Welcome to Gospel-Spotlight.com!! GS NEWS ROOM, 1# FIRST WITH NEWS     August 18, 2008 UPDATE!! ..  Deeper Level'08... Marvin Winans, Jr. in D.C. play...  August 18, 2008 UPDATE!! ..  John P. Kee helps Rev. Timothy Wright...  News News News News News News News News News ____________________________________________ The Gospel Music Channel has joined with Senator Blanche L. Lincoln (D-Ark.), Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D- Texas), Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.), and The Recording Academy to launch the "Gospel Music Heritage Month" initiative. The legislation designates September 2008 as "Gospel Music Heritage Month," honoring gospel music for its valuable long-standing contributions to American culture. The initiative was created by the Gospel Music Channel, the country's first and only 24/7 television network devoted to all forms of Gospel/Christian music. Washington, D.C. playright Patrice Reynolds is staging her first play this week and it features a cameo appearance by Marvin Winans Jr. The son of gospel stars Marvin Winans Sr. and Vickie Winans, Winans got his start with the group Phase 2. Their first CD We Got Next debuted at #1 on Billboard’s gospel charts in 1999 and sold over 300,000 units. He founded M2 Entertainment in 2000 and has produced a number of artists, including his famous mom. 2008 Democratic National Convention makes history this year as it features its first-ever Convention Interfaith Gathering on August 24, 2008 at the Wells Fargo Theater in Denver, CO. The gathering will feature Richard Smallwood & Vision and The Spirituals Project of Denver. In addition, Bishop Charles E. Blake, Presiding Prelate of the Church of God In Christ, will be part of a collection of prominent religious leaders who will speak at this historic gathering. Israel & New Breed will present Deeper Level '08 Worship Conference and Live Recording September 4-6, 2008 at Grace Church in Humble, TX. For registration information to go www.adeeperlevel.com Artists and pastor of Perfecting Faith Church, Donnie McClurkin, will host the inter-faith event The New York Call, Saturday, August 23 in Eisenhower Park, Hempstead Turnpike, East Meadow, Long Island, NY. Musical guests will include Darwin Hobbs, Damita Haddon, Regina Belle and Jason Champion. The Allstate Gospel Superfest will take place November 1st at the Civic Center in Atlanta. It will feature 25 of gospel's top and up and coming artists. For information log on to www.gospelsuperfest.com Arthur “ Bob” Beatty Jr., The Brooklyn All Stars, Melvin Couch, Dr. Vernard Johnson, The Pilgrim Jubilees, and Rev. Ernest Davis, Jr’s Wilmington Chester Mass Choir are this year’s inductees to the International Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The International Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s 12th annual induction and awards fund raiser gala will be held in Detroit on Saturday, October 25, 2008. The Master of Ceremony will be Vickie Winans. The Rev. John P. Kee, Pastor of the New Life Fellowship Center, has a generous heart. Two weeks ago, Pastor Kee announced that he will be supporting Rev. Timothy Wright and the Grace Tabernacle Christian Center Church of Brooklyn by paying the mortgage on Rev. Wright's church until he returns. This is to relieve some of the financial stress on the family and the church during the healing of their father and pastor, Rev. Timothy Wright. Pastor Kee encourages all singers and fans to continue showing their support and assist with all of the medical expenses needed for this great man. For more info contact: Sheila Lakin @ (704) 377-4004 or email shelialakin@aol.com The Gospel Music Workshop of America, the world's largest gospel music organization, began its national convention on August 9 in Nashville, TN at the Gaylord Opryland Resort. This year's convention theme is "Lifting the Kingdom Through Song". The week long convention will include classes, luncheons, VIP Receptions, nightly showcases, award ceremonies, and services. Founded in 1967 by Rev. James Cleveland, the GMWA has 75,000 members with more than 185 chapters in throughout the world. An autopsy has yet to be completed on Isaac Hayes, but authorities in Memphis said Tuesday that the soul legend apparently died of a stroke. A memorial service will be held in Cordova, Tennessee on Monday at Hope Presbyterian Church (850 Walnut Grove) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Isaac Hayes, best known for his Oscar-winning 70s track "Theme From Shaft," was found dead at his home in Tennessee. He was 65. The Shelby County Sheriff's Office says a family member found Hayes unresponsive near a treadmill. Actor/comedian Bernie Mac passed away Saturday morning from complications due to pneumonia in a Chicago area hospital. Mac suffered from sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease that produces tiny lumps of cells in the body's organs, but had said the condition went into remission in 2005. He recently was hospitalized and treated for pneumonia, which was not related to the disease. Dr. Bobby Jones has been commissioned by the White House to travel to China for the 2008 Olympic Games. Jones, who is serving his second term as Ambassador of Dominica, will serve in his diplomatic position and interview Olympic athletes for his TV programs that air on BET, Gospel Music Channel, and The Word Network. Bobby Jones just completed tapings for the 29th season of Bobby Jones Gospel which will begin airing on October 5, 2008 on BET. Over one thousand people packed Washington Temple COGIC in Brooklyn NY to say a final earthly farewell to Betty and Daniel "DJ" Wright on Monday, July 28, 2008. A very somber mood filled the air as the two caskets were wheeled into place. Mary Mary (sang, "Yesterday,") Rev. Al Sharpton (remarks,) Dorothy Norwood (sung), Bishop Richard "Mr Clean" White and Twinkie Clark (duet) particapted in song also. Shekinah Glory Ministry "Shekinah Glory Ministry Live," has been certified gold by RIAA. (Gold certification denotes