Dream In Soul – Creativity for the Kingdom:

BET’S hit gospel singing competition Sunday Best is on the search again for the best in musical talent. Season 3 of Sunday Best is having auditions in Detroit, New Orleans and Philadelphia. The first audition is this Saturday, February 20th. Doors open at 8:00 a.m. and will close at 12:00 Noon.

2010 SUNDAY BEST AUDITION CITIES, DATES AND LOCATIONS:

DETROIT
When: February 20, 8 a.m. – noon
Where: COBO Center
1 Washington Blvd.,
Detroit, MI 48226

NEW ORLEANS
When: February 27, 8 a.m. – noon
Where: Ernest M. Morial Convention Center
900 Convention Center Boulevard
New Orleans, LA 70130-1799

PHILADELPHIA
When: March 6, 8 a.m. – noon
Where: Pennsylvania Convention Center
One Convention Center Place
1101 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Find out more about the auditions below and on the BET website:

Continue Reading »

The nominees for the the 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards were recently announced. The event will be held on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House and will be televised nationwide on GMC on Sunday, April 25, 2010 at 8pm EST.

Some of the nominees include:

Artist of the Year Nominees: Francesca Battistelli, Casting Crowns, Jason Crabb, Jars of Clay, Mary Mary, Skillet, tobyMac

New Artist of the Year Nominees: Crystal Aikin, Bluetree, Jonny Diaz, Kari Jobe, Revive, Sidewalk Prophets, Brian Courtney Wilson

Group of the Year Nominees: Skillet, Casting Crowns, Gaither Vocal Band, Jars of Clay, Hezekiah Walker & The Love Fellowship Crusade Choir, NEEDTOBREATHE, and Tenth Avenue North

Visit the GMA website or the Dove Awards website for a full listing of nominees. Congrats to all of the artists nominated!

Above: B. Smith with the Wilbur Belton & LADWEC Choir, winners of the Bounty Soul Food Cook-off

On Saturday, January 9, the 11th annual Allstate Gospel Superfest took place at Xavier University in Cincinnati. The event, sponsored by Proctor and Gamble, hosted more than 30 national acts for one night of celebration through song and praise. Performances included Dorinda Clark Cole, Regina Belle, Richard Smallwood, The Whispers, Kiki Sheard, James Fortune, Shirley Murdock, J. J. Hairston, Jason Nelson, James Jackson & Atlanta Praise and many more.

Bishop Hezekiah Walker received the Allstate Gospel Superfest Lifetime Achievement Award, commemorating his twenty-five year career in inspirational entertainment and ministry. Past recipients of the award include, Candi Staton, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, Dorothy Norwood, The Williams Brothers, Mom & Pop Winans and Vanessa Bell Armstrong.

During the event, TV host and entrepreneur B. Smith hosted the Bounty Soul Food Cook-off, a competition between three of America’s top gospel choirs. Participating choirs included the Wilbur Belton & LADWEC Choir of Forestville, MD, Bishop Hezekiah Walker & the Love Fellowship of New York City and the Ricky Dillard and New Generation Chorale of Chicago. Each group prepared their individual dish, allowing attendees and fellow participants to taste and vote on their favorite recipes. The winning recipe went to the Wilbur Benton & LADWEC Choir.

Check out more images from the event below. Click on a thumbnail to view larger images:

Celebrate the New Year and the start of the new decade with the Young Adult Ministry of the Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York at their upcoming event Unforgettable 2010: A New Year’s Red Carpet Affair. This special event caters to Christian young adults in the tri-state area and will take place at KAI Studio in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.

Unforgettable 2010 is starts at 12:30 am on January 1, 2010 (directly following the Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York Watch Night Service) and runs until 5am. The event will include free valet parking, a red carpet, photo wall, two live gospel music neo soul artists, Leah Smith and Melonie Daniels, a catered meal by Harlem’s soul food and Caribbean restaurant, Mobay Uptown, and will feature DJ Tony Tone for a night of dancing.

For more information on Unforgettable 2010 or The Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York and to purchase tickets visit www.allencathedral.org.

Be sure to follow the young adult ministry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/allenyam for more updates and an exclusive giveaway – one Twitter follower will have the chance to win a pair of two tickets to the event.

Unforgettable seems like it will be a memorable and enjoyable way to spend the New Year. Read more about the event below in the description from The Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York:

Unforgettable 2010, now in its third year, is an event created by the Young Adult Ministry of the Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York. The vision for Unforgettable is to provide a place for young adults to go after the New Year’s worship service at their respective churches that is full of life, energy, and excitement. Unforgettable provides a space for young adults to bring the New Year in with style.

Continue Reading »

Here is some of the latest buzz in all things Gospel music:

Reach Records Altered Minds Tour

After the powerful energy of the Don’t Waste Your Life Tour, Reach Records is launching the Altered Minds on October 1st, blending Christian Rock and Rap. The tour will feature artists like Lecrae, After Edmund, Sho Baraka (in November), Tedashii (in October), and Mike’s Chair. From the Reach Records Website:

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” – Romans 12:2a

As a culture we need our minds completely altered. Day after day we are bombarded with messages contrary to God’s heart. “Live for yourself” is the constant pressure we feel and sometimes unscriptural messages even work their way in…

Visit http://reachrecords.com/alteredminds for tour dates and locations.

Stellar Awards First Round Voting Ends October 3rd

Be sure to vote in the first round of the 25th Annual Stellar Awards to have your voice heard. Click here to vote for your favorite artists.

Gospel Music Channel Music Video Awards

There’s still time to vote in the Gospel Music Channel Awards. Viewers have until Thursday, October 8 to vote during Round 1. The second round of voting begins Monday, October 19. Voting closes Friday, November 13. The top videos of 2009 will be revealed Saturday, January 2 on Gospel Music Channel. Click here to vote for your favorite artists’ videos.

Reflections

“All of the hurdles I’ve crossed as an artist and the business aspects I’ve experienced and learned. It has been my dream to share with those who want it to be their dream.
Because of my experiences and desires as an artist being up under a record company, I’ve thought about ‘what it is that an artist should get?’ I’ve tried to look at it now, as the CEO of the company, balanced against my experiences as an artist…

“And when I say I want to try and pursue someone else’s dreams, I really mean that. I know it’s hard out there in this industry, so I want to be a vehicle to help others. It would be nice to have someone say, ‘Thank you for being a blessing to my career in helping me step out and become an artist.”

– Karen Clark Sheard on launching her own record label Karew Records in article by Lisa Collins on GospelMusicChannel.com (click here for the article).

Recent and Upcoming Album Release Listings

Don’t miss out on these great recent releases from Gospel and Christian artists:

BeBe and CeCe Winans – “Still,” October 6th
Check out the video below with a sampler from their highly anticipated album:

Continue Reading »