Make sure you tune in to BET’s Bobby Jones Gospel this Sunday, January 24th at 9am ET, to catch the legendary Rance Allen Group, The Whispers and The Brown Sisters.

You can bet on Rance Allen showin’ out and I’m kinda interested in seeing The Whispers perform a gospel cut.  The Brown Sisters have been getting a lot of indie buzz since their debut project, Live In Chicago, was released last year… it’ll be good for the nation to see them in action.

Admittedly, I’m not EAGER for this episode, but I am curious.  Who’s tuning in???

Tamela Mann’s newest project, The Master Plan, has debuted at #2 on Billboard’s Gospel Album chart.  That’s pretty awesome!

BeBe & CeCe Winans’ reunion project ”still” (that pun is getting SO old now) sits at #1.  With Mann’s entry onto the chart, most of the top 5 albums were simply bumped down by one position…

Fred Hammond moves from #2 to #3, Byron Cage from #3 to #4 and Mary Mary from #4 to #5.  The Whispers dropped from #5 to #8 on the chart.

Major congrats to Byron Cage, whose new album, Faithful To Believe, debuted at #3 on Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart!

The latest albums from BeBe & CeCe Winans and Fred Hammond remain at their #1 and #2 spots, respectively.  Likewise, Mary Mary’s The Sound holds its #4 position.

The Whispers’ debut gospel project, Thankful, drops from #3 to #5, while The Anointed Pace Sisters (#5 last week) drop to the #11 spot.

Though BeBe & CeCe Winans remain at the top spot with their reunion project, Still, a couple of new projects debuted in the top 5 of Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart this week.

The Whispers debut gospel project, Thankful, enters the marketplace at the #3 position, moving Mary Mary’s album, The Sound, to the #4 slot.

Finally, the newest project from The Anointed Pace Sisters, Access Granted, debuted at #5 on the sales chart, bumping Hezekiah Walker’s Souled Out to the #6 position.

Love Unstoppable, the newest project from Fred Hammond, remains at the #2 spot.  Vickie Winans’ How I Got Over drops from #4 to #12.

I do not have the new project from The Whispers, but with production from Fred Hammond, it’s probably got some good tracks on there.

What I DO have, however, is this Pace Sisters project and it’s got some reeeaaaaallly awesome production (Asaph Ward), good songwriting, and tight vocals and harmonies.  Hadn’t planned to review it, but they’ve swayed me.  Stay tuned for it…

Anybody pick up The Whispers’ or The Anointed Pace Sisters’ projects?

Some good new music came out yesterday.  I think you guys should check it out…

1. The newest album from gospel favorite Lisa Page Brooks, entitled Stronger;

2. The debut gospel project, Thankful, from legendary R&B group The Whispers;

2. The newest compilation in the Gotta Have Gospel series– Gotta Have Gospel Christmas;

3. The 6-track EP from former New Breed vocalist Leah Smith, Beautifully Made.

Which of ‘em are YOU buying?  Which have you already bought?

Hollerrrr at me.

Curious– does the gospel music marketplace attempt to dictate who can sing gospel music?  Moreover, do we think that God has asked us to determine for Him who is authentic and who is not?

Two things served as the impetus for my query– first, this morning, Gerard Bonner launched his new radio show, Bonnerfide Radio, during which he played an incredible track from Ledisi entitled “Knockin’.”  In it, she tells the devil “I hear you knockin’, but you can’t come in.”  In the chatroom, we discussed whether it’s “okay” for secular artists to sing gospel songs, etc. (I think we all agreed that she sang that song and we love it).

Second, on Monday, I announced the release date for the debut gospel album from legendary R&B/soul group The Whispers.  Comments were made that suggested the group was just another secular act trying to take advantage of the gospel marketplace.

My concern: It seems unfair to me that a musician who has spent any amount of time singing or playing secular music would have to PROVE to us that they’re legitimate before they can enter “our” arena.  First of all, we stand divided as to whether “secular” music is even bad.  But even assuming that it is, why would we have SOOOO many barriers up and hurdles to jump before some prodigal singer or musician can “come home”?

We’ve seen it time after time.  Whether it’s Coko, Kelly Price, Dave Hollister… we give them the side-eye and assume the worst FIRST– they’re probably not for real, they probably don’t really wanna honor God, they must have a hidden motive.

But do we look at our altars every Sunday morning and assume that most of the people who have come to it are just fakin’ it?  Do we wonder whether they’re just trying to steal from the offering plate?

Why is the default response, in MUSIC, one of mistrust, rather than a warm embrace?  When was the last time WE had to prove ourselves in the same way?  And if we haven’t had to do so, what Biblical basis do we have for demanding such proof from them?

AND, if we’re gonna demand proof, what have we decided it will be?  Do we need press releases about their salvation before the gospel album is released?  Is there a waiting period of 3 years between the time that they “leave” secular music and start singing gospel?  Where’s our list of criteria and from where are we deriving it?

It all seems unfortunate, but it’s the reality…  I’m just wondering why.

Thoughts???

The debut gospel album from legendary R&B/soul group, The Whispers, is set to be released on October 20th.

The 10-track project, entitled Thankful, was produced by the group and Fred Hammond. The single, “Thou Art With Me,” is being described as “Gospel meets Quiet Storm”.
Hmmm… at first glance, that sounds like a musical accident waiting to happen, BUT… I love The Whispers so much, and Fred Hammond is so phenomenal anyway, I’ve gotta believe it’s gonna be kinda hot.

And so, yes… VERY much so looking forward to it.

How about you???

Legendary soul group, The Whispers, have been signed to Kingdom Records (Shekinah Glory‘s label) and are planning the release of their first gospel project, to be released later this year.  AND, Fred Hammond is slated to produce some tracks for the project!

I dunno exactly how that’s gonna sound, but I love me some Whispers.  I didn’t even need a gospel project, cuz I’m still jammin’ to “And The Beat Goes On” and “Rock Steady.”  Shoooooot…