AIRPLAY 360 March 2010 by AIRPLAY 360

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE Discovering ALL Your Gifts

In this issue you’ll read all about being versatile, using all of your gifts and even discovering new ones. As Indies, most of you probably already display many talents and perform a myriad of tasks on a daily basis. Some of you are not only singers but a ls o prod uc ers, song writers, arrangers or even choir directors. There’s no telling how many talents you have but whatever they are, I encourage you to use them. More than likely, you had one God-given gift and it was multiplied into many. Speaking from a personal standpoint, I operate in a number of roles but they didn’t all evolve at once. It was a process. Years ago, someone heard me doing a mock radio show as part of a class project and suggested I might want to go at it for real, go into broadcasting and become a disc jockey. I took their suggestion and parlayed a career as a radio announcer. Soon after starting in radio, producing radio commercials became an added talent. Then, I began programming music. Later I began doing speaking engagements and of course, now I facilitate seminars and publish AIRPLAY 360. I’m not only a radio host, but a national music director, voice-over artist, speaker, seminar creator/leader and web magazine publisher. How many talents has your one gift evolved into? Think about it— probably many, many more than you ever thought.

March 2010 / Vol. 2 No. 8

PUBLISHER Ace Alexander EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Louise M. Moore ASSISTANT TO PUBLISHER Jacqueline Hill EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Ashley Hill Michelle Slater CONTRIBUTORS Adrian Anderson Linda “Chocolate” Berthier Tina A. Fears Kathy Grant Angela D. Green, Esq. Dileesa Hunter Alecia Jones Nicole B. Simpson, CFP Delroy Souden Mark A. Williams, M.D., Ph.D. LOGO DESIGN Aziz Peregrino-Brimah ADVERTISING LTL Entertainment LLC AIRPLAY 360 published monthly www.airplay360.com The Ace Alexander Group, LLC

Copyright © 2009 AIRPLAY 360, The Ace Alexander Group LLC and LTL Entertainment LLC. Reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission, is strictly prohibited. Readers are free to forward this web magazine to friends and colleagues. DISCLAIMER: The articles and resources in AIRPLAY 360 are not intended to be a substitute for professional consultations. While all attempts have been made to verify information provided in this web magazine, neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omissions or contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein.

Ace Alexander Publisher/Founder

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INSIDE March 2010

Contents 6 J Moss – Handling His Business 9

YOUR MUSIC MINISTRY: What to Do If You Lack Church Support

10 IMAGING: Is There More to You Than Just Singing?

11 Identify Your Triple Threat Potential 12 LEGAL BRIEF: Are You Positioned for Your Million Dollar Payday?

13 YOUR FINANCES: Why Artists Need Insurance Too

On the Cover: J Moss – award winning singer and producer

14 VOICE TIP: Why Noisy Environments

Does Your Church Support Your Music Ministry?

Can Damage Your Voice

15 5 Things Singers Can Do to Maintain a Healthy Vibrato

17 Gospel Internet Radio Coalition 18 International Gospel…Caribbean 19 International Gospel…Canada

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March 2010

BY LOUISE M. MOORE

ames Moss better known as J Moss is all about the business. The business of his career;

PAJAM, the award winning production and entertainment company he co-owns with Paul “PDA” Allen and Walter Kearney; and moving forward with ambitious plans of developing PAJAM into a full-scale record label. He is first-cousin to The Clark Sisters, nephew of the legendary Dr. Mattie Moss Clark and son of gospel star Bill Moss Sr. But the Grammy-nominated, Stellar award winning singer, producer has earned his own credentials, etching his unique place in the music industry with three successful solo albums, the latest being “Just James” (2009) which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Gospel chart. And, with PAJAM, he has worked with artists like Hezekiah Walker, Trin-i-tee 5:7, Kelly Price, Destiny’s Child and Boys II Men to name a few. In an interview with AIRPLAY 360, he talks about everything from why he sings gospel to artist collaborations to the importance of not riding the coattails of his famous family.

