Word has it that gospel artist Melinda Watts is deep into the planning stages of her first conference to empower teenage girls.  It’s called the Dream Girlz Gathering and it’s going down August 19-21, 2010 in Vineland, NJ before hitting the road and hitting several cities across the nation.

The schoolteacher-turned-gospel-artist (by way of gmc’s Gospel Dream talent competition) has always had a passion for educating and empowering young girls on their journey to becoming young women– this conference is an outpouring of that passion.

And to assist her, she’s locked in the support of other great women in gospel, including Crystal Aikin, Karima Kibble, Neechy and more.

Visit http://www.dreamgirlzgathering.com or call 866-806-GRLZ for more info.

Anyone gonna check it out?  Anyone planning to attend?  Lemme know!

Most of you know me as a gospel music fan and blogger.  And that’s me.  But by trade, some know me as an attorney.  And that’s me, too.

So, for a moment, I’m swapping my blogger hat for my attorney hat to simply caution all of you would-be Sunday Best auditioners… be VERY CAREFUL of anything you sign as you go to audition for the hit gospel talent competition.

DISCLAIMER:  Legal information is distinct from legal advice.  The commentary that follows is not intended, in any way, to serve as legal advice.  If you desire legal counsel and assurance, you are advised to consult a competent attorney.

First, please know that what I’m about to say is in NO WAY intended to slight BET or the Sunday Best program.  Their legal requirements are generally similar to other televised talent competitions and many of the things that viewers and auditioners might consider “unfair,” are merely protections that the network and the program’s producers need, and deserve, to have in place.

With that said, I’m going to speak GENERALLY about how some of the agreements at televised talent competitions, such as Sunday Best, American Idol and Gospel Dream, operate.  This info is not necessarily applicable to each televised talent contest.

Here we go:

1.  You’ll HAVE TO sign it.  Please understand that when you audition for a show, you will be required to sign a binding legal agreement.  I’m not talking about just before the finals– I’m talking about while you’re standing in line with thousands of folks.  If you don’t sign something, you’re not auditioning.  Period.

2.  When you sign, you’ll be giving your CONSENT to a lot of stuff.  Most folks don’t care about this.  At the preliminary stage, you’ll just be consenting to have your image, likeness, singing voice, etc. on TV.  How else is America supposed to laugh at you or applaud you if you make it to the judges?  Basically, you’re consenting to be on the show WITHOUT PAY.  And the show can edit, manipulate and use the images and sounds that they get from you in any way they choose (even if it makes you look like a heathen).  Further, the show owns, and can use, this footage any way it wants, FOREVER.

3.  You might not be able to sing, dress or act like you want to.  How many times have we heard “wrong song choice” from the judges?  Or how many times have you sat at home and said “why is she singing THAT?!”  Well, sometimes, it’s not really up to the contestants.  Remember when I interviewed a bunch of the Sunday Best finalists last year?  Several of them mentioned that they didn’t get to pick their songs at all.  And let’s not forget about the mandatory makeovers.  A good one can be anybody’s friend, but don’t start fussin’ about “holiness” if they color your hair and dress you like a lounge singer.  This is what you wanted.

4.  You might get a MANAGER that you don’t want.  Some shows, within that early agreement, make contestants agree that they can be managed by a manager of the show’s choosing.  This is particularly rough if you’re already working as an aspiring artist and you’ve already got a manager– you might have to drop him/her and end up having your career guided by a total stranger.

5. Some shows bind you to a RECORD DEAL.  Many of you have asked me why Jessica Reedy doesn’t have a record deal yet.  Here’s why… BET may have temporarily taken away her right to do so.  Take a look at the Sunday Best release from this year’s auditions in Nigeria (click here) as an example… there’s a clause that says “if my appearance, name, likeness, voice, singing voice… are used in connection with the Program, I may be required… to enter into… an agreement for my exclusive recording services which may include an agreement for my exclusive songwriting services…”  OUCH!

In effect, it says “in order to appear on the show, I may be required to sign a record deal.”  So, you ask me “but, with what label?”  Here’s the kicker– with BET’s “record label.”

Now, you and I both know that they don’t really have a gospel label, but look at the beauty of this clause for them.  If a contestant is good, and has a huge fan following from the show, BET gets the FIRST opportunity to sign that artist to a label that it has, or will create.  For how long? Let’s just say that I have spoken personally to a former contestant from last season who is STILL not allowed to sign a record deal.  But we’re already getting ready to tape a new season!

Actually, I should amend that… BET will allow you to sign with another label, but only if they can split the profits with that label.  Or maybe the new label will have to pay to buy you out.  How much? Dunno exactly, but I can guarantee it’ll be too much for ANY gospel label to pay and still make a profit from your record sales.  So, you might just have to wait it out and hope that people still remember you, or care about you, once the contract is up…

6.  Some shows bind you to a SONGWRITING DEAL, too.  This is where it can really hurt financially.  In the same Sunday Best release I referenced above, did you notice the language that says “which may include an agreement for my exclusive songwriting services”?  When you sign an agreement for your songwriting services, it generally means you’re gonna lose some, or all, of your publishing rights.  Publishing rights refer to song OWNERSHIP, so you can count on losing some, or all, of the money from songs you may write after signing this agreement, IF you are signed to a songwriting agreement.

Note, also, the buzz-word “exclusive.”  That’s right, buddies… exclusive means you can’t do a similar contract with ANYONE else.  If you’re a writer, that means you can’t write for anyone else without BET taking a percentage of that songwriting money, because they’re part owners of any song that you write while under that exclusive songwriting contract.  In the gospel industry, where so many artists write their own material, this could have a significant effect on your career and the money that you bring in from it.

