Representatives for Mary Mary have just announced that Erica Campbell gave birth to a baby girl, Zaya Monique, last night (Tuesday, January 24, 2012). Mother and daughter are resting comfortably.
Erica stated that she and husband, Warryn Campbell, are “feeling so thankful and so blessed to have our sweet Zaya finally make her grand entrance into the world! God is awesome, our family couldn’t be more happy than we are today!”
Zaya Monique was born at 6 lbs, 12 oz.
Congrats Campbell fam!
The nominees for the 43rd Annual NAACP Image Awards were announced today!
In the category of Outstanding Gospel Album, here are your nominees:
Yolanda Adams – Becoming
Deitrick Haddon - Church on the Moon
Kirk Franklin - Hello Fear
Mary Mary - Something Big
Andraé Crouch - The Journey
Also, in the Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration category, long-time favorite choir Sounds of Blackness was nominated!
The awards show will air live on February 17, 2012, on NBC, from 8pm-10pm ET.
Congrats, nominees!
The 27th Annual Stellar Awards were held on Saturday, January 14, 2012 in Nashville, TN at the Grand Ole Opry House.
And here are this year’s winners (winners in bold and blue)!
Artist of the Year
Earnest Pugh
Kirk Franklin
Mary Mary
VaShawn Mitchell
Song of the Year
“Nobody Greater” | Darius Paulk
“Well Done” | Deitrick Haddon
“I Smile” | Kirk Franklin
“I Choose To Worship” | Wess Morgan
Male Vocalist of the Year
Earnest Pugh
Israel Houghton
Smokie Norful
VaShawn Mitchell
Female Vocalist of the Year
Beverly Crawford
Kim Burrell
Martha Munizzi
Yolanda Adams
Group/Duo of the Year
James Fortune & FIYA
Mary Mary
Rance Allen Group
Trin-i-tee 5:7
New Artist of the Year
Greater Mt. Calvary Church Choir
Preashea Hilliard
Todd Dulaney
Y’Anna
CD of the Year
James Fortune & FIYA – I Believe
Kirk Franklin – I Smile
Mary Mary – Something Big
VaShawn Mitchell – Triumphant
Choir of the Year
Chicago Mass Choir
Mississippi Mass Choir
Ricky Dillard
Shekinah Glory Ministry
Producer of the Year
Aaron Lindsey, Tommy Sims & Israel Houghton for Love God. Love People.
Kirk Franklin for Hello Fear
VaShawn Mitchell, Daniel Weatherspoon & Rick Robinson for Triumphant
Warryn Campbell/Mary Mary for Something Big
Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year
James Fortune & FIYA
Mary Mary
Trin-i-tee 5:7
Traditional Group/Duo of the Year
Keith Wonderboy Johnson & Spiritual Voices
Rance Allen Group
The Soul Seekers
Contemporary Male of the Year
Deitrick Haddon
Earnest Pugh
Israel Houghton
VaShawn Mitchell
Traditional Male of the Year
Keith Wonderboy Johnson
John P Kee
Rance Allen
Smokie Norful
Contemporary Female of the Year
Kim Burrell
Preashea Hilliard
Y’Anna
Yolanda Adams
Traditional Female of the Year
Beverly Crawford
Evelyn Turrentine-Agee
LaShun Pace
Twinkie Clark
Contemporary CD of the Year
Deitrick Haddon | Church on the Moon
Kirk Franklin | Hello Fear
Mary Mary | Something Big
VaShawn Mitchell | Triumphant
Traditional CD of the Year
John P Kee | The Legacy Project
Mississippi Mass Choir | Then Sings My Soul
Ricky Dillard | Keep Living
Smokie Norful | How I Got Over…
Urban Inspirational Performance of the Year
