Teena Marie, a celebrated R&B singer-songwriter, was found dead Sunday at her California home, her manager said.

Born Mary Christine Brockert in Santa Monica, California, the 54-year-old artist famously paired with late funk legend Rick James and was nominated four times for a Grammy Award, according to her official website.

Marie was found dead by her daughter after apparently dying in her sleep, manager Mike Gardner said.

“Teena was a black voice trapped in a white body,” said Cathy Hughes, founder of Radio One, a broadcasting company that targets African-American and urban listeners. “I would always tell her that she was one of the greatest vocalists of our time.”

Among her songs were “Lovergirl,” “Portuguese Love,” “Ooo La La La,” and “I’m a Sucker for Your Love.”

While no cause of death has been released, the singer’s publicist Lynn Jeter said that Marie suffered a grand mal seizure — a neurological event, marked by loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions, according to the Mayo Clinic — a month ago.

“Luckily, someone was there,” Jeter said of that seizure. “The ambulance took her to the hospital, and on the way she had another seizure.”

The publicist said that she had a “great” conversation on Saturday with Marie, who told her that she was excited about heading to Atlanta to perform this week — in what would have been her first performance since the seizure.

Marie sang under various record labels, including Motown, Epic, Stax Records and Cash Money Classics, since bursting on the scene as a 19-year-old, according to her website. Her last studio album, Congo Square, featured several collaborations.

Eddie Levert, founder of the vocal group The O’Jays, praised Marie as both a singer and mother.

“There are a lot of black people who swore by her and believed in her, as far as her music was concerned,” he said. “She was a good mom, and to me, that is saying a lot.”

Teena Marie Singing at the 2008 Celebration of Gospel

Also Read: Teena Marie’s Autopsy Comes Back Inconclusive   

Lecrae’s latest release Rehab stays atop the Billboard Top Gospel Charts for an eighth consecutive week. The album also enters at #14 on the Top Rap Albums Charts and #14 on the Independent Albums Charts. I Believe: Live, the latest from James Fortune & FIYA holds to the #2 spot. Marvin Sapp’s Here I Am enters this week at the #3 spot, while the compilation album WOW Gospel 2010 comes in at #4. William McDowell’s As We Worship: Live rounds out the week’s top five albums. In other chart news, Fred Hammond’s Love Unstoppable jumped four places to #17 while Won’t It Be Wonderful from James Hall & The Voices of Citadel re-enters at #23.

In the world of radio, “I Believe” from James Fortune & FIYA featuring Shawn McLemore and Zacardi Cortez returns to the top spot on the radio charts. “Nobody Greater” from VaShawn Mitchell enters at the #2 spot while “He Wants It All” from Forever Jones moves to the #3 position.William McDowell’s “I Give Myself Away” takes the #4 spot while “I Choose to Worship” from Wess Morgan rounds out the week’s top five songs.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of our clients and subscribers!  Our annual Christmas/End of the Year Sale began Wednesday, December 22, 2010 and ends Sunday, January 2, 2011  Email us or call to pay by Pay Pal.  You can buy now and use the advertisement later.  Save over 50% off our normal E-Blast and advertising rates.  E-Blasts reach over 105,000 subscribers by email.

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Award-winning and beloved Gospel duo Mary Mary will deliver a special holiday performance alongside BeBe & CeCe Winans on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.  The show will air tonight December 23, 2010 on NBC starting at 11:35/10:35c.

In the spirit of the upcoming holiday and their special appearance, Mary Mary have also launched their “Tweet N’ Meet” Christmas Contest engaging fans to tune into The Tonight Show for a chance to receive an autographed Mary Mary Christmas CD and a personal telephone call from the ladies on Christmas day.  CLICK HERE to enter the contest.

Mary Mary is gearing up for their new album due in stores tentatively called “Something Big.”  The single “Walking” is available on online for purchase.  Congratulations to Mary Mary and Bebe & CeCe.  Getting put on such a big outlet is good for Gospel music. 

Related: VIDEO: BeBe & CeCe and Mary Mary on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Related: Mary Mary Chats LIVE with Fans: Says BET is Canceling Show “Sunday’s Best”

Related: Mary Mary Releases New Single “Walking”

The old expression “when it rains it pours” seems to fit Bishop Eddie Long.  Bishop Long is now facing another legal battle, the U.S. Secret Service is investigating him for being linked to a “questionable mortgage venture” that caused many church members to lose their homes.

