#Gospel Music Awards

[redcarpetview]

2023 Stellar Awards Set to Premiere on Stellar Network on July 30, BET on August 6, and Bounce TV on September 3rd

Stellar Awards 2023 Co-Hosts Jonathan McReynolds & Tasha Cobbs Leonard. Photo Credit: Earl Gibson, Courtesy of Central City Productions.

            CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE IN GOSPEL MUSIC: WINNERS OF THE 38TH ANNUAL STELLAR GOSPEL MUSIC AWARDS REVEALED, WITH PASTOR MIKE, JR. SWEEPING THE CEREMONY WITH EIGHT TROPHIES

      Other Multiple Winners Include DOE and Zacardi Cortez with Three Awards; Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin and Tye Tribbett with Two Trophies Each 2023 Stellar Awards Set to Premiere on Stellar Network on July 30, BET on August 6, and Bounce TV on September 3rd

     LAS VEGAS, NV – The highly anticipated 38th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, the “Greatest Night in Gospel Music,” culminated in a spectacular celebration of talent, faith, and inspiration. Hosted by Jonathan McReynolds and Tasha Cobbs Leonard, the 2023 Stellar Awards captivated audiences with powerhouse performances and heartfelt moments that brought the power of Gospel music to life. During a star-studded ceremony held at the Las Vegas Orleans Arena, the winners in nine categories were awarded statues, highlighting the remarkable achievements and contributions of Gospel music artists and industry professionals.

        The show opened with an electrifying performance of "Miracles'' and "Impossible" by Kierra Sheard Kelly and Pastor Mike Jr., the night's biggest winner. Pastor Mike, Jr. earned eight awards for his work on the album “Winning,” released under Blacksmoke Music Worldwide. The project was named Album of the Year and Contemporary Album of the Year, while Pastor Mike, Jr. also took home the prestigious Song of the Year Presented by McDonald’s, Artist of the Year Presented by AT&T Dream In Black, Male Artist of the Year, Contemporary Male Artist of the Year, Music Video of the Year, and Rap/Hip Hop Song of the Year awards.

      DOE, who entered the industry with her family as a member of the group Forever Jones, praised her way to solo success earning three trophies, including the Albertina Walker Female Artist of the Year Presented by Walmart, Contemporary Female Artist of the Year, and Urban/Inspirational Single or Performance of the Year for her album “Clarity,” released under Life Room Label/RCA Inspiration. Zacardi Cortez also brought home three statues, earning awards for Traditional Male Artist of the Year Presented by Bevel (a P&G Brand), Traditional Album of the Year, and Praise and Worship Song of the Year for his album “Imprint,” on Blacksmoke Music Worldwide.

       The collaborative effort of Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin resulted in their joint album “Kingdom Book One” on Tribl Records/Fo Yo Soul Recordings/RCA Inspiration winning in two categories: Duo/Chorus Group of the Year Presented by P&G and Contemporary Duo/Chorus Group of the Year.

            Tye Tribbett. Photo Credit: Earl Gibson, Courtesy of Central City Productions.

        Tye Tribbett also brought home two awards, including Producer Of The Year Presented by Aflac and Recorded Music Packaging Of The Year for his project “All Things New,” released by Motown Gospel.

         Lena Byrd Miles earned the New Artist of the Year award for her My Block Records project “Brand New;” Bishop T.D. Jakes won Special Event Album Of The Year for his project “T.D. Jakes Presents ‘Finally Loosed’ on Dexterity Sounds; co-host Tasha Cobbs Leonard won Praise And Worship Album Of The Year for her work on “Hymns,” released by TeeLee Records/Motown Gospel; Lecrae’s work on "Church Clothes 4" with Reach Records earned him a trophy for Rap Hip Hop Gospel Album Of The Year.

           Additional categories were awarded during the Stellar Awards Pre-Show festivities. Dottie Peoples received the Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones Legends Award, and Dr. Teresa Hairston paid tribute to the late Keith “Wonderboy '' Johnson as she announced the winner for Quartet of the Year, which Johnson won posthumously for his project "Restructure, Renew Reunion” on Blacksmoke Music Worldwide. More artists and Gospel radio professionals who received Stellar Award statues this year were announced; a complete list of winners is available at www.stellarawards.com.