7.  You may be sharing your income for a while.  In addition to recording and songwriting deals, some shows may take bites of every apple you can get your hands on, for years to come.  From merchandising (like, a T-shirt with your picture on it) to touring revenue (if you’re so fortunate), the contract you sign MAY require you split the profits from any money-making opportunities you get as a result of your appearance on the show… and how are you REALLY gonna prove that your future success isn’t linked to your appearance on their national television program?

8.  You might have to be where they want you, when they want you.  Your cousin is gettin’ married the same weekend of an American Idol tour date?  Sorry, you’ll have to miss your cousin’s wedding.  Your goddaughter is getting baptized next Saturday?  Yeah, well, that’s the taping of Celebration Of Gospel and we’re gonna need you in the audience for camera shots, soo… yeah.  Catch my drift?  The network doesn’t just get access to you for its show– it needs you to promote all things related to the show.  If you’re trying to be an artist, that may be great for you.  But don’t complain… this is what you wanted!

9.  And don’t go using their name or logo, either.  Funny how one-sided things can be– they can use your picture and name to promote their stuff, but don’t think for a MINUTE that you can use their logo or title to promote yours.  To do that, you’ve gotta get consent from the network.  It makes sense, I guess– they want to control how their brand is being used and discussed.  What that means, though, is that it’s harder for you to book yourself for gigs or promote your independent record (you can’t necessarily say “from Sunday Best” or “from American Idol“).  Unless you were incredibly memorable, most consumers need a reminder of who you are and why they should care.  You may not get permission to GIVE that reminder, though.

10.  You have only a moment to decide.  This is, perhaps, the hardest part of the contract– you must commit, and commit QUICKLY.  Eventually, the only thing standing between you and the judges’ table will be a wordy document that you don’t really understand.  No one’s really waiting while you find an attorney and fax him your contract to review… either sign it, or leave.  You won’t really be missed.  Plus, this is your big shot.  The shows are prepared to dress you up and put you on national TV to sing!  But, decide now– what are you prepared to do in exchange???

Sooooo, I hope this helps to explain what some of the language you might see actually means.  Again, NOTHING I HAVE SAID IS INTENDED TO SERVE AS LEGAL ADVICE.  I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL LEGAL COUNSEL WITH REGARDS TO ANYTHING YOU MIGHT SIGN.  And that goes DOUBLE for anyone who makes it from the massive audition line to the televised stage.

Now, having said all of that, who’s auditioning???

The industry was blessed with some really great new music in 2009– we saw some highly-anticipated debut projects, a looooong-awaited reunion project, and fresh music from some of our favorite artists.

I think I’ve heard all of it and here are my 10 favorite albums of 2009, in order:

10.  Coko | The Winner In Me
Coko’s got one of those voices that just screamed CHURCH, even when her R&B group, SWV, was at the height of its popularity.  The Winner In Me is her sophomore gospel project and it demonstrated a firm commitment to gospel.  Even more, it demonstrated a firm commitment to Christ, lest there be any doubters.  She crafted a diverse, yet cohesive, body of work that has received significant rotation from me since its release in July.

9.  Tonex | Unspoken
Despite the talk and controversy that seems to follow him, Tonex’s musical gifts are 100% undeniable.  He provides one of the freshest musical perspectives in gospel music, always pushing the envelope to remind us that God, as Creator, gifted His children with the same mindblowing ability to CREATE.  I’m like a kid in a candy store when I listen to Unspoken.  There’s more musical goodness going on than I have the auditory capacity to take in at once, which is why the project has gotten so many spins from me.  And I’m far from being finished with it.

8.  Melinda Watts | People Get Ready
The winner of Gospel Music Channel’s 2008 season of Gospel Dream gathered an award-winning team of producers and songwriters to assist her in crafting a fresh and exciting debut project that represented her diverse influences and musical preferences.  There’s a little something for everyone on her album, so she’s been able to get major love from CCM and gospel audiences alike.  She’s an up and coming gap-bridger and, with her debut project, Melinda’s carving a nice lil’ spot in the industry for herself.

7.  Ted Winn | Balance
With his debut solo album, Ted Winn demonstrated his ability to handle every form of artistry in the gospel biz– he’s gone from choir, to ensemble, to duo, and has landed firmly as a solo artist.  What’s more– he’s one of a few artists that I trust, musically, to respect the gospel genre while remaining relevant to the marketplace.  The project is bursting with simply good music– from catchy songwriting (primarily his own) to great production and arrangements, Balance provides just that for listeners.

6.  Sheri Jones-Moffett | Renewed
On her debut solo album, Sheri Jones-Moffett “renewed” the industry’s concept of her as a vocalist.  We knew that she could dominate a churchy lead vocal, but we were blessed to see her jump effortlessly from soaring ballads to pop-infused tracks, even a 70′s-themed single and a New Orleans-styled praise chant.  With an inspirational and encouraging message to share, Sheri knocked her debut offering out of the ballpark… and nabbed a much-deserved GRAMMY nod in the process.

5.  Fred Hammond | Love Unstoppable
The pioneer of contemporary praise  & worship in gospel added yet another hit album to his discography with Love Unstoppable.  Perhaps most refreshing about this project is that he successfully tested the waters of other styles– even calypso and jazz– while remaining at all times “classic Fred.”  This album demonstrated why we continue to look to him for musical guidance for the coming years… great things keep coming from his lab.  He’s kinda unstoppable, too.

4.  BeBe & CeCe Winans | Still
The world waited 15 years for gospel’s favorite sibling duo to reunite and make music together again.  The wait proved worth it when BeBe & CeCe finally released a collection of music that was a great reminder of why we loved them in the first place, while remaining relevant to today’s musical climate.  How many duos can, at their height, take a break, experience chart-topping and award-winning solo careers, come back together, and prove that they’ve “still” got it?  Just one, I think…

3.  Israel Houghton | The Power Of One
Israel ventured out on his own, sans New Breed, for his latest project.  The result was a cohesive project from a musician who remained loyal to his gap-bridging musical technique while demonstrating his ability to master other styles within the gospel and Christian genres.  This album affirmed Israel’s ability to make music for the universal Body of Believers, a feat that not all ministers of music are able to perform.

