I’m incredibly saddened to report that Rev. Timothy Wright passed away this morning at age 61.

After numerous complications following an auto accident last July, which claimed the life of his wife and grandson, Rev. Wright died early this morning at Bronx Veterans Hospital in New York.

Let’s pray for the entire Wright family and the church that he pastored, Grace Tabernacle Christian Center COGIC.

I’m gonna celebrate Rev. Wright and his MUSICAL legacy TODAY on GospelPundit.com, by posting some throwback songs throughout the day along with the other regular news and info.  Keep checkin’ back for that.

And let’s ultimately remember:  He is gone, but not forgotten.  It’s necessary to mourn the loss, but we will absolutely celebrate the victory, too.

Are y’all watching this show?!?!  If you’re not, I cannot explain how much you’re missing out.  It’s a free weekly gospel concert series that you get to enjoy while sitting in your pajamas.  What’s better?!

Okay, so as always, I was updating on Twitter.  The Twitter server kept crashing cuz it said it had too many tweets, which I’m convinced was due SOLELY to the gospel folks watching Sunday Best and commenting together.  If you’re not following me yet, you’re missing out.  Click here: http://www.twitter.com/gospelpundit.

NOW, the show:

Fred Hammond opened up with a new haircut (we love it) and an incredible performance of “No Weapon,” a throwback classic.  He flipped it into a medley by adding “This Is The Day,” reminding EVERYONE that he is gospel royalty.  Why do folks still sleep on Fred?  Has he EVER let us down, musically?!

Anyway, next came the performances.  They said they were honoring the “Godfathers” of Gospel Music– Thomas A. Dorsey, James Cleveland and Bobby Jones.  Didn’t know we had given them those designations, especially since Thomas A. Dorsey created what we consider gospel music (we call him the “Father”) and the entire industry calls Rev. Timothy Wright the “Godfather of Gospel,” but he wasn’t even recognized… whatever.  I’m glad whenever we honor gospel greats, so that’s kewl.  I DIGRESS!

The performances:

Latice Crawford – “Soon I Will Be Done…”:  MA’AM!  You look flawless and your performance was incredible.  The judges mentioned a “disconnect,” which I noticed a bit too– right when the beat came in, she didn’t seem like she FELT like delivering it… But she demolished that song from note one at the VERY TOP of the stairs, all the way until her Whitney Houston-lookin’ self got to the end of the song.  Fantastic performance.

Y’Anna Crawley – “No Ways Tired”:  It may have been my favorite performance from her to date.  I know everybody is still buckin’ and shoutin’ over “Grandma’s Hands” from a few weeks back, but the MINISTRY that was there last night… we haven’t really seen her in that way yet, so I’m all about last night’s performance.  And when she got to talkin’ about how she’s raising her kids on her own… she meant that thing.  Awesome job!

Jessica Reedy – “God Has Smiled On Me”: I’ve said it from day one and I’ll say it until the end of this competition– JESSICA REEDY IS MY FAVE.  She always looks incredible, she has this sweet, humble demeanor (which she tastefully flips to a “commanding confidence” on stage)… she’s better than she even realizes, I think, which is awesome.  I say it all the time about her– it’s the MUSICAL CHOICES she makes… she’s tasteful, daring, unique, not easy to imitate… AND THE RANGE.  She was hitting notes in her lower register that some dudes can’t even hit.  And with precision… and with tone and color… and with… ALL THAT.  Jessica Reedy, you are… well, you just ARE!

Zebulon Ellis - “Precious Lord”:  I didn’t feel like hearing nobody’s “Precious Lord.”  In fact, I walked away for a minute.  But I’ll be doggoned if Zebulon Ellis didn’t make me RUN back into the room with dropped jaw and wide eyes… that man sang that song.  Still, the performance was not as stellar as those of his female counterparts.  He sings well, but he doesn’t PERFORM as well as they did.  And ultimately, I think that’s what made the distinction.

In the end, Zebulon was sent home, which I think is the right decision.  He gave it his all and has gained a BUNCH of people who are gonna support him.  Great work, brother!

Now, it’s down Jessica Reedy, Latice Crawford and Y’Anna Crawley. At this point, any one of these three ladies could win and I’d say “ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.”  I am, of course, hoping for one in particular, but I’ma be buying albums from each of ya.  EACH OF YA, I say!

