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.

I saw an ad for a new gospel songbook yesterday– you know, the sheet music for some of our favorite gospel songs… and I thought to myself “are people even buying these?”

Back when I was a young lad pursuing my undergraduate degree, I took classical piano lessons as one of my electives.  The instructor– whose name now escapes me and I dare not try to remember, lest I be called a racist– told me to buy music that I wanted to learn.

So, I said “well, shoot… lemme learn some Kirk Franklin, some Yolanda Adams, some Fred Hammond…”  And I bought songbooks of their music.

Sidebar:  It occurs to me that you guys don’t know that I’ve played piano since I was 2 or 3 years old, so you’re probably like “WHAT?!”  For the sake of brevity in this post–  I know how to play the piano, but I don’t do it much at all anymore.  Moving on…

The problem I encountered was that my playing became so technical that it stripped the feeling out of what I was doing.  Ultimately, I ended up scrapping what was written and just playing by ear, which was precisely what I was trying to avoid doing by taking lessons in the first place.  I just didn’t prefer the sheet music.

It is an incredibly unfortunate reality that many church musicians I’ve encountered cannot read music (and you can forget about music theory), so the songbooks are kinda lost on them, too.  And of the folks who can read music, I’m betting that their experiences would be similar to mine– you get so caught up reading that you forget to spend any time feeling.

So, I’m just curious– who buys gospel songbooks?  Do any of you own some?  Which ones?  Talk to me!

Is it just me, or is gospel the only genre that allows (maybe expects, and even demands) artists’ names to follow the format of “So-And-So” & “Such-And-Such”?

Think about it… Jonathan Nelson & Purpose, Myron Butler & Levi, DeWayne Woods & When Singers Meet…

But it didn’t just start happening… there was Israel & New Breed, Kirk Franklin & The Family, Fred Hammond & Radical For Christ…

And before them, Richard Smallwood & Vision, Walter Hawkins & The Hawkins Family, Andraé Crouch & The Disciples…

And let’s not forget the choirs– Hezekiah Walker & LFC, Ricky Dillard & New G, John P Kee & New Life, Milton Brunson & The Tommies, O’landa Draper & The Associates…

Understand this– my absolute ALL-TIME FAVORITE gospel artists are mentioned above, so I’m not mad at their names at all.  Love you guys and you KNOW it!

I definitely think the the name choices make sense– ours is the only genre with the artist format of frontmen backed by an ensemble or a choir.

But I’d be lying if I said it isn’t refreshing when I hear creative names like Mary Mary, Excelsior, 21:03 and Mali Music.

In short, it’s not a good or bad thing, just… a thing.  A gospel thing.

Anyone noticed???

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???

I kept saying a shake-up would come, and it kinda did.

The newest project in the WOW Gospel series has debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart.

James Fortune & FIYA’s newest album, Encore, debuted at #2.  He said yesterday, via Twitter, that Encore sold more in one week than his last album, The Transformation, sold in 6 months’ time!

The fun industry moment that I predicted last week didn’t take place… though James Fortune debuted #2, his older project, The Transformation, got bumped outta the top 10.  It sits at #11, though, so stay tuned… maybe he’ll have two albums in the top 10 next week.

WOW Gospel, however, DID manage to have two albums in the top 10– in addition to the 2010 release debuting at #1, WOW Gospel 2009 sits at #9.  Well, kudos to Y’ALL then!

With last week’s releases, BeBe & CeCe Winans’ reunion project, Still, drops from the #1 spot for the first time since its release, landing at #3.  Tamela Mann is holding strong at #4, followed by Fred Hammond’s Love Unstoppable at #5.

Time Life Entertainment’s latest rendevous into the gospel marketplace, Shouting Down The Aisles, debuted at #8 on the charts.

Hmm… I think those are the highlights.  Whatd’ya think???

I’m still waiting for the releases on the 26th to make some waves in the top 5… or at least the top 10.  Until then, not too much to report.

BeBe & CeCe Winans reign atop the charts, with Fred Hammond holding fast at #2.  This week, Tamela Mann jumps to #3 from her #5 position last week.  As a result, Mary Mary and Hezekiah Walker (who were at #3 and #4, respectively) get bumped a bit to the #4 and #5 spots.

A couple of spots down, James Fortune & FIYA leap from the #22 position to the #10 spot with their last project, The Transformation.  I’m assuming that the sales jump is from their performance on BET’s Celebration Of Gospel, but I’m not sure…

In any case, it would be kinda tight for him if he can keep The Transformation in the top 10 AND debut in the top 10 with his upcoming project, Encore.  Two projects at the top of the charts ain’t bad at all!

One of the most highly publicized events of the Stellar Awards weekend was the Bonnerfide Radio Launch Party, the celebratory event hosted by Gerard Bonner for… well, the entire industry.  The party did not disappoint… it was a virtual who’s-who of folks in the industry and just about everyone rolled through at some point to show their love.

In case you don’t know by now, Bonnerfide Radio is a new internet radio station created and hosted by Gerard Bonner (also of GospelFlava.com).  Within months, the interactive radio show/chat room experience was nominated for a 2010 Stellar Award for Internet Radio Station Of The Year, and garnered the support of MAJOR gospel artists, including Fred Hammond, J Moss, John P. Kee, Sheri Jones-Moffett and countless others.

The night, hosted by popular journalist and personality Jawn Murray, boasted performances and appearances from new and established artists including PJ Morton, Jonathan Nelson, Jason Nelson, George Huff, Melinda Watts, Myron Butler, Candy & Peaches West, Algernon, Tre Thomas, Claude Deuce, Sheri Jones-Moffett, Rae Ellis, CMO, Dominique Side, JJ Hairston, Darnell Davis & Remnant, Lisa Page Brooks… I have to stop there cuz I’m losing myself in the evening again.

But just imagine a relaxed (though packed to the RAFTERS) lounge setting at Nashville’s popular venue, Limelight, featuring food and drink, enhanced by ministry/entertainment from some of the most creative and skilled vocalists in our game.  That’s where I was on Friday night!

Wanna make sure I mention this testimony, too– immediately after THIS event, Gerard Bonner was involved in an automobile accident in which his car was totaled.  From what I understand, he was hit by another car, which sent his car head-on into a truck… an 18-wheeler.  Praise God, Gerard and the passengers with him, walked away with only minor bruises– no internal bleeding or complications whatsoever.  When I spoke with him a few hours later, he was resting up to make sure he had enough energy for the rest of the Stellar weekend!

Now, I’m not big on blaming everything on the devil… I think, sometimes, folks just have auto accidents.  But if you were blessed to watch how God has been dropping miracles for Gerard left and right over the past several months, and if you had seen how that evening was a confirmation of so many of Gerard’s dreams and ambitions (based on his calling), and if you had seen the wreckage and how the accident REALLY could’ve turned out another way… you’d probably be rejoicing that the hand of God remains more powerful than any attempt of the enemy, that His plans can never be ruined, that He’s a God of mercy, grace and love… I’m not thrilled about the accident, but I am thrilled that God is consistent in showing His children “I’m here for you… I’ve got plans for you… I’ve got you– physically, financially, emotionally, spiritually…”  Let’s rest in that.

Anyway… it was kind of a once-in-a-lifetime type of deal, cuz how many launch parties can be thrown?!  But maybe, if we’re nice to him, Gerard Bonner will throw the industry another shindig next year…

In the meantime, you can check out his live radio show EVERY weekday morning, from 9am to 12noon ET, at http://www.getbonnerfide.com/.  You’ll immediately see what everyone is raving about…