Category: gospel

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England gospel Kobalt Music Group London music record labels Ted Winn United States urban Veracity Entertainment

Veracity Entertainment scores two No. 1 hits and inks deal with Kobalt Music Group

Ted Winn – Photo provided

Singer/songwriter Ted Winn’s Veracity Entertainment music administration company continues to make great new strides in the urban and gospel music genres. This week, Rev. Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago sit at #1 on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs chart with the soul-stirring song of praise, “Awesome.” Last week, R&B star Tank scored a No. 1 Adult R&B hit with “Next Breath” – the second No. 1 of his career and his first since “Please, Don’t Go” in 2007. Both tunes are written by Veracity composers.
 
Recently, Veracity partnered with Kobalt Music Group for the London-based firm to sub-administer Veracity’s copyrights internationally. With over 175,000 copyrights under its jurisdiction, it’s the leading independent music publisher in the world and collects royalties from 33 territories worldwide. Some of its leading writers include Beck, Bon Iver, Kelly Clarkson, Gotye, LMFAO and Lionel Richie.
 
Veracity was established in 2005 by Nasceas Timms and Ted Winn, whom has made a name for himself as a gospel singer over the last dozen years with Top Ten hits such as “The Lifter” and “God Believes in You.” He began his career as half of the Stellar Award winning duo, Ted & Sheri, which is best known for their signature songs, “Come Ye Disconsolate” and “Celebrate.”
 
Veracity is a multi-faceted firm that serves the needs of writers, producers and independent recording labels. Among its services are song administration, copyright registration, licensing, contract negotiation and royalty collection. Winn launched the company when he had trouble receiving accurate royalty accountings for his own copyrights. Eventually, his fellow performers began to ask him to investigate their missing royalties and the word soon spread to the point that Winn decided to officially hang out his shingle and make this service a second career.
 
Through Veracity, Winn manages the career of tunesmith David Balfour who’s written songs for Anthony Hamilton, Marques Houston and T-Pain’s platinum smash, “Can’t Believe It.” He also manages Christopher ‘C4’ Umana, who has written and produced songs such as Musiq’s “Radio,” Kelly Rowland’s “Keep It Between Us” and Tank’s big comeback smash, “Next Breath.” Veracity writers have written songs recorded by Robin Thicke, Toni Braxton, TLC, Syleenda Johnson, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Jonathan Nelson, Juanita Bynum, among others. Among recent smashes are the No. 1 gospel hits Earnest Pugh’s “I Need Your Glory” and Vashawn Mitchell’s “Nobody Greater” that won a Stellar Award as song of the year this past January. For more information, go to veracityentertainment.com.

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El Dantes Gabriel S. Hardeman Georgia gospel music Pennsylvania Philadephia rhythm and blues Savoy Records The Delegation United States

Singer-songwriter Gabriel S. Hardeman dies

Gabriel S. Hardeman

According to a recent news release, singer-songwriter Gabriel S. Hardeman, 68, best-known for co-writing R&B star Stephanie Mills’ 1987 #1 hit “I Feel Good All Over” and Teddy Pendergrass’ “Truly Blessed”, died on Saturday, June 16 in the Philadelphia area from complications of interstitial fibrosis. He was diagnosed with the illness in May 2000 but with medication functioned well until 2005, when he started intermittently using a portable oxygen tank. His condition improved after a 2009 single lung transplant at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital, but he recently began contacting friends to say that his prognosis was grim and to say goodbye.
 
Born December 13, 1943, in College Park, Ga., where his father was an African Methodist Episcopal pastor. He kicked off his music career by singing and playing piano at his dad’s church. His parents moved the family up north for better financial opportunities when he was still a youth. They settled in Harrisburg, Penn., before finally moving to Philadelphia where Hardeman graduated from William Penn High School.
 
After graduation, he briefly joined R&B band, the El Dantes, before going off to West Virginia State College as a physical education major. Upon graduation, he worked as a physical education teacher, and it’s during that period that The Gabriel Hardeman Delegation was born. 


