Photo by Vicki McLaughlin

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Carol is the Music & Entertainment Editor for the Mid-South World formerly Mid-South Christian Banner. The following are some of the articles she has contributed to this monthly periodical. If you have any music news or would like to know more about Memphis Music click the links below.

The Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission  

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Christian Banner Articles 2003

January | February | March | April | May | June

July | August | September | October | November | December

"Music Notes" Column 2001

"Music Notes" Articles 2002

Music Notes 2003

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Midem offers opportunity for Christian artists©  

December 2003

For the first time, I will be attending the international music industry event called Midem, set for Jan. 24-30. Midem will kick off its 38th annual music tradeshow and conference in the prestigious Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France. 

Cannes is located on the famous star-studded French Riviera, which is also the home of the world-renowned annual Cannes film festival. There are currently over 1,538 companies signed up from 71 countries and the deadline isn’t until Dec. 19, 2003.

You may be wondering why I am telling you about my plans for this international music festival. For 37 years, Midem has gathered professionals from all fields in Cannes for the world’s busiest and most renowned music industry trade event. The main goal of the conference is to facilitate business.  

This is an international music festival that covers all forms of music, and Midem desires more Christian and Gospel Music participation. There will be a Music and Technology Forum called MidemNet, which will devote a full day to digital music across the globe. Topics addressed will be:

•Sale of the Century - A View From The Top; How exactly is music selling on the Internet?

•What’s Coming Next: New Formats, New Products; Technology today offers a host of new ways to listen to music … Will these new formats and products save the music industry? 

•Technology Face-Off: DRM vs. Unrestricted Content; The industry’s use of Digital Rights Management (DRM) is now beyond the test phase. Can labels and their technology partners reconcile interests of security with consumer experience? 

•Spreading the Words (and Music): Marketing via Technology; What do the new technologies have to offer marketers? 

Ever thought about having your music placed in films and TV? Well, this will be an area that will be addressed at the Music for Images Conference. In response to the developing sector of synchronization, Midem has created this new business forum. This targeted conference is scheduled for Jan. 27 and will attract industry leaders from film and television, video game, advertising and music to discuss alternative business strategies including placing music in films, on television, and in video games. 

The unparalleled selection of Midem attracts industry professionals from every music genre each year that look to immerse themselves in five days of deal-making, business, seminars, conferences, presentations, showcases, events and parties. Midem’s unique quality lies in the fact that there is no other music event like it. It is the largest music event in the world and provides participants with an international vision of the music industry. 

If you are interested in attending, you can contact Janet Mick or Corrine Swineford of IT Management Global e-mail jmick@itpublicrelations.com. 

Whether you plan on going to Midem this year or are making plans to attend next year, consider taking your music to the next level and at some point in your music ministry, plan to attend Midem. The world is waiting. As the Bible tells us in Mark 16:15 “Go ye into the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.” 

Carol Yvonne Sherrod is the President of the Memphis chapter of the National Association of Christian Artists and Songwriters and a member of the Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission.

Billy Ray no longer has  ‘Achy Breaky Heart’©  

November 2003 

There are times that God allows certain people to come into your life for a season. But the impact they make changes your life forever.  

Tim Sewell was one such individual. He went home to be with the Lord in early October, but his legacy will not be forgotten. The Mid-South Christian Banner (now known as the Mid-South World) is the brainchild of Tim Sewell. 

If it had not been for him, I would not be writing this column today. As a matter of fact, I was so unsure of my writing skills that I almost said no. Tim assured me that if I would set up the interviews with the artists, he would edit my work. And here we are five years later. I have met people through this column that I could have only dreamed of meeting.

One of those once-in-a-lifetime interviews was with Billy Ray Cyrus. I met him backstage at the Dove Awards where he shared with me that he was going to release his debut gospel album this fall. Before returning for a fourth season on the PAX hit drama “Doc,” he got a phone call from renowned country producer Billy Joe Walker Jr. Walker had never produced a gospel record before; but he knew if anyone could pull it off, it would be Billy Ray Cyrus.  

For Cyrus, it was a blessing in disguise because it gave him a chance to finally do what he has wanted to do for a long time: return to his gospel music heritage with this new project “The Other Side.” 

Those of you familiar with the Billy Ray Cyrus story know that the Kentucky native’s musical roots lie firmly in the church. Cyrus grew up surrounded by gospel music. The grandson of a Pentecostal preacher, young Cyrus was singing with his father’s quartet before he’d started grade school. 

Indeed, Cyrus admits that his long, hard struggle to get his career off the ground and the ensuing rocket ride as “Achy Breaky Heart” catapulted him to international fame, tested his faith. A devoted family man, he and his wife Tish have six kids.   

“I have to say my world was spinning so out of control in the last ten years, I hit a couple of spots where I didn’t feel like God could hear me anymore,” Cyrus said. “There were times I felt like, is anybody listening? Does anybody care? But it wasn’t that God wasn’t listening. It’s that I wasn’t taking the time to be still and make sure that prayer was getting through.” 

With that realization came a shift in his priorities. “My family became my foundation, and my spirituality became my foundation,” he said. 

The two songs I personally liked were “Face of God” and “Always Sixteen.” “Face of God” is about how a father sees the face of God smiling back at him through his daughter’s eyes. This beautiful ballad reminds me of Bob Carlisle’s “Butterfly Kisses.” 

“Always Sixteen” talks about a couple’s loving relationship even after being together for 52 years. The question arises as to how they manage to keep the romance alive. They comment that they love each other now as they did when they were 16. These are just a couple of the songs that will really move your heart on Cyrus’ new CD, which also comes with a limited edition DVD featuring an interview and three music videos. Thanks again, Tim, for your faithfulness in following through on God’s vision in starting this paper. It has truly been a blessing to me, and prayerfully, it has been a blessing to the readers as well. 

Carol Yvonne Sherrod is the President of the Memphis chapter of the National Association of Christian Artists and Songwriters and a member of the Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission.

Songs for a ‘Purpose Driven Life’©  

October 2003 

There are several churches around the country utilizing the “Purpose Driven Life” study by Rick Warren, including my church, Bellevue Baptist. The “Purpose Driven Life” is a study that is so desperately needed. In spite of the fact that we are the richest country in the world, with the most advanced technology known to mankind, many people feel empty, worthless and lost, without a purpose in life.  

In addition to the “Purpose Driven Life” book, devotional and video series, there is also a CD called, “Songs for a Purpose Driven Life.”  

What impressed me the most about this project is that it’s not comprised of just Grammy Award, Stella Award and Dove Award winning artists. Half of the artists you may have never heard of, but they offer anointed songs that lift up the Lord.  

For example, the first song, “What on Earth (Am I Here For?)” by Jill Zadeh. I’m quite sure we will be hearing much more from her in the future; this song is simply beautiful. It emphasizes the fact that we are on this earth to worship God and live for Him and that no amount of academic degrees will be able to reveal “What you are on this earth for.” Only a relationship with God can do that. 

The next selection is “Lord, I Live” by Clint Brown. Brown is a well-known praise and worship leader with his own solo project. However, in this upbeat tune he offers everything he has to the Lord and expresses the fact that he lives just to give his life to God.  

In “My Soul in Your Hands” by Natalie Grant, I was expecting a more dramatic song with an orchestra, a big overture and lots of strings. But this song has more of a folk/rock feel to it. Don’t get me wrong though, the message sounds loud and clear when she sings about surrendering it all to God by placing her soul in His hands. 

The surprise track is “Just an Illusion” by Kevin Max. In his usual rock style he communicates that just living a good life won’t bring you happiness. The greatest illusion is that we can live without God. It’s the “fatal seduction,” Kevin Max says - it’s just an illusion. 

“Family of Love, Family of God” is sung by Take 6. Their soothing and inviting a cappella vocals make you want to join the family of God. You don’t need to have a lot of money or fancy clothes or be of a certain race. Just come and be woven into the tapestry of love.  

Another track, “We All Need” by Aaron Gayden, is one of the few songs from this CD that has enjoyed a lot of radio airplay. Fellowship, one of the most important principles of the “Purpose Driven Life” book, is expressed in this song. God shows His love through His people when we fellowship with one another.   

