The grand finale of Verizon Wireless’ wildly popular How Sweet The Sound nationwide choir competition took place on Saturday in Detroit, MI.  Atlanta West Pentecostal Church Choir was named the “Best Church Choir In America,” winning $30,000 in cash and prizes.  The choir also won the people’s choice vote.

I remember this choir from LAST year’s competition, too– they were so full of energy for God.  They won this year for their impressive performance of “Anthem of Praise” by Richard Smallwood & Vision.  They’ll also be performing with Donald Lawrence at this year’s Stellar Awards.  Kudos!

Here’s a little clip of their regional performance that got them to the finale this year:

The competition’s runner-up was the Remnant Concert Choir (Washington, DC).  Congrats to you guys, too!

Verizon Wireless has already announced that they’ll be back again in 2010.  Makes sense, too, because they were selling out huge venues with their incredibly low ticket prices ($5 and $7 seats), a feat that even our top-level gospel artists can’t seem to do lately… that’s for another post.

Did anyone here go to the finale in Detroit?  Did anyone go to a regional event?

Weigh in and lemme know what you think!

WHEW!  Almost forgot how much I loved this song until Vanessa Williams (who’s singing lead on it) posted it on Twitter earlier today.

I think I sang it in my college choir.  Didn’t do it justice, of course… it’s Richard Smallwood!  Maybe now is a good time to remind everyone that Vision was/is unparalleled as far background ensembles go.

Pardon the audio distortion… here’s “Holy Thou Art God”:

This is one of my favorite performances from Richard Smallwood’s most recent recording, Journey: Live in New York.  I was there and, while this video doesn’t quite capture the energy of the moment, it’s incredible all the same.

I’ll never understand how she hears what she hears when she decides to scat or riff, but I simply LOVE it.  Here’s Kim Burrell singing “Journey” with Richard Smallwood & Vision, live at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom.