry.