“There was a talent show, and I wanted to get some kids together and do some gospel music,” he told Rashod Ollison at Philadelphia Inquirer in 2001. “’Oh Happy Day’ was hot then. I had about 40 kids, and the next thing you know, word got around and we had like, 80 kids in the choir.”
 
They started performing throughout the year, but he’d lose his best singers as they graduated from high school, so he decided to create an independent group and named it The Delegation in 1973.


“We were doing then what folks like Kirk Franklin are doing now,” he told the Inquirer. “We would go into these conservative churches, and they would tell us we were doing the devil’s music.” The group signed to Savoy Records, where they recorded hit albums such as the self-titled LP that featured the radio hit “Feels Like Fire” and earned a Grammy Award nomination.
 
Hardeman became disenchanted with the politics of the gospel world and retired from recording for a while. However, he and his wife, Annette Hardeman (from the disco era trio, First Choice, best known for “Dr. Love”) began to write songs together. They wrote Stephanie Mills’ #1 R&B hit “I Feel Good All Over,” Mikki Howard’s #2 R&B smash “Love Under New Management” and a “This Is the Last Time” and “Truly Blessed” for Teddy Pendergrass. They also did backing vocal sessions for R&B acts such as Patti Labelle, Phil Perry and Phyllis Hyman.
 
Eventually, the industry demand for them to write more salacious R&B music conflicted with their faith, and they devoted themselves to writing and producing gospel music. Aside from writing for gospel acts such as Edwin Hawkins and the Wilmington-Chester Mass Choir, Hardeman recorded his own albums for the Messiah and Birthright labels before making a comeback with the Stellar Award nominated To the Chief Musician CD in 2001. Hardeman returned to Atlanta in 2003 to take care of his elderly parents, and he became a pastor in the Belleview Circuit AME Churches in the city. He returned to Philadelphia in 2008 to take advantage of the better medical facilities in the city.
 
He is survived by his wife, Annette Hardeman, and their son, Michael.
 

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Black Gospel Promo Black Music Month gospel music new releases Pennsylvania releases United States Veda Brown

Habakkuk Music and BlackGospelPromo.com kick off Black Music Month with compilation CD

For a decade now, Veda Brown’s BlackGospelPromo.com’s online media marketing has served as one of the most effective methods to reach the black gospel consumer. It reaches nearly 200,000 people daily and advertises everything from Tyler Perry movies to gospel superstar Kirk Franklin’s CDs. For a few years now, Brown has had the desire to create a compilation CD of gospel songs to market via her firm, and now the time has finally come just in time for Black Music Month. 


“I’ve been wanting to do this for years,” says Brown, who is based in Philadelphia, Penn., in a news release. “So many of my friends in the industry have stepped up and allowed us to use their songs for this project, and I’m grateful. Indie labels and artists have become a major force in music so we’ve selected some of the best indie tracks to create a must-have CD compilation. “
 
Habakkuk Music has signed on to release not just one installment but also a series of compilation CDs with BlackGospelPromo.com. The first CD is entitled, “Got Gospel? The Best Indie Tracks, Yesterday, Today & Forever.”  The project hits stores on Tuesday, June 5, 2012, and features this exciting mix of recent hits and future classics:
 
1.            God is Great – Ricky Dillard and New G
2.            Lord, You’re Mighty – Youthful Praise featuring J.J. Hairston
3.            I Want To Say Thank You – Lisa Page Brooks
4.            Window – Canton Jones
5.            No Looking Back – Damita
6.            I Give Myself Away – William McDowell
7.            You That I Trust – The Rance Allen Group
8.            The More I Seek You – Gail Holmes
9.            Big -Valencia Lacy & Unquenchable Worshippers
10.            Send Your Rain – Clint Brown featuring Marvin Winans
11.            Alright – Gerald Scott
12.            Mario Winans’ “Overcomer” Remix – Vickie Winans
13.            Be Like You – Cheneta Jones
14.            The Best Time of My Life – Bryan Wilson
 
To learn more about Habakkuk, visit www.habakkukmusic.com for more information.

