I thoroughly enjoyed talking with Ted Winn.  In addition to being a gifted vocalist and songwriter, he’s intelligent, which always makes for fun conversation.  At a certain point, I wanted to just keep chattin’, but he’s a busy guy and had to step back into the studio where he was working.

You’ve seen Ted Winn in every form of artistry possible in our industry– from choir (Kevin Davidson & The Voices of Binghamton) to ensemble (Richard Smallwood & Vision) to duo (Ted & Sheri).  With the recent release of his anticipated solo project, Ted seems well-positioned for a long and successful career in the industry.

In our chat, Ted talks about his new project, his musical experiences and influences, his passion for empowering aspiring artists and educating current ones, and his thriving publishing venture, Veracity Entertainment.  He even weighs in on why he chose to cut off his signature locs.

I think you’ll enjoy it… here’s my talk with the impressive Ted Winn.

*     *     *

EJ:  Hey man, how are you?

TW:  I’m doing well, thank you.

EJ:  Great.  Well, thanks for taking a quick moment to chat with me.

TW:  No problem.

EJ:  Let’s get right to it.  Your debut solo project, Balance, was released in September, but it seems like rumblings about it were going on for years.

TW:  *laughing*

EJ:  Did it take some time to finish it and get it out there?

TW:  Now, that is funny.  *laughing*  You know, the first single, “God Believes In You,” I recorded it at the end of ’07 and I went on a tour in ’08, so I was performing it around that time.  But, it was a while… probably took a year and a half to finish the project.

EJ:  Well, regardless of when it came out, I’m glad it did.  I think it’s a really great piece of work.

TW:  Thank you.

EJ:  No problem.  Now, it’s been released on Shanachie, which is not necessarily a “gospel” label, but they’ve done three major gospel releases this year alone– yours, Vicki Yohe’s and Kim Burrell’s.  How did that relationship come about?

TW:  It came about through my publicist, Bill Carpenter, and through my radio promotions guys at that time, Kendall Duffie.  Each of them had relationships with Randall Grass, over at Shanachie, and they talked to him.  He heard the music and he said that he thought it was good, that there was a novelty about what I did… we started conversations and that’s where I ended up doing the deal.

EJ:  Cool.  Now, lemme ask you about the direction of Balance, because there’s something about the style that surprised me a bit.  I was expecting a studio joint, with some background vocals and that would just be it.  But you really kinda have a live praise & worship vibe on this project, with the band and singers being just as vital as your lead on many of the songs.  Why did you choose that route for this album?

TW:  Honestly, that is… well, most people who know me in a professional sense know me from Ted & Sheri.  That’s how they heard me, which is a duet and, obviously, the focal point was the duet.

But my background, my history, my PASSION, has always been choir music.  I started directing choirs when I was 13 and I grew up listening to Hawkins, Whitfield… the Thompson Community Singers is my favorite choir.  My influences are Ed[win] & Walter Hawkins, Andraé Crouch, Richard [Smallwood] and Donald Lawrence.  Those 5 people helped to shape my musical tastes.

EJ:  Yeah.

TW:  So,  I think that the BGV part being so intricate– and it’s great that you paid attention to that, because that was intentional– I kinda wanted a group, but was told “don’t do that.” *laughing*

EJ:  *laughs*

TW:  But I always wanted a choir or group– I love that whole thing… sharing the stage or the choir stand with another group of singers.  I think it makes for a great opportunity to share in ministry with somebody else.  So, that’s why I went in that direction and this project, sonically and stylistically, is really who “Ted Winn” is.

EJ:  And do you think you’ll ever go that route?  You know, with a group of singers that are set as the people who sing with Ted Winn and kinda have that vibe?

TW:  You know, I definitely won’t rule it out.  It’s something I’ve thought about and would love to be able to create that sort of platform, not just for me, but for other people.

I think there are so many singers out there who are great, but need mentoring.  They need someone to help them develop in terms of their talent and in terms of the focus of ministry, what’s important, how you nuance what you do and say as you move through this industry.  I would love to be a conduit for that for people, so it’s definitely a possibility.

EJ:  Sure.  I wanna ask you– and I hope you understand it and that the readers understand it– I’ll ask the question, then expound.  The question is “how did you make it out of Memphis?”

TW:  *laughs*

EJ:  *laughing* And when I say that, I mean that there are some AMAZING singers in Memphis.  I’ve been over there a few times in the past couple of months and my wife, who’s originally from there, will point out people that she used to sing with years ago.  And these people can SING.  Almost everyone.

But it’s becoming clear to me that, unfortunately, not everyone gets to “get out.”  So, I’m curious to know how people like you, like Sheri, people like Kevin Davidson or Darrel Petties, how you managed to not get caught up in what seems like a cycle there… how did you manage to stand out among all of the great talent there?

TW:  I’ll answer that in two ways.  One– probably the main thing was the push that Sheri and I, in particular, had from O’landa Draper.  Because he was the first breakout artist in gospel to really do what he did, it inspired us (and we aspired) to do something bigger than what we saw.  It was stuff like going to GMWA at that time, maybe mid to late-90′s, and singing.  He introduced us to Donald Lawrence, we started meeting people.  And as we started to travel outside of the city, we started to realize “wow… there’s a whole world of people out here and things to do.”

Unfortunately, and I want to say this in a way that’s not offensive, but there seems to be a mentality in Memphis that is pervasive, and it’s one that causes people, in some instances, to not maximize their potential.

EJ:  Yeah.  And I’ve heard that from people there.

TW:  And I think it has all to do with exposure.  It’s the headquarters of the Church Of God In Christ, it’s a very churched city.  Church is everything.  EVERYBODY goes to church.  And I think that it becomes some people’s microcosm– that’s it.  They don’t go outside of that.

And so I think that, for those of us who were able to make it to a larger stage, or have a larger platform, it had all to do with people outside of Memphis who saw something in us and pushed us to the next place.

Like I said, with Richard Smallwood.  I was in Memphis and O’landa Draper introduced me to Richard.  I moved to DC after I left Morehouse College, he started asking me to sing with Vision, and it went on from there.  Donald met Sheri, heard Sheri sing, asked her to start singing with Tri-City.

So, it really was people and players outside of the city that gave us the platform.

EJ:  Right.

TW:  Now, Memphis has some amazing talent.  And I endeavor to do some things there.  I was talking to some people recently about doing some type of symposium because I want to go back and do some things that give people an opportunity.

EJ:  That would be awesome.

TW:  You know, O’landa Draper used to have a music lover’s conference.  And he would bring in people– that’s where we FIRST heard Melonie Daniels, that’s where I met Richard Smallwood.  He would bring all these people in– Kim Burrell– and they would pour into those of us in the city.  And it would be great if we could get that to happen again.  There’s a talent there, but it needs to be nurtured and corraled.

EJ:  Absolutely.  It’s funny– you and Sheri aren’t recording together right now, but both of you created albums that speak life to, and encourage, your listeners.  Is that a personal passion of yours, or do you just feel that the gospel industry is in that season right now?

TW:  It’s definitely a personal passion of mine.  I have always aspired to push people into a better place.  My friends tell me that I always try to fix everybody. *laughing*

And I think that there’s an anointing that I have that lends itself to healing and to restoration, to give people hope and, hopefully, change their perspective about themselves.  That has a lot to do with why the content of my record is what it is, and moves people to what I feel is a more balanced position.

EJ:  Right.

TW:  And it’s not always easy to do that.  Sometimes you have your own days, you know, where you’re not feeling it.  You get bogged down dealing with the dynamics of the industry– radio, retail and awards shows and all that’s going on.  And you have to stop, take a reprieve, and say “okay, Lord, I need you to refuel me because it’s getting a little crazy.”

But, it’s definitely a passion of mine to see people have peace.  So I want to do whatever I can to help facilitate that.

