Just a little swapping of positions, but nothing earth-shaking in the top 10 of Billboard’s Gospel Albums charts.

This week, it looks a little something like this…

#1 | Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone
#2 | Israel Houghton – Love God. Love People.
#3 | Marvin Sapp – Here I Am
#4 | Shekinah Glory Ministry – Refreshed By Fire
#5 | WOW Gospel 2010
#6 | Kerry Douglas – Gospel Mix Vol. IV
#7 | Jonathan Nelson – Better Days
#8 | VaShawn Mitchell – Triumphant
#9 | Tamela Mann – The Master Plan
#10 | William McDowell – As We Worship: Live

Can I just say a super big KUDOS to William McDowell and the folks at Light Records? You all didn’t really see the behind-the-scenes of it, but these folks created and implemented a great plan for his project. The album has been on the charts for 63 weeks, but with the success of his single, “I Give Myself Away,” it continues to gain in sales. Through intentional publicity and radio efforts, he finally broke the top 10 this week– that’s God’s favor, a good plan, some hard work and great label folks. Holla!

Okay, next week, I’m predicting Lecrae’s Rehab will take the #1 spot. Aside from that, not sure how it will all shake out.

Who here grabbed that Mavis Staples project???

Either folks have REALLY been waiting for this new music, or we may see a couple of dips in sales next week.  In any case, we’ll celebrate this week!

This week, four of the top five positions on Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart are album debuts. Congrats to Shekinah Glory Ministry for topping the chart with the #1-selling album in gospel this week, entitled Refreshed By Fire.  Shout-out to Mavis Staples for debuting at #2 with You Are Not Alone. Big congrats, also, to Jonathan Nelson, whose newest project, Better Days, debuted at #4! Finally, big shout-out to Beverly Crawford on her #5 debut with Live from Los Angeles, Vol. 2.

WHEW! The rest of the top 10 looks like this…

#1 | Shekinah Glory Ministry – Refreshed By Fire
#2 | Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone
#3 | Israel Houghton – Love God. Love People.
#4 | Jonathan Nelson – Better Days
#5 | Beverly Crawford – Live from Los Angeles, Vol. 2
#6 | Marvin Sapp – Here I Am
#7 | WOW Gospel 2010
#8 | Kerry Douglas – Gospel Mix Vol. IV
#9 | Tamela Mann – The Master Plan
#10 | VaShawn Mitchell – Triumphant

Who’s got what on this list?

Did anyone grab the new projects from Shekinah Glory, Mavis Staples, Jonathan Nelson or Beverly Crawford?

Talk to me!

Oh, this video blesses me so much.  Simply the SONG from Andraé Crouch…

Just take a minute to listen to the authenticity of the message– not everyone sings with this type of sincerity anymore.  It is, of course, made better by the fact that you’ve got great vocalists like Tata Vega, Ann McCrary, Byran Wilson and Mavis Staples with some impromptu performances on it. ;-)

Did it bless ya???

Y’all heard the Clark Sisters’ version of Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground” yet?  They recorded it with Robert Randolph as part of the Oh Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration album, released by Vector Records/EMI Gospel last week.  The project also features the Soul Children of Chicago (shout-out), Mavis Staples, Al Green and Heather Headley, as well as mainstream artists like Jon Bon Jovi, Michael McDonald, Joss Stone and Queen Latifah.

Honestly, at first, I thought “here comes a trainwreck,” but it’s really not bad AT ALL!  Dorinda seemed a bit more reserved until the end, but each of the ladies held it down throughout.  I think they really put their signature “Clark Sisters sound,” with the harmonies and acrobatics, on a classic song.

Listen:

PLUS, I’m glad to see them branching out and doing more stuff in different arenas, getting some of the recognition that they deserve from the mainstream.

Now, lemme know what YOU think!