Other tracks include: “To Be Used by You” by Adam Watts, “Magnify” by Nicole C. Mullen, “Send Me” by Vaneese Thomas, “Thy Will” by Heath Burgett and Lauren Evans, “Reach One More for Jesus” by Lyndsey Lloyd Wallace and finally “My Life will Worship You” by Charles Billingsley, Morris Chapman and Rick Muchow. 

This CD will complete your “Purpose Driven Life” library. Each song coincides with a chapter in the book, emphasizing worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and evangelism. The ultimate desire of the makers of this CD is to let the listeners know that they are designed by God, for God’s good pleasure, to bring glory to God now and into eternity. 

Carol Yvonne Sherrod is the President of the Memphis chapter of the National Association of Christian Artists and Songwriters and a member of the Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission.

Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission has new head©       September 2003

The Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission has a new president, Reynaldo Flemings, who is ready to fulfill the mission of developing and promoting the music industry that is built on our rich cultural heritage. Memphis is only one of three states with a music commission. The music commissions of Texas and Louisiana have capitalized on their musical heritage, and it’s time for Memphis to follow suit.

Flemings is a proven entrepreneur and business development professional with particular expertise in developing organizations and people. He has planned, financed and/or worked in a management capacity for companies that have raised investment capital exceeding $70 million. And he just turned 30.

Flemings’ career began in financial service and deferred compensation. He later went on to join Distributed Net as director of business development to lead the organization from nonprofit status into a commercial enterprise. They are pioneers of distributed computing technology. His efforts resulted in a merger valued at over $5 million with United Devices, the leading provider of distributed Computing products and services.

At United Devices Flemings was the life sciences business development manager. He established the company’s life sciences strategy, conceived and directed strategic partnership and alliances, and managed the scientific advisory board.

He most recently served as vice president of sales and business development for WeTrak, a leading provider of authentication products and services for the sports and entertainment memorabilia industry.

By now you may be wondering what experience Flemings has in the music business. He has domain knowledge of the music industry, particularly the music industry in Memphis. He has consulted and developed comprehensive strategies and business plans for music organizations in the region including the State of Mississippi and the King Biscuit Blues Festival. His plans have included brand marketing and expansion, revitalization and event development. In recognition of his research, Flemings was nominated to the advisory group of Tennessee’s Film, Entertainment and Music Commission in 1996.

An avid screenwriter, Flemings is currently completing the sale of two screenplays, one of which, “Shine,” was written for and stars local recording artists. He has developed a number of contacts and relationships in the entertainment industry, including national and local recording artists and several recording labels.

What impressed me the most about Flemings, though, was his interest in Gospel music.  He has plans to bring the Gospel Music Workshop of America to Memphis. This is of interest to me not only because I work in Christian music but also because often Christian music seems to get lost in the shuffle amongst other forms of music and just isn’t taken seriously. He is very open to meeting with Christian artists, groups and organizations. His interest in marketing and promoting Christian music with the same vigor as other forms of music is refreshing.

Carol Yvonne Sherrod is the President of the Memphis chapter of the National Association of Christian Artists and Songwriters and a member of the Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission.

Is it witnessing or theft?©                                                                             August 2003

The days of digital piracy for music fans (better known as song-swapping or file-sharing over the Internet) are slowly coming to an end. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has threatened to sue individuals engaged in this practice. Napster was the first company to master the art of downloading music for free. When the recording industry realized how much revenue they were losing, they decided to put a stop to it. The U.S. copyright laws allow for damages of $750 to $150,000, meaning individuals swapping songs can be sued for up to $150,000 per download. Since more than two-thirds of the people that swap songs are kids or college-aged students, they may have a hard time collecting. Some Internet companies hope to skirt around the issue by developing software that makes the users of their file-sharing services anonymous—this way they don’t have to head to the U.S. appeals court ruling requiring Internet providers to identify subscribers suspected of illegally sharing music.

But there has recently been a new twist in the situation, with Christians swapping songs as a witnessing tool. Does this fall under the commandment "You shall not steal," as recently proposed in an article on MSNBC? Interestingly enough, Christian music sales have fallen 10 percent, according to the Gospel Music Association (GMA), compared to 8 percent in secular music.