EJ:  Amen.  That’s a good segue to my next question… what would you say has been the hardest part of launching your solo artistry?  And I don’t mean logistically, I mean at a deeper level.  Was there fear in striking out on your own, or has there been judgment and criticism that you’ve had to rise above… things like that?  What’s been tough for Ted to do?

TW:  It definitely was, first and foremost, the phobia of going it alone.  And it took me a year to even decide to do a solo project.  And it was after I felt like God gave me the title, Balance, and I started writing songs that I halfway liked, after trashing many many songs. *laughing*

EJ: *laughs*

TW:  That was when I said “ok, this is what I’m supposed to do.”  So, it was dealing with that.  And, of course, dealing with the obvious… some of the Ted & Sheri fans’ immediate response was “umm… we want a Ted & Sheri record.”  So, you’re also thinking about how people are going to receive solo projects when they liked what they had with the group.

EJ:  Absolutely.

TW:  So, that was definitely the biggest challenge to overcome– to even get to the place to decide if I wanted to do one.

EJ:  While I have you, I wanna know about Ted, the businessman.  We’ve got several mutual friends and they all sing your praises as an astute businessman.  What do you do, business-wise, in the industry and how do you juggle between that work and your artistry?

TW:  Wow.  Well, I have a company called Veracity Entertainment.  And it’s a publishing administration company that I started almost 3 1/2 years ago.  I started out with one client– Patrick Love, a songwriter.  We represent songwriters, we collect their money, we do their licenses, we argue their splits, the whole nine.

And it was through me having some bad situations in the past that I, basically, became a student of the business.  I started to pick the brains of my attorneys and going to lunch with them.  I had a lot of conversations with Donald Lawrence and with another record executive, Jimmy Maynes, who was at Jive [Records] at the time.  They all were saying “this is something that you can do.”

So, it started with Patrick Love, then, by word of mouth, went to two writers, then three to four to five, and now I’m at about 30.

EJ:  WOW.

TW:  And I represent writers on T-Pain’s latest album– one of my writers did 11 songs on the last T-Pain record… Akon, Ciara, two of my writers just collaborated on the new Toni Braxton single, “Yesterday.”  I was representing Elvin Ross, who scored Madea’s Family Reunion and did the cues for House of Payne… the list goes on and on.  It’s been an amazing run as it relates to that piece.

It’s a very interesting situation and God blessed me to do some amazing things… I was even able to do my deal with David Balfour, who did the T-Pain tracks, in such a way that I now own publishing on those T-Pain records.

EJ:  Wow, Ted!

TW:  And that’s part of the reason that I was able to do my own record and pay for it.  I do believe that the wealth of the world– I don’t say “wicked,” but people can say it how they want to…

EJ:  *laughing*

TW:  The wealth of the world, or of the world system, is laid up for the just.  And I think that means, at least to me, that there’s a system out there in place– we don’t live on it, we live on a Kingdom system– but we definitely can, if we learn it and are able to walk through it, we can definitely benefit from it.  I believe that God wants us to have influence in EVERY area of the world, so that we can influence things in a better direction.

So, it’s great for me to be able to have conversations with the top executives in the music business.  Sometimes I’m sitting talking to these people and I’m like “man, here I am, the dude from Memphis with nobody musical in my family– nobody sings, nobody plays, nothing.”  And to go from that, to Voices of Binghamton, to Ted & Sheri, to Vision, then to be sitting in the office across from people who orchestrate the careers of people who sell MILLIONS of records… it’s phenomenal.

EJ:  It absolutely is.  Absolutely.

TW:  I didn’t mean to give you such a long answer. *laughing*  But that’s Veracity, man.  That’s my baby, that’s my passion right there.  And I love what I do.

EJ:  I’m glad that you have something else because one thing that bugs me– and it’s probably because I love this industry and the artists in it– I hate to see when artists get older and have to struggle.  Here we are, singing your songs at the midnight musicals, and they’re on the compilation albums, and we call it one of the greatest songs of the decade, but the writers and artists can’t pay their medical bills when they have an issue, or what have you.

TW:  Right.

EJ:  So, it’s great to see artists who are not so wrapped up in the music of it that they don’t take time to understand the business of it.

TW:  Yeah.  And I feel it incumbent upon people like myself to not only get this money to help Ted Winn, but also to equip other people.  There have been instances where I’ve found money for Richard Smallwood, for Kim Burrell, Edwin Hawkins… I just found some money for the Clark Sisters and talked to Karen last week about it.

It is my mission to help empower our people and to spread the knowledge and information.  We have so much value in the gospel music industry, we just have to get the information to learn how to make it lucrative for us.

EJ:  Absolutely.

TW:  It’s part of my frustration when I go to different conferences… we have seminars on how to lead worship and 10 ways to grow your praise team… I think that’s fine.  But I really wish I could go to some of these conferences and teach people about handling their songs and their publishing.

EJ:  Sure.

TW:  And, I mean, I never even get invited to them.

EJ:  *laughing*

TW:  But here I am representing people who sell millions of albums.  *laughing*  Maybe people don’t know that I do it, or whatever.  But I’m not asking people to pay me or anything– I just want to be able to go in and empower the Kingdom with this information because I think that they really need it.

EJ:  I’m with you.  Absolutely.  Okay, last question.  I know tons of folks who have, or had, locs.  And they tend to get annoyed when people ask “when are you gonna cut them,” or, after they’ve done so, “why did you cut them,” but please indulge me cuz I think it’s the type of thing I’m supposed to ask in an interview.

TW: *laughing*

EJ:  What made you cut off your locs and what has the response been from folks?

TW:  Well, I grew my locs because I wanted to make a statement– that we can appreciate the natural texture of our hair, as people of color, the way that it grows.  When it came time to do the music, there were no other mainstream gospel artists that had locs.  There was no Stephen Hurd, Tye Tribbett, whoever else has them right now.  No one was doing it.

And I remember I was at [the] AIM [conference] with Sheri.  And we did “Come Ye Disconsolate” and the audience response was lukewarm.  And I’ll never forget it… I talked to Donnie McClurkin about it afterwards and he told me “you know, it’s gonna take people about a year to get used to your HAIR.”

EJ:  Really?

TW:  He said “after they get used to that, and realize that you can still be effective, they’ll be cool.”  And he was about right.  And I think that it kinda broke the stereotype of what people thought it was going to be.

One time, Sheri and I sang at a church and the pastor said “I’m gonna be honest, when you guys got up, I saw you with your hair and I thought ‘are they going to rap’?”  He thought I was going to rap and she was going to sing.  But he said “instead, you got up and you sang.  And not only did you sing, you sang a hymn.”  You cannot base that type of thing on aesthetics.

EJ:  Right.

TW:  So, I grew my locs and I cut them in June of this year.  It was 10 years– a decade, or an era– and I felt like, transitioning into a solo artist, and in this next phase of my life, even as a business person, I just felt like it was time for the next phase for me.

So, I ended it.  And it was a lot.  It took me a year to get prepped to cut my locs.  And the day I cut ‘em, I cried. *chuckles*

EJ:  Aww…

TW:  I did.  I had a moment… definitely had a moment because there were so many experiences I had with that hair, so many places I went around the world.  It had become a part of my I.D.  People knew me as the guy with the locs.

But, that’s why I cut them.  I’m appreciative of that time I had with them and I feel like, as I’ve heard from emails, I encouraged other people to loc their hair, you know?  People said that they can appreciate it because it made them not feel like an outcast or a misfit for having a similar type of expression.  But yeah, that phase is over for me now.

EJ:  That’s a lot deeper than I thought it was gonna be… I thought you might just say “it was hot” or something. *laughing*

TW: *laughs* Nah… it is for some people, but not for me.  I usually don’t do anything on a superficial level.  I’m too psychoanalytical of a person.

