This year, a complete roster of 2011 nominees was officially announced on the Grammy Nominations Concert Live!  The show was presented on CBS November 30, 2011 featuring a host of all-star performances including Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Usher, Ludacris, Lupe Fiasco, Sugarland and Jason Aldean. Overseeing the big night’s festivities was host LL Cool J.

The main event – the 54th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 12, 2012 – will be broadcast live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on CBS at 8 P.M ET/PT with live performances by top pop, rock, and rap stars yet to be announced.

Here is the complete list of GRAMMY nominees in each Gospel/Christian category:

Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance

Do Everything~ Steven Curtis Chapman
Alive (Mary Magdalene) ~ Natalie Grant
Your Love ~Brandon Heath
Jesus~ Le’Andria Johnson
I Lift My Hands ~ Chris Tomlin

Best Gospel Song

Hello Fear ~Kirk Franklin (Songwriter Kirk Franklin)
Sitting With Me ~Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell, Gerald Haddon & Tammi Haddon, songwriters (Mary Mary)
Spiritual ~ Donald Lawrence, songwriter (Donald Lawrence & Co. Featuring Blanche McAllister-Dykes)
Trust Me ~ Richard Smallwood, songwriter (Richard Smallwood & Vision)
Window ~Canton Jones, songwriter (Canton Jones)

Best Contemporary Christian Music Song

Blessings~Laura Story, songwriter (Laura Story)
Hold Me ~Jamie Grace Harper, Toby McKeehan & Christopher Stevens, songwriters (Jamie Grace Featuring Tobymac)
I Lift My Hands ~Louie Giglio, Matt Maher & Chris Tomlin, songwriters (Chris Tomlin)
Strong Enough ~Matthew West, songwriter (Matthew West)
Your Love ~Brandon Heath & Jason Ingram, songwriters (Brandon Heath)

Best Gospel Album

The Love Album ~Kim Burrell
The Journey ~ Andraé Crouch
Hello Fear ~Kirk Franklin
Something Big ~Mary Mary
Angel & Chanelle Deluxe Edition ~Trin-i-tee 5:7

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

Ghosts Upon the Earth ~ Gungor
Leaving Eden ~ Brandon Heath
The Great Awakening ~Leeland
What If We Were Real ~Mandisa
Black & White ~Royal Tailor
And If Our God Is For Us… ~ Chris Tomlin

Winners will be announced February 12, 2012 in Los Angeles.

Houston’s My Fox 26 interviewed the pastor of the world’s largest church, Lakewood Church based in Houston, as he announced plans to go to primetime network television.  Joel Osteen is in talks for a reality show that would also star members of the congregation. 

Osteen told FOX 26 Monday night he’s signed an agreement to work with “Survivor” producer Mark Burnett. He won’t necessarily be preaching on the show but instead sharing a message of hope while helping others.

Each week 43,000 people show up to hear Osteen preach, while another 10 million watch on television worldwide.

“A big part of our ministry is we’re blessed to be a blessing to somebody else,” said Osteen.

Pretty soon Osteen could have a whole new audience away from the pulpit. TMZ first reported Osteen has teamed up with “Survivor” producer Mark Burnett for a reality show. The two families have become fast friends with Burnett and wife Roma Downey even attending Lakewood services.

“Over the last few years we’ve had opportunities (to do other reality shows), but when we came together with Mark and got to know him it seemed like it all gelled,” said Osteen.

The show will feature Joel and wife Victoria outside of Lakewood as they take hundreds of church members on short mission trips.

“That’s the general theme behind it, that we would take a group of 300-500 people from this auditorium, from our ministry, and go somewhere in the world. We’ll probably start in the U.S. to help a place in need,” said Osteen.

He envisions helping communities like Joplin, Missouri which was destroyed this year by killer tornadoes.

“The thought is people would give up their time and not necessarily know where they’re going that day, but show up, load up in planes and head out and make a difference in the world,” said Osteen.

Lakewood already sends mission teams around the world. The show, Osteen says, would be another avenue to inspire people but with a little more fanfare.

“We’re going to be ambassadors of goodwill, hope and faith and have fun along the way.”

Plans are to present the show to a network soon and start filming next year.
 

No strangers to television exposure, The Afters’ latest songs from their album Light Up the Sky have received placement on a slew of TV promotions including NBC’s popular “The Biggest Loser” and ABC’s new philanthropic “You Deserve It”.

“Light Up the Sky” will be played in the Dec. 6 finale of NBC’s mega hit “The Biggest Loser.” ABC’s new show “You Deserve It” has also been supportive of The Afters’ music using “Lift Me Up” in promotion for the program.

In addition to No. 1’s at both AC and CHR radio, both “Light Up the Sky” and “Lift Me Up” have been constant mainstays in the top 5 on the iTunes ® Christian and Gospel Songs Chart. “Lift Me Up” is still Top 10 at AC Indicator.

