Well, here’s Part Two of my Sunday Best Edition of artist interviews– my chat with Y’Anna Crawley.  If you missed Part One yesterday, with Jessica Reedy, click here and don’t do that again.

We’ve been utterly floored by Y’Anna’s powerhouse vocals.  She is consistently on point and has not let us down YET.  Folks are saying she may go all the way… we shall see!!!

In the meantime, no time to delay– here’s Y’Anna…

*     *     *

EJ:  Hey Y’Anna!  How are you?

YC:  I’m good, how are you?

EJ:  I’m good, thank you.  I wanna start by saying “congrats” on getting this far on Sunday Best.  How does all of it feel?

YC:  Aww, man.  It’s wonderful, it’s exciting…

EJ:  I gotta tell you– even before the show began airing, some music folks I know in DC were raving about you– like John Hart and Byron Nichols.

YC:  Yes!  They’re both my godbrothers.  I grew up with John Hart from elementary school on up.

EJ:  Yeah, well I was getting emails and text messages saying “you haven’t seen anything yet!”  I feel like you were known for weeks even before the show started.  But, they definitely weren’t lyin’.  You are an incredible vocalist.

YC:  Well, thank you!

EJ:  You’re welcome… I always know when you’re about to REALLY give it to us cuz you’ll get to singin’ out the side of your mouth, y’know?

YC:  *laughing* YES, that’s crazy.  I heard somebody say “if you can get past her ugly faces, yeah she can sing.”  But I ain’t worried about that because I’ve been singing like that for a long time.  That’s just my little signature.

EJ:  And don’t change it cuz it’s doin’ well for you!

YC:  *laughs*

EJ:  *laughing*  Week by week, the viewers have had a chance to see you take us straight to church with a VERY powerful voice.  This past week, though, you sang “Ain’t No Need To Worry” by The Winans, and you showed the viewers your versatility– that you could do the smooth, jazzy thing too.

YC:  Yes.

EJ:  Do you feel like you have had enough opportunities to show all sides of your vocal ability?

YC:  Yes, I really do.  And you know what, I was surprised at the songs they were giving me.  I was a little apprehensive about singing some of them, like “Waiting On The World To Change,” and even “Ain’t No Need To Worry” because I was like “this is Sunday Best, I gotta give them my CHURCH.”

But I’m glad they threw those songs at me so that I could show my song versatility because not everyone wants to hear the church powerhouse singing.  They wanna hear somebody that can cross over– someone who can get those audiences as well as the church people.

EJ:  Absolutely.  A lot of people, at GospelPundit.com and other sites, have said that the person who wins Sunday Best needs to be a church singer– they shouldn’t be a jazzy singer or an R&B singer because when you think of “Sunday,” you think of church.

I don’t know that I necessarily agree with that, but what do YOU think the winner of Sunday Best needs to be in the industry?

YC:  I think the winner of Sunday Best needs to reach all people, from church and hip-hop, to R&B and pop… God is not just for one person and I don’t think He wants to us to reach just one genre or demographic of people.  So,  I think it needs to reach all walks of life.

EJ:  I agree.  Of the songs that you’ve performed so far, which has been your favorite?

YC:  Which has been my favorite… maybe “Grandma’s Hands” because it hit me home.  Everyone was like “how did you turn ‘Grandma’s Hands’ into a church song?!”  Because when you hear the original music, it’s like “wow, how did she turn that around?”

But it hit home because my grandmother was close to me.  We were very very close.  She passed away like 10 years ago, but I still keep her in my heart.  Everybody always says “you act just like your grandma,” so she was very close to me and very dear to me, still is.  So when I got that song, I just made it personal to me and I got up there and did my thing.

EJ:  Yeah, you definitely ministered.  I’ve never seen someone shout off of “Grandma’s Hands,” but those people in the audience…

YC:  *laughing*

EJ:  *laughing*  They were going IN!

YC:  YES! *laughs*

EJ:  Now, for the past couple of weeks, you’ve talked about being a single parent of two boys and the difficulty of that.  Is it hard juggling that responsibility with all that you’ve had to for the show?

YC:  It’s very hard, but I am blessed with family that helps me by keeping them while I’m away.  But it gets very hard being a young parent and single.  I was at home with my son for a whole year.  A lot of people don’t think that being a full-time mom is a hard job, but it gets hard with me having to sing, leaving them, missing them… and not really being there with them and catching every moment.

Especially with the oldest one– he’s in high school– and it’s hard not being around.  I just have to push past it and keep praying that God will give me strength so that I can juggle everything– Sunday Best, me singing and my family.

EJ:  That’s cool.  When I spoke with Jessica Reedy, she said that being on the show is an adjustment because every thing you do or say is now being analyzed or assessed by people.

YC:  Yes!

EJ:  And she used you as an example, saying that folks have tried to call you arrogant without knowing that you’re actually down to earth and humble.

Now, you’re on a national musical competition, but is it hard to be thrown into the spotlight and suddenly judged by total strangers for things that are outside of the musical aspect of the show?  I mean, people are saying “she shouldn’t have these kids out of wedlock,” or whatever.  How does that feel?

YC:  I’m not gonna lie– it kinda got to me at first.  But then I was like “Yannie, you can’t control what people say.  All you have to worry about is what you’re doing.”  And who are they to judge?  They’re not God… they’re not Jesus.  They didn’t die on a cross for me.  They don’t justify who I am.

So, I just kinda have to put it behind me.  It’s still there, but I have to let them know– I’m just like you.  I’m not perfect, but I’m trying to do right.  And please don’t judge me by what you see– get to know me before you place your lips on me.

EJ:  Right.

YC:  I don’t get on the blogs and… I mean, I read them, but I don’t respond back because I don’t want that ongoing back-and-forth type of thing because then it turns into a debate or a combative thing.  I don’t do that.  I just let them say what they wanna say and I keep letting God use me, putting me on a platform to spread His word.  And hopefully I can help somebody with my struggles, or with the things that they consider “negative.”  I hope they can look at me and say “well, if SHE did this, if she can get past it and be HERE, then maybe I can, too.”

