Verity Gospel Music Group recording artist Jason Nelson is set to participate in a national initiative to bring the gift of reading to thousands of public schools. The National Education Association’s (NEA) “Read Across America Tour – Driven by Mazda” will stop in 20 cities, each stop enlisting the help of local and national celebrity support, all culminating in New York City on March 2nd in conjunction with the opening of Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s 3D feature, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax.

Jason Nelson will participate in the Baltimore leg stop of the tour as a reader to the children in Winfield Elementary School. Studies have shown that students who enjoy reading perform better in school, boast higher test scores, develop comprehension proficiency and improve analytical skills faster and better than their peers who read less frequently. Nelson, a Baltimore native and graduate of The Baltimore School for the Arts, feels particularly drawn to this initiative. “We must establish protocols that encourage our children to read and to love reading at an early age,” says Nelson. “I read with my own children on a regular basis to emphasize its importance, and I’m very excited to participate in this initiative.”

Jason Nelson was signed to Verity Gospel Music Group in June 2011. As an artist, he is known equally for his impeccable writing skills, compelling vocals, and passionate heart for ministry. His current single, “Shifting the Atmosphere,” has been widely received by pundits and gospel music fans alike. His highly anticipated album is due later this year.

As a father, pastor and singer, The NEA’s “Read Across America Tour – Driven by Mazda” is a perfect tie-in to Jason Nelson’s life and work. The event will take place at 1:30 pm at Winfield Elementary School, 8300 Carlson Ln. Baltimore, MD. The tour will focus on sharing the story of Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax” with students, raise awareness for public schools in need and provide an opportunity for consumers to show that they care – as the Lorax teaches us – “a whole awful lot.” In the words of NEA president, Dennis Van Roekel, “NEA’s National Read Across America celebration is not just about one hour or one day of reading, it is about cultivating a lifetime of good reading habits in students that will translate into academic success.”

LIL PROPHET AND TRIPLE D MAKING A MAJOR MOVE & BREAKTHROUGH LANDING BRAND NEW HIT SINGLE ON THE SOUL TRAIN AWARDS “PARTY TRAIN” MIX TAPE!!

“NEW PATH” BY TRIPLE D FEAT. LIL PROPHET WAS WRITTEN BY PSDK WHO IS ALSO FEATURING ON THIS ENERGIZING HEART FELT SONG THAT’S CALLING OUT TO THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN THE STEP OF CROSSING OVER INTO THE LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST!

“This song is an awakening experience where there is a crossing over from the darkness of one’s life onto a path full of light where lives are changed and dreams come true and it can only be accomplished in having a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ” says Triple D.

John 8:12, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (KJV)

TRIPLE D

Here is an anointed, Holy Ghost filled, minister and performer, with a unique lyrical sound. From mid alto to low soprano range, her voice will soothe, hype, and minister to any venue in any surrounding. She believes that her passion for singing comes from the joy and freedom she feels from being in Christ and her mission is to bring this same feeling to everyone she comes in contact with through her ministries unique style of song. Triple D was born in Hampton, Virginia where she first began singing, and now resides in Zephyrhills, Florida.

Dominique N. Kelsie a.k.a Triple D has been affiliated with Real Word Records CEO Lil Prophet for the past 5 years and in this short time she has tremendously gotten many of her desires accomplished, not just for her, but for the label and her fans.

By her unique style of being able to fit in many genres, she featured on smash it “Drop Low” on Lil Prophet’s Mission From God Album, which is a hip-hop style track. Also she sang background vocals to Lil Prophet’s single “Make ‘Em Lean”, which was distributed world-wide through Holy Hip Hop Volume 5 EMI Gospel, which is Track 1.

Having shared the stage with national and local artists like Lil Prophet at 2008 & 2010 Holy Hip Hop Awards and many other venues, Pettidee from Soldier Sound Records, Mr. Del, Rawsrvnt, and many more!