          In addition to the award recipients, special honorees were recognized for their invaluable contributions to the Gospel music industry. CeCe Winans received the prestigious Aretha Franklin Icon Award Presented by State Farm, recognizing her exceptional talent and enduring impact. Winans also gave a moving performance of her song “Goodness of God,” from her album “Believe For It.” Reverend Dr. Milton Biggham was honored with the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award Presented by Verizon in recognition of his lifetime dedication to spreading the uplifting message of Gospel music. Additionally, Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones was presented with the Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award, acknowledging his outstanding contributions and influential career.

          Natalie Grant. Photo Credit: Earl Gibson, Courtesy of Central City Productions.

        Show co-hosts McReynolds and Cobbs Leonard delivered huge performances that will uplift and inspire audiences worldwide, while Walmart’s Black and Unlimited platform provided viewers with an exclusive Reunion Tour preview performance featuring Franklin, Tribbett and Israel Houghton brought the house down! Viewers can also look forward to powerhouse performances by Charles Jenkins, DOE, Dottie Peoples, Isaac Carree, Jevon Dewand and The TrapStarz, Kierra Sheard-Kelly, Naomi Raine, Natalie Grant, Maranda Curtis, Tim Bowman Jr. & Faith City Music, Zacardi Cortez, and Zak Williams & 1 Akord. Performing on the AT&T Emerging Voices stage, Byrd Miles, Bishop S.Y. Younger, and Victory will delight viewers with their rich vocals and undeniable stage presence.

       Presenters for the evening include Adrienne Bailon-Houghton, Marvin Sapp, Lady Tramaine Hawkins, Brian Courtney Wilson, Erica Campbell, Isabel Davis, James Fortune, Koryn Hawthorne, Jason Clayborn, NOTKARLTONBANKS, Shirley Caesar and Travis Greene.

     Naomi Raine performs. Photo Credit: Earl Gibson, Courtesy of Central City Productions.

          AT&T Dream in Black proudly serves as the presenting sponsor for the 38th Annual Stellar Awards. Additionally, esteemed companies such as Aflac, GM, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, McDonald's, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Spotify, State Farm, Verizon, and Walmart joined as supporters of this year's program.

      The 38th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards celebrates the rich diversity and unwavering spirit of Gospel music, showcasing its profound impact on audiences worldwide. The winners and honorees exemplify the power of faith, talent, and dedication within the Gospel music community. This year's ceremony will touch the hearts of viewers across the nation when it premieres on the newly launched Stellar Network on Sunday, July 30 at 6 p.m. ET (available on Charter Spectrum, Verizon Fios, and Xumo Play), followed by a broadcast on BET on Sunday, August 6 at 8 p.m. ET and on Bounce TV on Sunday, September 3 at 1 p.m. ET. 

        The show will also be broadcast nationally from August 7, 2023, to September 10, 2023, through TV syndication. The Stellar Awards Blue Carpet Special hosted by Jekalyn Carr and will be televised on Stellar Network on July 30 at 5 p.m. ET. Viewers may check with their local provider for availability.

       The 38th Stellar Gospel Music Awards show is Executive Produced by Don Jackson, with Jennifer J. Jackson serving as Executive in Charge of Production and Producer. Michael A. Johnson serves as Producer and Director.

        For more information about the Stellar Gospel Music Awards, please visit www.stellarawards.com. Stay connected and follow the Stellar Gospel Music Awards on social media: @thestellars on Instagram and Twitter, and Stellar Gospel Music Awards on Facebook.

                                                            # # #

[rhapsodynew]

David Bowie and Aretha Franklin, Grammy Awards, New York, 1975

[songmingisthighs]

idk who needs to hear this, but if you're okay with being blasphemous, you need to be okay with your idols being actually religious. if you're not, just shut your mouth and don't stan the idol or better yet, the group. no one needs a toxic fan

[celebswearingghost]

Michael Ebenezer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr

[trilzmedia]

Gospel Superstar dj/artist, DJ Victor256 back with Play House event

#TRilzNews | It's back. And this year, we are DOPE @DJVictor256 back with Play House event #PlayHouse23 #PlayHouseEvents @playhouseparte

DJ Victor256 is Uganda’s most popular and recognisable Gospel DJ in Africa and all over the world right now. DJ Victor256 The Ugandan DJ product, raise by the slums and lifted by the people and the grace of God burst onto the scene in 2018 professionally. He has made appearances in multiple countries such as Nigeria, Kenya, Burundi and also the Caribbean island Antigua And Barbuda. DJ Victor256…

[afrotumble]

[thejoyofviolentmovement]

Throwback: Happy 84th Birthday, Mavis Staples!

