Deitrick Haddon’s new album, Church on the Moon, debuts at #1 this week, pushing Lecrae’s Rehab: The Overdose, to the #2 spot on Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart.

Also, the legendary Rance Allen Group debuts at #10 with their new release, The Live Experience II.

The top 10 at Billboard…

1| Deitrick Haddon – Church On The Moon
2| Lecrae – Rehab: The Overdose
3 | Marvin Sapp – Playlist: The Very Best of Marvin Sapp
4 | Kevin Bond presents… – We Give You Praise
5 | William McDowell – As We Worship: Live
6 | Lecrae – Rehab
7 | VaShawn Mitchell – Triumphant
8 | John P Kee – The Legacy Project
9 | James Fortune & FIYA – I Believe: Live
10 | The Rance Allen Group – The Live Experience II

I’m a bit surprised to see that Marvin Sapp’s “best of” project hit #3 (it seems so close to the release of much of his most popular music), but I’m glad about it.

Next week, I’m predicting WOW Gospel 2011 to get big numbers– maybe even the #1 slot– and I’m curious to see how Canton Jones does.

John P Kee’s new album, The Legacy Project, debuted at #2 on Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart this week. The CD is filled with collaborations between Kee and other legends in the genre– check out our review here, if you haven’t already done so, and buy this album!

Kudos also to Dr. Noah Nicholson II and the Family Worship Center whose Kevin Bond-produced/presented church project, We Give You Praise, comes in at #4.

And, of course, shout-out to LeCrae, whose newest offering, Rehab: The Overdose, still tops the charts, with his just months-old release, Rehab, hanging right there at #3.

The full top 10…

1 | Lecrae – Rehab: The Overdose
2 | John P Kee – The Legacy Project
3 | Lecrae – Rehab
4 | Kevin Bond presents… – We Give You Praise
5 | William McDowell – As We Worship: Live
6 | VaShawn Mitchell – Triumphant
7 | James Fortune & FIYA – I Believe: Live
8 | Marvin Sapp – Here I Am
9 | WOW Gospel 2010
10 | Marvin Sapp – Beginnings

Next week, I’m predicting big numbers for Deitrick Haddon’s Church on the Moon project…

Is it just me, or don’t we need a major tribute to Walter Hawkins at the Stellar Awards in January 2011?

I’m talkin’ MAAAAJOR… like, get the folks together and start preppin’ and rehearsin’ TOMORRUH.

*shrugs*

My ideal tribute would include Richard Smallwood, Donald Lawrence, Donnie McClurkin, Kevin Bond, The Hawkins Singers… and a few others.

Anyone?  Who would your ideal tribute feature???

Over the past week, three great women of God have transitioned to Heaven.  I apologize for grouping them into one post, as I’m certain that each deserves much more space, but I want to get the info to you guys as soon as possible so that you can pray for their families…

On Sunday, December 27, 2009, Marie “Ma” Draper, mother of the late choirmaster O’landa Draper, passed in Memphis, TN.

On Monday, December 28, 2009, E.B. Williams, mother of gospel artist Tonex, passed in San Diego, CA.

On Saturday, January 2, 2010, the mother of producer Kevin Bond passed.

Let’s keep our Christian fam in prayer in their time of mourning.  Cool?

Many folks anticipated a solo project from Monique Walker while she was still killin’ leads with Hezekiah Walker & Love Fellowship Crusade Choir. Years later, she gives it and what did y’all do?  Slept On it.

Well, I didn’t!  The project was released last year and I still listen to it on the regular. Any Monique Walker fan would be super duper thrilled about her debut solo project, My Genesis.  She provides a variety of musical styles, from praise & worship to churchy ballads, and even some great urban stuff.  With production from heavy-hitters like Kevin Bond, Steven Ford, Fred Jerkins and Cedric Thompson, the album is masterfully crafted and well-done.

The single, “Crazy Praise,” didn’t get nearly enough play at radio, in my opinion.  Other fave tracks for me are “Psalm 61,” “Tried In The Fire,” “Starting Over,” “Right Now” (wowwww), “Greatest Gift,” and “I Can Make It.”

Here’s a video of her singing “Tried In The Fire,” on TBN. Watch… it’ll bless ya:

Do you have this album?  Did you sleep on it?  Talk to me!

Is it just me, or could you go for a new gospel album from Aretha Franklin?  If done right, with some great production (maybe Kevin Bond) and awesome songwriting (ummm… Richard Smallwood), some guest spots and a killin’ choir to back her… it could be incredible.

Who would YOU tap for production, songwriting, guest spots?

Holla at me!

Interesting results… It may be because I used the phrase “hottest production” that you picked the producer with a tremendous amount of… (I promised myself I wouldn’t use this word on the site)… “swag.” But I kinda figured he’d win this poll– his music is bananas.

Excluding producers who are also artists, some of the hottest production in gospel music comes from…

Warryn Campbell – 38 votes (41%)

Aaron Lindsey – 24 votes (26%)

PAJAM – 15 votes (16%)

Asaph Ward – 12 votes (13%)

Kevin Bond – 3 votes (3%)

Cedric & Victor Caldwell – 1 votes (1%)

I don’t think I’m necessarily surprised, though I voted for Aaron Lindsey cuz I tend to think he’s incredibly versatile in his approach.  I think we may be sleeping on the Caldwell brothers, too… they prolly deserved a few more votes.  And are y’all just over Kevin Bond for right now?  He’s quite a mastermind, too.

What did you think?  Anyone that should’ve been added that wasn’t on the list?  Lemme know!

And, head over to the sidebar NOW to vote in the next survey, which asks:

Is it okay for gospel artists to collaborate with secular artists in music?

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Depending on whether or not you watched much of BET‘s hit gospel talent search, Sunday Best, you may or may not have heard of Shari Addison (she was the runner-up to the winner, Crystal Aikin).  But if you haven’t yet, you soon shall…

Honestly, I had heard of her, but wasn’t really checking for her.  I planned to listen one day, but hadn’t gotten around to it.  I played myself!  LOL

Last week, my wife and I watched an episode of the Bobby Jones International Gospel Industry Retreat, airing on The Word Network, and she was a featured guest.  She was singing an old James Cleveland cut, “Please Make Me Better.”  In the interest of full disclosure, I have to tell you that I immediately thought “she’s cool, but more of the same.”  Not so!

This sister got to singin’ and shufflin’ across that stage, and I nearly LOST MY MIND.  She BRINGS IT!  And I cannot stop listening to her and watching the video clips.  I love that she praises God from the moment she hits the stage, that she’s got great vocal stamina and stage presence, that she’s mature and seasoned, that she can ad lib well, that she is committed from the first beat to the last… she’s just a refreshing addition to the industry (plus, she’s from Chicago, so you KNOW I’m partial!).

Featuring production and songwriting help from Kevin Bond, Donald Lawrence, and Percy Bady, her self-titled debut album (from Zomba Gospel) is due on January 13th.  I can’t wait to hear more from her.

Do yourself a favor and check her out: http://www.bet.com/onblast/?chan=3&id=2326&sub=3&itype=v

(Note: Click the link above for the video clip… it’s the only one I wanted to use, but it’s only available streaming directly from BET directly, so I can’t embed it.   BUT WATCH IT!)