2.  J Moss | Just James
After a year marked by a test, a shortcoming and, ultimately, a triumph, J Moss returned to the marketplace this year with a new perspective on his third major solo release, stripping away all pretense in an attempt to present himself as “just James.”  The result was a collection of work that seems to have been born straight from his time with the Lord– times in which he saw his need for grace and experienced, in a fresh way, God’s redeeming power and love.  We were merely blessed enough to have those experiences translated to music that could encourage us in our own journeys.

1.  Donald Lawrence & Co. | The Law Of Confession, Vol. 1
In recent years, Donald Lawrence has focused a lot of his musical energy on encouraging the Body of Christ by teaching us who God is, who we are in relation to Him, and what we might expect as a result of that relationship.  With his latest release, Donald challenged believers by demonstrating the power of our words, especially in view of God’s words.  As if the message, alone, wasn’t enough to make a great album, he set it to music that is as diverse as it is beautiful.  From instrumentation to his in-demand group of singers, Donald Lawrence is unparalleled in his ability to produce and arrange music that pays homage to the heritage of gospel music while progressing the genre for the glory of God.  The musical manifestation of that ability is, hands-down, what makes The Law Of Confession, Vol. 1 my favorite album of 2009.

If I can do an honorable mention category, I’d have to point out that the following albums got a tremendous amount of play time in my car and on iTunes, too:

JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise | Resting On His Promise

Da’ T.R.U.T.H. | The Big Picture

The Anointed Pace Sisters | Access Granted

Vanessa Bell Armstrong | The Experience

For your musical enjoyment, you can click an album image below to listen to snippets and/or make a purchase.  You’re never too late!

What do you think of my faves?

I was very blessed to have an open, honest convo with the staggeringly gifted J Moss.

His newest project, Just James, is due in stores this coming Tuesday (the 25th).  It’s his most transparent to date, I think (click here to read my full review) and I urge you guys to buy it when it hits stores.

In this interview, I didn’t hold back and neither did he… he’s a great guy whose sincerity doesn’t end with his music.  No need for intros… here’s the one and only J Moss.

*     *     *

EJ:  Hello!

JM: EJ!

EJ:  *laughs* How’s it going, man?

JM:  Man, I’m absolutely wonderful!

EJ:  That’s a good way to be.  I really appreciate you for taking a minute to chat with me.

JM:  No doubt.

EJ:  Well, let’s jump right to it by talking about this new album, Just James.  I think it’s incredible.

JM:  Do you, man? C’mon EJ!  C’mon, man.  Go’n and be real with your boy!  Let’s have a real session.

EJ:  For real!  I’m tellin’ you… and I said it in my review.  I’m pretty sure that I love it more than any other album you’ve done.  You have a way of taking pretty familiar ideas and just makin’ them completely different, completely fresh and completely relevant.

I mean… it made the car.  And when we put a CD in the car, that means it’s something special.

JM:  You sound like me. *laughs* Yeah!  If it can make the car, it works.  So, okay, I’m talking to real folk right now.  Ok, I’m good! *laughs*

EJ:  *laughs* Talk to me about this project– what does it mean for you?

JM:  Awww, man… God’s heart.  If I can put it in two words– it’s God’s heart.  The first record, I was hungry, I was a rookie.  I just wanted to be out there.  I had a great machine behind me with Vicki Mack & GospoCentric, and PAJAM.  And it took off.  And I thank God for them because it was really the truth.

EJ:  Sure.

JM:  But then the next record, V2, was coming off of the success of V1.  So, now I’m feelin’ myself.  I’m calling all my friends–  I got Steve Harvey, Anthony Hamilton, the list goes on.  Great record– live strings, live band, all kinds of stuff.  But that was MY record.

THIS record, V3, is God’s record.  It’s the heart of God.  It was probably the record I was supposed to do first.  But, it didn’t happen that way.  And I can really say that I’ve moved J outta the way, PDA [Paul "PDA" Allen] was able to move himself out of the way, and we just allowed God to quarterback and drive the whole thing.

EJ:  Yeah.

JM:  And every song, every chorus, every lyric, every stanza was just straight from the heart of God and I’m just glad I was able to nail it with His help.

EJ:  Most definitely.  Do you have a favorite track on this album?

JM:  Man… so many at so many different times.  Most of my life right now is dedicated to “Restored,” y’know?  It’s portrayed through that song on many facets– financial has been restored, strength has been restored, personal issues at the crib and stuff, that’s restored.

And then, spiritually, when we fall off, God can restore you back to His good graces, so I think “Restored” says the most to me.

EJ:  Quick question, outta curiousity: did you write “Anointing” for the Clark Sisters?

JM:  No.  No, actually I didn’t.

EJ:  It sounds soooo much like them to me, especially at the end, when you close it out with “the anointing.”  It sounds just like something Twinkie [Clark] would do.

JM:  Oh, dude!  It was definitely in TRIBUTE to Twinkie.

EJ:  *laughs*

JM:  I love Nat King Cole and I’ve always wanted to do a loungy, big band, big ballad kinda joint.  And I said “I wanna kinda take a little bit of Twinkie’s vibe,” which is in me anyway because of the bloodline, “and mix it with a ‘We Must Praise’, Nat King Cole kinda thing and see what we come up with,” and there it was, you know?  But it was not written for the girls, it was actually written for me.

EJ:  I love it.  Listen, I want to, respectfully, talk about what’s happened over the past year or so for you, because it seems to provide a strong basis for really understanding your album.  And I think that if people get that, then the healing that is in this album is more apparent and potent.

JM:  Absolutely.

