11/16/14 O&A Gospel Sunday: Andrae Crouch

GOSPEL SUNDAY

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Andraé Crouch is a gospel singer, songwriter, arranger, recording artist, record producer, and pastor. Crouch was a key figure in the Jesus Music movement of the 1960s and 1970s. His influence helped develop contemporary Christian music,  which began to bridge the gap between black and white Christian music. Continue reading

10/9/14 O&A Gospel Sunday: Tasha Cobbs

GOSPEL SUNDAY
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Tasha Cobbs began in her hometown, Jesup, Georgia. She was Worship Leader of Jesup New Life Ministries, founded by her late father, Bishop Fritz Cobbs. In 2012, Cobbs recorded her freshman project titled GRACE, produced by multi-award-winner and Motown Gospel label mate, VaShawn Mitchell. This project featured the lead single, Break Every Chain, which landed as Billboard’s #1 song for a total of 12 weeks. Continue reading

11/2/14 O&A Gospel Sunday: Jamie Grace Harper

GOSPEL SUNDAY

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Jamie Grace Harper is a 23-year-old Contemporary Christian musician, singer, rapper and songwriter from Atlanta, Georgia. Discovered in 2010, via her YouTube channel, by TobyMac and was immediately signed to his Gotee Records label. She released the song Hold Me in 2011, which landed her a nomination at the 2012 Grammys. Harper won the 2012 Dove Award for New Artist of the Year. Continue reading

10/19/14 O&A Gospel Sunday: John P. Kee

GOSPEL SUNDAY

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John P. Kee was born the 15th of 16 children in Durham, North Carolina. At an early age he began to develop his musical talent both instrumentally and vocally. He attended the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem and at 14, he and his brothers Wayne and Al moved to California where he began attending the Yuba College Conservatory School of Music in Marysville, California.

During this time, he began playing with various groups such as Cameo and Donald Byrd and the Blackbyrds. After having a hard time adjusting in California, he left and moved to Charlotte, North Carolina only to find himself living in a part of the city known for its violence and drug activities. After watching one of his friends being murdered in a drug deal gone bad, he rededicated his life back to God during a visit to a revival meeting. Continue reading

O&A 10/11/14 Gospel Sunday: LeCrae

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Lecrae Moore, known as Lecrae, is a Christian hip hop artist, record producer, and actor. He is the president, co-owner and co-founder of the independent record label Reach Records, and the co-founder and president of the non-profit organization ReachLife Ministries. To date, he has released seven studio albums and two mixtapes as a solo artist, and has released three studio albums, a remix album, and one EP as the leader of the rap group 116 Clique.  

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10/5/14 O&A Gospel Sunday: Fred Hammond

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Fred Hammond is a gospel singer,bass guitar player, and record producer. Hammond first gained recognition while playing bass guitar for the gospel group The Winans. By 1985 he was one of the six original members of the group Commissioned, participating in 10 of the group’s 12 albums. After his time with Commissioned ended, he regained fame in the gospel community after selling millions of albums with his musical group Radical For Christ. He is a multiple Grammy, Dove, and Stellar award winner as a performer, producer and writer. Continue reading

9/14/14 O&A Gospel Sunday: Smokie Norful- I Need You Now

GOSPEL SUNDAY

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Reverend W.R. “Smokie” Norful, Jr. is an internationally renowned musician, music composer, and recording artist. His debut compact discs entitled I Need You Now and Smokie Norful Limited Edition have garnered favorable accolades and awards across the world, including the 2005 Grammy Award for Contemporary Soul Gospel Album of the Year for his release entitled, Nothing Without You; three Stellar awards; four Dove awards; three Gospel Music Excellence Awards; an NAACP image Award nomination; a Soul Train award nomination; two nominations for the BET award for gospel music; two RIAA certified Gold selling compact discs; and countless others. Continue reading

9/7/14 O&A Gospel Sunday: Reverend James Cleveland

GOSPEL SUNDAY

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The Reverend Dr. James Edward Cleveland was a gospel singer, musician, and composer. Known as the King of Gospel music, Cleveland was a driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound by incorporating traditional black gospel, modern, soul, pop and jazz in arrangements for mass choirs. Throughout his career, Cleveland appeared on hundreds of recordings, won 4 Grammy Awards, and received a star along the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Continue reading

8/24/14- O&A Gospel Sunday: Mahalia Jackson- The Queen Of Gospel

GOSPEL SUNDAY

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Mahalia Jackson, The Queen of Gospel, became one of the most influential gospel singers in the world. She became an internationally acclaimed singer and civil rights activist. Entertainer Harry Belafonte described Jackson as “the single most powerful black woman in the United States”. She recorded about 30 albums.  Continue reading