EJ:  Absolutely.  The weird thing is that, at first, folks were just kinda judging the vocals.  But as things are getting down to the wire, people are starting to assess calling and purpose and anointing.  Now, YOU know what you’re called to do– how do you stay motivated in spite of people assessing things that are spiritual, not even tangible to be critiqued?

YC:  You know what’s pushing me now?  The overwhelming amount of calls and emails… just this morning, for example.  I had to take my son to the doctor this morning.  I’m in the office and they’re all looking at me like “aren’t you the girl on Sunday Best?  I watch you every week and you helped me get through the week.”

Or, I had one email from a girl I haven’t seen in a long time.  And she was strung out on drugs.  And she told me that, when she used to see me singing… sidebar: I used to sing with a go-go band.  And even with her seeing me there, she said “you really inspired me and helped me to pick myself up every day and say that I can do it.”

So, the impact of people telling me that they have hope again, and that they dream again and, by seeing me, they’re encouraged– it’s just wonderful.  And I’m not going to stop what I’m doing because God has used me in a mighty way and I appreciate that.

EJ:  That’s beautiful.  You mention singing in a go-go band.  What else were you doing, musically, before Sunday Best?

YC:  I was singing professionally.  I was singing with the go-go band, Lissen, I was doing some background singing for a lot of artists.  That was my job– it was my profession.

EJ:  It was your 9 to 5?

YC:  That was my 9 to 5.  People get up and go to Macy’s to work, people go to their government jobs, that was my job.

EJ:  Nice.  What do you feel your personal call is in music ministry?  Where do you fit and what has God called Y’Anna Crawley to do?

YC:  I really feel like God has called Y’Anna Crawley to pull someone who is not the average person to Him.  I have the advantage of having sung on the secular side and reaching people, and singing on the gospel side and reaching people.  I think God is calling me to the “unusual person,” who wouldn’t normally go to church or even think about the things of God.  I think He’s using me to reach those people.

EJ:  Well, I think you’re gonna do well in the industry, regardless of the outcome of the show.  And I can’t wait to tune in on Sunday to see what happens with this “Sing Off” deal.

YC:  I know, right?

EJ:  I said something about it on the blog the other day.  It’s like, I know it’s a competition, but in gospel music, it seems so weird.  Though, look at the industry– I guess folks are doing sing-offs all the time.  But it doesn’t seem like we should be encouraging it, like “do a better riff than THAT,” or “top that.”

YC:  Yeah.  And I think it’s because they really are having a hard time.  The talent this year was just incredible.  So, like Tina [Campbell] said, they have to start picking things and find some way to pick.  They have to find something, you know?  So, they’re gonna give it one more try with the three of us, then they’re gonna see– they’re gonna narrow it down.

EJ:  I’m sure it’s gonna be a good show!  And I really thank you for taking a moment to chat with me.

YC:  You’re welcome!

EJ:  Ok, take care!

YC:  Alright, you too!

*     *     *

Good chat, no?  I really enjoyed talking with Y’Anna– she’s very candid and the whole chat felt more like friends catching up than a stuffy interview.

What did y’all think???

And don’t forget to check tomorrow for the last interview in this series– my talk with Latice Crawford!

Ask and ye shall receive.  I said “I WANNA TALK TO JESSICA” and, just like that…

THEN, I got Y’Anna and Latice, so I’m launching a Sunday Best Edition of my artist interviews.  EVERY NIGHT this week, a new interview with a different finalist– just to get y’all ready for this Sunday’s show!

Up first is Jessica… Now, I’ve not been quiet AT ALL about the fact that Jessica Reedy is my favorite contestant on BET’s Sunday Best.  I like her tone, her approach, her look, her testimony… We like you, ma’am!  Plus, she’s just as sweet and humble as you’ll find ‘em, and we LOVE that, ma’am!

So, without further ado, here’s my chat with Jessica Reedy…

*     *     *

EJ:  Jessica Reedy.

JR:  Yes!  How you doin’?

EJ:  Good, how are you?

JR:  Wonderful!

EJ:  I don’t know how familiar you are with my gospel music blog, GospelPundit.com–

JR:  I read the reviews.

EJ:  Yeah?

JR:  Yes, I’m addicted!  I read those things all the time.

EJ:  Oh, on my site or across the web?

JR:  On YOUR site.

EJ:  Oh, well thank you!  This is gonna be easy, then.  First, do you have any idea how good you are?!

JR:  Absolutely not.

EJ: *laughing*

JR: *laughs* Listen, EJ.  I am shocked!  Every episode you watch, I’m shocked that I make it each time I do.  Now, I know a lot of people would say it’s a lack of confidence, but there are a billion and one singers in this world.  In my mind, it’s like “why me?!”  I have no idea what people hear.

EJ:  But I think some of the greatest singers feel that way.  I just posted an interview with Melonie Daniels and she basically said “yeah, well, my tone… it’s nothing special to me.”

My wife and I sit and watch you with goosebumps EVERY week, and I watch your performances EVERY day on my DVR.  I know every note, every riff…

JR:  *laughing* awww…

EJ:  Serious!  And if you gimme another week, I’ll know your stage positioning!

JR: *laughing*

EJ: I think you’re bananas!

JR:  Are you serious?!  I cannot believe you’re saying this.

EJ:  I’m serious.  I speak with other folks in the industry and everyone agrees that you are NOT playing.  I mean, don’t get me wrong– we’ve got Y’Anna and Latice, too.  All THREE of you are phenomenal vocalists and at this point whoever wins, it’s gonna be fair.

But you are just doing so well, week-by-week.  How overwhelming is it all?

JR:  EJ, I am from Saginaw, Michigan.  I don’t know if you’ve even heard of a “Saginaw.”

