On December 13, 2011 at 10pm ET/7pm, Janice Gaines will be appearing on a special Christmas Edition of TBN's "Praise the Lord." This special will be hosted by Donnie McClurkin. Other guests will include Beckah Shae, Trent Cory and Micah Stampley.  

You can get two of Janice Gaines' songs on December 13, 2011 on iTunes. She is releasing original vocal arrangements of "Little Drummer Boy" and and a Christmas Worship Medley of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" and Amy Grant's "Breath of Heaven."

Janie Gaines is a true high quality vocalist. We live in a time where quality vocal ability has been severely taken for granted. Technology has allowed a lot of people to "get by" without really having good vocal ability. That is definitely not the case with her.

Another thing I like about Janice Gaines is that you can hear the anointing in her voice. She has this unique ability usher you into the presence of the Lord with her singing. You can tell that she really feels and believes in what she is singing about. 

You don't have to just take my word for it, you can listen to her for yourself. Do yourself a favor and listen to her song "One Word" (below).

After you listen to the song, post a comment and let me know what you think. I'm confident that Janice Gaines is an emerging artist that we should definitely be paying attention to. 

One Word (acoustic) by Janice Gaines

Episode 1: Atlanta

The Atlanta audition was shown first. For the most part this wasn't any different than something you would see on any other type of singing competition. There were some really amazing singers that made it to the next round. There were a couple of people that seemed good enough to make it to the next round, but the judges thought otherwise. As you would expect, there were some really horrible singers that made you wonder why they even came out to audition. 

The surprise of the Atlanta audition came when we got a special treat from some the "Sunday Best" alumni. Previous "Sunday Best" winners Crystal Aikin and Y'Anna Crawley teamed up with former finalists Durward Davis and Dontavious Boatwright. Together, the four powerhouse singers delivered an amazing vocal performance.

A total of 10 contestants from the Atlanta auditions made it through to the next round. 

Episode 2: Dallas and Los Angeles

The big surprise at the Dallas auditions was when a man walked out in front of the judges with a scarf covering his face. It turns out that this "mysterious man" was actually actor David Mann. He plays Mr. Brown on the show "Meet the Browns". The judges asked for an audition song, so he sang "This is Your Granddaddy".

A total of 5 contestants were selected from the Dallas auditions and 10 contestants were selected from Los Angeles.

An Insider's View

You may or may not have know this, but before the contestants make it to Donnie, Erica and Tina, they need to get past the preliminary judges. Jawn Murray was one of the preliminary judges and offered some interesting comments on Twitter about what goes on at "Sunday Best". Here are some of his comments:

"Just started watching#BETSundayBest See they're starting w/ the last city ATL. Most of the best singers came thru ATL really…then LA"

"Many people who audition for the show are better in the prelim rounds & then go down in flames on TV judge's stage."

"Of course, its a TV show. #BETSundayBest RT @LadyRubes: @JawnMurray but do y'all purposely pass some horrible singers too??"

For some reason, BET chose not to air the show in the same order they did the auditions. I'm not sure they choose to do this, but I'm sure there is a valid reason. 

Jawn's comments also make it clear that bad singers make it to TV for a reason. Let's face it, bad singers make for good TV. I know that some of us have friends that auditioned and didn't make it past the preliminary judges. They weren't amazing and they weren't horrible. People like to watch a train wreck. Average or slightly above average singers just don't bring in ratings. 

Did you see episodes 1 & 2 of BET's "Sunday Best"? What do you think about it?

Once the competition portion is over, you’ll get to see some of your favorite Gospel artists take the stage. You will get to see performances by Kirk Franklin, James Fortune, Bishop Hezekiah Walker, Donnie McClurkin, Vickie Winans, Cissy Houston and Bobby Jones. Bishop T.D. Jakes will also be making an appearance.

This is sure to be a special event that you don’t want to miss. Tickets are on sale now. Here are the details:

McDonald’s Gospelfest 2011
Prudential Center
165 Mulberry Street
Newark, NJ
Saturday, June 18, 2011, 4-11 p.m.

You can get tickets from www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000.

