The Gospel Heritage Foundation, the nonprofit founded by Dr. Teresa Hairston (of Gospel Today magazine) fifteen years ago, is adding regional conferences to its ever-popular annual Praise & Worship Conference, the first of which begins TODAY in Cleveland, OH.
Each regional conference will consist of Friday evening ‘Worship and Word’ services, followed by an artist showcase featuring local talent. From that talent pool, local artists may receive an invitation to perform at an upcoming annual conference or live recording.
Regional conferences end on Saturday mornings with a three-hour seminar featuring Dr. Teresa Hairston, along with national speakers and recording artists, including Bishop Hezekiah Walker, Wess Morgan, Joe Pace, JJ Hairston and Dr. John Guns.
A quick look at the cities/churches sponsoring a regional conference:
Aug. 19 – Aug. 20 | Cleveland, OH | New Spirit Revival Center
Sep. 23 – Sep. 24 | Bloomfield, CT | First Cathedral
Sep. 30 – Oct. 01 | Washington, DC | Mt. Calvary Holy Church
Nov. 11 – Nov. 12 | Sacramento, CA | This Is Pentecost Fellowship Ministry
Next year’s annual conference will again take place in Jacksonville, FL, from February 16-18, 2012.
For more info about the regional conferences and the annual conference, visit Gospel Heritage’s website at http://www.gospelheritage.org.
I took a minute before writing my thoughts about this year’s Stellar Awards, held in Nashville, TN this past Saturday. Aside from being utterly exhausted by Monday morning, I also wanted to reflect a bit before I penned my thoughts. Having so reflected, here we go…
The 26th Annual Stellar Awards program was hosted by Donnie McClurkin– the first time that only one person has had hosting duties. It had to be a bit exhausting for him, but he’s a great host who keeps the energy high both on and off-camera.
For me, one major highlight of the show was that newer artists (or those that we don’t see often on national TV) were given performance slots– the Soul Seekers, forever Jones, the Nevels Sisters, Joshua’s Troop… I think the overwhelming consensus has been that the “same people” get booked for the Stellars, the Celebration of Gospel, etc. This year, I feel like the mold was broken a bit. And that’s good.
Similarly, some non-”regulars” won in a few categories– Lucinda Moore for Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year, Darwin Hobbs for Praise & Worship CD of the Year… it seemed like, for a lot of categories, one could not predict the winner. That’s fine, until one also cannot explain the winner, and there were quite a few head-scratching moments as it relates to the winner’s list.
I’m not going to dig too deeply into how I feel about who won an award and who didn’t– what’s done is done. But I will say that the Just James from J Moss was career-defining and one of the only albums in the past decade that I have allowed to play without skipping a track. That he didn’t win one of the many awards for which he was nominated is more than unfortunate. I also think that forever Jones had the greatest eligible song of last year with “He Wants It All,” but the family band wasn’t even nominated in the “Best Song” category.
You’ll see the edited show in various markets beginning this weekend (check your local listings) and on gmc on March 5th at 8pm. But I’ll tell you my fave moments now–
Key performances for me came from JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise, who opened the show with “Lord, You’re Mighty,” as well as Beverly Crawford who simply does not disappoint on stage, and VaShawn Mitchell with his unstoppable hit “Nobody Greater.” I also loved the Nevels Sisters (they whipped their “hair back and forth”) and the quartet moment, which featured INCREDIBLE vocals from The Rance Allen Group, the Soul Seekers and the Williams Brothers. Deitrick Haddon commanded the stage like few can on his set. But at the end, it was Marvin Sapp, in a moving tribute to his wife MaLinda, who had the entire audience on their feet (and nearly in tears) before Donnie McClurkin had us all pray for Pastor Sapp– hope they show that on TV.
Fairly or unfairly, the Stellar Awards really needed to meet or exceed the performance success of last year’s 25th Anniversary Stellar Awards. While this year’s show was not bad, it’s hard not to knock it down a few pegs in comparison to the incredible show from last year, with its once-in-a-lifetime collaborative performances.