EJ:  *laughs*

JR:  *laughing*  I mean, I can’t believe it.  I didn’t believe I got past the auditions, so being on the show is overboard for me.  It’s not even reality yet.  I am overjoyed.

I’m so grateful to God to be favored enough in His eyes to be placed on this type of platform.  I cannot believe it.

EJ:  And we can see that, too, because each week, as the judges give their feedback, you always seem a bit shy and you have this “shocked” expression on your face… like “really?!”

JR:  *laughing* I’m just shocked.  Especially with the comments they make… I wish you could see how I act before I go on stage and when I come back, after the performance.  I’m still like “oh my God, did y’all hear that?”  The other contestants are like “Jessica, you did good.”  EVERY time.

EJ:  What musical experience had you had before Sunday Best?  Were you doing music already?

JR:  Ummm… well, I pursued an R&B career when I was younger.  I would mimic Brandy and think “man, I wanna sing like that,” but I was raised in the church.  After going through life’s struggles, I got saved and there was just no way that I could sing R&B.

EJ:  That influence kind of shows because some would say that you have the least “gospel” sound among the contestants.  But you seem to be infusing those mainstream sounds into the Gospel message, which is why a lot of folks like you.

JR:  I read somebody’s blog and they said “she doesn’t have a gospel voice” and, my thing is, Gospel is a message.  And the Gospel can be delivered in all kinds of ways– through preaching, through a walk of life, how you live– and I hope somebody will explain that to people.

I love God, EJ.  I don’t even know how to express that to you.  I am so in love with God.  If you had met me about four months ago, you would be like “wow… I can’t believe you’re smiling or you’re happy.”  I was in such a bad place in my life.

I owe everything to God.  So, I’m grateful that God has given me favor with the judges, favor with people, but it’s GOD’S doing.  I am NOT that good.

EJ:  Amen.  The other day, my wife was watching you and she was like “when I watch Jessica, I feel like she MEANS what she’s SAYIN’!”  You appear to mean it, not just because you learned it growing up, but because you tested that faith out last month or last week… it’s real for you.

JR:  Yeah.  Definitely.

EJ:  Now, you have a son and I can imagine that the Sunday Best tapings cut into your “mommy time”.  How do you manage all that you have to do for the show with your responsibilities as a mom of a baby boy?

JR:  I honestly don’t know how I manage it.  I’m really preparing myself now because of the conclusion of the show– I don’t know how busy I might be.  And I love my boy.  If you notice, he’s at every episode.

EJ:  Yep, we see him sitting with your sister?

JR:  Yeah, with my sister.  And, beforehand, my mom was saying “well, Jessica, leave him here so you can stay focused.”  And I said “absolutely NOT!”  I’ve gotta have my boy.

He’s my blessing.  For a while, I thought he was my curse because I was so young being pregnant.  Like, this was my punishment.  But that boy, he is… man, I can’t even explain it.  So, I don’t know how I’m going to deal with it, to be honest.  I have no set plan.  I don’t even think I’m mentally prepared for it.  Because I can go to a store and think “okay, I need to go home and get my boy, I miss my son.”

EJ:  That’s awesome.  BET aired a portion of your testimony during the auditions, but for those people who missed it, can you briefly share it with the GospelPundit readers?  What went down regarding your pregnancy and how did God work in that situation?

JR:  Well, my town is so small.  When you excel at something, it blows up.  I was in this group called ACT-SO.

EJ:  I know of ACT-SO.

JR:  Yeah, and I won gold my senior year.  It was really big in Saginaw, put on by the NAACP.  Then, I got a full ride, a scholarship in music to Tougaloo College in Mississippi.  Once I got there, I had favor with all of the teachers, all the students.  Then, I got pregnant.

I had been working on music– I was working with J-Pat, Usher’s mom.  And some of the other people I was working with were saying “so, you’re pregnant… yeah, this is not a good time for a baby, so what are you gonna do?”

EJ:  Like that?!

JR:  Yeah, and I was thinking to myself, “HUH?!  What are you asking me?”  I was already ashamed and embarrassed.  One guy was like, “maybe you should go home and have your son, or you could stay here.”  I said “stay here and kill him, right?”  And they said “well, right now is not a good time for a baby.”

I said “I’m going home.”  Now, granted– did I want to have my son?  I questioned it, just to be honest, but I don’t have enough guts to go to a clinic, passing people with signs that say “don’t kill your kids.”  I don’t have enough guts.  So, God blessed me with enough courage to take what I call that “walk of shame.”

Now, my family, they all can sing.  But they’re older now and I was the closest person to reaching those dreams of singing.  So, when I got pregnant, they were like “J, we were really hoping that you would be the one.  Man, Jessica.  How did you do this?  How did you get pregnant right now?!”

EJ:  That’s a lot of weight on you.

JR:  And I was the talk of the town, too.  “Y’all heard?  Jessica Reedy got pregnant.  I knew she wasn’t gonna be nothin’.”  It was the first feedback.

So, I stayed in the house.  Nobody saw me.  I barely went to the mailbox.  And I just cried.  And on top of that, I was by myself with my son… his father didn’t want to be involved.  AND, I’m young, so I’m like “no, God, this can’t happen to me like this.  I’m not a fast girl.  I made a mistake, but you can’t do me like this.”

That was my mindset.  And I was just so depressed.  I know everyone has their own separate pain, but my pain hurt me so badly.  And for [Sunday Best] to happen…

EJ:  Wow.

JR:  This was just going out on a limb.  A friend of mine auditioned last year for Sunday Best.  He didn’t make it, but he said “I’m going back.”  I had just lost my job– my only source of income– and I lost my car!  And I was really depressed then.

My friend said “Jessica, you need a break.  Come on and drive down here with us.”  So I agreed to go, but even then, people were like “you don’t need to audition… you’re not ready.”  And I was like, “yeah, you’re right.”

EJ:  Like, spiritually?  Because of all that had happened?

