ROOT

BMI TRAILBLAZERS EDITION

Issue 21

February Februa Fe uary y2 2016 016

SISTER SISTER

MARY MARY CONTINUE TO

BLAZE TRAILS

SOB’S SOUL SESSIONS TAKES OVER NYC

ST. JUDE WEEKEND OF HOPE

+TOP20 POWER PLAYERS WHO WILL BE #1?

CATHERINE BREWTON KIERRA SHEARD VASHAWN MITCHELL BRYANT SCOTT CATHY HUGHES AND MORE!

IN THIS ISSUE

Editor's Note

MARY MARY........................................................8

I recently turned 40 years old on the last day of 2015 and although many people get depressed when they reach this particular milestone, I totally embraced it. Sure there are some things that I wish I could have done before reaching my 40th year on earth but what is there really to complain about? I have a beautiful family, I’m healthy and I’m living out my dream of spreading the gospel through media. God is truly amazing.

ST. JUDE WEEKEND ..................................…..12 SHAUN AND MARKITA COLLINS .…......13 SOB’S SOUL SESSIONS .…........................……14 FLIP COVER

For the second year in a row, we have partnered with BMI to produce a special edition of Root Magazine, this year honoring the legendary BeBe & CeCe Winans and Mary Mary. The funny BEBE AND CECE WINANS...........................30 thing about this honor is that I am a huge fan of both duos and actually created “Best Of” playlists of both of them on my iPod years THE BENEDICTION: NATALIE WILSON ago. When you hear songs like “Addictive Love” or “Shackles,” it takes you back to a time AND SOP ..............................................................34 and place and that’s what real music is supposed to do. Unfortunately, there are only a few gospel artists who have crossed over and reached multi-platinum success. Mary Mary and BeBe and CeCe have both done it with ease.

POWER PLAYERS 2015..................................18

Editor-In-Chief: Hasan James Senior Art Director Fatima Williams-Burke www.LURmarketing.com Contributors Gerard Bonner Shaun & Markita Collins Chandra Deal Jeanelle Drysdale Torin Derek Michael Gordon Kassidy Johnson J.S. Williams Martin Williams Chloe Vanderpoole

Photography Derek Blanks Management Shawn Gibbs for The Firm Artist Management Shawn.

I have been a lover of gospel music for as long as I can remember and as a matter of fact, º vviÀi Ì viÃÌÞ iû à i v Ì i wÀÃÌ V>ÃÃiÌÌi Ì>«ià «ÕÀV >Ãi` Ü Ì Þ Ü iÞ° / i fact that I get the opportunity to honor these amazing artists through my medium still trips i ÕÌ LiV>ÕÃi >vÌiÀ > ] ½ > v> wÀÃÌ° Congratulations Benjamin, Priscilla, Erica and Trecina, known to the world simply as BeBe and CeCe and Mary Mary!

TheFirmManagement@Gmail.com

Sales & Marketing Ricardo Cantrell Printing Shweiki Media

Visit Us On The Web at: www.rootmagazineonline.com

Love, Live, Life!

Hasan E-mail: Hasan@RootMagazineOnline.com Instagram & Twitter: @ROOTMAGAZINE Facebook: ROOT MAGAZINE

JJanuary Ja anu nua uar ary 16, 16, 6 2016 Greetings: Ass M A Mayor ayor ay or o off the City of Atlanta, it is my great pleasure to welcome attendees of the 17th Annual BMI Trailblazers Trai Tr T rai aillb bla laze zers rs of Gospel Music Awards.

The Th T he BM BMI MI Trailblazers Trra a of Gospel Music Awards honors the achievement of those who have stimulated the tth he growth gro rowt wth and visibility of gospel music. Tonight, we celebrate the spiritual voices of icons from the gospel go g osp spel el iindustry ndu nd and pay homage to them for their continued success. I salute the BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Go G osp spe ell M Music u Awards for their dedication to sharing their musical talents and gifts with the world. us While Wh W hilile iin no our ur city, we encourage attendees to explore the many attractions Atlanta has to offer ur iincluding: ncl clud udin in ng:: tthe h Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Center, the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, CNN Center, Ce C ntter er, C Centennial en e n Olympic Park, Woodruff Arts Center, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Children’s Museum of Atlanta, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, College Football Hall of Fame and many o

Ài° 7i Û Ìi Þ Õ Ì Ã >Ài ÕÀ - ÕÌ iÀ ë Ì> ÌÞ] Ã> « i VÕ Ã i >Ì ÕÀ > Þ w i ÀiÃÌ>ÕÀ> Ìà a and enjoy the rich and diverse heritage of our city.

On behalf of the people of Atlanta, I am proud to extend best wishes for a memorable celebration.

Siinc S inccerrel elyy,, Sincerely,

Mayor Kasim Reed

Welcome to the city of Atlanta for the 17th Annual BMI Trailblazers Honors taking place Saturday, January 16, 2016. BMI is pleased to return to the Rialto Center for the Arts for the second consecutive year to pay tribute to special honorees, writers, producers and publishers for their contributions to Gospel Music. This year, we are delighted to honor two dynamic duos, BeBe E i i 7 > à > ` >ÀÞ >ÀÞ] > } Ì Ì >Ì «À ÃiÃ Ì Li ÌÀÕ Þ Ã« À>Ì > > ` w i` Ü Ì incredible performances.

BeBe & CeCe Winans have made music history as a duo, extending their Winans family music legacy to create music that resonates with audiences across multiple genres, and leading them both to prosperous solo careers. Legendary sister act Mary Mary, featuring sisters Erica and Tina Campbell, have also successfully crossed genres and proven their star power by becoming TV stars and embarking upon solo careers as well. Both forceful duos have made music for the masses and effectively transformed their listeners in the process. Our congratulations to BeBe & CeCe Winans and Mary Mary on their incredible accomplishments and this prestigious award.

BMI is thrilled and privileged to once again bring the leaders in gospel music together in Atlanta – a city known for its rich music history – for an event that is one of the most unique and moving celebrations in music. The support Trailblazers received in its return to Atlanta last year was tremendous, and we’re excited to be back for another spectacular show.

Even more exciting this year is our partnership with TVOne, which will allow us to share this unique and very special event with the broader TVOne audience. For years, Trailblazers has been gospel music’s premiere event, and now, thanks to TVOne, even more people can be a part of what has become both an industry celebration and an awe-inspiring musical experience. We want everyone to make sure to tune in TVOne when the network airs “The BMI Trailblazers Honors.”

We hope you enjoy the show!

Catherine Brewton Vice President, Writer-Publisher Relations

MARY. . .MARY ................................

A RETROSPECTIVE

By Torin Derek

to this hot new track on “The Prince of Traveling throughout a catalogue of hit Egypt” Inspirational Soundtrack. This track >vÌiÀ Ì w i` Ü Ì Ã Õ Ì ÕV } ÞÀ VÃ > ` Gospel Music is widely known and embodied the Hip Hop of my youth and set a sound that attracts both young and old, sometimes perceived as music that is the stage for yet another climatic transition Mary Mary places you right in the middle uplifting and only delivered in one form. in Gospel Music. Among the dynamic vocals of a spectrum of a melodic paradise. My While possessing uplifting and life-changing of Dave Hollister along with Tye Tribbett & all-time favorite body of work would be their qualities, Gospel Music is far more versatile the original GA, Mary Mary ripped through 2005 self-titled album. It was in this album than the average traditional melody of our Ì Ã Ã } > ` ivÌ i Ü> Ì } Ì w ` ÕÌ that I acquired a new love for the vocal predecessors. Throughout its existence, who these voices were. The thundering belts abilities of Erica and Tina. With this album, of then Tina Atkins soprano they made history again by breaking chart register and the sultry records with their single “Heaven” running “Mary Mary has forever changed the way we see and hear Gospel melodic qualities of Erica nine weeks as the No. 1 record on Billboard’s music. The excellence, the purity and the passion is what makes Atkins, placed these sisters Gospel Radio chart. Their single “Yesterday”, them ‘Trailblazers’. Congratulations!” - Teddy Campbell forever at the forefront of my also became a bigger hit peaking on the mental musical catalogue for Adult R&B charts at No. 10 and on the R&B/ the next 17 years.

Hip Hop charts reaching No. 50, becoming there has been numerous individuals who their second biggest hit since “Shackles” took an art form that was already established 2000 (Y2K) marked a moment in time for wÛi Þi>Àà «À À° / i À Û Vià ÜiÀi Ài >À >L Þ and produced embellishments which change, newness, a remix on life and music unique and a complete mixture of the old propelled it to its evolution. Dating back as we once knew it would never be the school R&B intertwined with soulful jazz to the conception of its founding father, same. Released in May 2000, Mary Mary Õ `iÀÌ ið >V > LÕ Ì iÀi>vÌiÀ w i` Thomas A. Dorsey, Gospel Music has been awakened the music industry with their with hits such as “In the Morning,” “God an ever changing musical genre. At the turn record breaking debut album, “Thankful.” in Me” and “Walking” all garnered its own of the millennium, emerged yet another set This album set the musical stage that they achievements propelling Mary Mary into of individuals who were breaking ground would dominate for the next 15 years. superstardom. They took the love that the and destroying barriers. The sisterly duo / i À wÀÃÌ Ã } i] consisting of Tina and Erica Campbell, better “Shackles (Praise known as, Mary Mary revitalized Gospel You)” became “Two women who offer class, edge, truth, love, and most of all, God! What Music while revealing their jazzy mixed a crossover hit, more can you ask for?! They’ve awakened dreams, and had the audacity to with Hip Hop tones and refreshing musical popular among actually go after them through their lives and music.”- Kierra Sheard nuances that would establish them as one of Gospel, R&B and the biggest platinum-selling Gospel duos of Pop audiences our time. alike and garnered Ì i Ì i À wÀÃÌ My earliest memory of Mary Mary began Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul world gave each of them to illuminate the before their 2000 Grammy Award winning Gospel Album. It was at this point that no God in them. debut album. The year was 1998; I was a one could deny the star quality possessed short chubby kid and I wanted to do a Hip

by Erica and Tina, neither foresee the major The success of a vocalist, group or musical Hop dance with the youth of my church success of this dynamic force. entity is the core of the creativity of its writer

“We are so proud of Tina and Erica Campbell. Mary Mary has become one of our most popular and talked about series and it all starts with their incredible talent, character and faith. We are so honored to have these strong women on our network and a part of the WE tv family.”

