We can’t wait to see what your choir can do!

We had so many stars in the house tonight! Of course we were blessed with our host Donald Lawrence and resident judge Pastor Marvin Sapp; along with Byron Cage, Kurt Carr, the Clark Sisters, Brother Hahz and James Fortune. Donald Lawrence and Bro Hahz set it off during the show’s phenomenal opening performance, “Let the Word Do the Work.” The energy was next level! The crowd was on their feet and the sound of almost 13,000 people applauding and screaming at the close of his performance was incredible! I got lots of love and energy from the crowd as I stepped on the stage and it felt great! I was able to surprise the audience by informing them that tonight’s show was going to be broadcast on GMC (Gospel Music Channel) on November 22^nd at 8 pm. I’m so excited about that, as everyone will be able to see what an incredible show we had tonight.

Our judges, Pastor Marvin Sapp, Dorinda Clark Cole and Byron Cage took to the stage and the competition began. First up, representing the Newark region from New York City’s Marble Collegiate Church was Marble Community Choir singing “Down By The Riverside.” They opened with an intricate and impressive arrangement before going in the song’s down-home feel. It was clear that tonight was going to exceed any and all expectations! It was on, and these choirs came to bring the praise and the praise party! Next, came Selected of God from Praise Tabernacle in Grosse Point, Michigan. They were worshipful even as they walked onto the stage and I knew that they were going to be powerful. They were Detroit’s best small choir, the only small choir that we had in the finale. Small in number, but mighty in everything else. They had a big sound, great voices, and huge hearts of praise!

I have to say that on the 2nd night on the tour, in St. Louis, I just fell in love with Faith Baptist Church Choir form Festus, Missouri. As Donald said, “They have so much heart - you can feel it right away.” Detroit must’ve felt it because they loved their performance! The audience was with them every step of the way as they sang “Soon and Very Soon.” That drum beat kicked in and the crowd jumped to their feet and clapped and danced away. It was so much fun! Next, representing the Philadelphia region was the Anointed Voices from the Ford Memorial Temple in Philly. What a powerhouse choir! I loved their arrangement of “Great is Thy faithfulness” It was so beautiful! They showcased the song, but still managed to infuse their personality, strength and flair. Impressive!

Choir 5 was from East Oakland Faith Deliverance Center. Angelic Voices of Deliverance Center Choir our Oakland regional Winner brought down the house singing “Battlefield.” It was so great to enjoy them a second time! Their sound was so massive and they had everyone on their feet. The high energy crowd kept clapping and stomping long after they had finished! The next finalist was from Evangel World Outreach center representing Chicago. The Evangel Celebration Choir sang “Total Praise” and it was unbelievable! It’s amazing because each and every choir takes the stage and reminds me why they are here and how much I loved them in their own regions. Evangel was no exception. The way they sing “Total Praise” is just incredible. The crowd went crazy as they showcased their great strength and control. I loved it!

The multi-talented James Fortune introduced our beloved Marvin Sapp, who, with a live band, showcased his tremendous gifting. He began by singing “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” then went into “I Know it Was The Blood,” then topped it off with his amazing hit “Never Would’ve Made It!” It was an incredible, INCREDIBLE performance. This took us into intermission and audience members ventured back out into the fully decked out concourse where they could enjoy the art exhibit, 12 original paintings commissioned by Verizon Wireless exclusively for HSTS. There was also my personal fave Gospel Karaoke! The Verizon and HSTS staff worked so hard in each city to create a fun filled atmosphere in the lobby of each arena. Tonight, Kierra Sheard’s Bold Right Life Community Choir and the Greater Emmanuel Church of God in Christ Praise Dancers performed at the youth gospel showcase in the lobby and did a terrific job!

Byron Cage jump started Act 2 with an awesome medley of two songs I absolutely love, “I Will Bless The Lord,” and “The Presence of the Lord.” It was phenomenal! He had background singers, dancers, and he sounded amazing. They really rocked it out and it was a great way to get the show going. We introduced two special guests after his performance. Sikita Grayson, Verizon Wireless’ Director of Customer Service informed the audience about HopeLine®, Verizon Wireless’ Charity Initiative that puts wireless equipment and services to work to assist victims of domestic violence. On tour the choirs raised over 8,000 phones, and in honor of those donations Verizon wireless presented a check for $25,000 to the National Network to End Domestic Violence! The NNEDV’s policy director Tralonne Shorter was on stage to accept the check and said how honored she was and how excited they were about partnering with Verizon Wireless. What an amazing gift!

Ok, back to the competition. P. S. A. L. M. S., our LA winners from City of Refuge Church brought it as they sang “Souled Out”! Theatrics, dynamics, choreography, energy-they were off the chain! I loved their style and enthusiasm and the audience did too. They lent such a modern, youthful edge to the show and it was fabulous. Next, from Greater Community Temple Church of God In Christ from Memphis Tennessee was Greater Community Temple Voices singing, “My Soul Doth Magnify The Lord.” I absolutely love what they do to this song! It’s so funky! The band was incredible, the choir was fantastic and you could tell they were just having a good time up there.

