Congratulations are in order for Myron and Timberlyn Butler in the birth of their third child, baby girl Mylan Drew Butler.
I just chatted with Myron, who tells me that ”[Mylan] is another extremely important part of my world. We’re glad that she’s here and that she’s healthy… she’s 6 pounds, 15 ounces, born at 11:18 this morning.”
The couple also just celebrated their 8th wedding anniversary on Tuesday.
So, DOUBLE congrats to ya!
McDonald’s will kick off its 5th annual Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour featuring Grammy Award-winning gospel recording artist Hezekiah Walker. The tour is part of McDonald’s everyday commitment to celebrating the culture of the African-American community.
The tour will make stops at churches in 6 U.S. cities (Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Atlanta) and will play at the Jackson Convention Complex in Jackson, Mississippi, as well as, summer festivals in Newark, NJ, and Washington, DC.
Tour dates and locations include:
June 11 – Atlanta, GA (Ray of Hope Christian Church)
June 14 – Jackson, MS (Jackson Convention Complex)
June 16 – Philadelphia, PA (Deliverance Evangelistic Church)
June 18 – Newark, NJ (McDonald’s Gospelfest – Prudential Center) *not a free concert
June 21 – Detroit, MI (Greater Grace Temple)
June 23 – Chicago, IL (Christ Universal Temple)
June 25 – Dallas, TX (Friendship West Baptist Church)
July 22 – Los Angeles, CA (West Angeles COGIC)
September 10 – Washington, DC (Black Family Reunion Celebration – National Mall)
The McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour concerts are FREE (except for the McDonald’s Gospelfest event in Newark, NJ), and tickets are available, while supplies last, at the host church and select local retailers.
“Gospel music gives inspiration to people and McDonald’s is known for giving to communities around the world,” said Hezekiah Walker. “I am honored to headline a tour of this nature and be able to share my music with audiences across the country to uplift and inspire them.”
Bishop Walker will be joined by all-star gospel artists 21:03 in Philadelphia, Detroit and Chicago; Canton Jones in Atlanta and Jackson, MS; Myron Butler and Anthony Evans in Dallas; and Nikki Potts in Los Angeles.
“McDonald’s is really excited to share in culture and community in a way that really connects with our consumers in a meaningful way,” expressed Rob Jackson, McDonald’s Director U.S. Marketing. “During the community events, attendees will also have the opportunity to learn more about Ronald McDonald House Charities® and the incredible work they do to help families right in the local community.”
In previous years, the tour featured top gospel artists such as CeCe Winans, Regina Belle, Smokie Norful, J. Moss, Vanessa Bell Armstrong and Kierra “KiKi” Sheard.
For more info about the tour, visit www.365Black.com, McDonald’s portal for its 365Black® programs, celebrating the African American community throughout the year.
Who’s attending???
EMI Gospel will release a special Smokie Norful project on March 29th, titled How I Got Over: Songs that Carried Us.
The album features guest performances from Joe Ligon, Sheri Jones-Moffett, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Myron Butler and more!
The vocalists are backed by the 12th Episcopal District Mass Choir of the AME Church, recorded live during the District’s annual conference in Tulsa, OK.
Here’s a track listing:
01. Sunday Morning Medley (Smokie Norful & Myron Butler)
02. Solid Rock (Melvin Williams)
03. Jesus Medley (Keshia McFarland)
04. Trouble In My Way (Vanessa Bell Armstrong)
05. Hymn Medley (Pastor WR Norful Sr.)
06. The Lord Will Make A Way (Sheri Jones-Moffett)
07. The Blood Medley (Smokie Norful)
08. I Know It Was The Blood (Joe Ligon)
Again, it won’t hit stores until March 29th, it’s available for pre-order on Amazon.com right now
The 26th Annual Stellar Awards were held in Nashville, TN this past Saturday.
Special awards went to Donald Lawrence (Lifetime Achievement), Kirk Franklin (Notable Achievement) and Vanessa Bell Armstrong (Living Legend).