- Lauren Gellert, Executive VP of Development and Original Programming, WE tv

2000 2002

Every group experiences a period of time when each member has to spread Ì i À Ü }ð Óä£{] À V> > «Li Ài i>Ãi` iÀ wÀÃÌ Ã «À iVÌ º i «°» The success of this album is best described as a marriage of hard work and a «iÀ«iÌÕ>Ìi` y Ü v >VV « à i Ìð º i «» `iLÕÌi` >Ì Õ LiÀ i Ì i U.S. Billboard Gospel Albums Charts and number six on the Billboard 200, garnering Erica Campbell a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Album, along with numerous Stellar Awards. After heavy contemplation and major life lessons, Tina Campbell released a book of prayers along with her highly anticipated album- “It’s Personal.” The lead single “Destiny” is a poignant song that paints a vivid picture of Tina’s most vulnerable and earnest prayer; with just Tina and a Hammond B3. Even with their solo careers, Erica and Tina never forget the vehicle that brought them to this point. They still perform together as the same sisterly duo that burst onto the scene over 15 years ago.

2011

Through it all, Erica and Tina Campbell, better known as Mary Mary, captured the world. They never lost sight of the reason why they sing. They were

2012

With much success and great accomplishments, there are always obstacles that you must face to build your strength in preparation for the next chapter in life. There is a bright side and a dark side to ever happy and refreshing experience. The world watched and gained another level of respect for Mary Mary when Tina displayed extraordinary strength when she discovered w`i ÌÞ iÀ >ÀÀ >}i° / i Ü À ` Ü>ÌV i` >à / >½Ã vi V> i VÀ>à } down right on national television. Ever the warrior, she used her unexplainable pain to produce an even greater testimony of how you can really go to an indescribable low and God can lift you high above it all.

MARY MARY RECORDING TIMELINE

2005

Through this new medium and the authenticity they have collectively displayed, it elevated the minds of their listeners, letting us all know the truth of living a godly life. It all made sense when we witnessed that the life of Erica and Tina was full of more than tour dates and studio sessions; it’s matched with each of their separate families with their own set of children and husbands.

On stage, they were “Mary Mary;” but at home, they were Erica and Tina to husbands, Warryn and Teddy. They showed us how to juggle personal life with business and how it can sometimes become overwhelming. However, they always displayed ways to manage it all.

consistent in their presentation and took God everywhere they went. With the ever changing musical scene, Mary Mary still stands alone in a class all by themselves. Their uniqueness, whether displayed separately or collectively, is the entity that keeps them in the hearts of everyone. And just to think, they’re still not done….

2006

Mary Mary became the voice and face of a generation. Appearing in print and in television, Erica and Tina found ways to create a career of longevity and become more than just a voice in music. In 2007, Mary Mary made their debut into television as two of the judges for BET’s adaptation of American Idol- “Sunday’s Best.” Erica, the “sweet” judge that encouraged all of the V ÌiÃÌ> ÌÃ Ì ` LiÌÌiÀ > ` / >] Ì i ºwiÀÞ» Õ`}i Ì >Ì Ì ` Ì i V ÌiÃÌ> Ìà like it truly was, gave the show an energy that only they could exude. There Ü>à iÛiÀ > `Õ i Ì Û iÜ } Ì i à ÃÌiÀà i>V Üii Ì i ë À Ì w i` musical competition. In 2012, Mary Mary decided to take it a step further by allowing the world to intimately see their true colors, as they dove into the world of reality television with their self- titled television show on Wetv. As we saw Erica and Tina behind the scenes, the world was privileged to see that they weren’t any different from what they vocally displayed in their music.

“Words can’t express how Godly proud I am of these girls. I’m blessed to have been with them for much of their journey as their background singer, assistant, wardrobe stylist or just their little sister. How priceless it is to be able to call my mentors “sister”.

I’m grateful for all that I gleaned from them. They are strong, loving, extremely giving and hard working women of God who make us very proud as a family.” - Goo Goo Atkins

2008

and producer. Warryn Campbell is without question one of the most creative and musically gifted producers of our time, and has worked with artists such as Kanye West, Brandy, Alicia Keys and Yolanda Adams, just to name a few. His unmatched ability to wrap a message in a unique melody and placing the vocals of Erica and Tina in the heart of the verse has been the thriving force behind the success of this dynamic duo. With each album and each hit, Warryn expanded the essence of his creativity by elongating the depth of his lyrical content and developing the presence displayed through Mary Mary.

“I am so proud of who you both have become as women of God, wives, mothers and business women. It has been amazing to watch you. I’ve been privileged to have a front row seat to it all. You’re not done yet. Don’t stop. Keep touching the world!” -Warryn Campbell

THANKFUL (2000): Their platinum debut came in

the beginning of the millennium and hit the industry like a ton of bricks. Everyone wanted to know who these young, hip and attractive young women were singing Gospel music. The fact that a major recording engine like Sony Music signed them to a multi-album deal was great for the genre and people began to take Gospel music more serious. “Shackles,” “I Sings,” and “Good To Me” featuring Destiny’s Child, à ` wi` Ì i >Ã Ì i iÜ «À ViÃÃià v } ëi °

INCREDIBLE (2002): Any artist will tell you that

Ì i ÃiV ` > LÕ Ã Ài « ÀÌ> Ì Ì > Ì i wÀÃÌ because some fans and skeptics want to see if you can still produce the same magic the second time around. Arriving two years after their debut, this album offered contemporary bangers like “He Said,” and the title track, along with heartfelt songs like “I Try” and a remake of “God Has Smiled On Me.” All of the above took the album to gold selling status.

No sophomore jinx here.

MARY MARY (2005): ƂvÌiÀ wÛi Þi>ÀÃ Ì i

game, the self-titled album from the Mary’s is ironically the one that displayed the most growth.

Jazz, Big Band, Hip-Hop and Traditional Gospel were all featured sounds on this offering. This is also the album that birthed one of their biggest songs to date- “Yesterday,” and earned the ladies yet another gold plaque.

A MARY MARY CHRISTMAS (2006): Not relying solely on public domain Christmas songs, >ÀÞ >À޽à wÀÃÌ À ÃÌ >à > LÕ >` > viÜ original treats like the festive “Tis The Season,” “California Christmas,” and the hand clapping, foot stomping “Call Him Jesus.” Their version of “Hark The Herald Angels Sing” is my favorite version out of the hundreds that we hear every year on the radio during Christmastime. If you don’t have this album in your Christmas collection, shame on you!

THE SOUND (2008): This album was historical on

so many levels. Erica and Tina looked stunning on the cover, it was the highest charted album of their career, debuting at #7 on the Billboard 200 and also stayed at the #1 position on Billboard’s Gospel Album chart for six months. “God In Me” was a huge crossover success, ultimately earning them the Grammy for Best Gospel Song.

SOMETHING BIG (2011): This album was

`iw Ìi Þ >««À «À >Ìi Þ Ì Ì i`° / iÀi ÜiÀi à i really BIG songs on their sixth studio album. The title track used a sample from The Jackson 5’s º > >½Ã *i>À » > ` Ì i À wÀÃÌ Ã } i º7> }]» Ü>à another Mary Mary anthem that everyone loved; however, it was the transparent “Sitting With Me,” that was a fan favorite.

GO GET IT: After 12 years in the industry at this

« Ì] Ì i `Þ > V `Õ >` i Õ} ÌÃ Ì w Õ« at least two discs and this “Best Of” compilation was indeed appropriate. The title song “Go Get It’ was another encouraging anthem that forced the listener to get up, get out and do something, while the infectious “Sunday Morning,” was a perfect homage to the best day of the week. -Hasan James

T H E

2 0 1 5

bmi trailblazers of gospel R E D

C A R P E T

01

02

05

08

06 11

03

04

09

10

07 12

13 14

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20 1.

BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Honorees, The Pace Sisters with Wardell Malloy, Mike O’Neill and Catherine Brewton

honoree LaShun Pace

7.

4.

2015 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Co-Host Kim Burrell

Jonathan McReynolds

5.

2.

Heidi and Micah Stampley

3.

2015 BMI Trailblazers of

6. Kathy Taylor serenading 8. Jonathan & Chrissy Nelson 9. Le’Andria Johnson 10. Isaac Carree poses with his BMI Songwriters Medal 11. Powerhouse Singing Sensation Lisa Knowles 12. Ms. Anita Wilson 13. B Slade Singing “I Know I’ve Been Changed” 14. DeWayne Woods, Kirk Franklin and Donald Lawrence 15. Catherine Brewton, BMI Trailblazer 2015 Honoree Israel Houghton, Wardell Malloy and Michael O’Neill 16. Jason Nelson 17. The Legendary Rance Allen 18. The Walls Group 19. Tasha Cobbs 20. Mr. & Mrs. William Murphy Gospel Co-Host Vashawn Mitchell

Lisa Page Brooks & Her Daughter Tasha Page- Lockhart

r e c n a C g n i t n o r f n o C with faith

By Kassidy Johnson

From left to right (back row): Chris Boyd, Southern Soul Magazine; Hasan James, Root Magazine; Krystal Franklin, Black America Web; Craig Stokes, Stokes Prod; Kyle Harvey, Slant News; Michelle Green, South Florida Times; Robert Beatty, South Florida Times; (Front row middle): St. Jude patients.

H

ope. Fear. Grief. Gratitude. Strong emotions are often part of the journey for patients and families of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®.

Since the earliest accounts of hospitals, medicine and faith have been connected and inseparable.

Ancient temples of Greece, Egypt and India ÕÃi` Ì i wÀÃÌ ` VÕ i Ìi` v>V Ì ià `i` V>Ìi` to healing and curing diseases and physical ailments. Patients came to these “places of hospitality” for spiritual healing and the latest medical procedures.

Centuries later, patients still seek compassion and cures. Research has shown that more and more patients use faith as a way of coping with illness.