Some general notes:

1.  With fewer contestants on the show each week, we’re getting to hear longer songs from them, which is GREAT.  The fact that they don’t have to start at the bridge and end with the chorus means that we get a better picture of how they perform a full song, which is kinda important.

2. Ummm… Donald Lawrence is a musical mastermind who is bringing out the absolute best in each of these singers.  O, to be a fly on the wall of those vocal coaching sessions– he’s got the midas touch.

3.  My wife pointed out (and I concur) that the show’s STYLIST is on their J-O-B.  Everybody looks like a gazillion bucks.  Get it!

4.  I didn’t PERSONALLY need Wynonna Judd’s performance, but the beauty of God’s plan is that SHE needed it… and that’s enough to shut all of our mouths (a little).  After she gave her tearful performance of “How Great Thou Art,” she said that her grandmother had died the night before.  That performance was pure worship for her, and I have nothing to say about that.  AND, I’ll add: she’s a singing somebody anyway.  For proof, listen to her duets on Kelly Price’s Christmas album or Patti LaBelle’s recent gospel album.  She holds her own with both singers, which is no small feat.

All in all, an EXCELLENT show.

Thoughts???

Earlier today, I introduced you to our newest contributor, Ryan Chung (click here if you don’t remember).  And I told ya he’d be blessing us with a recap of James Hall’s live recording in Toronto, which took place on Saturday.  Well, here ’tis.

Ryan, it’s all yours, bro…

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Well, the doors were scheduled to open at 6:30pm.  6:51pm anyone?  Nah, not yet, just make the people wait.  It wasn’t until 7:11pm that the doors finally opened.

The main event was the LIVE recording of the upcoming release from “The Professor”– Brother James Hall & Worship and Praise, Live in Toronto.  It was a tedious wait, but as soon as the praise and worshippers entered the beautiful sanctuary at Global Kingdom Ministries in Toronto, Ontario, the praise really began.

Toronto’s own Echoes Of Praise (a powerful 4-voice ensemble) opened the recording and brought the house down with their own twist of “Nearer To Thee.”  They really set the mood for true worship and THE VOCALS WERE ON POINT!  Backed by Londa Larmond-Moncreiffe & Amoy Levy (I think they are some of Canada’s vocal GREATS), Echoes Of Praise ended their worship set with “To Worship You I Live,” reminding the believer that their main duty is not to be entertained, but to give praise to GOD for as long as they live.

So, yea… time was still not our friend for the night, but the crowd made sure to make the best of it (I hope that some of ya’ll that attended and are reading this GOT TO CHURCH ON TIME the next morning!).  It was around 8:30-ish when Cheryl James & VOW (Voices of Worship) went to the pulpit to lay down some heavy chords and some of the most mind-blowing vocals to EVER (I can’t stress that enough) come out of Toronto.  And this is where I began to HATE this group (in a good way…don’t worry!)  They had the audacity to sing F.O.C.U.S.’ rendition of “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”  There were only 6-8 singers…WHY DID THEY SOUND LIKE A FULL ENSEMBLE OF 40 SINGERS?  They are also a group to check out…straight from my home town.

9:00pm struck on our clocks…It was SHOWTIME!  Oh yea, forgot to add: it was a PACKED HOUSE.  But when you have Eddie ‘Animal’ Heyward (drums), Dewayne “DW” Wright (Timothy Wright’s son… amazing bass player), and Minister Melvin Crispell (organ) as the Musical Director, the house would have to be packed!  I also have to mention that Kurt Carr was in the building, too.  If an artist travels all the way from the States to see a recording in Toronto, you’ve done some good.

People from New York State, Kentucky, Montreal, and, of course, the host city were all in the building.  The music began, the choir members entered the stage, and the “voice” of the choir (Pastor Kevin Bond) began to speak.  Enter James Hall & Worship and Praise who, first,  ”BUSSED” our heads open with “God Is In Control.”  I might add that I never really liked the shiny lime green shirts, but Brother James pulled it off quite well with a simple black suit.

The tune was ringing, the hands began to clap, the shouts began to ring, and the praises were lifted.  James Hall represented by taking us back, doing songs like “I Never Shall Forget,” “He Shall Reign,” “Blessed be the Name” and the aforementioned “God Is In Control,” which will all appear on the upcoming CD and DVD.  NOTE: NO NEW SONGS… which was quite a bummer!