Resurrection Baptist Mass Choir, our Houston regional winners, from Schertz, Texas sang “For Every Mountain.” This is truly one of my favorite songs and I was so moved as I listened to them. They really took their time with the song and performed it beautifully. The Atlanta Regional winners, Atlanta West Pentecostal Church Choir were next and I was so excited to hear them sing “Anthem of Praise.” They really brought it in ATL and they continued to stir us up in Detroit. They are so comfortable on the big stage and as they walked to the stage I discovered why. I overheard one of the lead members saying, “Let’s just have church y’all,” and that’s exactly what they did! The crowd was on their feet and it was Sunday AM on Saturday PM at The Joe Louis Arena. As in ATL, they brought the spirit of praise and we worshipped for almost 10 minutes before we could even get to the judging! What a blessed time! The spirit of worship continued as The Remnant Concert Choir from Mt. Ararat Baptist Church in Pittsburgh, PA. sang “Blessed Assurance.” This choir, our Washington, DC winners, has the most beautiful sound. Their blend and vocal technique is incredible! They impressed the Detroit crowd with their awesome arrangement and I was so happy to witness their performance again.

Before we announced this evening’s winners, the amazing Clark Sisters performed a medley of some of their hit songs. I love them so much and they are just too good! There were several moments, where I just watched, mouth agape, listening to their incredible vocal gymnastics and unbelievable range. The crowd was on their feet for their hometown queens of Gospel and they put on a great show.

The energy was high as Donald and I walked on the stage, ready to announce this year’s winners. We saw so many fabulous choirs this year, in 11 cities, in front of thousands of people, and now the moment of truth had finally arrived. It was time to announce the winners for the 2009 “How Sweet The Sound” choir competition. We brought all of the choir directors on stage and the anticipation was so thick! Taking home the V CAST People’s Choice Award and a check for $5,000 was Atlanta West Pentecostal Church! Runner up was Mt. Ararat Baptist Church’s Remnant Concert Choir and they received a check for $15,000! The choir that was crowned the Best Church Choir In America was (drumroll please) Atlanta West Pentecostal Church!!!! The excitement was immeasurable as the confetti dropped and the choir praised and Donald led the Detroit audience in a rousing version of “The Best is Yet To Come” It was a truly unforgettable evening and I will cherish every single memory and friend that I’ve made during this experience. I thank everyone who was involved, I had a remarkable time. I’m so grateful to Verizon Wireless for the enormous investment that they’ve made into the Gospel community. What a wonderful way to celebrate the choirs and support the community. I know that they will be abundantly blessed for giving this gift to all of us. I was blessed just to be a part of it.

How Sweet the Sound 2009 will continue the celebration with this gathering of incredible choirs, inspiring talent, and a reason to rejoice. The best of the best choirs from our 11-city tour will walk away with additional cash and prizes of up to $25,000! Not to mention the title of The Best Church Choir in America!

But don’t delay or you could miss the gospel event of the year!. Tickets are going fast! Get your tickets now starting at just $5 for upper bowl seats and $7 for floor seats. Go to www.TicketMaster.com. Or for more information go to HowSweetTheSound.com!

As Donald took to the stage and performed “Let The Word Do The Work”, the energy in the arena was astounding. I couldn’t help but be moved as I listened to the words and applied them to myself. I’m running a marathon tomorrow and earlier today Donald encouraged me to speak positively and not negatively or “realistically” as I term it. So, I took his words to heart, jammed along to the song, enjoyed the remarkable performance and let his incredible energy encourage me as much as it did the audience.

It was time for the last regional competition and I was ready to hear the choirs. First was Sounds of Zion, from Mt. Zion Assemblies. This choir started it off with a song that I love to sing at my church, “Again I Say Rejoice.” I think a lot of the Bay Area sings this as well, because people got on their feet and it was like Sunday morning! Did I mention that the choir had 5 people? That’s including the lead vocalist! The judges commented on this with guest judge, Angel Taylor from Trin-i-tee 5:7 saying, “What you lacked in size, you made up for in attitude.” Resident judge Pastor Marvin Sapp said, “Gideon must be in the house, because you brought only what you needed.”

Another small but mighty choir, Voices of Victory, from Abundant Life Ministries WLAC was next. They had 9 singers, but had a huge sound! The choir took a very challenging song and performed their hearts out! The judges congratulated their fabulous band, their energy, and the sopranos got special mention.

The Pentecostals of Bay Area brought the Latin flavor to the How Sweet the Sound, singing “Psalms 68.” This choir brought great energy, enthusiasm and had a sassy vibe. They flipped the song and showcased their control for the audience. The crowd filled the Oracle Arena with a huge applause and a standing ovation. They killed it! Angel Taylor from Trin-i-tee 5:7 loved their choreography, energy and their spirit.