Throwback: Happy 84th Birthday, Mavis Staples! @mavisstaples

The legendary and incomparable Mavis Staples celebrates her 84th birthday today. Going into a deep dive into her career as a member of The Staple Singers and and a solo artist will be a bit gratuitous — but throughout her career, she has received commercial and critical success, as well as a proverbial boatload of accolades. Stapes has received eight Grammy Awards nominations with The Staple…

[redcarpetview]

GOSPEL’S MUSIC BIGGEST NIGHT TALENT UPDATES REVEALED FOR THE 38th ANNUAL STELLAR GOSPEL MUSIC AWARDS SHOW, SET TO RETURN TO BET NETWORKS ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 6 AT 8 P.M. ET.

Nominee Lena Byrd Miles (Emerging Voices). Photo courtesy of The Front Page Firm.

      The 38th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards is gearing up to be a spectacular celebration of Gospel music's finest talent with an impressive lineup of performers and presenters. Updates to the scheduled participants include an exceptional Reunion Tour preview performance featuring Gospel superstars Kirk Franklin, Israel Houghton, and Tye Tribbett. This highly anticipated performance will captivate audiences and create an unforgettable moment in Gospel music history. In addition to premiering on Stellar TV Network on Sunday, July 30, the show will also return to BET Networks, premiering on Sunday, August 6 at 7 p.m. CT.

        Audiences can also look forward to powerhouse performances by Charles Jenkins, DOE, Dottie Peoples, Isaac Carree, Jevon Dewand and The TrapStarz, Kierra Sheard-Kelly, Lena Byrd Miles (Emerging Voices), Naomi Raine, Natalie Grant, Maranda Curtis, Pastor Mike Jr., Tim Bowman Jr. & Faith City Music, Bishop S.Y. Younger (Emerging Voices), Zacardi Cortez, Victory (Emerging Voices), and Zak Williams and 1 Akord.

       Presenters for the evening include Adrienne Bailon-Houghton, Marvin Sapp, Lady Tramaine Hawkins, Brian Courtney Wilson, Erica Campbell, Isabel Davis, James Fortune, Koryn Hawthorne, Jason Clayborn, NOTKARLTONBANKS, Pastor Shirley Caesar and Travis Greene.

        Nominee P J Morton. Photo courtesy of The Front Page Firm.

           As previously announced, this year’s Stellar Awards telecast is co-hosted by Jonathan McReynolds and Tasha Cobbs Leonard. It will bestow special honors upon several iconic figures who contributed significantly to the genre. CeCe Winans will receive the prestigious Aretha Franklin Icon Award, recognizing her exceptional talent and enduring impact. Reverend Dr. Milton Biggham will be honored with the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his lifetime dedication to spreading the uplifting message of Gospel music. Additionally, Dr. Bobby Jones will be presented with the Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award, acknowledging his outstanding contributions and influential career.

      "We are thrilled to premiere the 38th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards Show on BET Networks," said a spokesperson from BET. "This year's lineup of performers and honorees is exceptional, and we are excited to bring this incredible celebration of Gospel music to our viewers. It will be an unforgettable night of uplifting performances and well-deserved recognition."

   

Don't miss the telecast of the 38th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards Show on BET Networks on Sunday, August 6, at 7 pm CT. Prepare to be inspired and uplifted by the outstanding performances and heartfelt moments that define Gospel music.

      For more information about the Stellar Gospel Music Awards Show and other Stellar events, please visit www.stellarawards.com. Stay updated with the latest news by following @thestellars on Instagram and Twitter or Stellar Gospel Music Awards on Facebook.

                                                                                                           # # #

[rawdoggtv]

Tamela & David Mann, Dr. Bobby Jones to Be Honored at 2023 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards Ceremony Also Celebrates Top Gospel Songs, Songwriters and Music Publishers on Thursday, March 30 in Atlanta, GA

[caption id="attachment_21243" align="alignleft" width="225"]