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A Beautiful Soul Billboard Deitrick Haddon gospel music new releases Releve Entertainment Tyscot Records

Deitrick Haddon’s latest CD makes hot shot debut on Billboard

According to a recent news release, Grammy Award nominated recording artist Deitrick Haddon made a big splash two years ago with his starring film debut in “Blessed & Cursed” that has aired on The GMC Channel and Showtime. Now, Tyscot/Manhaddon Films and Releve Entertainment are enjoying new success with Haddon’s second major film vehicle, “A Beautiful Soul,” which opened at selected AMC Theaters nationwide on May 4, 2012, and brought thousands of churchgoers into theaters around the country.

In the film, Haddon stars as Andre Stephens, an R&B superstar who loses his spiritual compass after he and his best friend barely survive a brutal attack. Haddon has assembled an ambitious twelve-song set of songs inspired by the movie and its theme entitled, “A Beautiful Soul” (Tyscot Records/ $9.99 SLP). The CD features the funky retro-styled radio single, “No Betta” (by Faith Evans and Deitrick Haddon), that is #35 on this week’s Top 100 Gospel chart.

The set also includes the breezy urban pop tune “Running to You” (Regula leads) and the straight up urban track “New Life” (featuring Fonzworth Bentley, Haddon and raspy-voiced, Nikki Potts). Adia leads the whimsical “Incomplete” and Haddon leads the title song, “A Beautiful Soul”. It’s 12 songs in all with Haddon’s choir, Voices of Unity, in the middle of the musical musings. Among the cameo soloists are Kierra Sheard; former P. Diddy sidekick, Fonzworth Bentley; Jason Champion; Joint Heirs; Candy West, among others. For more information, go to www.abeautifulsoulmovie.com.


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AMC Theaters Deitrick Haddon film gospel music Releve Entertainment Tyscot Records United States

AMC Theaters extend singer Deitrick Haddon’s film ‘A Beautiful Soul’ another week

Grammy Award nominated singer Deitrick Haddon’s second film venture, “A Beautiful Soul”, enjoyed robust box office receipts in its limited engagement premiere this past weekend at 20 AMC Theaters in 11 markets such as Chicago, Philadelphia, Indianapolis and Haddon’s native Detroit. Variety magazine calls the film, “a natural for young, Christian oriented aud[iences].” The film has done so well that AMC Theaters has extended the run another week to accommodate the public demand to see the movie.
 
“It was humbling to see a dream manifested this weekend,” Haddon says in a news release. “The fact that the film opened in theaters was a success; the fan support was overwhelming, and we are grateful”. Haddon’s co-partners echo his sentiments. “I am so happy to play a part in an effort that is helping to take the gospel message to the mainstream audience,” says Holly Carter of Releve Entertainment. “This was a small step to a big vision! To God be the glory!”
 
“I am excited about the success we are experiencing, not just with movie tickets sold, but with lives being changed,” says Bryant Scott of Tyscot Films. “This movie is having a powerful, positive impact on people, including those who have not been regular church goers.  To sum it up, God is using this film in a major way to change lives, and that’s what it’s all about.”
 
This movie comes on the heels of Haddon’s 2010 debut “Blessed & Cursed” which has sold over 100,000 copies as a direct to DVD film. It’s also aired on the GMC Channel and Showtime. Aside from Haddon, who stars as an R&B singer named Andre Stephens, the film also stars Harry Lennix (“The Matrix”, “The Five Heartbeats”, “Barbershop 2”) as Jeff Freeze, Robert Ri’chard (“One on One”, “Coach Carter”, “The Matrix) as Chris Scott, Lesley Ann Brandt (“Spartacus”, “Diplomatic Immunity”) as Angela Berry, and Barry Floyd (“The Game”) as Terrance Wilson.
 
