Shei Atkins’ letter to Da South.com announcing her departure out of Gospel music to R&B, read like an exit letter to the church.  Clearly trying to scorn the churches perception of what Gospel music should be.  The edited, primed, and prepped letter got me stirring as I tried to reason with an artist that clearly had one foot in and one foot out of Gospel music her entire career.  

There are a lot of factors surrounding Atkin’s departure of Gospel music, (and I will allude to some of those in a moment) but Shei seems to rationalize the industry in a manner that seems oppressive to Christian artists. 

“The messed up thing about the Christian community is that there is a religious and judgmental mentality inside of it that holds us back and keeps us from loving people when it comes to music,” writes Shei Atkins.

From an industry perspective Shei Atkins was appreciated, but yet justifiably wrong as it pertains to her marketability in the genre.  Furthermore, criticism of the church, Christians, her fans, and the industry were a stretch at best.

Shei Akins was celebrated in the Gospel community for such songs as “He Can Fix It” and “Lord I Love You,” which garnered much radio play, she also received backlash for songs that weren’t Gospel radio-friendly.

The local Houston product Shei Atkins is admired by many in the city of Houston where she resides.  Often singing and ministering to youth ministries across the country.  I Attended several engagements in which she ministered at and you can tell that she has a real passion for the Lord.  However, I’ve listened to several songs that she was featured on that made me wonder if she was ever a Gospel artist at all.  Even hearing her boast about the songs and secular artists she worked with in front of Christian teens.

At the same time Shei was being marketed to the Gospel community, Shei was furthering her secular brand by singing with secular rap artists like LiL Flip promoting trunk banging, cars, and a secular lifestyle.  Shei throws many scriptures around in her letter below, including Luke 5:10 that says, “Fear not, from now on you will be fishing for people.”  Another scripture I want to share with Ms. Atkins is “Come out from among them, and be ye separate.” -2 Corinthians 6:17.  That’s what we as Christians are called to do.  Come out from the world!  You can’t insult the intelligence of radio programmers and radio hosts by playing Gospel music from artists that will cause the station un-wanted backlash.  You can look no further than Tonex, AKA “B-Slade” as a prime example.  After his industry hating rampage, almost all of his music was pulled out of rotation with the exception of “Make me Over” which is such a powerful song it’s hard for radio to let it go.  Lead industry executive and Vice President of Verity Records Jazzy Jordan said, “Tonex made the decision easy.” When talking about Verity’s decision to drop Tonex from the label when he famously publicly said to Path MEGAzine that he was not a Gospel artist.  Jordan paraphrases that he signed up to promote a Gospel artist, and since Tonex was not that the decision was made.  

So my question is what did Shei Atkins expect to happen?  Gospel sales through the roof, and a budding secular fan club?  That’s not how the industry, God, or the fans work.  The equation that this adds up to is confused fans + hesitant industry executives = ministry showing little fruit.  ie: low sales.

Shei Atkins is no stranger to either industry doing background vocals for Kelly Rowland (formerly of Destiny’s Child) and making music with big names over the last decade.  It’s not within reason to believe that Shei could leave Gospel and have a flourishing and rewarding R&B career.  Her talent is amicable.  It’s also within reason to believe that she will be effective ministering in the world of R&B with both R&B and inspirational tracks on her album.  But in Gospel, love tracks and Gospel tracks on the same album don’t traditionally go over well with listeners.  I like music that talks about the beauty of love, and see nothing wrong with it.  However if I’m in worship or reflecting on my problems in a biblical manner, I don’t want the next track to be about a women scorned by her unappreciative lover.  I’m just saying!

When I let go of my secular business aspirations and put God first that was when God prospered my business.  I understand Shei feels this is her calling and I wish her the best, but don’t go out in a blaze of glory with a letter that asks for love but yet it’s wrapped in anger.  

Gospel must continue to be separate from the world, saying the word “Jesus” in its merchandise and performances.  It’s viability and creditability depends on it.  Fred Hammond, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Take 6 and others have sought love projects and thats fine.  BUT they were entirely love projects and there were no surprises as to what you were buying.

You can read an excerpt from Shei’s letter below, and read the rest on DaSouth.com by clicking here.