Texas-based band The Afters were propelled into the national spotlight with their INO/Sony Music Label Group debut I Wish We All Could Win. The project spawned the swirling, melodic hit “Beautiful Love,” earning the band an enthusiastic following when the song was selected as the theme track for MTV’s “8th and Ocean.” “Beautiful Love” was also the most downloaded track of 2006 on the iTunes ® Inspirational charts and garnered the band an mtvU award as well. The Afters’ sophomore release Never Going Back To OK (INO/Columbia Records) debuted in the Top 50 on the Billboard Top 200, and proved to be sensation on the silver screen with “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC), “Dr. Phil,” “Army Wives” (Lifetime) and “Rachael Ray.” The band’s third record Light Up the Sky has bolstered two No. 1 radio hits, as well as placement in “The Biggest Loser” (NBC) and “You Deserve It” (ABC). A slew of media including Rolling Stone, Seventeen.com, E! News Live, TV Guide, Premiere Radio and more also picked up on covering The Afters.

www.theafters.com www.myspace.com/theafters
www.twitter.com/theafters
www.youtube.com/theaftersVEVO
www.facebook.com/theafters

Gospel Jazz is a burgeoning genre. Artists such as Ben Tankard, Angella Christie and Kirk Whalum are known for their contributions to the field. Now another gifted artist, Tony Craddock, Jr., has stepped into the Gospel Jazz spotlight. Hailing from Northern Virginia near the Washington, D.C. area, Craddock, a talented saxophonist, has just released his debut project called Christmas In The Air. The CD contains some of the holiday’s most beloved tunes. The musician tackles favorites like a festive version of the lead single, “Deck The Halls”, the holiday perennial “Silent Night” and the memorable “Christmas Time Is Here”. Other songs include the winter lover’s theme, “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”, the beckoning “O Come All Ye Faithful” and the reverent “The First Noel”.

The instrumentalist is already getting rave reviews on the new release. Ronald Jackson of TheSmoothJazzRide.com says, “It is always refreshing to listen to music that is well-conceived, even if it consists of covers (which can be the most difficult to reproduce in a stand-out way without an abundance of creativity and imagination). Craddock puts such a nice touch of each of these and really makes you feel as though this is a production of all-original material. Christmas In The Air is a truly marvelous holiday find for your music collection but, more importantly, Craddock firmly establishes his credentials as a producer, arranger, and artist in an undisputable manner. Kudos to the young man.”

A graduate of Cornell University with a B.S. in Atmospheric Science, Craddock was inspired musically by listening to the Jazz music played during The Weather Channel’s “Local on the 8s”. That motivation was the impetus for forming an Inspirational Jazz trio which played at nursing homes throughout the Nation’s Capital. In addition to pursuing his musical ambitions as a teenager, he excelled in academics. In June 2006, he was featured in EBONY Magazine as one of the Top 35 Black High School Students in America. At Cornell, he was part of the “Chosen Generation Gospel Choir” and formed “After Six,” an instrumental ensemble. Tony Craddock, Jr. is a member of First Mount Zion Baptist Church in Dumfries, VA and has opened for GRAMMY Award Nominee and Stellar Award Winner Ben Tankard.

Fans of the artist can catch him live twice during the holiday season. He will be performing at Potomac Mills Mall in Woodbridge, VA on Sunday, December 11th from 4-6PM and on Saturday, December 17th from 2-4PM. For more information about Tony Craddock, Jr., log on to www.facebook.com/tonycraddockjr.

After a ten year run of airing and showcasing up and coming talent along with national Gospel headliners and becoming one of the top viewed shows on The Word Television Network, Dr. Bobby Jones now has a new deal and a new network.

Effective, Monday, December 12, 2011, “Bobby Jones Presents” will be moving to The Impact Network.

Dr. Jones signed an agreement with The Impact Network, only days ago and says he is looking forward in spreading his wings once again.

The Impact Network is also a perfect fit for Jones as well, as it focuses on positive, inspiring, encouraging and informative content for the vast television audience that it will impact.

Jones says, he is thrilled to further his delivery of great messages to viewers all over the continent and abroad and will continue to focus on Artists that need to be exposed and don’t have an outlet for their messages.

He first applied this concept when he presented Kirk Franklin, Beverly Crawford and many more people that were unaware of their many gifts until they were presented on his “Bobby Jones Gospel” show.

But now he has another opportunity to continue with a new network that can also see into his vision and help with spreading God’s love as well as the talents of the many gifted singers that will soon be gracing the airwaves of The Impact Network.

Catch ‘Bobby Jones Presents” starting December 12, 2011 on the following media outlets.

Monday – Friday 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST and Sunday 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EST.

