Daily Inspiration

Saturday Morning Ministries

Daily Inspiration

The Donnie McClurkin Show

For a man who has declared that he may at any moment cease making music to concentrate fully on his passion for ministering, Donnie McClurkin can never stay away long from recording profoundly uplifting music for the soul. The evidence: his latest collection We All Are One (Live in Detroit) – his breathlessly anticipated first music recording in five years! Along for the momentous celebration are very special guests CeCe Winans, Yolanda Adams, Mary Mary and Karen Clark-Sheard. Once again, Donnie, his singers and musicians share the joy of God’s bounty – live before an on-fire congregation where platinum-plus Pastor McClurkin’s vocal and testimonial gifts have always shined their brightest.

“I decided to record in Detroit after much prayer. I put a lot of thought into the cities we record,” Donnie shares. “My mentor Andrae Crouch made one of his best CDs live in London, so I did the same thing some 20 years afterwards (resulting in the platinum Live in London…and More CD which included Donnie’s now classic anthem “We Fall Down”). I recorded my CD Again in California because my first time ever being given a platform in someone else’s church was 1982 in Los Angeles at West Angeles Church of God and Christ. Recording in Detroit this time goes without saying because that’s home! I was there for 13 years and was a charter member at Perfecting Church which was founded by Marvin Winans. Even with Detroit’s tough transitions and hard situations, the church has always been the mainstay that holds everything together. By bringing this recording to Detroit and bringing the churches together there, we can aid in the healing of that city.”

The themes of the 12-song We All Are One are of unity and tolerance. Donnie explains, “Jesus said, ‘A house divided against itself cannot stand,’ yet we remain disconnected: Republicans and Democrats, Blacks, Whites, Yellows and Browns, Baptists and Methodists, Lutherans and Episcopalians… Where is the unity? Coming from a religious background, I was taught to judge harshly, but my thinking now is, ‘Let God do the judging so that I may learn how to love and understand the ways in which we are all connected.’ I believe that lesson of compassion and fellowship will ultimately be learned by the young ones coming behind me. For my song ‘We All Are One,’ I brought in Asaph Ward – one of the greatest producers in gospel music – and we came up with a ‘World Beat’ to unite the masses. At the end of the song, adult voices fade into children’s voices singing, ‘We all are one in The Lord,’ driving home the point that you have to come to Him as a child.”

We All Are One (Live in Detroit) is a boldly eclectic collection from McClurkin, moving from the powerfully opener “Trusting in You” and the lilting call and response vibe of “You Are My God and King” (featuring a playful battle of the choir sections on the “Reprise”) to the soul-soothing “Let the River Flow” and a duet with the ever-amazing Karen Clark-Sheard for “Wait on The Lord.”

Donnie enthuses, “On ‘I Choose to Be Dancing,’ we incorporated many different feels – hard rock with the guitars and strings for the culture sound, but we kept the rhythm section urban. And on my praise and worship ‘Halleujah Song’ – which God gave me on a Sunday when we were all up in church praying – the idea of praising God in a succession of different languages just came to me at the last second! We sing in Dutch, Spanish and the African language Yoruba. Oshe ba ba means ‘Thank you, Father.’ ”

Among the most profound songs on We All Are One is the piano and strings meditation “All We Ask,” on which Donnie weaves the testimonies of three different people, verse by verse, immortalizing them in song. Donnie explains, “The first verse is about a young man who came to me trying to find his place in life, the second verse is from my personal story, and the last verse is about my older sister Olivia, who was dying at the time that I wrote the song. She is now deceased. I wouldn’t let anyone else play the piano on it because I knew exactly how I wanted the music to be interpreted, but when my sister passed I did not have the strength to use my voice. So I turned ‘All We Ask’ into a feature for my background singers who have been with me faithfully since 1996 (in order of appearance: Duwane Starling; Donnie’s younger sister Andrea Mellini; Sherry Maghee and Nancey Jackson –Johnson).

An undeniable standout is “When You Love” which transcends the church to speak about love on an earthly plane. “That’s one of my favorites,” Donnie shares. “We must remember that God didn’t just make us spirit. He made us body, mind and spirit. The song is inspirational – derived from the gospel – but based solely on love…how to love, what to do when you love, how to act when you’re in love… It lifts men and women out of the lust that’s all over the radio and into commitment, romance, even respecting your elders – the whole gamut! I had to get the ladies CeCe and Yolanda, along with Erica and Tina of Mary Mary, to help me. It’s a beautiful song without any risqué, ambiguous or alternative messages. This is simply about the heart of God and how He wants us to learn to love purely.”