Here’s a full list of the night’s winners…
Artist of the Year
BeBe & CeCe Winans
Fred Hammond
James Fortune & FIYA
Marvin Sapp
Song of the Year
BeBe Winans, “Close to You”
Fred Hammond, Calvin Rodgers, Phillip Feaster, Ericka Warren, Michael Bethany and Dynna Wells, “They That Wait”
James Fortune, C. Fortune and T. Vaughn, “Encore”
Marvin Sapp, “Best In Me”
Male Vocalist of the Year
Byron Cage
Fred Hammond
J. Moss
Marvin Sapp
Female Vocalist of the Year
CeCe Winans
Karen Clark Sheard
Lucinda Moore
Tamela Mann
Group/Duo of the Year
BeBe & CeCe Winans
Forever Jones
James Fortune & FIYA
The Anointed Pace Sisters
New Artist of the Year
Forever Jones
Kristina Halloway
Travis Greene
Victory Cathedral Choir
CD of the Year
Fred Hammond, Love Unstoppable
J. Moss, Just James
James Fortune & FIYA, Encore
Marvin Sapp, Here I Am
Choir of the Year
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
James Hall & Voices of Citadel
Victory Cathedral Choir
Wilmington Chester Mass Choir
Producer of the Year
Aaron Lindsey, Here I Am
Donald Lawrence, The Experience
Fred Hammond, Love Unstoppable
James Fortune, Terrance Vaughn and Ayron Lewis, Encore
Contemporary Group/ Duo of the Year
BeBe & CeCe Winans
Forever Jones
James Fortune and FIYA
Trin-i-tee 5:7
Traditional Group/Duo of the Year
James Greer & Company
The Anointed Pace Sisters
The Christian Angels
The Mighty Clouds of Joy
Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year
Byron Cage
Fred Hammond
J. Moss
James Fortune
Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year
Alvin Darling
Darrell Hines
Marvin Sapp
Marvin Winans
Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year
CeCe Winans
Karen Clark Sheard
Lisa Page Brooks
Tamela Mann
Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year
Fredericka Faison
Lucinda Moore
Shirley Caesar
Vanessa Bell Armstrong
Contemporary CD of the Year
BeBe and CeCe Winans, Still
Fred Hammond, Love Unstoppable
J.Moss, Just James
James Fortune and FIYA, Encore
Traditional CD of the Year
James Hall & Voices of Citadel, Won’t It Be Wonderful
Marvin Sapp, Here I Am
Shirley Caesar, A City Called Heaven
Vanessa Bell Armstrong, The Experience
Urban/ Inspirational Single / Performance of the Year
BeBe & CeCe Winans, “Still”
Forever Jones, “Get Ready”
James Fortune & FIYA, “Encore”
Marvin Sapp, “Here I Am”
Music Video of the Year
BeBe and CeCe Winans, “Close to You”
Kirk Whalum, “Make Me a Believer”
Shirley Caesar, “Playground In Heaven”
The Anointed Pace Sisters, “If I Be Lifted Up”
Contemporary Choir of the Year
God’s Little Soldiers International
Myron Butler & Levi
Youth for Christ
Youthful Praise featuring JJ Hairston
Traditional Choir of the Year
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
James Hall & Voices of Citadel
Victory Cathedral Choir
Wilmington Chester Mass Choir
Special Event CD of the Year
BeBe and CeCe Winans, Still
Kirk Franklin, Are You Listening
Various Artists, CoCo Brother Live Presents Stand 2010
Various Artists, WOW Gospel 2010
Rap/Hip Hop Gospel CD of the Year
DJ Official, Entermission
Everyday Process, Outtadisworld
Sho Baraka, Lions and Liars
Trip Lee, Between Two Worlds
Children’s Project of the Year
God’s Little Soldiers International, Soldier Story
Kingdom Kids Worldwide, Kingdom Kids Worldwide Volume 1
The Velasquez Family Singers, While We Still Have Time
Youth for Christ, Thanks In Advance
Quartet of the Year
Reverend F.C. Barnes & Company
The Christian Angels
The Golden Wings Quartet
The Mighty Clouds of Joy
Recorded Music Package of the Year
Cameron Hilson and Mark Neubauer, Get Ready (forever Jones)
Denise Trotman, Here I Am (Marvin Sapp)
Derek Blanks and Ken Barboza, Still (BeBe & CeCe Winans)
Jeff Gilligan, Love Unstoppable (Fred Hammond)
Praise and Worship CD of the Year
Darwin Hobbs, Darwin Hobbs Live: Champion
James Fortune & FIYA, Encore
Phil Tarver, Place of Worship
The Anointed Pace Sisters, Access Granted
The awards show will air on gmc on March 5 at 8pm ET. Before that, however, you can catch it in most major markets (check your local listings) between January 22 and March 13.
A list of performers and presenters for the 26th Annual Stellar Awards has been released!