Ok, so Latinos were in the house tonight! I love it! I love the diversity that How Sweet The Sound promotes. This is what heaven will be like! From Apostolic Community Life Center came Apostolic Community Choir singing, “Nobody Like Jesus” They brought it too! Apostolic hair coverings and all. This choir was strong! The lead vocalist was so commanding and comfortable on the big stage. Oakland was in full support - clapping and stomping along. Oakland knows how to have church and that’s just what we did. The small choirs were fantastic!

I have been privy to the phenomenon that is the opening line of “Never Would’ve Made It” 11 times! This song and its singer, Pastor Marvin Sapp never cease to amaze me. I, along with the sold out arena, can relate to this song and when Marvin tells the audience to testify “I’m stronger, I’m wiser, I’m better, so much better”, you can literally feel the spirit of community and family as the audience repeats his words. It’s so awesome. I’ll miss hearing this song live, it’s one of the best parts of my day.

During the intermission audience members got to experience the festive atmosphere of the concourse. There is so much going on out there. We had 2 groups of young people perform at the Gospel Showcase- Joyful Praise Youth Choir and the Maranatha Ministries Praise Dancers, presented by George Bostic and West Coast Praise. There’s also Gospel Karaoke, highlights of which are shown during the show, and an art exhibit of original paintings commissioned by Verizon Wireless exclusively for How Sweet the Sound. Plenty to keep folks busy before the show and during intermission.

Trin-i-tee 5:7 opened Act 2 with an amazing performance of their classic hit “God’s Grace.” These judges know how to perform! Vocally, they are so on point and they looked lovely. Chanelle showed incredible range. Wow. From the basement to the attic! It was a great performance that the audience loved!

Opening up the large choir category was Genesis Worship Center Choir, singing “Emmanuel.” The choir looked great. Purple and white robes that looked really awesome against the purple lighting reflected on the How Sweet the Sound backdrop behind them. They had a powerful soloist and the choir really sounded good, with Donald congratulating them on their “great blend.” Adrian from Trin-i-tee 5:7 said “I adored the performance, it felt really good.”

The next choir from East Oakland Faith Deliverance Center, Angelic Voices of Deliverance Center Choir sang “Total Praise”, and it was an amazing worship experience. Their sound was massive, along with a great blend, power and anointing. The audience was on their feet as this choir sang the song we all know and love. They modulated on the last few choruses displaying their vocal prowess, and the Oracle Arena exploded when they were done!

The third choir was East Bay Church of Religious Science Int’l Mass Choir singing “I Need You To Survive.” A member from the choir shared her testimony of 30 years addicted to crack cocaine and two suicide attempts, but that because of Jesus she was standing here today. They really touched the audience and the judges with their cultural diversity, their distinct African apparel, and their spirit of community and harmony.

Just as beautiful as the music was the multiculturalism!! It’s great to see so many choirs that have members from many different nationalities and Jubilee Christian Center Choir was no exception. Their unity was reflected in the joyful smiles on their faces as they sang “Days of Elijah.” What an exuberant song and they sang it with fervor that it deserved. The judges loved it calling it “a joy to behold.”

After another fantastic Marvin Sapp performance, singing “Praise Him In Advance,” it was time to announce the winners. So soon! The tour is over, but the final spot in the finale was about to be filled by someone from the Bay Area. Taking home the V CAST people’s choice award was Angelic Voices of Deliverance Choir. They received a check for 5,000!! Winning best small choir was Apostolic Community Life Choir, taking home a check for $10,000!! The winner of best large choir was Angelic Voices and they also received a check for $10,000! Angelic Voices of Deliverance Choir also won Overall Regional Winner, and they are going to represent Detroit in the finale on November 7th!!

All of our choirs worked so hard and are all winners, so Verizon Wireless gave each choir that participated a minimum of $3,000! You could tell the choirs really appreciated being celebrated and recognized tonight. It was wonderful. We also had a HopeLine Winner; East Oakland Faith Deliverance Choir brought in the most phones tonight and won a check for $1,000. For those of you who don’t know, HopeLine is Verizon Wireless’ charity initiative that puts wireless services and equipment to work to assist victims of domestic violence. Don’t forget to take your old cell phones and accessories to any Verizon Wireless store, so that you too can be a blessing to someone in need. I know that this tour has been a blessing to all of the choirs, but it has also been a blessing to the thousand that have come to the shows, and to me. I made new friends, discovered new talent, and had an experience that I’ll take with me always. I will definitely remember to “Let the Word Do the Work!”

Finale tickets are going fast, so be sure and get your tickets. Plane, train or automobile, you will want to be there! It is going to be amazing!!! See you there!