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A360: How do you describe yourself as an artist? JM: The beauty of what I believe God has given me is to not put any adjective or any description in front of the word artist. When it comes to music, I’m just an artist. When it’s time to do praise and worship, I can go there. When it’s time to get churchy and do something for Momma-nem, I can do that. When it’s time to do something for the young people and go urban contemporary or smooth AC, we can do that. I love being versatile and I think that is what has kept me and my crew PAJAM afloat in the industry because we’ve been able to switch gears and kind of organically change and adjust to different artists and different settings. A360: Yes, you’re an artist but you know, of course, that when your music is in the stores and we look your music up online, we’ve still got to categorize you some kind of way. JM: And, the beauty of that is I’ve seen (my music) in many spots. I’ve seen it in R&B sections. I’ve seen it in Gospel sections. I’ve seen it in Christian sections. At the very core, I’m a gospel artist. But I love being able to change and switch if we need to because gospel is really the only genre where everything is kind of mixed together in a melting pot. Quartet is mixed with choir, mixed with praise and worship, mixed with urban contemporary. It’s like the only genre where it’s all just one. A360: It’s got to make you happy to see that you are in different categories because I would imagine with that being the case, you would reach more people and sell more product. Right? JM: Yes, it definitely puts you into areas where a one dimensional artist would not be able to go. A360: You do have a very urban sound and you can mix it up different ways but why do you do gospel and not secular? JM: I think I still ask myself that question every single day because there’s a human

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side to every person in the game (industry). And when it comes to money and notoriety and all of the big industry behind you and the nice tours, you can’t help but think of what if. But what keeps me is a praying mom, a praying wife and a praying family and then, of course, my own dedication and commitment to Jesus and to myself. But again, I’m not going to kid you when you think about the opportunities and the resources we have in gospel music industry versus some of the other genres, it can definitely be a question that can stay in the back of your head for awhile. But then when I think about the goodness of Jesus and how he’s blessed my life, there’s nothing else I’m going to sing. Gospel’s where it’s at. A360: Secular artists tend to collaborate all of the time and a lot of times the artist will be introduced before they even release their own project. Why do you think in gospel you guys don’t do that more or introduce new artists through collaborations? JM: Well, we ask all the time. With artists like 21:03 I always do guest appearances but I know that with gospel, when you try to get the clearances from artists and labels, everybody is always in the studio or about to come out with their own record. Everybody is always so busy. And I’m just like,“This would spread the love. This would make your situation bigger as well as ours.” I think the stigma is that everybody is so protective of their own thing. Everybody is like, “I’ve got to hold mine and make sure I don’t tap into the sales that could potentially be on my own project.” But I look at what Donnie McClurkin just did featuring Karen Clark-Sheard and it’s sad that’s it’s got to be an artist as big as Donnie and Karen but his first single was “Wait” and they won a Grammy off of that and I’m like, “Yes.” The song was just that much more powerful with Karen on it. Everybody knows it’s Donnie’s song, there’s no mistake. We’ve got to give the consumers a little bit more props. A360: You mentioned Karen and of course we Continued on Page 8

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J MOSS Continued from Page 7

know that you’re first cousin to The Clark Sisters and we know that they’ve been out there for a long time, but why did it take so long for us to be introduced to J. Moss? JM: I think everything is God’s timing. For 10 years at least before my first solo project came out, it was producing and being behind the scenes. And I have a love for music production, even more so than being out front and being an artist. I love creating music. I love writing. I love making people’s dreams come to life. When they come to us (me and my crew PAJAM) with an idea and we can take that idea in its rawest form and turn it into something big that can potentially change lives. It’s just nothing more gratifying than that. But I think that ultimately for me, it was God’s timing. I didn’t get any handouts. I didn’t ride off of Karen’s coattails, or Twinkie’s coattails or my dad’s or my aunt’s. It was just like, “You’ve got to do this one on your own.” And, I think I like it better like that because so many people would have said that the only reason J is J is because of his cousins, his dad or his aunt the late, great Dr. Mattie Moss Clark. But the way God did it was for me to be able to stand on my own two feet and I don’t think I would have changed the script in any way. It’s not good to be able to ride up under somebody else’s shadow and having it like that, yes, I had to wait a few years into my 30s to actually get it to happen but when it came, it was a lot sweeter. A360: With PAJAM, you obviously produce all of your albums. Does that include your latest project “Just James”? JM: Yes, PAJAM produces all of my stuff. We produce everything that we touch. We produce it all together. A360: What are you and PAJAM working on right now? JM: At the top of this year and the closeout of last year, I did a DVD to “Just James.”