"GMA supports the RIAA efforts to use the court system to enforce the intellectual property rights of the creative community, but also calls upon people of faith to consider that this is not just a legal issue, but also a matter of morality," said GMA president John Styll.

John Fry, president of Ardent Music in Memphis, said, "I reasoned that if there was any group in the world who—once they understood that a thing was wrong, why it was wrong, and what harm it caused—would refrain from that behavior, it ought to be Christians. My warnings have fallen largely on deaf ears. Most Christian music consumers remain uneducated."

He goes on to say, "We are a nation of laws. The Bible clearly commands us to obey civil authority and to refrain from stealing. The U.S. copyright laws specify that the creators of songs and recorded musical performances control the right to make copies and public performances of those songs and recordings. There is a limited copying exemption allowing the purchasers of recorded music to make a copy for their own use but not for distribution to others. Other copying and distribution of CDs is a violation. Downloading music and making copies from sites which are not authorized by copyright owners is a violation."

Fry said he senses that leadership is cowering because they don’t want to seem to be "all about the money. If Christian artists and writers are supposed to support their families on nothing for ministry reasons, then it’s time to stop paying our clergy. When the facts are clearly explained, there is no logically or Biblically defensible argument to support unauthorized file-sharing and duplication." 

Being a singer/songwriter myself, I am in a quandary about how downloading should be handled. On the one hand, I think if a song that I wrote was downloaded and someone was led to Christ, that would be great. But on the other hand, musicians are losing income.

To give feedback on the issue of Christians participating in Internet file-sharing, e-mail carol@sherrodministries.com.

Carol Yvonne Sherrod is the President of the Memphis chapter of the National Association of Christian Artists and Songwriters and a member of the Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission.

Final words on Doves, Gospel Music Week©                                          July 2003

During Gospel Music Week one of my mother’s favorite artists—Mr. Pat Boone—was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.  I remember him as the host of his own television show on TBN called “Gospel America.” But he has an extensive history as a teen idol who has had, in the span of his career, more than 60 hit records. He says he was raised in a religious family and that he was pleased with his clean-cut image. He believes God allowed him to be in the Hollywood limelight as a witness to those in the industry. In the late 70s he started Lamb & Lion Records, where he not only recorded albums on himself and family but also several other groups, one of them being the Christian rock band DeGarmo & Key. 

“There is no other recognition or award in this world that means more to me than this invitation to the Gospel Music Hall of Fame,” Boone said. “It would only be second to having my name in the Lamb's Book of Life.”

The Blind Boys of Alabama were also inducted in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. They formed their group in 1939 after meeting at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind, and started singing at age 10 as the “Happy Land Jubilee Singers.” Since that time they have recorded more than 50 albums and performed all over the world, including performances on “The David Letterman Show” and “Jay Leno.” They recently recorded a new CD “Higher Ground,” which has won critical acclaim.

Founding member Clarence Fountain commented for the group. “This is one of the greatest honors of our lives and proves that God works in His time, not in ours. The Blind Boys made a pledge to the Lord over 60 years ago to sing His praises, and we have never wavered from that path. We have had good times and bad, but God has always seen us through, and we've never gone wanting. We are grateful to the Gospel Music Association and its members for recognizing the Blind Boys for our many years of singing Gospel music. But I want to remind everybody that we're not done yet!”

Finally, I spoke with Donnie McClurkin about his new CD project “Again,” which contains the duet with Yolanda Adams, “The Prayer,” produced and written by David Foster. You may remember that Celine Dion, on her CD “These Are Special Times,” originally did this song. “Again” has more of a contemporary classical-pop feel to it, which is a change from the traditional Gospel sound we are accustomed to hearing McClurkin sing.

When I asked Donnie why he chose a different sound for this CD, he said God is moving his ministry in a new direction so that more souls could be won to Christ.

But whether McClurkin is ministering as the pastor of his own church, through the smash hit musical play of  “Hopeville,” or through his ever-evolving musical style, his goal is to minister to the body of Christ and to give hope and healing to those in need.