BMI Gospel Music Awards 2023 Tamela & David Mann, Dr. Bobby Jones to Be Honored at 2023 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards[/caption] BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) will honor Gospel superstars Tamela and David Mann and Dr. Bobby Jones at its 22nd Annual Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards to be held at Flourish Atlanta on March 30th. The inspirational ceremony will recognize the impact that the three legendary entertainers have made on the genre and beyond and pay tribute to the songwriters and publishers behind the best in Gospel music.  BMI Gospel Music Awards 2023 Atlanta The private event will be hosted by BMI President & CEO Mike O’Neill and BMI Vice President, Creative, Atlanta, Catherine Brewton. “BMI is thrilled to be back in Atlanta celebrating the best in Gospel music,” said Brewton. “We’re extremely proud to honor powerhouse couple Tamela and David Mann for their incredible contributions to the Gospel community, the enduring legacy of Dr. Bobby Jones and the songwriters and publishers behind the top Gospel songs of the previous year. Through song and praise, they deliver inspirational messages of hope, faith and goodwill to music lovers around the world. We feel truly blessed to bring these trailblazers together in fellowship and celebrate their creative works.” Throughout the ceremony, BMI will also recognize the songwriters, producers and music publishers of the past year’s 25 most-performed Gospel songs in the United States. The BMI Gospel Song, Songwriter and Publisher of the Year will also be named during the event. Together, Tamela and David Mann have become staples in the Gospel community and have flourished across radio, television, film and stages around the world. The iconic couple began their professional music careers in the ‘90s after joining the Gospel group Kirk Franklin and the Family and toured the globe. They went on to develop successful solo careers and joint ventures as a couple in music and beyond, creating Tillymann Entertainment in 2005, a home for all of their many projects in entertainment. In 2018, David and Tamela released Us Against the World, their first collaborative album as a duo. The companion book of that album won an NAACP Image® Award for Outstanding Literary Work, and the album’s singles have topped the charts, including the Urban AC track “Ups & Downs.” Most recently, The Manns embarked on the acclaimed “Overcomer Family Tour,” a mixture of music and comedy, featuring their son David Jr, and their daughters La’Tia and Tiffany Mann. As a solo artist, Tamela has released six studio albums and has received a GRAMMY Award, BET Award, Billboard Music Award and multiple NAACP Image, Stellar Gospel Music and GMA Dove Awards. She was also the first Gospel lead artist in Billboard Gospel radio chart history to score three consecutive No.1 singles from her album Best Days. Beyond music, The Manns have appeared in numerous Tyler Perry plays, films and television shows, including I Can Do Bad All By Myself, Meet the Browns and Madea Goes to Jail, among others, and the pair also starred in their own sitcom, Mann & Wife, and the docuseries, It’s a Mann’s World. In addition, the esteemed singer, TV host and radio broadcaster Dr. Bobby Jones will be celebrated, honoring his illustrious career spanning more than 40 years. For more than 35 years, he was the host of Bobby Jones Gospel on BET, which was the highest rated show on the network and longest running original cable show in history. Jones is credited for giving Yolanda Adams, Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary and many others their first national exposure on television.

An established Gospel singer and songwriter, Jones has received a GRAMMY Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group in 1984 for “I’m So Glad I’m Standing Here Today” with Barbara Mandrell. He has also received a Dove Award, three Stellar Awards and a presidential commendation from President George W. Bush, among several other awards and accolades. He currently serves as a UNICEF Ambassador and was inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame (BMEWOF) in February 2023. For more information on the BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards, visit www.bmi.com/genres/gospel and use hashtag #BMIGospel on social. ABOUT BMI: Celebrating over 80 years of service to songwriters, composers, music publishers and businesses, Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI®) is a global leader in music rights management, serving as an advocate for the value of music. BMI represents the public performance rights in over 20.6 million musical works created and owned by more than 1.3 million songwriters, composers, and music publishers. The Company negotiates music license agreements and distributes the fees it generates as royalties to its affiliated writers and publishers when their songs are performed in public. In 1939, BMI created a groundbreaking open-door policy becoming the only performing rights organization to welcome and represent the creators of blues, jazz, country, and American roots music. Today, the musical compositions in BMI’s repertoire, from chart toppers to perennial favorites, span all genres of music and are consistently among the most-performed hits of the year.

For additional information and the latest BMI news, visit bmi.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @BMI @BMI or stay connected through Broadcast Music, Inc.‘s Facebook page. Sign up for BMI’s BMI’s The Weekly™ and receive our e-newsletter every week to stay up to date on all things music.