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We’re working on 21:03 and we finished up Karen’s record. And, then, I did a little part in a movie. This is going to be the year that God allows us to ink the deal that makes PAJAM a full-fledged recording company. And I’m really, really excited about that because it’s just so empowering to be able to own and have your own stuff. It’s like you’ve been a student of the game for so long, and it’s now time to give back and be a teacher of the game. PAJAM will be a label. We won’t just be a production company anymore. We’ll actually be doing projects from the start; getting the artists; signing them to the label; putting their strategies and marketing plans together; handling their publishing. Just being in control and making our own decisions. A360: When do you anticipate this being official? JM: The fall of 2010. Lawyers are beating it down right now going back and forth. One of the first projects is going to be a “love” project dealing with couples and relationships and finding that love and getting the love back. So it’s going to be a PAJAM Presents Back in Love type of project where we’re going to get the Backstreet Boys and Boys II Men and some of the vets that were really crooners of love songs and bring them all together. PAJAM is going to be a really fun label because we’re going to do a lot of different stuff. It’s not going to be just church. We’re saved but we’re still in love and we still have feelings. We need some stuff that we can keep in the family that isn’t just simply saying “for God I live for God I die.” We want to minister to every part of your life.

YOUR MUSIC: What to Do If You Lack Support From Your Church BY DELROY SOUDEN

What I am about to say may ruffle some feathers but my one wish is that somehow someone will recognize the importance of what will be said and learn something from it. Have you ever gone to some friends with some exciting news about you? What were their reactions to your excitement? I have often had discussions with independent artists about what it is that turns them off most in their ministry. I was not surprised to learn that it is the fact that they get very little or no support from their own church family. Hey! Wake up! A prophet is never honored in his own country. Know that your ministry may have begun at that church; but certainly a world exists outside of it. You have to keep on moving. What I have experienced being in ministry for many years is that folks will always find a reason not to support their own. Some may even think that you are already getting the support of "Suzy" and "Joe" and feel that their personal support is not needed. The truth of the matter is that neither "Suzy", "Joe" nor anyone else is supporting your efforts.

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Artists should easily recognize the signs of non support in the church. (A) When someone claims to be "always broke" and cannot seem to find the $10 or $15 to purchase a copy of your CD. (B) Sometimes you hear the question, "Only 10 songs are on this CD?!" or (C) "I have to hear it before I buy it." Hello! You have been singing in that church for nearly as long as you have been on this planet! Here's the solution: If God has called you into this ministry, then you must remember that He is your Sole Provider, and that He never brought you this far to leave you by yourself. I know that this is difficult for some to accept, but ministering without personal expectations and relying solely on God is called faith (Heb. 11: 1). Keep on keeping on and I guarantee that one day you will experience your breakthrough when you least expect it. Delroy Souden is CEO and founder of www.EnSoundEntertainment.com which provides information and features on Independent Christian artists. Souden is also a recording artist, songwriter and Internet radio personality.

