In this downturned economy, many long established record labels have either folded or been sold because they just can’t break even on today’s musical landscape where physical CD sales have plummeted because consumers don’t have as much discretionary income as they did a decade ago and millions are unemployed.
 
In spite of the poor forecast for the music industry as a whole, Baltimore, MD-based Habakkuk Music is holding its own and still churning out gospel radio hits ranging from its flagship artist, Lisa Page Brooks, who shot to the top spot on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs chart two years ago, to newcomers such as Gerald Scott & Co. and Cheneta Jones.
 
At the helm of this enterprise is April Washington, a seasoned music vet who worked at Motown, RCA Records, Capitol Records and WEA distribution prior to branching off into the gospel music world in 1997 and becoming one of its top radio promoters for well over a decade. Among her successful achievements are promoting CeCe Winans’ gold-selling “Throne Room” CD and Shekinah Glory Ministry’s #1 album, “Jesus.”
 
In 2008, April founded Habakkuk Music and pushed obscure or under-recognized artists to the front pew of the church. After years of fronting the group Witness and as a soloist, Lisa Page Brooks finally got a #1 hit when April made Brook’s tune “I Just Want To Say Thank You” one of the biggest songs of 2010. She also gave rapper Papa San his highest charting CD ever on the reggae chart with “Higher Heights” and she also orchestrated a successful marketing campaign for singer Jessica Greene to win a Stellar Award as Best New Artist of the Year.
 
Knowing how to market the acts hasn’t been the biggest struggle for Habakkuk though. “The biggest challenge is obtaining enough funding to do everything I’d like to do,” April says. “But we’ve been fortunate to get funding assistance with the help of Meridian Management Group, Inc. and MD Dept of Business & Economic Development. There is assistance for minority and woman-owned businesses, you just have to seek it out.”
 
Currently, April is undertaking an eight-city promo tour that kicks off August 9 in Chattanooga, TN. It’s called “Got Gospel? Open Mic Night” and it serves to brand her artists as well as publicize an all-star compilation CD, “Got Gospel? The Best Indie Tracks… Yesterday, Today & Forever.” Aside from the tour featuring aspiring talent in cities such as Baltimore, Raleigh and Little Rock, it will be hosted by BET Comic View host Steffon Vann and boast performances from Habakkuk artists Lisa Page Brooks, Cheneta Jones and Gerald Scott & Co. All of the artists are featured on the “Got Gospel?” CD alongside such legendary names as Vickie Winans and Rance Allen.
 
There’s no laurel resting at Habakkuk. April is currently on the road working a half dozen radio singles like Lisa Page Brook’s new cut “Better Than life” and Gerald Scott & Co.’s upbeat tune, “Alright”. She adds that, “I surround myself with successful entrepreneurs for encouragement and inspiration to keep me going, no matter what! One day when it was really tough and I wanted to quit, my mentor, Germaine Leftridge (GBL Sales) said to me, `Don’t believe your lying eyes!’  Meaning that not matter what it looks like, stay faithful & committed and you will win.”  
 
“For me, it dangerous to focus on what’s stacked against me, not to say that odds don’t exist,” says April who prevailed in court when a disgruntled former artist sued the company three years back. “But if I focus on it, I probably would have quit five years ago.  To overcome the challenges, I am becoming a better businesswoman by diversifying the company and broadening my perspective.  My most important discipline is to stay grateful for every blessing, big and small.”
 
HABAKKUK MUSIC’S BIGGEST BILLBOARD GOSPEL HITS YET
 
2012            Cheneta Jones – Transformed (CD)                          #13      Top Gospel Albums
2012            Clint Brown – Release (CD)                                   #30        Top Gospel Albums           
2012            Various Artists – Got Gospel (CD)                        #50          Top Gospel Albums
2011            Lisa Page Brooks – God is Good                            #14         Hot Gospel Songs
2011            Clint Brown – Send Your Rain                             #28          Hot Gospel Songs
2011            Gail Holmes – Whatever It Is (Let It Go)             #21            Hot Gospel Songs
2010            Lisa Page Brooks – I Want To Say Thank You       #1             Hot Gospel Songs
2010            Lisa Page Brooks – Strong (CD)                          #18          Top Gospel Albums
2009            Papa San – Higher Heights (CD)                        #4             Top Reggae Albums
2009            Isaiah D. Thomas – Said He Would Be With Me     #14          Hot Gospel Songs
2008            Isaiah D. Thomas – The Greatest                        #17           Hot Gospel Songs
2008            Kevin Levar  – Let’s Come Together                   #22            Hot Gospel Songs

Washington, DC, the birth place of The Black Entertainment Television Network, proudly boast of the success of the industry’s longest running program in the history of cable television, Bobby Jones Gospel.  

