Welcome to Gospel-Spotlight.com!! GS NEWS ROOM, 1# FIRST WITH NEWS     February 9, 2010 UPDATE!! ..  Kirk Franklin to drop new book.... Shawn Brown passes....  February 9, 2010 UPDATE!! .. Jonathan Nelson to record again....  News News News News News News News News News ___________________________________________ Kingdom Records’ sister act, The Brown Sisters, won Best Gospel Entertainer of the Year and Best Gospel Album of the Year Awards at the 29th Annual Chicago Music Awards (CMA). Other winners include Jennifer Hudson, R. Kelly, jazz great Ramsey Lewis, rapper Common, classic soul legends The Chi-Lites, blues star Buddy Guy and rock band, Smashing Pumpkins. The Brown Sisters recently wrapped the making of their first concept music video for the song “Awesome God.” It will premiere on various video channels in the coming weeks. Kirk Franklin has penned a brand new book. "The Blueprint: A Plan for Living Above Life's Storms" is set for release on May 18, 2010 and will also be available on audiobook. Franklin's first book, Church Boy, was released over a decade ago. The Gospel Music Channel recently announced the winners of its 2009 GMC Music Video Awards. The winners include Marvin Winans, Jr for Best Soul Video ("You Never Let Me Down"), Lecrae for Best Hip Hop Video ("Don't Waste Your Life") and tobyMac featuring Kirk Franklin and Mandisa for Best Pop Video and Best Overall Video ("Lose My Soul"). Jonathan Nelson is gearing up for a new live recording. It's going down at Nelson's new church home, The Faith Center, in Sunrise, Florida on February 26, 2010. Jonathan Nelson's third recording will also feature his group Purpose. "Right Now Praise "won him three Stellar Awards. Pastor Shawn M. Brown passed away on January 31, 2010. Shawn Brown was one of the original co-directors of the choir Youthful Praise along with JJ Hairston. Shawn Brown an avid and gifted songwriter penned "Awesome God." Please Keep Shawn Brown's family in pray. In February, BET Networks will air it's 2010 BET Honors show. Among several honorees such as Queen Latifah and Sean P. Diddy Combs, Whitney Houston received a special tribute performance by Kim Burrell. Her introduction, made by Superstar Neo, stated that Whitney considers Burrell's voice to be the greatest on the planet. Burrell who has lost more that 100 pounds decided to make a change in her lifestyle after three heart attacks, the last one being just over eight months ago. Gospel Music Channel (gmc) will celebrate Black History Month this February with major premiere programming and specials. GMC will present special vignettes throughout the month featuring artists including Marvin Sapp, Byron Cage, Canton Jones, Ricky Dillard, Beverly Crawford, The Murrills and Angella Christie. Other highlights of gmc's Black History Month Celebration include: The 25th Anniversary of The Stellar Awards on Sunday, Feb 28 at 8:00 p.m. ET, the world premiere of the 2010 BMI Trailblazers Awards Tribute to Donnie McClurkin & Andraé Crouch Sunday, Feb. 21 at 8:00 p.m ET, and A Love Song for Haiti: The Making of 'Are You Listening' Feb. 21 at 9:30pm. Chicago’s gospel music community is coming together to raise money for the survivors of the recent Haiti earthquake. Grammy-winning recording artist / producer Donald Lawrence and Ricky Dillard will organize the music for “Chicago’s Hope for Haiti” benefit concert. The concert will go down February 8, 2010 at the 10,000 seat House of Hope in Chicago. The confirmed talent includes Donald Lawrence & Co., Marvin Sapp, Karen Clark Sheard, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Maurette Brown Clark, Byron Cage, Mark Hubbard & the Voices, The Sweet Holy Spirit Choir under the direction of Ricky Dillard, Percy & Gerald Gray featuring (New Direction, Chicago Mass Choir , Joshua’s Troop, DeAndre Patterson, Dr. Bobby Jones and John P. Kee. Veteran songwriter Derrick Starks was recently honored by Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI ) at their 11th Annual Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards Luncheon in Nashville, TN. Starks was presented with the BMI Award for the Most Performed Gospel Song of the Year for composing Dorinda Clark Cole’s smash hit “Take It Back.” The legendary Blind Boys of Alabama have been invited to participate in a special concert at the White House on February 10, 2010. This event is called “In Performance at the White House: A Celebration of Music From the Civil Rights Movement”, the concert is designed to help celebrate Black History Month. Other performers for the event include Bob Dylan, John