Among the performers are Marvin Sapp, Beverly Crawford, Deitrick Haddon, the Nevels Sisters, VaShawn Mitchell, the Soul Seekers, the Williams Brothers, the Rance Allen Group, forever Jones, JJ Hairston and Joshua’s Troop. Also performing will be an all-star choir in tribute to Kirk Franklin, and the winners of the 2010 How Sweet the Sound competition in tribute to Donald Lawrence.
Award presenters and other participants will include J Moss, Dorinda Clark Cole, Hezekiah Walker, Andrae Crouch, Vickie Winans, Lisa Page Brooks, DeWayne Woods, Wess Morgan, Myron Butler, Yvette Nicole Brown, Dr. Bobby Jones and more.
The show will be taped this Saturday in Nashville, TN, at the Grand Ole Opry House, and will air on gmc on March 5 at 8pm ET. The program will also air in various national markets from January 22nd through March 13th. Check your local listings!
Word has it that Myron Butler and his wife, Timberlyn, are expecting another child! Myron made the announcement yesterday afternoon on Twitter.
The couple already has two beautiful children, Mya and Myles. Their new “addition” should be arriving in early summer of 2011.
Let’s thank God for this blessing, as well as pray for a safe and healthy pregnancy!
The nominees for the 26th annual Stellar Awards were announced on Saturday in Nashville, TN during a live telecast on gmc, hosted by Donnie McClurkin and featuring performances by Jessica Reedy, VaShawn Mitchell, Lucinda Moore, Joe Pace and more.
The show takes place on Saturday, January 15, 2011 in Nashville, TN. It will be hosted by Donnie McClurkin, alone, serving as the first time that the show has been hosted by only one person. Also, in honor of Albertina Walker, the “Female Vocalist of the Year” category will be forever named the “Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year” award.
The following are the recipients of the special awards:
Donald Lawrence will receive the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award
Kirk Franklin will receive the Thomas Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award
Vanessa Bell Armstrong will receive the Dr. Bobby Jones Legend Award
And the nominees are…
Artist of the Year
BeBe & CeCe Winans
Fred Hammond
James Fortune & FIYA
Marvin Sapp
Song of the Year
“Close to You” | BeBe Winans
“They That Wait” | Fred Hammond, Calvin Rodgers, Phillip Feaster, Ericka Warren, Michael Bethany and Dynna Wells
“Encore” | James Fortune, C. Fortune and T. Vaughn
“Best In Me” | Marvin Sapp
Choir of the Year
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
James Hall & Voices of Citadel
Victory Cathedral Choir
Wilmington Chester Mass Choir
New Artist of the Year
Forever Jones
Kristina Halloway
Travis Greene
Victory Cathedral Choir
CD of the Year
Fred Hammond | Love Unstoppable
J. Moss | Just James
James Fortune & FIYA | Encore
Marvin Sapp | Here I Am
Producer of the Year
Aaron Lindsey for Here I Am
Donald Lawrence for The Experience
Fred Hammond for Love Unstoppable
James Fortune, Terrance Vaughn and Ayron Lewis for Encore
Female Vocalist of the Year
CeCe Winans
Karen Clark Sheard
Lucinda Moore
Tamela Mann
Male Vocalist of the Year
Byron Cage
Fred Hammond
J. Moss
Marvin Sapp
Group/Duo of the Year
BeBe & CeCe Winans
Forever Jones
James Fortune & FIYA
The Anointed Pace Sisters
Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year
Byron Cage
Fred Hammond
J. Moss
James Fortune
Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year
Alvin Darling
Darrell Hines
Marvin Sapp
Marvin Winans
Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year
CeCe Winans
Karen Clark Sheard
Lisa Page Brooks
Tamela Mann
Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year
Fredericka Faison
Lucinda Moore
Shirley Caesar
Vanessa Bell Armstrong
Traditional CD of the Year
James Hall & Voices of Citadel | Won’t It Be Wonderful
Marvin Sapp | Here I Am
Shirley Caesar | A City Called Heaven
Vanessa Bell Armstrong | The Experience
Contemporary CD of the Year
BeBe and CeCe Winans | Still
Fred Hammond | Love Unstoppable
J.Moss | Just James
James Fortune and FIYA | Encore
Contemporary Choir of the Year
God’s Little Soldiers International
Myron Butler & Levi
Youth for Christ
Youthful Praise featuring J.J. Hairston
Traditional Choir of the Year
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
James Hall & Voices of Citadel
Victory Cathedral Choir
Wilmington Chester Mass Choir
Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year
BeBe & CeCe Winans
Forever Jones
James Fortune and FIYA
Trin-i-tee 5:7
Traditional Group/Duo of the Year
James Greer & Company
The Anointed Pace Sisters
The Christian Angels
The Mighty Clouds of Joy
Quartet of the Year
Reverend F.C. Barnes & Company
The Christian Angels
The Golden Wings Quartet
The Mighty Clouds of Joy
Rap, Hip Hop Gospel CD of the Year
DJ Official | Entermission
Everyday Process | Outtadisworld
Sho Baraka | Lions and Liars
Trip Lee | Between Two Worlds
Music Video of the Year
BeBe and CeCe Winans | “Close to You”
Kirk Whalum | “Make Me a Believer”
Shirley Caesar | “Playground In Heaven”
The Anointed Pace Sisters | “If I Be Lifted Up”
Urban Inspirational Performance of the Year
BeBe & CeCe Winans | “Still”
Forever Jones | “Get Ready”
James Fortune & FIYA | “Encore”
Marvin Sapp | “Here I Am”
Recorded Music Packaging of the Year
Cameron Hilson and Mark Neubauer for Get Ready
Denise Trotman for Here I Am
Derek Blanks and Ken Barboza for Still
Jeff Gilligan for Love Unstoppable
Praise and Worship CD of the Year
Darwin Hobbs | Darwin Hobbs Live: Champion
James Fortune & FIYA | Encore
Phil Tarver | Place of Worship
The Anointed Pace Sisters | Access Granted
Children’s Project of the Year
God’s Little Soldiers International | Soldier Story
Kingdom Kids Worldwide | Kingdom Kids Worldwide Volume 1
The Velasquez Family Singers | While We Still Have Time
Youth for Christ | Thanks In Advance
Special Event CD of the Year
BeBe and CeCe Winans | Still
Kirk Franklin | Are You Listening
Various Artists | CoCo Brother Live Presents Stand 2010
Various Artists | WOW Gospel 2010
What do you guys think of the nominees???
Is it just me, or is Myron Butler a bit underrated in the gospel industry?
He has released three reeeally good projects since his earlier successful days with God’s Property. He’s a great songwriter and producer. He produced and arranged the daylights out of the vocals on Marvin Sapp’s latest project, Here I Am. He brings innovative music to the table EVERY time.
But I don’t feel like he gets his due. His latest album, Revealed… Live In Dallas, should be higher on the charts. His latest single “Speak” should be gettin’ more spins at radio and could be heard more in churches.
I dunno… I just think that people lump him into a category with a bunch of other artists/groups with similar formats– but they’re not the same. At all.
Is it just me?
Don’t forget that we’re praying for Myron Butler all week as part of our weekly series, The Prayer List.
Click here for the initial write-up and to see some of the prayers that have already gone out and up for our bro in ministry!
This prayer train is still rollin’ and I’m ready to add a new addition to GospelPundit.com’s weekly series, The Prayer List.
This week, we’re praying for Myron Butler.
Myron gained national exposure and attention over a decade ago, through his songwriting/lead vocals on the history-making God’s Property album with Kirk Franklin. Since then, however, the Lord has established Myron has a frontman in his own right, having released three albums with his group, Levi (the most recent of which, Revealed… Live In Dallas, hit stores in March of this year).
More than a gifted singer/songwriter, he’s a husband and father. He’s a super humble guy with a fun personality and big ol’ heart. Let’s lift him up in prayer, family. Cool?
Lord, thank You for the life and ministry of Myron Butler. Thank You for gifting him in so many ways, and thank You for giving him a heart to serve You and to worship You with his life.
I pray, Father, that You will accept Myron’s sacrifice of praise and worship, that it would please You and bring You glory. I pray that You will grant Myron divine wisdom in all areas of his life– as a husband, as a father, as a leader of his group… I pray for clarity of thought and boldness to believe in all that You are able (and faithful) to perform in his life, and in the lives of those surrounding him.
Lord, please bless Myron with patience– in a natural and spiritual sense. And allow him to rest in You… to rest in all that You’ve promised and revealed to him. Help his unbelief, in whatever areas You may find it, God… And help him to never grow anxious as he waits for all that You have in store for him. Encourage Myron’s heart, Lord. Hear every prayer and let him know that You are always with him.
I pray that you would spark in him a new hunger for You, for Your Word, for Your character… I pray that Myron would continue to marvel at Your beauty, God, and that he would fall more deeply in love with You with each passing day.
Father, I pray that, as a result of his love for You, he would gain greater understanding of You and, in turn, impart that into Your people through his ministry. I pray that You would give him all that he’ll need to do Your great work on this Earth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Okay, post your prayers for Myron Butler in the comment section!
