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On Stage: Church Girl

Elev8 — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:44:05 +0000

We elevate and edify our purpose when we support others who are called to tell the story of followers. In the next few weeks a brand new play will be hitting the road.

Church Girl tells the story of Emily Franklin, the seemingly wholesome daughter of a prominent pastor, who is seduced by the charms of a worldly life. Emily is hiding a very shocking secret and like all things evil, it is festering. Emily has been working diligently to cover up the dark choices she has made, but when her secret is exposed, events take a dramatic turn and skeletons coming crashing out of her closet. Everyone wants to know what could push a quintessential church girl to turn her back on everything she has been taught.

Produced by Ladies First Entertainment and Sweetpro Presents, this uplifting new musical drama features soul-stirring gospel music, while it bravely peeks into a part of the entertainment world that has been, until now, considered taboo.

Church Girl infuses the magic of phenomenal music, a cast of colorful characters, and amazing dance performances to take audiences on an unforgettable ride through the pains and pleasures of tasting the “forbidden fruit” to the ultimate height of redemption.

National playwright and producer – Angela Barrow-Dunlap is the creator of many hit stage plays. One of her most popular, If These Hips Could Talk, starred legendary actor Billy Dee Williams and Tichina Arnold from the hit sitcom, Everybody Hates Chris. Barrow-Dunlap also wrote and produced Zeola Gaye’s dramatic musical My Brother

Marvin as well as one of the highest grossing urban stage plays of all time, Why Good Girls Like Bad Boyz.

Barrow-Dunlap’s new musical, Church Girl, brings together some of the film, television and music world’s hottest stars on one stage for one unforgettable production. Leading the cadre of characters is one of Hollywood’s most sought after actresses, Robin Givens, who gained critical acclaim as “Jacqueline” in the hit movie Boomerang who most recently starred in the blockbuster movie Family That Preys; Grammy Award-winning gospel powerhouse Karen Clark Sheard of the legendary Clark Sisters; A’ngela Winbush, R&B soul-singer/songwriter who first rose to fame in the 1980’s duo Rene and A’ngela, then went on to score hits as a solo artist; actress Demetria McKinney from the NAACP Image Award-winning television series House of Payne; debonair actor Sean Blakemore from the movies Motives I and II and Drew Sidora from television’s That’s So Raven and The Game. The show also features play circuit powerhouses and theatre veterans including Tony Grant, Wanda Nero-Butler, Gia Wyre and Teisha Lott.

Church Girl’s Spring Tour Schedule is as follows:

March 23-28, 2010 Detroit, MI Music Hall

April 1-4, 2010 Detroit MI Music Hall

April 8-11, 2010 Cleveland, OH State Theatre

April 13-14, 2010 Orlando, FL Bob Carr Performing Arts Center

April 15-16, 2010 Columbia, SC Koger Center for the Arts

April 17-18, 2010 Jacksonville, FL Florida Theatre

April 22-25, 2010 Baltimore, MD Lyric Opera House

April 27-28, 2010 Raleigh, NC Raleigh Memorial Auditorium

April 30 – May 2, 2010 Charlotte, NC Ovens Auditorium

May 4-9, 2010 Washington, DC Warner Theatre

May 11-16, 2010 Houston, TX Verizon Wireless Theatre

May 20-23, 2010 Chicago, IL Arie Crown Theater

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41st Annual Dove Award Nominations

Elev8 — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:07:22 +0000

From GospelMusicChannel.com

Nashville, Tenn. – February 18, 2010 – Jars of Clay, Skillet, Matt Maher, and Jason Crabb led the pack with six nominations each at the 2010 Dove Award nominations press conference, an event held at Belmont University’s Curb Music Café in Nashville. Bernie Herms leads in total nominations of eight, including Producer of the Year. Producers and songwriters Jason Ingram and Wayne Haun follow with seven nominations each.

Ben Tankard, Francesca Battistelli, Brandon Heath, Jason Crabb, Jeremy Camp, Kari Jobe, Lisa Kimmey-Winans and Michael W. Smith were all on hand to announce nominations in 23 of 43 official categories.