Shei Atkins Letter Excerpt:

My music can’t be put in a box. When it comes down to business, labels want to know how they will be able to market you and make money with your product no matter what your personal vision is. My tolerance level was getting low with the judgment. I had fans who loved me on one side and people condemning me on the other side calling me worldly, pulling me to the side at some of my shows about my hair color, sending in mean letters, etc. I understand that everyone wouldn’t see my vision, but it got to the point to where I just wanted to give up. I wasn’t doing anything wrong, BUT I wasn’t embraced by gospel all the way, and looking back, I can see where the confusion came in.

The messed up thing about the Christian community is that there is a religious and judgmental mentality inside of it that holds us back and keeps us from loving people when it comes to music. When I took my time off to pray and get clarity of my purpose, God reminded me that romance is His idea and He led me to the Book of Song of Solomon in the Bible. Song of Solomon is a book of love songs and poems from Solomon & His bride to each other. It’s very romantic. They even praise each other and their body parts in the book. That showed me that God didn’t have a problem with romance and love songs, it’s man. The mentality that someone is compromising or backsliding for singing other genres’ was passed down in the church from generation to generation and that is not true. If the truth be told, there are some good and bad apples in gospel as well as other genres’. Because of my purpose, when it comes down to marketing and promotion, Shei Atkins is best marketed as an R&B artist. Why? Because doing R&B allows me to make the music God put in me to make and be free without boundaries of what I can and what I can’t talk about. Does this mean I will never make a gospel album or sing gospel songs? “No, thats not what that means”. I can’t sing about life, love, and relationships under the Gospel title. It’s not because I don’t want to. It’s because of the mentality a lot of Christians have about music.

Although I love God’s people, I can’t waste years trying to break this mentality and use that as an excuse for not doing what God told me to do. We have the part where we accept Him in our life and become saved. Then we have the part where Christianity needs to be applied. That’s where my music comes in. I deal with life, love and relationships. I can’t speak for anyone else, but that’s my call. Just because you’re saved doesn’t mean you know how to be a wife or a husband. Just because you’re saved doesn’t mean you’re a good parent. If you’re not good with money, it doesn’t matter how saved you are, you won’t pay your bills on time and your bank account will be in the negative, etc. This thing doesn’t stop after salvation. We need wisdom and we need to learn certain principles to apply to our life on earth so that we can live the abundant life God wants us to live and be successful in every area of our lives. But there are so many people without that revelation because we’re so focused on a genre. People write me every day about how to handle different situations in their marriage and relationships or just letting me know how my music has helped their life and relationships. People need what God has put inside of me. Do you know that about 50% of CHRISTIAN marriages end in divorce? But I was judged for singing songs that spoke life into people.

Read the full letter by clicking here

The new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial is shown in Washington August 22, 2011. The memorial to the American civil rights leader will be officially dedicated on August 28, the 48th anniversary of King’s “I have a dream” speech on the Washington Mall.

The life and mission of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. embedded itself into the fabric of American life and without question, had the greatest impact in advancing rights for minorities in the latter half of the 20th century. His works and accomplishments are being recognized with a national monument in his honor in Washington, D.C. that opened Monday.

African-American pastor and High Impact Leadership Coalition founder Bishop Harry Jackson Jr. said of the King monument, “As a Christian, I am really excited. Such a memorial shows the power of an individual life and the power of prayer.”

Jackson, who says he was 11 or 12 at the time of the 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech, prayerfully watched the march with his father in their hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio.

He says King’s influence is reflected in the election of Barack Obama, the first African-American president, and now permanently recognized with the erection of the King memorial.

The memorial includes a 30-foot high-sculpture of King’s likeness, arms folded across his chest and standing tall, hewn in a “Stone of Hope” just beyond a mountain-like portal.

The memorial’s design is meant to embody King’s words in his famous 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech: “With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.”

The tribute, located near the Tidal Basin, also features a marble inscription wall featuring many of his most memorable quotes, including, “I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits” and “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

The memorial makes King the first African American and the first person not elected as a U.S. president to be honored on the National Mall.

Despite his excitement for the memorial, Jackson says the memorial is a reminder that King’s dream that began over 50 years ago has yet to be completely fulfilled.

Noting the 53 percent decline in wealth and 15.9 percent unemployment among African Americans, Jackson stated King would be disappointed with the way future generations have not embraced the spiritual and moral values of his day.

Instead those generations have allowed material possession to lead them astray, he believes.