But then the question becomes “should they be considered ‘once-in-a-lifetime’?” As the show did this year with the quartet collabo, is there not a way to creatively combine performances each year in such a way that the Stellar Awards consistently features unique performances that you cannot see elsewhere?
If I’ve seen an artist perform his or her song at the Gospel Heritage Conference, then GMWA, then COGIC Convocation and, finally, Celebration of Gospel over the past year, what’s so special about seeing them do it again on the Stellar Awards? The suits and dresses? The lights and house band? The audience? It’s not enough. We need more than a performance of the song– we need a moment. Last year, the Stellars gave us hours of moments. This year, we also got a couple. But we need more. I get that last year’s show was special– but I do believe that the gospel community wants it to be the norm.
In any case, kudos to Central City Productions and the Stellar Awards– it’s not an easy task and, for all the commentary I’m giving, I still wouldn’t miss a taping for the world. Here’s to a good 26th, and a great 27th.
Last week, I was fortunate enough to attend the Gospel Heritage Foundation’s Praise & Worship Conference in Jacksonville, FL, which is the vision of Gospel Today’sDr. Teresa Hairston.
I was a featured speaker on two panels for the youth and college division along with Carla Williams (General Manager of Kirk Franklin’sFo Yo Soul Entertainment), Monica Coates (author/speaker/industry vet), Asaph Ward (super producer), Grant Jenkins (artist manager/artist development consultant, the point5ive agency) and Myron Butler (artist/songwriter/producer).
On the first panel, we talked about the “new” music industry and how the current industry differs from what it used to be. And we talked about what it means for people, in both the short-run and long-term. After a quick break, the second panel featured us sharing more about our unconventional careers in this “new” music industry. Of course, we had lots of time for Q&A, which is generally my favorite part of any panel discussion.
I can’t recap all the nuggets of wisdom that each of the panelists gave– you shoulda been there. In short, we really tried to equip and challenge people to be better, not just to do “business as usual.” And the audience was of a perfect age to take it and run with it (cuz some of you “seasoned” saints get so set in your ways!).
I’ve been thinking about the panel discussion since then, and I wanted to share some concepts from it with the general readership of GospelPundit.com. One thing I wanna stress is that it is not enough to look the part– you actually have to be competent.
The “do-it-yourself” theme of the industry is both a good thing and a bad thing. It’s good because the playing field is being leveled– anyone can promote, market and further their careers from a home computer. Trust me, I love it. However, the unfortunate reality is that, of those who do it themselves, only a handful are actually artists or executives of substance.
Don’t be fooled by the current music industry’s resources, now replete with social networking and opportunities galore… you STILL have to do the work, lest you be found severely lacking when the spotlight is on you. And don’t think that a bunch of views on your YouTube video automatically translates to album sales, ministry bookings, OR (most importantly) impacted lives. Remember– your shortcut doesn’t speak for you. You’ll still have to be a person of substance once your arrive at the destination.
That goes for everyone. It’s not enough to just “look like one,” whatever the “one” is. Songwriters need to dig deeper; artists, musicians and producers need to be more creative; executives need to actually be educated in what they’re doing.
This is an age of information– but anyone laboring in the gospel industry needs to be more than just informative, they must be transformative.
So, as you’re carving out your niche in this industry, do the gospel community a favor– be a person of substance and refined professionalism, not just someone who grabbed an opportunity and fooled people into buying your hype. Do your work, beforehand and during, so that you’re actually contributing to, not just taking from, the Kingdom of God.
Planning for the Gospel Heritage Foundation’s Praise & Worship Conference, the popular annual gathering spearheared by Dr. Teresa Hairston of Gospel Today Magazine, is in full swing.