With nearly 200 industry executives, journalists and artists in attendance, the event began with Pete Wilson, local pastor of Crosspoint Community Church and author of Plan B (Thomas Nelson) who challenged the crowd that “what matters is not what you accomplish, but who you become.” Wilson (withoutwax.tv), who has more than 40,000 followers on Twitter, also thanked the gospel music industry: “I’m forever grateful for how God has used you to shape my soul.”

Gospel Music Association (GMA) chairman of the board Ed Leonard followed by highlighting a few of the ways the gospel music industry has reached out to Haiti in its hour of need, introducing the powerful music video for “Come Together Now” (Music City Unites for Haiti) which was led by Michael W. Smith (written by Smith, David Mullen and Cindy Morgan).

Teary-eyed from viewing the powerful video, Michael W. Smith spoke briefly of his trip to Haiti and how long it would take for the people to recover.

“We may be here to announce Dove nominations today, but the true awards go to the people in Haiti and the meaning of something like this comes only through what we do in times like this,” said Smith, who visited Haiti after the earthquake. “Any recognition we give to those making an impact in this industry, goes all just to God’s glory and His fame, to be able to reach out further, to communicate His message to the world.”

He made special mention of U.S. troops in Haiti: “To watch our military not only keep the peace but love on the Haitian people was an image I’ll never forget the rest of my life…”

Other gospel music artist endeavors on behalf of Haiti were highlighted at the event, including Kirk Franklin’s recording and video of “Are You Listening” (to benefit UNICEF), TobyMac’s “Get Back Up,” for which 100% of royalties will go to relief efforts, Third Day’s “Come Together Fund” which raised over 350K for relief the day after the quake and the upcoming “Help Haiti Live” concert event (Amy Grant, NEEDTOBREATHE) planned for February 27 to benefit Compassion International’s Haiti relief efforts.

There were plenty of more light-hearted moments during the event, including Jeremy Camp asking Jaci Velasquez if she wouldn’t mind “pinch hitting” for him in reading the Spanish language nominations. All joking aside, Camp was certainly touched by the recognition he received.

“I’m honored to be nominated for male vocalist and pop album of this year,” said Camp. “Gospel music is represented by so many great, talented, and purely wonderful people. I’m blessed to be a part of it, and truly grateful to God for the opportunity and privilege to get to do what I do.”

The 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards will be seen Sunday, April 25 at 8 pm et, only on gmc. This year’s awards will be hosted by Natalie Grant and MercyMe’s Bart Millard. Visit doveawards.com or gospelmusic.org for more information.

“As a little girl I would watch the Dove Awards on TV and be in awe of the gifted artists,” said Kari Jobe. “Now to be recognized as a New Artist nominee, it is both a humbling and joyful experience! I can’t wait to come to Nashville in April for the show.”

Jason Crabb, up for four awards this year, had a similar sentiment: “To be considered among the industry’s top choices as a whole is a shock for this small-town Kentucky boy. I’m a fan of these other artists, so I’m thrilled to be among them! All I can say right now is I’m grateful…grateful for my family, for God’s giftings, for His goodness, for so many people who make this happen and for allowing me to do what I love day in and day out.”

This year again, fans will be able to cast their votes online in two major categories, Artist of the Year and New Artist of the Year. Voting opens the same day voting opens for GMA members, and will be available at gmclife.com.

The awards will be held Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at Nashville’s famed Grand Ole Opry House. Tickets are currently on sale through the Grand Ole Opry Call Center. Call 1-800-SEE-OPRY/1-800-733-6779, visit www.opry.com or purchase at the Opry Box Office located at 2804 Opryland Drive, or the Ryman Auditorium Box Office at 116 5th Ave. North in downtown Nashville. Ticket prices range from $25–$200.

Without further adieu, here are the major categories and the 2010 nominees in each. Click here for a full list of nominees.