“Middle and upper income African Americans are busy enjoying their fancier homes, buying their more beautiful cars and maybe sacrificing their children on the altar of their own success because they are never there and they have not kept their own marriages and families together,” Jackson described.

Jackson says of the younger generation, “Many of them have thrown away the opportunities available to them.”

Pro-life advocate Alveda King said the materialism plaguing African Americans afflicts all Americans and reminds her daily of her uncle’s words.

“Dr. King said, ‘The negro cannot win if he’s willing to sacrifice the futures of his children for personal comfort and safety.’ American has certainly done that,” she said.

Ms. King says Americans’ sacrifice is evident in U.S. abortion rates, the national war on drugs, domestic violence and even war.

She says that the Bible puts a special emphasis on love. Because of that emphasis, she says we must love one another and stop killing each other with violence, abortion and selfish ambition.

Ms. King says she hopes that people will be inspired by Dr. King’s memorial to reconnect with his messages, not only of racial equality, but love in the kingdom of God.

Jackson reminds people that King was not just a civil rights leader, but also a theologian who spoke from an understanding of both the U.S. Constitution and the Bible.

Martin Luther King Jr. pursued theology studies at Crozer Theological Seminary in 1948 and Boston University in 1955 before joining the fight against racial inequality.

Following his ordination, King served at his Father’s church, Ebenezer Baptist in Atlanta, as assistant pastor. After finishing his doctoral studies at Boston University, he became the senior pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala.

During the civil rights movement, Alveda King says her uncle preached about love and fellowship in the body of Christ.

“He worked very hard to help all people to find the love of God,” she affirmed.

On the Aug. 28 official unveiling of the monument, she says, “We’re going to remember that dream.”

Alveda King says she will recall Martin Luther King’s messages of love and the universal family of God in her scheduled address.

President Obama is also scheduled to speak at the unveiling.

On Sunday, August 28^th – 48 years after he gave his famous “I Have A Dream” speech before 250,000 people on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, a national monument will be dedicated to fallen civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr. Thousands are pouring into Washington, D.C. for a week of events leading up to the unveiling ceremony where President Obama will speak Sunday morning. Legendary soul singer, Shirley Murdock (best known for her 1986 gold-selling classic, “As We Lay”), is coming to the nation’s capitol to sing her new radio hit “Dream” (from her forthcoming CD “Live: The Journey”) at two official Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Dedication events.

The powerhouse vocalist will be backed by The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Dedication Choir at the Pre-Dedication Concert Ceremony (also featuring Patti LaBelle, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Jennifer Holliday, Donnie McClurkin and Mary Mary) taking place 9-11 a.m. EST on the National Mall. Later that day, Murdock will be backed by the “Sing For A King” Community Choir as she performs “Dream” at the Lift Every Voice Gospel Extravaganza taking place 4-6 p.m. EST at the Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place NW, Washington, D.C. 20001. That event features The Sounds of Blackness, Bryan Wilson, Earnest Pugh and the Duke Ellington High School of the Arts Students and Orchestra. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Dedication Choir was birthed through a partnership of Desho Productions and NEWorks Productions. Music Director, Rev. Nolan Williams Jr., assembled a multi-generational, multi-racial group of vocalists that will sing Williams’ composition “I Am The Dream” during the pre-service and “We Shall Overcome” at the unveiling program where President Obama will speak.

Coming to Washington to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy is important to Murdock who vividly recalls the day he was assassinated. “I was almost 11 yrs old,” she recalls. “I remember all the adults being absolutely grief stricken, as if a family member had died.  There was a lot of hurt, disbelief and anger after Dr. King died. My Mother was a praying woman, so as she placed her worries into God’s hands, I drew my peace from her peace. I heard him being referred to, as the `Moses’ of our time.  Like Moses, he didn’t make it to the promised land, but he let us know he’d been to the mountaintop and that his eyes had seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” Murdock and her husband, Dale DeGroat, wrote her new radio hit “Dream” (#33 on BDS) with celebrated evangelist, Bishop T.D. Jakes. “My song is a reminder that God is the giver and the fulfiller of all the dreams He places in our hearts,” she says. “The dream is a glimpse of our future selves being more and doing more. It’s us at our BEST…fulfilling our PURPOSE…to loving one another, serving one another…celebrating and embracing our diversity and uniqueness.”

