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!

If you’ve ever attended the Stellar Awards weekend or GMA week, you’ve probably noticed (and perhaps attended) the highly popular performance event, Urban Soul Cafe.

Quickly becoming one of the largest and most successful grassroots performance opps in the industry, the event features performances from major and indie artists at reasonable prices in an intimate setting.

This year, Urban Soul Cafe presents its Stellar Awards weekend event, “Access Granted,” and it promises to be just as good as past events, with performances expected from J Moss, Melinda Watts, 21:03, Adrianne Archie and many more urban gospel artists.

There will be two events– one on Thursday, January 14th and one following the Stellars taping on Saturday, January 16th– and will be hosted by DeWayne Woods, Canton Jones, Lexi and Sheilah Belle.

Click here to view the full flyers for the event and to purchase tickets!

Add another artist to the roster of upcoming live recordings (where y’all gettin’ MONEY for all this?! LOL).  We’ll be getting new music from former EMI Gospel recording artist Sharon Riley & Faith Chorale!

Details will follow, but the live recording is planned for sometime in January 2010… it may be in Canada, though, so plan accordingly if you wanna go!

How many Sharon Riley supporters remember their EMI project, Life Is?

Singer/songwriter Deon Kipping and his group, New Covenant, are gearing up to record a new live project.  The recording will take place at 6pm, Saturday, November 28th at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bridgeport, CT.

In addition to his own artistry, Kipping is responsible for penning such gospel hits as “Praise Him In Advance” (Marvin Sapp) and ”Incredible God, Incredible Praise” (JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise).

Click here to view the full flyer for the event!

Anyone planning to attend?

The Church Of God In Christ (COGIC) is gearing up for its 102nd Annual Holy Convocation, perhaps the last go ’round in Memphis, TN, where it’s been held since Jesus ascended to Glory.

Most folks get EXTRA excited for the musical component– it’s always star-studded and full of great performances.  This year should be no different.

From Vickie Winans, Melonie Daniels and Sheri Jones-Moffett to Israel & New Breed, God’s Image (G.I.) and Kevin LeVar, this year’s celebration has a little something for everyone.

Dates for the week-long event are November 2-9, 2009.  Visit http://www.cogic.com for more detailed info about who’s singing when and what not.

Anyone already planning to go?  I KNOW I’ve tons of COGIC folks here…