McClurkin’s pure love for the Lord has grown through crippling adversity that ultimately fortified his faith ten-fold. Born November 9, 1959, in Amityville, New York, his childhood home was mired in domestic violence and drug abuse until an aunt who sang with the great Andrae’ Crouch introduced him to the musical icon who in turn introduced him to his future. Young Donnie played keyboards with his church youth choir before forming the McClurkin Singers with relatives and friends in 1979. Following a calling to preach, he never loosened his grasp on music. In 1989 Donnie started the NY Restoration Choir and recorded the album I See A World, which contained the classic “Speak to My Heart.”

Two near-simultaneous events changed McClurkin’s life forever. Just as he was appointed as an associate minister at Marvin Winans’ Perfecting Church in Detroit, he also learned that he’d been stricken with leukemia. While battling the disease, Donnie was signed to Warner Alliance Records as a solo artist where he recorded his pivotal self-titled album, marked by a smooth sophistication in the production that couched his soaring tenor for a series of soul-stirring numbers. Through BeBe Winans, media mogul Oprah Winfrey learned of Donnie’s music and struggle, invited him on her top-rated TV show , a golden opportunity that catapulted his CD to #4 on the gospel charts, recognition beyond the church world and gold + sales. Donnie soon after signed to Verity Records where his first CD, Live in London and More, would far surpass his solo debut thanks to secular radio embracing his gracefully reassuring “We Fall Down”. The song met with international acclaim, made the Top 40 of Billboard’s R&B chart and rocketed past platinum sales of over one million copies sold instantly making Donnie among gospel’s best selling artists.

He earned a trophy case full of Dove and Stellar Awards plus other honors including an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Gospel Artist. In 2001 Donnie graduated to establishing his own Perfecting Faith Church in Freeport, New York, all the while continuing to release the magnificent musical works Again (2003) and the double-CD Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs (2005) each one garnering the coveted Grammy Award.

Today, McClurkin’s commitment to spreading God’s word far and wide is most evident in a last minute addition to the We All Are One album titled “Purple,” composed expressly for Donnie by Darren Atwater and performed by his truly inspiring Soulful Symphony in Baltimore, MD. “I’ve known Darren for years,” Donnie states. “I was doing a concert in Baltimore with him last year as a guest with his 40-piece orchestra. During rehearsal he introduced this new song of praise and the minute I heard it I went to hollerin’! I asked him what it was. He told me it was called ‘Purple’ and he’d written it just for me. I loved it so much that even though we were 90% finished with the album, I made room to add this song, which Darren produced himself. Darren Atwater is a genius as an arranger and conductor – manifesting real cultural exchange by bringing classical culture into the gospel environment. He also leads workshops that introduce young African Americans to acoustic instruments and the works of Chopin and Bach without a Pro Tools in sight! It gives them inspiration to maybe pick up a viola or a cello that they may never have experienced within their monoculture.”

Still, at the end of the day, Donnie McClurkin has been and always will be a, card carryin’ member of the Church of God and Christ (COGIC). Donnie bears witness to this fact via the unfiltered jubilance of his soul on the CD’s most exhilarating number, “The Great I Am.” “Holy Ghost revival songs are our specialty,” Donnie shouts! “I was just over here teaching some of the church members that stopped by how to ‘church dance’…and THAT is the song I played! There was a Bishop by the name of Gilbert Patterson who would always bring the old songs up at praise time. I wanted to write a song just like that, so I sat down to the piano, started playing an old-time gospel feel and this song just leapt out of me! When I got to the studio, the group was like, ‘This is so corny,” but I told `em, ‘Just sing what I tell you to sing!’ That night after Asaph got a hold of the music, and Trent Phillips and the band played it like second nature, the energy in the room just exploded!”

“I’ve always been in awe of God,” Pastor Donnie McClurkin concludes. “I didn’t want anything on my latest offering, We All Are One, to reflect suffering or ‘climbing up that mountain’ in the way to which traditional Black gospel is accustomed. I wanted to luxuriate in and celebrate in the greatness of God.”

Listen Weekdays 5a-6a and Saturday 10a-12n
Donnie McClurkin

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Canton Jones

Canton Jones is a chameleon of sorts. He has the swagger of a hip hop mogul, the voice of an R&B icon and the unquestionable anointing of a man of the cloth.
But even though he can blend into any genre and appeal to any crowd, Jones leaves no doubt about his identity or his calling. “It’s always been a goal of mine to have a voice to speak life into the lives of others,” he says. “I’ve been blessed with the creative ability to use music as a vehicle to realize this dream.”
Jones’ crossover appeal is undeniable. From urban youth donning sagging pants, to progressive ministries who endorse his unique blend of hip hop, urban gospel and R&B, to middle aged music lovers who remember how it was “back in the day,” fans have embraced Jones’ lyrical edginess and warmed up to his heartfelt ballads.
With his current CD, “Kingdom Business” (Arrow Records), Jones says he has delivered his most creative package to date. “Kingdom Business expresses my passion to advance the Kingdom of God,” he affirms. “When the principles of the Kingdom are put into action, then blessings and success are inevitable.”
Impacting radio with the uplifting hit “My Day,” “Kingdom Business” is an eclectic mix of undeniable street anthems and melodic story lines that take listeners from the streets to the suites, giving them the spiritual tools they need to handle the business of life. “Kingdom Business” boasts an array of songs that will enlighten, uplift and, yes, entertain. “Gospel music has the ability to uplift, inspire and encourage people from all walks of life,” says Jones. “It produces an energetic atmosphere of hope while providing entertaining elements that are undeniable.”
From songs like “My Day” to the gritty, urban riders’ anthem “Living Clean,” Jones has captured the eyes and ears of not only gospel lovers but R&B and hip-hop fans as well, generating a heavy buzz on Myspace and YouTube.
With three albums (“20 Years, 3 Months, 12 Days,” “Love Jones,” and “The Password: Access Granted”), a Grammy nod, a Stellar Awards nomination, three Gospel Choice Awards and a Dove Awards nomination to his credit, Jones maintains the unshakable confidence of someone who knows the tide is turning his way. “Gospel music is filled with gifted and talented individuals,” he says. “I am honored to be a part of such a movement that is timeless and so impactful.”

More than an artist, Canton Jones represents a philosophy, a movement, and a generation relentlessly advancing a positive new sound in the industry. He understands that it is not just about the music, but about a lifestyle that offers peace and prosperity for anyone bold enough to pursue their purpose.
As a singer, songwriter, producer, and vocal arranger who has sold more than 100,000 units independently, Canton Jones has embarked on an ambitious plan to bring his unique style of hip hop, R&B and urban gospel to the forefront of the industry. On any given day he can be found sharing the stage with hip hop heavyweights like T.I., David Banner and Ludacris; collaborating with established creative geniuses like John Legend, Kirk Franklin and Patti LaBelle; or swapping verses with gospel powerhouses like Smokie Norful, Dr. Bobby Jones and Kiki Clark-Sheard.
As an entrepreneur, Jones is the consummate businessman, building an empire that will likely change the music business for years to come. “Kingdom Business” symbolizes his global business philosophy. CAJO International (a company he started with his wife Ramona nearly five years ago) – is quietly positioning itself in music, television, video, and global commerce, and raising a powerful new standard for young entrepreneurs around the world.
Canton’s unlimited repertoire, massive crowd appeal, and global fan base have set him on a course destined to shake the very core of hip hop, urban gospel, and R&B.

www.cantonjones.net
www.myspace.com/therealcantonjones
www.cajointernational.com
www.sonicbids.com/cantonjones

Darlene McCoy

Darlene McCoy has a multifaceted personality that in a modest attempt, can be described as sincere, indomitable, warm-hearted, comical, effervescent, and most of all infectious! This multi-talented vocalist, wife and mother of three took center stage in the music world with her debut album in May of 2007 simply and appropriately titled “Darlene McCoy” with
Producer Music Mogul Dallas Austin at the helm. She is currently at work on her sophomore release collaborating with some of music’s top producers. Her accomplishments include:

• Top 25 on Urban AC Billboard Charts • Two Time 2008 Dove Nominee Award “Best Urban Album and Best Urban Single” • Hit Single “Fallen In Love” Featured in
Tyler Perry Motion Picture Soundtrack “Diary of a Mad Black Woman”

• Television appearances:
- BET… Bobby Jones “Lift Every Voice”
- TV ONE Gospel of Music w/ Jeff Majors
- FOX 5 TV… “Good Day Atlanta.”
- Gospel Music Channel “Gospel Dream”
[Celebrity Vocal Coach]
-WATC TV 57…. “Atlanta Alive

• Music Video “Amazing” aired on Soul of VH1, BET and BETJ. “Amazing” Video reached number two spot on Gospel Music Channel.

CEO/Visionary of JENIMAC – a non-profit organization offering mentorship for teenage girls, 13-19 and young women 20-25, with a goal to help develop these young women into respectable and responsible women of character and integrity through, empowering workshops that offer life coping skills, which will poise them for successful lives.
Visionary and host of 4th WATCH – a prophetic non-denominational worship service, every 3rd Saturday morning from 3:00 – 6:00AM.

She is the current host of the Midday Show from 10a-3p on Atlanta’s inspiration station, Praise 102.5, the #1 gospel station in the country.

Darlene McCoy……REAL, RELEVANT AND RELATABLE

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