Triple D ministers out of God’s Vision For Life Christian Center, under the leadership of Pastor Dr. Steven D. Kelsie. She has received her Associates Degree in Basic Biblical Studies fromTampa Bay Bible College and is currently working on her Bachelors in Christian Counseling. She understands that even though she has a gift of singing she knows that it is the word of God that soothes the soul.

Triple D is currently working on her freshman album “Unique”, under the Real Word Record label.

“There are many people in this world who need to be comforted and seek their comfort from unhealthy sources. I was one of them, but now that I’ve experienced Christ and a better source of comfort, I want to take what I’ve experienced and share it with all people.” –Triple D.

www.twitter.com/tripled_rwr
www.facebook.com/tripledofrealword
www.therealwordrecords.com

CBN set down with Gospel legend Shirley Caesar, as she spoke candidly about the life of Whitney Houston.  

Caesar, was one of Whitney Houston’s God-Mothers who spoke passionately about Whitney and her relationship with ex-husband Bobby Brown.  Houston called the Gospel icon ‘Mama Shirley.’

Caesar recounts several events in Whitney’s life that Caesar was involved in.

Shirley Caesar talks about a time she reached out to Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, urging them to get their lives in order and start living right.  Caesar recalls pulling the couple aside telling them that they’re a reflection of each other, as Bobby Brown was disrupting a concert that Caesar attended.

Caesar, said she never lost hope when hearing the trials of Whitney and Bobby played out in the media.  She calls Bobby a special person and says God’s hand is on Bobby’s life too. 

In the exclusive interview Caesar was asked If she held Bobby responsible for what happened.  “No, I blame the Devil for it,” says Caesar.  “The Devil does not want a part, he wants your heart.  He wants everything about you.  And once he gets that he will leave you a skeleton.  He will leave you high and dry, with nothing.  Ah, but God!”

She goes on to call Houston “a fantastic person” who knew God loved her.  Caesar speaks to everyone about how to overcome their circumstances, and nearly preaches in the interview.  Listen to the interview below in the below videos.

Since the release of his debut album (Stay) in 2002, BEC Recordings’ Jeremy Camp has had an outstanding career with 25 No. 1 radio singles across all formats, four RIAA Gold-selling studio albums, including that debut, a GRAMMY® nominated project and many more accolades. To celebrate his ten years as an influential artist impacting lives, Camp is releasing I Still Believe: Number Ones Collection on BEC Recordings on March 13.

Camp most recently received his 25th No. 1 single with “Overcome” from his album We Cry Out: The Worship Project. This single has spent 5 weeks at the top on the Inspo chart and continues to climb on AC and CHR formats.

I Still Believe: Number Ones Collection is Camp’s first hits release, and it includes 15 No. 1 hit singles including “I Still Believe,” “Take You Back,” “There Will Be A Day,” and many others as well as an unreleased track. This collection will release on the same date as Camp’s label and touring-mate Adam Cappa’s debut, which Camp co-produced.

I Still Believe: Number Ones Collection Track Listing:
1. Understand
2. Right Here
3. Walk By Faith
4. I Still Believe
5. Take You Back
6. This Man
7. My Desire
8. Lay Down My Pride
9. Take My Life
10. Tonight
11. Let It Fade
12. Give You Glory
13. Give Me Jesus
14. There Will Be A Day
15. Jesus Saves
16. Wait (Bonus Track)

JEREMY CAMP: 

Over his stellar 10 year career, Camp has established himself with these landmark accolades: over three million albums sold, Four RIAA Gold-selling studio albums including his debut album; One RIAA Multi-Platinum long-form video; 25 No. 1 Radio Hits across all formats; GRAMMY® nominated project for his album Speaking Louder Than Before; Billboard’s No. 3 Christian Artist of the Decade including five songs in the Top 50 Billboard Christian Songs of the Decade; Four ASCAP Songwriter of the Year awards; ASCAP Song of the Year award; Five Dove awards including two-time Male Vocalist of the Year. Jeremy is a Compassion International artist.