EJ:  I hear you, man.  Well, that’s about it from me.  I really appreciate you for chatting with me.

TW:  Thank you, man.  I really enjoyed the interview.

EJ:  No doubt.  And I’ll talk with you soon.

TW:  Okay.

EJ:  Bye.

*     *     *

And that was my chat with Ted.  He’s a really cool dude and he seems to mean what he says.  He’s passionate about the people of God.

AND, it helps that his album is REALLY REALLY good.  If you didn’t see my review of it, click here to check it out.

In the meantime, lemme know what you thought of the interview!

One of my faaaaavorite folks in the industry is Joann Rosario Condrey.  Aside from her passion for ministry and her great voice, she’s just a great person.

Though I haven’t actually SEEN her since her wedding in Chicago this past New Year’s Eve (when she wed popular tv/radio personality Cory “CoCo Brother” Condrey), we keep in touch.

Dunno if you knew, but she and Cory are expecting their first child.  And that’s not all they’ve got going on!  I recently emailed Joann with a handful of questions to get some quick answers for you.  I wanted to know “what’s new”… the answer, in short, is QUITE A BIT!

I’ll let her tell you all about it…

*     *     *

EJ:  How have you been and what have you been up to lately?

JRC:  Honestly, I have been doing very well!  Adjusting to a whole new life in a new city is a new experience for me.  I am still traveling singing and preaching, as I was before.

It has also been awesome to support my husband with his Radio ministry and we are on the air every night M-F 7pm-11pm EST. Live stream is available on the internet at www.praise1025.com.  We are getting ready for our Youth outreach event EXODUS (www.thisisexodus.com) Nov 20th in Atlanta.

Most of the events I minister at are organized by someone else. Now I get to expand and stretch out behind the scenes as we organize our own events.

PLUS!!! We are expecting our 1st child and we are extremely excited. Its a dream come true for me! Family and Ministry all rolled up in one!

EJ:  How’s the pregnancy going and when are you due?

JRC:  Well, it was very rough at first because I was getting sick ALOT, but I am doing great now.  Our little angel is due on February 25,2010, which is actually my brother’s birthday so we will see what day she decides to arrive.

EJ:  Between you and Cory, who’s the most giddy and excited about the baby?

JRC:  We are actually tied!  If I let him, he would probably decorate her entire room in PINK!!! I think she is gonna be cute but still have an edge (kinda like her mommy), so I say lets go with PURPLE! LOL…

EJ:  You don’t have to tell me specifics, but do you already have some names in mind for the baby?

JRC:  I believe I have a final name for her.  I heard the name in a dream. When I looked up the meaning, it means “very holy” so I believe it came from the Lord.

EJ:  Can we expect some new music from you in the future, or are you taking some time to focus on family for now?

JRC:  Since I was released from Verity last year, I have been praying and trying to figure what is His plan for me.  I am releasing a new song on a compilation that will be released early 2010 called CoCo Brother Live Presents STAND, but I think an entire solo project will have to wait until after the baby is born.

I think as a Godly woman and wife it is important to prioritize.  I was single until 34, traveled the world and had the opportunity to do some amazing things in my career and work with some amazing people.  At 35, I think its important to slow down and establish my family and marriage.  I would hate to wake up 30 years from now and have an amazing career, but be alone!  Family is very important to me.  So now, as a family, my husband and I are growing together in love and ministry while still respecting each other as individuals.

*     *     *

And there you have it.  Make sure you guys check out Cory & Joann in their ministry endeavors.  And pray for a continued healthy pregnancy and safe delivery for their little girl.  Amen?

Lemme know what you think!

The last quick interview I did after Marvin Sapp’s recording on Friday night was with Myron Butler, who served as vocal producer for the evening.  He had those background vocalists doing some SERIOUS singing!

He shared that, despite his position as an artist himself, he came to table prepared to serve.  Also, like soooo many folks who attended or watched the recording online, Butler’s favorite song of the evening was “He Saw The Best In Me.”

He also shared that the newest single from Myron Butler & Levi, entitled “Revealed,” is NOW available for purchase on iTunes.  Make sure you check that out.

And get this– he shared that he’s gonna be working with Smokie Norful in December, as Norful’s church choir records a live album.  I think I’ll rather enjoy that!

After Marvin Sapp’s recording on Friday, I caught up with the producer of the project– Aaron Lindsey.  He’s a really good guy.

He mentioned that he learned about James Fortune and Isaac Carree being robbed recently from my post at GospelPundit.com (glad that I’m helping to keep the people informed!).

He also shared that he wrote on several of the songs recorded that evening, including the already-a-hit “He Saw The Best In Me,” “Holding On,” and “I Came.”  In fact, they pre-recorded “I Came,” before the recording and there’s already a ringtone of it available for purchase!

In addition to leading the charge on Sapp’s upcoming album, Aaron Lindsey’s already finished work on the upcoming albums from Byron Cage and Rizen (both due at the end of this month), as well as the new project from DeWayne Woods (due in 2010).

Finally, you just might see him working on an upcoming project from Jonathan Nelson… more on that later!

And that’s THAT.

I got the chance to chat with Marvin Sapp after his live recording and he shared a coupla random facts about himself and what he’s up to…

– one of his favorite songs of the evening was “Praise You Forever”

– we might see a book from him in 2010

– he answers his own Facebook and Twitter messages

– he doesn’t listen to music, unless he’s preparing to record

– he just finished a recording studio at his church (Lighthouse Full Life Center)… reach out to them if you wanna use some space in Grand Rapids

So there you have it!

By now, you’ve undoubtedly heard about Lexi’s hit show on The Word Network.  She’s a hard-hitting journalist, asking tough questions and getting honest answers.

I recently got the chance to catch up with Lexi, to ask about her show, her explosive interview with Tonex and the backlash from it, and her take on her role as a journalist.

I’m now an even BIGGER support of this woman of God (oh, and today’s her birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY!).  I think you’ll enjoy our chat, too.  Here’s Lexi… 

*     *     *

EJ:  Hi, how are you?

Lexi:  I’m good.  How are you?

EJ:  I’m good, thank ya.  I want to, first, thank you for chatting with me. I’m sure you’re pretty busy.

Lexi:  A lil’ bit. *laughs*

EJ:  I know it!  Well, let’s get right to it… I wanna chat about your show.  You have, of course, been successful as a vocalist in the gospel industry, but journalism also seems to be such a natural fit for you– have you always had aspirations to do this?

Lexi:  No.  No, I didn’t even know that this is what I wanted to do.  I had no clue at all.  I kinda just fell into it.

EJ:  How did The Lexi Show come about?

Lexi:  Through a relationship with Lewis Gibbs (of The Word Network).  My late husband and I had done a jingle for The Word Network and that opened the door.

I was watching The Word Network after that, and I saw someone interview Karen Clark-Sheard and he kept calling her “Karen Clark,” and she kept saying “I’m Karen Clark-SHEARD.” *laughing*

EJ:  Wow. *laughing*

Lexi:  And I was asking myself “why doesn’t this person know who she is?!  Why is interviewing her and he doesn’t know his stats?”  You know?  It just made me angry.  So I called Lewis and I said “listen, there’s somebody on your network that is interviewing these artists, these friends and peers of mine, and they don’t know their stuff.”

And it made me angry because, you know, I always use the example of sportscasters on ESPN.  They know the stats of these athletes, they know the players, they know the teams… and why is this guy not giving the same respect to gospel artists?!

EJ:  Right.

Lexi:  So, I said “you know what?  Give me an opportunity to do it.  I’ll be at the Bobby Jones retreat, it won’t cost you a dime… just give me a chance to do it.”  He said “have you ever done TV?”  And I said “no, but I can do better than THAT guy!”

EJ: *laughs* Basically!