EJ:  By now, many people know that there was an extramarital affair that took place, and that a child was conceived from that.  When I reported what was happening, I wanted to preempt the rumors and kinda stop people from condemnation.  And I said, “guys, don’t knock him, just cover him and his family in prayer because that’s the best thing we can do right now.”

JM:  Right.

EJ:  But one thing that I said at the time is that your music talked about, or kinda foreshadowed, these struggles and these temptations… like on “Livin’ 4″ and “Florida,” your lyrics talked about how rough it is.  Were those songs real for you?

JM:  Not at the moment.  They were just me being a great writer.  A lot of that stuff wasn’t necessarily where I was, it was just me being able to paint the picture.  God has given me that gift.

EJ:  Absolutely.

JM:  But when it actually happened, you get the Just James project.  You can feel the heart.  It’s not just a story going forth– it’s you.  So, I think that when I went through that affliction, it beefed up everything.

I think the writings, at the time, were more prophetic than anything else.  With “Livin’ 4,” I was just coming into the game.  But after I went through it… And a lot of what I went through, EJ, was my OWN doing.  This wasn’t peer pressure, it wasn’t industry pressure… it wasn’t groupies flocking around.  This was just J Moss feelin’ himself.

EJ:  Wow.

JM:  PERIOD.  This was simply coming off of “We Must Praise,” being a big dawg, V2 over 100,000 [units]… this was just J being “the man.”  Being told he was fine every day, being told he was sexy every single day, being told that people wanted him to be their baby’s daddy… you know?  EVERY DAY.  You think the R&B people have it hard?  The gospel people do too.

EJ:  I know it.

JM:  So, I began to move further and further away from Christ, and got further and further involved with those temptations.  And it led to that situation.  And I have to tell you– when I get up now to talk about it, a lot of people say “J, you’re talking too much, we’ve moved on, we’re good.”  And I say “nah, man.  There are people out here DYING from this stuff.”

EJ:  Absolutely.

JM:  The Bible says that the wages of sin is death, but I gotta get up and tell people that the wages of sin almost KILLED me, in terms of suicidal thoughts.  I was plotting it out, thinking it out… all kinds of depression.  I was going through the scrutiny in the media, the blogosphere, everywhere… that stuff was rough!

And when we sin, we chip away at salvation.  Every time, we KILL something– we kill faith, we kill credibility, we kill relationships, we kill families… every time, we kill a piece of something.

I realized that people who are not going to Bible class, or to church on Sunday morning, will listen to me at a concert because they love me or they love my voice.  So, NOW is my chance to say “you know what?  Now that I’ve got your attention, let me tell you what’s really real.  Let me stop making you feel good all the time, and let me tell you what’s real.”

EJ:  Amen.

JM:  It’s been a great ride.  I know that’s sort of a paradox, but it’s been a great ride.  Very painful, but it’s been gratifying to know that my ministry has been propelled to a different level.

EJ:  I hear that.  Someone told me, recently, that conflict is just an opportunity, if we can embrace it as such.  There’s something to learn from everything.

JM:  Yeah.

EJ:  Lemme ask you– would you have talked about what you went through had it not been publicized?  For you, we saw newspaper reports where a woman was coming forward, charges were being filed in courts… but there are other artists in gospel who are doing the same dirt.  They just haven’t been exposed in that way.

JM:  Yep.

EJ:  Would you have embraced this reality?  Would you have talked about it, had it not been publicized?

JM:  Well, I’ma be real with you.  I tell my wife every day, I say “babe, had it not made the paper, I would’ve never said a word.”  You know?

EJ:  Wow.  That’s real.

JM:  For one, I didn’t want to leave that lifestyle because it felt good.  And, you know, people say “affair” and they think it was some long-term thing.  This wasn’t that.  It was something that I got caught up in.  But I wasn’t afflicted until it became public.

So, I feel like it was GOOD that it came out like it did because had it not, I wouldn’t have been able to learn His statutes even better.  I don’t think I would’ve stopped because I was enjoying what I had.

EJ:  Yeah.

JM:  But being broken from that– when God broke the chains and broke me from it, I see the importance of making sure I stay on top of it and remain verbal about it.  And to say it over and over again.

EJ:  Absolutely.  How much of this album had you finished before all of this broke… I mean, the album is transparent and reflective, but what direction were you going in?  How much of this album had you done before and what did it sound like?

JM:  None really.  With the exception of a few choruses or some unfinished stuff that we had, I think “God Happens” maybe, but other than that, nothing.

Everything about this project– it’s not dedicated to that situation, but it’s just a celebration of actually being down in the valley, down in the slums, and being able to somehow claw your way out of it and get back to being a person again, back to being a vessel again.

EJ:  That’s powerful.

JM:  Yeah.  Because I gotta tell you– when I was down there, I felt like “why bother?”  And that’s why I wanted to kill myself– it was like “ok, all is lost… all is over, I can’t recover from THIS.”  And there’s so many people out there going through the same stuff.  And that’s what God showed me in that affliction– He said “what you’re feeling right now is who I need you to speak to.  I’m going to put you back on your platform, back on the market, to now tell people who won’t listen to anyone else.”

EJ:  How are you maintaining this newfound perspective or this clarity?  Do you have accountability partners in place?  How do you prevent a “V2 mindset” from happening again?

JM:  It’s effortless, man.  Effortless.  Once you go through a deliverance process like I did, the taste I had in my mouth for certain things is just simply gone… where I am, how I greet people now… I’m just very cautious about my anointing, who I hang with, who I walk with.  Having to almost have LOST it all, it gives me that much more drive to do this right.

I’m a lover a righteousness and I’m trying to stay on this horse and do it right.

EJ:  That’s great, man.  One more question on this topic before we move on– we talked earlier about other artists going through similar stuff.  It’s not just “the talented J Moss” who fell prey to something… it’s more common than that, where other artists are finding themselves in the same situations.  RECENTLY.  It’s just not in the newspapers yet.  And maybe it won’t be.