JR:  No, just my vocals!  After I had my son, my voice got deep.

EJ:  WAIT.  What?  That wasn’t like that before?!

JR:  I never could hit those notes.

EJ:  GIVE ME A BREAK!

JR:  I promise you.  I was a soprano!

EJ:  Oh my goodness.

JR:  While I was pregnant, I couldn’t go any higher than maybe a middle alto note, but I started hitting all these low notes.  And I was depressed about THAT!  I was like “Ma, I sound like a man!  I can’t sing like this.”  I was so used to being able to sing high.  And I thought I just didn’t have any range.

EJ:  And what did God do?

JR:  I’m talkin’ bout… God DID it.

EJ:  For REAL.

JR:  Yeah.

EJ:  And so, your confidence is being built?  You’re saying you’re a work-in-progress.

JR:  I am.  And I’m not gonna sit here and lie to you.  I have never been one to be in denial– my confidence is not… all the way up there.  I question my ability all the time, even now, watching myself on the show, I say “God, why did you choose me to do this?  God, I can’t do this.  I’m scared… help me.”

EJ:  Yeah.

JR:  I’m sorry if that offends somebody, like “she’s not ready.”  Whatever.

EJ:  Nah, that’s real.

JR:  I’m being honest.  This is how I feel on the inside– I’m scared.  I don’t wanna mess up, I don’t wanna… you know, I wanna make sure that I’m saving souls, but that’s a big responsibility because everyone’s got you under a microscope now.

Like, a lot of people, for example… I know Y’Anna.  That’s my friend.  A lot of people say she’s arrogant.  Y’Anna has a little sarcasm, but she’s funny.  It’s like you make one facial expression, and everyone says “oh, she’s arrogant.”

Everything now MEANS something.  Every movement you make, it means something.  “Did y’all see how she did her fingers???”

EJ:  *laughing* Not fingers!

JR:  *laughing*  You know?  Every little ol’ thing.  So, I’m scared, but I trust God.  So, I’ve kinda gotta let that fear go.

EJ:  I think you should be proud of yourself.  Definitely, be mindful of how you got here, but rejoice in that grace that He’s given you because it’s a beautiful thing.  And He’s definitely faithful.  And I know God is committed to working with you like He’s committed to working with everyone else.

JR:  Absolutely.

EJ:  Well, we’re gonna keep watching to see how things shape up on the show.  We actually want an album TODAY, but we’ll wait if we have to.

JR:  Oh my goodness, thank you so much.

EJ:  No doubt.  I appreciate you for taking a minute to chat with me.  And definitely keep in touch.

JR:  Okay.

EJ:  Alright, take care.

JR:  Bye!

*     *     *

That, ladies and gents, is Jessica Reedy!

Don’t forget to check back tomorrow for my interview with another Sunday Best finalist!  You don’t wanna miss it.  In the meantime…

What did you think???

Here’s my recap for you kind people– ‘ppreciate your patience.  If you’d rather NOT wait, though, don’t forget that you can always follow me on Twitter for my live recap every Sunday night: http://www.twitter.com/gospelpundit.

I think last night’s show was a bit more mellow than previous shows.  Everyone kinda had slower, building arrangements of songs made famous by gospel FAMILIES, which was a nice lil’ concept.  Don’t get me wrong– they still brought it, but it wasn’t as flashy and high-energy as previous episodes have been.

The show opened with The Williams Brothers singing “Living Testimony.”  These gentlemen have some of the sweetest voices in the game– I loved it.  Wished they had done a little bit of “Cooling Water,” but I can’t have it all.  Or can I?

Up next came the contestants, one-by-one, and I was kinda shocked to see that they didn’t do a joint performance this go ’round– the show featured songs from families that were gospel groups (i.e., Clark Sisters, Pace Sisters, Williams Brothers, Winans, Mary Mary)… seemed like this was THE WEEK to do a group song together.  But whateva…

Each contestant sang two songs, throughout the night, but I’ma recap both songs as I chat about each contestant.  Got it?

Jessica Reedy opened the show with “The Question Is” by The Winans.  It’s a classic song which she, of course, put her own little smooth and jazzified spin on it.  She was clearly a bit hoarse, as was evident by a couple of cracks in her vocal performance, but (as was noted by Tina Campbell), she was SUCH a pro, turning those cracks into intricate riffs that just WORKED.  Great job.

Her second song was “Still Here” by The Williams Brothers.  Before she performed, we got a chance to see footage of her prep time with Donald Lawrence and the singers.  THAT YOUNG WOMAN was arranging the background vocalists, changing stuff up, and did a DERN good job, you hear me?!  The performance was SOOO in the pocket– she’s just got it.  She’s my fave, no doubt.

Latice Crawford started with “Is My Living In Vain” and did a great job, also, putting her own spin on it.  She revved up like a pro towards the end of it and definitely left me wanting a bit more.  Her second song was “I’ll Take You There” and she really sang on that thing, as always, but it just didn’t quite CLICK for me.

I enjoy her, always, but I have to admit that I zoned out a little for some portions of her performances.  Tina Campbell said it best– there was a disconnect that made us uncomfortable cuz SHE didn’t seem as confident.

Y’Anna Crawley (another fave of mine) started with “Heaven” by Mary Mary.  I thought she did it well, though a lot of the ad libs sounded just like the stuff that the Marys did at first.  Toward the second part of the song, she flipped it sho’ nuff, though, and I was like “THAT’S what Y’Anna brings!”

Her second song was the classic “Ain’t No Need To Worry” by The Winans and Anita Baker.  I immediately thought “noo… y’all shoulda given this to Jessica” because her voice is so right for the Anita Baker deal.  BUT LEMME TELL YA, this was a perfect song for Y’Anna and here’s why:  it finally gave us the opportunity to see that she can also do the smooth, jazzy thing.  We’ve always seen her CLOBBER a song, but we’ve not really had the opportunity to see her work it from a quiet place.  She delivered in a BIG way for me.  Great job, ma’am!!!

