Grammy Award-winning singer GLORIA GAYNOR took the music world by storm in the 1970s, striking platinum with her disco hit "I Will Survive". "I Will Survive" was the only song to earn a Grammy for Best Disco Recording and was one of only twenty-five songs inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2012. On September 19, 2005 Gaynor, along with her hit song "I Will Survive" were inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame during a ceremony that took place in New York City. "I Will Survive", has been featured on the soundtrack of more than a half dozen major motion picture releases, and VH-1 honored Ms. Gaynor with the number one spot during their countdown of the Top 100 Dance Records of All Time. Over the years, the disco legend has received thousands of personal messages from adoring fans whose lives have been transformed by this timeless song. Their remarkable stories reveal that "I Will Survive" has reached people from all walks of life who have faced life altering moments. From individuals triumphing over illness, to those suffering from the painful loss of a loved one, or those piecing their lives together after bearing witness to a national tragedy, "I Will Survive" has become an emotional anthem of hope and resilience. The legendary singer has added another milestone to her career. Gloria Gaynor will release her first Gospel album exclusively on AMAZON.COM on November 26 appropriately titled WE WILL SURVIVE. "Recording a Gospel album was something I've wanted to do for years, but my manager and husband kept putting me off," Gaynor shares. "Now that I'm in control of my own career, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and combine the four things I believe I was created to do - sing, write, teach, and share my faith." In 2011, Gaynor traveled to Nashville to begin recording her Gospel CD. "You're Right On Time" is her first radio single, which is a beautifully fashioned ballad with a sincere and powerful message of reassurance. "While in Nashville, I wrote the single with Chris Tompkins who already had the first line of the song - ‘I’ve been down without a prayer’, then we prayed before we began working together," she continues. "He started with the melody and music, and the rest of the lyrics just flowed out of me." This collection of inspiring songs is special to Gaynor in many ways. "This is the first project I've ever done with a dual purpose in mind - to create a CD that is inspirational and that would complement my new book, WE WILL SURVIVE," Gaynor explains. She penned most of the album and invited American Idol finalist Melinda Doolittle to make a special appearance on the project. With "If I Loved You", a funky contemporary track, Gaynor challenges listeners to demonstrate their true dedication to serve God. "Please Let Me Show You" is a passionate melody and account of how victorious life can be if one would just answer the call to righteousness. WE WILL SURVIVE is a musical encounter of personal testimonies and stories from Gaynor and her fans. "The past few years have been a big change for me," Gaynor exposes. "I went through a divorce and became in charge of my own career," she continues. "I have a new found freedom to do things in my own way and to express myself more abundantly." Her own conquests and triumphs are revealed through this project in which she hopes will give her fans a heightened strength in their faith and receive the love from which it was created. With the addition of WE WILL SURVIVE to her musical repertoire, the upcoming year continues to be promising with many exciting opportunities ahead as Gaynor moves forward in her incredible life journey. Gaynor continues to unfold as she proves to the world how she not only is continuing to survive, but living that life in abundance! "I Will Survive - a timeless anthem empowering those reaching for positive change in their lives, a sing-along sound track supporting those in a period of change, often from a dark place to somewhere brighter" - Tina Turner In the book WE WILL SURVIVE, Gaynor shares forty of these inspirational, true stories about survivors of all kinds—individuals who have found comfort, hope, and courage through the power of this one song.
WE WILL SURVIVE is both heart-wrenching and uplifting – a book that illustrates the unifying and healing powers of music. It also eloquently expresses Gloria Gaynor’s unique style – her fierce love of life, her devotion to faith and her enduring love for the song that has become the soundtrack of a million lives. “I still love singing it in concert, and on tour I save it for last,” says Gaynor. “I sing the song to myself every time I face a problem. It always works.” Producer, Songwriter & Gospel Jazz Artist Terrence Richburg Pens Riveting Novel On Relationships, "Intimacy: Missing 'Peace' In The Puzzle Of True Love & Close Relationships" Many know Terrence Richburg as a gifted bassist, songwriter, producer and Gospel Jazz artist. As one half of the Gospel Jazz duo, R&R, Richburg has wowed audiences with his inspirational smooth jazz stylings. In addition to being an artist and instrumentalist, he is the President of RichEscape Music,an independent record label and a production and publishing company. The nephew of the late Jazz songstress Ronnie Wells and the son of the late John and Wilhemina Richburg, members of the ground-breaking Richburg Singers, Terrence has music in his blood. What many don't know is that Richburg is a gifted writer and he's poured his heart into his first book entitled, Intimacy: Missing 'Peace' In The Puzzle Of True Love & Close Relationships. In Intimacy: Missing 'Peace' In The Puzzle Of True Love & Close Relationships, those who have witnessed the "breakdown" of life and relationships will find clues to solve "the puzzle" and put all the pieces back together again. Readers, through the musician