I’ve covered my share of deaths in my time as a writer/blogger but this one is particularly difficult. I’ve said a few things about it on social media but I’d be remiss not to honor Donna Grady Creer here on “The Gospel According To Torrence.” So let’s do this… Read the rest of this entry »
It’s been a while hasn’t it? But I’m back with some BIG NEWS. Yes, you read that headline correctly!
Sirius XM Radio has officially announced today that its gospel music channel, Praise, will become Kirk Franklin’s Praise! You got it right, the SiriusXM Praise Channel is getting a makeover with the multi-Grammy® Award-winning and multi-platinum selling Kirk Franklin at the helm! Read the rest of this entry »
It’s that time of year again! Celebration Of Gospel 2013 is right around the corner and you guys are always stopping me wherever I am saying you want to go. Well, here’s a chance to win a trip to LA and tickets to Celebration Of Gospel. Enter The Celebrate You! Celebration OF Gospel Sweepstakes for your shot!
Ok, going to try and do this all at one time! Every year I say that I’m done with this list and every year somebody (or a bunch of somebodies) ask me to do it again. I struggle with it for a few reasons.
1. Too many CD’s come out in a year and many of them shouldn’t.
2. When you’re honest about not liking something, a lot of people think you’re hating. I don’t know what world you live in but everything simply ain’t good… TO ME. And that’s OK! Ha!
3. SOMETIMES I wont’ like a CD at first and it has to grow on me and sometimes that doesn’t happen within the year so I may give it a “no” now but call me in 15 years and I may love it. Ha! But anyway, here goes.
YES!
Jonathan McReynolds – Life Music
Hands down Jonathan McReynolds in my opinion is the best thing to happen to gospel in 2012 and in a very long time for that matter. A LOT of music came out this year and lot of it was great so it says something when a project can cut through all of that and cause me to stop what I’m doing and pay serious attention. Describing Life Music as refreshing is an understatement. Ever year I’m asked what my favorite CD of the year is and I keep the answer to myself for fear of alienating and turning off people but this year I couldn’t keep it to myself and just had to say it. This guy and this CD are special and we NEED him! If you don’t got it, get it. Do what I say! Read the rest of this entry »
If you’ve read this column for some time, you know how I feel about certain things and understand the method to my “madness” in how I cover things as it relates to gospel music and issues surrounding church culture. And one of the things I’ve always attempted to do is help “us” with how we portray ourselves and the things we do and represent in the name of “faith,” “church,” etc. So although we’re quick to say “well I don’t represent all Black people” or “we’re not all the same;” the truth is whether you want to or not, your actions and behaviors (or someone else’s) can and many times WILL represent a group you’re a part of. So let’s fast forward to a story I read and saw today that broke my heart which will explain the title of this post “Christianity Shouldn’t Equal Crazy!” Read the rest of this entry »
It’s official! Edwin Hawkins, Lady Tramaine Hawkins and Kurt Carr will be the honorees at the 2013 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards Luncheon during Stellar Awards weekends in Nashville, TN. The invite-only soiree which is always heralded as the premiere event of the weekend will take place on Friday, January 28 at Rocketown. (And trust me, the list for those invites are HARD to come by!)
Read the rest of this entry »
Dontavies Boatwright, finalist from Sunday Best season 2 has died of an apparent heart attack. He was 33 years old. Read the rest of this entry »
Vashawn “Nobody Greater” Mitchell recently released a new CD Created 4 This to much critical acclaim. He stopped by our studios to talk about the new CD, the process for creating “the sound” of this new CD and a whole lot more. We dug into some things. Watch it and tell me what you think. And you know what I always say, we gotta support gospel music, especially when it’s good and Created 4 This is good. Go get it! Read the rest of this entry »
It’s the most wonderful time of the year… OK, almost but hey, better early than late. I caught up with James Fortune and we were talking about Christmas. Yes, in September. Why? Because James Fortune and FIYA have a new Christmas CD called Grace Gift on October 16th. (But you can Pre-Order now.)
Now don’t get me wrong, I (like you) was curious as to why with all the success they’d been receiving with their most recent CD Identity, that they’d decided to do a Christmas record this year: Read the rest of this entry »
So I just found out that R&B/Funk legend and diva Chaka Khan is working on a Gospel EP to be released in January and if the little birdie who told me is to be trusted (and they are), it’s bound to be good because she’s set to work with some great names in the gospel industry who I think can and will produce the mess out of Chaka Khan. (No, I can’t tell you who!) Read the rest of this entry »
Sunday Best
"Sunday Best" is back for a fifth searching for the nation's next gospel singing sensation. Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin and Yolanda Adams return to BET along with new judge CeCe Winans to find that one special and anointed singer. Many will be called, but only one can be the Sunday Best!
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