As I conclude my annual review of the Dove Awards and Gospel Music Week, I can’t help but look back at some of the great interviews I had, for example with Kirk Whalum about his work with David Porter and MercyMe on their crossover success with “I Could Only Imagine” and Patty Cabrera’s personal recognition from President George W. Bush for her single “America.”

I find one common denominator: Even in the midst of war, as we were during GMA, I could see that the hearts of these artists was to fulfill the Great Commission.

Carol Yvonne Sherrod is the President of the Memphis chapter of the National Association of Christian Artists and Songwriters and a member of the Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission.

Dove Awards Part II  - MercyMe makes mark on mainstream©
June 2003 

I started my interview with Mercy Me by asking them how they decided on their name.

I was expecting some super spiritual explanation, but lead singer Bart Millard told me that when he told his grandmother he wanted a career as a singer and was going to start a band, she responded by saying, "Mercy Me, why don't you get a real job?"

However, in spite of her objections, Millard chose to follow God's calling and start a band, and he hasn’t regretted it since. The band almost didn't record "I Could Only Imagine." It so happened that Millard let Amy Grant listen to it, and she wanted to put it on her next album. So they gave her first rights to record the song.

They were so excited about the fact that Grant was going to record one of their songs that they decided that maybe God's vision for "I Could Only Imagine" was for her to record it instead of Mercy Me.

However, after careful consideration, Grant decided she would not use the song right away. She felt this was a career song for the group and that they should record it first. She was right. It won three Dove Awards in 2001, and Millard himself won for "Songwriter of the Year." Mercy Me was nominated for a Dove this year but didn't win; however, they are beginning to seeing new life in the mainstream market with their mega-hit "I Can Only Imagine."

"Christian Retailing" reported that Mercy Me is back on the radio chart with their Christian hit "I Can Only Imagine" from their debut project, "Almost There." Wild 100, a radio station in Dallas, played "I Can Only Imagine" as a part of their "All Request Hour," and the phones rang off the hook. The song is now No. 30 on the Adult Contemporary Charts and has re-entered Billboard's Top 200, in addition to about 30 mainstream stations playing the song.

Patty Cabrera was nominated for pop/contemporary recorded Song of the Year with "Love Someone Like Me." As a bilingual artist of Cuban and Puerto Rican descent, Patty's musical influences range from Salsa to Motown to James Taylor. She is also a spokesperson for Metro Ministries in New York City, a progressive mission reaching each week more than 20,000 urban youth ensnared in a battleground of drugs, violence and abuse. She has also started her own record label, Patrona Production, a Los Angeles-based production company producing and representing artists in American and Latin markets.

She didn't win the Dove award, but her ministry is about much more than awards. She recently performed at the second annual National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. "Christian Retailing" reported more than 1,000 members of the Hispanic clergy would attend, making it one of the largest gatherings of its kind to take place in Washington. President Bush addressed the role of the Hispanic faith community in creating solutions to our nation's problems.

Furthermore, her single "America," featured on Cabrera's latest album, "Love Someone Like Me," has garnered national and international attention—including personal recognition from Bush.

Next month in Part III, I'll write about some of the winners and some of the surprises back stage with Pat Boone, The Blind Boys of Alabama, and an interesting interview with Donnie McClurkin.

Carol Yvonne Sherrod is the President of the Memphis chapter of the National Association of Christian Artists and Songwriters and a member of the Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission.

Dove Awards Part I                                                                        
Kirk Whalum Ministers  With Christian And Secular Artists©
May 2003

 Kirk Whalum recently finished a project with David Potter at Potter's recording studio in Memphis Tenn., and he is also preparing for the Stax grand opening, Gospel Music week and a tour. Whalum has received accolades for his most recent CD, "The Gospel According to Jazz Chapter II."

 But it hasn't always been this way for Whalum—especially when he first moved to Nashville. He and his wife had just put a large down payment on a home when he found out he was being dropped by his record label, Columbia, after being with them for more than 10 years. He decided that he could either become bitter or look at this as a blessing; he knew God had brought them to Nashville for a reason. Since Whalum had always wanted to make a Christian CD, he knew that now he would have the time needed to make this project a reality. Shortly thereafter, he recorded his first Gospel CD, "The Gospel According to Jazz Chapter I." After the release of this CD, which was a success, he was signed to the label, Warner Brothers Gospel.