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Madonna - Like a Prayer 1989

"Like a Prayer" is a song by American singer Madonna and was released as the lead single from her 1989 fourth studio album of the same name. Written and produced by both Madonna and Patrick Leonard, the song heralded an artistic and personal approach to songwriting for Madonna, who believed that she needed to cater more to her adult audience. Along with the parent album, "Like a Prayer" was a turning point in Madonna's career, with critics starting to acknowledge her as an artist rather than a mere pop star.

"Like a Prayer" is a pop rock and gospel song that also incorporates elements of funk. The lyrics contain liturgical words, but they have been interpreted by some people to have dual meanings of sexual innuendo and religion. "Like a Prayer" was acclaimed by music critics upon release and was a global commercial success, becoming Madonna's seventh number 1 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, topping the Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks and also topping the charts in many other countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain and the UK. It was Madonna's fifth number 1 hit on the Eurochart Hot 100, and stayed at number one for 12 weeks.

The accompanying music video for "Like a Prayer", directed by Mary Lambert, shows a white woman being sexually assaulted and subsequently killed by a group of white men, but a black man is arrested for the crime. The video depicts a church and Catholic symbols such as stigmata. It also features the Ku Klux Klan's burning crosses and a dream sequence about kissing a black saint. Leon Robinson was hired to play the role of a saint; the part was inspired by Martin de Porres, the patron saint of mixed-race people and all those seeking interracial harmony. The Vatican condemned the video, while family and religious groups protested against its broadcast. They boycotted products by soft drink manufacturer Pepsi, who had used the song in their commercial. Pepsi canceled their sponsorship contract with Madonna, but allowed her to retain the $5 million fee.

While most TV stations banned the music video, MTV notably continued to air the video on heavy rotation. The controversies leading to her "Like a Prayer" video introduced the concept of free publicity and became a turning point where Madonna was viewed as a shrewd businesswoman who knows how to sell a concept. At the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, the video for "Like a Prayer" was nominated in the Viewer's Choice and Video of the Year categories, winning the former. It was number one on MTV's countdown of "100 Videos That Broke the Rules" in 2005, and for the channel's 25th anniversary, viewers voted it as the "Most Groundbreaking Music Video of All Time". In addition, the video was ranked at number 20 on Rolling Stone's "The 100 Top Music Videos", and at number two on VH1's 100 Greatest Videos. In a 2011 poll by Billboard, the video for "Like a Prayer" was voted the second-best music video of the 1980s, behind only Michael Jackson's "Thriller". According to Screen Rant, "Like a Prayer" is one of the most used Madonna's songs in movies and television, most recently notably featured in the 2024 film Deadpool & Wolverine.

"Like a Prayer" received a total of 87,9% yes votes! Previous Madonna polls: #18 "Who's That Girl", #184 "Live to Tell".

[mimi-0007]

FATHER & SON: James Earl Jones with his Father Robert Earl Jones on Stage in the 1962 Production "Moon on a Rainbow Shawl."

Robert Earl Jones (February 3, 1910 – September 7, 2006), sometimes credited as Earl Jones, was an American actor and professional boxer. One of the first prominent Black film stars, Jones was a living link with the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s, having worked with Langston Hughes early in his career.

Jones was best known for his leading roles in films such as Lying Lips (1939) and later in his career for supporting roles in films such as The Sting (1973), Trading Places (1983), The Cotton Club (1984), and Witness (1985).

Jones was born in northwestern Mississippi; the specific location is unclear as some sources indicate Senatobia, while others suggest nearby Coldwater. He left school at an early age to work as a sharecropper to help his family. He later became a prizefighter. Under the name "Battling Bill Stovall", he was a sparring partner of Joe Louis.

Jones became interested in theater after he moved to Chicago, as one of the thousands leaving the South in the Great Migration. He moved on to New York by the 1930s. He worked with young people in the Works Progress Administration, the largest New Deal agency, through which he met Langston Hughes, a young poet and playwright. Hughes cast him in his 1938 play, Don't You Want to Be Free?.

Jones also entered the film business, appearing in more than twenty films. His film career started with the leading role of a detective in the 1939 race film Lying Lips, written and directed by Oscar Micheaux, and Jones made his next screen appearance in Micheaux's The Notorious Elinor Lee (1940). Jones acted mostly in crime movies and dramas after that, with such highlights as Wild River (1960) and One Potato, Two Potato (1964). In the Oscar-winning 1973 film The Sting, he played Luther Coleman, an aging grifter whose con is requited with murder leading to the eponymous "sting". In the later 20th century, Jones appeared in several other noted films: Trading Places (1983) and Witness (1985).

