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CHURCH HOWSE RECORDS MAKES HOTEL HOLY GROUND AT GMWA: Holy spirit welcome in Neily Dickerson’s Howse
Featuring a prism of young, up and coming artists, the event mirrored the creativity and ingenuity of Dickerson (President of both Church Howse Records and ND Company, a promotions and marketing company) that set it a part from the myriad other manufactured events that took place throughout convention week for the Gospel Music Workshop of America.
“We do things a little different in the Church Howse, but we do it decently and in order,” the host said.
Indeed they do. Guests broke bread (gigantic pretzels) and shared libation (an orange punch) before the service not after as is typical and there was no offering plate in sight; at the end of the service “Pastor” Neily gave an offering (a cute goody bag that included sweets and tattoos with her company logos) instead of taking one.
Basing the program on use of the company name as a metaphor kept the focus on praise -- not performance and worship -- not workshop.
The emphasis was on order. Unlike in most church services, an entertainment attorney, Tabitha Plummer asked the audience to rise for “responsive reading” whereby they consented to being videotaped.
The service started with a passionate prayer and murmurs of holy adoration followed.
Performers ministered freely without over-indulging. While each artist rendered an A&B selection (that’s church talk for two songs), every round went higher and higher as the ballroom at the Adams Mark Hotel in Dallas became the Holy Spirit’s abode.
Dickerson, who hails from the Gospocentric camp (in the days of Kirk Franklin and the Family and “The Reason Why We Sing.”) was also celebrating her nine years in the industry. Her experience with notables like Karen Clark-Sheard (Finally Karen), Yolanda Adams (Mountain High, Valley Low) and Kanye West (Jesus Walks) are proof positive of her staying power and why this showcase was a dizzying success.
Many of the artists selected to participate have laudable CD projects that are gaining notice in various parts of the country.
Ernest Pugh (Minister of Music at Ebeneezer AME in Fort Washington, Maryland with a current hit at radio “Wrapped Up, Tied Up, Tangled Up”) was first to deliver an upbeat, big church praise styled tune.
Next Straight Gate Church’s Antwaun Stanley (“Show Me,” Brighter Day Records), displayed his gift to help people enter in to worship. His youthful look and small stature is truly beguiling to his commanding presence.
Onitsha, a Los Angeles artist on Hidden Beach Records came off the stage to share her vibrant vocals and encouraged onlookers that God can do all things.
Sunny Hawkins (daughter-in-law of Walter and Tremaine Hawkins) said she feels different when her husband is not with her. “My husband and I wrote everything that’s on my album.” A nervous Hawkins prepped with an cappella sample of “I Am Persuaded” to ease herself and ended with a profound number that was inspired by the movie “Passion of the Christ” called “What a Man.”
Then Tiffany Gilkey Chears the next Gospel Howse artist came to the stage and lifted the level of praise and worship even higher. Dickerson discovered her at a Kansas GMWA Convention last year. She sang about staying in God’s will and even before the band started playing shoutin’ music people caught the spirit and ran around the room and others to dance until they sweated.
The event was the concluding presentation to the Gospel Announcer’s Guild. Along with radio announcers, writers and promoters and industry executives, several gospel stars were present including Fred Hammond, Kim Burrell, Chervonne Wells, Richard Smallwood, Brent Jones, Mark Hubbard and others.
This wave of spiritual inertia poured into the sing-along session which finished of the night with fun and power. We spent about an hour singing back to back gospel oldies but goodies. When we sang “Thank You” Brent Jones (who conducted the make shift choir) pulled Kim Burrell from her front row seat to lead it.
Burrell already remade the song with her signature style, but was even more powerful live. Chicago’s Lemmie Battles kept the crowd on its feet and rocking to the beat of her classic, “The Holy Ghost.” Melanie Daniels (she has an independent record coming soon) was also in the house and her big voice kept the harmonies from the crowd going. Coming in like a tsunami topping off the sing-a-long was Tyscot artist, newcomer Lucinda Moore, who took Vickie Winan’s “Safe In His Arms” up more octaves than I could count.
What made this finale fabulous was that none of it was planned.