Lexi:  And he said “we’ll see.”  We got down there and he allowed me to do a couple of interviews and they were fantastic because they were my FRIENDS, so it just kinda flowed.  The interviews were better than they had been, so he was like “oh okay!”

So, the guy who had been doing them, he got a little jealous.  He was supposed to do the 4pm-6pm timeslot of interviews and he just didn’t show up.

EJ:  Nooooooooo!  Are you serious?!

Lexi:  Yeah, he got really P.O.’ed.  So, he didn’t show up.  They called me in my hotel room, and my husband and I were taking a nap cuz it had been a long day.  And something TOLD me not take my make-up off… *laughs*

EJ:  *laughing*

Lexi:  And I hate to sleep in make-up.  But something told me “don’t take it off.”  And Lewis Gibbs called me and said “are ya busy?”  I said “takin’ a nap with my hubby.”  He said “can you come back down?”  And my husband said “uh huh… this is where it starts.”

EJ:  Wow.

Lexi:  After that, shortly after that, my husband passed and it changed my life.  I was depressed and on medication… I’m not ashamed to say it.  I was taking PILLS… anything to get this pain off of me.

EJ:  Sure.

Lexi:  I was really messed up and depressed, wouldn’t leave my home… One day, Lewis called me and asked what I was doing.  I said “absolutely NOTHING.”  He asked if I could cover the backstage area of the Stellar Awards and I said “I might as well.”

It gave me the chance to get out of the house and do something different.  I did it, they thought it was good, and that started it.  After that, I did a couple of things for them and I said “you know, one day, you guys are gonna give me my own show.”

EJ:  *laughs*

Lexi:  He laughed because The Word Network doesn’t do that.  They don’t do original programming– they just air ministries.  They don’t put money into that… into developing original programming.  But a year later, he gave me the opportunity.  He said “we’re not gonna pay for any of it, do it on your own, but you’ve got 30 minutes of free airtime.”

They gave it to me on a Saturday, when no one watches. *laughing*

EJ:  And you did it on your own budget?

Lexi:  With my own money.  Yeah!  And he said “air what you wanna air, and do YOU.”  I didn’t know what to do with it, exactly, but I knew a couple of camera people, took my own money, said “this is what I can pay y’all,” and it started.

I didn’t know what direction to take, I just knew I wanted to talk to people.  I didn’t want to be the next “Oprah,” I had no intentions of doing anything similar to that.  But I love people and everybody has a story.  If you talk to them long enough, anybody over 30… they can tell you SOMETHING.  Whatever it is– and it’s not always as sensational as the latest stories that I’ve done, but PEOPLE are sensational.

EJ:  Absolutely.  While we’re talking about “sensational,” lemme tell you– your new season premiered last month and you stepped onto the scene so ferociously! *laughing*

Lexi:  *laughs* Oh Lordy!

EJ:  I want to ask you about what has become one of the most explosive pieces of journalism we’ve seen in gospel in a very long time– your interview with Tonex.

Lexi:  Yeah.

EJ:  Many people have seen it by now, it was on TV, on the web… Tonex was very candid and honest with you about his artistry, his motivations and, perhaps most widely discussed, his sexuality.  As you interviewed him, and you heard him say things that you KNEW would cause the industry to give him the side-eye, what ran through your mind?

Lexi:  Umm… I was as shocked as everybody else was.

EJ:  No.  Really?  Well, you maintained your composure.

Lexi:  I had to!  You don’t see journalists on Dateline and 20/20 fallin’ over chairs, like we know how to do… like, “awww, Laawwwwd!”  That was going on inside.

I’ve known Tonex for years and we always keep it real.  I don’t plan my interviews at all.  I had a couple of things in mind that I wanted to ask.  And I told him “we’re going to talk about the rumors about your divorce, and about your dad, and about the mental breakdown.”  THAT’S what we were gonna talk about.

EJ:  Right.

Lexi:  And I thought we were gonna have a little tit-for-tat because I know him.  And we like to do this witty banter together.

EJ: *laughing*

Lexi:  Yeah, I thought we were gonna have this creative witty banter and talk about the wigs and platform heels, dah dah dah… I was going to ask questions about homosexuality and ask what he thinks about that.

Because we’ve talked about it before and he said “people are making me mad because they accuse me of being gay” and he seemed to deny it then.  So, I thought he was gonna do the same thing.  But, he didn’t do it.

EJ:  RIGHT!

Lexi:  So, when he said “I don’t struggle”… WHOA!  Wait a minute.  And I caught that and thought “lemme ask it another way.”  And I said “do you sleep with men?”  And he said “I don’t SLEEP… with MEN…”  I said “whoa, where is this kat going…”

EJ:  *laughing*

Lexi:  And so I said “do you practice homosexuality,” and he said “what, like a piano?”  So, I thought “okay, witty banter… we’re there.”  So, I went for it and asked if he was attracted to men, and that’s when he went there.  And the whole thing changed.

I didn’t know we were going there.  I’m still surprised now. *laughs* And we did that months ago.

EJ:  Sure.  And now, it’s big news.

Lexi:  I’ve gotten a lot of hate mail.  Hate mail has come in from the SAINTS.  I’ve been called a “fat b****”…

EJ:  WHAT?!

Lexi:  Oh yeah.  Yeah, I’ve been cussed out.  People are saying I have a Jezebel spirit, that I’m allowing the devil to use me for the gay agenda… umm… oh yeah, the hate mail is coming in by the droves.

EJ:  From the good ol’ Christians?

Lexi:  The good ol’ Christians.  Gotta love ‘em.  And I’m hitting them back, saying “I’m a journalist.  I’m not gonna sit up there and debate with anybody about what they believe.  I’m going to allow them to tell their story.”

And the Bible says we PERISH because of a lack of knowledge.  You never would’ve known this had I not done the interview.  So, what are you going to do with it?  Are you going to continue to write me letters, or are you going to get on your knees and PRAY about something that you think should be prayed about?

EJ:  Wow.

Lexi:  Handle it.  And stop writing me, because when it’s your time and it’s “One-On-One with Ben” or “One-On-One with Sarah,” then you can do your own show.  But until then, I’m going to continue to do what I do.

Well, why did I do that?!  They hit me back with “oh, you are HORRIBLE.  I will NEVER watch… dah dah dah.”  I hit ‘em back with two words “don’t agree.”

EJ:  Sure.  I wrote a post about that, too… about how we, as a Body of Believers, sometimes use hate-filled words to push the agenda of holiness.  I’m all for holding up the blood-stained banner, but you can’t do it hatefully.

Lexi:  No, you can’t.  And that’s what I’m trying to say.  But some people aren’t feelin’ that.  And I keep telling people– I’m the right person for this job.  Because I’m THIS CLOSE to cussing you out.

EJ: *laughs*

Lexi:  *laughing* But I won’t do it because it’ll be all over everything and I’ll lose my credibility.  I love Jesus, but that’s one of my things.  Some people smoke and drink, hey… I liked to cuss.  That’s my thing.  You know?  That’s my thing and so I have to really watch myself.

I don’t do the hate thing.  And Jesus never did that.  He NEVER did that, so where are we getting that?  But when I say that, it’s “you’re advocating!”  Whatever.  I’m over you.  NEXT!

EJ:  Basically. 

Lexi:  And here’s what folks forget– you forget what YOU did.  You mean to tell me you haven’t done anything?  See, I know what I do.  If I knew you a little better, we could talk. *laughing*

EJ:  *laughing*

Lexi:  So, I just don’t judge because I need SO much mercy, SO much grace every single day.  I’m so not perfect.  And I can’t stand when people act like they haven’t done anything, like their walk is SO perfect.  It makes me angry.

EJ:  Yep.

