Hey folks– visit http://www.watchgmctv.com/vote to vote in this year’s Music Video Awards at gmc.
If you do, you’ll be entered to win a $20 iTunes gift card (that’ll get you two albums, or like… 20 singles!).
I just voted and noticed some of my favorite videos over there, like Mary Mary’s “Survive,” Lecrae’s “Background” and Kirk Franklin’s “I Smile.”
Who are you pickin’?
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.
If you signed up to receive GospelPundit Weekly, you know that I send exclusive content to you via email each week, posing some question or point of view. One of my recent editorials sparked such interesting conversation that I figured I would re-post it here to see what YOU have to say…
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“And The Nominees Are… Decided By Fans”
This past Saturday, the nominees for the 27th Annual Stellar Awards were announced during a live nominations concert, which took place in Nashville, TN and aired exclusively on gmc. Check them out here if you haven’t already seen them.
This year, it seems that the nominees were determined primarily by fan voting. Actually, the same vote count used to determine the nominees will be used in naming the winner in January.
Has the Stellar Awards become a people’s choice award? Yeah, kinda…
A confidential committee still monitors the entries before the public gets to vote, making sure that only eligible submissions go forward, etc. And the voting members still get to whittle a loooooong list of entries down to a more manageable ten or so potential nominees. But at the end of the day, you– the public– have actually chosen this year’s winners.
Is that good or bad? I don’t know. On one hand, I’ve heard people praise the idea that votes are no longer “for sale” through voting memberships, whereby if you simply pay dues, you get to decide who gets a Stellar Award. And they like the idea that the consumers– those most impacted– get to weigh-in. On the other hand, there’s something to be said about a recognition by your peers– those who understand the work you put into it and who are, supposedly, experts in the arena.
One thing is for certain– this is the first time in several years that I haven’t heard someone cry “foul play” in the nominations process… and that’s worth writing about.
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What do you think of the Stellar Awards nominations this year?
What do you think of the voting process?
Better, worse, like it, love it?
Details are finally unfolding about the live broadcast of the announcement of nominees for the 27th Annual Stellar Awards.
The announcement will take place on Saturday, October 29th, at 8pm ET, and will be broadcast exclusively on gmc.
Hosted by Trin-i-tee 5:7 and comedian Akintunde, the ceremony will feature live performances from Isaac Carree, Y’Anna Crawley, William McDowell and more.
Mark your calendars!
If you’re lookin’ for good music today (and you should be), check out these two projects–
Dorinda Clark Cole – I Survived
I reviewed it twice– once for gmc and once for this site– so, hopefully you’re picking up what I’m putting down. This is one of Dorinda’s best solo albums to date. From vocal performance to production, it’s a solid project. She’s in her element and she’s giving lessons.
Committed – Committed
Committed is the six-man a cappella group that won last season’s a cappella talent competition, The Sing-Off, on NBC. You’ve seen them on the Stellar Awards, the Dove Awards and Sunday Best this year alone. It’s not a “gospel album,” but with a blend of remakes and original tunes, their’s is a positive (finally?!) mainstream project built upon the foundation of the group’s Seventh Day Adventist upbringing– musically and spiritually.
Get ‘em!
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!
The 42nd Annual Dove Awards were held this week in Atlanta, GA and will be broadcast on this Sunday, April 24th, at 7pm ET, exclusively on gmc.
For a full list of winners, click here.
I attended the live taping and there were a few performances you will NOT want to miss– Mary Mary… the Singing Pastors (featuring Deitrick Haddon, Darrell Hines, Paul Morton, Smokie Norful and Marvin Sapp)… Kirk Franklin… Lecrae (with Natalie Grant)… Chris Tomlin… and more.
Tune in!
Ok, this is getting unreal.
Kirk Franklin, Smokie Norful, Deitrick Haddon, have been added to the roster of performers on the 42nd Annual Dove Awards, which will be taped in Atlanta, GA on April 20th.
These additions come after last week’s announcement that we’d see Lecrae and Committed hitting the stage.
And THAT announcement followed the initial announcement that the show would feature performances from artists like Mary Mary and Marvin Sapp. And Sherri Shepherd is hosting the thing!
We’ve not seen this many… *ahem*… “familiar”-looking folks on the Dove Awards in quite some time. I’m loving the diversity. I feel embraced. 
Now, you’d BETTER be watchin’, fam– it airs Easter Sunday, April 24th, at 8pm/7pm, exclusively on gmc.
The second round of performers have been announced for the 42nd Annual Dove Awards!
Christian rap artist Lecrae, rising a cappella sensation Committed and Female Vocalist of the Year nominee Britt Nicole are among the artists who will get some stage time. Others include Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Point of Grace, several previously- announced artists (click here for the first round of announcements).
This show is gonna be GOOD!!!
The 42nd Annual Dove Awards will be taped in Atlanta on April 20th, and will air exclusively on gmc on Easter Sunday, 8pm ET/7pm CST.
A preliminary list of participants has been released by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) in connection with this year’s 42nd GMA Dove Awards, to be held in Atlanta, GA on Wednesday, April 20th at the Fabulous Fox Theatre.
Among the list are Mary Mary and Marvin Sapp, as well as powerhouse vocalist Natalie Grant and singer/songwriter Chris Tomlin. Other appearances are expected from Francesca Battistelli, Jason Crabb and Chonda Pierce.
The awards show will be hosted by actress/comedian Sherri Shepherd, and will air exclusively on gmc on Easter Sunday, April 24th, at 8pm ET/7pm CST.