The crowd gave me lots of love, and I neither tripped, nor said the wrong city name, so I was thrilled! The audience was also hyped at the intro of the judges. Tonight, we had resident judge Pastor Marvin Sapp, and guest judges Angel Taylor, Chanelle Haynes and Adrian Anderson, better known as Trin-i-tee 5:7. The ladies were in the house and the boys are finally outnumbered! Trin-i-tee 5:7 looked beautiful and I was very excited about having them with us and hearing them sing.

First though, we’ve got some choir business to take care of, and they definitely took care of business tonight! In the small choir category Christ Our Redeemer AMEC Cor-ale, from Christ Our Redeemer AME Church of Irvine opened the choir portion of the show. The soloist began “For Every Mountain” with a perfect vocal. The choir joined her and - what strength! I loved when the choir broke out the sign language; it added such a poetical touch and showed such unison. In fact, this choir showcased their unity and their cultural diversity. It was such a great picture of heaven! I don’t think we’ve had anyone begin the small choir category with that song before, but as Donald Lawrence said, “What a wonderful way to start!” The atmosphere was set for a fantastic night of praise!

Next was Christian’s Community Center Cathedral Choir. This choir brought the energy from jump performing “You Brought the Sunshine” with a club, house beat behind it. Quite a unique take on the song. They had intricate choreography accenting every word. Angel Taylor commented on their “great energy” and Marvin Sapp appreciated the fact that they flipped a Clark Sisters song and added their own flair to it.

Third we had St. Stephen MBC Mass Choir and they opened strong with “Shabach”. So far the LA choirs are coming for real with the dance moves and originality and this choir was no exception. They had a great band and they were ready to praise. Marvin Sapp said, “Y’all came to have church, even if nobody else does.” So true. They were lifting up the Lord in a major way. It’s funny, the LA choir directors were bringing so much energy that they were out of breath at the conclusion of the performance! Donald was making jokes about walking really slowly to the judges table so that they could catch their breath. However, once they got there, the judges were all smiles; with Chanelle saying that “they took her back to her New Orleans roots and reminded her of that small church choir that had a good old time Sunday mornings.”

Closing out the small choir category was Valley Crossroads Chorale from Valley Crossroads Seventh Day Adventist Church singing “Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit.” This choir performed a’cappella in true SDA style. The soloist had a very operatic soprano voice, reminding the judges of the great Kathleen Battle. This choir had intricate harmonies and a passionate sound and when they were finished the crowd gave them a huge round of applause and a standing ovation!

Trin-i-tee 5:7 performed twice tonight and it was such a treat! They rocked it, bringing their unique style of gospel music to HSTS. They sang “I Need You” and “Listen” and they sounded fantastic. These ladies can flat out sing! I was wishing I had my sneakers on so I could dance backstage. Of course, they were able to expertly dance on stage in 4 inch heels, but all of us aren’t able; namely me.

Resident judge Pastor Marvin Sapp also performed and this is how it went. The voice over says “Please welcome Marvin Sapp and the crowd goes wild. He sings the first line “Never Would’ve Made It” and the crowd goes even wilder. He sings the rest of the song and the crowd is BALLISTIC! People get set free, delivered, encouraged, uplifted and moved by the gift of this awesome singer. That pretty much sums it up!

Ok, the second half of the choir competition is the large choir category and WOW, LA continued to bring it! At the intro of City of Refuge’s choir P.S.A.L.M.S., the crowd went nuts! They definitely know this choir. They opened “Souled Out” in theatrical and near a’cappella fashion showcasing their huge sound. Then they brought in the band and the crowd was on their feet and so into it! I could tell Donald was really getting a kick out of this unique take on the song that he produced. P.S.A.L.M.S. did all kinds of things with that song, changing the chords, switching styles; they broke it down into half-time and took us to the sanctuary! The energy was so crazy - the entire stage was rocking back and forth. I mean literally, the actual stage was moving. They were amazing, earning Marvin’s 3 word salute, “Sick, Sick, SICK!”

Second, from New Direction Community Church Of God In Christ came the Unity Choir. They looked lovely in lavender and purple robes and they sang “God Favored Me” with such conviction. I loved their mass choir sound. Our judges enjoyed them as well. Adrian called it “Beautiful and moving”. Chanelle commented on their articulation and how she could hear every word, closing with, “It touched my heart.” Angel spoke of how much she enjoyed it and that it meant a lot to her.

Our final choir in the large choir category was Mt. Rubidoux SDA Church Choir singing “Anthem of Praise” Their opening paid homage to their Seventh Day Adventist a’cappella heritage. Their sound was so strong! Once the music started they jumped right in with the choreography and they were doing some really cool stuff! When it got to the part, “Oh be joyful, all ye people…” when they sing in the round, they did their choreography in the round as well. It was awesome and the crowd loved them! They reminded Chanelle of Sister Act 2 and she said it was “majestic.” Pastor Marvin thought the band was off the chain!