Lexi:  It couldn’t be further from the truth, but they hide behind their little web posts and their positions.  I got an email from a youth pastor– “I’m a youth pastor and I can’t believe this.  Do you have any idea how many people are gonna want to follow Tonex?”

That’s your JOB, sir.  As a youth pastor, that’s a platform for you to go to your youth ministry and say “hey, I know we listen to Tonex’s music, but I don’t agree with this, let me tell you what the word says.”  It’s a platform for you to teach.  I mean… just STOP IT!

EJ:  *laughs* Oh, you’re HILARIOUS!  How do you prepare for an interview?  Do you just show up, or what kind of homework are you doing beforehand?

Lexi:  That’s a good question.  I love doing my homework.  For some of these artists, it’s a no-brainer because I know them.  But for other people, like I had to do something about Rev. Ike when he died, I had to really study stuff on the internet to learn more about him.

I have to do my research and get my own take on the person.  Then, I ask the questions that I wanna know.  And usually, the questions that I wanna know the answers to, they’re what everybody wants to know.  But I do lots of research.

EJ:  Well, it shows.  I’ve just been so thoroughly impressed with your show.  Even from the very beginning, as my wife and I watched, we just marveled at the professionalism behind it.  Even down to, as I said in my earlier post about it, the jazzy intro– I was so glad you didn’t have some hyper-churchified intro music.

Lexi:  Can’t do it.

EJ:  *laughs*  I got a little backlash for that from someone, like “what’s wrong with CHURCH music?!”

Lexi:  I saw that!  I can’t take it.

EJ:  *laughs*  Right.  There’s nothing wrong with it, but it was refreshing to see you doing it your way.  And the interviews– I thought “finally, here’s a journalist in the gospel community who demonstrates a professionalism on par with those we consider excellent in the mainstream media.”

Lexi:  Thank you, EJ.

EJ:  I mean it.  And I wish you all the best in this new season.  I think programs like yours, with motivations like yours, are needed in the gospel and Christian community.

Lexi:  Wow.

EJ:  And I appreciate you for chatting with me.

Lexi:  Oh, man… I love you.  I love your website.

EJ:  Thank you so much!

Lexi:  Yes!  You’re awesome.

EJ:  I appreciate it.  And we’ll talk soon… maybe I’ll see you at one of these events with a mic in your hand.

Lexi:  For sure.  Thanks, EJ.

EJ:  No doubt.  Bye!

Lexi:  Bye.

*     *     *

So, that’s that!

Umm… can you imagine Christians being so angry with her that they would cuss her out for not checking Tonex about his sin?  How backwards is that?!

Y’all, keep praying cuz we (the Body) need help.

But before you do, lemme know what you thought of the interview!

In the year 2000, Tarralyn Ramsey entered the gospel music industry with the release of her self-titled album on Verity.  We marveled at the beautiful tone and maturity of the teenager’s voice and many predicted that she’d be the next HUGE female voice of the gospel industry.

After being released from her recording contract, she competed in, and WON, the nationally televised Born To Diva singing competition on VH1.  Many accused her of leaving gospel, and even worse, leaving God.

This Tuesday, September 15th, Tarralyn Ramsey will release Beyond The Darkness, her first full gospel album in nearly 10 years, on her own record label.

In my interview with her, we chat about the new album and she responds to the criticism that she alleged strayed away from gospel and Jesus Christ.  Her responses demonstrate determination and sincerity in what she’s doing.  I think you’ll enjoy what she has to say, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy her album.

Folks, I give you Tarralyn Ramsey…

*     *     *

EJ:  Hi!  How are you?

TR:  I’m great, thank you.

EJ:  Thanks for taking a minute to chat.  I really appreciate that.

TR:  Thank you for having me!

EJ:  It’s my pleasure.  I want to tell you, first, that I still listen to your debut album like it came out last week.  From the songwriting and production to the vocal performances, it was great.  And I’m glad to see you back.

TR:  Thank you.

EJ:  Absolutely.  Ok, well let’s get right to it and chat about your new project, Beyond The Darkness, due in stores next Tuesday, September 15th.  How would you characterize this album in comparison to your debut album?

TR:  I think it’s definitely different.  My older gospel record was more of a choir-tinged record.  This record has no choirs.  Every lead and background vocal has been done by me, solely.  It’s traditional, but still pop.  It’s not very urban, though… it’s kind of like a worship/church/pop record.  That’s the best way I can describe it. *laughs*

EJ:  *laughs* Alright.

TR:  I think that, for me, this is my best record yet.  Ever.  Vocally, arrangement-wise, lyrically… to me, it’s definitely my best work yet.

EJ:  Nice.  What would you say is the message of this new album?  What was your goal?

TR:  Well, the title is Beyond The Darkness and, basically, it’s a prophetic declaration over my life, your life, everybody’s life… you may be going through certain things right now, but if you speak out of your mouth that you’re beyond the darkness, you’ll ultimately find yourself in a place that puts you beyond the situations and trauma.

There’s a brighter future that lies ahead.  Things don’t stay dark always and there’s definitely a light at the end of the tunnel.

EJ:  That’s such a necessary word for these times.  I wanna take a minute to address something that I know readers have questions about, and for which I know you’ve got answers.  I’ve had A LOT of people asking me “where has Tarralyn Ramsey been?”  And I’m sure you’ve heard it all before– how do you respond?

TR:  Simply stated, I have a song on my album… it’s actually the intro of the record.  And it says “I am well.”  I’ve been here.  I’ve been working.  I haven’t gone anywhere.

I absolutely took a few years, though, to regroup and seek God’s clarity, to figure out where He wanted me to be.  At the end of the day, that’s most important to me.  And He asked me, specifically, to give Him this album.  And so that’s what I did.

EJ:  Mmm-hmm.

TR:  I didn’t sign with a label.  Not because I couldn’t, but because he asked me to give him this record.  And if I was gonna do another gospel record, it was gonna be done my way.  And that’s what we did.

I’ve been here, though.  I’ve read everything that they write.  I go on YouTube and see all the comments, I read the MySpace page… I’ve been very abreast of what people are saying and what’s been going on.

EJ:  I gotcha.  Lemme ask you– a lot of people don’t understand it, but artists in the gospel industry often have it rough in many ways that don’t often come to light.  Did you become at all bitter or angry with the gospel industry after your experiences in it?  Did anything happen that made you want to take a break from it?

TR:  Oh, no.  I’m a person who, I’ve learned to chalk up things to life experiences.  Even in a bad situation, you have to find something good in it.  I got into this business very young– I got my first record deal when I was 14 years old.  From 14 to 21, I was signed to Verity.

I had kinda grown up and wanted to do something different.  I got released from my agreement and went to [compete in] Divas.  But no, it was what it was– it was a good album.  People enjoyed it, learned who I was… I don’t have any bitterness about it.

EJ:  You mention going to do VH1′s Born To Diva.  I’m gonna ask you to also respond to a criticism that you probably already know is coming.  Someone is going to say “she left gospel for more money and fame… she didn’t do as well in secular music as Beyonce or Rihanna, so now she’s back trying to get rich in gospel.”

TR:  Mmm-hmmm.

EJ:  Now, I can see SO many misconceptions in that statement alone, but I want YOU to respond to it because I’m sure you’ve heard it all before.

TR:  Right.  First of all, I didn’t leave God and I didn’t leave gospel music.  Number two, even though people think I crossed over, I actually just went and won a reality show.  It was on a major network– VH1.

First of all, there was NO record deal in the beginning.  We never knew of a record deal when we started.  It was only to have the opportunity to sing on Divas.  And once we got INTO the competition, that’s when they said “you’ll win a record contract.”

EJ:  Oh wow.

TR:  So, I continued to the next round and, ultimately, won the competition.  But when you win that kind of competition, people fail to realize that you’re already signed to some form of agreement IN THE PROCESS of doing the competition.