Confessional: As much as the vocalists were on point and the musicians were doing their thing, I will come clean: some of y’all who were there can testify that IT WAS A LONG RECORDING PROCESS.  I’m human– I started to become impatient…Oh Lord work on me!  I understand that mistakes happen, but I would say (I’m kind of a perfectionist): at least run through the songs before you record– it saves time and also preserves patience (for God is not the author of confusion…I’m just saying…lol).

Some details are gonna have to wait– he literally stopped the recording to tell people to stop videotaping on their Blackberries and phones, cameras, etc.  But I will note this: people that paid for the tickets really got to see how Brooklyn, NY does it, with A LOT of TORONTO FLAIR…

12:30am – The recording began to wrap up… yea I know, 12:30 in the morning!  But trust me– from this Toronto resident– the album is sure to NOT disappoint.

Holla!

Ryan

p.s. Did I mention that long-time soloist TUNESHA CRISPELL tore that church apart?!  GLORY TO HIS NAME!!

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Thanks for the recap, dude!  I understand a coupla mistakes, but I’m mad about any excessive starting and stopping business– at one recording I attended, an artist did it so many times that he finally just said “we’re gonna have to do THAT song in the studio.”  LOL  The audience thanks you!

If this project features only throwback joints, I’m lookin’ forward to it cuz I haven’t been as excited about some of their newer stuff.  I wanna be a fan again!

Y’all PLEASE show Ryan some love and thank him for the recap!

What do y’all think about the recording???  Who’s excited for the album?

Bishop Eric McDaniel is recording his first solo album, entitled I Am Favor, LIVE on Sunday, April 5th at 7pm, at Allen Memorial COGIC in Mount Vernon, NY.  The recording is going to feature TONS of great music AND the incomparable KIM BURRELL!

And guess who has partnered with Bishop McDaniel’s team to give away TWO FREE V.I.P. TICKETS to the recording?  ME!!!

Y’all know that I’ve mentioned Bishop McDaniel before on GospelPundit– I was raving about his church choir (click here for the post), but he’s also well known for writing songs for Bishop Hezekiah Walker, Bishop T.D. Jakes and Rev. Timothy Wright.  He also wrote “One More Chance,” which was recently featured on Ricky Dillard’s 7th Episode album.

Bishop McDaniel says that the concept for the title, I Am Favor, is that the FAVOR of GOD is such an integral part of our existence, that we don’t just have favor, we ARE favor.

How To Win The Free VIP Tickets:

1.  Send me an email at ej@gospelpundit.com testifying about GOD’S FAVOR in your life– make the declaration that “I AM FAVOR” and TELL ME HOW!

2.  From among the entries, ONE name will be drawn at random.  The winner will receive TWO (2) V.I.P. Tickets to this incredible LIVE RECORDING.  Plus, your testimony will be featured in a short post on GospelPundit.com!

3.  Make sure you include your full name, mailing address and contact phone number!

4.  HURRY HURRY HURRY!  This promotional giveaway only lasts until 11:59pm on TUESDAY, March 31st!

Legal Stuff:  Transportation expenses are NOT included in this giveaway.  The winner is solely responsible for all expenses except for admission ticket costs.  Duplicate entries by the same person will be disqualified from the promotional giveaway.  The act of submitting via email your name and personal contact information shall constitute consent to be featured by name, likeness, city and state on GospelPundit.com and other related third-party sites and publications, including EricMcDaniel.org and 360TotalSolutions.com.  Any contact information provided in connection with this promotional giveaway shall not be publicly disclosed in any way, nor shall it be used for any purposes not already enumerated in GospelPundit.com’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Word has it that, despite several inaccurate reports that Rev. Timothy Wright recently suffered a heart attack, he is off of life support and the family hopes his condition will continue to improve.

Apparently, his heart DID stop beating mid-January and he was placed on life support for several weeks.  According to a statement issued by the family to Gospel Today, however, he now opens his eyes when spoken to, though his response time is a bit slowed.

We are asked to continue to pray for Rev. Wright’s recovery.  Amen?