But having gone through that, how would you now petition OTHER gospel artists to govern themselves?  What is your word to the wise?

JM:  Learn from me.  I always say this– my brother, 3 years older than me, went through so much stuff that it actually shaped me into a better dude.  I knew what not to do because I wanted to avoid those consequences.

So, hopefully, I can be that beacon for them.  I’d tell people “you may be in something, it may feel good, but God sees and knows all.  When He’s fed up, He’s gonna come and get you.”

EJ:  Wow.

JM:  So my prayer is that you can use your big brother, your little brother, whoever might be reading… and use me as an example.  You can even call my name if it helps you– “I don’t want to be another J Moss.”  And you DON’T.

You don’t ever wanna go through what I had to go through with my wife… telling her and seeing her reaction.  You don’t ever wanna have to go through what I read daily on the internet screens, y’know, after giving so much to people.  You don’t ever want to have to go through people looking down their noses at you as much as I had to.  And you don’t ever want to fall out of grace with God.

So, if you can, use your boy’s life as an example and get out.  Walk away.  It’s not worth it.  You’re hurting way too many people and it’s not a good feeling.  But thank God for victory.

EJ:  Dude.  Amen to that.  Good stuff.  Hey, you’re on Twitter now.  You enjoying it?

JM:  Yeah!  I’m afraid of the internet– and I know that God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear– but the human side of me is very leery and hesitant about the internet because of what I went through.  I can’t even Google a movie without feeling like I might see my name pop up and see something negative.  That’s how much I was scarred.

EJ:  Aww, man.

JM:  But on the other hand, it’s been good.  I can honestly say that people have really shown love– people like you and other sites, pastors, well-wishers… everyone has just embraced me and said “we’re good.”  It’s still a bit of a struggle, but it feels great to be back.

EJ:  Well, we’re glad you’re back, man.  Any tour plans in the works for this album?

JM:  We’ve got a promotional run that’s on the website at InsideJMoss.com, we’re closing up the tour I did with CeCe [Winans] with McDonald’s– we’ve got one more date for that in DC, and that’s just been crazy, man.

EJ:  Yeah?

JM:  Every night– sharing my testimony with people.  And GUYS… lemme tell you, EJ.  It was prophesied to me that the trajectory of my ministry would now be at the hearts of MEN– strong men.  And that’s who I’ve seen coming up to me after each show or writing in… saying that they’ve been delivered or that they feel better about where they are because of my situation.

So, I just thank God.  I’m sitting on top of the world right now.  And I don’t say that with arrogance… I’m saying it in a spiritual sense.  God has me on something else and I absolutely love it.

EJ:  That’s great.  I’m so glad to hear that, man.  What else?  You did Gospel Dream a second time around on Gospel Music Channel… how was it for you, especially compared to last year with Melinda Watts?

JM:  Well, I think that what the producers tried to add– with the boot camp, the on-screen sessions with the professionals, the TV portion– all of that was great.  I think they really stepped up the show.

EJ:  Sure.

JM:  Talent-wise, I think it’s just like [American] Idol or Sunday Best.  You’re gonna have some years where the talent is through the roof, and you’ll have some years where you have to go with what you’ve got and maybe the talent is not as good as the previous year.  I think everyone on the first year that I did it– they were just phenomenal.

And that’s not to slight any of the contestants from this year– they were all good in their own right.  I think the winner this year was actually the real winner.

EJ:  Yeah, I like him… Tony LeBron.

JM:  But I enjoyed it– just to be apart of something like that.  Especially in the midst of what I was going through at the time, for them to still back me and say “we’re still gonna use J… we heard he’s accountable and doing what he’s supposed to do, he’s gotten right with his church, his pastor still endorses him” (because I did what I was supposed to do by my church and the Church Of God In Christ).  I just thank God that He sustained my TV contracts and my tour contracts, my record contracts… man, it couldn’t be any better.

EJ:  That’s a beautiful thing.  Man, I am honored that you took the time to speak with me.  And thank you for your honesty and your candor.  I really believe lives will be set free through your album and your ministry.

It really speaks to the scriptures that say that the steps of a good man are ordered by God, and that all things work together for good… I bet that if someone told you back in October that all of this would work systematically for God’s glory, you probably wouldn’t have believed it.

JM:  Right!  Yeah! *laughs*

EJ:  But, I thank God that He’s all about glorifying Himself through all things.

JM:  And you know, man, I’m just assignment driven.  I wanna say to your readers– well, to you first of all– thank you.  You have been more than helpful in supporting me and letting the public know “hey, we’ve got J’s back, we’ve got PAJAM’s back.”  Words cannot express enough how much I appreciate that, man.

Plus, one of the things that helped smooth out the rough edges for me– I have GREAT people around me.  I can’t say enough about the PAJAM crew who did not justify what I did, didn’t condone what I did… PDA and Walter [Kearney] are my big brothers, they’re older than me, so I had to take my beatings from them.  But at the same time, they covered me.

EJ:  Good!

JM:  They kept my spirits up because they saw me fall into that state where I wanted to take myself out.  People like that, and then my siblings… and my LOVELY wife who, I mean… the interview wouldn’t be appropriate if I didn’t mention that SHE is the one who, ultimately, helped me out of depression.

She is the one who came to me and said “hey, I’m gonna stay with you, honey, even if it’s against my own carnal better judgment… the Lord told me to stay with you because I see where your ministry is going to go.  God has spoken to me.”  She spoke with my pastor, we prayed together…

EJ:  That’s encouraging to hear.

JM:  We just have a wonderful, lovely marriage, man.  My children love me… and I don’t talk about that much because I don’t want people to go and take that the wrong way, but I just thank those who are responsible for encouraging me and keeping me uplifted.

EJ:  That’s real.  God is a restoring God, for sure.