EJ:  Right!

TR:  So, once I won, if I said “oh, I don’t want to do it anymore,” I couldn’t have because I had already been signed to something.  So, I continued to do the record.  The record was supposed to be an urban inspirational pop record.  And it started out that way.

For me, I don’t consider it that I left God.  I never left God.  I was still a praise and worship leader in the church, still singing, recording my record… I just expanded my horizons.  And I had the opportunity to do things and to meet people that I never would’ve had the opportunity to meet.

Half of the world didn’t know who Tarralyn Ramsey was, now more people do.  So, it was a great experience for me.

EJ:  Sure.  Would you say it gave you a greater platform to do what you feel called to do?

TR:  Absolutely.  I do music.  I do LIFE music, world music… I do music that touches people in the church and in the world.  Because everybody doesn’t know about Jesus and they NEED to know about Him… some kinda way.  And it may not be through a flat-out churchy song.  But if they can get inspired by finding hope in a “Yes You Can” or in a “Dreamer,” then that’s okay.

So, yeah, I definitely feel like it gave me a greater platform.  I still feel blessed by the opportunity to have been able to sit with music mogul Tommy Mottola, to be able to work with some of the top-rated producers in the world, who’ve worked with everyone from Celine Dion to Whitney Houston.  I feel blessed.

EJ:  Awesome.  Are you touring for this project at all?  Where can people see you soon?

TR:  I am!  I’m gearing up for an in-store at WalMart on September 19th, from 1pm to 3pm, in Orlando, FL.  It’s a live performance and autograph signing. [Editor's Note: Click here to see the flyer for this event!!!]

EJ:  Wow.  That’s hot because WalMart has become a leader in music retail.

TR:  Yeah!  And we’re gearing up for a mini promo tour, which will probably start at the end of September.  And… I’m excited because the single, “Faultless,” is doing pretty well at radio.

EJ:  I’m liking the single!  It kinda reminds me of the vibe of “Peace of God” from your first album, kinda worshipful…

TR:  Yeah!  I never thought of that, but it absolutely does.

EJ:  Are you excited to be on the “artist grind” again?

TR:  Yeah, I am psyched.  It’s definitely from a different perspective because I’m not only the artist now, but I’m the CEO of the record company, so I tend to take a lot of things to heart… What’s that?

*a non-distinct voice speaks in the background*

RIGHT!  My mother says she’s gonna have to take some Xanax because I stress her out!  *laughing*

EJ: *laughing*  I love that!

TR: *laughs* But yeah, I am excited to get on the road and really let people know what Beyond The Darkness is all about.

EJ:  Well, I’m excited for it!  I think people are glad to have another gospel project from you.  I wish you all the best.

TR:  Thank you so much!

EJ:  No problem.  And I’ll talk to you soon.

TR:  Okay, bye-bye.

 *     *     *

So, there you have it folks.  What did you think???

Don’t forget that I posted her single, “Faultless,” on the PunditPlayer today, so make sure you check that out.

Also, visit her website at http://www.tarralynramsey.com and follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/tarralyn.

Chatted with MY DUDE, JJ Hairston.  Not only does he lead the dynamic choir, Youthful Praise, he’s a man who simply adores God and wants to serve Him through his gifts and calling.

Although I kinda wanted to cut up with him during the interview, we managed to keep it professional.  The result is a great interview in which JJ shares his heart for this current album, talks about how Youthful Praise has evolved, and tells us what’s next for him.

Without further delay, here’s JJ Hairston…

*     *     *

EJ:  Hey!

JJ:  What’s up, dude?!

EJ:  *laughs* How are you?

JJ:  I’m good.  How are you doing?

EJ:  Good, good, good.  Let’s jump to it– you’ve got your fifth album coming out on September 1st, entitled Resting On His Promise.  Tell me about the vision of this particular project.

JJ:  Well, we usually praise and worship the Lord, which is what we’re called to do.  But for this album, we wanted to do something a little different– not only did we want to worship God, but we wanted to encourage His people.  So, we used some more thematic songs… songs that kind of speak for the day.  Normally, we sing all of our songs UP… this time, we’re singing to the people, encouraging them that, even in these times, God is still able to take them through anything.

EJ:  That’s needed, man.  Do you have a favorite track on the project?

JJ:  Umm… “Close To You” is my favorite track.  It’s a worship track, it’s intimate.  Everyone knows that I just love to worship Him– that’s just me.  I’m not saying it’s gonna be everybody’s favorite, but that’s mine.

EJ:  Talk to me about some of the collaborations you’ve got on this album–guest spots from Shirley Caesar, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Deon Kipping, Myron Butler, Bishop McDaniel…  how did those come about?

JJ:  Well, the first one I knew I was doing was with Dorinda.  That was just something… I knew, for this record, I wanted to get my favorite female vocalist and she is still, by far, my favorite.  So that was something I knew I was doing.

Everything else kinda happened in the process.  Pastor Shirley Caesar, of course, is on the label.  That was something I really wanted to do.  The song was kinda traditional to me and I wanted to the “queen”of traditional gospel to sing it.

EJ:  That’s wise.

JJ:  Myron, that was something that James Robinson [of Evidence Gospel] and I were just talking through… it was like, “which one of your friends would you love to do a song with?”  Me and Myron are so cool, but we never really got to work together in that aspect, so we did that and it turned out great.

We actually weren’t in the same room– he was in a studio in Dallas, I was in a studio here, but we kinda compliment each other very well.

EJ:  Wow.  You’d never have known it.

JJ:  Yeah.  William Murphy was supposed to sing the song “Lord, You’re Mighty.”  The night before the recording, he wasn’t able to make it because of some vocal issues.  I called Deon [Kipping] and said “look, I need you to sing this song tomorrow!”  He was like “are you serious?” *laughs*

EJ:  For real?  Did he know it before that, or did he just learn it?

JJ:  No, we rehearsed it the night before, and then an hour before the recording.  And that song, we actually sang on the stage together.  It worked out very well.  Bishop McDaniel– he’s just a great singer and I just feel like he delivers a song so well, so I wanted to include him.  That’s pretty much how it all happened.

EJ:  That’s great stuff.  Talk with me about how Youthful Praise has evolved over the years.  You all started out a long time ago as a youth choir and, as you got older, your sound was similar to other New York-area choirs at the time– a heavy vibrato (like on “Awesome God,” for example) and a killer band.

You’ve still got a killer band, but less vibrato.  And the style of music is a bit different.  Why the shift?

JJ:  I think that as I changed, and as the music I was drawn to changed, the music I wrote changed as well.

EJ:  Yeah.

JJ:  When we did Thank You For The Change, everybody doesn’t know it, but Shawn Brown and I were both directing during that record.  But in the midst of production on that record, Shawn went on to pastor.  So, though I’m the only one on the cover, we did that record together.

Live… The Praise, The Worship was the first record that I had done by myself and it was what was in my heart as opposed to being two different aspects of music.

EJ:  Definitely.

JJ:  Of course, Shawn and I are both church choir dudes and we were doing that type of music, but when it came time for me to do my own type of record, I had to do what was closest and dearest to my heart.  And that’s why that change kinda happened.

Now, because we grew up singing that way, we still have the vibrato.  It’s not as heavily accented by the style of song, but it’s still there.  I heard one guy say that we worship with a squall. *laughing*

EJ:  *laughs* I think that’s accurate!

JJ:  Yeah!  But that’s how it evolved.  Then, the Exalted record really went ALL the way worship.  So what I did with this album, Resting On His Promise, was tried to bring it back to the middle where the live praise and worship was, where everyone that likes church choirs will be able to enjoy it, but people who like praise & worship will also be able to enjoy it.

EJ:  Sure.  And I think you did that well– it’s got variety, but it’s clearly ONE project.  While we’re talking about choirs, I’ve got a more philosophical question for you.