For More Info Contact: Tyscot Records www.tyscot.com

James Fortune’s new album is set for release January 2012, and he’s hard at work with producers across the country.  Young and talented producer J. Drew Sheard is working with Fortune to produce a fresh sound for multiple tracks on the album.  Listen to James Fortune as he gives you a preview of the track their working on with Kierra Sheard and FIYA.

After five years since her Top Ten CD “In His Presence” was released, Judith Christie McAllister, prepares for the August 30^th release of her fourth CD Sound the Trumpet on Shanachie Entertainment. McAllister’s highly anticipated new project brings praise and worshippers the high-energy anthems and tender songs of praise, expected from this leading female psalmist.  After only a few weeks of release at radio, the infectious radio single has already landed on the Top 40 gospel radio airplay charts.

“The title cut ‘Sound the Trumpet’ is a clarion call to the Body of Christ to rise up and be the “Watchmen” we have been called to be. To declare truth to society that there is an impending danger,” McAllister says of the new CD that directs the Church to confront America’s eroding moral values with an exemplary lifestyle of clean living and devotion.  If the church does not rise up with Holiness and declare “Thus saith the Lord”, the blood of this society is going to be required at our hands.” (Ezekiel 33:1-8)

Sound The Trumpet was recorded live at the Greater Allen A.M.E. church in New York on 08/08/2008. Immediately following the recording, McAllister faced many aspects of difficulty, but she remembered that she was made for the struggle realizing that just as the number “8” represented new beginnings, that through all of the difficulty in her life, “God was birthing something new within me, I had to bring myself into remembrance that the anointing is birthed through pain!  Amid it all,  I have no complaints, but see this season of my life as an opportunity to be an example of ‘how’ to go through, how to be hallowed out for the glory of God, just like the process a Shofar has to endure for a pure and unadulterated sound to be emitted.”  

Sound The Trumpet was produced along with respected musician Michael Bereal (Marvin Sapp, Smokie Norful). McAllister defines this CD as an eclectic exercise for a new millennium of believing worshippers. The songs range from the rock-edge of “I Will Sing,” to the Caribbean seasoning of “Fire” (featuring T.C. Bereal Jr.). McAllister’s protégée Markita Knight leads the acoustic “Thank You For The Healing” with a pristine pop vocal. Nancey Jackson-Johnson’s stellar voice embodies the ballad “Just For Who You Are” and BET’s “Sunday Best” talent contestant, Michael Pugh, leads “Draw Me Near” with an almost operatic tenor.  “I really don’t consider myself a singer.  I can’t do all the runs and the beautiful riffs that these wonderfully gifted singers do with their voices, but what I think attracts people to my voice, is the identification with where they are……once you’ve been delivered in an area, that sound of deliverance coming from you can be picked up by someone who recognizes their need for freedom,” shares McAllister.

“One of the individuals who mentored me from afar was Ron Kenoly. I looked to his ministry for how I was going to model what the Lord had given me concerning Praise & Worship,” says McAllister who lives in Nashville with her husband, and three children. “I remember a song on his DVD project Praise From Every Nation, which I watched over and over again.  I said, ‘one day I’m going to do just that – full band on stage’ and pretty much we did it with this CD. We had two drummers, two bass players, two lead guitarists, horn section and twelve wonderful singers, all playing and singing at the same time to the Glory of God!  By God’s grace, I’m getting there…”

Singer, songwriter, producer, actor, husband, father and friend — ISAAC CARREE is a person that exemplifies talent beyond measure.  I had the pleasure of sitting in on Isaac Carree’s listening party facilitated by Kirk Franklin, and the songs on the album are all Grade A.  The listening session that took place recently at the GMWA revealed that all of the tracks were produced well, with a undeniable anointing. 

The crowd of industry execs pledged to push the album, and Isaac said that he feels there is a changing of the guard in Gospel that will allow new artists a bigger platform. 

A Native to Greensboro, NC, Carree started his career in 1990 when he received the opportunity to sing with John P. Kee and the New Life Community Choir. Having honed his vocal skills under Pastor Kee, he went on to co-found the popular contemporary gospel male group Men of Standard in 1996. After a very successful stretch with the Stellar Award Winning trio the group disbanded. “We all just agreed that it was time to take a break and felt God was positioning us to do things as individuals,” said Carree.