At the end, NONE OF ‘EM got sent home.  We’ll see ‘em all next week for some “Sing Off” they’re gonna have.  I feel some kinda way about that cuz I don’t think the “sing off” should be the criteria for whether someone should be a gospel artist or not.  We already have too much of that in the industry (but that’s for ANOTHER post… showboatin’ and what not).

Folks, at the end of the day, EACH of these three women are phenomenal vocalists who just HAVE it.  They are all artists.  Any one of them will be on my iPod for a good month and, if given the right songs/producers, could have award-winning albums.

The Anointed Pace Sisters wrapped up the performances by rippin’ into “Already Done.”  I was already jammin’ (“already done done… already done done done done done”), but when Lashun Pace came onto stage… Loved it!!!!  She looks great (they all did, really) and they killed.  Glad that they got some BET exposure, too… long overdue.

Soooooooooooooo??? What did y’all think???

Are y’all watching this show?!?!  If you’re not, I cannot explain how much you’re missing out.  It’s a free weekly gospel concert series that you get to enjoy while sitting in your pajamas.  What’s better?!

Okay, so as always, I was updating on Twitter.  The Twitter server kept crashing cuz it said it had too many tweets, which I’m convinced was due SOLELY to the gospel folks watching Sunday Best and commenting together.  If you’re not following me yet, you’re missing out.  Click here: http://www.twitter.com/gospelpundit.

NOW, the show:

Fred Hammond opened up with a new haircut (we love it) and an incredible performance of “No Weapon,” a throwback classic.  He flipped it into a medley by adding “This Is The Day,” reminding EVERYONE that he is gospel royalty.  Why do folks still sleep on Fred?  Has he EVER let us down, musically?!

Anyway, next came the performances.  They said they were honoring the “Godfathers” of Gospel Music– Thomas A. Dorsey, James Cleveland and Bobby Jones.  Didn’t know we had given them those designations, especially since Thomas A. Dorsey created what we consider gospel music (we call him the “Father”) and the entire industry calls Rev. Timothy Wright the “Godfather of Gospel,” but he wasn’t even recognized… whatever.  I’m glad whenever we honor gospel greats, so that’s kewl.  I DIGRESS!

The performances:

Latice Crawford – “Soon I Will Be Done…”:  MA’AM!  You look flawless and your performance was incredible.  The judges mentioned a “disconnect,” which I noticed a bit too– right when the beat came in, she didn’t seem like she FELT like delivering it… But she demolished that song from note one at the VERY TOP of the stairs, all the way until her Whitney Houston-lookin’ self got to the end of the song.  Fantastic performance.

Y’Anna Crawley – “No Ways Tired”:  It may have been my favorite performance from her to date.  I know everybody is still buckin’ and shoutin’ over “Grandma’s Hands” from a few weeks back, but the MINISTRY that was there last night… we haven’t really seen her in that way yet, so I’m all about last night’s performance.  And when she got to talkin’ about how she’s raising her kids on her own… she meant that thing.  Awesome job!

Jessica Reedy – “God Has Smiled On Me”: I’ve said it from day one and I’ll say it until the end of this competition– JESSICA REEDY IS MY FAVE.  She always looks incredible, she has this sweet, humble demeanor (which she tastefully flips to a “commanding confidence” on stage)… she’s better than she even realizes, I think, which is awesome.  I say it all the time about her– it’s the MUSICAL CHOICES she makes… she’s tasteful, daring, unique, not easy to imitate… AND THE RANGE.  She was hitting notes in her lower register that some dudes can’t even hit.  And with precision… and with tone and color… and with… ALL THAT.  Jessica Reedy, you are… well, you just ARE!

Zebulon Ellis - “Precious Lord”:  I didn’t feel like hearing nobody’s “Precious Lord.”  In fact, I walked away for a minute.  But I’ll be doggoned if Zebulon Ellis didn’t make me RUN back into the room with dropped jaw and wide eyes… that man sang that song.  Still, the performance was not as stellar as those of his female counterparts.  He sings well, but he doesn’t PERFORM as well as they did.  And ultimately, I think that’s what made the distinction.

In the end, Zebulon was sent home, which I think is the right decision.  He gave it his all and has gained a BUNCH of people who are gonna support him.  Great work, brother!

Now, it’s down Jessica Reedy, Latice Crawford and Y’Anna Crawley. At this point, any one of these three ladies could win and I’d say “ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.”  I am, of course, hoping for one in particular, but I’ma be buying albums from each of ya.  EACH OF YA, I say!

Some general notes:

1.  With fewer contestants on the show each week, we’re getting to hear longer songs from them, which is GREAT.  The fact that they don’t have to start at the bridge and end with the chorus means that we get a better picture of how they perform a full song, which is kinda important.

2. Ummm… Donald Lawrence is a musical mastermind who is bringing out the absolute best in each of these singers.  O, to be a fly on the wall of those vocal coaching sessions– he’s got the midas touch.

3.  My wife pointed out (and I concur) that the show’s STYLIST is on their J-O-B.  Everybody looks like a gazillion bucks.  Get it!

4.  I didn’t PERSONALLY need Wynonna Judd’s performance, but the beauty of God’s plan is that SHE needed it… and that’s enough to shut all of our mouths (a little).  After she gave her tearful performance of “How Great Thou Art,” she said that her grandmother had died the night before.  That performance was pure worship for her, and I have nothing to say about that.  AND, I’ll add: she’s a singing somebody anyway.  For proof, listen to her duets on Kelly Price’s Christmas album or Patti LaBelle’s recent gospel album.  She holds her own with both singers, which is no small feat.

All in all, an EXCELLENT show.

Thoughts???

Okay, as promised… my thorough (albeit delayed) recap of last night’s episode of Sunday Best… generally: good show.