JJ:  Okay.

EJ:  It seems like fewer choirs are getting recognition these days in the gospel industry… almost as if there aren’t as many mainstay choirs.  Do you feel like the choir scene in gospel is changing?  If so, how are you working to remain relevant?

JJ:  Wow.  I think the choir scene has changed because the industry has changed.  And I don’t mean “industry” as far as what people want, I mean “industry” as far as money.  Just to keep it real.

EJ:  Mm-hmm.

JJ:  It’s harder to move a choir because you can only move up to a certain number of people.  So, if you have a concert, you can have someone like J Moss– you have his honorarium, plus one ticket for him and travel for his background singers.  Or, you can bring in Ricky Dillard, who has 50 people.  Even though the honorarium may be different, the cost to move the group is just so much higher.

EJ:  Wow.

JJ:  So, what has happened now is that people are scaling down everywhere they can.  One of those areas is travel.  And choirs are taking the brunt of that because we have the most people.

What I’ve been doing to compensate for that is that I travel with less people, but still maintain the choir sound.  So as opposed to carrying 20 to 30 people, we travel with between 9 and 12 singers and a band.  We still give you the choir sound that you’re accustomed to from us, but you won’t have to pay as much for travel.  Still, 9 to 12 is a lot sometimes, but we move as many as we can.  It’s just a strain financially.

EJ:  Absolutely.  Just getting to the gig.

JJ:  Yeah.  I remember hearing that one choir took a bus all the way from California to New York.  People aren’t doing that anymore.  So, it’s just different, financially, in this industry than it was 15 years ago.

EJ:  Sure.  You mention traveling with fewer members, but you have a large choir.  How do you choose who’s going where and how do you deal with choir members who say “Well, he didn’t pick ME to go, why should I still do it?”

JJ:  Even to this day, we still have the same issue.   There’s a certain sound that has to be produced, regardless of how many people we bring.  And what we try to do is rotate as much as possible because I’ve been blessed with a large group of singers that can really represent the choir well.

Of course, at the same time, we have certain lead singers that people look for when we go places and I can’t leave them home.

EJ:  Right.

JJ:  So, it’s always a hard balance, but we try to move them around as much as we can.  You know, I explain to the choir what the issues are and they seem to understand.  We just try to be as fair as possible when we move people around.

EJ:  That’s a good approach.  You mentioned some of those lead singers we expect to see and I’ve gotta tell you– at GMWA, I nearly lost my mind about David McClure.  I think everybody was like “who?!  WHAT?!” *laughs*

JJ:  *laughing*  You know, honestly, I’ve been blessed over the last year or year and a half with some GREAT lead singers– of course, David McClure… we have a lead singer from New Jersey named Melissa Bell, and another singer named Jennifer Johnson out of New Haven, CT.  I didn’t go out to search for singers, we just happened to go places and we ministered with them there.

David is actually a member of our church and it just felt so right at that point… the timing was right for him to start traveling with us.  He’s great and he’s really a humble guy.  It’s just been a blessing.

EJ:  That’s great to hear.  Now, you’re a husband, a father, an artist.  How do you manage it all?  We hear stories about artists falling prey to different situations– how are balancing your commitment to family and your commitment to ministry?

JJ:  Well, one of the blessings is that my wife sings in the group, so where the choir goes, she goes.  But even if I’m doing a workshop or make certain appearances by myself, I take her with me.  Not because I think I’m going to go out and make a mess if I’m not with her, but because there are so many things that happen today– I wanna make sure I’m covered and SHE covers me.

And with our kids, we try to be there for them as much as we can.  When we’re home, we are HOME.  And when time allows, we do bring them on the road with us, so we’re not away from them every weekend.  Otherwise, we’d never seem them on weekends.

EJ:  Right.

JJ:  It’s worked out well so far.  I was just looking at the schedule for the rest of the year and it’s crazy.  When we go to Italy, I’m taking my kids with me.

EJ:  Are you?

JJ:  I told the promoter, if you want us, you’ve gotta bring my kids.  It’s Christmas and they’re coming with me.

EJ:  You’re a good dad.  So, what’s next for you?  Of course, you’re about to be working this album, but down the line, what do you have in mind?

JJ:  Well, one thing that’s been a blessing is that some people have heard the record and they’ve started asking me to help them with their records.  So what I’m trying to do is– my musical director and I– we’re looking into starting to produce a little bit.

EJ:  That’s awesome, man!

JJ:  We praise God that people enjoy our sound and we wanna be able to place that sound in some other places, maybe even where it’s not a choir– groups and soloists… I’ve gotten a lot of flack from people who say “you turned the choir into a praise & worship group.”  Well, that’s what I enjoy.  But now, I may be able to deal with other groups and soloists that are geared more toward praise and worship, and help to accentuate that sound for them.

EJ:  Very good.  I think that’ll be hot and, of course, I’m looking forward to it! I really appreciate you for taking a minute to chat, man.

JJ:  This is so funny… you’re sounding so professional!

EJ:  *laughs* I’m trying to put on my professional voice!  It’s all I can do to be like “Hi there, JJ Hairston, how are you?”

JJ:  *laughing*  Well, I’ll be professional and say “thank you very much.”

EJ:  Yes. You do that! *laughing*  And may God continue to bless your many ministry endeavors. *laughs*

JJ:  *laughs* Alright, thanks man.

EJ:  Bye man.

*     *     *

That’s it, folks!  What did you think???

One thing that stood out to me is that, no matter how large or successful, the issues that are real for smaller choirs are the same issues that are real for major choirs.

Don’t forget that Resting On His Promise, the new album, is due in stores THIS TUESDAY.  Click here to read my review of the album.

And lemme know what you think!

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?

I got a chance to catch up with one of the busiest newer artists in the gospel industry– Darlene McCoy.

Not only is she a celebrated recording artist (her self-titled debut album did pretty well in 2007), Darlene can be seen on television, heard on radio, viewed on web video chats… geeeeez!  You definitely don’t wanna miss out on the exciting stuff that she’s doing– it’s innovative and Kingdom-building.

Anyway, she can talk about all that she’s doing better than I can, so here’s my chat with Darlene McCoy…

*     *     *

EJ:  Hey there! How are ya?

DM:  I’m good.  How are you?

EJ:  I’m good!  Thanks for taking a minute to chat with me.  You’ve got a lot going on right now, right?

DM:  Yeah!

EJ:  Talk to me about what’s up.

DM:  Well, I’ve got a new radio show.  I’m a midday host on Atlanta’s Praise 102.5.  That, in itself, is taking a lot out of me because I’ve never been in radio in my life (other than some work that I did with Canton Jones).  So, I’m learning and getting the feel of things and that’s been really cool.

That all happened in the middle of me working on my second record, so some things have slowed up a little bit, but I’m still trying to get that ready and done.

EJ:  Very nice!

DM:  Also, I have an online ministry called “In My Living Room.”  It just kinda started on Facebook, but it’s become pretty popular.

EJ:  It REALLY has.

DM:  Yeah, with Facebook and Twitter… a lot of my online friends.  “In My Living Room” is kind of a reality ministry and, basically, we talk about life topics.  More than just what we talk about in church… we talk about a little more.

EJ:  Why was that important for you to do?  Were we lacking stuff in church?! *laughs*

DM:  Absolutely!  A lot of times, we lack reality in church.  People don’t realize that you were human before you became a Christian.  There are so many things that we miss by trying to box all of life into Christianity.

And what I mean by that– I don’t want people to get me wrong– we definitely govern ourselves as Christians, but we live our lives as human beings.

*pauses and says to herself “Is she getting arrested?!“*

*returns to the convo*  I’m sorry.

EJ:  *laughing hard*  You’re driving?