This year, parents of 16,000 children in the U.S. will hear the words: “Your child has cancer.” One wÛi v Ì Ãi V `Ài ` >} Ãi` Ü Ì V> ViÀ won’t survive.

While these statistics are alarming, faith can give a suffering person (or a family member of a suffering person) a sense of control over feelings v i « iÃÃ iÃÃ >Ã Üi >Ã > vÀ> iÜ À v À w ` } meaning and perspective.

St. Jude provides crucial spiritual support to patients and their loved ones through four À`> i` > ` L >À` ViÀÌ wi` V >« > Ã ÌÃ Spiritual Care Services which has an ongoing practicum training agreement with Memphis Theological Seminary.

“We offer families grief counseling, opportunities for worship and prayer, sacraments and overall

support,” says Chaplain Walter Spears. “St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital recognizes all faiths and seeks to provide the spiritual encouragement families need as their children face cancer or a life-threatening disease. When patients and families walk through the doors at St. Jude, our spiritual care services team is there to be a light to families.”

Spears also serves on the advisory board for St. Jude Sunday of Hope™, a program that encourages churches across the country to unite as a body of believers to help children battling pediatric cancer, sickle cell disease and other lifethreatening diseases.

Through St. Jude Sunday of Hope™, church congregations show their love and support for the children of St. Jude by giving a special love offering on one Sunday between the months of March and June. Because the majority of St. Jude funding comes from individual contributions, programs like St. Jude Sunday of Hope™, which has raised more than $2.1 million since its 2008 inception, help ensure that no family ever receives a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.

The program is easily implemented and requires minimal time commitment from church leaders.

St. Jude provides all necessary materials for the program, including posters, St. Jude patient stories, donation collection resources and assistance implementing each church’s efforts.

“The St. Jude Sunday of Hope™ program demonstrates the relationship between medicine and ministry, health and hope, care giving and congregations. Participating in St. Jude Sunday of Hope™ is an exceptional way to play an active role in the lifesaving work of St Jude Children’s Research Hospital,” said Spears.

“As a St. Jude employee and a man of the cloth, I am humbled by the outpouring of support from the faith-based community to help bring the St. Jude mission to life. As an employee I am grateful for the support which allows doctors and scientist to pioneer research and cutting-edge treatments for children around the world. That same support affords me and my team the opportunity to continue offering families a place to turn in their darkest hour.”

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since it opened in 1962. Unlike any other hospital, the majority of funding for St. Jude comes from individual contributions, allowing St. Jude to focus on what matters most – saving kids regardless of Ì i À w > V > Ã ÌÕ>Ì ° Churches interested in learning more about St. Jude Sunday of Hope™, signing up or making a donation, visit www.stjude.org or email sundayofhope@stjude.org.

MY FIR ST ST. J UDE EX PER I ENCE

By Hasan James

Last October I had the experience of a lifetime when I visited St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during St. Jude Weekend of Hope, a weekend that consisted of print and online media, industry executives, radio announcers and musical guests. Anita Wilson, Travis Greene, Erica Campbell and Jazmine Sullivan “gifted their gifts� to the Weekend of Hope for a cause that was bigger than any of us could’ve ever imagined.

Growing up, I would always see commercials with actor Danny Thomas as he talked about children with cancer but at that time I didn’t understand the magnitude of this great mission he started over 40 years ago. For me, it was a privilege to visit the hospital and get a chance to see the patients, the doctors who care for them and the families who had to shift their lives because of this terrible disease. I was amazed at the dedication that companies like Target, Kay Jewelers and Chili’s displayed, as they are just three of a plethora of great companies who show major support to St. Jude through various partnerships. Target House is a state of the art apartment complex with two buildings that house not only cancer patients, but their families as well, all free of charge. From the moment I stepped in the lobby I felt a sense of warmth- from the colors to the decor, it felt like home. There were game rooms, movie rooms and sprawling sitting areas complete with comfortable couches and paintings, some done by patients past and present. The apartments at Target House were complete with two bedrooms, kitchen >˜` Â?ÂˆĂ›ÂˆÂ˜} Ă€ÂœÂœÂ“ ĂœÂˆĂŒÂ… y>ĂŒ ĂƒVĂ€ii˜ ĂŒiÂ?iĂ›ÂˆĂƒÂˆÂœÂ˜Ăƒ >˜` stainless steel appliances. It was refreshing to see how both the Target House facilities and the community are built to support these families during trying times. The staff and volunteers at

St. Jude were second to none. One of my favorite parts during the Weekend of Hope was meeting the families and kids who are directly affected by pediatric cancer, hearing their personal stories about their disease, their time at St. Jude and most of all bearing witness to their courage.

Like in the case of young Christopher who was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor at the age of three, to now having dreams of opening up his own restaurant. To Katherine, the cool 20 year-old who in spite of her uphill battle with a rare form of cancer, still has aspirations of becoming a pediatrician. Then there’s Nicolas, the six foot four, 15 year-old basketball player who is looking forward to his “No more chemo party.� Pediatric cancer could affect any one of us, no one is exempt. Therefore when life throws a curveball in the form of a potential deadly disease, it is comforting to know that St. Jude will be there to pick up the pieces.

DID YOU KNOW? St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other deadly diseases.

St. Jude has the world’s best survival rates for the most aggressive childhood cancers, and treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since we opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent in the next decade. St. Jude freely shares the breakthroughs we make, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing and food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org or following St. Jude on facebook.com/stjude and twitter. com/stjude.

MARRIAGE IS A WONDERFUL THING BUT...

The husband-and-wife must be committed to each other before you say I do. You both have to be committed to the vision and to the goal so that you can have success and joy in your marriage.

That doesn’t mean it will not

Serving Size: 1 cup Servings per Recipe: 8 INGREDIENTS 4 quarts water 1 teaspoon Salt 1 pound elbow macaroni 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter Ĺś EWR CNN RWTRQUG HNQWT UKHVGF EWRU OKNM EWR QWPEGU shredded Cheddar cheese 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese DIRECTIONS +H [QW NN DG DCMKPI RTGJGCV VJG QXGP VQ ( +P C NCTIG UVQEMRQV bring salted water to a boil for cooking the pasta.

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Recipe provide by Miles McMath CEC, CDM Director of Culinary Operations, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 5V ,WFG $NQIIGT &C[

to “repent� (change and turn away from an old mind set) and trust God and my husband. I had to believe one moment at a time we were going to make it no matter what. It would be through the power of prayer and communication the right way.

...You have to know your purpose in marriage. You must be sure that this is the person that you want to be with for the rest of your life. You have to be sure that this person was ordained by the Lord to be your spouse, to be your covering and your help meet.

In marriage you want to be VÂœÂ“Â“ÂˆĂŒĂŒi` ĂŒÂœ Âœ` wĂ€ĂƒĂŒ] ĂŒÂ…i˜ to your spouse. No one else outside of the Lord should come before your spouse. That can be a hard thing to do when you’re used to doing everything a certain way and may not have been taught or advised that your spouse is numero UNO! After the i˜}>}i“iÂ˜ĂŒ] >vĂŒiĂ€ ĂŒÂ…i yÂœĂœiĂ€Ăƒ] after the rings are exchanged and after the honeymoon, real life begins.

St. Jude Children’s Research HospitalŽ Macaroni and Cheese

come with hardship, struggles, pain and frustration; that’s all apart of marriage. The joy of it is to be able to get through those times together!

Real moment...as a woman, early on in our marriage I used to feel that every time we had a disagreement or argument it was time for me to prove to my husband that “I AM NOT A PUNK!� Whoa, where did that come from? It came from past hurt, unresolved matters of the heart and unforgiveness. I had to learn that my husband wasn’t the enemy and even if we disagreed, it wasn’t going to destroy our marriage, it just meant we didn’t agree at the time. So I had

Marriage is ordained and honored by God and the enemy hates marriage. This is why he comes against it so hard. Have you ever wondered why the divorce rate in the church is much higher than in the world? The church has become very religious when it comes to marriage and folks just aren’t willing to put in the work anymore. You can’t just pray about it and go to bed. Sex is not always the answer (it’s important but it’s not the answer), you have to be committed to the goal and be willing to work together in order have a successful marriage through all the adversity that is guaranteed to arise but, we can do it. You can do it! Remember, “We can do all things through the Lord Jesus�. Your marriage is blessed!

Set goals, be honest, pray for one another, forgive one another, love one another, protect your spouse, support and celebrate your spouse, cherish the moments you have with

your spouse, speak well of your spouse!

Life and death is in the power of our mouth, so speak these words out loud with me (because the kingdom of God is voice activated), “I’m going to speak these things out of my mouth in agreement with the Lord and believe that my prayers and my words avail much in the realm of the Spirit! I will not allow the enemy to interrupt, frustrate or come against me or my spouse!

I speak to every dead area in my marriage. I decree and declare that my marriage is healthy and blessed! I come against every plot to destroy my marriage. My spouse is blessed! No weapon formed against my marriage or my spouse shall be able to prosper! My spouse is favored

by God! I honor my spouse in all things! I respect my spouse, I appreciate my spouse! I am focused and determined to do what God has required me to do in marriage and that is to submit to one another, come into agreement and walk in love, Amen.

Shaun and Markita Collins #uspeaklife www.speaklife.com

Sunday evening at one of New York City’s hot spots for gospel music. Rai and Whitney may not be known to the masses yet, but that did not stop them from giving their all to a standing room only crowd of 500 gospel music enthusiasts.

SOB’s Soul Sessions is the brainchild of NYC’s own, Sha’Lik Harford and Shawn ‘The Governorâ€? Gibbs, after music industry veteran Wardell Malloy, Executive Director at BMI, hand picked these two individuals to collaborate on this new venture. Ironically for over a decade, The Village Underground was considered the Mecca for unscripted gospel music. Industry veterans Ron Grant, Stanley Brown, Melonie Daniels- Walker and others created a nichĂŠ that could not be touched. However, after years of musical bliss, The Village Underground had ÂˆĂŒĂƒ w˜>Â? VĂ•Ă€ĂŒ>ˆ˜ V>Â?Â? last spring, and it left many gospel music tastemakers SOB’s Soul Sessions- The New Mecca for Urban Gospel yearning for the next big thing.