Before I announce the winners, I have to tell you about the most amazing occurrence tonight! Brace yourself. I went into the house to introduce to the crowd the young people who performed at the Youth Gospel Showcase earlier today. There’s so much going on in the lobby before the show: the Showcase, Gospel Karaoke, an original art exhibit of pieces commissioned by Verizon Wireless exclusively for How Sweet The Sound - there’s awesome entertainment before the show. So.., yes, I was standing, listening to Donald Lawrence expertly encourage the LA audience, and as he closes, he announces that his friend Stevie Wonder was in the house! His FRIEND! STEVIE WONDER! OMG. How Sweet the Sound is doing big things! Donald asked him to sing, and I had to hold on to the railing so that I didn’t fall down the steps. Such a dream! I love him so. It was an unbelievable surprise, but like I’ve said before, you never know what can happen at How Sweet The Sound!

The competition was fierce tonight and I was as anxious as the audience to hear who the winners were. In the Small Choir category, Crossroads SDA Church Choir took home the title and a check for $10,000! City of Refuge P.S.A.L.M.S. Choir were the big winners tonight, winning the V CAST People’s Choice Award and a check for $5,000! They also took home the award for Best Large Choir and a check for $10,000! They were our Overall Regional Winners tonight! The choir was so excited and the crowd was so behind them and ready to see their choir represent in the finale in Detroit on Nov 7th! Mt. Rubidoux was our HopeLine winner tonight, winning a check for $1,000! All of the choirs were incredible and Verizon Wireless celebrated them and all of their hard work by rewarding each choir with a minimum of $3,000!

It was an incredible evening of celebration, and you could really tell that the LA community came out to have a great time and support these incredible choirs. I really had a wonderful time. Saturday, October 10th we’re in Oakland, Ca at the Oracle Arena and I’m definitely ready to see what the Bay Area is bringing. Tickets are on sale. Just $5-7, so get yours. Also, the finale is going to be ridiculous, so you definitely want to be there. Make plans to be in Detroit, November 7th!

Memphis filled the Fed Ex Forum with 6,457 people that understood the power of praise! It was explosive when Donald Lawrence opened the show with “Let the Word Do the Work”, backed by the All Star Choir. Such a fantastic opening and I know people were amazed by the size of the stage, the lights, projectors, and Donald’s awesome performance.

We had sensational presentations by the judges as well. Resident judge Pastor Marvin Sapp brought the house down with his song “Never Would Have Made It.” Kurt Carr performed twice, singing “Peace and Favor Rest on Us” and “Overture”, a medley of many of his popular songs. It was like a trip down memory lane and it was wonderful to experience such an accomplished writer and arranger. Michael Davis from the Early Morning Praise party on 95.7 Hallelujah FM was also on the panel and was such an asset.

Oh, let me back up a little. True story. I went out to do my intro to a very welcoming crowd. However, my joy was short-lived when the teleprompter, my lifeline, decided not to show the script, but instead showed some blue, tetris-like blocks. I considered just standing there like a deer in headlights but I had to say something, and it went like this. “Tonight, we have some small choirs, and some large choirs, and… um, one of those choirs is going to Detroit, to……uh, represent…” Finally the prompter came back on and I was saved. Painful. Honestly, I can speak intelligently, I just got so internally freaked out that my brain quit.

Ok, so on to the good stuff. Voices of Melrose from Melrose Baptist Church opened the small choir category singing, “Everything/Bow Before the King.” They were so worshipful and all of the judges commented on that, with Michael Davis calling it “A great worship experience.” The lead vocalist was also a big hit with the judges. Such a sweet voice.

Second was Voices of Judah from Mt. Gilead Ministries singing “There’s No Way.” I wasn’t familiar with this song before the tour, but now I love it. The choir did a great job delivering this song; remaining traditional until the end and then really showcasing their power and strength, causing Kurt Carr to say, “I felt like I was in a Sunday morning service.”

Memphis choirs have definitely picked some great songs. Another of my favorites, “Bow Down” was sung by Bethel AME Mass Choir. I got a little emotional watching them. My great grandfather was an AME missionary in South Africa and was the denominations first African elected bishop. I never met him, but his only daughter, my grandmother, Frances Williams sang in her AME Ensemble Choir for as long as I can remember. She passed away this June and I know she would have loved to be at this event tonight. Yet, my sadness turned to worship as the choir sang “Consuming fire, sweet perfume, His awesome presence, fills this room” and I thought of my grandmother now residing in the presence of the Almighty God. I can’t imagine what that’s like, but this choir gave us a taste as they sang with worship and authenticity. I was quite blessed to experience them.

All of the small choirs were showcasing some great soloists and Good Hope Church Sanctuary Choir was no exception. They sang “When The Saints Go To Worship” and what an awesome job they did! Such strength and again such a passionate and reverential performance. So far Memphis has been full of substance and it translated to a time of praise after their performance leaving Kurt Carr “ready to have some church!”