DM:  *laughing*  I’m sorry.  I’m driving… and I’m nosy, too.  I am SO nosy! *laughs*

EJ:  *laughs* That’s hilarious!

DM:  But unfortunately, sometimes our church experience is all that we have, as Christians, to give to the world.  And we don’t take the time to have a common ground with non-Christians.

EJ:  So true.

DM:  So, the whole idea behind “In My Living Room” is that, the things that are hush-hush– things we don’t want to talk about– let’s talk about ‘em and bring the reality of life to it.

And I’m actually going to start moving more into the direction of talking about life-focused topics that are mainstream, not just Christian.  But with that, I’ll give the Christian HEART behind it.

EJ:  Sure.

DM:  You know what I mean?  So that people can understand that we’re not just a bunch of church folks.

EJ:  Right.  They’ll see that we actually deal with practical issues in life.

DM:  Yeah.  We deal with practical issues.  And also, a lot of non-Christians think that the life of a Christian is boring.  It’s so wack.  And they think it’s a little club that you have to be invited to join.  And they’re like “whatever.”

But when they see us living life, and being successful in life, and doing great things in life… then, they wonder “okay, how do you do ALL of that?”

EJ:  Wow.

DM:  And that becomes attractive, for non-Christians, so they’ll want to know who Christ is.

EJ:  Awesome.  I’ve watched “In My Living Room” a couple of times and you have a great turn-out of people weighing-in on topics via chatroom.  Where are you broadcasting from?

DM:  Well, I was broadcasting right from in my living room.  And that’s where the name came from.  It didn’t dawn on me until months later that “In My Living Room” could actually mean Christian living. *laughing*

EJ:  C’mon now!

DM:  I was talking about, like… my ACTUAL living room. *laughs hard*

EJ:  *laughing* Right!  Like, “in my HOUSE.”

DM:  And I talked to my husband about it later and he said “I’ve never thought about it being our living room, I thought it was the CHRISTIAN LIVING room.”  I was like “oh.” *laughs*

But lately, I’ve been so busy– I’ve got two sons playin’ football, I’m running all over the place– I’m logging in whenever and from wherever I can.

EJ:  I hear that.  And that’s the beauty of the web.  When do you do it and how can people be a part of it?

DM:  What they need to do is, every Wednesday night at 10pm ET, go to www.darlenemccoytv.com and log in.  You type in your nickname, whatever you wanna be called.  You don’t have to say your real name– you can remain anonymous and say what you want.

The only thing is, if you say stuff out of the way… if it’s vulgar or whatever it is– I always wear this stiletto Versace boot and I will BOOT you out of my living room. *laughing*

EJ:  *laughs* It’s gotta be a Versace, though!

DM:  *laughing* It’s a Versace!

EJ:  That’s good, though, because I know that even on GospelPundit, sometimes people get a little testy.

DM:  Yeah.

EJ:  Now, you were doing something on TV before, too, right?  You were doing some weight-loss challenge…

DM:  Yeah!  I was with Dr. Ian Smith, State Farm’s 50 Million Pound Challenge.  Gospel Music Channel asked me to be their artist for that particular effort. And I did.  I lost 30 pounds with the plan…

EJ:  Congratulations.

DM:  Thank you very much.  Then, gained 25 BACK…

EJ:  Well, that’s… alright!

DM:  *laughing* And just lost 26 more.

The thing of it is– and I’ve learned this from experience– you cannot deprive yourself of things you need because once the diet is over, you’re gonna gain it all back.  So, I’m on a new eating plan now and I’ve lost a lot of weight by just eating right.

And by eating right, I mean just looking on the labels on the backs of bread or something. You know? The actual BAG.

EJ:  Yooo!  Yes!  Because, for real, my wife just bought some 12-grain bread yesterday and I said “it’s so healthy!”  And she said “actually, that 12-grain bread has more sugar and less fiber than the 7-grain bread.”  But how would you know that unless you look at the back?! You’d assume that 12 grains were better than 7.

DM:  That’s exactly right.  It’s really important to know the guidelines and how to read what’s there.  Once you know that, you’re good.

EJ:  Now, you mentioned a second record in the works.  Talk to me about where that’s gonna be.  Are you’re still at EMI Gospel?

DM:  No, I’m not at EMI anymore, but we’re talking about the distribution part going through EMI Gospel.  I just… I dunno… that whole label thing is a different kind of beast.

EJ:  Yeah.  It can be rough.

DM:  And I think that… with me, on EMI Gospel, brand new artist… there were already so many established artists that there was just… y’know, I guess… there was no time for me. *laughing*

They had so many other things they were working on, y’know?  So many… I would say “bigger fish to fry”… with my record, it was like “okay, do your best, chick.” *laughing*

EJ:  *laughs* But that album did well.

DM:  It was a blessing.  The record was nominated for two Dove Awards– for Urban Album Of The Year and Urban Song Of The Year.  And I have to say that EMI did an incredible job with getting my name out there, even without a budget.

EJ:  Sure.  And at the end of the day, it’s about a FIT.  A lot of new artists think they wanna be signed to a big label– Verity or EMI or whatever– but a lot of artists don’t realize that if they don’t FIT you, or they are not a business that provides what your particular ministry requires, it may not be the best situation.

DM:  Right!  You’re so right.

EJ:  So, when DO we get some new music?  Are you gonna add something on MySpace or do we get a sneak listen somewhere?

DM:  I might sneak and let my “In My Living Room”-ers listen to a song.

EJ:  Very nice.  So, there’s ANOTHER reason folks need to get on the ball.  Get up in the living room.

DM:  *laughing*  C’mon in my living room and lemme turn the speakers up!

EJ:  *laughs* Right! You’re doing some great stuff.

DM:  But I wanna say to you EJ, I really enjoy your blog.  It’s just cool.

EJ:  Wow.  Thank you.

DM:  Yeah.  I just enjoy it.  I especially enjoy reading your blog because it’s so… I wanna say “off-key” but I want you to understand what I’m saying.  It’s so “not the norm.”  And you have such a fresh perspective on the things that you write, so I just really enjoy it and I’m honored to do this interview with you today.

EJ:  Oh, absolutely.  Thank you so much.  I knew that I wanted to chat with you– I saw all that you were doing and I thought “this is real.  This is someone who has a burden for the work to be done in the industry.”

DM:  Amen.

EJ:  And I gravitate toward that– it’s more than just singing.  Ok, you’ve got a nice album and what not, but if you’re stank backstage…

DM:  HA! *laughing*

EJ:  But that’s for another article.

DM:  And I’ve never been able to understand that.  It’s like “you say you’re a Christian?!  Ewwwww!” *laughing*

But I really feel like the Lord is raising up no-names as the new names.  And people that are coming RIGHT from the heart of God.  Right from under His shadow, if I can get REAL spiritual with you. *laughs*

EJ:  For the holy rollers!

DM:  *laughing* Right!  They’re coming RIGHT from the hiding place! *laughs*

But, seriously, he’s giving those people the platform to let others know that it’s SO not what it used to be.  We don’t have to settle for that garbage.

EJ:  Amen.  I’m exciting for what he’s doing.

DM:  Yeah.

EJ:  Well, thanks so much for talkin’ to me.  I really appreciate it.

DM:  Ok, my friend.

EJ:  And keep in touch.  I’m sure I’ll talk to you soon.

DM:  Ok, EJ.  Take care!

EJ:  You too.  Bye-bye.

*     *     *

You probably gathered from the interview– Darlene McCoy is HILARIOUS.  She exudes such humility with a boldness based on what God has called her to do.  I love it.  And, as I said… HILARIOUS.

Just for your listening pleasure, here’s a video of her singing “Amazing,” one of my favorite songs from her (it’s just one of those feel-good grooves!):

What did you guys think of the chit-chat?  Talk to me!