JM:  Yeah.

EJ:  Well, definitely keep in touch, man.

JM:  You got it.  Thanks, man.  Now can I get up on the TwitterRoll?  Can I get up on the TwitterRoll, dawg?! *laughing*

EJ:  *laughs* You’re on the TwitterRoll, no?!  I’ma make sure you’re on it.  And I’ll tell some folks to follow you today, cuz I know you just got on.

JM:  Yeah, I just got on it.

EJ:  Alright.

JM:  Ok, cool.  Thanks man.

EJ:  No doubt.

JM:  I’ll holla at you.

EJ:  Cool.

*     *     *

So how about that?!  I’m tellin’ you– bump what you heard… good guy, for real.  He’s not perfect, but he definitely ain’t claiming to be.  And I think he’s in a good place.  PRAY FOR HIM and his family, ok?

And make sure you stay connected with him at http://www.InsideJMoss.com and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/InsideJMoss.

And uhhh… what did you guys think of the interview?

Well, well, well… I’m not one to say “I told ya so,” but… I did tell ya so.

Tony LeBron was selected as the winner of the 2009 Gospel Dream competition on Gospel Music Channel.  Judges Mitchell Solarek, Michelle Williams and J Moss chose the 34 year-old singer from among thousands of hopefuls.

Unfortunately, I didn’t see the finale because I’m in Cincinnati for GMWA.  I recorded it on my DVR and I’ll check it out when I get home.  In the meantime, here’s what I need from you guys… I need YOU to give ME the recap this time around.

How was Tony’s performance?  How were the performances from NeVar Massey and Robert Mauti?  Do you think Tony deserved to win this one?  Were the judges as hilarious as usual?  How was the performance from last year’s winner, Melinda Watts?  Did you like the song?  How’d she look?  GIMME ALL OF THAT!

Talk to me!

Yesterday was the first full day of action-packed GMWA stuff.

I was bouncin’ around between the hotel lobby, the press office (shout out to Jojo Pada of IgnitionPR), the airport to pick up folks, and back to the convention center.

Last night, we went to the Youth & Young Adult Forum at the Hyatt in Downtown Cincinnati.  By the end of the week, I’ll be annoyed cuz the musicals start so LATE at night, but for now, I’m napping when I can and making it through!

There are so many events happening simultaneously, I can’t go to all of ‘em.  But at the Youth thingy, there were some GREAT performances from new and developing artists across the nation.  Special shout-out to Algernon, Bubby Fann and his group, and Melinda Watts, each of whom did a GREAT job.  It was an awesome time… I even got to catch-up with manager extraordinaire (and Gospel Dream judge) Mitchell Solarek.  SUPER cool guy.

Random sightings included Dorothy Norwood, Donald Lawrence, Albertina Walker, Vashawn Mitchell, Stephen Hurd, Kervy Brown, Earnest Pugh, Bishop Eric McDaniel… TONS of folks are here and more are continuously arriving.

I didn’t get to bed until around 3:00am (what in the WORLD?!), then back up at 6:30am to do it all again.  Whateva!  I’ll sleep next week.

More recaps tomorrow… and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter for ongoing ramblings about stuff.

I took a minute to chat with Melinda Watts, the 2008 Gospel Dream winner who’s quickly become a rising star to watch.

Her highly anticipated debut project, People Get Ready, is in stores TOMORROW (you’ll recall my full review of it last week– click here if you missed it).

In this one-on-one interview, Melinda shares who she is, how she feels about her first album, what her process has been like, and lots more.

Here’s Melinda…

*     *     *

EJ:  Melinda!!!

MW:  Hi!!

EJ:  Thanks for taking a minute to chat with me.  I know you’re busy EVERYWHERE these days.

MW:  Not a problem.  I couldn’t wait to do it!

EJ:  Ok, well let’s do this.  Your debut album, People Get Ready, is in stores on Tuesday, the 28th.  You excited?

MW:  I am SO excited.  I’m a little nervous, but I’m more excited than nervous.

EJ:  Why nervous?

MW:  I think I’m nervous because, you know… everything has happened so fast.  And I think it’s just a big undertaking.  You never know what to expect, with so many projections.  I just wonder if people will be blessed by the record.  So, I’m a little nervous to be an official “artist.”

EJ:  I understand that.  Well, I’ve heard the project, of course, and it’s a favorite in my household already.  I mean, you’ve even made the cut for the car.  And you know… if we take a CD to the car… cuz everybody can’t go.  That’s all I’m sayin’.

MW:  Oh wow! *laughs*

EJ:  *laughing*  But to me, it’s an album that builds bridges because it has something for both the gospel consumers AND the CCM marketplace.  Was that your focus?

MW:  It was.  I’m definitely a  CCM lover, a gospel music lover, and a country music lover.  And those are all things that make me up as an artist, or psalmist.  So, I didn’t wanna pigeon-hole myself, even though I was advised by so many people that I had to choose.

And that’s the beauty of working with the team that I have.  They really let me express myself the way I’ve wanted to.  And that’s what I felt, so I really hope people enjoy it.

EJ:  Excellent.  What’s your favorite track on the album?

MW:  It varies from week to week, but overall, my favorite song is “Faith.”

EJ:  Why?

MW:  Because I think that song ministers to me on different levels.  It keeps me focused on where I believe God wants me to go.  And so I love that song because it makes me believe, regardless of how things are going.

You know how the industry can be– up and down, unsure, ever-changing.  That song keeps me focused on the main thing, which is Christ.

EJ:  That’s a great perspective.  And it’s great when the music blesses the artist first.  Your single, “So Good,” is blowing up at radio and on Gospel Music Channel’s video rotation– talk to me about that song.

MW:  I wrote that song and Freddy Washington, Jr. produced it.  He and I collaborated in writing it.  It was my testimony about being able to have my daughter.  The doctor said that I would not be able to have children and when I found out that I was pregnant, that’s the song that God gave me!