By Michael Gordon SOB’s has been an iconic and legendary music venue for over 30 years, serving the music industry and music lovers with a here’s some new kids on the block who’s variety of musical genres from Pop, Funk, bringing a new era of urban gospel music Rock, Hip- Hop and now groundbreaking to the forefront. SOB’s Soul Sessions is the Gospel Music. It was without hesitation that hottest and newest urban gospel showcase SOB’s opened its doors to Soul Sessions. to take New York City by storm. Husband and wife duo Rai and Whitney were in their Since its inception, SOB’s Soul Sessions element while performing their infectious has attracted people from all over the single “No Worries� (Step Clap) on a brisk city and beyond. As a matter of fact, on

A New Era Is Born

T

IT’S BETTER IN THE BAHAMAS

By Hasan James

Last fall, I experienced a trip of a lifetime as Bishop Neil Ellis hosted media outlets from all across the country on a special weekend full of fun, food, faith and history. The weekend began with a welcome reception at the beautiful all inclusive Melia Nassau Beach Resort, where the w˜i `ˆ˜ˆ˜} >˜` ˜iĂŒĂœÂœĂ€ÂŽÂˆÂ˜} Li}>˜° The following day we embarked on an early meeting with the Minister of Tourism, Obediah Hercules Wilchcombe, a native Bahamian who loves the island of the Bahamas and wants he entire world to experience its beaches, nightlife and serenity. After a few questions and photo ops, we got a chance to visit the famed Junkanoo Museum.

This was by far one of the most invigorating parts of the trip from the culture to the intricate creations of the costumes to our wonderful tour }Ă•Âˆ`i] ĂœÂœĂ•Â?` `iwÂ˜ÂˆĂŒiÂ?Ăž Li L>VÂŽ ĂŒÂœ visit the Junkanoo Museum. I will also be back to dine at the amazing Graycliff Hotel and Restaurant where the Bahamian dishes have been creatively transformed into ĂƒÂœÂŤÂ…ÂˆĂƒĂŒÂˆV>ĂŒÂˆÂœÂ˜ >˜` Ă€iw˜i“iÂ˜ĂŒ ĂœÂˆĂŒÂ… the end result being an international reputation for Bahamian cuisine. We even got a chance to tour the wine cellar which literally had thousands of LÂœĂŒĂŒÂ?iĂƒ Âœv w˜i ĂœÂˆÂ˜iĂƒ ĂœÂœĂ€ĂŒÂ… ÂœĂ›iĂ€ fÓä million dollars.

As my Grandmother says “We didn’t let no grass grow under our feet,� as we went to a special screening of the

movie “Woodlawn.� The great thing is we had the privilege of viewing the movie with two of the stars of the movie, Sherri Shepherd and Caleb Castille, along with one of the directors of the movie, Andy Erwin. In just a day and a half, we were able to experience things that some tourists

could not have experienced in a week and we were from done. Not everyone can say that they were afforded the opportunity to dine at a King and Queen’s table but Bishop Neil and Lady Patrice Ellis are just that, King and Queen and their home in the >Â…>“>Ăƒ ÂˆĂƒ `iwÂ˜ÂˆĂŒiÂ?Ăž wĂŒ vÂœĂ€ ĂŒÂ…i“° /Â…i ˜ˆ}Â…ĂŒ Ăœ>Ăƒ wÂ?Â?i` ĂœÂˆĂŒÂ… Â?ÂˆĂ›i Â“Ă•ĂƒÂˆV] > wĂ›i course meal and great conversation mostly about relationships. Bishop Neil and Lady Patrice shared with us how they met and how they managed to stay married for over 20 years, and the answer in a nutshell was to simply be friends. They really shared

a 4th Sunday last September, Grammy Award winning artist and New York native, Chrisette Michele, could not stay in her seat as she jammed to Motown Gospel recording artist Charles Jenkins as he sang his smash hit “War.â€? Social media was on wĂ€i >Ăƒ iÂ˜ÂŽÂˆÂ˜Ăƒ >Â?œ˜} ĂœÂˆĂŒÂ… viÂ?Â?ÂœĂœ >Ă€ĂŒÂˆĂƒĂŒĂƒ ° Spenser Smith, Jules Bartholomew and Juda Camp and Denise ReneĂŠ gave high energy performances. “The key to Soul Sessions is you are able to hear the best of the best of what New York has to offer,â€? said Shawn Gibbs, co-creator of Soul Sessions at SOB’s. Harford and Gibbs have brought together an “A-Teamâ€? Âœv }ÂœĂƒÂŤiÂ? Â“Ă•ĂƒÂˆV >wVˆœ˜>`ÂœĂƒĂ† ĂƒÂœÂ˜}LÂˆĂ€`] Melonie Daniels-Walker, is truly the epitome of a host. Daniels- Walker, an artist herself, is funny, witty and simply put, a “Singer’s Singer.â€? Dwayne “DWâ€? Wright- son of the late legendary Rev. Timothy Wright, is a skilled Musical Director and Tiffany Stevenson, is a vibrant lead vocal arranger who can tag any song with ease and poise.

2016 is expected to be a huge year for SOB’s Soul Sessions, so be on the lookout for some of your favorite gospel artists along with some great food, great networking, great energy and most of all great music for the soul!

For inquiries, label partnership and corporate sponsorship please contact: Sha’lik Harford at event@sob.com and Shawn Gibbs at ĂƒÂ…>ĂœÂ˜Â°ĂŒÂ…iwÀ““>˜>}i“iÂ˜ĂŒJ}“>ˆÂ?°Vœ“

their heart with us on everything from w˜>˜ViĂƒ ĂŒÂœ V…ˆÂ?`Ă€i˜ ĂŒÂœ Â“ÂˆÂ˜ÂˆĂƒĂŒĂ€Ăž >˜` everything in between way after the clocked struck twelve.

in Bimini that honors the great legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., ĂœÂ…ÂœĂƒi Ă›ÂˆĂƒÂˆĂŒ ĂŒÂœ ĂŒÂ…i ÂˆĂƒÂ?>˜` ĂƒÂˆ}˜ˆwV>Â˜ĂŒÂ?Ăž impacted the people of Bimini. A bronze bust of his image is out in the It’s not everyday you get to take to mangroves where the Healing Hole the sky in a private charted plane but is located. Our tour guide Mr. Ansil at this point nothing about this trip Saunders was a wealth of information surprised me as he was spent many years as Dr. anymore. It King’s tour guide and witnessed the was a clear birth of some of his most famous Saturday speeches. After a superb lunch at the morning and brand new Hilton Resort of Bimini, this media we had the honor and privilege to tour was in meet with the Prime Minister of the full swing Bahamas, Perry Christie. Mr. Christie as we all is equivalent to what Barack Obama yiĂœ vĂ€ÂœÂ“ is to the United States, so the mere Nassau to v>VĂŒ ĂŒÂ…>ĂŒ ĂŒÂ…i …ˆ}Â…iĂƒĂŒ Ă€>˜Žˆ˜} ÂœvwVˆ>Â?

Bishop Ellis’ Âœv ĂŒÂ…i >Â…>“>Ăƒ Ăƒ>Ăœ wĂŒ ĂŒÂœ “iiĂŒ ĂœÂˆĂŒÂ… childhood us on a Saturday evening was quite home of impressive.

Bimini.

Bimini is the "Ă•Ă€ w˜>Â? `>Ăž œ˜ -Ă•Â˜`>Ăž ˜>ĂŒĂ•Ă€>Â?Â?Ăž westernmost consisted of early morning church district of the service at Mt. Tabor, where Bishop Bahamas, Neil C. Ellis is Senior Pastor and just 53 miles after a few greetings and salutations, east of he wasted no time doing what he Miami and was born to do and that is preach is the closest point in the Bahamas to the unadulterated gospel. His the mainland of the United States. Our message came from 2 Kings 6 and purpose for this visit was to see how he challenged our faith to increase, the small island of Bimini had grown courage to rise, fear to recede and over the years but we couldn’t visit our perspective to change. One of my this wonderful island without visiting favorite quotes from that message was the home that birthed Bishop Neil “Through your pain you will get your Ellis. As a matter of fact, Ellis’ father platform.â€? This trip to the Bahamas still lives in the same home where he was one of the best trips of my life was raised. The 80-something year old for several reasons and I am a better man is still sharp as a tack, as he sat man because of it. I thank God for in the front yard with his bible in tow the life of Bishop Neil C. Ellis, a man and showed his gratitude towards us of integrity, a man of prayer, a man paying him a visit. of family. He is proof that it is truly The tour continued with a visit to the BETTER IN THE BAHAMAS! mangroves where there is a memorial

As VP and General Manager of Urban Inspirational music at Entertainment One Music, Phil Thornton has helped make eOne a driving force on the gospel music scene. This power player under 40 has effortlessly intertwined the gospel and the secular worlds without compromising his faith. As the man at the helm of eOne, Thornton helps navigate the careers of an array of gospel music superstars like Erica Campbell, Jonathan McReynolds, Deitrick >`` > ` >Ài >À - i>À`° Ƃ > v yÕi Vi] Ì Ü>Ã / À Ì Ü ÀV iÃÌÀ>Ìi` Ì i surprise reunion performance of Kelly Rowland, Beyoncé Knowles and Michelle Williams to Phil Thorton open the 30th Annual Stellar Awards with Williams’ hit song, “Say Yes.” Erica Campbell won VP AND GENERAL MANAGER, EONE the Grammy in the Best Gospel Album category forher album “HELP”, the next month she CO-OWNER, TEN 2 ONE ENTERTAINMENT released “HELP 2.0” and had two albums in the Top Ten. Erica Campbell, Michelle Williams, Ricky Dillard and William McDowell earned 14 Stellar Awards for the label, half of the 28 categories. Not to mention, three eOne artists (Karen Clark- Sheard, Dorinda Clark- Cole and Jonathan McReynolds) are duking it out in the Best Gospel Album category at next month’s Grammy Awards. This is all on the music front.