Isaac had a hard time grasping the concept of becoming a solo artist. In the beginning, he never agreed with becoming a solo artist, but he knew that God wanted him to pursue this career path. “I was doing it out of obedience,” he explained.

The debut solo album titled UNCOMMON ME reflects his journey on discovering who he is as a solo musician and Man of God. “I see now why God asked me to enter this journey. I have learned things that I could not have learned being in a group. Through this obedience I have found my passion and rediscovered my musicality,” Carree said.

UNCOMMON ME is truly jam-packed with melodies that comfortably establish themselves as the soundtrack to your future breakthrough. Living up to its name, it’s uncommon – it is unique, distinct and fresh. Featuring some of Gospel Music’s most prized producers and musicians (including Warryn “Baby Dub” Campbell, Gerald Haddon, Eric Dawkins, Tony Dixon, Lamb, Rick Robinson and more).

“My album is fresh and different. It’s Uncommon. There is something on there for everyone and I want listeners to approach the album with an open mind [especially individuals who are familiar with my music],” said Carree.

Carree has an undeniably tasteful approach to singing that is unmatched by many. The first single off the record is “Simply Redeemed” (written by Tommy Sims & Marc Harris). The way in which he croons this melodic confession will have you feeling the relevance of this classic just as strongly as listeners did years ago. Also, the current single “In The Middle” is a radio smash, climbing up the charts and with national TV appearances under his belt; it is becoming a fan favorite.

In the meantime, Carree will be hitting the road this week to promote the new CD with appearances in Tampa, Fl; Houston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC and his adopted hometown Atlanta, GA, where he’ll celebrate at an album release party on Street Date, August 23rd.

For more information and details on Isaac’s appearance, log on to www.isaaccarree.com. You can catch Carree lending his vocals on tour with Gospel sensation and mentor, Kirk Franklin this Fall.

“When we are children of God we always have work to do and after accomplishing one goal there will always be another waiting right behind it. There will be detours throughout the course of life, but the key is to get back on track and fulfill your dreams. Take the time to follow and understand your journey to finding the UNCOMMON ME.”

Donald Lawrence debuts at #1 this week on Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart with his new project, YRM (Your Righteous Mind)! The album also entered at #41 on the Billboard 200. Congratulations! 

Kirk Franklin moves to number 2, while Earnest Pugh holds down the number three spot with his new release.

Here’s the full top 10 at Billboard:

1 | Donald Lawrence – YRM (Your Righteous Mind)
2 | Kirk Franklin – Hello Fear
3 | Earnest Pugh – Earnestly Yours
4 | WOW Gospel 2011
5 | Pastor James R. Adams – Times of Refreshing
6 | Mary Mary – Something Big
7 | Richard Smallwood – Promises
8 | Lecrae – Rehab
9 | William McDowell – As We Worship
10 | Deitrick Haddon – Church on the Moon

By Jeff Kunerth, Orlando Sentinel August 21, 2011

In his eulogy for Pastor Zachery Tims on Saturday, mega-church evangelist T.D. Jakes compared the preacher to the biblical Jacob, a man with many problems and defects who was renamed Israel.

The names represented two different sides of the same person, Jakes said, just as “Dr. Tims” was different from “Zach.”

Jakes, who pastors a 30,000-member congregation in Dallas, said he knew both Dr. Tims — the charismatic, compassionate spiritual leader who ministered to imperfect people — and Zach, who was an imperfect person himself.

“I thought I was the only one who know how unhappy Zach was, how broken he was, how afraid he was if anybody was to see any flaw in him. He tried hard to heal himself, to fix himself,” said Jakes, chief pastor of The Potter’s House.

As leader of New Destiny Christian Center in Apopka, Dr. Tims could help others with their problems, but Zach couldn’t ask for help himself before he was found dead last Friday in a New York hotel room. Tims’ death is under investigation, and the cause has not been determined.

“I don’t know what happened in that room in New York, but I can only hope that as Zach was dying, Dr. Tims stood up,” Jakes said.

About 5,000 people attended the three-and-a-half-hour funeral service at First Baptist of Orlando. It was a cross between a tribute and a tent revival, with songs, prayers, silence, stories and high-volume preaching. There was more rejoicing than weeping, more laughter than grief.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said he could never tell what to expect when he attended a Sunday service at New Destiny, where Tims once preached a sermon about the war to save souls while dressed in combat camouflage.