Deitrick Haddon | “Well Done”
Kirk Franklin | “I Smile”
Mary Mary | “Walking”
VaShawn Mitchell | “Nobody Greater”
Music Video of the Year – Short Form
Martha Munizzi | “Excellent” (Martha Munizzi)
Christian Heuer | “Walking” (Mary Mary)
Canton Jones | “God” (Canton Jones)
VaShawn Mitchell | “Nobody Greater” (VaShawn Mitchell)
Music Video of the Year – Long Form
Deitrick Haddon | Church on the Moon
Jerry Parries | Bishop Morton Celebrates…
Mississippi Mass Choir | Then Sings My Soul
Ricky Dillard | Keep Living
Traditional Choir of the Year
Chicago Mass Choir
Greater Mt. Calvary Church Choir
Mississippi Mass Choir
Ricky Dillard
Contemporary Choir of the Year
Lonnie Hunter & Structure
Shekinah Glory Ministry
Instrumental Gospel CD of the Year
Harold Rayford | I Am the Instrument
Moses Tyson Jr | Music Remastered & Sacred Organ
Todd Ledbetter | Meditations: Hymsn in the Key of Jazz
Winston Stewart | Season
Special Event CD of the Year
Bishop Paul Morton | Still
John P Kee | The Legacy Project
Shekinah Glory Ministry | Refreshed By Fire
VaShawn Mitchell | My Songbook
Rap, Hip Hop Gospel CD of the Year
Flame | Captured
Lecrae | Rehab
Lecrae | Rehab: The Overdose
Viktory | Birth of a Legacy
Children’s Project of the Year
Teen Pure N Heart | Pure N Heart Live
Santiago & Claude Deuce | My Destiny Place – My Imagination
The Velasquez Singers | Ten
T-Rep The Young Prayzr | Let’s Go
Quartet of the Year
Keith Wonderboy Johnson & Spiritual Voices
Rance Allen Group
The Soul Seekers
Recorded Music Packaging of the Year
Christina Jones for Dominionaire (Canton Jones)
Denise Trotman & Greg Gilligan for Hello Fear (Kirk Franklin)
Martha Munizzi for Make It Loud (Martha Munizzi)
Tanner Gary for Triumphant (VaShawn Mitchell)
Praise and Worship CD of the Year
Earnest Pugh | Earnestly Yours
Israel Houghton | Love God. Love People.
Shekinah Glory Ministry | Refreshed By Fire
VaShawn Mitchell | Triumphant
Spoken Word CD of the Year
Marco the Poet | Marco the Poet EP
Michael Diallo McLendon | The Diallo Experience
Selah | Look At You Loving Me
Trupoetry | Trupoetry
Radio Station of the Year Finalists:
Major Market (3M+)
WPZE 102.5 FM (Atlanta, GA)
WPRS 104.1 FM (Washington, DC)
KJLH 102.3 FM (Los Angeles, CA)
WGRB 1390 AM (Chicago, IL)
[list courtesy of GospelPundit.com]
Large Market (1-3M)
WHAL 95.7 FM/1460 AM (Memphis, TN)
WFMI 100.9 FM (VA-Norfolk-Newport, VA)
KCAO 600 AM (Baltimore, MD)
WMBM 1490 AM (Miami, FL)
Medium Market (500,000-1M)
WLOU 1350 AM (Louisville, KY)
WPRF 94.9 FM (New Orleans, LA)
WENO 760 AM (Nashville, TN)
[list courtesy of GospelPundit.com]
WPZK 102.5 (Little Rock, AR)
Small Market (under 500,000)
WDJL 1000 AM (Huntsville, AL)
WJNI 106.3 FM (Charleston, SC)
KOKA 980 AM (Shreveport, LA)
WIMG 1300 AM (Trenton, NJ)
The show was hosted by Marvin Sapp and Dorinda Clark Cole, and will begin airing in local markets on January 21, 2012 (visit the Stellar Awards website for Local Airdates). The program will also be broadcast on gmc on February 11, 2012 at 8pm ET.
Mary Mary and Fred Hammond have been named among a who’s-who list of artists slated to perform in the 2012 Essence Music Festival.
