Bishop Hezekiah Walker is all smiles as his latest CD Azusa The Next Generation 2-Better makes its debut at #1 on Billboard’s Current Gospel Albums chart,a #3 debut on Billboard’s Top Christian & Gospel Albums chart and enters the Billboard 200 chart at #88.
“Better,” the lead hit single has maintained the #1 position on the Billboard Gospel Airplay chart for ten consecutive weeks while holding the top spot on the Billboard Gospel Digital Songs chart for three consecutive weeks.
Yolanda Adams and Kirk Franklin will be on hand to pay homage to the reigning Queen of Gospel , Pastor Shirley Caes
ar as she is honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on June 28th by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
“We are proud to welcome the Reigning Queen of Gospel Shirley Caesar to our famous Walk of Fame. She is known as a musical trailblazer who has influenced a wide range of artists across genres. Her career has made an indelible mark on American music and the sounds of gospel,” stated Leron Gubler, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce President and CEO.
Pastor Caesar joins only 3 other Gospel legends Mahalia Jackson, Reverend James Cleveland and Pastor Andrae Crouch with the with the 2,583rd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame .
“The central theme of the album is that regardless of your situation, things will get better. We’re living in a world of uncertainty. We’re all going through certain things. It’s a season where we need encouragement. My aim is to go around the world to put this into the atmosphere.” Bishop Hezekiah Walker
Grammy and Stellar Award Winner and recent GMA Hall of Fame inductee Bishop Hezekiah Walker readies the world for the release of his 15th album produced by Donald Lawrence entitled Azusa The Next Generation 2 – Better. Led by the title track and radio single, Better has taken hold of the country seizing the #1 spot on Billboard’s radio chart.
The album is the follow up to the 2013 Azusa The Next Generation which gave the world the amazing hit, Every Praise. Azusa 2 is available now for pre order on iTunes and Amazon.
Pastor Shirley Caesar is without a doubt a Gospel music legend and icon. With 40 records to date, 11 Grammy awards, 18 Dove Awards, 14 Stellar Awards and a 2016 star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the reigning Queen of Gospel took time to talk with GOSPELflava about the blessings of God on her life and ministry, her new album and took some time to dispense some good advice.
GOSPELflava: Pastor Caesar, what a privilege to talk with you. What can be said about your many years of ministry? Did you ever imagine that life would bring you to this point?
Pastor Caesar: I always knew that the calling of God was on my life from a child. I used to lay up in bed at night and visualize myself singing and preaching and having a healing service with my mother at the front of the prayer line. But if anybody would have ever told me that I would be next in line behind Mahalia Jackson to receive a Grammy for Gospel music and sing for Presidents and heads of state, and travel overseas and do films and tv. I would have never believed it , never never never. I will add to this, that this is the Lord’s doing, and its just marvelous in our eyes. I owe Him my life. (more…)
Award winning producer Sanchez Harley returns to the studio with Pastor Shirley Caesar to produce a moving musical tribute in the form of the composition destined to be a classic and aptly titled Mother Emanuel. The song, written by Reba and Donnie McGuire and Chip Davis celebrates the enduring spirit of the members of Charleston’s Mother Emanuel AME Church who united a nation after tragedy befell the congregation resulting in the loss of nine lives during its weekly bible study last year.
Chip Davis presented the idea of the song to Donnie and Reba McGuire and upon its completion, contacted Sanchez Harley, who insisted that Pastor Caesar should hear it. Pastor Caesar loved the song immediately and prevailed upon her record company to make it part of her upcoming project.
Mother Emanuel is one of eleven songs comprising Fill This House, the new CD from Pastor Caesar scheduled for release on Friday June 3, 2016
Fearless is the fifth album from multiple Stellar Award winning singer/songwriter Jonathan Nelson. GOSPELflava caught up with the worship leader and shared a few moments to talk about the new album, new label and other things.
GOSPELflava: Jonathan, bring us up to speed since our last conversation.
Jonathan Nelson: I signed with a brand new record company Eone Music, recorded and released a new CD entitled Fearless and it debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart. I told Eone when we started talking that I wanted to expand and I wanted to infiltrate the Gospel market with a stronger brand and a stronger sound, having a stand out kind of approach, and Eone helped me to do just that. Everything about this CD is me living out the word fearless, taking the risks, doing what I have never done before and being out the box so to speak. All of the background singers that are singing on the CD, we have never really worked together officially as a team, some of the background singers I had never met in person, the band had never really worked together, we maybe did one record together but not really as a team effort with the band or singers. I had never worked with Da Truth, Tye Tribbett, Kim, Dorinda or Sonnie Badu as it relates to partnering or collaborating on music, so that was completely different. I just took a leap of faith. I believed what God would do and His hand of approval is on it, so everything about this CD, there is no script for it, it is really me living out what fearless is in me. (more…)
Entertainment One proudly announces the signing of Bishop Hezekiah Walker and the release of his new single, Better. Walker took to the stage at the 31st Annual Stellar Awards joining Ricky Dillard and Donald Lawrence while paying tribute to the late Olanda Draper for the world premiere of the new single co-produced by Donald Lawrence. The Stellar Awards will be televised on Sunday, March 6th on TVone as the song hits digital outlets on Friday, March 4th.
Hezekiah Walker says: “I’m honored and humbled to continue to deliver music that makes a lasting impression on people all over the world. ‘BETTER’ is a Smash Hit that I’m proud of.”
Phil Thornton, eOne Music’s Vice President and General Manager of Urban Inspirational, says: “eOne Music is excited to join forces with Hezekiah Walker, whose prodigious gifts have continued to make an unparalleled impact on Gospel for 30 years. Uplifting and spiritually guiding countless people across the globe with his hits, we can’t wait for fans to hear ‘Better’ – a unifying decree that’s a powerful introduction for the new music to come on his fifteenth album!”
The ever popular Celebration of Gospel makes its triumphant return to the airwaves on Sunday, January 31st. Pastor Shirley Caesar is joined by Anthony Hamilton for the debut of new music in addition to paying tribute to Gospel legend Andrae Crouch who made his transition last year.
The new song, Its Alright, Its Ok is currently available on digital outlets and is penned by Courtney Rumble and Stanley Brown and produced by Stanley Brown. Pastor Caesar spoke of her new music by saying, “It has been more than two years since I have recorded a project so needless to say I am very excited about my new release, ‘It’s Alright, It’s Ok’ that also features Anthony Hamilton. It is my prayer that you will be blessed not only by this song but all the others that will be featured on my upcoming release.”
Catch our pictures of the Celebration of Gospel here
Fresh from her performance at this year’s Soul Train Awards, Erica Campbell heads to DC to perform the national anthem as the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center on December 2nd. The game will be Laker great Kobe Bryant’s last game at the Verizon Center as he announced his retirement from basketball earlier this week.
The Grammy winning Campbell continues to tour supporting the release of her CD Help 2.0 with upcoming stops at The Potters House in Dallas, Evangel Church in Maryland and a special tv taping with Pastor Charles Jenkins at Fellowship Chicago.
Stellar Award winner and Dove and Grammy nominee William McDowell set a standard by giving the church classic worship anthems like Withholding Nothing and I Give Myself Away. In June, he presented new music via his live recording at Baton Rouge’s Bethany Church. The lead single, Send the Rain became an instant hit, making its home in the top ten on the radio charts. Well, the wait is almost over! On January 22, 2016, the world will get to experience the Sounds of Revival as McDowell releases his fourth album via Delivery Room Music / Entertainment One Music .
“SOUNDS OF REVIVAL is meant to be a catalyst to stir the desire of revival in the hearts of God’s people,” says McDowell. “We know that the earth is in desperate need of revival and I pray that this experience awakens something in our hearts!”