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March 2010

IMAGING: Is There More to You Than Just Singing? BY ADRIAN ANDERSON

it is time to NETWORK like never before, yes I have mentioned this before; however, you must always be networking or strategically planning even more networking. This is a competitive time and many others are going for the same market you are but the difference is in what you have to offer how you go about it. You have to use every gift you are given and be wise in partnering your gifts. For example let's say you are a good baker and your cakes melt in your mouth; however, this is just a hobby to you. Now, you have to be open to selling your cakes to businesses and organizations for their events; then, lo and behold, what do they need for their events? TALENT! Your friends can sell the cake while you tend to the stage. See, you must be creative! Everyone wants more bang for their buck these days so many are open to things they would not have been before. I want you to understand that you have to have more than one way to present yourself that benefits who you want to book or promote you. For instance, in corporate America today, employees have to do more than before. They have to make up for the loss from so many laid off workers and guess what? You have to do the same. There was a time when make-up and hair were separate in the entertainment industry. If you did make-up, you DID NOT do hair and vice-versa. It really was not preferred. As a make-up artist, I worked on many sets for many shows and hair and makeup had to be separate because no one thought you could do both well. Recently, on a tour with my group Trin-i-tee 5:7, there was only one professional hired for both hair and make-up. Yes, I am blessed because I am a professional make-up artist and can do my own as well as my group's when needed; however, this was a well budgeted corporate tour and they still chose to use someone who could deliver at a cost that was less than hiring two separate individuals. I am able to educate you because I have and continue to develop what I can deliver. If I have to, I can draw up the proposal, staff the production, write the songs, sing the songs, facilitate the photo shoot, do the make up, etc. You get the picture. Being able to perform all of these tasks can be empowering and will strip you of any fear you may have of the industry. In the end, you will be known for being able to deliver, and as an independent artist, it's a good feeling to know you can always count on YOU! This is great for your behind the scenes reputation and Image so don't shun pulling out that mixer it may be the most Blessed Profitable Cake you ever make:) Adrian Anderson is a motivational speaker, beauty entrepreneur and member of the award winning trio Trin-i-tee 5:7.

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INDENTIFY Your Triple Threat Potential BY TINA A. FEARS

ongwriters want to sing and singers want to act. Triple threats

usually consist of individuals being able to be dynamic in three different areas of the entertainment industry. When the demands of the industry are constantly changing, it’s wise to sharpen your skills in order to present yourself as a triple threat. Triple threat qualities encourage record labels, management companies, and PR firms to take notice. Identifying triple threat qualities can be categorized two ways: ability and interest. Qualities of ability include gifts and talents that come naturally but have also been developed and perfected. Qualities of interest are the ambitions the artist desires to explore but has not fine-tuned. It’s always easier to start with things that come natural. If a singer writes his or her own music or plays an instrument, that automatically adds values to their triple threat appeal. Many artists desire to experience new ventures such as musical theatre, film, and television based on their interest in acting. This curiosity can be developed into another powerful triple threat quality. Once an artist has identified his or her area of interest and ability, a strategic plan can be developed to fine-tune these skills into powerful assets. Creative expression can help with many areas of the creative process. For the singer with an interest in acting, booking a job in a musical allows the artist to exercise his or her vocal ability, while developing skills in acting. In addition to doing what comes natural, the artist becomes a student in the world of comedy or drama with hands on acting training. Exploring triple threat possibilities can open doors for brand development as well as showcase the artist’s strengths. Artists that establish triple threat qualities open themselves up for career longevity. Tina A. Fears is the Founder/CEO of Stage Ready LLC. Stage Ready is a artist development firm that specializes in choreography, styling, casting and live production development. – www.stageready.net