and author's writings, will be able to explore the true power of intimacy and investigate why God's view of intimacy is so essential, both for today and for all eternity. Filled with wisdom and unforgettable short stories, Intimacy is a clever mixture of fiction and non-fiction, an episodic experience for the reader. In Intimacy, Richburg takes us on an emotional rollercoaster through the twists and turns of characters like Chris and Amanda, whose dreams help them to understand what true gratitude is and Mathew Kidd, a public defender, and his wife Janet, whose narrative is nothing short of an on-the-edge of-your-seat thriller. And who can forget the swarthy prize-fighter, Tony, who finds love in the most unexpected places. With each character, Terrence weaves subtle yet profound messages. When asked about why he decided to write Intimacy, he says he wanted to share lessons he's learned concerning relationships. "As you get older, you start to think about legacy, and what you'll leave behind," shares Richburg. "The most valuable thing we leave behind is our relationships. One of the things I am grateful my parents left me was their love for music, but they also left valuable lessons about relationships and how to love. By writing this book, I wanted to pass on what I've learned from them yet do it in a creative way." "As a musician and a lyricist, I write in a way that tells a story," he explains. "Writing a novel isn't very different from writing a song. You write from a place of emotion and you want the listener to go to that place each time they hear that song. It's the same with books. You want the story to take the reader to a place, but with a book, you have time to pull the reader in and convey a message in a more subtle way." A prolific songwriter, Richburg also has lyrics to songs in the book, with each song tying into a theme demonstrated inIntimacy. He will be releasing a brand new CD of love songs inspired by the book in February 2014, set to coincide with the month of love. Intimacy: Missing 'Peace' In The Puzzle Of True Love & Close Relationships can be purchased online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Xlibris. For more information about Terrence Richburg, log on to www.IntimacyRich.com orwww.TerrenceRichburg.com.
Walker's latest smash surpasses success of previous hit: "Souled Out" Every week for more than three months Hezekiah Walker and his smash hit single "Every Praise" (RCA Inspiration) has topped Billboards' Gospel Songs Charts and this week, Walker's 14th consecutive at #1, sets a new personal best for the artist. "Every Praise/Hezekiah Walker will go down in the archives of great inspirational songs as one of the best. This song makes you feel joyful. It brings a smile to your face. It exudes happiness," says Elroy R. C. Smith, Inspiration Format Director at Radio One, Inc. "Furthermore, I love this song so much that I purchased it recently on ITUNES. Congratulations to RCA INSPIRATION and Hezekiah Walker for one of the greatest songs to date. " Featured on Walker's "Azusa The Next Generation" album, the hit single "Every Praise" was originally released by RCA Inspiration in June. Walker, whose previous #1 single "Souled Out" spent 13 consecutive weeks atop the Gospel Songs Chart, recently released a new Flash Mob video for "Every Praise" that is now viewable on YouTube. "Every Praise" is more of what we have come to expect from an artist of Hezekiah's caliber," says Geo Bivins, General Manager of RCA Inspiration. "Spending two or three consecutive weeks at #1 is noteworthy, 14 is quite the accomplishment and speaks to his connection with the fans and music consumers." Walkers additional top-5 singles include "Lift Him Up," which peaked at #3 in 2006; and "Faithful Is Our God," which held the # 2 position in 2007. Artist Preps Debut For 2014 Release New Gospel Artist Josilyn Drake was introduced to the industry with her singles, "Worship You" and "Keep Us Lord". The Birmingham-based praise and worship leader and songwriter, who learned from artists like Kevin Bond, William Murphy and Darwin Hobbs, has seen almost 150 radio stations play the moving, God-centered songs. Now, the artist has been blessed with three Rhythm of Gospel Award Nominations. Drake received nods for Praise & Worship Song of the Year (for "Keep Us Lord"), Worship/Praise Artist of the Year, and Best Performance by Praise & Worship Artist. Voting for the Rhythm of Gospel Awards begins on Friday, November 1st, with the event taking place on Saturday, July 26, 2014, at the Sheraton Hotel in Birmingham, AL. Fans can vote for the songstress by going towww.therhythmofgospelawards.com. Just stepping into her calling as an artist in 2013, Drake is pleasantly surprised at the accolades. She says, "I am excited and honored for the three Rhythm of Gospel Award Nominations. God has declared so many things over my life. The only thing He requires of me is to have the courage to take Him at His word and do what He says. I stand in awe of His Grace towards me." Not only is Josilyn's latest single, "Keep Us Lord", heard on radio stations nationwide, but she's had the opportunity to perform and teach the song to attendees at the 2013 Gospel Music Workshop of America, the world's largest Gospel music convention. She has appeared on WATC's Atlanta Live and on Birmingham's ABC affiliate, WBMA-TV's Talk Of Alabama. In addition, she's been featured in the Birmingham Times. For more information on Josilyn Drake, log on towww.JosilynDrake.com or connect with her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JosilynDrake and on Twitter at@JosilynDrake. For booking consideration and management information, please contact: Terry Drake, NYOFACE Entertainment [email protected] 877.455.2131 |
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October 2016
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