Long is accused of using his New Birth Missionary Baptist Church to assist in a corrupt mortgage scheme. Fred Lee, the frontman for Matrix Capitol Mortgage Company held mortgage payment seminars at New Birth, promising to lower homeowners’ payments.

Each week the company would collect thousands of dollars from church members promising to lower their mortgage payments but instead many of the homeowners lost their homes in foreclosure.

A spokesperson for Long says New Birth only provided Matrix Capitol with a room to hold his meetings. This latest investigation comes on top of a lawsuit filed by four men that claim Long seduced them sexually while they were teens.

ALSO READ: Bishop Eddie Long Case Gets Trial Date: Early Mediation Set For February

Brian Courtney Wilson recently posted on his facebook page that he’s going to be preaching his first sermon this weekend at Houston’s St John’s UMC.  Before the post I text him to find out if it was true.  Brian humbly texts back that he’ll be doing “more singing than preaching.”  Brian is one of the most celebrated new artists of 2010.  His singles “Already Here” and “All I need” are still on the Top Gospel song charts a year later.

I’m sure Brian will do just fine ministering in whatever way God leads him.  I’ll be in Houston this Sunday, so we’ll see if I can sneak in my camera!

Donald Lawrence is one of the hottest Gospel artist on the planet.  Everything he touches seems to turn to gold or platinum for that matter.  Lawrence a Grammy-nominated and Stellar Award-winning gospel music artist, songwriter and producer wants Gospel music fans to pick the cover artwork for his upcoming album, YRM (Your Righteous Mind), due in stores on March 15, 2011.

Be sure to visit http://www.DonaldLawrence.com to place your vote from among three potential covers for the new project.  My favorite is the one shown below.

The album’s first single (and title track), “YRM,” features a guest appearance by legendary gospel music artist Dorinda Clark Cole and is already gaining significant airplay at radio. You can listen to the single that was premiered on The Yolanda Adams Morning Show by clicking right here.  The song also features Dorinda Clark-Cole.

You can get the gospel song “Your Righteous Mind” at Amazon.

Dallas-area police have dropped an investigation into allegations of extortion made by the founders of Daystar Television Network, concluding that they have not found any unlawful activity.

Despite the end of a police investigation into the blackmail allegations, two lawsuits over the extramarital affair are still in play.

Jeanette Hawkins, a former Daystar marketing director, sued Marcus Lamb for fraud and defamation, alleging that claims of extortion against her and two other colleagues are false. The television network filed a countersuit alleging Hawkins played a leading role in the plot to extort the company.

Daystar Television Network said in a statement obtained by The Christian Post on Friday that it “will continue to aggressively pursue its legal claims to prevent former employees and their legal counsel from capitalizing on the personal crisis experienced by co-founders, the Lambs.”

The Daystar founders went public with the story of Marcus Lamb’s affair, which took place several years ago, during an appearance on the network’s “Celebration” TV program in late November.

On Thursday, the couple appeared on the “Dr. Phil” show to again recount their journey of recovery and healing.

Joni Lamb told host Dr. Phil McGraw that the couple had one motive in their decision to come as guests on his show.

“One reason: while we do what we do everyday and that is to encourage people that you can make through even something what we’ve gone through, and marriage is worth fighting for,” she said.

“For so long, we pretend that these kinds of things don’t go on in the church but they do. I think it’s time for us to speak up, speak to it and talk about it and try to help people.”

On the show, Marcus Lamb reiterated remorse over his decision to have an affair, calling it “the worst decision of my life.”

Lecrae’s latest release Rehab stays atop the Billboard Top Gospel Charts for a seventh consecutive week. The album also enters at #20 on the Top Rap Albums Charts and #17 on the Independent Albums Charts. I Believe: Live, the latest from James Fortune & FIYA debuts at the #2 spot. Marvin Sapp’s Here I Am enters this week at the #3 spot, while William McDowell’s As We Worship: Live comes in at #4. Triumphant from VaShawn Mitchell rounds out the week’s top five albums. In other chart news, Under An Open Heaven from Wess Morgan moves eight places to #17.

In the world of radio, “Nobody Greater” from VaShawn Mitchell returns to the top spot on the radio charts. “I Believe” from James Fortune & FIYA featuring Shawn McLemore and Zacardi Cortez enters at the #2 spot while “He Wants It All” from Forever Jones moves to the #3 position. “I Choose to Worship” from Wess Morgan holds to the #4 spot while William McDowell’s “I Give Myself Away” rounds out the week’s top five songs.