Another preacher told the story of accompanying Tims to London, where the pastor was mistaken for the actor Will Smith and chose not to correct the misperception.

First Baptist Pastor David Uth confessed his envy of Tims’ preaching style: “I’ve watched Zachery on TV and I’ve thought, ‘God, why can’t I preach like that?’ I’ve actually said a few times, you know sometimes being white just gets in the way.”

Jakes said Tims sometimes reminded him of a mischievous child who knew he was too cute to scold.

“Zach had a way of acting like he was your kid,” Jakes said. “He would come into your house and go straight for the refrigerator. You couldn’t say anything, because he’d bust that big old grin on you.”

Evangelist Paula White said the smile was Tims’ defining feature.

“He smiled with his eyes. His eyes showed the depth of his soul,” said White, pastor of Without Walls International Church in Tampa.

A few weeks before his death, Tims spoke of dying in a sermon, White recalled: “He said, ‘If I die — and I don’t want to die — I want you to know I am saved and I’m going to heaven.”

TIms’ ex-wife, Riva Tims, who started New Destiny with him in 1996, commented on his short but productive life.

“Forty-two years may seem young, but in those 42 years he circled the Earth many times. In those 42 years he achieved goals few could imagine,” she said. “Let us not forget what he has accomplished.”

Dyer, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs, Orange County Commissioner Tiffany Moore Russell, and U.S Rep. Corrine Brown all praised Tims for his work in the church and the community.

“You have lost a spiritual leader, New Destiny,” Jacobs said, “but we all gained an angel.”

About a dozen preachers spoke of their admiration and friendship with Tims. Some called him a mentor. Some called him a brother. Some preached, some sang.

“Dr. Tims had one speed, and that was fast,” one said. “He would start getting out of the car before it stopped because he was in a hurry to do the work of the Lord.”

Jakes said Tims’ life, and death, were a wake-up call for many young preachers who are in a hurry to get somewhere fast. The greater the light, Jakes said, the greater the heat.

“The light burns things you don’t want it to burn,” he said.

Two hours before the 11 a.m. funeral, the line of mourners snaked from the doors of the First Baptist and around the parking lot. Many of those in line were dressed in black: men in their suits, women in their finest dresses, and children dressed as if for church.

“He made a great impact on the lives of people,” said Dorothy Douglas, 58, who joined the church in 1999. “He didn’t wait for them to come to him. He went into the neighborhood to bring the church to them.”

Saturday, they returned the favor.

Thousands stood in the heat to pay their final respects to their spiritual leader.

“This is for closure and to be supportive of his family. For me, I respected and loved Pastor Zach, but I also loved him as the son I never had. You could approach him. You could talk to Pastor Zach,” Douglas said.

Others spoke about Tims’ impact on the congregation.

“He has prepared us for this,” said Jackie McCall, a 55-year-old church member who joined the congregation three years ago. “We are ready to go on.”

Another mourner, Randy Brundidge, 44, met Tims once and saw him preach several times. Brundidge, an elder with the Young Tabernacle Holiness Church in Buffalo, N.Y., was visiting relatives in Orlando when Tims died.

“This takes us by surprise, but it doesn’t take God by surprise,” Brundidge said. “Thank God I got to meet him. He was a dynamic speaker, but he was down to earth.”

Following the funeral service, Zachery Tims Jr. was buried in Woodlawn Memorial Park in Gotha.

Program Picture:

TBR (The Belle Report) — Gospel recording artist Marvin Sapp is planning to follow up his highly successful 2010 album “Here I Am” with a live album of all new songs, which he’s gearing up to record on Oct. 7 at Evangel Cathedral in Upper Marlboro, Md., near Washington, D.C., for a 2012 release.

“It’s the first time I’ve actually done a live record outside of my comfort zone… of Grand Rapids, Mich.,” Sapp, who’s the founding and senior pastor at Lighthouse Full Life Center Church in his home town. “D.C. is one my largest audiences. They buy tons of records of mine in Washington, D.C…. So we’re going to do something different and see how it works.”

The new album will speak to how Sapp has managed during a rough period in his life, a five-year stretch during which he lost several people close to him, including his father and, last year, his wife MaLinda to colon cancer. “The focus of this record,” he explains, “is how you can come through situations and still remain on top. It’s about how the enemy has a way of hitting you with stuff to cause you to fold and buckle, but I’m still standing.”