For thirty one years, there has been very little competition with this one of a kind program made famous on the BET Networks. Many gospel music festivals and events often mention the long list of International and National gospel artists that are featured. None have approached the number of high profile, cream of the crop artists as featured on Bobby Jones Gospel.

Plans are on the way to produce the fall season of the program to feature sixty three of the world’s most influential gospel artists, such as:  

Marvin Sapp, Donald Lawrence, Yolanda Adams, Vickie Winans, Karen Clark Sheard, Dorinda Clark Cole, Shirley Caesar, The Rance Allen Group, Byron Cage, Cissy Houston, Angela Spivey, Dorothy Norwood, Dottie Peoples, James Fortune & FIYA, Shirley Murdock, Amber Bullock, Pastor Charles Jenkins and Fellowship Chicago, Vashawn Mitchell, Helen Baylor, Isaac Caree, William McDowall, Glen Jones, Genobia Jeter Jones, Y’Anna Crawley, Myron Butler, Smokie Norful, Jonathan Nelson, Bishop Paul Morton, Jason Nelson, Bryan Wilson, Richard Smallwood, Hezekiah Walker, J. Moss, Rizen, Moses Tyson, Jr, Vicki Yohe, William Murphy, Dottie Peoples, BeBe Winans, Tamala Mann, Israel Houghton, Forever Jones, The Jackson Southernaires, Kurt Carr & The Kurt Carr Singers, Stephen Hurd, Genita Pugh, Michelle Williams, J.J. Hairston & Youthful Praise, Earnest Pugh, Beverly Crawford, Tremaine Hawkins, Chicago Mass Choir, Le mmie Battles, Zacardi Cortez, Leanne  Faine, Duranice Pace, Denise Tichenor, Wess Morgan, Ascension Dancers, The Nashville Super Choir and twenty additional great gospel acts.  

Bobby Jones Gospel, hosted by Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones, has distinguished recognition and visibility worldwide.  

The program tapings will began in the studio of BET, 1235 W street NE, Washington, DC., July 27, 28, 29. August 3, 4, 5, 2012.

Admission is free. For tickets contact, Terrance Clayton, The thirty second season will kick off October 7, 2012, 9:00 AM EST., on The Black Entertainment Television Network. (800) 626-9911, 0#

For almost two decades, Chrystal Rucker has been the darling of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) denomination where she’s become known for her own spine-tingling renditions of Judy Garland’s “Over the Rainbow,” Tramaine Hawkins’ “Changed” and Lecresia Campbell’s classic, “Safety.”

Then, in 2007 she suffered a stroke at the age of 35. If she couldn’t sing, she couldn’t work and over the next two years, she fought hard to get back to full health so that she could sing again and take care of her daughter. “When you have someone you have to live for it makes all the difference in the world in your healing process,” Rucker says.

After years of appearing on the albums of other artists, Rucker is back in top form and unveiling her first nationally-distributed solo CD, “You Deserve” (EPM Music Group), a brilliantly fascinating collection of heart-wrenching gospel ballads and pulsating praise tunes that hits retail stores and online portals everywhere on August 14, 2012.

The eleven-track set features the dynamic radio smash, “You Deserve,” which glistens with Rucker’s cascading high notes and squalls. Rucker also reintroduces Tramaine Hawkins’ 1975 classic, “Changed” and delivers a reverential hymn medley of “Great is Thy Faithfulness” and “Grateful.”

Even though she’s a church girl, Rucker shows she has a flair for urban pop on mid-tempo charmers such as “I Am So Grateful,” the jazzy “Nothing Less” and the infectious hand-clapper, “Make Me Wanna.” She creates a contagious joy on the heart-thumping “Come Bless His Name” while channeling the most poised and refined performance of the album on the soaring anthem, You Will Be My God” that shows off heavenly high notes and a tender sound of praise. For more information on Chrystal Rucker and other EPM Music Group artists, visit www.epmmusicgroup.com or www.chrystalrucker.net.

This week there’s a little shake-up among the top 10 of the Billboard Gospel charts.  Number 1 remains the same as Mary Mary continues to sell strong with their latest effort “Go Get It.”

Jumping up to the #2 spot this week is BeBe Winans, who released a solo project called “America, America” earlier in July.  The album jumps from #11 to the #2 spot this week.

Music World Gospel artist Amber Bullock makes a strong debut with the release of her new project “So in Love.”  The former Sunday Best winner comes in at #3.

Next week industry experts expect Gospel rapper ‘K.B.’ to debut his new project “Weight & Glory” in the top 10.  The Reach Records artist has a sizable underground following, and strong promotion from fellow artist and label owner Lecrae.

Below is the rest of the Top 10:

1 | Mary Mary – Go Get It
2 | BeBe Winans – America, America
3 | Amber Bullock – So In Love
4 | Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago – The Best of Both Worlds
5 | Marvin Sapp – I Win
6 | William McDowell – Arise
7 | WOW Gospel 2012
8 | JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise – After This
9 | Nephew Tommy – Prank Phone Calls
10 | Marvin Winans – The Praise & Worship Experience

 

Following their month-long domination at No. 1 on the Christian AC radio chart with the title track from their best-selling CD The Hurt & The Healer, the multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated, American Music Award and multiple GMA Dove Award winning band MercyMe has delivered The Making of The Hurt & The Healer short film. MercyMe unveils it atMercyMe.org this week, where for a limited time it will be available direct to fans first for $5. This fall it will be available through iTunes®.

With a total running time of just over 30 minutes, The Making of The Hurt & The Healer includes high definition video filmed in the recording studio and on the road over the course of eight months. In addition to live perfmormances of “The Hurt & The Healer” and “You are I Am,” the film features footage from the studio, bloopers, interviews with the guys telling stories behind the songs, and an overall, true behind-the-scenes look at the beginning to end creation of The Hurt & The Healer. Click here to view the trailer.

As MercyMe visits markets across the country throughout the summer,FairTrade will release the next single, “You Are I Am,” on August 17th, the follow-up to their No. 1 hit, “The Hurt & The Healer.”

[Get Connected with MercyMe]
Website – http://mercyme.org
Twitter- @mercyme
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/mercyme
YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/user/mercymevideo “The Hurt & The Healer” music video

About MercyMe 
Since their debut in 2001, Grammy-nominated, American Music Award and multiple GMA Dove Award winners MercyMe have sold over 6 million units in CD and DVD sales, while being one of few Contemporary Christian music groups to have had all of their recordings certified Gold or Platinum, as well as garner 23 No.1 multi-format Christian radio singles, and four consecutive mainstream radio hits with “I Can Only Imagine,” (No. 4 AC/top 25 on Top 40/Hot AC), “Here With Me” (No. 4 AC), “Homesick” (top 10 AC), and “So Long Self.” In 2009, BILLBOARD named MercyMe’s “Word Of God Speak” the #1 Song of The Decade and the group the #1 Christian Songs Artist of the Decade, with an additional #1 as the Christian AC Song Artist of The Decade as one of the industry’s most notable talents. MercyMe made history as “I Can Only Imagine” surpassed 1 million digital downloads, making it the first song in Christian music to go platinum in the digital domain. The multi-platinum selling band has sold out venues including Radio City Music Hall and has been seen on The Tonight Show, CNN, Fox New Channel’s Fox & Friends, ABC News, CBS’s The Early Show, and on the pages of Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, USA Today, Billboard, and more.

For the last five years, Gerald Scott & Co. has been one of the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia area) metroplex’s top local acts and now the dynamic ensemble is poised to become one of the nation’s leading gospel acts. Although, the group has released two successful indie projects in the past, they are stepping up their game with their third CD release, “Incredible” (Habakkuk Music), that is in stores now.
 