Legend, Seal, Jennifer Hudson, John Mellencamp, Natalie Cole and Smokey Robinson, with President Obama & the First Lady attending. Queen Latifah and Morgan Freeman will emcee . The event will stream live on the White House website and then air on PBS on February 11. After 5 years Alvin Williams, Senior Director of Music, Talent and Acquisitions has exited Gospel Music Channel due to network restructuring. As a founding employee of Gospel Music Channel his executive stamp will be seen for years to come. Alvin Williams worked on various projects building a cable network, producing high quality television series such as; Front Row Live, Faith and Fame, Revealed, Hype & Glory, Gospel Dream and Espiritu Latino. The gospel music community has come together to raise money for those displaced by the recent earthquakes in Haiti. Spearheaded by Kirk Franklin, a bevy of artists have contributed to the new single titled "Are You Listening". Recorded in Nashville, TN on Jan. 15, 2010. The single features Yolanda Adams, Jeremy Camp, Shirley Caesar, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Natalie Grant, Fred Hammond, Tamela & David Mann, Mary Mary, Donnie McClurkin, Bishop Paul S. Morton, J. Moss, Smokie Norful, Marvin Sapp, Karen Clark-Sheard, Kierra Sheard, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Marvin Winans and more. Proceeds will be donated to charity. The video will debut on the Gospel Music Channel on Jan. 23, 2010. With the recent earthquake in Haiti, the plight of this third world country deeply touches the heart of gospel recording artist Paige Strackman known for leading the multiple GRAMMY Award winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. She is organizing a benefit concert for Haiti to be held at The Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall on Friday, February 26, 2010 at 8 PM. The award winning Mississippi Mass Choir will add yet another honor to their illustrious resume on January 16, 2010. They will receive the Thomas A. Dorsey Notable Achievement Award at the 25th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards. The award is named in honor of the "Father of Gospel Music," Thomas A. Dorsey. It recognizes individuals doing outstanding work in the Gospel music community. They are just the second recipient to receive this award. The Gospel Music Association (GMA) 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards are going down on April 21, 2010 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, TN. Natalie Grant and MercyMe's Bart Milliard will host this year's festivities. This years performers include Casting Crowns, tobyMac, Donald Lawrence, Jason Crabb, Natalie Grant, and MercyMe. The 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards will air on April 24, 2010 exclusively on the Gospel Music Channel at 8p ET. The 41st annual NAACP Image Awards were announced. This year's nominees in the "Outstanding Gospel Album (Traditional or Contemporary)" category include Shirley Caesar, Vickie Winans, Fred Hammond, BeBe & CeCe Winans, and Donnie McClurkin. Mary Mary has received a nomination in the "Outstanding Song" category for their hit "God In Me". This year's ceremony emanates from The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA and airs live February 26, 2010 at 8pm ET on FOX. It seems that Tye Tribbett and Greater Anointing will be parting ways. It is being reported that in 2010 Tye will be launching a solo career and that their New Year's Eve concert in Washington was the last event that he would be doing with Greater Anointing. The NBA will celebrate the 5th Annual All-Star Gospel Brunch, which goes down February 13, 2010 in Dallas, TX as part of NBA All-Star Weekend. The event will feature performances from Donnie McClurkin, Fred Hammond, James Fortune, Angella Christie and Ricardo Sanchez. Paula White and Jonathan Slocumb will host this year's event. BET is gearing up for the third season of Sunday Best. Their first set of auditions began earlier this month in Nigeria. The show brings its audition search to Detroit, Michigan Jan. 30, 2010 and Atlanta, Georgia on February 20, 2010 with two casting calls. For the second consecutive year, Verity Gospel Music Group is the Top Gospel Album Label in Billboard Magazine’s Year End issue. With 25 titles charting in 2009, Verity Gospel Music Group secured four of Billboard’s list of Top-10 Gospel Album Artists; 13 of the Top-25 Gospel Albums; four of the Top-10 Hot Gospel Songs Artists, and eight of the Top-25 Hot Gospel Songs Gospel singer BeBe Winans has been exonerated of all charges of