News
Volume III, Issue 39
October 11, 2006
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Jewell & Converted
Live In St. Louis
Release Date: November 28, 2006
PEG Records
Jewell and Converted is comprised of six dedicated, energized women who came together in the summer of 2001 to sing gospel music in a professional setting. They signed with Phoenix Entertainment Group Records (PEG) who then selected the talented producer/musician, Merlin Lucious (The Canton Spirituals) to produce their debut CD, Live In St. Louis.
Their thirteen tracks combine traditional elements (quartet style singing, standard music) with contemporary styling on ten original cuts and three standards, Jewell and Converted have been lighting up gospel stages for five years sharing the bill with such gospel notables as: Lee Williams & The Spiritual QCs, Evelyn Turrentine Agee, The Jackson Southernaires, The Canton Spirituals, The Christianaires, and The Williams Brothers, to name a few.
In 2003, Jewell and Converted took home the American Gospel Quartet Convention Award for Female Quartet of the Year in the St. Louis region and in 2004, they were the overall Exclesisa Award winner.
Jewell and Converted are definitely a group to watch!
Billboard Nielson SoundScan
Billboard Gospel Album Charts
TW Artist Title Label Weeks Peak
10 The Caravans Paved The Way Malaco 4 7
Billboard Christian & Gospel Albums
Combination Charts
40 The Caravans Paved The Way Malaco 4 28
Hot Gospel Songs
TW Artist Title Label Weeks Peak
17 The Caravans Remember Me Malaco 4 17
19 The Williams Brothers Be There Blackberry 15 17
22 Henry Green My Story Blackberry 15 19
Radio and Records
TW Artist Title Label Weeks Rank
17 The Caravans Remember Me Malaco 4 17
19 The Williams Brothers Be There Blackberry 15 19
22 Henry Green My Story Blackberry 15 23
Music Monitor
TW Artist Title Label Weeks Peak
18 The Caravans Remember Me Malaco 4 18
24 Henry Green My Story Blackberry 9 21
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Volume III, Issue 38
October 5, 2006
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: The Canton Spirituals
Organized in 1946 with four members (Eddie Jackson, Thoe Thompson, Roscoe Lucious and Harvey Watkins, Sr), the group is still intact, though it has undergone many changes. One thing, happily, has remained constant: their signature sound. The Canton Spirituals remain one of the most popular and acclaimed contemporary gospel quartets on the market. Blending tightly knit voices with powerful delivery in a style that mixes R&B with traditional gospel, the Canton Spirituals have led the way for other quartets, revitalizing this style of singing in the mid-nineties.
They have won many accolades including awards and/or nominations at every major music association event including the Grammies, Stellar Awards, Dove Awards, Soul Train Awards, Urban Network Awards and GMWA Awards.
The Cantons have enjoyed four top-ten Billboard hit albums: The #1 Live in Memphis, Vol. 1, Live in Memphis, Vol. 2, The Live Experience, and Walking By Faith. Their Living The Dream: Live in Washington, D.C. video peaked at #4.
In 1998, the album Living the Dream was the end of year #24 Top Gospel Album while Live in Memphis landed in the #11 spot for Top Gospel Catalog album. In 2003, Walking By Faith won the group many awards and recognitions as Traditional Group/Duo of the year and Quartet of the Year.
Charting singles include: “I’m coming Lord,” “Ride This Train,” “Mississippi Po-Boy,” and “Heavenly Choir.”
The group has performed with such artists as Take 6, The Sounds of Blackness, Mom and Pop Winans, Shirley Caesar, The Williams Brothers, The Gospel Keynotes, Milton Brunson, The Mississippi Mass Choir, Milton Biggham, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, and the late Frank Williams.
The Canton Spirituals'
Wonderful Change
Blackberry Records
Release: October 3, 2006
Watch for news!
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THE CARAVANS Paved The Way
#7 Neilson Soundscan-Album Charts
RADIO SINGLE “Remember Me” “AIRPOWERED”
BILLBOARD: Neilson Soundscan
Billboard Gospel Album Charts
TW Artist Title Label Weeks Peak
7 The Caravans Paved The Way Malaco 3 7
Billboard Christian & Gospel Albums Combination Charts
33 The Caravans Paved The Way Malaco 3 28
Billboard Radio Monitor
Hot Gospel Songs
TW Artist Title Label Weeks Peak
18 The Caravans Remember Me Malaco 3 17
19 The Williams Brothers Be There Blackberry 14 17
23 Henry Green My Story Blackberry 14 19
Radio and Records
TW Artist Title Label Weeks Rank
18 The Caravans Remember Me Malaco 3 21
19 The Williams Brothers Be There Blackberry 14 19
23 Henry Green My Story Blackberry 14 23
Music Monitor
TW Artist Title Label Weeks Peak
18 The Caravans Remember Me Malaco 3 18
24 Henry Green My Story Blackberry 8 24
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Volume 1, Issue 12
September 30, 2006
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
W. Ellington Felton
Prince Paul is quoted as saying that Felton is, “One of those Sammy Davis, Junior types, but on a kind of millennium style. His Hip-Hop rhapsodies paint vivid images that engage and sometimes unnerve listeners.”