The two-day conference will take place on February 18th and 19th, 2010 in Jacksonville, FL. Guest speakers include Dr. Rudolph McKissick, Bishop Noel Jones and Kirk Franklin. There will also be workshops and panel discussions, artist showcases and a huge concert with artists TBA.
And… *drumroll please* You’ll never guess who’s been asked to speak on TWO panels?!
Now clearly, I’m not the only reason you should consider coming, but I’d definitely love to see some of you there! Cool? Cool.
Okay, y’all have waited long enough… Let’s continue our conversation with Melonie Daniels. If you missed PART ONE, make sure you click here to get caught up on things, then come right back!
In this segment, Melonie continues talking about her performing experience with Mariah Carey. Then, she discusses her own voice, why she actually does NOT think it’s that spectacular, and why she continues to train it.
I hope you enjoy. Here’s PART TWO…
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EJ: Talk to me more about your work with Mariah Carey. What was it like?
MD: It was incredible. I filled up a passport, had to add pages, and then pay for another one. *laughing*
EJ: Someone wanted me to ask you this and I told them I would: If Mariah was ever hoarse on stage, did you ever do her whistle tone notes for her?
MD: Oh, heck no. Mmmmm… That ain’t my ministry. *laughing*
EJ: You can do that!
MD: Not those whistle notes, I can’t do that whistle stuff. Well, I can do it, but it’s not controlled. It’s like a happenstance.
EJ: But you used to do her soundchecks for her, right?
MD: Yeah, cuz she wouldn’t come. *laughing*
EJ: *laughs*
MD: But, it’s like… at a certain point in your career, you know what you’re gonna do and you know what you’re gonna sound like. And if you have people working with you who know your characteristics, and they’re able to handle it, you let them do what they do.
I don’t think it was a “diva” thing. People who reach a certain status have so many people around them who overload their schedules. So, she would have interviews, photo shoots, TV tapings and all kinds of stuff, up ’til an hour before a performance. She wasn’t able to even come to the soundcheck. So, I would end up checking for her and her sound guys– so on point. They knew what hertz, what megahertz, the treble… all that stuff. And I was able to mimic her voice enough that they could get exactly what they needed, so that when she hit the stage, it was ready to go.
EJ: What was the road like with her? How did you fare, as a little Baptist girl, thrown into the mainstream industry like that?
MD: I was scared outta my mind! *laughing* And I had a moment– I was like “God, I know you didn’t give us the spirit of fear, but I’ve gotta be honest and say that I am scared witless that You’d allow me to go into this situation where I may be one of few, or maybe the ONLY one… I need You to shine through each and every thing I do– the way I work, carry myself, and sing.” I didn’t put singing first– I wanted my interactions before the singing because, at that point, singing was secondary. I had rehearsed and practiced enough.
EJ: How many years were you with Mariah?
MD: Eleven. From ’92 to 2003.
EJ: Do you miss working with her?
MD: I do and don’t. I did the road for eleven years and it was wearing. I walked away without it being a bad taste in my mouth. So, if an opportunity presented itself again, I would go. But I don’t think it would be with that camp because I believe that, whatever my assignment was, it’s done.
EJ: But, how did you know that? Why did you stop?
MD: Umm… God said it was time to move. I didn’t have a plan, I didn’t know where He was moving me, but it was a faith walk. And it was about taking the lessons that I learned in that professional surrounding and bringing that level of excellence to whatever was next, which happened to be Greater Allen Cathedral in Jamaica, New York.
I got there with people that had been in the industry with me, and because of our expertise, we were able to pour into the music ministry the things we had learned, to make a more excellent offering to God. Not just to build a music ministry and walk away, but to show people that it can be done excellently and still allow for the Holy Spirit to do what He wants to do.
EJ: That’s needed in the Body. So, do you ever get star-struck? Like, do you still have those “I can’t believe I’m here for this gig” types of moments?