When it comes to television, Mr. Thornton was quite busy on that end as well, executive producing shows for both BET and TV One, with It’s A Mann’s World and R&B Divas: Los Angeles. Both shows did huge numbers for the respective networks and R&B Divas actually inspired TV One’s Hollywood Divas, which Thornton initially had no stake in. However, after some legalities, he eventually ended up receiving production credits on that show as well. Couple that with Season 2 of It’s A Mann’s World in the can and his partnership with Bounce TV on a new faith based scripted series titled Saints & Sinners premiering in March, I think it’s safe to say that Phil Thornton has earned his spot at the top!

01

The #1 Gospel label in the world is only as good as the artists who call RCA Inspiration home.

The artists who call RCA Inspiration home are only as good as the man who quietly oversees the artistic development of some of the biggest gospel stars in the world. Legendary artists like Fred Hammond and Donnie McClurkin still call RCA Inspiration home and continue to make great strides even when they are not making new music, like on the groundbreaking Festival of Praise Tour. Gospel’s top selling artist, Kirk Franklin’s “Wanna Be Happy”, debuted >Ì £ Ì i V >ÀÌà ի Ìà Ài i>Ãi ƂÕ}ÕÃÌ Óä£x > ` LiV> i Ì i LiÃÌ wÀÃÌ Üii ] ` } Ì> Joseph Burney à } i } ëi Ã> ià ÃÌ ÀÞ] Ãi } ££]nnÓ Õ Ìà Ìà wÀÃÌ Üii ° / i i Ì i ,Ƃ 9 VP OF A&R, RCA INSPIRATION winner was also recognized in the Best Gospel Performance/Song category for the 58th Ƃ Õ> ,Ƃ 9 ƂÜ>À`à v À º7> > i >««Þ»° >`` Ì ] wÛi Ì i ,Ƃ 9 ƂÜ>À` winners Israel Houghton & New Breed were nominated in the Best Gospel Album (Covered: “Alive in Asia”” (Deluxe) and Best Gospel Performance/Song (“How Awesome Is Our God” featuring Yolanda Adams) categories. Newcomer Travis Greene’s infectious single “Intentional,” was the #1 single from Greene’s major label debut, The Hill and also garnered a GRAMMY nomination, proving that RCA Inspiration continues to inspire the world with new and legendary acts alike.

02

As if his nine Grammy Awards, 39 Stellars, 16 Dove and an American Music Award wasn’t enough, Kirk Franklin continues to make a huge name for himself in the business of music without necessarily making music. Although his latest project “Losing My Religion” debuted at the #1 position on the Billboard Gospel and Christian chart, the 44 year- old Franklin continued to expand his already extensive resume, which includes Fo Yo Soul Recordings, Ü Ãi wÀÃÌ ÌÜ Ã } iiÃ] / i 7> Ã À Õ« > ` />Ã > *>}i V >ÀÌ L Ì Ü -Ìi >À ƂÜ>À`Ã in 2015 for Best Group and Best New Artist, respectively. His 24-hour commercial-free music Kirk Franklin channel, Kirk Franklin’s Praise on SiriusXM satellite radio continues to be a great outlet FO YO SOUL ENTERAINMENT for current and independent artist alike and the addition of “The Well”, a segment that features underground Holy Hip-Hop artists has pushed the envelope even further. As Host and Executive Producer of Sunday Best, Franklin also had the distinct honor of signing the winners of the popular reality show competition, ultimately inheriting Geoffrey Golden and Sunday Best All- Star Winner, Dathan Thigpen.

It’s his entrance into headphone space however, that separates Kirk Franklin from the average gospel artist. His endorsement of the 1964Ears >À Ì Àà à à >ÌiÃÌ i `i>Û À° / iÞ >Ài `ià } i` v À Ì i «À viÃà > Õà V > ] > `VÀ>vÌi` vÀ i>À «ÀiÃÃ Ã Ì «ÀiV Ãi Þ wÌ Ì i individual’s ear shape and dramatically enhance the listening experience. If you don’t know now you know!

03

Historically, Hollywood tends to ignore the faith and Christian community, and especially the African American community. However, the rich African American demographic of 42 million strong, and more than $3 Trillion Dollars in spending power is slowly but surely making an impact with movie executives and television networks and other Fortune 500 companies.

Enter D3 Entertainment Group, the team at the center of this impact. Working alongside her ÌÜ LÀ Ì iÀÃ] Þ`i > ` i `> Õvwi] Ì i "] V i i Õvwi Ã Ì i > à ] Ì i >À iÌ } strategist and the quarterback between the AA faith/church and family consumer and the THE Duffies corporate/entertainment/sports world. While known for their extensive work in the Gospel D3 ENTERTAINMENT Music Industry, D3 launched out to diversify their business in 2008, starting with Hollywood.

7 À } à i v Ì i L }}iÃÌ w > ` Ìi iÛ Ã «À iVÌÃ] V Õ` } Ì i i>` ƂƂ >À iÌ } Ìi> v À Ì i Óä£x Ì] 7>À , ] > fÇÓ ] £ Ý "vwVi Û i] Ü V i>À Þ xä¯ v Ì i Ì V iÌ LÕÞiÀà ÜiÀi ƂvÀ V> Ƃ iÀ V> ° / i Õvwi V > >à i «i` }i iÀ>Ìi ÛiÀ fÓxä ÀiÛi Õi ÛiÀ Óä£x > i° > >} } Õ Ì dollar budgets for many of the major studios and automobile companies to insure the African American market receives messaging and content produced ‘for us by us’. With solid, close knit relationships throughout the church, professional sports, entertainment and gospel music industry, D3 cultivates these connections to generate revenue and content for Hollywood and for the Church. Quiet and inconspicuous, Ì i Õvwi v> Þ ÀÕ Ã i v Ì i ÃÌ ÃÕVViÃÃvÕ ƂƂ >À iÌ } > ` *, wÀ Ã Ì i 1°-°

04

Multi-talented entertainers and owners of TillyMann Entertainment, David and Tamela Mann are known mostly for their stage and screen collaborations with producer Tyler Perry (“Meet the Browns”). In 2015 they not only had one, but two hit TV shows on their hands.

It’s a Mann’s World, debuted on BET last January and provided fans a view of the couple behind the camera -at home, attending exclusive events, and spending time with family and famous friends. The hour long episodes chronicled how David and Tamela balanced being david & Tamela Mann celebrities, entrepreneurs and parents to their four adult children, while maintaining their 26 year marriage. At its peak, “It’s A Mann’s World,” garnered over 4.2 million viewers. “Mann TILLYMANN ENTERTAINMENT and Wife” premiered on Bounce TV last April and became the most watched original scripted series in the station’s history, with over a half-million viewers watching the series premiere.

In the music arena, Tamela Mann’s album “Best Days” is still in the Top 20 on the Billboard ëi Ƃ LÕ V >ÀÌ > ` Ü>à ViÀÌ wi` } ` LÞ ,° °Ƃ°Ƃ°

05

If it were not for Radio One visionary Cathy Hughes, we probably would not hear gospel music on the FM dial, so technically it is pretty unfair to have her on this list due to the fact that she would be #1 every time. Radio One currently has 15 Praise stations across the country, all playing the best in praise and inspiration. In total, Radio One currently owns more than 70 stations, making it the largest African-American-owned radio company in the United States.

Hughes’ passion for radio and her entrepreneurial skills led her to WYCB/Washington DC, Ü V LiV> i Ì i V Õ ÌÀ޽à wÀÃÌ Ó{ ÕÀ } ëi ÃÌ>Ì £ Çn° -ÌÀiiÌ 7>à }Ì ]

cathy hughes was known mostly for drug slinging than it was a safe haven for a thriving business back in the FOUNDER, RADIO ONE 70’s. Hughes decided to open up her business in a neighborhood that was not so desirable an in 2015, her faith in that neighborhood paid off, as the corner of 4th and H Street was renamed Cathy Hughes Corner. Hughes further proved her power by getting a “Who’s Who” of } ëi >ÀÌ ÃÌÃ Ì }iÌ iÀ v À Ì i wÀÃÌ > Õ> *À> Ãi -Þ « Ã Õ Ì ` ÃVÕÃÃ Ì i VÕÀÀi Ì ÃÌ>Ìi v } ëi Õà V > ` Ü >Ì Ã i Ü ` Ì ii« Ì > Ûi°

06

In 2014, the Festival of Praise Tour featuring Donnie McClurkin and Fred Hammond was a huge success, but 2015’s Festival of Praise Tour Fred & Ray Hammond was a monster success!

The 50-city tour featured FACE TO FACE PRODUCTIONS Dove, Stellar and Grammy Award winners Fred Hammond, Donnie McClurkin, Hezekiah Walker, Kim Burrell, Israel Houghton, some leaders of the new school, Zacardi Cortez, Jessica Reedy and Isaac Carree and comedian and co-host of the Yolanda Adams morning show, Marcus D. Wiley. This was not your typical gospel tour, as it was complete with special effects, lighting and production on another level. Instead of going from one artist to the next in anticipation of the headliner, every artist headlined this show. The legendary acts, each performed greatest hits from their extensive catalogs, while the newer acts sang some of their recent chart topping hits. The Festival of Praise was one of the best tours of 2015 and although the artists were amazing, it could not have been done in a grand way without the expertise production and vision of Fred and Ray Hammond.

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Dr. Holly Carter, CEO and Founder of Relevé Entertainment, continues to reach new heights intersecting Holly Carter mainstream media RELEVÉ ENTERTAINMENT and faith. The media veteran was a signature panelist for Variety’s 2015 Purpose: The Family Entertainment and Faith-Based Summit along with media giant Mark Burnett (Shark Tank, The L i] / i Ƃ««Ài Ì Vi®° / i 6>À iÌÞ ÃÕ Ì Ü>Ã > iÛi Ì w i` Ü Ì faith and entertainment leaders, but this wasn’t anything new for Dr. Carter. She is the founder of The Merge Summit, a conference created to educate, empower and inspire men and women of faith in entertainment. In 2015, The Merge Summit expanded and made successful stops in Baltimore, Chicago and Atlanta, in addition to their home base of Los Angeles, CA. The likes of Jasmine Guy, LisaRaye Mckoy, Michelle Williams, Devon Fraklin, Meagan Good- Franklin, Pastor Jamal Bryant, Robi Reed, Roland Martin, Brely Evans, Mikki Taylor and many more gave words of inspiration, motivation and insight on the entertainment industry.