The annual music festival takes place each Summer in New Orleans. Other artists announced to perform include Aretha Franklin, Fantasia, Ledisi and Mary J Blige.
This year’s festival runs from July 6-8, 2012 in New Orleans, LA. For more info, and for tickets, visit www.essencemusicfestival.com.
Dunno if I’ve ever mentioned it on here, but I’m a web design geek.
I love coding, scripting and formatting. I love HTML, CSS, PHP and a bunch of other acronyms that you probably don’t want to know about.
It’s no secret that the gospel industry is, at times, behind the times in technology and web design. Images are grotesquely pixelated, links don’t work, click someplace and it redirects to a page that hasn’t been updated since 2004…
It’s refreshing to see well-done websites in gospel music. Here are our 4 favorite artist websites of 2011…
1. Mary Mary’s fan site, ILoveMaryMary.com
2. Melinda Watts’ rebranded official website, MelindaWatts.com
3. Lecrae’s artist page at Reach Records.com
4. Tim Bowman, Jr.’s official site, TimBowmanJr.com
Lemme know what you think!
2011 is just about over. Don’t enter 2012 without checking out our Top 10 Favorite Albums of the Year. And get ‘em!
In no particular order…
1. Andraé Crouch – The Journey
He’s not a legend just because of his pleasing personality. He has consistently made phenomenal music for the entire Body of Christ, across the globe. This project is just the latest in his sprawling catalog of must-have music. You must… have it.
2. Donald Lawrence – YRM (Your Righteous Mind)
It’s no secret that we love D. Lawrence at GospelPundit.com. He just does gospel music RIGHT. And with this album, he continues in excellence. Great music, great messages.
3. Kirk Franklin – Hello Fear
This trendsetter and tastemaker of gospel music didn’t push the envelope as far as he has in the past, but he still gives us plenty to chew on and enjoy.
4. Mary Mary – Something Big
It’s almost like this sister duo knew how monumental their year would be, with award after award and a reality show in the works. The title is almost prophetic… it’s their soundtrack, and ours, too.
5. Isaac Carree – Uncommon Me
The looooong-awaited solo debut of this “man of standard” debuted at #1 and has experienced great sales for months. It’s not just cuz he’s hilarious– it’s cuz his album rocks.
6. Kim Burrell – The Love Album
To the chagrin of many, one of gospel’s most recognized and celebrated voices delivered her much-buzzed about “secular” album. It’s still gospel… and she sang the daylights out of every single track.
7. Dorinda Clark Cole – I Survived
With this project, we got Dorinda doing what she does best– a well-produced and current sound laced with traditional influence and familiarity.
8. Lecrae – Rehab: The Overdose
He may be Christian music’s most well-known hip-hop artist at this point, and rightfully so. His music cuts, inspires, educates and equips. Get on board.
9. Jessica Reedy – From the Heart
This long-awaited debut album offered a more soul/R&B vibe than many might have predicted, but her vocal performance and passion on each track is undeniable.
10. Claude Deuce – Wanna Be Winans mixtape
This was both creative and incredibly well-done. And, perhaps best of all, free for downloading!
Billboard has released its annual year-end charts for 2011, based on chart performance in sales and radio.
Leading the packs are Kirk Franklin and VaShawn Mitchell, for the top album and top song of the year, respectively.
Check out the Top 10 Best Albums and Songs in gospel music below!