Toward the end of his life, Jones was noted for his stage portrayal of Creon in The Gospel at Colonus (1988), a black musical version of the Oedipus legend. He also appeared in episodes of the long-running TV shows Lou Grant and Kojak. One of his last stage roles was in a 1991 Broadway production of Mule Bone by Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, another important writer of the Harlem Renaissance. His last film was Rain Without Thunder (1993).

Although blacklisted by the House Un-American Activities Committee in the 1950s due to involvement with leftist groups, Jones was ultimately honored with a lifetime achievement award by the U.S. National Black Theatre Festival.

Jones was married three times. As a young man, he married Ruth Connolly (died 1986) in 1929; they had a son, James Earl Jones. Jones and Connolly separated before James was born in 1931, and the couple divorced in 1933. Jones did not come to know his son until the mid-1950s. He adopted a second son, Matthew Earl Jones. Jones died on September 7, 2006, in Englewood, New Jersey, from natural causes at age 96.

THEATRE

1945 The Hasty Heart (Blossom) Hudson Theatre, Broadway

1945 Strange Fruit (Henry) McIntosh NY theater production

1948 Volpone (Commendatori) City Center

1948 Set My People Free (Ned Bennett) Hudson Theatre, Broadway

1949 Caesar and Cleopatra (Nubian Slave) National Theatre, Broadway

1952 Fancy Meeting You Again (Second Nubian) Royale Theatre, Broadway

1956 Mister Johnson (Moma) Martin Beck Theater, Broadway

1962 Infidel Caesar (Soldier) Music Box Theater, Broadway

1962 The Moon Besieged (Shields Green) Lyceum Theatre, Broadway

1962 Moon on a Rainbow Shawl (Charlie Adams) East 11th Street Theatre, New York

1968 More Stately Mansions (Cato) Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway

1975 All God's Chillun Got Wings (Street Person) Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway

1975 Death of a Salesman (Charley)

1977 Unexpected Guests (Man) Little Theatre, Broadway

1988 The Gospel at Colonus (Creon) Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, Broadway

1991 Mule Bone (Willie Lewis) Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway

FILMS

1939 Lying Lips (Detective Wenzer )

1940 The Notorious Elinor Lee (Benny Blue)

1959 Odds Against Tomorrow (Club Employee uncredited)

1960 Wild River (Sam Johnson uncredited)

1960 The Secret of the Purple Reef (Tobias)

1964 Terror in the City (Farmer)

1964 One Potato, Two Potato (William Richards)

1968 Hang 'Em High

1971 Mississippi Summer (Performer)

1973 The Sting (Luther Coleman)

1974 Cockfighter (Buford)

1977 Proof of the Man (Wilshire Hayward )

1982 Cold River (The Trapper)

1983 Trading Places (Attendant)

1983 Sleepaway Camp (Ben)

1984 The Cotton Club (Stage Door Joe)

1984 Billions for Boris (Grandaddy)

1985 Witness (Custodian)

1988 Starlight: A Musical Movie (Joe)

1990 Maniac Cop 2 (Harry)

1993 Rain Without Thunder (Old Lawyer)

TELEVISION

1964 The Defenders (Joe Dean) Episode: The Brother Killers

1976 Kojak (Judge) Episode: Where to Go if you Have Nowhere to Go?

1977 The Displaced Person (Astor) Television movie

1978 Lou Grant (Earl Humphrey) Episode: Renewal

1979 Jennifer's Journey (Reuven )Television movie

1980 Oye Ollie (Performer) Television series

1981 The Sophisticated Gents (Big Ralph Joplin) 3 episodes

1982 One Life to Live

1985 Great Performances (Creon) Episode: The Gospel at Colonus

1990 True Blue (Performer) Episode: Blue Monday

[th3-0bjectivist]

Dear listener, this will be my final musical entry for 24’ and for several months, and we’re gonna end it with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of the elite few great classical composers of all time. I feel like these days, classical music has been somewhat devalued and relegated to running in the background of ultra-absorbent paper towel commercials. This is a damn shame, because classical music changed music on planet Earth forever, and composers like Mozart once represented bleeding-edge innovation in the realm of music. For his time, Mozart wrote music in every available and accessible genre and excelled at each of them as well. Much like classical music in a broad sense, WAM attempted to create works that were universal in application. Much like me, the man genuinely enjoyed pleasing every segment of his wide-ranging audience with his personal versatility. Is it any wonder that you’re familiar with WAM’s name and works even though you weren’t even living during his era? So, how do men like this become immortalized? Join me below for an answer from some guy on the internet. Just above is The Requiem in D minor, K. 626, a piece Mozart didn’t even finish before he died. It is haunting, beautiful and really exemplifies WAM’s range. Thank you, all my dear listeners on Tumblr, for celebrating another year of music with me. I’ll be doing more of the same next year as well, but without further ado… the WAM you’ve been waiting for.

