Tyscot President Elected to Church Music Publishers Association
Bryant Scott, president of Tyscot Records and son of the label’s founder, gospel artist Bishop Leonard Scott has made his mark in history becoming the first African American President of the Church Music Publishers Association (CMPA). The 96-year-old organization which currently is made up of 51 music publishers has served as a legislative advocate providing education, administration, and copyright information to almost every major church denomination. They also represent some of the greatest Christian songs ever written and contemporary publishers like Maverick City Music, Gaither Music Company and Capitol CMG Publishing and others. Scott has been elected as the organization’s 54th President and will also remain President of the world’s oldest-operating Black-owned independent gospel recording label Tyscot Records and its publishing arm Tyscot Publishing.
Chicago Preps for Gospel Fest
The Chicago Gospel Festival will once again return to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. The festival which celebrates the birthplace of gospel in Chicago 80 years ago where it continues to recognize its influence today. The Chicago Gospel Festival will present a featured mix of traditional choirs, contemporary artists, and gospel hip-hop artists representing the diversity of the genre. This year’s lineup includes Pastor John P. Kee, Kierra Sheard Kelly, The Walls Group, Brian Courtney Wilson, and The Williams Singers. The family-friendly festival is free to the public and will be open from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm CT. The performance schedule is available online.
Gospel Artists Inductees Named Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame
Pastor Donnie McClurkin, Tamela Mann and The Clark Sisters were among those named for this year’s Black Music Month Class of Inductees to the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame (BMEWOF). BMEWOF celebrates performers with both national and international appeal as Black artists, entertainers, and icons within their genre. This year’s Class will join the ranks of other gospel inductees including Pastor Shirley Caesar, Kirk Franklin, Yolanda Adams and BeBe and CeCe Winans whose Crown Jewel of Excellence emblems have already been permanently installed in front of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in downtown Atlanta. The June induction and Juneteenth celebration will take on Saturday, June 18th.
“The NHabit Experience” To Be Held at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium
The Congregational Health & Education Network (CHEN)will the hosting their inaugural “NHabit Worship Experience” on Sunday, June 5th at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. The gospel concert will feature Kierra Sheard, James Fortune, Anita Wilson, Ron Poindexter, Randy Weston, Crystal Aikin, Jabari Johnson, and Nate Bean & 4Given. CHEN founded by Dr. Joseph Webb in 2017, was designed to build relationships with faith leaders and provides awareness and services of Nashville General Hospital by partnering with the faith community in Nashville. Proceeds from the NHABIT Worship Experience support CHEN’s mission to reduce health disparities among Nashville’s African American community by elevating education attainment and health literacy through faith-based partnership.
DeVon Franklin Joins “Married at First Sight”
Hollywood producer and author and relationship coach DeVon Franklin will be joining an upcoming episode of the reality tv series “Married at First Sight” Franklin, who recently divorced from actress Meagan Good after nine years of marriage and has no plans on hiding in shame. Franklin received the offer to appear in the 15th episode before news of the divorce became public. The show’s producers still felt he would bring value and insight to other marriage hopefuls based on his own relationship experiences. Initially Franklin said he was concerned about what others would think about him giving marriage advice seeing his own relationship didn’t work out, but later realized he couldn’t and wouldn’t let the opinions of others dictate his life, so he said “YES, I’ll still come. I refuse to live in fear or shame!”
