Don’t get caught slipping… BET’s Celebration of Gospel airs THIS SUNDAY at 8pm ET/PT.
The 12th annual performance showcase, hosted by Steve Harvey, will feature performances from Kirk Franklin, Marvin Sapp, Shirley Caesar, Fred Hammond, Le’Andria Johnson, Jessica Reedy, Isaac Carree, Mali Music, Faith Evans and MANY MANY more.
Don’t miss it. And check out this video of BET’s Torrence Glenn chatting it up with the artists as they arrive on the Celebration of Gospel BLUE carpet!
Mark your calendars!
The 12th annual Celebration of Gospel, hosted by Steve Harvey, will air on BET on Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 8pm ET/PT.
Folks already slated to perform/appear include:
Kirk Franklin
Yolanda Adams
Marvin Sapp
Shirley Caesar
Fred Hammond
Le’Andria Johnson
The Rance Allen Group
Earnest Pugh
Zacardi Cortez
Jessica Reedy
Ricky Dillard & New G
Isaac Carree
Mali Music
Ledisi
Faith Evans
Kelly Price
Johnny Gill
Jennifer Holliday
James Fortune & FIYA
Moses Tyson, Jr.
Maurette Brown Clark
Dr. Bobby Jones
Wendy Raquel Robinson
The event will also feature tributes to Mahalia Jackson and Whitney Houston.
The two-hour special will be taped next Friday, March 16th, at 8 p.m. PT at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles.
FREE TICKETS are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Email betrsvp@bet.net to get ‘em!
I can’t lie– I’m super proud of James Fortune as I type this!
James Fortune & FIYA’s new album, Identity, has debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart and Independent Albums chart. He has also debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200! It represents the first #1 debut of his career, a great feat for the first album on his own label. Kudos!
Here’s the rest of the Top 10 this week…
1 | James Fortune & FIYA – Identity
2 | Various Artists – Joyful Noise Sountrack
3 | Le’Andria Johnson – The Awakening of Le’Andria Johnson…
4 | William McDowell – Arise
5 | Kirk Franklin – Hello Fear
6 | Marvin Sapp – Playlist: The Very Best of…
7 | Lecrae – Rehab
8 | Shirley Caesar – The Ultimate Collection
9 | Charlie Haden & Hank Jones – Come Sunday
10 | Isaac Carree – Uncommon Me
Next week, we should see entries on the chart from Myron Butler and WOW Gospel 2012.
You have James Fortune’s new project yet???
The soundtrack for the recently released major motion picture, Joyful Noise, has debuted at #1 this week on Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart. The project, produced by Mervyn Warren, features some pop-music-made-gospel by co-stars Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton and KeKe Palmer, as well as an original tune from Kirk Franklin.
I should also point out that the South African all-male a cappella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo debuted at #4 with their Ladysmith Black Mambazo & Friends project. And Come Sunday, a special gospel project from jazz bassist Charlie Haden and the late Hank Jones, an acclaimed jazz pianist, debuted at #6. That’s a good project.
I have something to say about all three of these projects impacting the gospel charts the way they have… I think I’ll save it for an editorial in GospelPundit Weekly. 
If you’re not subscribed, do so HERE– it comes out every Thursday evening and you don’t wanna miss it!
In the meantime, check out the full top 10…
1 | Various Artists – Joyful Noise Sountrack
2 | William McDowell – Arise
3 | Le’Andria Johnson – The Awakening of Le’Andria Johnson…
4 | Ladysmith Black Mambazo - Ladysmith Black Mambazo & Friends
5 | Kirk Franklin – Hello Fear
6 | Charlie Haden & Hank Jones – Come Sunday
7 | Lecrae – Rehab
8 | Marvin Sapp – Playlist: The Very Best of…
9 | Jessica Reedy – From the Heart
10 | Shirley Caesar – The Ultimate Collection
WOW Gospel 2011 fell out of the Top 10, perhaps for the first time since its release last January. No matter– WOW Gospel 2012 hits stores this coming Tuesday… it’ll be back!
Next week, expect to see James Fortune & FIYA’s new album, Identity, at the top of the charts. I’m curious to see if it will outsell the mainstream-promoted Joyful Noise soundtrack, but it’s definitely going to clobber sales in the gospel market. And it should– check out my review here.
William McDowell’s Arise is back at #1 on Billboard this week, followed by Kirk Franklin and Le’Andria Johnson at #2 and #3, respectively.
Shirley Caesar has a compilation album, The Ultimate Collection, which came out about a year ago and re-entered the charts at #4… dunno what’s up with that, but “whoo hoo” for ya!
Check out the full top 10…
1 | William McDowell – Arise
2 | Kirk Franklin – Hello Fear
3 | Le’Andria Johnson – The Awakening of Le’Andria Johnson…
4 | Shirley Caesar – The Ultimate Collection
5 | Lecrae – Rehab
6 | Amber Bullock – Thank You
7 | Isaac Carree – Uncommon Me
8 | Marvin Sapp – Playlist: The Very Best of…
9 | Jessica Reedy – From the Heart
10 | WOW Gospel 2011
New music is coming from James Fortune in less than two weeks– he’ll dominate the charts when he gets here. Until then, the soundtrack for the motion picture Joyful Noise stands to make a little splash when it’s released this coming Tuesday, January 10th.
This Saturday, December 3rd, at 7pm, 8pm and 9pm ET, gmc will air the finale of the Verizon Wireless How Sweet the Sound choir competition, which took place last month.
The event, taped at the Staples Center, will feature co-hosts Donald Lawrence and CeCe Winans, judges Marvin Sapp, Israel Houghton and Shirley Caesar, Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton (singing a tune from their upcoming movie, Joyful Noise) and, of course, some of the nation’s best church choirs.
Tune-in!
Make sure you tune-in to the Black Girls Rock awards program on BET this Sunday, November 6th, at 8pm ET/7pm CST.
Shirley Caesar was among the honorees at the annual awards event of Black Girls Rock, a nonprofit organization that seeks to promote the arts for young women of color. Sibling duo Mary Mary performed, as did mainstream artists like Mary J Blige, Melanie Fiona, Jill Scott and Erykah Badu.
On October 15th, Tracee Ellis Ross and Regina King hosted the awards show at the Bronx’s Paradise Theater. This year marks the second annual telecast of the star-studded program on BET.
To learn more about Black Girls Rock, visit http://blackgirlsrockinc.com.
Folks, I don’t know if you’re in the Los Angeles area, on your way there, or can get there this evening, but the Staples Center is THE PLACE to be tonight for the finale of Verizon Wireless’ How Sweet the Sound.
In addition to incredible performances from the best church choirs across the country, the audience will be treated to live performances from hosts Donald Lawrence and CeCe Winans, as well as Marvin Sapp and more.
Judges for the evening are Sapp, Shirley Caesar and Israel Houghton.
Plus, Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton will perform a song from their upcoming film, Joyful Noise.
Doors open at 6pm, the show starts at 7:30pm and there are still a few tickets left. Tickets are only $10 and $15, and you know you can’t REMEMBER when you paid so little for a gospel show. 
Visit www.HowSweetTheSound.com to get ‘em.
And be there!!!
Just a quick heads-up folks (as if you weren’t already planning to watch, right?)–
The finale of Sunday Best airs this Sunday, September 11th at 8pm ET. We will, of course, FINALLY know who will take the title this season– Andrea Helms or Amber Bullock.
Also, part of the show will celebrate the 100th birthday of Mahalia Jackson and will feature key performances from some of gospel music’s biggest names, including Shirley Caesar, Yolanda Adams, Rance Allen, Lecrae, Crystal Aikin, Y’Anna Crawley, Jessica Reedy, Le’Andria Johnson, VaShawn Mitchell, Ricky Dillard and MORE.
Yet ANOTHER reason to watch!
This week on BET’s Sunday Best, we were able to listen to the remaining 7 finalists, with 2 heading home.
Before that, though, Yolanda Adams and Donnie McClurkin opened the show with their hit duo, “The Prayer,” from Donnie’s 2003 album, Again. I don’t fully get the performance decision– they’ve each had two albums since then. It seemed like a shot at a TV moment, though, which I can’t be mad at. They still have incredible voices and they pulled off a solid performance.
I’m so glad that we finally got to see Kim Burrell actually BE the vocal mentor this episode. And it was a good show for it– the theme revolved around LOVE SONGS, and Kim really helped these artists operate outside their comfort zone, which I think was the point of the whole exercise.
Here’s how the finalists’ performances played out for me:
Michael Pugh – “You and I”
This is the type of song I’ve been waiting to hear from him– a perfect way to showcase his ability to do more than a churchy squall that slays. He has a nice tone for crooning. Though he definitely didn’t seem as comfortable with this style of music, I was glad to hear him in this vein!
Timesha Sampson – “I Believe In You And Me”
Aww, man. This kind of got away from Timesha, which I think might have been avoided if she stuck to the melody a bit more. Sucks to say it, and it may be unfair, but this was clearly too “gospel” for this week’s gospel show.
Monica Smith – “At Last”
She REALLY impressed me! Despite everyone comparing her to Shirley Caesar for the past several weeks, Monica seemed completely comfortable doing this jazzy, lounge-like song. She gave a tasteful and authentic performance. This was spot on!
Andrea Helms – “Wind Beneath My Wings”
Again, I’m always left wondering if the judges’ and crowd’s reactions have more to do with her race than her gift. There wasn’t anything particular astounding about this vocal performance. It was a bit amateur this time around for me.
Amber Bullock- “Ribbon In The Sky”
Great tone, lady! Plus, pretty good choices on the “doo doo doo” scat-like ad libs. It was way too gospel for me by the time the vamp came along, though– I agree with Tina’s wish that Amber had taken a more “tender approach.” Still, she’s a frontrunner for a reason– she’s polished and professional.
Isaiah Freeman IV – “So Amazing”
This performance hurt my heart. I don’t even CONDONE many people remaking Luther Vandross, but from Isaiah’s first note, I was put at ease. His tone and approach was INCREDIBLE to me. Then, in a moment, he lost the words, his total confidence was shaken, and the rest of the performance fell apart. Isaiah is much better than that performance displayed and he knew it. Hurt me! Lol
Sue Roseberry – “Jesus Is Love”
UMM… kinda unfair, on the whole secular “love songs” show, that Mama Sue gets to do “Jesus Is Love,” but she sang it like she wrote it. Lol! I MEAN! Flawless finessing of a good ol’ groove. I loved it.
Before any finalist got sent packing, the one and only Jill Scott performed “Hear My Call.” She crafted her song– she didn’t just sing it. It was an absolutely captivating performance of a beautiful song.
In the end, Timesha Sampson and Isaiah Freeman IV were sent home. I was particularly disappointed about Isaiah– definitely my fave from this season so far. That’s alright my dude! I’m buying your album!
Anyway, just my two cents. What did YOU think of the show?