Directed by Jeff Byrd (“Seventeen Again”, “Soul Food The Series”, “Kings Ransom”, “Jasper TX), “A Beautiful Soul”, a contemporary twist on Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”, is the story of Andre Stephens, an R&B superstar who has success, fame and fortune but spiritually has lost his way.  The film follows Andre after his “perfect” life is shattered in a brutal attack that leaves he and his best friend Chris Johnson (Ri’chard) clinging to life.  As he embarks on a spiritual journey that exists in a place that is neither on Earth nor in Heaven, Andre is forced to make a choice that could change his destiny forever.
 
Shot on location in Los Angeles, California, “A Beautiful Soul” was cast by Twinkie Byrd (“Jumping the Broom”, “Notorious”, “Stomp the Yard”) and features cameos by NBA Legend John Salley, Golden Brooks, Vanessa Bell Calloway and Bishop Noel Jones.  The film will feature an original soundtrack of music from Deitrick Haddon as well Kierra Sheard, and Faith Evans, among others. “A Beautiful Soul” is a presentation of Tyscot Manhaddon Films and Relevé Entertainment, in association with Mission Pictures International. The screenplay is written by Allison Elizabeth Brown and Deitrick Haddon.  The film was produced by Holly Carter, Kimberly L. Ogletree and Dominique Telson.  The executive producers are Leonard S. Scott, Bryant S. Scott, Jeff Byrd, Cindy Bond, Chevonne O’Shaughnessy, and Deitrick Haddon.





The film continues to show at these AMC theaters:
 
Atlanta, GA:
Southlake 24 (7065 Mount Zion Circle, Morrow, GA 30260)
Stonecrest 16 (8060 Mall Parkway, Lithonia, GA 30038)
 
Chicago, IL:
Crestwood 18 (13221 Rivercrest Drive, Crestwood, IL 60445)
Country Club Hills 16 (4201 W.167th St., Country Club Hills, IL 60478)
Ford City 14 (7601 S. Cicero Ave., Chicago, IL 60652)
 
Dallas, TX:
Grapevine Mills 30 (3150 Grapevine Mills Parkway, Grapevine, TX 76051)
Mesquite 30 (19919 Interstate 635, Mesquite, TX 75149)
 
Detroit, MI:
Southfield 20 (25333 West 12 Mile Road, Southfield, MI 48034)
Forum 30 (44681 Mound Road, Sterling Heights, MI 48314)
 
 
Hampton, VA:
Hampton Towne Center 24 (1 Town Center Way, Hampton, VA 23666)
 
Indianapolis, IN:
AMC Theatre Castleton (6020 East 82nd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46250)
 
Los Angeles, CA:
Ontario (4549 Mills Circle, Ontario, CA 91764)
AMC Burbank Town Center 6 (770 North 1st Street, Burbank, CA 91501)
 
New York/ New Jersey:
Jersey Gardens 20 (651 Kapkowski Road, Elizabeth, NJ 07201)
 
Philadelphia, PA:
Hamilton 24(325 Sloan Avenue, Hamilton, NJ 08619)
Cherry Hill 24 (2121 Route 38, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002)
 
Washington, D.C . Area:
Hoffman 22 (206 Swamp Fox Road, Alexandria, VA 22314)

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Amazing Grace BBC BBC Radio Candi Staton documentary film gospel Judy Collins London music Pete Seeger Sandi Patty United Kingdom

Artists come together for ‘Amazing Grace’ documentary

Written over 200 years ago in Olney, England, “Amazing Grace” is the world’s most renowned hymn and has been recorded by a who’s who of contemporary music. On May 8, 2012, BBC Radio 2, the United Kingdom’s most listened to radio station, will broadcast an original documentary celebrating the song and its controversial history. It airs at 10 p.m. London Time (5 p.m. EST/2 p.m. PST in the USA) and can be heard on www.bbc.co.uk (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01h5xfy).