We FINALLY got to see Donald Lawrence on camera.  Everyone was saying he was the backstage coach/mentor, but we hadn’t seem him YET, so I’m glad he got some screen time.

Ann Nesby ended the show with her performance of “I Found A Place,” the single from her latest album, The Lula Lee Project.  Alright jazzy lady!  Great voice, great look.  Fine for me.

The wildcard contestant was Zebulon Ellis, which I was actually okay with.  I was slightly disappointed cuz I wanted to see more of Clifton Ross III, but it’s cool.  I think Clifton will do well, in God’s timing, in spite of that.  Plus, Zebulon ain’t a bad vocalist anyhow!!

Zebulon Ellis – “A Song For You”:  He has a nice voice and he did well, but I didn’t enjoy this performance as much as others probably did. The melody is classic, so I didn’t want his rendition to be so varied from the original.  It’s cool to “make it your own,” but… I dunno.  BeBe said “you took it away from Donnie [Hathaway]“.  I firmly disagree.  No one has ever taken ANY song away from Donnie Hathaway.  Again, though, good vocalist.

Jessica Reedy – “Just As I Am”:  She is just so doggone incredible to me!  She looked great (again) and brought the sincerity, the worship, the rawness (with a polished presentation)– again, I want my album NOW.  I agree with BeBe when he said “tone will tear me down.”  It is ALL about this woman’s tone and choices.  She rocks and I cannot wait to hear more from her.  She’s my favorite and I’m sure y’all know that by now.

John McClure – “You Are My Life”-etc.:  An incredibly great song from Fred Hammond, which turned into a medley of sorts.  Not the best we’ve heard from him.  It was very very good, but it didn’t provide the same “wowwww” factor as the other contestants have been giving us.  BeBe said it well: “quiet storm,” meaning that he didn’t give it to us with all the stomps, shouts and whistles that other contestants give, but he did well.  But was it well ENOUGH?

Latice Crawford – “Reach Out And Touch Somebody’s Hand”:  I did NOT like the song choice until the vamp, which she killed, as usual!  Her voice was hoarse, but she yanked those notes from SOMEwhere.  She’s awesome, and there’s no denying it.  I hope her voice holds up for the coming shows.

Dontavies Boatwright – “How Great Is Our God” [Editor's Note: I JUST talked about this song in my first Across The Aisle post about Chris Tomlin, remember???  Click here to see that again]:  I like his voice a lot.  I wanted him to deviate a bit and play with the melody more– it’s a simple worship chant, so there was plenty of room to be more creative with it.  That said, I want him in the industry, kinda to become the new generation of soaring crooners in gospel.  We like you, Dontavies.

Y’Anna Crawley – “Waiting On The World To Change”:  This song wasn’t built with the room to kill it like Y’Anna has demolished songs in the past, but she MADE spaces in which to demonstrate her ability anyhow!  That makes for a great artist, in my opinion.  She was polished and seasoned, as always, and she looked great.  Great job.

So, those were the contestants.  I think I feel some kinda way about the show having them do so many mainstream/R&B songs… there’s AMPLE material in gospel music to have these gospel singers sing gospel songs on the gospel talent competition.  And I’m not hating on other genres cuz my iPod is full of a wide range of music, AND I’m not saying that the songs couldn’t be re-interpreted to be about Jesus… but… we haven’t run out of gospel stuff yet, have we?

In any case, the finalists were Jessica Reedy, Zebulon Ellis, Latice Crawford and Y’Anna Crawley. I’m incredibly pleased, though I kinda wasn’t expecting four contestants to be finalists (thought we’d go down to three), nor was I expecting Zebulon to be among them, quite honestly. Still, great show and I’m cool with all of the judges picks.  EACH ONE of these singers are phenomenal vocalists and could hold their own on most stages, so I’m kinda excited to see what happens.

SUPER SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT to my awesome guest Twitter-er.  This special individual kept the conversation fresh and stimulating and I appreciate it!  Thanks!  

Some of you have already let me know your thoughts on my earlier post today, but what does everyone else think???

My, my, my… Between tweeting on Twitter, updating my status on Facebook and takin’ notes for this post, I barely saw any of the show… but I HEARD it all and that was good enough for me!

Kirk Franklin opened the show with his Grammy-winning single, “Help Me Believe.”  I saw Charmaine, Anaysha, Nikki, Eric and Isaac singing bgv’s, but ummm… where’s Ashley?!  I kinda don’t consider the group complete without her, but maybe I’m just weird. In any event, great job and THANKS for not having the contestants behind y’all, talking ’bout some ”ooooooooh”…

The show kicked off with each singer doing their thang and, as usual, my humble recap:

Dontavies Boatwright – Medley of Fred Hammond’s “Glory to Glory to Glory” and “Blessed”:  He’s got a really nice, soaring voice (that training!).  He had a really nice look, with great energy, too.  I enjoyed him more last night than any time that I’ve seen him thus far.

Jessica Reedy – “Brighter Day”:  Let me tell you something right now.  I don’t care WHO wins this competition– my favorite, since the auditions, has been this young woman and she is HANDS-DOWN my pick for this entire deal.  She brings something soooo smooth, so unique and original, so relevant… She sang an incredible arrangement of Kirk Franklin’s “Brighter Day,” and I mean… Jessica demolished it from the first note to the end, was confident, looked great, COMMANDED the stage.  Folks get stuck on the contestants’ riffs (which she does well), but for ME, it’s about the musical CHOICES an artist makes– did you stick to the melody only, or did you go exploring?  was it tasteful?  did you do something that I can’t hear elsewhere?  Jessica channeled a little of everybody (did y’all hear that Anita Baker-esque deal she did?!).  Ok, I’m moving on, but I’m just sayin’… Jessica Reedy.

Clifton Ross III – “Total Praise”:  I agreed with the judges that Clifton seemed a bit more nervous this time around.  I also agreed with Erica Campbell that he should have done a bit more in the beginning instead of saving the killer vocals ’til the end.  That said, he still gave a smooth, consistent vocal that I really enjoy.