Dying young at 35 but filling his entire short life with his own firebrand of musical creativity, WAM started his career at an extremely fresh-faced 5 years old when he wrote his first keyboard composition. He wrote his first SYMPHONY when he was an 8-year-old… and I don’t know if anyone is aware of this but, that kind of natural compositional talent doesn’t exactly grow on trees these days, or even hundreds of years in the past. Like many other classical artists, WAM was brought up in the Church, specifically in the Catholic faith. He is well known for composing ‘divinely inspired works’, specifically designed for Mass between Epistle and Gospel. Performing for imperial courts as a mere child and then going on to create 600 + total musical works in his lifetime, WAM wasn’t just some musician from Austria; he was a Bonafide genius. He could speak over a dozen languages, was awarded the Order of the Golden Spur by Pope Clement XIV and was perhaps one of the most notable and famous Freemasons of all-time. WAM even went as far as producing openly masonic works like The Magic Flute and Thomas, King of Egypt. Unlike other classical artists (Brahms, Beethoven, Vivaldi), WAM was a family man who cherished his children but left very little to them because of his excessive drinking, extravagant general spending, and personal generosity. His lack of money-management aside, WAM stands tall as one of the most, if not the MOST famous Austrian musician of all time. Fun fact: WAM loved fart and poop jokes. I’m NOT kidding. He went as far as writing scatological music for his recreational and drunk buddies and quipped about his bowel movements to close friends and family members in numerous letters. Why would I mention this, you may ask? Because, for his time, this man was a walking immortal on Earth. Mozart’s shit-based humor humanizes him to me, and I love how this yester century genius thought absolutely anything coming out of the human ass was hilarious. Having been subject to numerous infections and bumps on his skin before his untimely death, WAM died young and under entirely mysterious circumstances which have never been properly identified or explained. Just below, you’ll find The Best of Mozart. Smash play, enjoy, Happy New Year. It was a pleasure, as always, to provide Tumblr with music and information in 24’.

A prodigy, more versatile than his contemporaries, and more influential than the vast, vast majority of any common musician…Mozart is a legend and an inspiration. Is it any wonder that his surname is well-known even to this day… even though he had no grandchildren? Image source: https://www.redbubble.com/i/kids-t-shirt/Wolfgang-Amadeus-Mozart-digital-painting-in-high-resolution-by-hypnotzd/142756337.VXRIW

[comradekarin]

https://youtube.com/shorts/JBeJPnP16R8?si=LEg8g3aVYBpW54Gf

Everyone who says " Beyonce's album wasn't even country! " needs to watch this rn and you have been preaching the gospel since she finally got what the industry of white bigots have denied her since the album released.

Beyonce is country. In fact, if you like country, you have black people to thank for it existing ( I could rant forever about this but basics is a lot of the instruments that make country music country music were either invented by enslaved black people or were most notably used by enslaved black people, which I find it funny in a sad way that white people are still taking our shit and pretending it was all them )

Also for the Bille fans, go harass all the white people who were competing and who beat Bille now or forever be labeled racist bc that's what you are. ( not you op you're doing God's work )

Also we need to start calling people racist more often bc I have never in my life seen so much of it after one night I swear ( that's a lie but I'm sure you can guess the other nights )

CLOCK IT ANON!!! country is a historically black genre that’s been co-opted by white artists. this album is a love letter to BLACK southern culture, music and way of life in the same sense that renaissance was a love letter to the BLACK queer and trans community, to house music and ballroom culture, to her uncle johnny who inspired her as a child. in the same exact sense that lemonade was her personal experience as being a BLACK woman, of her husband’s infidelity, her journey from betrayal to heartbreak to forgiveness, of all the emotional baggage black women are expected to hold (just for people to say she wasn’t being vulnerable at all or shaming her for staying with jay). beyonce should have won album of the year from self titled all the way to cowboy carter, and it’s not even close. time and time again white people disrespect black artistry and people but be the first ones using AAVE to call you a fucking slur lmao.