The following outlets are also available:

*Dish TV #9397 all US and Caribbean Islands
*Comcast 397 Detroit City CH 40 WLPC
*ONLINE @ www.time4impact.com, you can watch this network 24/7, which is great!
*ON THE GO @ www.time4impact.com ……A live broadcast is viewable on Android, Blackberry, IPhone or IPad
Check www.bobbyjonesgospel.com for scheduling information.

Gospel star James Fortune celebrated his birthday yesterday by releasing the cover art for his upcoming CD called “Identity.” 

The artwork features a slimmed down James Fortune sitting down, surrounded by vibrant colors and lens flares.  

James told me about a month ago that he had been working out, and it really shows in his new CD album cover.  Way to go James!

James Fortune & FIYA will release their new CD January 17th on the Light Records label.

You can click here to pre-order the new CD.
 

Gospel music legend Joanne Cash, sister of country music icon Johnny Cash, has released her latest album, The Christmas Collection (ACME Music Group), available now at iTunes and other digital retailers. For fans that still desire a physical CD, they can be obtained for a limited time at www.joannecash.com. 

“I am very proud of my new Christmas album,” says Cash of the all-new collection of Christmas favorites and holiday originals. “My husband Harry and I put together this collection and I am proud to say that he wrote seven of the songs, including a Christmas poem that he re-wrote called ‘The Night Before Christmas.’ I think you will be pleased and blessed as you listen to this collection.” 

The Christmas Collection Track Listing: 
• They Named Him Jesus
• Oh Little Town of Bethlehem
• All I Want for Christmas Is Jesus
• Who Do You Think
• He’s Not A Baby Anymore
• Joy To The World
• Back To The Manger
• They Looked Into The Light
• What If Jesus Comes Again This Christmas
• The Night Before Christmas (featuring Dr. Harry Yates) 

Joanne Cash continues to tour worldwide, with weekly appearances at the Nashville Cowboy Church, which she co-founded with her husband. In recent years, Cash has made numerous national television appearances including Style Network’s top-rated series Split Ends, Babbie’s House, 100 Huntley Street, The Jim Bakker Show, deeperLiving, The Dino Show, Club 36 and many more. She’s also been heard on nationally syndicated radio programs such as Bulldog & the Rude Awakening, Midnight Jamboree, Mancow’s Morning Madhouse and Elvis Radio (Sirius/XM). Cash has been featured in dozens of magazines and newspapers, including features in Country Weekly, CCM Magazine, Today’s Christian, Tennessean, Daily Journal and many others. 
 

Following up on a report last week, we got to what appears to be the truth in the matter concerning Bishop Noel Jones and Actress Lisa Raye McCoy.

Lisa Raye says the two are not dating or engaged.   She set the record straight on twitter.  Read Below:

Praise Hymn Soundtracks, a division of Provident Label Group, continues to pioneer the delivery of digital soundtracks with a new mobile phone application for Android and iOS devices, the first of its kind. Furthermore, PraiseHymn.com, the online store of Praise Hymn Soundtracks, was recently named among Worship Leader Magazine’s 2011 “Best of the Best.”

The Praise Hymn Soundtracks App is a first for this premier provider of Christian music accompaniment tracks. The product offers singers and performers unprecedented convenience browsing, streaming and purchasing accompaniment tracks right from their mobile device. Available for free in the Apple and Android stores, new titles are being added daily. Visit www.praisehymn.com for more information.

In other news, PraiseHymn.com, the most innovative and extensive website for searching, streaming and purchasing digital as well as physical CD accompaniment tracks, was included in Worship Leader Magazine’s “Best of the Best” issue (October 2011), out now.

This annual issue includes the editor’s picks for those most notable resources that have affected worship leaders and their teams in the past year. PraiseHymn.com was touted in the category of top “Planning Resources.” For a complete list of 2011 editor’s picks view the digital edition online at www.worshipleadermedia.com.

“Praise Hymn is honored to be included among Worship Leader’s top resources,” says Associate Director of Church Music Marketing for Sony Music Entertainment/Provident Label Group, David Jordan. “We established PraiseHymn.com to give soloists, groups and worship leaders a huge variety and ultimate convenience. We also take pride in the fact that if a physical title is out of print, singers can more than likely find it on our site. It is nice to receive such recognition for our brand.”

About Praise Hymn Soundtracks Praise Hymn Soundtracks is a division of Provident Label Group. In 2009 Praise Hymn Soundtracks launched PraiseHymn.com, allowing users to search Praise Hymn’s vast catalog online and download individual titles in high, medium and low keys as needed. The only web site of its kind, PraiseHymn.com also includes the MasterTrax original artist tracks, exclusively for Provident and EMI CMG artists, and Sound Performance track lines. PraiseHymn.com adds titles regularly and boasts more than 3000 songs. Follow Praise Hymn Soundtracks on Twitter (@praisehymn) or like them on Facebook (Praise Hymn Tracks). For more information on Praise Hymn Soundtracks and its products, visit www.praisehymn.com.