Best Gospel Albums:
1 | Kirk Franklin – Hello Fear
2 | WOW Gospel 2011
3 | Mary Mary – Something Big
4 | Lecrae – Rehab
5 | VaShawn Mitchell – Triumphant
6 | Deitrick Haddon – Church on the Moon
7 | Le’Andria Johnson – The Awakening of…
8 | William McDowell – As We Worship: Live
9 | Lecrae – Rehab: Overdose
10 | Marvin Sapp – Playlist: The Very Best of…
Best Gospel Songs:
1 | VaShawn Mitchell – “Nobody Greater”
2 | Kirk Franklin – “I Smile”
3 | William McDowell – “I Give Myself Away”
4 | James Fortune & FIYA – “I Believe”
5 | Marvin Sapp – “He Has His Hands On You”
6 | Deitrick Haddon – “Well Done”
7 | Troy Sneed – “My Heart Says Yes”
8 | Mary Mary – “Walking”
9 | Trin-i-tee 5:7 – “Over & Over”
10 | Earnest Pugh – “I Need Your Glory”
Just in from the PR camp for Mary Mary–
MARY MARY’S “HAVE A MARY MARY CHRISTMAS TOUR” CANCELLED
AS ERICA CAMPBELL’S DUE DATE NEARS
Amidst an unprecedented run of award shows, nominations, non-stop travel for holiday performances and a television series taping underway, the star sister duo, Mary Mary’s Erica and Tina Campbell, is regretfully forced to cancel their much anticipated first ever “Have A Mary Mary Christmas Tour” as Erica’s February due date draws near.
The singer has been advised by doctors that she cannot continue working at her current pace without risk of potential premature delivery. After careful consideration, the ladies have determined it is best to cancel the entire tour at this time, including their New Year’s Eve show. Up to now, the ladies have been on an exhaustive cross-country schedule of promotional activities, and, given the medical opinion, recognize what the priorities must be.
A dizzyingly packed year of high-profile national television appearances, including performances on the NAACP Image Awards, The Talk, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno twice, The Mo’Nique Show, BET’s “Black Girls Rock,” The Soul Train Music Awards, ABC’s Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, and Macy’s Atlanta Thankgsiving Day Great Tree Lighting as well as an interview on Good Morning America, underscores their massive star power, and their ongoing commitment to hard work. Associations with the American Red Cross, Pillsbury and the just announced WE tv series–scheduled to begin airing March 2012, are examples of their widespread appeal. Mary Mary’s list of awards and acknowledgements for the acclaimed March 2011 cd release, “Something Big,” includes double Grammy Award Nominations, a Soul Train Award, an ASCAP Golden Note Award, a BET Award, six 2012 Stellar Awards, among others. And, as all of the magic continues to unfold, through it all, the ladies remain devoted mothers and wives.
As Tina Campbell notes, “Our commitment to our passion of music and our fans is without question, but allowing wisdom, common sense, and our commitment to family to take the lead at this point is necessary. We fully intend to return to our passion and our commitment to music in late spring and look forward to rescheduling the ‘Have A Mary Mary Christmas Tour’ in 2012.”
Erica Campbell admitted, “This was a very hard decision for me. I’m accustomed to pushing myself beyond my doctor recommendations during my pregnancies, but after having seen my sister, Tina, deal with a premature birth as a direct result of an exhaustive pace, I recognize how real this is. Although my passion told me to push on as usual in these past months, my wisdom, as of my last week’s doctor’s visit, told me to take care of myself and my new baby-to-be. Just know that I have the greatest passion for whom I sing about and a great love and respect for whom I sing to, so I’ll be back to what I live for as soon as I take care of mommy business.”
*****
Let’s pray for Erica, and for a safe delivery of her coming baby girl. Rest up, ladies!
The nominees for the 54th Annual Grammy Awards were announced tonight during a live telecast on CBS.
