Moses Tyson Jr. |
According to a news release, organist Moses Tyson Jr. has earned the first Stellar Award nomination of his long and illustrious career. The Stellar Award is gospel music’s version of the Grammy Awards.
Tyson’s latest CD, “Music Remastered & Sacred Organ” (Tymo Gospel Music), is up for a Stellar Award in the category of Instrumental Gospel CD of the Year in a field of noted competitors such as saxophonist Harold Rayford, sax man Todd Ledbetter and Winston Stewart, the former keyboardist for the ’70s era R&B band, The Bar-Kays. The awards ceremony is at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, at The Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn.
It’s been a banner year for Tyson, who has been endorsed by Hammond Organ (Hammond Suzuki USA Inc.) and is the spokesperson for their new line of portable keyboards such as the Mini-B and the Melodian. He’s been all over the media spectrum, turning in mesmerizing performances on BET’s “Bobby Jones Gospel,” TBN’s “Praise the Lord” and The Word Network. His dynamic tunes “Pray for Me” and “You’ve Got to Move” have been in heavy rotation on various radio stations.
Tyson isn’t only promoting himself though. His Tymo Records label recently issued the hit CD, “Tribute to Bishop G.E. Patterson 2,” an exhilarating musical celebration of the life of the beloved leader of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC). It also features the last live recordings by the late Bishop Walter L. Hawkins and the late Rev. Timothy Wright. The Hammond B3 has spiced up some of the greatest pop records of all time, from Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman” to Billy Preston’s psychedelic “Will It Go Round in Circles?” Although, the self-taught Tyson began his career playing on a sessions with his cousin, funk legend Sly Stone, he’s distinguished himself as gospel music’s leading organist over the last three decades. He began his career under the management of Suzanne de Passe and recorded for Liberty/EMI Records on a roster alongside Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton. He returned to his roots in the ’90s and has been home ever since keeping traditional gospel music alive.