So are Sapp’s three children, aged 12, 14 and 17, who he’s now raising as a single father. “We’re doing good,” Sapp says. “I tell people all the time, as long as my kids are doing good, I’m gonna be alright. They’re adjusting very well, and I just really try to keep them well and loving one another. We’ve got a slogan — ‘us four, no more.’ Right now it’s just us, and as long as that remains the focus, I believe the rest of our days will be blessed.”

Sapp is currently putting together material for the album — including one song called “I Made it Through” — and describes the music as “Marvin Sapp with an edge. It’s gonna be a little more high-energy, the production’s gonna be a little tighter. Even though I’m doing the whole album live, some is going to sound live and some will sound like it’s studio. We’re gonna mix it up.” Sapp — a former member of the group Commissioned who went solo in 1996 — has been on a career winning streak during the past four years. His 2007 album “Thirsty” went gold, landed at No. 28 on the Billboard 200 and also topped the Gospel chart, sweeping seven Gospel Stellar Awards in 2009. “Here I Am” debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 — the highest charting album ever by a gospel artist — and Sapp snared another batch of Stellar trophies and a GMA Dove Award for Contemporary Gospel Song of the Year for “The Best of Me,” which was No. 1 Gospel and Top 10 Urban/AC. Nevertheless, Sapp contends that, “I feel no pressure because I’m not trying to do anything but stay in the niche I’ve grown accustomed to. One thing I’ve learned is that as long as I do what my audience enjoys, I’m gonna be alright. I know what they like. I have a formula, and my formula is if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. Keep doing what you do and people that enjoy what you do are gonna buy your music and love on you. So in the spring of 2012 we’ll bring it out and hopefully we’ll set records again.”

Listeners and fans from Los Angeles to New York jammed Radio One & 105.9 KISS FM  phone lines for three hours Sunday morning when The Hardest Working Woman In Gospel – Vickie Winans – debuted her latest labor of love, the “Sunday Morning Praise with Vickie Winans” radio show, on 105.9 KISS FM in the Motor City.

Winans rose at 3 a.m., got dressed and camera-ready and made it to the station by 5 a.m. to kick-off her first Sunday as a Radio One on-air personality. As she entered the studio, Winans was taken aback by the wall-to-wall flowers, gift baskets and balloons from Pastors, music industry friends and colleagues congratulating her on her new venture. While on the air, Winans played the latest radio hits, read Facebook and Twitter messages in between her tear-jerking ministry and her hilarious stories! “You know I’m old, Winans laughed, “anytime the hospital I was born in had screen doors on it!” The phone lines were fully lit up for the entire three-hour show as emotional listeners and fans called in with tears eyes or joy on their lips. One fan tweeted, “I couldn’t turn away even during the commercial breaks cause I didn’t wanna miss nothing! Too much of a good time.” Another fan tweeted that, “This west coast girl will be up every Sunday to listen to Miss Winans inspire her listeners.”

Radio One Detroit colleague, Mildred Gaddis, the Queen of week day talk on WCHB News Talk 1200, spent the entire morning in the studio with Winans and sent her a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Winans’ nephew, Tim Bowman Jr., who sang the jazzy scat on Winans’ smash hit “How I Got Over,” also stopped by the station to share some laughs with his aunt. They also played the current duet single from Tim’s forthcoming CD, “He Will, “which is quickly climbing the national gospel radio airplay chart.

Listeners not only heard Winans over the radio and via internet, they also watched her and Radio One/KISS FM  staff put the show together on a webcast which can still be viewed at http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/16634850 . At 8:45 a.m. Winans called for a “praise break” as she introduced her producer son Mario Winans’ pulsating “How I Got Over” “Overcomers Remix” to close out the show. “At that point, everything went bonkers,” Winans laughs. “People all over the country were up and dancing while getting ready for church.” In the weeks to come, Winans will broadcast the show live from whatever city she’s traveling in on Sunday mornings so there’s much more fun in store. “I have never tuned into your station before but this morning from 3AM-6AM nothing but death could keep me from it,” a new fan of the show tweeted to Radio One Detroit program director Armando Rivera. “Vickie Winans was just SUPER! Keep her, because God and she will take it to the top: #1! Radio One, you done GOOD!”