Grammy Award nominated soul singer Candi Staton narrates the incredible journey of the song’s composer John Newton, from 18th century slave trader to evangelical preacher and abolitionist. She also charts the song’s recording history and revisits classic recordings from the worlds of gospel (Aretha Franklin, Mahalia Jackson, Al Green), folk (Pete Seeger, Judy Collins) and pop (Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, Royal Scots Dragoon Guards).

The program features a rare interview with the legendary 93-year-old Pete Seeger, as well as fresh reflections on the song’s impact from artists who have recorded it such as folk’s leading lady Judy Collins, Jimmy Carter of The Blind Boys of Alabama, Tramaine Hawkins, organist Moses Tyson Jr., Beverly Knight, Basil Meade of the London Gospel Choir, platinum-selling Contemporary Christian artist Sandi Patty, and new generation gospel artist Bryan Wilson, who recently released to iTunes and Amazon MP3, “Grace, It’s Amazing”, a reggae-folk flavored tune that is loosely based on the old hymn. Others such as journalist Steve Turner; author Anthony Heilbut (“The Gospel Sound”); the British Ambassador of Soul, David Nathan; scholar Adam Hochschild and Archbishop Carl Bean also provide commentary on the song and its illustrious legacy.

Candi Staton is famed for her 1970s hits such as “In the Ghetto” and “Young Hearts Run Free”. She’s remained current over the last two decades with critically-acclaimed CDs such as “His Hands” (2006), her platinum party favorite “You Got the Love” and last year’s Triple A #1 smash, “Kandi”, with the British band, one Eskimo. Alex Feldman for Pixiu Productions produced the special.


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atlanta Ebenezer Baptist Church EPM Music Group Georgia gospel Keith Williams music United States world

Music leader exits Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church

Keith Williams

Keith Williams, EPM Music Group recording artist and senior vice president, has left his post as director of Music and Arts at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Ga., where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. served as pastor at the height of the ’60s Civil Rights Movement. His final service there took place on Easter Sunday.

“This was not a sudden decision,” says Williams in a news release, who will continue to live and work in the Atlanta area. “We’ve been planning this transition for months so that I can focus on my new duties as an executive with EPM Music Group and also so that I can finish my CD and fulfill the call I have to the national musical arena.”

Williams has been juggling many roles over the past year with his church duties, helping push Earnest Pugh’s smash hit “I Need Your Glory” to No. 1 on Billboard’s Gospel Chart and signing music veteran Chrystal Rucker as the first artist on EPM Music Group. At the same time, Williams has been sorting through songs and writing tunes for his August 14 sophomore CD release “Introducing Keith Williams.”

Williams is a classically trained pianist and vocalist. He’s spent the last two decades as a worship leader at prestigious churches across the United States such as Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in Fort Washington, Maryland,  and the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. Williams’ style is a cross between the legendary Douglas Miller’s nearly operatic baritone and John Stoddard’s polished notes. Over the years, Williams has written songs for Jennifer Holliday, Dottie Peoples, Vanessa Armstrong and Earnest Pugh.  His debut CD, “…& Again I Say Rejoice,” appeared in 2008. For more information, go to www.epmmusicgroup.com

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comedy gospel Michigan music performances releases United States Vickie Winans

Gospel singer Vickie Winans launches 40-city comedy DVD release tour

Gospel singer Vickie Winans has added another element to her career. “The Comedianna” (her trademarked definition of a hilarious story-telling Queen), is hitting the road to promote two newly recorded comedy DVDs, entitled, “Hilarious and Unplugged” Vol. 1 and 2. The stand-up comedy projects will be available in stores, on her website and at every stop along the projected 40-city tour that will take the charismatic singer into churches, theaters, and other venues. The tour has kicked off on April 8 at the  House of Hope/Salem Baptist Church Worship Center in Chicago, where the Rev. James Meeks is the pastor, and will continue throughout the summer.
 Both DVDs were recorded on Dec. 7, 2011, to multiple standing-room-only audiences at Detroit’s Upper Room Complex. During nearly four hours of stage time, Winans told one sidesplitting story after another, from her life’s experiences to growing up with 11 siblings. During the evening, Winans performed a live version of her smash hits, “Shake Yourself Loose” and “How I Got Over” with her nephew Tim Bowman Jr., and she also shot a live music video of her son Mario Winans’ “Overcomer” remix. These songs are included on the DVDs.