Cap that with Carter’s management of some of the top gospel and inspirational acts in the world; Kierra Sheard, Deitrick Haddon, Mali Music and Michelle Williams, in addition to ever-growing “Preachers” franchise that added Preachers of Atlanta to Oxygen’s lineup, and you understand why Holly Carter is a mainstay on this list.

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In January 2015, Mitchell launched Walkway Music Group (the recording extension of VMan Entertainment), to support the development of aspiring artists in the gospel music industry.

Through his relationship with his former recording home Tyscot Records, the “Media Mogul in the Making” signed fellow Chicagoan, Vashawn Mitchell Tiff Joy to WMG. Her debut album “The ARTIST/WALKWAY MUSIC GROUP/ Promise” debuted at #5 on Billboard’s Top VMAN ENTERTAINMENT Gospel Album chart. He produced and coexecutive produced Tasha Cobbs’ “One Place LIVE”, which was nominated for a GRAMMY in the Best Gospel Album category. Mitchell was also Executive Producer on Anthony Brown and Group Therapy’s sophomore offering, “Everyday Jesus”, which was released under his VMan Entertainment imprint under Tyscot Records. The lead single “Worth” was also nominated for a GRAMMY in the Best Gospel Song category and at Root press time spent an astounding 13 weeks at #1 on Billboard Magazine’s Gospel Airplay chart. Not just an artist, he continues to expand interests in community service and philanthropy and is currently the National Faith Based Spokesperson for the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization and recently started the Norman Youth & Arts Foundation, named in memory of his grandfather. VaShawn has performed for the NAACP as well as partnered corporately with Denny’s on several health care initiatives.

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This former R&B singer from St. Louis had a very busy 2015. The husband, father and host of the nationally-syndicated The Willie Moore Jr. Show, has impacted the masses through various media channels and ministry partnerships. Willie Moore Jr is servant leader of the national youth empowerment movement Young Fly and Saved.

Willie MOOre JR His production company, WilFlo Global Media, RADIO PERSONALITY/ENTREPRENEUR inked a seven-show licensing deal with the NRB Network to air Moore’s FLATOUT TV, an energetic, funny, and inspiring television show, which was a spin-off of his ever so popular YouTube Channel, Willie Moore Jr. Live. In a trickle down effect, in approximately one year’s time, Moore Jr. went on to become Radio One’s new golden child going from host of The *À> Ãi Ý` Ü Ì / i } Ì Þ -« À Ì] w > Þ «>À >Þ } > ë Ì Ì i >Ì > Þ ÃÞ ` V>Ìi` / i Willie Moore Jr. Show.

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At the top of 2015, two of Motown’s artists, Anita Wilson (former Motown artist) and Smokie Norful, were both up for Grammy Awards, in which Norful was the recipient of the Grammy for Best Gospel Song. As President of Motown Gospel, Ken Pennell is responsible for overseeing some of the Ken Pennell industry’s top tier artists. CeCe Winans, Myron PRESIDENT, MOTOWN GOSPEL Butler, Vashawn Mitchell, Kierra Sheard, Tasha Cobbs, Tye Tribbett and many others call Motown home. In 2015, acts under the Motown umbrella (Evolve Music Group) such as Tim Bowman, Jr. made a huge impact with the single “I’m Good.” Newcomer Janice Gaines debuted at the #7 position on Billboard’s gospel music chart, while gospel legend John P. Kee made Motown his new home last year as well. Did we mention that Brian Courtney Wilson’s song “Worth Fighting For” and Tasha Cobbs album “One Place LIVE” are both up for Grammy Awards in 2016?

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She’s a Mother, Singer, Multiple Grammy Award Winner, Resident Judge and Morning Show Radio Host. She is Ms. Yolanda Adams. The Yolanda Adams Morning Show is the largest nationally syndicated inspirational morning show in the country, currently in 40 markets and airs weekdays from 6-10 am EST. Yolanda Yolanda Adams Adams, AV and Marcus D. Wiley, wake up PLATINUM SELLING RECORDING ARTIST/ gospel music fans with faith, family, friends and RADIO PERSONALITY fun! The former school teacher actually has a degree in Radio/TV Broadcast. She is also a resident judge on the highly rated singing competition show “Sunday Best,â€? along with Donnie McClurkin and Kierra Sheard. The power of Yolanda Adams is that she has not released an album in over four years, yet she is still on everyone’s radar and still has a very extensive touring schedule. As if her rousing performance œ˜ ĂŒÂ…i Ăƒi>ĂƒÂœÂ˜ w˜>Â?i Âœv Ƃ“iĂ€ÂˆV>Â˝Ăƒ ÂœĂŒ />Â?iÂ˜ĂŒ Ăœ>ĂƒÂ˜Â˝ĂŒ iÂ˜ÂœĂ•}Â…] Â?>ĂŒi ˜ˆ}Â…ĂŒ Â…ÂœĂƒĂŒ ÂˆÂ“Â“Ăž >Â?Â?œ˜ Â…>˜` picked Adams to perform one of his favorite songs. The song “Victory,â€? is over a decade old and was introduced to an entirely new audience who enjoyed her performance, so much that they took to iTunes and purchased the song, securing her a #8 spot on the Christian & Gospel songs chart and re-entry in the Top 45 on the Christian & Gospel albums chart with her 2005 release “Day By Day.â€?

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For over ten years Catherine Brewton has been the VP of Writing/Publisher Relations at BMI >˜` >Â?LiÂˆĂŒ > vĂ•Â?wÂ?Â?ˆ˜} ÂŤÂœĂƒÂˆĂŒÂˆÂœÂ˜] Â…iĂ€ }Ă€i>ĂŒiĂƒĂŒ contribution to Gospel Music for the past 16 years has been the BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Awards. Dubbed the “Clive Davis Grammy Eventâ€? for Gospel Music, the invite only event Catherine Brewton ÂˆĂƒ > wĂ€ĂƒĂŒ VÂ?>ĂƒĂƒ ĂŒÂˆVÂŽiĂŒ ĂŒÂœ > Â?>Ăœ `Ă€ÂœÂŤÂŤÂˆÂ˜} }ÂœĂƒÂŤiÂ?

VP, WRITING/PUBLISHER RELATIONS/EXECUTIVE music experience that pays homage to artists PRODUCER, BMI TRAILBLAZERS- BMI that have made a huge impact on gospel music.

Past honorees include Pastor Shirley Caesar, Andrae Crouch, Yolanda Adams, Hezekiah Walker, Kirk Franklin, Walter Hawkins, The Clark Sisters, The Winans and many more notable artists over its decade and a half time span. The event is such the conversation piece that Brewton effortlessly brokered a deal with TV One to have the 2016 BMI Trailblazer Awards televised. Now millions of people will get to experience Gospel music on a prime time level all because of the tenacity of one, Catherine Brewton.

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Kierra Sheard was born into Gospel music royalty as the youngest child of the incomparable Karen Clark- Sheard and Bishop ° Ă€iĂœ -Â…i>Ă€`° 7i wĂ€ĂƒĂŒ Â…i>Ă€` ˆiÀÀ> œ˜ Â…iĂ€ mom’s solo debut “Finally Karenâ€? in 1997, on the song “The Will of Godâ€? and we knew then that a star was born. In 2004, the then Kierra Sheard £Ç Ăži>Ă€Â‡ÂœÂ?` Ă€iÂ?i>Ăƒi` Â…iĂ€ wĂ€ĂƒĂŒ ĂƒÂœÂ?Âœ ÂŤĂ€ÂœÂ?iVĂŒ RECORDING ARTIST/ entitled “I Owe Youâ€? to critical acclaim, and OWNER, ELEVEN60 >vĂŒiĂ€ wĂ›i >Â?LĂ•Â“Ăƒ >˜` ÂœĂ›iĂ€ > `iV>`i ˆ˜ ĂŒÂ…i Â“Ă•ĂƒÂˆV LĂ•ĂƒÂˆÂ˜iĂƒĂƒ] -Â…i>Ă€` Â…>Ăƒ ĂƒÂœÂ?ˆ`ˆwi` Â…iĂ€ĂƒiÂ?v as one of the “Leaders of the New School.â€?

However, this graduate of Wayne State University is more than just a powerhouse singer, she is a budding entrepreneur and astute business woman. Sheard launched her own hosiery line “Sheers by Sheard� (available exclusively at select Walgreens), she is also the youngest resident judge in history on the hit BET singing competition Sunday Best and in June 2015 she launched Eleven60, a plus -size clothing line whose main spokesperson is former Glee star and Dancing with the Stars Season 13 winner, Amber Riley. A self-professed “people person,�

Sheard fervently believes in giving back, as she’s the founder of BRL (Bold! Right! Life!), a national organization with 15 local chapters dedicated to youth empowerment (www.boldrightlife.org).

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At 77 years young, the name Dr. Bobby Jones has become synonymous with gospel music and chances are he helped launch the careers of many of our favorite gospel stars. After 35 years, the GRAMMY award winner and host of BET’s Bobby Jones Gospel has chosen to exit stage left. Credited with having the longest Dr. Bobby Jones original series in cable TV history, as well as on BOBBY JONES GOSPEL all other networks, many people don’t know that BET actually launched the network with ÂœLLĂž œ˜iĂƒ ÂœĂƒÂŤiÂ? >Ăƒ ÂˆĂŒĂƒ wĂ€ĂƒĂŒ ĂƒÂ…ÂœĂœ L>VÂŽ ˆ˜ 1980. Not one to be put in a box, Dr. Jones went on to produce and host a number of shows, including The Word Television Network’s, “Bobby Jones Gospel Classicsâ€?, “Bobby Jones Presentsâ€?, “Let’s Talk Gospelâ€?, “The Gospel Channel’s “Gospel Vignettes,â€? Bobby Jones Next Generation, “The Bobby Jones Radio Showâ€? and “The Bobby Jones Gospel Countdown,â€? which aired on the Sheridan Gospel Radio iĂŒĂœÂœĂ€ÂŽÂ° /Â…i w˜>Â? Ăƒi>ĂƒÂœÂ˜ Âœv ĂŒÂ…i vi>ĂŒĂ•Ă€i` > LiÛÞ Âœv >Ă€ĂŒÂˆĂƒĂŒĂƒ ĂœÂ…Âœ V>“i ĂŒÂœ ÂŤ>Ăž …œ“>}i ĂŒÂœ a man who helped catapult their careers to level next. Kirk Franklin, Vickie Winans, LeAndria Johnson, Dottie Peoples, Dorothy Norwood, Melvin Williams, Earnest Pugh, Rance Allen, iâiŽˆ>Â… 7>Â?ÂŽiĂ€] ,ˆVÂ…>Ă€` -“>Â?Â?ĂœÂœÂœ`] /Ăži /Ă€ÂˆLLiĂŒĂŒ] >ÀÞ >ÀÞ >˜` > Â?œ˜} Â?ÂˆĂƒĂŒ Âœv ÂœĂŒÂ…iĂ€Ăƒ “>`i ĂŒÂ…i w˜>Â? Ăƒi>ĂƒÂœÂ˜ Âœv ÂœLLĂž œ˜iĂƒ ÂœĂƒÂŤiÂ? œ˜i ĂŒÂœ remember. Jones will still produce shows for BET and from the looks of it he will not be fully retired anytime soon.

