Influenced by the preaching style of her mentor and spiritual mom Pastor Shirley Caesar, Dorinda preaches and sings more fearlessly today than ever before about overcoming trials and tribulations.
She’s been called “the Rose of Gospel,” “the church girl,” and “evangelist” but more than anything else, three time Grammy award winner Dorinda Clark Cole is a fired up sister for Christ and one of the most gifted vocalists in the music world today.
Professor Wilbur Belton hailing from the Nation’s Capital, has carved out an illustrious musical career that’s been highlighted by work with gospel’s finest including Vickie Winans, Marvin Sapp and Richard Smallwood, and meny award recognitions.
In 2005, a friend suggested that Belton record one of his choirs during the Labor Day Weekend Youth Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and LADWEC was born. Originally, the group consisted of 59 vocalists, but due to travel constraints, LADWEC, with members from another gospel group Chosen, was merged and eventually whittled down to a 22-member ensemble.
Harlem Day (August 16, 2009). This daylong extravaganza of events in New York city is themed “Wake UP Everybody - It’s a Family Reunion” and will be held on multiple stages with live performances and entertainment. It starts at noon with events on three stages: KISSing After Dark, featuring R&B, hip-hop, reggae; The Open Line, with various community-based performances of dance, fashion, poetry, and music; and Soul Beginnings, a celebration of gospel, jazz, and soul music. All performances take place on 135th Street and run until 7pm.
Sister Tharpe was a pioneering Gospel singer, songwriter and recording artist who attained great popularity in the 1930s and 1940s with a unique mixture of spiritual lyrics and early rock accompaniment. She became the first great recording star of Gospel music in the late 1930s and also became known as the “original soul sister” of recorded music.
Willing to cross the line between sacred and secular by performing her inspirational music of ‘light’ in the ‘darkness’ of the nightclubs and concert halls with big bands behind her, her witty, idiosyncratic style also left a lasting mark on more conventional gospel artists, such as Ira Tucker, Sr., of the Dixie Hummingbirds.
While she offended some conservative churchgoers with her forays into the world of pop music, she never left gospel music. A number of musicians, ranging from Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis to Isaac Hayes and Aretha Franklin, have identified her—or, more particularly, her singing, guitar playing and showmanship—as an important influence on them. Little Richard referred to the stomping, shouting Gospel music legend as his favorite singer when he was a child. Johnny Cash’s daughter Rosanne similarly stated in an interview with Larry King that Tharpe was her father’s favorite singer.
Tharpe’s performances were curtailed by a stroke in 1970, after which she lost the use of her legs. She died in 1973 after another stroke, on the eve of a scheduled recording session. She was buried in Northwood Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in an unmarked grave. In 2008, a concert was held to raise funds for a marker for her grave and January 11 was declared Sister Rosetta Tharpe Day in Pennsylvania.
Bio Credits wikipedia.org Photo credit: grapewrath.blogspot.com
The son of the late Rev. Timothy Wright was installed as pastor of his father’s church on Sunday July 12 2009, three months following the death of the Grammy-nominated gospel music singer known to some as the “Godfather of Gospel.”
Precious Lord take my hand
Lead me on
Help me stand
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on, to the light
Take my hand
Precious Lord
And lead me home
Precious Lord
You’re the one
That I built my life on
You’re my rock
You’re my hope
You are my song
You picked me up, made me strong
When my way was all wrong
Here’s my hand
Precious Lord
Now lead me home
When my way grows drear
Precious Lord, linger near
When my life is almost gone
Hear my cry, hear my call
Take my hand lest I fall
Take my hand
Precious Lord
And lead me home
The Andrae Crouch Choir performed at Michael Jackson’s memorial at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Setting the solemn tone singing, “Hallelujah, we’re going to see the king!” as Jackson’s gold coffin appeared.
Emma L. Bowen Foundation For Minority Interests In Media
A non-profit organization whose mission is to create career opportunities in the media industry for minority youth through a program that focuses on scholastic achievement, direct work experience and professional development. www.emmabowenfoundation.com
Ron Brown Scholar Program
Administers more than 300 scholarship, fellowship and institutional grants that support students at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels. www.uncf.org
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From Kari Kurto KCasting@gmail.com
Submitted on 2009/05/08
I'm a Casting Director on a film and I'm looking for a gospel choir in or around Austin, TX. If anyone has any suggestions please send an email to KCasting@gmail.com CHOIR WORKSHOPS
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