A unique element to the tour is that Winans has purchased a luxury Sprinter van to transport the homeless in each city to be her special guests at each comedy show. The singer is in pre-production for the starring role as “Grace Avery” in an uplifting feature film surrounding the issue of homelessness entitled, “Amazing Grace,” which has heightened her sensitivity to the topic so much so that Winans has a newly formed foundation to help decrease homelessness in America.

“My ultimate goal is to build homes and more shelters for the homeless,” says Winans in a news release, “but until then, as many as the bus will hold will be my special guest VIPs for a night of laughter, food and a gift bag!”

Winans entered the gospel music scene in 1985 with her signature smash “We Shall Behold Him.” She’s remained one of gospel music’s Top 10 artists. She has appeared on the cover of Jet magazine, served as celebrity spokesperson for Daimler-Chrysler, McDonald’s and Quaker Oats. Other hits include “As Long as I Got King Jesus,” “Shake Yourself Loose” and “The Rainbow.” For more information, visit www.vickiewinans.com.

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gospel Illinois music performances United States VaShawn Mitchell

Vashawn Mitchell schedules live recording for April 30 in Ilinois

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gospel Maryland music O That Men Would Worship releases Stephen Hurd United States

Gospel artist Stephen Hurd releases “O That Men Would Worship”

Over the past decade, Stephen Hurd has distinguished himself as one of the leading voices in urban praise and worship music and his songs “Undignified” and “Lead Me to the Rock” are sung at faith gatherings around the globe.


Now, he’s preparing to release his most ambitious project yet, O That Men Would Worship, his sixth CD and the first on his own Hurd The Word recording label. He’s designed the new CD as a tool to inspire men to take on a greater leadership role in church worship services. Recorded live at The First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro, MD, where Hurd is the minister of music, the collection is available in retail stores this week via a distribution deal with Central South Distribution Inc.


“My goal is to get men and especially men of color to realize that worship is not a feminine sport,” Hurd says in a news release. “In this season, I feel we should come together and lift up a sound that has the power to change families and strengthen communities and help brothers to get a glimpse of what real worship is. I think when men see other men worship it gives them freedom to worship without feeling emasculated.”
 
Joining Hurd for this manly worship experience are Verity Records artist Jason Nelson, Christian pop artist Anthony Evans and Minister Deonte Gray who is a member of the 7 Sons of Soul vocal group. Hurd created an all-male sextet of singers to back certain songs and a coed group called Extol to back the CD as a whole. Aside from co-writing most of the songs, Hurd produced the 15-track set alongside up-and-coming producers Kenny Shelton and Anthony Brown. Celebrated producer Steve Ford, who’s worked with acts ranging from Phyllis Hyman to Richard Smallwood, created the lush string arrangements while the in-demand Phil Lassiter (John P. Kee, Marvin Sapp) delivered the horn arrangements.


“It was the easiest thing I’ve ever done,” Hurd says of the recording. “There was no drama. Everybody was excited to be there and came with the attitude of ‘What can I do to make this impact?’”


Although, Hurd began recording albums in the late 1990s, his first national CD release was 2004’s A Call to Worship (Integrity Music) that featured the Caribbean-styled radio smash, “Undignified.”  The 2006 My Destiny (Integrity Music) CD featured the hit singles “Great Praise (The War Cry)” and “Destiny,” while his 2008 Top 10 Stellar Award winning CD, Times of Refreshing (Integrity Music), featured the radio single, “Amazing.” For more information, visit www.hurdthewordmusic.com.