John McClure Jr. – “??????”:  Umm… I ain’t never heard the song, but it was something about having a testimony.  Anyone know???  In any case, he’s got a great voice.  He reminds me SO much– vocally and appearance-wise– of Smokie Norful.  He did a good job on the song and I still wanna hear more from him.

Y’Anna Crawley – “Grandma’s Hands”:  She’ll sing out the side of that mouth, but SING, she does!  She’s absolutely another fave of mine.  Any time the host asks a contestant to do some MORE of the song they just sang, it’s sayin’ something.  She delivers– vocally and with stage presence– like she’s been doing this for decades.  She’s already a pro, in my book, and we’re just kinda waitin’ for the album.

Zebulon Ellis – “He’s Able”:  Another reaaally nice arrangement of a classic Kirk Franklin tune.  I think he did a great job.  His spot was kinda unfair cuz he had to come on the heels of audience members laying slain in the aisle cuz of Y’Anna’s performance, but I think he held it down.

Jeff Spain – “Yesterday”:  He did Mary Mary’s hit, and he did a nice job.  I really like him as person, for sure.  And I love that he’s only been doing gospel for a couple of years, but that he’s determined to do it.  I mentioned on my tweet last night that I dunno if he translates well for gospel audiences.  By that, I mean that the MAJORITY of the gospel audience often wants a vocalist to come and slay us with the squall and the riff.  “Churchy” is not Jeff’s style.  Funny thing:  Though he’s got more of a voice for R&B, he doesn’t want to use it for that and I respect THAT.  For that reason alone, I say that if we don’t have room for him, we try to make room for him.  We like you, Jeff Spain.

Carolyn Johnson-White – “Secret Place”:  Now, I typically don’t like folks doing Karen Clark-Sheard cuz I think 9 out of 10 will only embarass themselves.  And, while she had a few theatrics that I didn’t need (“shush”-ing folks and what not), I think she really made the song her own and, to be honest, I kinda didn’t think of it as a KCS track anymore– I thought of it as a Richard Smallwood track (which it is), sung by a great vocalist in a way that really captured what the “secret place” may be like.  And, to that, I say “very good and well done, ma’am!”

Kalind Haynes – “Healing”:  Alright, sir, with the hip new look!  Got the hat and what not… I see you.  Kalind gave a nice, smooth vocal, as usual.  I didn’t feel like the performance was necessarily strong enough to keep him in the game, but I enjoyed him.

Latice Crawford – “Praying Spirit”:  So, this is one of those songs that I don’t ever want people to touch because I’m almost certain they won’t do it right.  So, when the music came on, I thought “uh oh.”  To that, Latice said “ummm… I can kinda sing my face off, so BOOM!”  And WOW.  This woman delivers every time.  And the reason that I enjoy her is that she REALLY has some of the hardest, most nostalgic tunes to do each week (remember her doing Vanessa Bell Armstrong’s cut a few weeks ago?).  That’s tough.  And to not just do them, but to do them like you own ‘em… great stuff.  Definitely a fave.

As great as EVERYONE was, the judges had to cut the 10 down to 5.  They are:  Jessica, Dontavies, Y’Anna, Latice and John.  Plus, there’s a wildcard contestant from the Top 10 that will be selected to perform next week… I’m kinda hoping it’s Clifton.

Thoughts about the show???  Do you agree with the Top 5?  Who do you wish was in there that isn’t?  Among the Top 5, who’s your fave?  HOLLA!

Y’all watched, right?

Byron Cage opened the show with “I Will Bless the Lord.”  He looked all cool and casual with his jeans and blazer.  I see you, dude!  Too bad the contestants wore those cliché blue choir robes behind him.

As for the contestants’ performances, I think they were collectively weaker than last week’s contestants, but there were a few REAL gems in there.  My thoughts:

Pete Robinson – “Through It All”:  He was one of my faves from the auditions cuz I love his sincerity, but he sang the entire song a half-note higher than the melody.  That may have been nerves, but it’s a problem.  Nice dude, though, and I hope he gets more opportunities.

Y’anna Crawley – “For Every Mountain”:  Though the arrangement never got around to the “for every mountain” part of it, it was a good performance that allowed her to showcase her INCREDIBLE vocal prowess.  She gave it to the people and there’s no denying it.  Me likey.

Maurice Griffin – “In The Midst Of It All”:  ummmm. YESSIR!  Reminds me of Micah Stampley, timbre-wise.  I agree with the judges on his needing to connect more, but I think he’s reaaaally good.

Sharon Gomez – “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”:  She seems like such a sweetheart, but this particular performance was just not on par with the other singers there.  Still, I think there may be a place for her in the marketplace.

John McClure – “I’m Lost Without You”: I’ve always adored that song, so when I heard the opening CHORDS, I thought “please please please don’t mess this up.”  And he didn’t!   He had a really beautiful voice for it.  I wasn’t thrilled with his ad libs, but he’s solid for sure.

And when Kirk had BeBe sing the first line real quick– dang it!!! THAT man.  *rushin’ to listen to the original recording*

Crystal Holland – “Melodies From Heaven”:  She did a really smooth, jazzy arrangement, and I LOVED it.  But it didn’t feel like she meant it.  That said, I like her a lot– great style, artist appeal, nice voice.  I wanna see her again.

Ian Knighton – “The Presence Of The Lord Is Here”:  The audience and the judges raved, but it felt kinda “Broadway showtune” to me.  That’s probably a result of his vocal training, but it seemed scripted in a way.  Still, he’s got a great voice and he’s got a lot of appeal, so we may see more of him.

Cekoya Burch – “In The Morning”:  It’s a harder song to sing than many would think.  The tempo of this particular performance seemed too fast for her because she seemed rushed and a bit pitchy, especially through the bridge.  But she looked great and I really wanted it for her…

Dontavies Boatwright – “What The World Needs Now”:  If the producers really are picking these songs for the contestants, I think they owe Dontavies a BIG apology.  He wasn’t bad AT ALL– just didn’t like the song.  But, he’s got a really nice voice and I’m excited to hear him do other songs.

Carolyn Johnson-White – “I Know I’ve Been Changed”:  I was finna snooze until she modulated at that vamp and hit that high note at the end… Ma’am?? Ma’am!!  And when she got to testifyin’, yooo… Good ministry there.  We like you!

Twenty were chopped to ten, and they are:

Dontavies Boatwright, Latice Crawford, Y’Anna Crawley, Zebulon Ellis, Kalind Haynes, John McClure, Jessica Reedy, Clifton Ross III, Jeff Spain, Carolyn Johnson-White

My 5 faves:  Jessica Reedy, Clifton Ross III, Y’Anna Crawley, John McClure, Latice Crawford

Thoughts???

Who watched it?  I LOVED it… like, practically every single moment of it.

Mary Mary opened the show performing their lastest single, “God In Me.”  They looked great and the audience was bouncin’ like they had come STRAIGHT from the club.  Then, Kierra Sheard came out and blaaaazed on the bridge.  She, also, looked amazing.  Good job, ladies!  I did NOT care for the “contestant remix” of the song, but it’s whateva.  They’re the reason for the show, so I don’t mind the inclusion.

10 of the 20 contestants performed last night and here’s my review of each, in order, along with the songs they sang.

1.  Tammy Turner – “Look At Me”:  I think Erica Campbell said it best– it’s a classic and you’ve gotta be careful to stick close to the melody on classics.  First of all, the original was done perfectly by Tramaine Hawkins.  Then, Coko brought her own flair and demolished it on her debut album a coupla years ago.  Both are soooooaaaaaaring sopranos and Tammy Turner appears to be an alto, so the key was… way different.  But she went first (which is hard), and she still sounded great, so good job!

2.  Clifton Ross III – “Now Behold The Lamb”: What?! YES!!!  An instant favorite.  He chose a great song, TORE IT TO PIECES like a pro, was gracious and humble throughout.  We like you, Clifton.  You’re among my faves, no question.

3.  Camille Betton – “Just A Closer Walk With Thee”:  She looked like a GAZILLION bucks, but I was not a fan of the song or the arrangement.  It didn’t go where I wanted it to, so she never really broke out and GAVE it to us.  But, she’s a good singer and I like her.

4.  Jeff Spain - ”Seasons”:  The judges loved him, but I keep thinking that he borders on forgettable.  It’s not that he doesn’t have a nice voice, he certainly DOES… it’s just that he’s kinda reserved and laidback, so the “artist” element isn’t really there for me.  I think he mentioned that he recently came to Christ, which implies that he may not know what a typical “gospel audience” expects… perhaps he’ll learn as the show goes, though.  Or perhaps we should change our expectations…

5.  Jessica Reedy – “Just A Prayer Away”:  Another ABSOLUTE fave of mine– I have LOVED her voice and her passion since the auditions.  Tina Campbell said it well: “Powerful but light.”  She reminds me A LOT of Jazmine Sullivan (maybe it’s the look, maybe it’s the voice)… I want her album NOW.

6.  Jonathan Johnson – “God Will Make A Way”:  It was a bit disconcerting for me, and I dunno why.  I just didn’t know what to look at, listen to, or think.  He’s a nice guy and I think he wants this.  He’s got a nice voice, albeit very mature considering his age, and he’s kinda got the look… I just dunno.

7.  Latice Crawford – “Peace Be Still”:  When she came out, I said “you’re not gonna try THAT…”  But she did more than try.  She DID the doggone thing!  The song was a great choice cuz her timbre is reminiscent of Vanessa Bell Armstrong.  She doesn’t execute her riffs as well as Vanessa, but FEW do, so that can’t be a dealbreaker for her… I think she was great.

8.  Kalind Haynes – “Center Of My Joy”:  He’s got a smooth and passionate voice and a lovable personality to boot.  He’s an all-around “nice” contestant to me– nice voice, nice guy, nice look… I kinda want someone more edgy, but he’s undeniably a great vocalist and someone who brings his heart for Christ to the forefront when he performs.  Sidenote: Kirk Franklin is stooooopid for bringing out a box to stand on because Kalind is so much taller than him.

9.  Audrey Lewis – “He Looked Beyond My Faults”: I just think the world of this woman!  Another fave of mine.  She’s ministers on stage like a seasoned pro and I feel like she’s already a part of the fabric of the industry.  We’re gon’ put her right next to Dottie and ‘em.  Go’n and take your place, mother!  (And how much do we love the nickname, Mama Lew?!)

10.  Zebulon Ellis - “God Is Standing By”:  He’s a nice guy, with a nice voice and tons of energy, but I wasn’t as excited as the judges were.  I thought the song choice was kinda weird, and I just kinda couldn’t get with it.  I wanna hear him sing somethin’ else, though, cuz I think he’s got a good voice.

My predictions for the 5 that would proceed to the next round were: Clifton, Jessica, Latice, Kalind and Audrey.  HOW-SO-EVUH… the show pulled a fast one on us and decided that NO ONE was going home, EVERYONE was stickin’ around.

How sweet. 

Note to BET:  We’re not so fond of talent competitions that don’t really have… the COMPETITION part in there.  I felt like I watched one big concert, which you KNOW I don’t mind anyhow, but don’t prolong the inevitable… And the whole “everyone was just toooooo good for the judges to make a decision” thing…

I don’t wanna crush anyone’s dreams and, at the end of the day, it’s not a big deal at all– it just means more episodes for us.  But I’ll tell you WHAT… I’ma need 5 folks on a plane come next Sunday.

Having said all of that, MAJOR KUDOS to BET and the Sunday Best producers– y’all are doing a DYNAMITE job.  I’m really loving it!