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March 2010

Are You Positioned For Your Million Dollar Payday? A few years ago, an artist walked into my office to discuss me providing legal representation for his music career. This artist was a writer and performer, so quickly the conversation turned to the issue of copyrights and publishing. The artist emphatically told me "Angela, I do not give up any publishing rights." Of course, we all know that the real money is made with copyright ownership and publishing rights. This is not the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s when music writers were getting totally ripped off. They know the business. Now, I thought to myself, "Here is an artist that understands his business." I was going to enjoy working with him. I mean he was regionally known, in heavy rotation locally, was being played on Internet radio, and had written for and performed with other artists on major labels. Therefore, I could understand him not wanting to give up his publishing rights. Not at this stage of the game. So, I told the artist that I would enjoy working with him. All I needed was a copy of his Copyright Registration Forms and BMI Registration Forms, among other things to compile his file. I must have been talking in tongues because he looked at me as though he did not understand a word I was saying. I asked him had he filed his songs with the U.S. Copyright Office. His eyes darted to the left then back before admitting that because his money was tight, he did not have the required filing fees. I told him, "That's okay; we can prepare that paperwork and you can start saving the money to file the copyright forms." Then, I asked him had he registered himself as a writer and publisher with BMI. A huge smile crossed his face as he said, "Yes, I have. Here is my membership card." I thought to myself, "All is not lost. We have somewhere to start." So, I asked him to give me the information that shows where he registered his songs with BMI. The smile that was once on his face quickly vanished as reality sunk in. "I did not know that once I signed up with BMI, then I had to register each individual song," he said. That was when realty finally hit me. My work was cut out for me. The artist was getting airplay but because his music was not registered, he was not in position to be paid. Now this artist was not on a major label, so the most he could have lost was maybe hundreds of dollars, but that's not the point. The point is that he was not in position for millions. At any time, one of those songs could have gotten picked up by a major label, major artist or better yet, he could have become a runaway hit on his independent label. You have to Continued on Page 17

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YOUR FINANCES Why Artists Should Not Neglect Insurance Needs

BY NICOLE B. SIMPSON, CFP

You are a singer, a preacher, a producer or one who, by faith, became an entrepreneur or involved in ministry full-time. The rewards are fulfilling but you are now responsible for ensuring your protection benefits are secure. What are protection benefits? It is the insurance products we all need but don’t desire to pay for. However, when we are faced with catastrophe, then we understand the significance of their function. As a professional, I experienced multiple issues on the same day. At 9:30 a.m. when I got to my office, I received notification that someone who had a diagnosis of a disability over ten years ago couldn’t protect himself or his family in case of an emergency. This could potentially affect the family’s ability to build a secure financial foundation. Then, at approximately 11:45 a.m., I received a call from a friend who suffered an unexpected disability on the job, ultimately leading to their inability to work. These are perfect examples of the unexpected, unanticipated becoming a reality. However, even if these two examples seem major, a financial strategy can still be developed for them if they are willing. Fortunately, they are. But at 12:45 p.m., I received a phone call that literally brought tears to my eyes. After working with someone for years who was diagnosed with a chronic illness, I was faced with the worst case financial scenario. See, a professional is responsible for helping a family lay out a strategy that considers unexpected illnesses. But it is the family’s responsibility to follow the instructions. Otherwise, the strategy WILL NOT WORK! To make matters worse, within the same 24-hour period, someone in my immediate family died unexpectedly. I am not speaking merely from a professional point of view. This thing is real! I am writing this article because there are some areas financially that you must address which are non-negotiable. While you may not see the value of getting long term care insurance, disability insurance, health insurance, or life insurance, it is designed to protect your family and you. YOU ARE THE COMMODITY THAT REQUIRES PROTECTION! The type of protection must be discussed with someone more knowledgeable than you. My worst case scenario became a reality because family members did not see the gravity of the illness and its eventual affects. What is disheartening is that it could have all been avoided if only they would have followed the financial doctor’s orders. What is even more devastating is that entrepreneurs and independent artists willingly absorb risks that they really cannot afford. They leave their families vulnerable although that is never their intention. But if you are independent, the first thing you should do as a part of a sound business plan is to seek counsel to determine what risks you can afford to absorb and what risks must be transferred through insurance. You simply cannot afford to leave yourself and your family unprotected. Nicole B. Simpson is a certified financial planner, author, speaker. And disaster planning specialist. www.nicolebsimpson.com