Word has it that Rev. Timothy Wright is stable and breathing on his own again.  The family asks for your continued prayer.  If anyone is inclined to lend financial support, you can send donations, payable to “Timothy Wright Trust” here:

TIMOTHY WRIGHT TRUST
C/O TIMOTHY WRIGHT
3399 LAWSON BLVD
OCEANSIDE, NEW YORK 11572

Keep praying, folks.

Word has it that, now 6 months after the automobile accident that took the life of his wife and grandson, Rev. Timothy Wright’s condition continues to worsen.  Reports from the family confirmed that, as of Saturday, he had been unresponsive for three days.

Let’s continue to PRAY PRAY PRAY for him and his family.  Let’s pray that God, who is more than able to heal, will show his grace and mercy in this situation, that miracles will be performed for the glory of the King.  Pray for God’s sovereign will to be done.  In the name of Jesus… Amen.

Ahhh, the show.  It’s actually what we were all there for, despite the fact that it was surrounded by so many equally “stellar” events.  It was hosted by Dorinda Clark-Cole, Donnie McClurkin and Sinbad.  First, can I just say how great it was to see Sinbad again?  He is one of the funniest comedians, especially cuz he doesn’t curse in his routines.  And he didn’t disappoint at the taping, either.  His chemistry with Dorinda and Donnie was great, he was gracious… I think he should be a regular.

Anyway, my favorite performance was, hands-down, “Wait On The Lord,” by Donnie McClurkin.  This track, from his upcoming album, features Karen Clark-Sheard and they did a DYNAMITE job.  Karen soars and shines and Donnie provides the power ballad for which he’s generally known.  They had BETTER NOT edit that performance because it was unreal!

My other faves were: 21:03 singing a medley of “Cover Me” and “You,” Jonathan Nelson & Purpose singing “My Name Is Victory,” Da T.R.U.T.H. performing “Reward,” and Kirk Franklin performing a tribute/medley in honor of Rev. Timothy Wright.

Other notable performances came from Tye Tribbett & G.A., Heather Headley, and Lee Williams & The Spiritual QC’s, and uhh… Sheryl Lee Ralph’s impromptu spiritual.  Heheheheee… I’m just playin’.  It was good.

But umm… there were two expected performances that I didn’t see at the show (and I didn’t take any bathroom breaks this go ’round)… Mary Mary and Deitrick Haddon were announced to perform, but DIDN’T.  Arrrrrggghhh!

Anyway, great show, VERY quick taping (thank ya, Lawd!).  You can see a full list of the winners at GospelFlava.com cuz they already typed it up nice and pretty, they’re a great site, and there’s no point in me re-creating the wheel.  Click here.  AND they’ve posted the show’s anticipated air dates and times city-by-city.  Click here.  New York, you’re up first cuz yours airs this weekend, so don’t sleep or you’ll have to wait until it airs on the Gospel Music Channel in March.

Pictures are coming soon in my 2009 Stellar Awards Weekend Photo Gallery, so stay tuned.

Now, I thought I was satisfied at this point, but I was totally unprepared for the Post Party! It’s up next!

I liked it more than the Detroit one, but probably less than the Chicago one.  And that may all have to do with where I was born and where I currently live…  but I enjoyed it.

The New York program, hosted by Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson, included Pastor Donnie McClurkin, Rev. Timothy Wright, Pastor Hezekiah Walker, Natalie Wilson, JJ Hairston and the folks at Christian Cultural Center, Times Square Church, and The Brooklyn Tabernacle.

The artists shared stories about their humble beginnings– how Timothy Wright gathered dozens of singers for the New York Fellowship Mass Choir, how Hezekiah Walker formed his first choir, how Carol Cymbala started with only a handful of choir members before arriving at the 300+ voices currently in the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.  It was good.

I think I would’ve enjoyed seeing James Hall on the program.  And a little featurette or something on the Village Underground (or however else we could work Melonie Daniels into the mix).  But, all in all, I really liked it.

I dunno when it’ll be on again, but knowing the Gospel Music Channel, it’ll be very soon.  Cuz I’ll be darned if they don’t play that AARP concert every couple of days…

Four months after a deadly automobile collision killed his wife and grandson, and paralyzed him, Rev. Timothy Wright is still on the long road to recovery. Let’s keep praying for him.