album sales of 500,000 units.) This marks the second gold certification for the Illinois choir. Their debut release "Praise Is What I Do" also was certified gold . EMI Gospel has signed teen vocalist Merche Moore as one of the label's first digitally exclusive artists. Her first single, You're The One was released to all digital outlets on July 22, 2008. Rosalyn McDuffie, one-half of the duo Lyric Sings passed on July 26, 2008 after a battle with stomach cancer. McDuffie was 39 years old. McDuffie was once a background vocalist for Donnie McClurkin and released a solo album titled Just Roz in 2001. She formed the Stellar-nominated duo Lyric Sings along with Rhonda McLemore and released Brand New Day in 2006. McDuffie also served as first lady of Palace of Praise in Houston, Texas. She is featured as a lead vocalist on the recent release Crossover from Pastor Gregg Patrick & The Bridge Choir. Memorial services for Roz McDuffie will be held on August 1, 2008, with the funeral commencing on August 2, 2008. Renowned gospel producer and baritone Lawrence C. Roberts has died. Roberts was founder of Savoy Records. Lawrence became the first African-American producer of a major recording company. He worked with other Gospel icons including James Cleveland, Doris Duke, Albertina Walker and many others. His Angelic Choir of Nutley worked with James Cleveland to produce 11 of Gospel’s greatest albums, including “Peace Be Still” and “Stood on the Banks.” Following the recent passing of lead singer Dillard Crume, The Soul Stirrers are set to reunite and release a new album. "A Soul Stirring Reunion" will be a CD featuring updated renditions of hits from their catalog dating back to the group's inception in 1926. The album is currently scheduled to hit shelves on September 23, 2008. Congratulations to Marvin Sapp because his CD "Thirsty" has been certified Gold. TV One has announced that it has assembled a team to offer live, nightly coverage of the Democratic National Convention in Denver, from Monday, Aug. 25 through Thursday, Aug. 28. The convention floor coverage will be co-hosted by XM Radio and WOL-AM radio host Joe Madison and Anchor Arthur Fennell will be followed by the show "TV One Live: DNC Afterparty," anchored by veteran journalist Jacque Reid and co-hosted by Rev. Marcia and Michael Eric Dyson. TV One commentator Roland Martin will serve as chief political analyst and provide daily commentary and a wrap up of the day's events. Candi Staton has recorded her first praise and worship CD. "I Will Sing My Praise to You" due out October 21, 2008. This is the legendary singer’s first album with Jacksonville, FL-based Emtro Gospel. The Rev. Timothy Wright "The Godfather of Gospel" along with his wife and grandson were traveling through Lamar Barrack, PA. On the way, an individual was driving on the wrong side of the road and hit Rev. Wright’s car in a head on collision. Rev.Wright was heading back from a convention in Detroit. (AIM) His wife Betty died at the scene of the crash. Rev Wright is on a respirator and his heart had stopped beating a couple of times. Unfortunately DJ, Pastor Wright's grandson has passed away. Pastor Wright's surgery went well and he is recovering well. We will continue to update you as more information becomes available. Please keep the Wright family in prayer. Donald Lawrence will be recording his next solo project in Chicago. The album will be entitled "The Law of Confession" and the project will be co-produced by Daniel Weatherspoon. It will also feature a crew of 10 session singers. Marvin Sapp took home the BET Award for Best Gospel Artist. Awarded for his Thirsty album on Verity Records, the award was handed out on June 24th, 2008 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The six-year marriage of prophetess Juanita Bynum and Bishop Thomas Weeks is now officially over. The proceedings were stopped at one point when Bynum revealed the two had sex after their separation. What's not known is if the couple had sex after the now infamous assault by Weeks on Bymum. The judge in the case, Debra Turner, left the courtroom to research whether the divorce could be granted under Georgia law, which, in part, sees sex by separated couples as a act of reconciliation. However, Randy Kessler, Weeks' attorney, said that the couple had been living in separation and that Bynum filed for divorce. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Evangelist Juanita Bynum said in an interview on the television show "Divorce Court," that she battled depression and thought of suicide after she split with her husband over spousal abuse. "Suicide crossed my mind, jumping out of the window crosses your mind," said Bynum, whose husband, Bishop Thomas W. Weeks III, attacked her in a parking lot. "I felt hopeless." Judge Lynn Toler asked Bynum whether there were signs of trouble early in her marriage to Weeks. Bynum said she had left several times and even filed for divorce three years ago, but decided to stay married to Weeks to work things out. Yolanda Adams has now turned in her financial records prompting the government to withdraw its request for a judge to intervene. The IRS requested details about a pair of million-dollar mortgage loan applications and sought more information about the singer's endorsements and royalties as well as music companies and foundations with which she is affiliated. Adams has to appear in court later this month. Court filings last month revealed that the IRS section that oversees small businesses and the self-employed was investigating Adams. Crystal Aikin, the 33-year-old emergency room nurse, won the title of Sunday Best on BET's gospel reality show. After year-long sabbatical, MegaFest will return in 2008 and will move from Atlanta, GA to South Africa and it's now called MegaFest International. The event dates are October 6th through 20th, 2008. *********************************************************************** 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:Niyoki New Releases: Updated August 2, 2008!