Over the past decade, Israel Houghton has amassed a legion of fans while blasting down musical barriers and drawing together people of all ages, races and cultures through worship. On March 6, Integrity Music celebrates the past 10 years of Houghton’s music and ministry with Decade, a two-disc collection that includes 26 of his best-loved songs including “Friend of God,” “Moving Forward,” “New Season,” “Say So” and many more.

As a worship leader, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist and leader of the ministry ensemble New Breed, Houghton has created a canon of songs that have become standards in houses of faith around the globe. And along the way, has been fittingly graced with six Dove Awards, two Stellar Awards, a Soul Train Award and four Grammy® Awards.

Decade features songs that are fan and congregational favorites from Houghton’s celebrated albums including New Season, Real, Live From Another Level, Alive in South Africa, A Deeper Level, The Power of One and Love God.Love People. The collection also includes the new song “Jesus At The Center,” which will be featured on Houghton’s new live recording titled Jesus At The Center available this fall.

“After a Decade worth of projects, hundreds of songs, thousands of nights of worship, and hundreds of thousands of people who have allowed us to usher them to Jesus, whether by way of recording or live events, I am so grateful that you gave us an opportunity to worship with you,” says Houghton. “Thank you for singing songs like ‘You Are Good,’ ‘Friend of God,’ ‘Alpha and Omega,’ ‘Moving Forward,’ and so many others and for responding to us over the last decade with such humbling words of encouragement.”

“There’s one decade down and generations more to come,” he adds. “We feel like we’re just getting started and we’re already putting finishing touches on the first project of the next decade!”

The complete tracklist for the Decade album is: Disc 1
1. Friend Of God
2. Again I Say Rejoice
3. You Are Good
4. We Have Overcome
5. Not Forgotten
6. Who Is Like The Lord
7. New Season
8. Alpha And Omega
9. No Limits (Enlarge My Territory)
10. To Worship You I Live
11. There’s A Lifting Of The Hands
12. Hosanna (Be Lifted Higher)
13. Jesus At The Center Of It All

Disc 2 
1. Saved By Grace
2. Just Wanna Say
3. With Long Life
4. Nothing Else Matters
5. Love God. Love People.
6. Going to Another Level
7. I Know Who I Am
8. Say So
9. The Power of One (Change The World)
10. You Hold My World
11. If Not For Your Grace
12. Another Break Through
13. Moving Forward

Decade will be available everywhere Christian music is sold beginning March 6. It will be distributed to Christian retail stores through Provident Distribution and to mainstream stores through Sony Music Entertainment. A digital deluxe version of Decade, featuring additional songs and videos, will be available exclusively through iTunes.

A worship leader and member of Houston’s Lakewood Church, Israel has also led worship for Hillsong conferences, Franklin Graham crusades and a variety of music festivals around the world. Houghton is the leader of New Breed Ministries, an organization comprised of noted musicians and singers who serve within their respective churches and together serve the Church at large. Additional information can be found at http://newbreedmusic.com.

William McDowell, well known worship leader and e1/Light Records recording artist, is enjoying a successful season with his current CD ARISE.

The popular 2-CD set has been a consumer hit since it’s release last fall. Reaching Number 1 on the Billboard Top Gospel chart upon release, it stayed there for over 4 weeks. The album continues remain in the top 10. ARISE was recorded live in Ft. Lauderdale, FL at Christian Life Center and is packed with 23 compelling songs of worship, praise, authority, inspiration and revelation.

Driving sales and radio play, is McDowell‘s latest song “I Won’t Go Back.” As with his previous triumphant song “I Give Myself Away,” this single put forwards a message of universal worship and deliverance. The Spirit-led song is a fluid and powerful example of pure worship. “I Won’t Go Back” is Number 3 on the gospel radio chart and continues to rise weekly in spins and plays.

McDowell was recently seen performing “I Won’t Go Back” on the 27th Annual Stellar Awards that aired nationwide in January and February. He has had several televised performances including BET Bobby Jones Gospel and GMC’s Stellar Award Nominee Concert special and is featured in this week’s JET Magazine. McDowell will also be performing at Radio One’s upcoming Inspiration & Music Conference in Philadelphia on March 10th.