allegations that he assaulted his ex-wife Debra Winans. Judge Gloria Dumas of the General Sessions Court for Metropolitan Nashville-Davidson County signed an order on Friday, December 4, 2009, dismissing all charges with prejudice. With this order, this domestic matter is over an cannot be reopened. Tyler Perry is being sued by the estate of Bertha James for using 'too much' of the song 'When I Think of the Goodness of Jesus in the movie, 'Madea Goes To Jail'. Filed by a personal representative for the deceased singer/songwriter, the suit alleges that parts of the song, written in 1950 were used without permission and that the entire chorus was used in a monologue by the lead character Madea. Bertha's estate, which is also suing Lionsgate Entertainment, wants unspecified damages for copyright infringement. Grammy and Stellar award winning writer and artist PJ Morton is preparing for his fifth album "Walk Alone." The album will feature a guest appearance from Tweet and production from Warryn Campbell. The new project will be in stores and released digitally Feb. 9, 2010. Mary Mary walked away with the 2009 Soul Train Music Award for "Best Gospel Performance" for "The God in Me". It's been a big month for the duo because last week they won the American Music Award for "Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist". Mary Mary is the winner of "Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist" at the 37th Annual American Music Awards. Branden Anderson and Curtis Langley, members of the group God's Image aka GI, are launching the BGA School of the Arts. The school will focus on lessons for instrumentalists, music theory, learning techniques for children and vocal lessons. Open enrollment begins in December with the grand opening of the school on January 4, 2010. The details of Da TRUTH's moral indiscretion has emerged as this: When Tye's adultery came to light being that they were both good friends who go back a long way and Da'TRUTH being a minister and married, it was agreed that he would counsel the couple. Well, it seems that things evidently went in the wrong direction, because Da TRUTH did not have an affair with a groupie but with Shante. Tye Tribbetts wife. Yes, that's right Tye Tribbetts wife. In a nutshell, Tye cheated on his wife Shante, with one of his best friends baby mother and Da TRUTH messed up their friendship by cheating with Tye's wife! The Group GA is no more and Tye Tribbett is now living with his parents. Pastor Donnie McClurkin has added another file to his portfolio with the launch of his new recording company, CAMDON (MAC spelled backwards, DON-- short for Donnie). Dr. Judith Christie McAllister has been appointed President of the International Music Department of the Church of God In Christ. The West Angeles COGIC will celebrate the appointment with a two day celebration on Sept. 4 featuring Kim Burrell, Norman Hutchins, Myron Williams, and the West Angeles COGIC Mass Choir. A celebration luncheon and workshop will take place on Sept. 5 with Bishop Charles E. Blake as the keynote speaker. Mary Mary walked away with the Best Gospel Artist Award at the 2009 BET Awards. The group also performed "God In Me" with a special cameo appearance from Queen Latifah. *********************************************************************** We Spotlight Black Scientists: Fire Extinguisher - Thomas J. Martin - Pat. No. 125,063 Rotary Engine - Andrew J. Bread - Pat. No. 478,271 Pencil Sharper - John L. Love - Pat. No.594, 114 Bridle Bit- Lincoln F. Brown - Pat. No. 484, 994 Golf Tee - George F. Grant -Pat No. 638, 920 Air Conditioning Unit - Fredrick M. Jones - Pat. No. 2,475, 841 Automatic Fishing Device - George Cook - Pat. No. 625, 829 Lawn Sprinkler-Joseph H. Smith- Pat. No. 581, 785 Guitar - Robert F. Flemmings, Jr. - Pat. No. 338,727 Elevator - Alexander Miles - Pat. No. 371,207 ______________________________________ We review Hot Albums! ______________________________________________________ Gospel-Spotlight.com is an E-Magazine with it's focus on Contemporary & Traditional Gospel music. Gospel-Spotlight.com provides vital information to the Gospel Community. We are Your Source for single and album charts, album reviews, audio interviews, artists spotlights and trends that occur in Gospel Music. We are your "Inside Source." This E-Magazine is a tool for Record Companies, Artists, Retail stores, Gospel Music Lover's, Public Relations Firms, Management Companies, Advertisers and Church Choirs and more." ___________________________________ Article: Tamela Mann New Releases: Updated January 2, 2010!