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March 2010

Why Noisy Environments Can Damage Your Voice Singers beware of speaking in noisy environments. What do you do when you're trying to have a conversation with someone in a noisy room? Unintentionally, we raise the loudness and pitch of our voice. In addition, the rate of speech and the duration of our syllables increase. Collectively, this is known as the Lombard Effect. It is a subconscious adjustment in our voice intended to increase our signal-to-noise ratio and be intelligibly heard. The consequence of this is an increased work load on the vocal cords and abuse of the voice. I usually recommend to singers to creatively and diplomatically avoid situations where they might be tempted to talk in such environments. For example, when traveling on an airplane or tour bus, wear headsets (with or without music) and open a book - whether you read it or not. It says to tempted conversationalists, in a polite manner, I am unavailable for conversation in this environment. For the sake of your voice, if you must speak in a noisy environment, try to find an area of less noise and by all means be aware of the Lombard Effect, attempting to avoid the natural inclination to abuse the voice. . Mark A. Williams, M.D., Ph.D. is an otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose & Throat doctor) in Nashville, TN. He is the founder of the Voice Care Center of Nashville ( www.entson.net ) where he specializes in the prevention and treatment of voice disorders of singers, performers and professional voice users. In addition to his medical doctorate, he holds a doctorate of philosophy (Ph.D.) in Pharmacology and Cell Biophysics. His experience as a surgeon, scientist and singer/songwriter permits him to provide voice, ear, nose and throat care to his patients with unique and unparalleled insight.

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March 2010

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BY DILEESA HUNTER

Sing in Your Comfort Zone. Do this at least 90 percent of the time.

Don’t Over Sing. You will end up putting too much pressure on your throat which leads to a forced, wobbly, inconsistent or unnatural vibrato.

Don’t Under Sing. Under singing can be very damaging to your voice. This can eventually create an uneven unhealthy tone due to too much air passing through during sound production. If you are doing this in the interest of blend, you may want to consider: · Singing with another group of people, or · Singing a lower voice part that would allow you to blend without under singing

Warm Up In Your Head Voice. Being too pushy too soon can create an uneven tone and unhealthy singing

Try Not To Imitate Other Singers. Try not to create a vibrato to ‘fit in’ with other singers. Sing naturally.

Dileesa Hunter is an Atlanta-based vocal coach, singer and owner of American Singing Studio www.americansingingstudio.com.

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March 2010

Gospel Internet Radio Coalition BY ALECIA JONES

In my passion for the Indie gospel artist and from a very unbiased view, I have found a disconnect in the understanding of Internet radio and the relationship between the Indie gospel artist. Thus, to unify the two, I’ve established the Gospel Internet Radio Station Coalition (GIRSC). Humbly appreciative of the support from several notables in the Internet radio community, GIRSC is planned to become the hub in the relationship between the Indie gospel artist and Internet radio, both domestically and internationally. In reaching out to artists for music on behalf of a few online stations, I found that, in several cases, artists only “knew of” Internet radio and had not considered it as a viable part of their promotion. In some cases, there was no follow-up nor were artists well informed on the presentation of their music to radio. Online promotion is affordable and reaches a broader audience! When your music is played on that station's website, your listeners may be linked to your point of distribution which promotes sales. Taking nothing away from terrestrial radio, I believe that one should take advantage of digital airplay, just as their music is distributed digitally. Among many things planned for The GIRSC is a detailed list of Internet radio stations. Until then, I employ Indie artists to take a look at that which is obvious: avenues where they are the prime focus. En Sound Music Awards, the Independent Gospel Artist Conference and, of course, Internet radio proudly supports them!

MILLION DOLLAR PAYDAY Continued from Page 12

plan for where you want to go. If you publish your material, then you should plan as though any one of those songs can turn into your million dollar payday. I have been preaching this to my clients for years. They know what needs to be done, but they still don't do it. So, I have made it easy for them and anyone one else who needs help through our Music Publishing Registration Service. We will file your PA and SR forms, set qualified writers and publishers up with BMI, ASCAP or SESAC, register performers with Sound Exchange, input individual songs, as well as form Partnerships, Corporations or Limited Liability Companies , review and negotiate music industry contracts, trademarks and much more. Plus, the best thing is we have set flat rates for some of our services for the budget conscious artist. The articles and/or legal tips provided by Angela Green, Esq. are for informational purposes only, concerning general legal principles. You should consult your legal counsel for answers to specific legal questions. Angela Green is an entertainment attorney in Memphis, Tennessee and part owner of Key II Entertainment, an artist management company. She is also founder and CEO of Positioned for Millions, a music publishing and registration service – www.positionmenow.com.