And to have that song be the first song… it was like, “wow, God… I know this is You.”  It’s just a celebration of what God has done in my life.  And the fact that I wrote it was another exciting thing, too.

EJ:  What a tremendous blessing.  Your daughter is still a baby– how do you find the time?!

MW:  It’s very hard.  It’s hard being a mommy, a wife, a mentor, and now an artist.  It’s challenging to find a balance, but God is good.

EJ:  Awesome.  Now you’ve got a little of everybody working on this project.  You mentioned Freddy Washington, Jr. (out of Philly), but also Bernie Herms, Aaron Lindsey, PAJAM… how does a new artist like you get such a great team of producers on board?

MW:  *laughs* You know, I don’t know.

EJ:  *laughing*

MW:  *laughs* Honestly, I really did want to work with all of those producers.  And Gospel Music Channel is a network that strives to produce programming from all types of gospel.  So being a part of that family, having Gospel Dream and the coaches and judges, I was exposed to Bernie Herms and J Moss.  From the start, that was my heartbeat anyway, so it was a perfect match.

I was available to these people, I got to sit and chat with them and share my heart about what I wanted to do.  I developed relationships with them and I said “I want a hybrid record.”

EJ:  I like that term.  A “hybrid” record.

MW:  Yeah.  I didn’t want the status quo, I really wanted it to be what I felt God wanted it to be.  And I think I got that.  I just feel so grateful because it is not commonplace.  But God allowed my record company, Razor & Tie, to give me so much freedom… they were literally like “do your thing.”

EJ:  Awesome!  See, now a lot of gospel artists are gonna try to run to Razor & Tie. *laughing*

MW:  *laughs*  I think it may have been, like… user-specific because that’s really me.  It wasn’t like I was trying to formulate some gimmick– do CCM and gospel– no, it really is what I believe.  I believe I have an audience in CCM and it will come in time.

But I think it was God’s divine providence that I would be able to do that and that my label saw that.

EJ:  You mentioned Gospel Dream and I wanna step back for a minute– you won Gospel Dream on Gospel Music Channel last summer.  In terms of recording and releasing your album, has it been “smooth sailing” from that time until now?

MW:  Ummm… No, it has not.  One of the biggest challenges was that there was so much to do in so little time.

At the time, I didn’t have a deal even though I had won.  And I had my management team saying “let’s get it crackin’,” but it was kinda hard because of the way the industry is right now.

I had a very prominent gospel label turn me down because they didn’t believe… well, I guess they didn’t want to take risks and I was a financial risk.  Somebody like me, they didn’t think it would be… well, I don’t know what their reasons were.

But it was God’s will that I would be at a label that wasn’t a gospel label… one that did NOT have “gospel-itis.”

EJ:  LOVE IT! *laughs*

MW:  And they believed in me.  And I appreciated that.  So, it was not smooth sailing, but it was all worth it.  When God has something to say over your life, it doesn’t matter who says “no.”

And lemme just say this: recording was smooth sailing.  Putting the album together… I did the whole record in two and a half or three weeks.

EJ:  Wow.  Had you had much experience in gospel music before that?

MW:  You know, that’s the thing.  Because I didn’t come from a strong musical background in my family, I wasn’t the musical girl.  I went to school, college… I loved to sing, but I never did the music circuit like that.

So, when I did Gospel Dream, it was like a speeding bullet.  I went from just being a regular person doing praise and worship at my church, to being a person on the stage with major artists.  That was a BIG adjustment and I felt like “are you serious?!”

EJ:  So, you had to jump in, learn it and operate in it all at once.

MW:   Immediately!  And that was a BIG adjustment.  I didn’t even have time to be starstruck.  It was like “we’re doing this.”  And I had to become an artist in a hurry and that’s something that many people don’t know about me.

EJ:  That’s wild.  Melinda, what would you say to someone who’s thinking about going to one of these talent competitions– we’ve got Gospel Dream, Sunday Best, American Idol– what would you say to someone who thinks it’ll be a ticket to stardom once they win?

MW:  No… no.

EJ:  *laughing*

MW: *laughs*  I would say you have to research who’s behind everything– it’s true: money makes the world go ’round.  Whoever funds it, owns it.  And that’s something you need to know.  You’ve gotta know the business and that’s one thing, I thank God, that I had done.

I really researched what different terms meant, contract-wise.  Have a good team, good management.  Don’t just go in there thinking you’re about to be a star.  Honestly… you’re the LEAST of them.

EJ:  Yeah.

MW:  And what I mean by that is that we’re going to SERVE.  I don’t feel like a star.  I feel like… man, I’m called to serve.

I feel that so much more now than ever.  I feel like the responsibility… *voice breaking a bit*  Oh, my God, EJ, I think I’m about to cry!  Okay… I feel the responsibility, the blessing that He’s given me to serve and to use that platform for what it’s about.  It’s not about me and I know we say that a lot, but I really feel like… man, this is serious business here.

EJ:  Sure.  And you know, people go to these auditions, they sign away SO much in that little release form, and they think it’s a straight shot to the record deal, the photo shoot and all of that.  They have no idea what they’ve given away for the long term, and then, they wanna be disappointed.

MW:  And that’s why you need a good team– you need a good attorney.  In the climate of the industry, you need a good foundation and a good support system.

EJ:  Amen.  Well, I haven’t done this in a while, but I wanna do a couple of getting-to-know you questions.  Cool?

MW:  Yeah, no problem.

EJ:  Okay, fill in the blanks.  Most people wouldn’t believe it, but Melinda Watts is ____________________.

MW:  Oh wow!  This isn’t something I have to do in 5 seconds or something, is it?

EJ:  What?  No. *laughs*

MW:  Most people wouldn’t believe it, but Melinda Watts is timid.  I’m very shy.  I’ve gotten a lot better since Gospel Dream, but I’m really shy.