Artist of the Year
Francesca Battistelli
Casting Crowns
Jason Crabb
Jars of Clay
TobyMac
Mary Mary
Skillet

New Artist of the Year
Jonny Diaz
Kari Jobe
Revive
Sidewalk Prophets
Bluetree
Crystal Aikin
Brian Courtney Wilson

Group of the Year
Casting Crowns
Gaither Vocal Band
Jars of Clay
NEEDTOBREATHE
Tenth Avenue North
Hezekiah Walker & LFC
Skillet

Female Vocalist of the Year
Francesca Battistelli
Natalie Grant
Mandisa
Dawn Michele
Laura Story
Karen Peck Gooch
Heather Headley

Male Vocalist of the Year
Jeremy Camp
Jason Crabb
Michael English
Brandon Heath
Bebo Norman
Mark Schultz
Donnie McClurkin
Smokie Norful

Song of the Year
“Born To Climb” by Jeff & Sherri Easter, Wayne Haun and Joel Lindsey
“By Your Side” by Tenth Avenue North
“Free To Be Me” by Francesca Battistelli
“God Is There” by Diamond Rio
“I Will Rise” by Chris Tomlin and Louie Giglio
“Let the Waters Rise” by MIKESCHAIR
“Revelation Song” by Jennie Lee Riddle
“Somebody Like Me” by Neil Thrasher, Michael Boggs
“Two Hands” by Jars of Clay
“Why Can’t All God’s Children Get Along” by Karen Peck & New River

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Stellar Music Awards To Air Sunday, February 28th At 8:00 PM (ET)

Elev8 — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:54:21 +0000

Gospel greats Bebe and Cece Winans rock the crowd at the 25th Annual Stellar Music Awards.From ChristianNewsWire.com

MEDIA ADVISORY, Feb. 25 /Christian Newswire/ — The 25th Anniversary Stellar Awards — the premier Gospel event that recognizes and honors Gospel artists — will air Sunday, Feb. 28 at 8:00 p.m. ET on Gospel Music Channel (GMC) as the climax to GMC’s celebration of Black History Month.

Vickie Winans, Kirk Franklin and Donnie McClurkin will co-host this star-studded event. Legendary vocalists Tremaine Hawkins, Shirley Caesar and Dottie Peoples will appear on stage together, as will Donnie McClurkin, Marvin Sapp and Byron Cage. The show will also feature piano collaborations from Smokie Norful and Richard Smallwood, Hezekiah Walker with his Love Fellowship Choir and Ricky Dillard and New G with a Choir Collaboration.

To read more, click here

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New Marvin Sapp Album Coming March 16

Elev8 — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:15:15 +0000

From Billboard by Gail Mitchell | February 24, 2010 4:16 EST

When it was time to record his next Verity album, Marvin Sapp decided not to tamper with the live formula he used on his 2007 best seller, “Thirsty.” So on Oct. 16 last year, he returned to the same site-Resurrection Life Church in Grand Rapids, Mich.-with the same talent-including writer/producer Aaron Lindsey and backing vocals director Myron Butler-to record the March 16 release “Here I Am.”

Verity got a jump on listener reaction to Sapp’s new songs by providing a live video stream of the performance/recording and a chat room on its Web site. “Thousands of people watched the stream from everywhere in the world,” Verity senior director of marketing Cheryl Marks says. “It gave us a bird’s-eye view of what hit home.”

That song was “Best in Me,” which after only nine weeks is shaping up as another No. 1 for the singing pastor. Co-written by Sapp and Lindsey, the song is No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs chart. It’s another uplifting anthem in the vein of Sapp’s “Thirsty” mega-hit, “Never Would Have Made It.” That song ruled Hot Gospel Songs for 46 weeks and claimed the crown for the longest-running No. 1 on a Billboard airplay chart. The crossover R&B hit also propelled “Thirsty” to sales of 706,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

“Here I Am” revolves around messages of inspiration, praise and guidance delivered to full emotional and joyous effect on “He Has His Hands on You,” “Fresh Wind” and the title track. And Sapp takes his crossover appeal a step further by letting loose on the rock-infused “Praise You Forever.”

To broaden Sapp’s reach, Verity will stream the singer’s street-date retail appearance at the Experience in Chicago. An upcoming Atlanta in-store will be broadcast/streamed to 13 markets by local radio partner WPZE and air personality CoCo Brother.