Most fans regard Felton as one who ‘does it all.’ Under the moniker Dub Ell, he deejays in his native Washington, DC to sold out weekly events. He is an artist/poet/actor who doesn’t sit anywhere inside ‘the box.’ Not to be confined by the industry machine, Felton keeps himself fresh and explores expression in his own way. His CD, Outrospective, exposes his internal selves through his unique artistry—A combination of back porch funk, neo-soul, music, poetry, capable vocals and powerful expression, Outrospective pushes the envelope of folk-soul music.
FELTON HIGHLIGHTS
- The first Outrospective single to hit radio and video rotations is “Funky Feeling,” watch for it on BET-J television.
- Outrospective guest artists: Eric Roberson, Lou Lou, Chronkite and Wayna
- Outrospective producers: Kev Brown, Miles Bonny
- Felton performed on the Lollapalooza Tour at the Apollo Theatre, the National Black Theatre Festival, and Multitudes of Mercies on BET with guest appearances by Raheem De Vaughn and Malcolm-Jamal Warner
- Starred in the critically acclaimed hip-hop play, Rhyme Deferred.
For more on Felton visit: http://myspace.com/wellingtonfelton
Felton Club Dates:
Oct. 3: DUB’s Pub, Washington, DC
Oct. 12: S.O.B.’s in NY, NYC
Oct. 21: Bohemian Caverns with Omar from UK, Washington D
NEW RELEASE
LADY LEX
A LIL BITTA ALL DAT
UPSOUTH RECORDS
MALACO MUSIC GROUP/Distribution
New Orleans, LA-Alexis Smith-Noel, “Lady Lex,” recently released her debut rap CD, A Lil Bitta All Dat on the UpSouth Records label out of New Orleans, Louisiana, distributed by Malaco Music Group.
Influenced by Mia X (Master P’s No Limit), Lady Lex developed her own delivery style, expressing herself as a songwriter in seventeen original cuts on this first release.
Honoring her parents in song, Lex penned “Hero” as an anthem to her mother who passed away in 2005 and “Still Waters,” is a rap over The Four Tops’ R&B classic and was a favorite of her father’s. On a personal note, Lex expresses soberly the dangers of abusive relationships in “When The Morning Comes.”
Producer credits: Felton, O.B. (Andral Peters), Eagle Eye and Nina Gray.
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Volume 1, Issue 11
September 28, 2006
FOLK SOUL HERO W. ELLINGTON FELTON
RELEASES FIRST NATIONAL CD
OUTROSPECTIVE
ME THEN, ME NOW
Washington, D.C.-W. Ellington Felton has recorded many albums as an indy artist, but has recently signed to the GPM label, distributed by Malaco Music Group. His debut release, Outrospective: Me Then, Me Now, features hit songs from past indy projects as well as new cuts.
Felton is no stranger to the stage. He grew up beside father, Hilton Felton, famed jazz pianist and, tapping into his musical roots, became a musician to support himself.
A self-proclaimed revolutionary, Felton was encouraged to find a niche that would allow him to express his ideas while at Carnegie Mellon University. His decision? Major in Theatre. Influenced by Shakespeare, much of Felton’s music takes a sonnet-like shape and he raps about important issues in the political and personal arenas of life. He also expresses himself through art and poetry while continuing to find the spotlight on theatre stages in the East.
In the music arena, Felton rubs shoulders with the big cats in the business, writing for Chris Rock, sharing the stage with Mos Def, De La Soul, Meshell Ndegocello and mentor UK Soul Legend Omar, but his ideal is to keep things real for his fans and family. In an interview with Complex Magazine, he states, “... I wanna make a living not break a living. I wanna be able to feed myself and feed people. It's kind of like taking my art and it's a sandwich and one half is for you and the other is for me and that's it.”
Release Date:
Sept. 26, 2006
Washington, D.C. September 25, 2006-GPM Records (Genesis Poets Music) hosted a CD release party for Felton’s Outrospective at Blues Alley. An additional release party was hosted by Raheem Vaughn and held Sept. 27 at the Play Lounge on Connecticut Ave.