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Two years ago, many people only knew Marquis Boone in the Atlanta area as an advisor to the stars, lead pastor of Fresh Start Church in Duluth, Georgia and the author of two best selling books- “Scandal� and “Til The Last Drop.� Today, in addition to the aforementioned, he is the owner and Marquis BOOne operator of MBE (Marquis Boone Enterprises), a CEO, MBE ENTERPRISES management company and label whose clients include 21 year-old social media sensation Bri (Briana Babineaux), whose single “I’ll Be The One� penetrated the Billboard gospel charts and was the #1 most added gospel song last November. Praise and Worship’s latest superstar Casey J had a huge 2015 with her smash hit “Fill Me Up,� which spent an astounding 14 weeks at #1 on Billboard Magazine’s Gospel Airplay chart and eight weeks at #1 on the Hot Gospel Songs hybrid chart last year. Her inaugural album “The Truth� also debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Gospel Album Chart. Boone also managed to parlay a non-exclusive imprint deal with Tyscot Records with his MBE imprint, which gives him the freedom to partner with other labels when releasing other artists under his imprint. In 2015, Boone also launched “Discovered�, a one day extensive presented by Marquise Boone Enterprises (MBE) in partnership with ASCAP. The event comprised of group sessions, individual classes on Songwriting, Music Publishing, Entertainment Law, Social Media Branding, Public Relations and was facilitated by industry veterans Ted Winn, Bill Carpenter and Kendall Minter.

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Tyscot Records is one of the oldest AfricanAmerican owned labels in the nation and quite frankly they have always been under the radar. Have we forgotten that this historic label introduced us to the likes of John P. Kee, Deitrick Haddon and VaShawn Mitchell? Over the past few years, Tyscot has boasted a roster Bryant Scott of new gospel music stars like Casey J and TYSCOT RECORDS Anthony Brown & Group Therapy. Casey J’s debut The Truth debuted at #1 on the Billboard Gospel chart and her single “Fill Me Up� also reached the top spot on Billboard’s Top Gospel Song chart. Anthony Brown and Group Therapy’s “Everyday Jesus� was one of the highest selling gospel albums of 2015 and the lead single “Worth� was number one for more than two months and was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Gospel Song category.

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Torrence Glenn started 2015 off with a bang, as he was promoted from from Director to Senior Director of the #1 cable channel for African Americans. Although his day to day functions include working on an array of properties on BET’s digital platforms as Torrence Glenn Content and Creative Director on specials SR. DIRECTOR OF SPECIALS/ programming on the BET Awards, BET GOSPEL PROGRAMMING BET DIGITAL Experience, BET Hip Hop Awards, BET Honors and Black Girls Rock, Torrence plays a pivotal role in ensuring gospel is consistently represented on network and online outlets. He also oversees creative direction on Sunday Best, Celebration of Gospel and manages a team of interactive producers and coordinator responsible for content creation and digital marketing/promotion within the Specials and Gospel portfolio, including micro-sites, apps, and social media footprint. He continues to expand the presence of gospel music coverage through the creation of The Gospel According to Torrence and My First COG on BET.com.

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Monica is an industry veteran who continues to innovate and move Gospel music into different arenas. She handles various marketing efforts for GSN and WEtv. In 2015, she secured a deal for Israel Houghton to present his historic Alive In Asia documentary Monica Bacon > ` V ViÀÌ w Û i Ì i>ÌiÀÃ >À Õ ` Ì i PRESIDENT, SOVEREIGN AGENCY country. In addition, she manages popular pastor/artist John Gray and is also apart of the management team for breakthrough artist Travis Greene. With a successful track record as such, it is no question why Sovereign Agency is the go-to consultancy to developing a strong brand and productivity. Company slogan: “TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK.”

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From the months of May to October of 2015, one of the biggest gospel tours was the McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour produced by industry veteran Hoyett Owens. The tour was a big buzz on social media and was hosted by radio Hoyett Owens personality, Lonnie Hunter and featured EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, MCDONALD’S Yolanda Adams, Donald Lawrence, Dorinda INSPIRATION CELEBRATION GOSPEL TOUR Clark-Cole, Ricky Dillard, DeWayne Woods, Tasha Page-Lockhart and comedian Small Fire. The tour landed in 14 major U.S. cities like Detroit, Houston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center in a special commemorative show during Gospel Music Heritage Month. The free concert series raises money each year for Ronald McDonald House Charities and raised over $200,000 in 2015, up from $108,000 the previous year. “One thing I love most about this tour is that it helps so many people,” Owens told The Christian Post last year. “It’s another extension of McDonald’s being deeply rooted in the community.”

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Contributors: Ricardo Cantrell . Torin Derek . Jeanelle Drysdale Shawn Gibbs . Nicole Heyward . Hasan James Chloe Vanderpool . J.S. Williams

careers. As we all know, success within the Vœ˜w˜iĂƒ Âœv > }Ă€ÂœĂ•ÂŤ `ÂœiĂƒÂ˜Â˝ĂŒ >Â?Ăœ>ĂžĂƒ i¾Õ>ĂŒi to success as a solo artist. However, “Most times when one comments on watching the growth of an artist it is spoken both BeBe & in a poetic and theoretic sense, but I have had the privilege of watching BeBe and CeCe grow up in every way. I want to congratulate them on their unprecCeCe proved the edented success! I know Ronald would be proud, considering he was made to skeptics, odds, and rehearse and train them when I didn’t want to and now from the ZYC’s to BeBe & naysayers wrong.

CeCe, I love you and am so very proud of you!â€? -Your Older Brother, Marvin BeBe Winans would go on to be one Âœv ĂŒÂ…i ˆ˜`Ă•ĂƒĂŒĂ€ĂžÂ˝Ăƒ Â“ÂœĂƒĂŒ ÂŤĂ€ÂœÂ?ˆwV ĂƒÂœÂ˜}ĂœĂ€ÂˆĂŒiĂ€Ăƒ and singers, releasing seven solo projects, continuing to build on the foundational direction built by the sibling duo. BeBe’s hit songs included “I Found Loveâ€?, “In Harm’s Wayâ€?, “Safe From Harmâ€?, and “Love Me Anywayâ€?. He became a frequent guest of Oprah Winfrey having worked with everyone from Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder to Willie Nelson and Toby Keith.

They quickly became leaders in the Gospel music genre continuing to release this music that reached the heart of believers >˜` Ă•Â˜LiÂ?ˆiĂ›iĂ€Ăƒ >Â?ˆŽi ĂœÂ…ÂˆÂ?i L>vyˆ˜} ˆ˜`Ă•ĂƒĂŒĂ€Ăž purists who didn’t always understand their musical approach. They would continue blazing trails with the release of four more projects, including a Christmas release. The projects “Heavenâ€?, “Different Lifestylesâ€?, “First Christmasâ€?, and “Relationshipsâ€? would produce signature songs including “Addictive Loveâ€?, “It’s O.Kâ€?, “Celebrate New Lifeâ€?, “Lost Without Youâ€?, and “Don’t Cryâ€?. They would team with Whitney Houston on the 1988 classic “Hold Up The Lightâ€? and they would cover “I’ll Take You Thereâ€? from The Staples Singers.

From their national debut in 1987 through £™™x] ĂŒÂ…iÂˆĂ€ ĂœÂœĂ€ÂŽ i>Ă€Â˜i` ĂŒÂ…i“ wĂ›i Ă€>““Þ Awards (as BeBe won two and CeCe won two for Best Gospel Vocal Performance Male & Female respectively, along with one collectively for Different Lifestyles). During this same time frame, they won seven GMA

ÂœĂ›i Ć‚Ăœ>Ă€`Ăƒ] wĂ›i -ĂŒiÂ?Â?>Ă€ Ć‚Ăœ>Ă€`Ăƒ] ĂŒĂœÂœ -ÂœĂ•Â?

Train Music Awards, and an NAACP Image Award, making them one of the most decorated Gospel acts of the decade.

In 1995, they would each embark on solo

CeCe Winans also found incredible success as a solo artist. She released a total of nine solo projects and began charting a course as a prominent worship leader and revered vocalist. Her projects produced hit singles including “Alabaster Boxâ€?, “Waging Warâ€?, “It Wasn’t Easyâ€?, “I Amâ€?, “Everlasting Loveâ€? and more. Those projects produced additional success, earning her an additional wĂ›i Ă€>““Þ Ć‚Ăœ>Ă€`Ăƒ] ĂŒÂ…ÂˆĂ€ĂŒii˜ Ć‚ Dove Awards, and seven Stellar Awards, cementing her legacy as one of Gospel’s most respected and revered solo artists. In fact, as a solo artist, she received the BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Award in 2009.

it was simply who they are. They are two people from a gifted family who love God and found a way to share the message of love and grace to an audience that was willing to listen. The Bible reminds us that “he who wins souls is wise�. Their musical presentation showcased wisdom in their approach, both musically and lyrically.