EJ:  Hmm… ok.  Drop off Melinda Watts in a mall, and the first place she’s headed is ___________________________.

MW:  J Crew.

EJ:  J Crew?!

MW:  Mm-hmmm.

EJ:  Not like… some shoe store?

MW:  J Crew has the best button-up shirts.

EJ:  Really.  Button-up shirts is what you love shopping for?!

MW:  That’s what I go for.  Because I’m a business person too.  And when I do business, I like to look like I’m doing business.  So, a lot of times, I go to my meetings and I don’t look like an artist.  And my manager hates that. *laughing*

EJ:  *laughs* Uhh… yeah.  I can understand that!

MW:  But I came from an educational world, not as an artist.

EJ:  If Melinda couldn’t sing, she’d spend her life as a __________________.

MW:  I’d still have been a teacher.

EJ:  I kinda knew you’d say that.  That prolly wasn’t even a good question.  Ok, last one.  Though she’s only been in the gospel music biz for a short time, she’s already learned that ___________________________.

MW:  It’s better to be small and effective than big and not effective.

EJ:  Excuuuse me!

MW:  *laughing*

EJ:  *laughs*  That’s a good word for SOMEBODY!

Listen, I pray that God really continues to open more and more doors for your ministry… I know He will.

MW:  Oh, thank you, EJ.

EJ:  No doubt.  And I appreciate you very much for chattin’ with me.

MW:  No problem.

EJ:  We’ll talk soon?

MW:  Sure!  Okay.

EJ:  Okay, bye.

*     *     *

Folks, that’s Melinda Watts.  I think she’s gonna be BIG in the industry– both CCM and gospel– and I would love it if we could all support her.  Her project is due in stores TOMORROW!

Whatd’ya think???

I’ve been a supporter of Melinda Watts since she won Gospel Dream last summer on Gospel Music Channel.  From that time, I anxiously awaited her debut album, People Get Ready.  The wait is over– I’ve got it and it’s a great album.

This ten-track project (available this coming Tuesday, the 28th) is a solid blend of music that will appeal to both gospel and CCM audiences alike.  She covers all bases with a range of production styles– from Freddy Washington, Jr. to Aaron Lindsey, from PAJAM to Bernie Herms.  At all times, though, it’s clear that she understands her calling to bridge gaps in the Christian music marketplace.  And she does that well.

The danger of creating an album like this– one intended to reach all Believers– is that by aiming at both markets, artists often hit neither of ‘em.  Melinda avoids this problem well, but there are a couple of tracks on the project that may be hard to place in gospel radio or CCM radio because they don’t have a clear market sound.  That said, I’m not bound by my “market” (neither are many of you), so listen to what you wanna!

Standout tracks for me include:  the single, “So Good,” which has been gaining radio airplay and already has a video spot on Gospel Music Channel; “Available To You” her duet with J Moss, which re-works the classic Milton Brunson choir song; “Come Boldly,” an R&B-styled song of restoration; “Happy,” a cross-cultural song that simply expresses the joy of knowing God, with co-writing from Evin Martin of 21:03; “Faith That Conquers,” a classic Vanessa Bell-Armstrong track re-made with a simple piano accompaniment before heading to a worshipful vamp; and one of my faves, “Purpose Driven Life,” a moving ballad at the end of the album, written by Smokie Norful and Myron Butler.

In sum, People Get Ready is a summertime staple.  It’s a worthy collection of heartfelt music, from an incredibly gifted vocalist.  You’ll want to add it to your list of must-have music this month.

I’m so not joking.

I intended to watch the performances, but I fell asleep right after J Moss performed his new single, “Restored,” before the studio audience.  Speaking of which, he did a decent job, though I’ve heard him better live.  This was taped a couple of months ago, so maybe he was still finding his performance groove for this song.  Either way, it’s still one of my fave new tracks this summer…

Back to the show– I ended up waking up for the beginning of each song, but fell asleep by the end of each one.  General observations, however, are as follows:

1.  Accurate pitch is foundational to singing.  Meaning:  it’s not just something you use when you wanna… you kinda have to NOT be flat or sharp every couple of lines.

2.  Vocal control is harder than you think.  Meaning:  yeah, you THOUGHT you were killin’ the vamp of that song, but you soooo weren’t.  Killin’ me…

3.  There’s something to be said about knowing your own vocal limitations.  Meaning:  if you’ve never tried it at home, don’t do it on stage.  EVER.

4.  Song selection is important in these competitions.  Meaning:  just cuz it’s your jam in the shower doesn’t mean it’s gonna be OUR jam when you’re on stage.

The judges sent ALL THREE ladies packin’ at once, leaving three finalists– NeVar Massey, Tony LeBron and Robert Mauti.

Personally, I think Erin Lyder performed better than ever last night, so I think she should’ve stuck around (she performed Yolanda Adams’ “Open My Heart”).  Also, I REALLY like Jasmine Jackson’s voice, but she kept selecting huuuuge songs that were too big for her, so we never really saw her in her element (by the way, does anyone else think that she resembles a young version of Kirk Franklin’s wife, Tammy Franklin?).  And Amber Davies… I think she has an awesome voice, but it never really clicked for us.

NEXT week is the finale.  If I had to pick my fave, I’d pick NeVar Massey.  If I had to predict the winner, I’d say Tony LeBron.  We’ll see.

The show will also feature a guest performance from 2008 Gospel Dream winner Melinda Watts (it’s gonna be TIGHT).

Who else watched?  What did you think???

Set your DVRs and do whatever you’ve gotta do to catch J Moss perform his hit single “Restored” tonight on Gospel Dream, 10pm ET on Gospel Music Channel.

If you’ve never heard it, click on the Pundit Player logo up top and take a listen… it’s one of my faves.