Juan (my husband) and I were on the big screen tonight after doing some Gospel Karaoke. So much fun. Other Memphis-ians were in the concourse performing as well and got some big screen time during the main event. Gospel Karaoke is just one of the attractions in the lobby that folks can enjoy before the show and during intermission. There’s also a Youth Gospel Showcase, and an art exhibit consisting of original pieces that Verizon Wireless has commissioned exclusively for How Sweet the Sound. Tonight’s painting entitled “Choir Director” by artist Morris Howard was gorgeous and will be donated to the YWCA of Memphis after the show.

After intermission and an extraordinary Marvin Sapp performance, it was time for the large choirs to take the stage. First Holy City Church of God In Christ got a huge response from the audience when introduced by Donald Lawrence. Possible fan favorite? Too early to tell, but they were definitely working hard singing “Souled Out” and gave a solid performance with tons of energy. I had so much fun watching them, it totally felt like Sister Act 2.

The crowd started screaming for the next choir before their intro just because they recognized their robes! Greater Community Temple Voices from Greater Community Temple Church of God In Christ opened to the roar of the audience and within 30 seconds of their selection, “My Soul Doth Magnify The Lord”, I knew what all the fuss was about. This choir was tight! They brought the southern fried funk to the FedExForum with their jazzy sound and insane choreography (they even did the Matrix slow-mo move). Every last audience member was on their feet and they were so good, all Pastor Sapp could say was “Sick. Sick. Sick! Just unbelievable!”

The previous choir was a tough act to follow but Mt. Morah East Baptist Church Choir wasn’t fazed. Singing “It Is Well With My Soul,” they came out in full effect with incredible dynamics, a beautiful arrangement that sounded symphonic, powerhouse vocals and tremendous control exhibited in their extensive call and response section. They made the crowd fall in love and they gained a lot of new fans.

I love that this event is all about the community, the choirs and a celebration of the hard work that they do. Even if a choir doesn’t win, they still win by getting to perform on this massive stage in front of thousands of people and our judges who are gospel superstars. They win by experiencing the royal treatment backstage and also by receiving a minimum of $3,000 from Verizon Wireless just for participating! I love it!

There was such anticipation all around as Donald brought the choir directors to the stage and we began to reveal the winners. Taking home a check for $5,000 was the V CAST People’s Choice Award Winner - Greater Community Temple Voices Choir! Winning in the small choir category was Hope Church Sanctuary Choir and they received a check for $10,000! The large choir winner was Greater Community Temple Voices Choir and they also received a check for $10,000. When Donald announced that they were the Overall Regional Winner the choir director dropped to his knees and all the choir members gathered around him and it felt like he’d scored the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl! So exciting!

The finale in Detroit on Nov 7th is going to be off the chain! All of the Regional Winners have been so incredible it is going to be an unbelievable show. Tickets are on sale now, so get yours, cause you don’t want to miss it! We’re headed to the West Coast next. October 8th we’ll be at The Forum in Los Angeles and I’m expecting some championship performances!

Phillips Arena was packed with 10,678 screaming Gospel music fans; ready to get the praise party started! Another sell-out show that sold over 2,500 tickets in a 24 hour period. Crazy!

As Donald Lawrence stepped on the stage the roar of the crowd was deafening and they were up on their feet singing along to every word. I knew that Atlanta was going to bring some serious down south “crunkness”! The All Star Choir was in full effect backing up Donald on “Let the Word Do the Work” and our host gave the audience an incredible opening performance.

The sold out crowd was definitely excited about tonight’s judges. As always we had resident judge Pastor Marvin Sapp, and our guest judges Kurt Carr and James Fortune. Marvin Sapp gave some extra love to Atl saying “I heard that Atlanta has some of the best church choirs in the country!” This proved to be true tonight, because after the judges’ intro, the competition got underway and the performances were electrifying.

Starting the small choir category was JA Lewis Ensemble from Brown Chapel AME Church singing “Emmanuel”. They were a small group of only 11 with a smooth jazzy sound, sweet harmonies, and a great blend. Kurt Carr enjoyed their originality and Marvin Sapp complemented on their musicality and commitment.

The next choir must have had some friends in the audience because people started screaming as soon as Donald said their name. They opened strong with a statuesque posture and dramatic vocal. The soloists had such big old school voices whose power had the audience on their feet and Pastor Marvin and Kurt Carr jumping in their seats. Their vocal dynamics earned them a standing ovation from the appreciative crowd. Donald gave the director a time to exhort the audience and boy! She started preaching saying “God does not need a stimulus package!”

From Hope Cathedral Church of God in Christ, singing “The Light” came The Voices of Tabernacle. They opened with a traditional choir sound showcasing their powerful vocal skills. Donald and the judges commented on their phenomenal band, with Marvin Sapp saying “your band was playing tonight like they were looking for some jobs! They were auditioning” The choir director had tremendous energy and so did the members. This was a true Atl choir complete with the bounce, the two-step and other popular dance moves. Yet as James Fortune said “with all the energy you all were still able to stay on pitch”, and that’s a good thing!

