Gospel news

The Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA), the organization founded by the Rev. James Cleveland over 40 years ago to perpetuate the gospel arts, records a live CD each August at their annual 
convention. Their latest choir project “Live in Dallas 2006” (Light 
Records) has earned a Dove Award nomination (Christian music’s Grammy equivalent) for Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year for their song “Selah.” The song is up against songs by Ricky Dillard & 
New G, New Harvest, Lillie Knauls & the Talley Trio, and Leanne Rimes. 
 
A part of what makes the GMWA so special and relevant is that they 
give aspiring artists and new songwriters an opportunity to record on 
their annual recordings. The nominated song “Selah” is such an 
example. The soul-stirring ballad is led by Demetrius Griffin, a 
Brooklyn-reared graduate of New York City’s famed High School of 
Performing Arts. The tune is one of the first big song placements by 
husband and wife composers David and Valena Bratton, who specialize 
in praise and worship music and have since placed songs with artists 
such as Vickie Winans. Produced by bassist Andrew “Gooch” Gouche, who has played behind Patti Labelle and Chaka Khan, Griffin’s smooth 
voice fluctuates between tenor and baritone on the anthem like sing-a- 
long song. 
 
The project was supervised by executive producers Dr. Rhodena 
Preston and Bishop Albert Jamison Sr. and features thirteen Sunday 
morning styled worship songs such as the bluesy “Until Whenever” and 
the festive “I’m Going On.” A special treat is the dramatic ballad 
“I’m Still Standing” by the legendary Keith Pringle, arguably the 
most popular male gospel soloist of the 1980s. This is Pringle’s 
first major label recording in over 15 years and a welcome return for 
his loyal fans who have often pondered the question, “whatever 
happened to?…”. For more information on other Light Records artists, 
log on at www.light-street.com