Marks notes that gospel, like other genres, has less opportunities to spread its message on TV and in magazines. “But the one thing we have that other genres don’t is a church base.” -Gail Mitchell

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BET Sunday Best Wants You For New Auditions

Elev8 — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 12:38:17 +0000

From SingersRoom.com

BET’s hit reality competition ‘Sunday Best’ is on its way back but, is in serious need of new contestants.

If you are talented and in need of a big break, three fresh audition dates are available to you within the next month.

According to organizers, auditions will begin February 20 in Detroit and conclude March 6 in Philadelphia.

‘Sunday Best’ season three U.S. auditions are open to contestants age 18 and older who have government issued forms of identification.

Doors to each venue will open at 8:00 a.m. and will close at 12 noon. In addition to the coveted title of SUNDAY BEST, the winner of season three will receive prizes from the Ford Motor Company, General Mills and Nationwide Insurance. Other brands integrated into the series include Walgreens, Design Essentials and Unilever’s Degree Brand.

See dates below and visit BET.com for more information.

Auditions:

DETROIT
When: February 20, 8 a.m. – noon
Where: COBO Center, 1 Washington Blvd., Detroit, MI 48226

NEW ORLEANS
When: February 27, 8 a.m. – noon
Where: Ernest M. Morial Convention Center, 900 Convention Center Boulevard
New Orleans, LA 70130-1799

PHILADELPHIA
When: March 6, 8 a.m. – noon
Where: Pennsylvania Convention Center One Convention Center Place
1101 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107

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VIDEO: Haiti Quake Survivor Rescued One Month Later

Elev8 — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:31:03 +0000

From EURweb:

Can you believe that a 28-year old man, identified as Evan Muncie, was able to live for nearly a month under the rubble of the market place where he was found? CNN is reporting that they were getting ready to clean out the area for the buildings’ debris and there he was…in the rubble. The hand of God has to be the only entity holding the life of this young man together.

He said that he saw someone in a white coat bring him water. The doctors that have encountered the young man since the rescue said he shows signs of confusion. He still, after being in a medical facility, thought that he was still underneath the crushing boulders. The only thing that seems possible is that he actually walked into the light, but God brought him back. There is no other way to explain the miracle this man is.

The possibility of a human being living without water for nearly a month is nearly impossible. There’s no way! Sounds like a miracle to me! And we know who is responsible for the miracles. This is an eye opener for him and the world as to what God can do. Check him out here and you assess for yourself:

Tonéx Celebrates Grammy Nomination

Elev8 — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 11:30:28 +0000

From SignOnSanDiego.com –

By George Varga

Sunday, January 24, 2010 at 12:01 a.m.

Trusting your creative instincts is one of the most important things any artist can do. But when charismatic San Diego singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tonex was putting together his fifth and latest major label album, “Unspoken,” he ended up succeeding by going against his instincts.

Rather than write and record a batch of new songs, he selected 12 recent tracks from some of the nearly two-dozen “underground” albums he has independently released on his own over the past decade. For “Unspoken’s” 13th song, he dug deep into his musical archives and unearthed the stirring “Blend,” which is now nominated for a Grammy in the Best Urban/Alternative Performance category.

“This album was almost like the ‘Greatest Hits’ of songs of mine the general public wasn’t aware of,” said Tonex, whose real name is Anthony Charles Williams II. “I picked what I thought were some of the best songs I’d done for my underground albums from the past few years. Whereas for (his 2003 album) ‘Out the Box,’ I spent nearly a year just working on the preproduction phase, getting the songs ready (to record).”

Choosing “Blend,” which he recorded more than a decade ago but never released until now, seemed counterintuitive to Tonex. Then again, so is virtually all of “Unspoken.” The album solidifies his evolution from an acclaimed gospel artist, who in 2005 was a Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album Grammy nominee, to an urban R&B artist whose music deftly explores both the secular and the spiritual.

“ ‘Blend’ was recorded in 1997 and was supposed to be on my (2000 major label debut album) ‘Pronounced Toe-Nay,’ ” said Tonex, whose debut album was first released in 1997 on the San Diego indie label Rescue Records.