While many of their contemporaries stuck with a traditional approach of offering the gospel via music, BeBe & CeCe Winans were among the few that were willing to move in their own direction and take the gospel to the mainstream audience, arguably the people who needed it the most. Their sales and popularity over the years are evidence that consumers believed in the approach and the message but only Heaven will be able to express the true reach and depth of their impact.

It is with great pride that we join in the celebration of these two amazing Gospel music pioneers. Thank you BeBe & CeCe Winans for the years of service and incredible music. Thank you for blazing a trail for many artists to follow. Most importantly, thank you for doing all of this with courage, grace, integrity, and authenticity. Your willingness to create “Relationshipsâ€? with listeners of “Different Lifestylesâ€?, is “Stillâ€? directing people to “Heavenâ€?. For that, we are ALL grateful. iĂ€>Ă€` œ˜˜iĂ€ ÂˆĂƒ " Âœv œ˜˜iĂ€w`i ,>`ˆœ] Whitney Houston Is Happy to Back Up Bebe and CeCe andStellar That’s the Gospel nominated Truth a Winans, multiple Award internet

The duo would reunite after 15 years with their highly anticipated 2009 release titled “Still�. The release featured Marvin Winans and, ironically, fellow 2016 Trailblazer honorees Mary Mary, continuing to elevate this duo into Gospel music superstardom.

The project produced the singles “Close To You�, “Grace�, and “I Found Love� earning the group an additional two Grammy Awards, three Stellar Awards, and a Dove Award.

They would become only the third Gospel act to receive a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011.

Can you call them trailblazers? Absolutely you can. While they are without question one of the genre’s most decorated and celebrated acts, perhaps its two intangible qualities that make them most deserving of BMI’s Trailblazer of Gospel Music Award.

Courage and Authenticity. Since 1987, this duo had the courage to present Gospel music in a way that was against the norm of what was expected and they did so as an extension of their authentic selves. Their movement and musical development wasn’t manufactured in a board room. Instead,

radio station.

You can take the singer out of the church, but you can’t take the EJWTEJ QWV QH VJG UKPIGT 9JGP %G%G 9KPCPU Ć’TUV JGCTF 9JKVPG[ Houston, “I didn’t know who she was,â€? she recalls, “but I said, ‘She’s a gospel singer.’ She was singing a commercial for Steak #NG NKMG UJGŨF DGGP UCXGFĐ‘ĹŹ 6JG Ć’TUV VKOG 9JKVPG[ JGCTF %G%G sing—with her brother BeBe on the Winanses’ self-titled 1987 album—she became an instant fan. “We come from the same place—which is church,â€? says Houston, who introduced herself to the Winanses at an L.A. awards ceremony two years ago and told them, “I listen to your tape every morning. It really inspires me.â€? Later Houston took the stage with the siblings, with no rehearsal, and hit every note of her favorite Winans song, “Love Said Not So.â€? Since then, she has been dropping in on Winans dates all over the country for the pure joy of joining in. “She’s been a true friend,â€? says BeBe. “Often we have to sit her down, because she’ll want to do the whole show.â€?

(Excerpt from People Magazine ,WN[

BeBe & CeCe Winans: Trademarks of a Trailblazer

By Gerard Bonner 2016 kicks off in an incredible way as BMI honors the sibling duo BeBe & CeCe Winans with the Trailblazers of Gospel Music Award.

As we celebrate the incredible career of this `Þ > V `Õ ] i̽à }iÌ > Ü À } `iw Ì v the word trailblazer.

Webster’s Dictionary describes “trailblazer” as “a person who makes, does, or discovers something new and makes it acceptable or « «Õ >À»° Ƃ ÃiV ` Ü À } `iw Ì Ã º> person who marks or prepares a trail through “Bebe and CeCe, what can I say? They are timeless and classic. One of THE best duos to ever sing gospel music. I Love you”. -Byron Cage

> v ÀiÃÌ À wi ` v À Ì iÀ «i « i Ì v Ü»° One retrospective look at the career of BeBe & CeCe Winans and it will be EASY to see Ü Ì Ã `iw Ì iÝ«iÀÌ Þ `iÃVÀ LiÃ Ì i À impact on the Gospel music industry.

Now, let’s just lay the groundwork here. The duo (born Benjamin, aka BeBe, and Priscilla, aka CeCe) gained their musical gifts honestly as the seventh and eighth children of the famed Winans Family, which included the popular group The Winans, sisterly group Angie & Debbie, and brother Daniel Winans.

7 i Ì i }À Õ« / i 7 > Ã ÜiÀi Ì i wÀÃÌ v the ten children to make noise as a recording group, BeBe & CeCe began gaining national attention as part of the PTL Singers with Jim & Tammy Bakker in 1982. It was there that the duo would release their debut project “Lord Lift Us Up”.

Everything would change in 1987 when the group would leave the PTL Singers to embark on their own journey and path as artists. Now signed to Sparrow Records, the duo would release their self-titled release and really begin impacting the music world in a new way.

So, let’s talk about the era of the 80s in Gospel music. At this time, choirs were

dominating other artists of the day. Instead, they were the sound smooth and calculating in their delivery. of the genre. In terms of sub-genre Although they have many songs containing V >Ãà wV>Ì Ã] Ì iÀi Ü>à ½Ì Ì i i Û À i Ì the name “Jesus”, some called their music we currently have. At that point, there “ambiguous” because their singles often did were choirs, quartet, and some degree of not. And, to the chagrin of many industry contemporary music, being spearheaded traditionalists, the duo found unprecedented

by Andrae Crouch and The Winans. In success. terms of mainstream crossover success, the Now to their national debut with Sparrow aforementioned artists were pretty much the Records. The self-titled release produced only ones doing that, as most gospel artists the single “I.O.U. Me”, which crossed over did not have the desire or the material to in ways that even today’s Gospel community blur the genre lines. Before Kirk Franklin could only dream of. The single became a was nearly burned at the stake for taking huge hit, topping the R&B and Inspirational “Gospel Music too far”, BeBe and CeCe V >ÀÌà i>À } Ì i }À Õ« Ì i À wÀÃÌ À> Þ were breaking out of the proverbial Gospel nomination. Not only did they begin blurring music box with sounds and lyrics that began the genre lines, they began impacting the an enduring debate among Gospel music V À ià >à Üi ] LiV } i v Ì i wÀÃÌ purists and lovers that exists to this day. The African-American gospel acts to get heavy debate you ask? Can you actually sing a airplay on Contemporary Christian Music Gospel song without º*i « i Ü yÕi Vi Þ Õ >Ài «i « i Ì >Ì Li iÛi Þ Õ° i i > ` i i½Ã mentioning the name presence calls for your best. Congratulations on your continued journey of mu“Jesus”? If you ask sical integrity and a loyalty to the Creator that we all admire..We Love you!!!”

BeBe & CeCe, the -Gary and Pat Houston answer is YES! The duo began introducing us to music that sonically and lyrically rivaled that of the leading R&B artists of the day. They weren’t a choir. They weren’t a group like The Winans or Commissioned. They didn’t growl or sing with great power as

stations. They would go on to win the Dove Award for New Artist of the Year in 1988 and became only the second African-American artists to win that award as Group of the Year in 1990.

THE BENEDICTION

By Hasan James

Natalie Wilson and SOP: The Reunion?

L

et’s be very clear, before Natalie Wilson and SOP burst onto the scene, the mainstream gospel industry had never seen or heard of a “Girl Director.” Natalie Wilson & SOP made history with their bold, contemporary sound laid over Hip-Hop beats and powerful lyrics. At the top of the millennium, Vicki Mack-Lataillade and Gospo Centric Records (who introduced us to Kirk Franklin & The Family almost a decade before), took a chance on a local group from Newark New Jersey. Their debut independent release “Not The Same” was a cult classic and produced a moderate hit “Your House,” which is actually one of my favorite SOP songs. ÜiÛiÀ] Ì i À wÀÃÌ >Ì > Þ Ài i>Ãi` Ã } i “Act Like You Know” skyrocketed to the top of the charts, solidifying them as one of the premiere choirs of the new decade. Even Grammy winning writer/producer, took a break from working with the likes of Brandy, Mary J. Blige and Michael Jackson Ì «À `ÕVi Ì >Ì wÀÃÌ Ã } i for his fellow New Jersey family.

Before Joe Wilson made history as Lady Gaga’s musical director he was responsible for constructing a particular sound for SOP. That sound birthed more classics like “Calvary,” “Brother/Sister,” and

the Jay-Z “Can I Get A”… inspired “The Rock.” Their second offering “The Good Life” released in 2003, was iÛi LiÌÌiÀ Ì > º À ÀiVÌ À» >Ã Ì i V À> i y ÀÌi` with more diverse sounds inclusive of reggae and gospel ballads. “Free,” “Conquerors,” “SOP Party,” “When You Need A Friend,” “Peace and Tranquility,” “Healing and Rest.” These songs were brilliantly constructed and the newer, younger generation of believers hung on to every word. And then at the height of their career, the music stopped…. >> 12 years since their sophomore album and it was announced on Periscope that Natalie Wilson and SOP will be reuniting in June of this year for a concert and possible recording. Social media went ablaze as word got around and just like that our beloved Natalie Wilson and SOP is within our reach again. It doesn’t really matter why they was off the music scene for so long, what matters most is the comeback! Does Natalie Wilson and SOP have what it takes to survive in today’s gospel music landscape? Absolutely! Is there still room for a Girl Director? There hasn’t been another one since. Natalie Wilson and SOP, the industry, better yet, the world has Lii Ü> Ì } «>Ì i Ì Þ v À Þ ÕÀ ÀiÌÕÀ > ` Üi w}ÕÀi after a decade, you’ve had enough “Healing and Rest”.

Please don’t let us down.

BMI TRAILBLAZERS EDITION

Issue 21

February 2016

GOSPEL MUSIC’S DYNAMIC DUO BEBE & CECE WINANS

MARRIAGE, FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS WITH

SHAUN & MARKITA COLLINS

+TOP20 POWER PLAYERS WHO WILL BE #1?

THE BENEDICTION

NATALIE WILSON & SOP

MARQUIS BOONE JOSEPH BURNEY PHIL THORNTON YOLANDA ADAMS WILLIE MOORE JR. AND MORE!