More details are surfacing about the upcoming Stellar Awards Mother’s Day Gospel Music Festival I mentioned last year, hosted by Central City Productions.

The 3-day celebration will take place in Orlando, FL from Friday, May 7th through Sunday, May 9th.  Hosts for the weekend will be Vickie Winans and comedian Akintunde.

Featured performers include Byron Cage, Deitrick Haddon, James Fortune, Kierra Sheard and Jonathan Nelson on Friday; Shirley Caesar, Yolanda Adams, Vickie Winans and Crystal Aikin on Saturday; Karen Clark Sheard, Kevin LeVar and Endurance on Sunday.

In addition to your travel and hotel, you’ll have to buy tix for the big gathering.  A 3-day pass to all events can be purchased for about $162.50 from Ticketmaster.  Click here for more info on the event.

Shekinah Glory Ministry, which brought you hits like “Praise Is What I Do” and “Yes,” is planning for its next live recording.

The event will take place on Sunday, May 16th, at 6:oopm, at Valley Kingdom Ministry International (Oak Forest, IL).  Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

The recording will cap-off their praise and worship conference, which will be held that week, beginning on the 14th.  Click here to visit their official site and get more details on the conference and the recording.

Their music is really good.  I’ve never been a HUGE fan, for some reason that I can’t quite detect, but their appeal and anointing is undeniable.  They’ve been very successful in their lane and I’m sure this project will bring more of the same.

Whatd’ya think?  Anyone going to attend?  Anyone excited for the new music?  Talk to me!

Bobby Jones is getting ready for the taping of his 3rd annual Bobby Jones Gospel In New Orleans, which will air later on The Word Network.

The taping takes place on March 25-27, 2010 at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel and is TOTALLY FREE to attend.

No word yet on the performers, but the event has four taping time slots and includes several VIP luncheons, dinners and receptions.

Check out the event’s official website for more details– http://www.bobbyjonesgospelinneworleans.com/.

In a couple of weeks, Dr. Teresa Hairston (Gospel Today) will be hosting her annual Gospel Heritage Praise & Worship Conference in Jacksonville, FL.  It’s gonna be a two-day event that you do NOT wanna miss, featuring worship services, musical offerings, workshops and panels that’ll inspire, encourage and equip you.

Check out the flyers below to see just a SAMPLE of some of the folks participating– from Donnie McClurkin, Hezekiah Walker and Kirk Franklin to Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Jonathan Nelson and Paul Morton… on and on and on.

During the conference, I’ll be speaking on two panels geared toward young adults (peep my lil’ photo on the second flyer, top right… LOL).  One panel discussion will focus on what the “new” music industry looks like, the other talks about careers opps in that new music industry.  My panel peers will include some of the best and brightest in the gospel game and I’m excited to be a part of it.

Anyone ever attended one of the annual conferences?  Anyone planning to attend THIS one?  Talk to me!

Bishop Hezekiah Walker is holding a MAJOR prayer vigil for Haiti on Thursday, February 4th, from 5pm to 7pm, in the world-famous Times Square, NYC.  Joel and Victoria Osteen are expected to join him in the time of prayer, as well as NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, NY Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, and many others.

The prayer will extend from 46th Street to 48th Street in Times Square.  Amid sooo many Haiti relief efforts, Bishop Walker says that “this is the one thing that everyone can participate in.  During a time that the economy is still suffering for some, prayer is free and available to everyone.”

Makes me wish I still lived in NYC a lil’ bit.  Anyone planning to attend?

BET has announced some of the dates and locations for season three of its hit gospel talent competition, Sunday Best.  So far, we’ve got:

Detroit
January 30, 2010 at CoboCenter

Atlanta
February 20, 2010 at Georgia World Congress Center

The official Sunday Best website says that there will be a 3rd city as well, to be announced soon.

Visit http://www.bet.com/sundaybest for continued info on the auditions.

Anyone here planning to audition this time around?

Plans for the 5th Annual All-Star Gospel Brunch are underway and the big event is going down in Dallas, TX during the 59th NBA All-Star Weekend.  The brunch will be held on Saturday, February 13, 2010.

Donnie McClurkin, Fred Hammond, James Fortune & FIYA, Ricardo Sanchez and Angella Christie are slated to perform for the event, while Paula White and Jonathan Slocumb will serve as co-hosts.

For more details, visit http://www.allstargospelbrunch.com/.

Planning for the annual Superbowl Gospel Celebration, now approaching its 11th year, is underway. The concert will take place at the James L. Knight International Center, Miami, FL, on February 5, 2010, during SuperBowl weekend.

The artist line-up is still being finalized, but I’m hearing that the production company is aiming to confirm Israel Houghton, BeBe & CeCe Winans, James Fortune & FIYA and Al Green.  Of course, the NFL Players Choir will also perform at the concert.

I follow sports about as closely as an M.C. follows the order of service at a midnight musical, so I don’t necessarily intend to be in Miami for the SuperBowl… but I encourage you guys to go!

Anyone planning to attend?

If you’re gonna be REMOTELY close to Nashville for Stellar Awards weekend, make sure you mark the Bonnerfide Radio Launch Party on your calendar.  It’s going to be awesome!

Bonnerfide Radio is the brainchild of host Gerard Bonner.  In just a few short months, the show has raised the bar for what gospel radio should be.  He’s even been nominated for a 2010 Stellar Award for Internet Radio Station Of The Year!

To celebrate the launch of his new show, Gerard is having the launch party of a lifetime on Friday, January 15th.  Featured guests include Sheri Jones-Moffett, JJ Hairston, Lisa Page Brooks, Vashawn Mitchell, Melinda Watts, Jonathan Nelson, Jason Nelson, and MORE.

Click the image below to see the full-size flyer and for more details.  Tickets can be purchased NOW at http://www.GetBonnerfide.com.

I plan to be in the house.  For SURE.  Who else???

And don’t forget– you can tune in to Bonnerfide Radio every weekday morning, from 9am-12:30pm ET (with a little afterparty usually thrown in) at GetBonnerfide.com.

Last year, my wife and I went to Lincoln Center to see Kim Burrell perform in a Christmas concert that would’ve made you SCREAM.  Her vocals were as great as you’d probably imagine, but what stood out were the ARRANGEMENTS of classic Christmas songs into jazzy tunes with mesmerizing vamps and… well, read the recap from last year if you want the details.

As she mentioned in my interview with her, she’s doing the concert again this year!  The dates are set and tickets are on sale now.

If you are, or can be, ANYWHERE near Manhattan on December 11th or 12th, I strongly encourage you to grab tickets to this event.  It’s enough to make me wanna catch a flight…

Visit the Jazz at Lincoln Center website for more details and to buy tickets.  And for a little teaser, here’s footage from LAST year that I just found (and yes, that’s Jason Nelson on stage with her in the beginning, Melonie Daniels and Jerard Woods on background vocals, etc.)!

Anyone go last year?  Anyone planning to go this year?  Talk to me!