 But, Whalum's commitment to truth, excellence and justice extends beyond just recording. The Gospel According to Jazz Workshops, sponsored by community groups and churches, bring Whalum and other leading instrumentalists and vocalists together with young musicians to encourage, equip and raise the standard of musical expression and performance in the Church. Whalum has hosted numerous benefit concerts on behalf of the Boys and Girls Club of Pasadena, Calif., and his annual Leukemia/Lymphoma Society Benefit concert in Houston, Texas, has become one of the hottest tickets in town. He is currently developing a music scholarship in honor of his grandmother, Thelma Twigg Whalum, and he continues to serve as president of Hearts Against Racism & Prejudice (HARP), a nonprofit organization that seeks to inspire people to move beyond tolerance to genuine love and acceptance.

 Since he has recorded with such artists as Babyface, Quincy Jones, Vince Gill, Barbara Streisand, Nancy Wilson (and who can forget Whalum’s sax solo in Whitney Houston’s song "I Will Always Love You" from the "Bodyguard" soundtrack?), I had to ask how he felt about using his saxophone skills in the secular arena. He said the foundation for his work has been Romans 1:16—"I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes."  He says God has called him to work with secular artists as well as Christian artists. During the seven years that he worked with Whitney Houston, he held daily Bible studies on each of her tours. He was known as the preacher on tour, as everyone knew where he stood spiritually.

Future interviews from the Dove Awards will include conversations with MercyMe, Patty Cabrera and Donnie McClurkin.

Carol Yvonne Sherrod is the President of the Memphis chapter of the National Association of Christian Artists and Songwriters and a member of the Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission.

O’Landa Draper’s Music Lovers Conference©
April 2003 

July 21, 1998, was a sad day in Gospel music; it was the day O’Landa Draper of "O’Landa Draper and Associates" died. O’Landa was one of the first to introduce the industry to hip-hop music in a gospel choir setting, complete with choreography and praise. His prolific style of Gospel music rewarded him with many honors including: a Grammy Award, Stella, Dove Award, Excellence Award and Premier Player Award. Governors, U. S. senators, U.S. presidents, city and county mayors, radio personalities, religious leaders, and educational institutions around the country also appreciated his achievements in Gospel music. 

In addition to the choir, he also started the O’Landa Draper’s Music Lovers Conference, which this year celebrated its 10-year anniversary. This year’s Music Lovers Conference was exceptional. Marie Draper (O’Landa’s mother) said, "This is the only winter conference in this region (Memphis) which is offered to the public at such a reasonable rate."  There were artists and bands from as far as California and as close as Atlanta. The conference ran from Jan. 29 to Feb. 1. There were panels held every day from 5-9 p.m. on choir directing, vocal techniques, marketing, legal representation and more.

 The newest facet of this conference was the addition of the Grammy Gospel Forum, put on by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS). They shared with the attendees how to enter the recording of a Grammy, how the voting process worked, and the need to expand the Gospel categories on the Grammy Ballot. The keynote speaker was Frank Breeden, past president of the Gospel Music Association, and the panel included Toby Mac from D.C. Talk and Harvey Watkins Jr., his manager. Ed DeGarmo served as the moderator. To have a powerhouse panel such as this and the participation of NARAS took the conference to another level.

 Marie Draper also has a ministry, which includes being a renowned national speaker and a certified human resource development consultant. Her message to youth, adults and seniors is positive and powerful, one which she has acquired from her own life experiences. Her motivation and empowerment ministry is dedicated to helping people realize and fulfill their potential.

 Draper continues the conference because it "shares the realities of the music industry so that (musicians) can determine if this is where God wants them as it relates to a career in Gospel music." She said it also provides the opportunity to share God-given talents with people in the industry and abroad.

 O’Landa would be proud to see what his mother has done with his ministry. It would have been easy for his ministry to die with him, but she has chosen to keep it alive to help educate, develop and expand other ministries. For more information on Draper Ministries, go to www.draperministries.org.