The judges loved the look of the next choir whose ladies were wearing pink dresses with silver beading and whose gentlemen wore black tuxes. Very classy. The Rose of Sharon International Choir from The Way, the Truth and the Life Christian Center Inc. looked terrific and sang even better; taking a more straightforward approach and delivering the song with reverence, worship and power. Kurt Carr, who penned this great song said, “I appreciate the balance of harmony and the round tone. Awesome.” Pretty impressive!

Donald Lawrence and I had a chance to recognize the young people that performed at the Youth Gospel Showcase before the show. The Voices of a New Era Youth Choir and Praise Dancers did a great job entertaining the crowd before the main event. There is so much going on in the concourse that it’s like you get two events for the price of one! There’s Gospel Karaoke and an exhibit of original artwork commissioned by Verizon Wireless exclusively for How Sweet the Sound. Tonight’s original painting, “One Hundred” by Atlanta artist Dante Yarbrough was one of my favorite pieces in the lobby exhibit.

Next was a performance from Marvin Sapp. The very first line that he sings has the audience out of their seats, hands in the air, and voices raised in praise! I think this song, “Never Would Have Made It,” is one of the most dynamic ballads ever. I mean, what other slow song has the audience screaming in agreement the entire time? It doesn’t hurt that Pastor Marvin has one of the most dynamic voices ever. It must be nice to know that the only thing that comes out of your mouth is pure awesomeness! I’m just sayin’.

Kurt Carr had a high energy opening to Act II singing “Peace And Favor Rest On Us”. This song is so uplifting, and just makes me wanna dance, and that’s exactly what the audience did. The singers were incredible! I don’t know her name, but the soprano singing lead hit some notes I don’t think I’ve heard before! Kurt had the whole audience dancing, jumping and singing along!

Looking lovely in lavender shirt and blacks pants and skirts The Voices of Hillside from Hillside International Truth Center opened the large choir category. Their maturity and conviction shone through as they sang “Total Praise” and they delivered a strong and beautiful performance.

There were a lot of Gospel music heavy hitters in the house tonight! Rickey Dillard, Jason Champion, Teresa Hairston and Alvin Williams from Gospel Music Channel. Donald spotted Lashaun Pace and handed her the mic for a one liner that brought the house down!! THAT woman can sing!

Tabernacle Baptist Church’s Anointed Voices were next singing, “My Soul Doth Magnify The Lord”. They had a fabulous a’cappella intro that secured the audiences attention right away. Wonderful arrangement, solid pitch, big voices, choreography, and dynamics - this choir had it all! A definite crowd pleaser causing James Fortune to say “That was powerful and anointed. From beginning to end you kept us engaged and had us on the edge of our seats. ”

Last years Atlanta winner Atlanta West Pentecostal Church Choir took to the stage and opened powerfully with “Anthem of Praise”. With fantastic control, perfect pitch and worshipful intensity they had the audience on their feet in the first few lines of the song! This choir was explosive and came prepared to magnify the Lord and defend their title. They turned Phillips Arena out and the crowd erupted in praise when they were finished. It wasn’t over though, because the praise continued! The director started dancing, Kurt Carr was dancing…..everybody was dancing! The judges could barely get their job done because the Spirit was so thick! Once we all finally calmed down, Marvin Sapp was able to say, “You cannot mess with an apostolic, pentecostal church.”

Lastly were Beulahland Bible Church Mass Choir and I mean mass! This 90 member choir came out like a store front church and took us back with that old school gospel quartet feel as they sang “God Is My Everything”. This group was full of fervor and had such fun choreography. They were jumping up there on those choir risers, which is pretty brave if you ask me! James Fortune said “it felt like Sunday morning” and loved their commitment, passion and connection with the audience. The judges were going to have a rough time picking the winners tonight, because all the choirs were on point.

Before we announced who won, we had an awesome performance from James Fortune. His song “I Trust You” really connected with the audience and once again encouraged me!

It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it, and the audience and our judges did it tonight and chose who would be receiving prizes tonight. The small choir winner was the deserving Voices of Tabernacle, earning as check for $10,000. However, it was Atlanta West Pentecostal’s night and they swept the remaining categories. Winning $5,000 as V CAST People’s Choice Award, $10,000 for being the large choir winner and won Overall Regional Winner and will once again represent Atlanta at the finale in Detroit on Nov 7th!

Rose of Sharon was the HopeLine winner tonight, earning an additional 1,000 bringing in 516 phones and the choirs collected a total of 1,612 phones that will be used to assist victims of domestic violence. Because this event is to celebrate the choirs and all the hard work that they do, each choir will receive a minimum of $3,000 just for participating!

It was such a fantastic night that once again proved that Verizon Wireless’ How Sweet the Sound is a gift to the Gospel community and we are loving it!! Memphis is next and I can’t wait to see what these choirs bring to the FedEx Forum Monday, Oct 5th. Tickets are just 5-7 dollars so get your tickets now and I’ll see you there!