as for billie, i already said the album was cute, but it did NOT deserve AOTY. the fact that people think they can disrespect beyonce and CC despite admitting to not even listening to it tells me everything I need to know. cc was filled with rich cultural references, black history, discussions of the black experience and her experience with being disrespected and excluded by the cmas. the first SONG literally has giselle saying “they used to say I spoke too country and then the rejection came and said I wasn’t country enough. said I wouldn’t saddle up. if this ain’t country, tell me what is?”!!!! ???? ameriican requiem alone smashed all of her competition out of the water. competition that have been repackaging the same sounds, same concepts and production from before. that’s also why they’re trying to gag the hive by bringing up how many writers cc has as if that very organic collaboration isn’t why her albums are always so fresh and innovative and good.

billie dressing like a flava flav cosplayer while her fans calling me slurs over a fuckass grammy. she can feel sad and shit, but I remember when beyonce teared up at the 2017 grammy’s after adele’s acceptance speech and they called her bitter, jealous and narcissistic. they still do! billie liking tiktoks of her crying (with racist ass comments in those videos) pissed me off too. grow tf up. nine grammies, two oscars before 23- you will be just fine baby girl. and this is all imma say about that girl. I won’t get nasty about her, but this white outrage over their white darlings not getting their way is just as I expected.

and you’re so right. “DEI awards”, “this is what it feels like to lose to a black woman” “beyonce doesn’t have a fraction of billie’s talent” id rather them call me and her a slur. say it with your chest lol.

[justinsentertainmentcorner]

Edith Olmstead at The New Republic:

Fans of 11-time Grammy Award–winning singer Dolly Parton came to her aid this week, in response to a tacky, homophobic hit piece published by a right-wing magazine.

The Federalist is a conservative outlet that has previously taken aim at Taylor Swift, accusing her of indoctrinating her listeners into man-hating feminism, a thinly veiled grievance about their inability to control the thoughts of young women. Now it’s taken aim at the Queen of Country herself, likely for much the same reason. The newest article took issue with Parton using her Christian faith as a rationale for her acceptance of all people, including those who identify as LGBTQ+. “Parton’s version of love, which includes condoning immoral sexual behavior, (be who you are she said), is unaligned with God’s vision for humanity,” the author wrote, going on to compare Parton to a secular leader spreading “false gospel.” Trying to cut down such a beloved figure and awarded philanthropist is pretty ridiculous, and especially ironic for a publication that previously published an article pushing for her to be the next president of the United States.

The Federalist’s Ericka Andersen went after Dolly Parton in her column, and she got rightly dinged for blaspheming the good name of Dolly Parton.

[cartermagazine]

Today In History

Yvette Marie Stevens, better known as Chaka Khan was born March 23, 1953 in Chicago, Illinois. Chaka Khan is a true Renaissance Woman. A singer, songwriter, producer, visual artist, author, actor, philanthropist, entrepreneur, activist and mother, Chaka is an international music icon who has influenced multiple generations of artists and continues to do so. From the moment she burst onto the music scene in the 1970s as the 18-year-old lead singer of the multiracial band Rufus, her powerful voice and show-stopping stage presence set her apart from any other singer, and during her 40-year career, she has developed a vast international fan base and performed on six continents.

Chaka is a ten-time GRAMMY® Award winner (with 22 GRAMMY® nominations) who has the rare ability to sing in eight music genres, including R&B, jazz, pop, rock, gospel, country, classical and dance music. She has released 22 albums and racked up ten #1 Billboard magazine charted songs, eight RIAA certified gold singles and eleven RIAA certified gold and platinum albums. Chaka’s recorded music has produced over 2,000 catalogue song placements.

She was awarded a BET Honors and was the recipient of the Trumpet Award (Legend Award); honored by the Howard Theatre Restoration, Inc., at its 2nd Annual Gala and Benefit Concert; inducted into the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame at its Annual Spring Gala; inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame; honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and with the United Negro College Fund’s An Evening of Stars Tribute. She also received the Soul Train Legend Award (2009), the BET Lifetime Achievement Award (2006), the GRAMMY® Honors Award from the NARAS Chicago Chapter (2006) and the World Music Lifetime Achievement Award (2003). In 2004, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from the Berklee School of Music in Boston, MA.

A living ICON.

CARTER Magazine