In the gospel categories, the nominees are–
Best Gospel/CCM Performance
“Do Everything”
Steven Curtis Chapman
Track from: re:Creation
[Sparrow Records]
“Alive (Mary Magdalene)”
Natalie Grant
Track from: Music Inspired By The Story
[WOW Joint Venture/EMI CMG]
“Your Love”
Brandon Heath
Track from: Leaving Eden
[Reunion Records]
“Jesus”
Le’Andria Johnson
Track from: The Awakening Of Le’Andria Johnson
[Music World Gospel]
“I Lift My Hands”
Chris Tomlin
Track from: And If Our God Is For Us…
[Sparrow Records / sixstepsrecords]
Best Gospel Song
“Hello Fear”
Kirk Franklin, songwriter (Kirk Franklin)
Track from: Hello Fear
[Verity Gospel Music Group/Fo Yo Soul Ent.; Publisher: Aunt Gertrude Music]
“Sitting With Me”
Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell, Gerald Haddon & Tammi Haddon, songwriters (Mary Mary)
Track from: Something Big
[Columbia Records; Publishers: Precious Baby Music/T Bella Music/EMI April Music, It's Tea Tyme, That's Plum Song]
“Spiritual”
Donald Lawrence, songwriter (Donald Lawrence & Co. Featuring Blanche McAllister-Dykes)
Track from: YRM (Your Righteous Mind)
[Verity Gospel Music Group; Publisher: Quiet Water Entertainment]
“Trust Me”
Richard Smallwood, songwriter (Richard Smallwood & Vision)
Track from: Promises
[Verity Gospel Music Group; Publishers: Universal-Z Tunes/T.Autumn Music]
“Window”
Canton Jones, songwriter (Canton Jones)
Track from: Dominionaire
[Cajo Records; Publisher: CAJO Music]
Best Gospel Album
The Love Album
Kim Burrell
[Shanachie Entertainment]
The Journey
Andraé Crouch
[Riverphlo Entertainment]
Hello Fear
Kirk Franklin
[Verity Gospel Music Group/ Fo Yo Soul Ent.]
Something Big
Mary Mary
[Columbia Records]
Angel & Chanelle Deluxe Edition
Trin-I-Tee 5:7
[Music World Gospel]
Best CCM Song
“Blessings”
Laura Story, songwriter (Laura Story)
Track from: Blessings
[Fair Trade Services; Publishers: New Spring/Gleaning Publishing]
“Hold Me”
Jamie Grace Harper, Toby McKeehan & Christopher Stevens, songwriters (Jamie Grace Featuring Tobymac)
[Gotee Records; Publishers: Universal Music, Brentwood Benson Tunes, Songs of Third Base/Chriscendo Music, Meaux Mercy/Achtober Songs]
“I Lift My Hands”
Louie Giglio, Matt Maher & Chris Tomlin, songwriters (Chris Tomlin)
Track from: And If Our God Is For Us…
[Sparrow Records/sixstepsrecords; Publishers: sixsteps Music/worshiptogether.com Songs/Vamos Publishing/Thankyou Music/spiritandsong.com Publishing]
“Strong Enough”
Matthew West, songwriter (Matthew West)
Track from: The Story Of Your Life
[Sparrow Records; Publishers: External Combustion Music/Songs For Delaney/Songs of Southside Independent Music]
“Your Love”
Brandon Heath & Jason Ingram, songwriters (Brandon Heath)
Track from: Leaving Eden
[Reunion Records; Publishers: Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing/Big Skwawka Music, Sony/ATV Timber Publishing/Windsor Hill Music]
Best CCM Album
Ghosts Upon The Earth
Gungor
[Brash Music]
Leaving Eden
Brandon Heath
[Reunion Records]
The Great Awakening
Leeland
[Essential Records]
What If We Were Real
Mandisa
[Sparrow Records]
Black & White
Royal Tailor
[Essential Records]
And If Our God Is For Us…
Chris Tomlin
[Sparrow Records / sixstepsrecords]
If you recall, NARAS significantly revamped the awards categories this year, chopping down 7 categories to 5, and crunching all of it into either “gospel” or “Christian contemporary music (CCM)”… it’s cleaner, though it may unfairly treat some very significant sub-genres (like Christian hip-hop).
*shrug*
A full list of nominees in all categories can be viewed here.
What do you think of the nominees???
Hey folks– visit http://www.watchgmctv.com/vote to vote in this year’s Music Video Awards at gmc.
If you do, you’ll be entered to win a $20 iTunes gift card (that’ll get you two albums, or like… 20 singles!).
I just voted and noticed some of my favorite videos over there, like Mary Mary’s “Survive,” Lecrae’s “Background” and Kirk Franklin’s “I Smile.”
Who are you pickin’?