Carol Yvonne Sherrod is the President of the Memphis chapter of the National Association of Christian Artists and Songwriters and a member of the Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission.

Fred Hammond’s calling is sure despite difficult past©
March 2003

 Many of us know Fred Hammond for his accomplishments including Grammy and Dove awards. He has also produced such artists as Yolanda Adams, CeCe Winans, Mighty Clouds of Joy, 4HIM, Tammy Trent and others. 

But few know that Fred Hammond was born out of wedlock from an affair that his mother had with another man.  This affair caused her to lose her husband and her two daughters in a very painful divorce. As a result of her anger, she stopped going to church, where she felt ostracized. She took a lot of her pain out on Fred physically and emotionally.  This obviously strained their relationship, which has taken a long time to repair. However, after plenty of pain and heartache, she finally started to mend, and she met and married Raymond Hammond.  He adopted Fred as his own and gave him his last name.  Everything was going well until Raymond found out that he was dying of cancer.  After she lost her second husband, Mrs. Hammond had a choice to once again become bitter and angry with God or to live for Him. She chose to live for Him, started witnessing to Fred, and led him to the Lord at age 10. 

Through it all, Hammond was called by God to minister as a musician. His album released in 2000, entitled "Purpose By Design," reflects this call upon his life.  He started by singing with the Winans Brothers, then named "The Testimonials," in the early ’80s. He went on to form "Commission," which included the now solo artist and pastor Marvin Sapp; and later he formed Fred Hammond with Radical for Christ. Hammond is now in negotiations for his own television show and possibly a movie on the silver screen.

Whether as singer, producer or TV personality, Hammond knows his purpose is to share Christ with others. On the inspirational page of his Web site, he writes, "Jesus isn't a quick fix – He is the fix. I offer Jesus to you." Even though Hammond is the architect behind the development of a new genre of Gospel music, urban praise and worship, he hasn't forgotten his true mission of offering Jesus Christ to the world.

Carol Yvonne Sherrod is the President of the Memphis chapter of the National Association of Christian Artists and Songwriters and a member of the Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission.

"Lift Every Voice and Sing"©
February 2003  

February is Black History month and as I was reviewing the winners of the Stella Awards and preparing to attend the Dove Awards in Nashville I thought how sad it was that there wasn't a one event that combined both Black an White worship music.  The mere words "Christian Music" implies that the artists are more than likely White and the words "Gospel Music" implies that the artists is more than likely Black.  There are however a few artists who have managed to cross over into the Christian music market such as Nicole C. Mullen, Mary Mary, Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, CeCe Winans, Yolanda Adams, Donnie McClurkin, Anointed, Babbie Mason and Larnelle Harris.  Unfortunately, it wasn't easy.

After interviewing various artists over the last four years I have heard some very sad stories about the difficulties and blatant discrimination that some of them have experienced.  I remember Babbie Mason telling me in an interview a couple of years ago that she was scheduled to do a concert at a predominately white church and when she got there and they saw that she was black, suddenly the concert was cancelled. Then there was Shirley Caesar who remembers being chased by a mob of anger white men when she came down south to do a concert. Moreover, many black artists still to this day have the problem of having their music played only black radio stations or having the retail outlets place their music in only the "Gospel music section" and not the general "Christian music" section of the store.

Christian music needs to come together.  Secular music has done a great job at this by having the "American Music awards" or the "People's Choice Awards," which both represent all musical styles.   Also different musical styles have brought the races together such as music from the "Apollo Theatre" in the 40's, and "American Bandstand" music in the 50's in addition to the "Motown Sound" of the 60's and the Disco music of the 70's.

Yes, there are different musical styles and that is a good thing because we need to have something for everyone. This is why God didn't put musical notes to the songs in the book of Psalms, because God knew that music styles would change but that the message would remain the same.  However, we need to make sure that worship songs that glorify the Lord should reach the masses Black, White or Hispanic, all of God's children. Eph 4:5-6 states that, "There is only One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all who is above all, and through all in you all;" - We should keep that in mind when we have an awards show or when Christian music is played on the radio or placed in store.  No longer should we have only 5-10 black artists out of over 100 potential nominations nominated for a Dove awards or have zero nominations of white artists at the Stella Awards.