McDowell, an Ohio native, will be honored at an upcoming Cleveland Cavaliers game at the 8th Annual State Farm Black Heritage Celebration presented by PNC. On Friday, March 2nd, the Cavs will present Gospel Night at the Cavs vs. Chicago Bulls game with a salute to McDowell.   Mt. Zion of Oakwood Village Church, a local choir will perform his hit song, “I Won’t Go Back,” and he will be awarded for his achievements as a Christian artist. McDowell attributes his accomplishments to his childhood days spent in church and playing the keyboard in his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Independent of past, present and future accomplishments, ARISE leaves no doubt that McDowell remains committed to providing the world with modern worship and leading others to God’s throne.

Marvin Winans, Carvin Winans and BeBe Winans have formed a new group and will record a new album together.

Fresh off officiating Whitney Houston’s funeral, the Winans helped make Whitney’s funeral one for the ages.

The group has already begun recording its first song, a tune in tribute to their late brother Ronald, and Whitney Houston.

Apparently, the collaboration is a dream come true for BeBe Winans.  For sometime BeBe wanted to have the brothers collaborate on a record.  

BeBe is probably best known as the second part of the hit duo that he forms with his sister CeCe Winans.  The siblings have recorded music that has afforded them the privilege of performing on some of the worlds biggest stages.  Last year the duo announced that their last album would indeed be their last full project together.  

Pastor Marvin Winans is an accomplished singer in his own right, releasing his first solo recording, ‘Alone, But Not Alone‘ in 2007.  The album was nominated for a Grammy award for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album.

Marvin Winans, a pastor, founded The Perfecting Church in Detroit, Michigan in the early 1990s, and released an album with the church’s choir in 1992 entitled Introducing Perfected Praise. A second album, Friends, appeared in 2001. 

Marvin Winans sang in the 1970s with his brothers Ronald, Carvin (his twin) and Michael (the group also included others) as The Testimonial Singers. Their first performance was at a high school talent show. In 1975 the group’s name was changed to The Winans. Their musical careers spanned both the 1980s and 1990s. The Winans, who were discovered by Andrae Crouch, released their first album under the new group’s name, entitled Introducing The Winans, in 1981. The Winans were greatly influenced by the Queen of Gospel Albertina Walker and her group The Caravans.

On his first project Eric Carrington taught us about what God said, then he taught us how to soar, he made us evaluate our relationship with Christ and now he’s back working on his fifth CD ‘Amplified Prayze’, set for release 2012.

Undeniably, Eric Carrington is a breakthrough artist. Now his fifth release with Divine Line Records, is categorically what contemporary Praise & Worship Gospel is all about.

Eric, born and raised in Houston, Texas, was another Gospel child prodigy as a minister of music. As an act of obedience to his father, Rev. James Carrington Jr., pastor of the Willing Workers Baptist Church in Houston, Texas Eric discovered that God had gifted him beyond his years. At the tender age of 13, his father instructed him to get on the organ and play one Sunday and the rest was history. That day Eric found his calling and he knew that music was his ministry.

In 1992 Eric took the next step toward developing his gifts with the release of his first project “Calvary”.

Although this project didn’t earn him national recognition it caused the local market to take a second look. In 1996 Eric followed up with his second project

“God Said It” and this was the introduction of Eric’s signature style. This project announced to the world that a genius was born. Eric has a unique ability to

turn traditional gospel music into melodic tunes for the urban gospel contemporary audience. In 1999 he followed up with the release of his third project

“SOAR”. This project featured his hit song, “Anointing”.

His forth release T.E.C.P Vol I “Relationship” “Relationship” is an indication of where Eric is as a man and as an artist. “Relationship” is not about the typical Eros type of love relationship. The relationship that he is talking about is the Agape love relationship between an individual and Christ.

His fifth project is going to be the surprise of the gospel industry. It has been predicted to be his best work of all time. Keep your eyes and ears open, you won’t want to miss his next work entitled “Amplified Prayze” set for release 2012.