In my opinion, Donnie McClurkin did a good job serving as host for the evening. I really didn’t expect anything different. In addition to hearing about the 2011 Stellar Award nominees, we got see a concert that featured a couple of different artists from the gospel industry. 

The performances from Vashawn Mitchell, Joe Pace and Lucinda Moore were all good. However, in my opinion, Jessica Reedy delivered the performance of the night. Her performance of God Has Smiled on Me was so unique and inspiring. She is definitely bringing a special sound to gospel music. 

Another highlight from the evening was a tribute to the late Gospel legend Albertina Walker. Don Jackson offered some very kind words regarding the life and legacy of this gospel pioneer.

Here is a list of the nominees for the 2011 Stellar Awards.

Artist of the Year
James Fortune & FIYA 
BeBe & CeCe Winans
Marvin Sapp
Fred Hammond 

Female Vocalist of the Year
Karen Clark Sheard
CeCe Winans
Lucinda Moore
Tamela Mann

Male Vocalist of the Year
J. Moss
Byron Cage
Fred Hammond
Marvin Sapp

Song of the Year
Best In Me, Marvin Sapp
Close to You, BeBe Winans
Encore, James Fortune, C. Fortune and T. Vaughn
They That Wait,  Fred Hammond, Calvin Rodgers, Phillip Feaster, Ericka Warren, Michael Bethany and Dynna Wells

Choir of the Year
James Hall & Voices of Citadel
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
Victory Cathedral Choir
Wilmington Chester Mass Choir

New Artist of the Year
Forever Jones
Kristina Halloway
Travis Greene
Victory Cathedral Choir

Traditional CD of the Year
Won’t It Be Wonderful, James Hall & Voices of Citadel
Here I Am, Marvin Sapp
A City Called Heaven, Marvin Sapp
The Experience,Vanessa Bell Armstrong

Contemporary CD of the Year
Still, BeBe and CeCe Winans
Love Unstoppable, Fred Hammond 
Just James, J.Moss  
Encore, James Fortune and FIYA 

Producer of the Year
James Fortune, Terrance Vaughn and Ayron Lewis, Encore
Aaron Lindsey, Here I Am
Donald Lawrence, The Experience
Fred Hammond, Love Unstoppable

Group/Duo of the Year
BeBe & CeCe Winans
Forever Jones
James Fortune & FIYA
The Anointed Pace Sisters

Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year
Byron Cage
Fred Hammond
J. Moss
James Fortune

Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year
Alvin Darling
Darrell Hines
Marvin Sapp
Marvin Winans

Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year
CeCe Winans
Karen Clark Sheard
Lisa Page Brooks
Tamela Mann

Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year
Fredericka Faison
Lucinda Moore
Shirley Caesar
Vanessa Bell Armstrong

Contemporary Choir of the Year
God’s Little Soldiers International
Myron Butler & Levi
Youth for Christ
Youthful Praise featuring J.J. Hairston

Traditional Choir of the Year
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
James Hall & Voices of Citadel
Victory Cathedral Choir
Wilmington Chester Mass Choir

Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year
BeBe & CeCe Winans
Forever Jones
James Fortune & FIYA
Trin-i-tee 5:7

Traditional Group/Duo of the Year
James Greer & Company
The Anointed Pace Sisters
The Christian Angels
The Mighty Clouds of Joy

Quartet of the Year
Reverend F.C. Barnes & Company
The Christian Angels
The Golden Wings Quartet
The Mighty Clouds of Joy

Rap, Hip Hop Gospel CD of the Year
Entermission, DJ Official 
Outtadisworld, Everyday Process
Lions and Liars, Sho Baraka
Between Two Worlds, Trip Lee

Music Video of the Year
Close to You, BeBe and CeCe Winans 
Make Me a Believer, Kirk Whalum 
Playground In Heaven, Shirley Caesar 
If I Be Lifted Up, The Anointed Pace Sisters

Urban Inspirational Performance of the Year
Still, BeBe & CeCe Winans
Get Ready,Forever Jones 
Encore, James Fortune & FIYA
Here I Am, Marvin Sapp

Recorded Music Packaging of the Year
Cameron Hilson and Mark Neubauer for Get Ready
Denise Trotman for Here I Am
Derek Blanks and Ken Barboza for Still
Jeff Gilligan for Love Unstoppable

Praise and Worship CD of the Year
Darwin Hobbs Live: Champion, Darwin Hobbs
Encore, James Fortune & FIYA  
Place of Worship, Phil Tarver
Access Granted, The Anointed Pace Sisters 

Special Event CD of the Year
Still, BeBe and CeCe Winans
Are You Listening, Kirk Franklin
CoCo Brother Live Presents Stand 2010, Various Artists 
WOW Gospel 2010, Various Artists 

Children’s Project of the Year
Soldier Story, God’s Little Soldiers International 
Kingdom Kids Worldwide Volume 1, Kingdom Kids Worldwide
While We Still Have Time, The Velasquez Family Singers
Thanks In Advance, Youth for Christ

A number of Gospel artists have already been confirmed for the concert portion of the broadcast. The songs they will be performing have also been announced. The artists and songs will include: Joe Pace (And We Are Glad), Lucinda Moore (Fire Baptized), Jessica Reedy (God Has Smiled On Me), Vashawn Mitchell (Nobody Greater), and Bishop Neal Robinson (I Believe).

The broadcast will also include a tribute to legendary Gospel singer Albertina Walker. I think this is a great move on gmc’s part. Albertina Walker made such a huge contribution to the kingdom of God and the Gospel music industry. She will be greatly missed. 

Do you plan on watching the nomination special?

If you are one of those people, then I’ve got good news for you. GMC will air the tribute concert on Sunday July, 25 at 8 PM ET, 5 PM PT. Artists that performed at the concert included Yolanda Adams, Donnie McClurkin, Mary Mary, Byron Cage, and many more.

I have been very critical of GMC in the past for their choices of programming. I must commend them on this one. The network deserves a lot of credit for giving millions of people the opportunity celebrate the life of Bishop Walter Hawkins.

I definitely plan to watch the celebration. Are you going to watch it?

Over the last couple of years Donnie McClurkin has made it clear that he has struggled with homosexuality in the past. Now that he has been delivered from those struggles, many people believe that he preaches homophobic sermons.

As a result, members of the LGBT community in Boston are strongly against Donnie McClurkin’s participation in Gospelfest. In fact, the issue is so big, that even the mayor of Boston has gotten involved.

Organizers of the event considered removing Pastor McClurkin from the concert and attempted to find another Gospel artist to take his place. These efforts were unsuccessful. As or right now, he will still appear in the event.

This article explains the entire situation.

Feel free to post a comment and share your thoughts.

Musical Celebration
Date: Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Time: 7:00 PM PST
Location: The Paramount Theater in Oakland, CA
Admission is FREE

Homegoing (Funeral) Service
Date: Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Time: 11:00 AM EST
Location: The Paramount Theater in Oakland, CA

Many well know Gospel artists will gather together to pay their final respects to Bishop Walter Hawkins. The musical celebration is titled, The Man, The Music, The Ministry: A Musical Salute to Bishop Walter Hawkins.

The artist that are confirmed to sing at the musical celebration consists of Yolanda Adams, Mary Mary, and Donnie McClurkin. Additional artists that will sing also include Lynette Hawkins, Ledisi, Karen Clark Sheard, Daryl Coley and Doug Williams of the Williams Brothers.

Bishop Hawkins’ former wife, Tramaine Hawkins, will make a special appearance. His brother Edwin Hawkins will be one of the music directors for the evening. Edwin Hawkins will be joined by Donald Lawrence, Kurt Carr and Richard Smallwood.

Instead of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The Walter Hawkins Memorial Foundation. Cards, letters and donations may be mailed to: Love Center Ministries, 10440 International Blvd, Oakland, CA 94603.

It is clear that Bishop Hawkins will be laid to rest in grand fashion. I hope they record the musical celebration and make it available to those who couldn’t attend sometime in the future. Bishop Hawkins was a blessing to millions of people. I’m sure many will be blessed by celebration of his homegoing.

What are your thoughts about Bishop Hawkins’ homegoing service? Do you plan to attend?

BET.com

Tonight was the season finale of season 3 of BET’s Sunday Best. Congratulations to LeAndria Johnson for winning the competition and the new car!

Here is a recap of the finale:

Hezekiah Walker opened the show singing Souled Out. It was a very good performance. It was consistent with that choir sound that we have come to know and love.

Each of the final two contestants performed a medley from songs that they have sang throughout the competition.

LeAndria’s medley consisted of:
-I Love the Lord
-He Was There All the Time
-In the Midst of It All

This performance was a great ending to a spectacular season of high quality singing. Week after week her singing was consistently amazing.

Elder Goldwire McLendon’s medley consisted of:
-Yes, Jesus Loves Me
-The Battle is Not Yours
-All Over Me, Keeping Me Alive

His performance was passionate and spirit filled. I’m paraphrasing here, but Yolanda Adams basically said that if he doesn’t win, then she would put her support behind Elder McLendon getting a CD released.

Just when I thought I couldn’t take any more, Kirk Franklin introduced Donald Lawrence. We received a great treat when the top three finalists from last year took the stage and each sang one of Donald Lawrence’s songs.

Jessica Reedy -Seasons
Latice Crawford-Encourage Yourself
Y’Anna Crawley- The Blessings of Abraham

All three ladies joined together in the end and sang Let the Word Do the Work. When most people reflect on last season, Latice Crawford often gets overlooked. In case anyone forgot, Latice reminded us that she has some serious chops.

Kim Burrell has done a great job mentoring the contestants all season. During the finale, she sang a tribute to the contestants that were eliminated. It was special! She called out many of the contestants by name and you could see that they were deeply touched by her singing.

In the end, LeAndria Johnson was announced the winner. She closed the show with her new single I Shall Leap Into My Destiny. I enjoyed the song, but I can’t wait to hear what it sounds like a couple of months from now after she has had the opportunity to practice it more.

Even though he didn’t win, Elder McLendon doesn’t have anything to be ashamed of. He did an outstanding job. I’m sure there is definitely a place in the Gospel industry for him.

Once again, congratulations to LeAndria Johnson. I can’t wait to see how the Lord uses her in the upcoming months and years.

What do you think about the outcome? Post a comment and let me know what you think.

The theme for the first portion of this episode was “Cross Over”. The contestants were charged with singing secular songs that have a Gospel message.

Israel Houghton opened the show singing Moving Forward. He went beyond a simple performance and gave everyone watching a worship experience.

During the middle of the show Brian Courtney Wilson sang All I Need. Many people on Twitter were very impressed with his voice. I enjoyed his performance.

For this episode, each contestant sang two songs. Here are my observations.

Durward Davis
First Performance
He sung Change The World by Eric Clapton. I thing Durward is a great singer. I just wish he would’ve chosen a different song.

When you’re down to just three people, you have to really bring it! I think a different song would have showed off his talent more.

The judges seemed to like his performance.

Second Performance
He came back in his wheelhouse with his performance of I Need You Now. It was great! Tina Campbell referred to him as “true skilled professional.” I agree with her. His performance was flawless.

LeAndria Johnson
First Performance
Heaven Help Us All by Stevie Wonder. My wife said she sounded a lot like Lala Hathaway.

Her performance was good. She delivered the quality singing that we have all come to expect from her.

Second Performance
Her performance of I Love The Lord was absolutely amazing! In fact, it was so amazing and anointed that a praise broke out in the entire auditorium. Even the judges were dancing in the spirit.

Elder Goldwire McLendon
First Performance
I could be wrong, but I thought Falling in Love With Jesus was a Gospel song. Somehow, Elder McLendon was allowed to sing that instead of a secular song.

As usual, he did a fantastic job. When the song was over, Kirk Franklin asked Donnie McClurkin to comment and Donnie was speechless.

Second Performance
I don’t think his performance of Oh Happy Day was his best performance of the competition. However, I still thought it was good.

In the end, LeAndria Johson and Elder Goldwire McLendon advanced to the next round.

I thought Durward Davis did an outstanding job on the show. I think he would have won the competition any other year. This year he ran up against two really special people in LeAndrian and Elder McLendon.

I’m expecting to see something extremely special in the final show next week. In my opinion LeAndria Johnson will be the winner.

Did you see episode 10? What do you think? Who do you think should have been the final two contestants? Post a comment and let me know your thoughts.