“At the last minute, I decided to leave it off and that, ironically, is the song that now got the Grammy nomination. This album is also shorter than my normal work, and it isn’t as ambitious, musically. But the most significant difference would be that this is my first mainstream nomination. So, I think this marks the beginning of my being introduced as a mainstream artist and of my being nominated along people I look up to, such as Bilal and India.Arie.”

Winning acclaim and awards is nothing new for Tonex, who in early 2004 assumed the pulpit at his late father’s Truth Apostolic Community Church in Spring Valley, where Tonex still preaches. His best songs place him alongside the likes of neo-gospel superstar Kirk Franklin, Prince, Babyface and a profanity-free Kanye West.

In 2005 alone, Tonex received six trophies — including Artist of the Year, Rap/Hip-Hop Gospel CD of the Year and Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year — at the Stellar Awards (one of the two most prestigious annual national gospel music competitions).

But his move since then away from what some fans call the “holy hip-hop” world of Christian music has been fraught with controversy — especially since it followed his divorce and subsequent acknowledgment that he is equally attracted sexually to men and women. He reinforced his coming out by naming two of his recent self-produced albums “The Naked Truth” and “Rainbow.”

The African-American gospel music community, like the churches that spawned it, is especially conservative on gender issues. The reaction to Tonex’s public candor about his sexuality was swift and largely unforgiving.

“Within no time, every engagement I had to preach or sing in churches or faith-based concert venues was canceled,” Tonex said, in a first-person “testimony” that was posted last fall on the Web site BlackVoices.com. “I suppose they did not want a demon-possessed homosexual on their stage or pulpit, although I never stopped preaching or teaching the same doctrine and principles that I spoke on before.”

Click Here To Read More

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VIDEO: Haitian Man Survives 11 Days Under Rubble

Elev8 — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:05:23 +0000

It was hours after the authorities had called off the search for survivors in Haiti, but a British woman helped rescue a man 11 days after the devastating earthquake.

From DailyMail.co.uk

Volunteer Carmen Michalska, from Aberdeen, managed to crawl into the tomb-like space where 24-year-old Haitian Wismond Exantus has been trapped for more than a week.

Barely able to move, and buried alive in a grocery store, he had survived on beer, biscuits and Coke, and banged desperately on the broken walls that weighed down on him to get someone’s attention.

He did not know if anyone would ever hear. He prayed, recited psalms, and slept.

To read more, click here

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STUDY: Disease Not Violence Is The Bigger Killer In Darfur

Elev8 — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:12:33 +0000

With violence in Darfur in an extended lull, a new study assessing dozens of mortality estimates for the six years of fighting there has concluded that about 300,000 people died, but that disease, rather than violence, killed at least 80 percent of them.

From NYTimes.com

That was not true at first, the study said. Violence, it said, was the main cause in 2004, the year after the rebellion in the Darfur region of western Sudan began, setting off a brutal repression by janjaweed militias burning down villages and government jets flying bombing runs.

But far more people fled before the marauders than were hacked or shot to death by them, and 2.7 million ended up in camps for displaced people. While some fell prey to bandits who waylaid them as they fetched water and wood, far more died of diarrhea spread by filthy water, pneumonia picked up in swirls of desert dust and fire smoke, malaria carried into their tents by mosquitoes and other maladies from years of rough living.

To read more, click here

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Three Churches Torched In A Week

Elev8 — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:08:44 +0000

ATHENS, Texas (BP)–A Southern Baptist church was one of two churches in the Athens, Texas, area heavily damaged by what investigators believe were arson fires set in the early morning hours Jan. 12, marking the third such church fire in a week near the East Texas city.

From Baptist Press

Local authorities are being aided in their investigation by the state fire marshal’s office and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Authorities suspected burglary at the churches, but Athens Assistant Police Chief Rodney Williams said the investigation is in its early stages.

“I would assume that it is arson, but as far as the motive, we will probably never know,” said John Green, pastor of Lake Athens Baptist Church, which sustained an estimated $500,000 in damage to its auditorium. “But our hearts are full and our spirits are encouraged. We believe God is going to bring something good out of this.”

To read more, click here

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