MD: Yeah, I have those. Like, any of the awards shows. Because you turn one way, there’s Stevie Wonder. You turn another way, it’s Eric Clapton. You turn another way, there’s Boyz II Men (at that time)… Then, you’ve got David Foster walking past you and here comes Clive Davis and Aretha Franklin, Faith Hill and Celine Dion… You either take it in and process it, or you pass out from all the excitement. *laughing*
EJ: *laughs*
MD: I’m the kind that takes it in and processes it. The only person I get twisted over is Stevie Wonder. *laughing* I stop breathing when the man walks into the room because his ears are impeccable.
EJ: *laughing* But you’ve sung with him before, right?
MD: I’ve never sung with him. But when BET did the Walk Of Fame thing a few years ago, Mariah had to sing.
EJ: I remember that. She did “You And I.”
MD: Right. And I did the vocal arrangement for the backgrounds, because he didn’t have background vocals on that song.
EJ: I remember the performance AND the background vocals, and I could hear you loud and clear!
MD: *laughs* And I did her soundcheck. I’m glad they told me afterwards, but he was sitting in the back listening to me. And I was like “WHAT?!”
EJ: Oh wow.
MD: And I was like “I’m glad y’all didn’t tell me” because I would’ve said “I’m not doing it… somebody else do it!”
EJ: Are you kiddin’ me?!
MD: I’m so serious.
EJ: But don’t you KNOW… you know how great your voice is, right?
MD: Mmmm…
EJ: You really don’t?
MD: I don’t agree. *laughing* I do not agree. I hate to hear my voice. The only reason I listen to myself is for recording situations, if I have to match what I’ve done, or stack vocals.
EJ: What do you think is wrong with it?
MD: It’s not pleasing to me. I believe I have a decent voice, but it’s not pleasing to me.
EJ: But, you don’t think you have a nice tone?
MD: No. I think it does what it needs to do. But you’ll never get “high praise” about my voice from me.
EJ: I hear that. But that’s most vocalists, I think. How did you train your voice? Was it classical, jazz, piano lessons, what did you do?
MD: All of the above. I didn’t grow up playing piano, but when I went to college at Five Towns College, it was part of the curriculum. My ear was developed enough that I could take piano classes and make the connection between my voice and the music, and I was able to understand that it shouldn’t be separated.
And, just outside stuff with groups growing up– David Gates & Love, Peace and Joy, another group called God’s Creation, and another called One Accord, as well as being choir director at my church.
EJ: So, tons of formal training and experience, plus some informal work. How many octaves is your range, really?
MD: I think it’s four. I’ve not tested it in a minute, but I think it’s four. And females have less of a range than males do, actually.
EJ: Really?
MD: Yes. Claude V. McKnight is my principal example for this– he sings first soprano with Take 6, but he can sing as low as Alvin Chea.
EJ: He sings bass in the group, right?
MD: Yeah. So he has, like, a 6-octave voice. And the reason that guys have a wider range is because at puberty, when your voice changes, you get the low end, but you still keep that prepubescent high end, which most guys use as their falsetto.
For many females, three octaves is it. Some have four or five. I think I’m maybe four, or four and a half. When I was a kid, like around 12, I had a freakish situation as far as my voice was concerned– my voice changed in puberty.
EJ: Really?
MD: I was singing soprano like a squeaky little girl and, next day, I was singing tenor. I was devastated. So, my mom took me to voice lessons and I began exercising those top parts of my register. I have a pretty low break for a female– the break is that place where your voice changes from chest voice to head voice. For me, it’s pretty low. So, all that stuff you hear with me doing the high stuff is usually my falsetto and it’s been exercised to a point of strength, such that it sounds like my chest voice.
EJ: RIDICULOUS!
MD: But I did it out of a strange devastation. *laughing hard*
EJ: *laughs*
MD: I was like ”I’m a freak. I don’t wanna be a freak.” Please, it devastated me.
EJ: Did kids make fun of you?