Alecia Jones, is owner of Independent Artist Music & Mgmt Gospel“ (IAMME) and creator of the Gospel Internet Radio Station Coalition group on Facebook.

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March 2010

BY LINDA “CHOCOLATE BERTHIER

Hello again from beautiful St. Lucia. I know you've been looking out for more information on the latest gospel highlights happening in the Caribbean. Most of the artists you are growing to love are now focusing on, not just ministry but the highly anticipated Marlin Awards. And, trust your girl “Chocolate” to bring you the updates and highlights. This is the first official update for the 2010 Marlin Awards season. We’re just a few weeks away from the Marlin Nomination Concert on March 26 at the Diplomat Center in Nassau, Bahamas. Nominations in a number of categories will be announced. Categories not announced will be made available on the Marlin website (www.marlinawards.com) by the next day. There will also be a number of performances that night including four-time Marlin Award winner Isaac Blackman from Trinidad who took home the most awards last year including "Song of the Year" for his mega smash hit "To the Ceiling". Joining Isaac will be his sister Nehilet Blackman as well as Jamaican praise and worship artist Kevin Downsell. Other performances include Ricardo Clarke, Christian Massive, Jackie Taylor-Smith, Mr. Lynx, Adrian Edgecombe & Harvest Generation, Solo, The Rahming Brothers, Najie Dunn, Shaback, Ryan Jupp & Lyrically Blessed, Terrance Forbes, Mr. J & Deacon Culture, Patrice Smith, Demetrius Stubbs & several others. We are also working on the Marlin Awards Weekend 2010 which is scheduled for October 28-30 in Nassau, Bahamas. This weekend will include summits, workshops and, of course, the awards show. Stay tuned for more updates. Linda “Chocolate” Berthier is a Caribbean jazz/reggae artist and co-host of the radio show “Caribbean Hour”.

Marlin Awards Executive Committee

March 2010

AIRPLAY 360

BY KATHY GRANT

For years, Toronto has been dubbed the Gospel Music Capital of Canada and for good reason. Not only are the bulk of AfricanCanadians residing in the Metropolitan Toronto Area, so is the largest propensity of African-Canadian Churches. As a result: the expressions of Gospel Music arising out of these churches – from the traditional AME (African Methodist Episcopalian) Church to the fundamental Pentecostal church, embodies expressions by a myriad of denominations and cultural mixtures. Toronto has produced a bevy of gospel artists, choirs, soloists, instrumentalists and Holy Hip Hop artists, many of whom have ascended to the height of the Canadian industry – performing and associating with secular artists like Kanye West and working on major motion films such as “The Blues Brothers featuring Dan Aykroyd.” Canadian gospel artists have traveled beyond Canadian borders to the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia Pacific. Many of these “groundbreaker artists” such as Marlene O’Neil, Karen & Oswald Burke and the Toronto Mass Choir have been leading the gospel music charge in Canada since the early 1980s. Now a new generation of Canadian Gospel Artists stand on the shoulders of those who came before them such as the powerful Trinity Singers, who without a recorded project, operated solely on the strength of their live performances. Emerging from this resurgence of gospel are voices of Londa Larmond (2001 JUNO Gospel nominee) and Chapter Five’s Sean Simmonds, both products of Sharon Riley and FC. A focal point of the 2010 Black History Month special series at York University featured the book “Shirley Caesar: A Woman of Words” and a Master Vocal class to teach the art of traditional gospel as sung by Caesar. It is quite apparent that yes, in Canada, we do recognize who has actually paved the way for our arrival, and we are endeavoring to do it for the next generation. Kathy Grant is a gospel artist, radio/ TV host, CEO of KGM Enterprises and founder of Canadian Gospel Music Conference. She can be heard Sundays from 7-11 p.m. on Canada’s CHRI 99.1 FM or online at www.familyradio.ca

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