Visit Eric’s website at www.ericcarrington.com

What a week it has been for Sparrow Records singer-songwriter Audrey Assad, whose critically adored sophomore album, Heart, bowed on Valentine’s Day to across-the-board praise and her highest sales-week numbers to date. Heart ranked in at No. 3 on the Christian Soundscan chart, selling over 7,300 units, giving her a 185 percent sales increase over the debut week of her last album, The House You’re Building. The CD also crowned the iTunes ® Christian & Gospel Albums chart and reached No. 18 on the overall iTunes ® Albums chart. In addition, before Heart‘s release, Rhapsody named it one of their “Most Anticipated Albums of 2012.”

Here is just some of the acclaim being heaped on Assad:

“This thoughtful, cerebral singer-songwriter has a unique approach… In an industry that can be confining at times, Assad shines as a true original.” -Rhapsody

“If Audrey’s debut album was to show the world what a talented singer and songwriter she is, then Heart does this in abundance, adding an extra edge of maturity. “Breaking You”…shows Audrey at her best. And when she is at her best, no other singer gets close to her.” -LouderThanTheMusic.com

“Sparrow,” the debut single from Heart, is currently No. 5 on Soft AC/Inspo Monitored chart, with it being the most-added track on that chart this week.

The singer-songwriter and multiple GMA Dove Award nominee recently wrapped a stint on Matt Maher’s “The Love In Between” tour, having performed in markets including St. Louis, Washington D.C., and New Orleans, among others. Beginning March 23 in Red Bluff, Calif., Assad will pair with singer-songwriter JJ Heller for a spring co-headlining tour that concludes on April 26 in Raleigh, N.C. For all tour information, visit www.audreyassad.com.

About Audrey Assad:
28-year-old, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Audrey Assad propelled to the forefront of Christian music with her debut album on Sparrow Records titled The House You’re Building. Produced by Marshall Altman (Brooke Fraser, Natasha Bedingfield, William Fitzsimmons, Marc Broussard), the record released in the summer of 2010 to much acclaim. Assad’s fresh sound was named among the best of 2010 from Relevant Magazine, Rhapsody.com, Gospel Music Channel online and more and was profiled on CNN Online. In addition, The House You’re Building was named Amazon.com’s “Best Christian Music of 2010” and iTunes ® Christian & Gospel “Breakthrough Album of the Year.”

Recently married, Audrey found her songs expressing the joys and struggles of fighting for lasting love. She draws her inspiration from this introspection, as well as classic literature and songwriters like Paul Simon and James Taylor. Her collaborations with everyone from Chris Tomlin to Jars of Clay have marked her celebrated songwriting and vocal talent. Assad released an exclusive iTunes ® Live from SoHo album in August. She released her sophomore album, Heart, on February 14, 2012, also produced by Altman.

Congratulations goes out to Le’Andria Johnson who now has two albums in the Top 10 at #4 and #5 respectfully.  Wow Gospel 2012 moves into first place for the first time since it’s release 4 weeks ago.  The hugely successful WOW Gospel compilations always does well year after year on the charts.

Gospel Star James Fortune continues to sale well with his new project ‘Identity,’ and Fred Hammond comes in at #3 with his latest ‘God, Love, and Romance.’

Next week expect Sunday Best Runner-Up Andrea Helms to do well on the charts with her new release ‘Moving Forward,’ due out in stores March 6th.

View the rest of the Top 10 Below:

1 | WOW Gospel 2012
2 | James Fortune & FIYA – Identity
3 | Fred Hammond – God, Love & Romance
4 | Le’Andria Johnson – The Evolution of Le’Andria Johnson
5 | Le’Andria Johnson – The Awakening of Le’Andria Johnson…
6 | Various Artists – Joyful Noise Sountrack
7 | William McDowell – Arise
8 | Brian Courtney Wilson – So Proud
9 | Kirk Franklin – Hello Fear
10 | Lecrae – Rehab