MD: They didn’t make fun of me because they didn’t know what was going on. All they knew was that I was a chick with a low voice. *laughing*
EJ: Now, how did you learn to work a song so well? Some people start right in with all they’ve got and, by the vamp, there’s nowhere else to go. How did you train for that performance aspect?
MD: It’s about knowing the choices, knowing what your voice is capable of and not capable of… knowing what is comfortable for you. As far as ad libbing, if you don’t have the Word of God in your heart and your mouth, you have nothing to say.
EJ: SAY it!
MD: All it’ll be is riffs and “oh” and “yeah” and “no”. And that’s the extent of your WORD repertoire. You can tell if people are worshippers by how they ad lib on a song. You can tell what they have to offer by how they deliver a song.
Now, ”oh” and “yeah” is not always a bad thing, but it’s up to the individual with the gift to work your education of that gift. The gift comes from God, but the gifted are not perfect vessels, so we have to hone and train the gift in order for it to become effective.
EJ: It’s funny you mention honing and training the gift. A while back, your Facebook status update said you were on your way to a vocal lesson, and I laughed so hard because everybody was like “WHAT?! Not YOU!”
MD: Maaan, they blacked OUT! *laughing*
EJ: *laughs hard*
MD: I mean, I got so many comments for putting that up– “what do you mean?” or “you should be teaching it!”
EJ: Right. What’s the problem with those types of responses?
MD: It’s ignorance to think you don’t need it. But it’s also “celebritizing” things. Like, Meryl Streep– I wouldn’t be surprised if she goes and does stuff to keep herself sharp, and we call her one of the greatest actresses of the century. Or, like Denzel… he still shows up and does Shakespeare in Central Park. You know? Just to keep himself sharp.
There’s always room for improvement and the moment you think you’ve got it all, or that you don’t need anyone to show you anything… go on and pick out your casket.
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Wowwww… good stuff, right?!
As I mentioned yesterday, I’m ending each interview segment with a clip of Mel doing her thing. Someone posted this video on YouTube and, though the video is not great, it’s MORE than worth the listen!
When we did the interview, she had just gotten back from this performance at the Gospel Heritage conference a couple of months ago. She told me that she had been sick with an upper respiratory infection (which almost turned into bronchitis) for several weeks. She had been on vocal rest during that time, and THIS PERFORMANCE was the FIRST DAY that she had sung in weeks. You’d never have known it cuz she held it down, as always…
Here’s Melonie singing “Precious Jesus”:
Lemme know what you think about the clip, but make sure you gimme feedback about the INTERVIEW too!
“Uphold Me” is one of my MANY favorite songs from The Winans. It’s just one of those classic cuts, but… aren’t they all???
This particular video is from a Gospel Heritage conference a few years back. Rance Allen was singing it, then Donnie McClurkin took the reprise. He proceeded to pass the mic to Marvin Winans, then to Marvin Sapp…to Kelly Price to Ted Wynn and, finally… Karen Clark-Sheard. GREAT stuff!
Ads are beginning to pop up about the 2009 Gospel Heritage Praise & Worship Conference, to be held on February 26 and 27, 2009 in Charlotte, NC. The speakers and singers already confirmed to attend include Donald Lawrence, Bishop Hezekiah Walker and Judith Christie McAllister.
For some reason, it’s only two days this year (it’s been three days in the past), but I still think they’ll deliver on the goods. Visit the website of the Gospel Heritage Foundation for details and updates: http://www.gospelheritage.org/ghf2009.htm.
In short, we really tried to equip and challenge people to be better, not just to do “business as usual.” And the audience was of a perfect age to take it and run with it (cuz some of you “seasoned” saints get so set in your ways!).
Okay, y’all have waited long enough… Let’s continue our conversation with Melonie Daniels. If you missed PART ONE, make sure you 
EJ: I remember the performance AND the background vocals, and I could hear you loud and clear!