The bouncy radio single, “Alright,” is reminiscent of a new wave Earth Wind & Fire `70s jam. “We’ve been getting amazing feedback from it,” says Scott. “It’s very uplifting and encouraging. I like to call it a great song you can roll your windows down and ride to, so people are loving it and I’m just glad about that.” Many people are glad and Scott and company are picking up fans in high places. Stellar Award winning gospel artist, Jonathan Nelson, says, “His music is refreshing” and renowned worship leader, Stephen Hurd, adds that, “God is using Gerald in a way that will reach far and wide and touch people.”
 
“Gerald Scott is a phenomenal songwriter,” says Habakkuk CEO, April Washington Essex. “It’s like he writes from the heart of God. What’s more, he’s got the whole package: anointed ministry, great vocals & arrangements, exciting performance and he’s still young!”  Scott composed and produced all of the ten songs on the “Incredible” CD that ranges from lush, congregational worship tunes such as “Higher” to the ferocious rock vibe of “No Condemnation.”  In between there are down-home church songs like “God is Good”, the pop-styled ballad “Back With You” and the exhilarating rhythm of the title tune. Each track shows off not only Scott’s warmly earnest tenor but also the rich harmonies of the Co.
 
“We’re going up and down the east coast promoting this CD,” says Scott. “We’re going to be everywhere each weekend – from New York to Orlando, Florida.” Follow the group on Twitter #gscottco or visit www.habakkukmusic.com for more information on the label.

After a 3 week run on top of the Billboard Gospel charts, Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago relinquish the #1 spot to Gospel greats Mary Mary.  For Mary Mary this marks a return to #1 for their latest CD effort titled “Go Get It”. Charles Jenkins falls to the #3 spot.

Moving up to the #2 spot is Marvin Sapp, and Nephew Tommy of the Tom Joyner Morning Show comes in at #4 with his new comedy CD.

Next week, expect former Sunday Best winner Amber Bullock to debut her new project in the top 10.  Amber is currently on a promotional tour promoting her new album nationally.

The rest of the Top 10:

1 | Mary Mary – Go Get It
2 | Marvin Sapp – I Win
3 | Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago – The Best of Both Worlds
4 | Nephew Tommy – Prank Phone Calls
5 | WOW Gospel 2012
6 | William McDowell – Arise
7 | Marvin Winans – The Praise & Worship Experience
8 | James Fortune & FIYA – Identity
9 | Various Artists – Joyful Noise (Soundtrack)
10 | JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise – After This 
 

Christian Comedian Akintunde, made a big splash on this past weekend at the 18th annual “Essence Music Festival” in New Orleans, LA. delivering a “Stand Out” performance in the TBS “LOL Lounge”. Akintunde was featured along side actors Michael Jai White and Tasha Smith (stars of Tyler Perry’s “For Better or Worse”), and fellow comedian and writer, Deon Cole (Conan) among others.

On Sunday, The Minister of Comedy (as he is known), and fellow Christian Comedian Mike Goodwin, delivered the laughs to attendees of the “African Pride” suite at the Wyndham Hotel. This year marks Akintunde’s first appearance at the annual Music festival. On Friday, Akintunde headlined a comedy event at Greater Grace Cathedral in Detroit, MI. The weekend festivities kicked off a busy month for the 19 year comedy veteran. Which includes stops in St. Louis with the “Creflo Dollar Change Convention” (7/20), Nashville TN for Cece Winans’ annual youth conference, “Always Sisters Forever Brothers” (7/ 21), and a highly anticipated return to his hometown of Savannah GA on The Rebirth of Comedy Tour (7/27).

OTHER DATES INCLUDE: 

7/28 Bishopville, SC. – Champions of Faith
8/4  Greer, SC.         – Rebirth of Comedy Tour
8/5  Columbia, SC.    – First Sundays at The Margaret H. Miller Ctr.
8/11 Hephzibah, GA. – Rebirth of Comedy Tour
8/17 Toronto, ON.     – Creflo Dollar Change Convention

For Akintunde’s complete schedule. log onto www.akintunde.net