Keep in mind that we all need to the assurance of the fact that our "Redeemer Lives,"  (Nicole C. Mullen) and we need to know as Christians that even though   "We Fall Down-We can get up" (Donnie McClurkin) and sometimes when we feel our worship drying-up we may need to ask God to "Revive Us." (Anointed) God's intent is for our music ministries' is to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all.  Jesus has no respecter of person, and he came so that all should come to repentance. (II Peter 3:9)

As I close let me leave you with the words of verse one of the "Negro National Anthem" which echo's my desire for the music ministries around the world. 

Lift every voice and sing,

Till earth and heaven ring,

Ring with the harmonies of liberty;

Let our rejoicing rise,

High as the listening skies,

Let it resound loud as the rolling sea,

Sing a song full of faith that the dark past has taught us,

Sing a song full of hope that the present has brought us,

Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,

Let us march on till our victory is won.

Carol Yvonne Sherrod is the President of the Memphis chapter of the National Association of Christian Artists and Songwriters and a member of the Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission.

"Carman Talks About His Music Ministry"©
January 2003 

(Church Tour Takes Longtime Christian Artist Back In Time)

I had the great pleasure of talking with Carman when he was in Memphis for his recent church tour. After we prayed he had a lot to say about the future of his ministry and his hopes, dreams and desires. What follows are some highlights of the conversation:

Carol Sherrod: Why are you singing in smaller venues versus the stadiums that you’ve done in the past?

Carman: By this being our 20th anniversary I wanted to do something different, and go back to churches that have supported us down through the years. It’s been 17 years since I’ve sung in churches, and I’ve found them to be a lot of fun. We have a lot of laughs and I can be more versatile and play around with the audience a lot, it’s just like the old days.

C.Y.S.: What are you doing on the movie front since "The Champion?"

Carman: I’m am still writing scripts for a television series and we are about 98 percent close to closing a deal on a new movie.

C.Y.S.: Are you going to do another movie with TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network)?

Carman: No. TBN is not doing movies any more.

C.Y.S.: Really?  I’m surprised because the last few movies they did I thought were really good.

Carman: They chose to refocus their attention back toward the network. Especially with the new networks they have started up JCtv - the youth channel and the church network, and you can only do just so much.

C.Y.S.: I go to the Dove Awards every year and I noticed that your music doesn’t seem to be as well received by the Gospel Music Association as some of the other artists. Why is that?

Carman: I don’t know …  I have not been nominated for songwriter of the year or any of that type of stuff. I’ve just never been a Gospel Music Association Dove Award favorite. As a matter of fact I think it’s getting less and less as time goes on.

C.Y.S.: Well if it’s any consolation, you’re one of my favorite Christian artists.

Carman: And that’s all that matters right now.

C.Y.S.: What ever happen with the one million names that you wanted to give to the President?

Carman: We tried with the Clinton administration about 11 times and about 3 times with the Bush administration and have been unsuccessful with all of them. I don’t understand why, especially since I found out that it is the most names that anyone citizen has ever collected on any one topic. I don’t represent any certain group or faction I just want to hand them to the President and then I’m out of there.

C.Y.S.: What helps to bring you up when you are be feeling down?

Carman: Listening to praise and worship music brings me up when I’m down as well as listening to a T. D. Jakes tape.

C.Y.S.: You like T. D. Jakes too?

Carman: He’s kind of like, if you don’t get lifted up you gonna get beat up.

C.Y.S.: What have you not had the opportunity to do yet that you would like to do?

Carman: I’m still looking forward to doing more film and movies; that’s an art form that I think is still underdeveloped in the body of Christ.

C.Y.S.: As we close are there any words of encouragement that you’d like to give to the new aspiring artists who read this?

Carman: If you deepen your ministry — God will broaden it. It’s up to you to keep your ministry deep and powerful and it’s up to God to bring it out to the world.

Carol Yvonne Sherrod is the President of the Memphis chapter of the National Association of Christian Artists and Songwriters and a member of the Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission.