TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY MARCHING BAND GETS HISTORIC GRAMMY NOMINATIONS

Tennessee State University’s Aristocrat of Bands (AOB) has been nominated for a Grammy for their album The Urban Hymnal in the Best Roots Gospel Album category.

AOB also received a second Grammy nod for their collaboration on Spoken Word Artist and Poet, J. Ivy’s album, The Poet Who Sat By The Door.

The groundbreaking album has 10 tracks filled with organic sounds that were created on TSU campus and features trailblazers within the gospel music industry. The AOB is the first collegiate band in history to earn a Grammy nomination.

“This is a tremendous day in the history of our beloved Tennessee State University,” Dr. Reginald McDonald, director of bands, said. “This is not just a band accolade, but a university-wide accomplishment. I personally appreciate our President, Dr. Glenda Glover’s vision for our university.”

“The university is very proud of this accomplishment by the Aristocrat of Bands that is celebrated by the TSU family and all of Tennessee,” said TSU President Glenda Glover.

“The AOB’s historic Grammy nominations add to the legacy of excellence that is TSU and cements the band as a part of the mystique that is Music City.”

AOB assistant director Larry Jenkins described this moment as “surreal.”

“The Aristocrat of Bands receiving a Grammy nomination is a dream come true,” Jenkins said. “This serves as a truly historic and monumental moment for all of our students, staff and the university at large. Thank you to every band student, artist, producer and each person who contributed to our album. Thank you to the Recording Academy for making this moment a reality. Like our fellow HBCU, Fisk University, did in 2020, we hope to bring another Grammy Award down Jefferson Street soon.”

The executive producers for the album are AOB Director Dr. McDonald, Prof. Jenkins, two-time Grammy award-nominated songwriter and artist Sir the Baptist, Grammy award-winning songwriter and artist Dallas Austin, and TSU alum and platinum recording artist Dubba-AA.

CeCe Winans first Black female soloist to win Artist of the Year at Dove Awards

CeCe Winans, already a multi-Grammy-winning gospel singer, added a historic win at the 2022 GMA Dove Awards, the contemporary Christian music honors, becoming the first African American female solo artist to be named Artist of the Year. She also won Song of the Year for “Believe for It,” the title track of her 2021 live recording.

As the applause subsided after the announcement of Artist of the Year, Winans broke into “To God Be the Glory” as her acceptance speech during the Oct. 18 ceremony of the Gospel Music Association that aired Friday on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

“To God be the Glory for the things he has done,” she sang, and added: “God bless you. Thank you.”

Winans added in a written statement: “All I wanted for this record was for it to touch the hearts of people so they would be encouraged and filled with hope; but its success far exceeded all that I could have imagined. To God be the glory!”

Winans, 58, won Song of the Year for the track she co-wrote with Dwan Hill, Kyle Lee and Mitch Wong.

“It’s just amazing what God is doing, working with these guys, and grabbing songs that touch my heart,” she said in expressing thanks to her co-writers and producers on the album.

“I just want us to understand that the God of miracles is still working miracles. So keep believing for it.”

[SOURCE: RELIGION NEWS]

Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story now showing exclusively on Hulu

In late Sept. 2022, Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story closed a multi-year licensing deal with Hulu and Multicom Entertainment Group in conjunction with Locomotive Entertainment (Simon Barnes and Mili Cumic) (UK) and is now showing on Hulu. Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story is a poignant look into the life and rise of the Queen of Gospel, Mahalia Jackson (Ledisi). Grammy Award Winner Ledisi brings Mahalia's fight for freedom into the spotlight while depicting Mahalia's own personal search for love. Set in New Orleans, LA, this provocative story covers over five decades of Mahalia's life and explores the tumultuous relationship Mahalia shared with her mother's older sister Aunt Duke (Janet Hubert), legally named "Mahala," Mahalia's namesake after Mahalia's mother unexpectedly passes away. Mahalia's life experiences a resurgence when at 16she moves to Chicago, IL, with her mother's sister, Aunt Hannah.

Mahalia uses those broken years to lean on her faith and her unshakable bond with God as a catalyst to inspire the world. The film explores Mahalia's unbreakable relationship with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Columbus Short) and her integral role in the Civil Rights Movement. Writer and executive producer Ericka Nicole Malone says, "When I originally wrote Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story, I never imagined the world would embrace it the way it has. I am elated for audiences to see the remarkable work that went behind this film in celebrating and honoring our national treasure Mahalia Jackson, played by a musical icon, in my view, Ledisi. Denise Dowse was a phenomenal director, and I'm incredibly honored to see our vision for this film come to life."

The film is written and Executive Produced by Ericka Nicole Malone, Co-Executive Produced by Phillip E. Robinson (Ericka Nicole Malone Entertainment), produced by Vince Allen (Illicit, Sister Code) and directed by Denise Dowse (Ray, The Resident). The film stars 2021 Grammy winner Ledisi (Selma, Pose), a 13-time Grammy-nominated powerhouse vocalist with a career spanning almost two decades. She's garnered three Soul Train Music Awards, an NAACP Theatre Award and 10 NAACP Image Award nominations. The film also co-stars Columbus Short (Stomp The Yard, Cadillac Records) as MLK, Keith David (Greenleaf), Janet Hubert (The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, AMC's Demascus), Wendy Raquel Robinson (The Game), Vanessa Estelle Williams (Soul Food, 9-1-1), Keith Robinson (Dreamgirls), and Corbin Bleu (High School Musical).

Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story has electrified the film-festival circuit with wins in categories such as The Audience Award: Feature Narrative at Pan African Film Festival; Las Vegas Black Film Festival wins Best Feature Film, Best Actress in a Feature (Ledisi) and Best Female Director (Denise Dowse); Roxbury International Film Festival in Boston with wins for Audience Favorite; Charlotte Black Film Festival wins for Best Feature, Best Actress (Ledisi), and Best Director (Denise Dowse); and an HBO Max 2022 Winner (Best Score) at Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF). Emmy Award and Dove Award-winning composer Paul Wright III is the music supervisor for the film. Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story is now available exclusively on Hulu.

Watch the trailer

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by RememberMe Mahalia Jackson (@remembermemahaliajacksonstory)