NATIONAL TOP 40
SOUTHERN SOUL/SOUL BLUES ALBUMS
NOW WAS SONG ARTIST LABEL
1 5 Here Kitty Kitty Billy “Soul” Bonds Waldoxy
4 4 Throwback Days Mel Waiters Waldoxy
10 6 Full Circle Willie Clayton Malaco
15 23 What’s Life Without Love Larome Powers Waldoxy
26 22 Simply Soul Vick Allen Waldoxy
37 40 No Doubt Floyd Taylor Malaco
MALACO ARTISTS DOMINATE
BLUESCRITIC.COM RADIO CHARTS, SEPTEMBER 2006
NOW WAS SONG ARTIST LABEL
1 3 Here Kitty Kitty Billy "Soul" Bonds Waldoxy
2 4 Throw Back Days Mel Waiters Waldoxy
7 9 Shake & Shimmy Larome Powers Waldoxy
12 7 Going Crazy Willie Clayton Malaco
23 31 Can We Talk Willie Clayton Malaco
25 15 Creepin’ Ain’t Easy Vick Allen Waldoxy
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Volume III, Issue 37
September 27, 2006
DVD TITLES NOW AVAILABLE FOR GOSPEL VHS CLASSICS
FEATURED ARTISTS AND HIT SONGS INCLUDE:
Gospel Visions I: Williams Brothers, “Sweep Around,” Jackson Southernaires, “It’s Hard To Stumble When You Are On Your Knees,” Willie Neal Johnson & The Gospel Keynotes, “Jesus, You’ve Been Good To Me,” Sensational Nightingales, “Saint, Never Deny God,” Inez Andrews, “Just For Me,” Robert Blaire & The Fantastic Violinaires, “Doctor Jesus,” Angelic Gospel Singers, “Touch Me Lord Jesus,” Albertina Walker, “Please Be Patient With Me.”
Gospel Visions II: Mississippi Mass Choir, “Near The Cross,” Dallas/Fort Worth Mass Choir, “Another Chance,” Reverend James Moore, “Joy,” Canton Spirituals, “Mississippi Poor Boy,” Dorothy Norwood, “Victory Is Mine,” Pace Sisters, “When God Is In The Building,” Jackson Southernaires, “Power,” LaShun Pace, “I Know I’ve Been Changed,” Reverend Timothy Wright, “Who’s On The Lord’s Side,” Willie Banks, “God Is Still In Charge,” New York Restoration Choir, “Thank You, Jesus.”
Willie Banks and the Messengers: “For The Wrong I’ve Done,” God’s Goodness,” “Hear Me When I Call,” “Battlefield.”
The Jackson Southernaires: “Prayer Will Change Things,” “Mighty Long Ways,” “Somebody Heard Me,” “Your Grace And Mercy,” “I Need You To Hold My Hand.”
QUARTETS RELEASE OCTOBER 3, 2006
The Canton Spirituals, Wonderful Change (Blackberry Records)
The Williams Brothers, Cover Me (Blackberry Records)
BILLBOARD Neilson Soundscan
TW Artist Title Label Weeks Peak
9 The Caravans Paved The Way Malaco 2 7
RADIO & RECORDS
TW Artist Title Label Weeks Rank
17 The Caravans Remember Me Malaco 2 21
19 The Williams Brothers Be There Blackberry 13 20
25 Henry Green My Story Blackberry 13 24
MUSIC MONITOR
TW Artist Title Label Weeks Peak
18 The Caravans Remember Me Malaco 2 18
25 Henry Green My Story Blackberry 7 24
THE CARAVANS Paved The Way hits the TOP TEN in Neilson Soundscans; RADIO SINGLE “Remember Me” climbs charts!
MALACO GOLD
The Willie Banks Story
Jackson, MS-Like many gospel artists, Banks was singing in public by the time he hit kindergarten. He formed his own group, Willie Banks and The Southernaires in 1968 and was quickly snatched up by the Peacock-Songbird label. His debut record, Heaven Must Be A Beautiful Place received favorable reviews for it’s soulful original style with cuts all penned by Banks. In 1972, Banks moved his group to the HMS label out of Nashville, TN, changing his group’s name to Willie Banks and The Messengers. All four albums released on HMS, God’s Goodness, For The Wrong I’ve Done, Mother Why, and Still In Charge, kept them at the forefront of gospel music and each landed on Billboard’s Top 40 Chart. By 1979, they earned a Grammy nomination for Traditional Male Group of the Year.
Though tragedy befell the group when their van careened off the road in 1981, killing one member, Banks, who was thrown from the vehicle, survived. He vowed to God that if his life was spared, he would “...sing God’s praises as long as his tongue would move,” which he did. Signed to Malaco Records in 1988, Banks and the Messengers continued to record outstanding gospel music (Look at the Blessings, Masterpiece, In Concert). Banks passed away on February 1, 1993, however The Messengers can still be found “...pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ.”
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