I could hear the reverberation of the 11,728 member audience as they waited for the start of the show. There was no last minute rush to the seats tonight. Chicago was packed into The United Center and ready to get it started! A completely sold out show!

The anticipation was thick as the opening video montage began and when host Donald Lawrence took to the stage, the crowd erupted in a deafening roar. Oh, Donald was so on point tonight! You could tell that he was happy to be home and the crowd was loving it. “Let the Word Do the Work” proved to be another electrifying opening! The crowd remained hyped through my welcome and when Donald introduced the judges, the energy built even more. Tonight we had resident judge Marvin Sapp, guest judges included, the incredible Dorinda Clark Cole and a crowd favorite, host of Chicago’s No. 1 Gospel radio show, John Hannah.

Ok, so Chicago is no joke. Not to be played with. The first choir in the small choir category, J.A.M., from Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church made that evident. Their unique arrangement of “It is Well With My Soul” thoroughly showed off their vocal ability, control and stage presence, causing Marvin Sapp to call the whole presentation “unbelievable.” Pastor John Hannah said, “You took me through different emotional changes. You were smiley, then you went deep, then you [the director] broke out in the robot.” It’s true, she did! They were so great.

The next choir, Praise Unlimited, from the Youth Center Church of God in Christ brought more than just youthful energy - they could sing! They performed “Souled Out” and did a fantastic job. The young choir director had so much energy, that guest Judge John Hannah said he needed medication! Dorinda loved their enthusiasm and Marvin thought they were very creative.

Third was Redeem Voices of Victory from Redeem Church of God in Christ, singing “Oh How I Love Jesus”. This choir had such a rich full sound. The choir and the arrangement had such soul and the band was stinking incredible. The soloist could really sing and we were told during judging that she had just been released from the hospital today after a ten day long stint. Praise God! Pastor Marvin said “I love that you all came with one purpose and one purpose only - to have church.”

The last performance was from God’s House of All Nations Church Choir singing “For Every Mountain”. Rather than open with a soloist, they opened with all the ladies and the arrangement was so pretty! They had such an amazing blend and such control. They sounded like a CD! They broke out in sign language, went from operatic to jazzy with ease causing Dorinda Clark Cole to ask the director how much time they spent together, and when told “hours”, she said that she could tell.

Tonight we had a special treat. The one and only Ricky Dillard brought two gifted groups of young people from his church. The Sweet Holy Spirit Youth Choir and the Sweet Holy Spirit Praise Dancers performed in the concourse at the Youth Gospel Showcase. This is the show before the show! The lobby is jumping with all the festivities. There’s the Youth Showcase, an original art exhibit with pieces commissioned exclusively by Verizon Wireless and Gospel Karaoke, which I’m a fan of. You never know who from Gospel Karaoke will be put on the big screen during the main event.

What you can bet on seeing, however, is an amazing Marvin Sapp experience. I’m over calling it a performance, it’s an experience. As one of the show’s producers, James said “He grabs the song, puts it in a headlock, drops the people’s elbow and makes it.” I think he means Marvin is the man.

Dorinda Clark Cole opened the second half of the show and once again had the entire audience on their feet. Her voice and ability is just ridiculous! She never runs out of things to do vocally and she’s such a minister! Plus, she’s really sweet, so I can’t hate on her for being SO AWESOME!

New Covenant International Choir from New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church opened the large choir category. They sang “God Blocked It” and wore gold kimonos and fans with dramatic choreography to match. They even sang in Chinese! This had Marvin Sapp saying, “I thought it was excellent and you all did something that was unique to this competition.” Of course guest Judge John Hannah had jokes about the Asian theme, but ended by saying that they looked good and did well.

The Voices from Greater St. John Bible Church sang “Faithful is Our God” and they opened strong! They had such lovely smiles as they sang of God’s faithfulness. Pastor Marvin gave them the thumbs up, saying “Excellent job” and Dorinda spoke of how much she enjoyed them and called the band, “off the chain.”

The next choir was from Faith Temple church, Voices of Faith singing “Available To You” They performed with the legendary Carlos Moody, who is the original writer of the song, which happens to be one of my favorites. The choir was very traditional and stately in black robes and white gloves. They had two praise dancers doing sign language and the whole performance was beautifully done. Resident judge Marvin Sapp remarked, “Excellent job. Timeless song that has been like the heart of our communities and our church.” So true.

The final choir in the large choir category was Evangel Celebration Choir from Evangel World Outreach Center. They sang another timeless song, “Total Praise,” and they gave it all the power and effort that this song deserves. Wow. This choir came out with such incredible strength! Broke it down with each section singing “You are the source of my strength” and the crowd jumped to their feet! Then on the “Amen” part they went into this R&B, trip-hop feel and it was so hot! Can you even use “hot” to describe “Total Praise?” It was though! They killed it! They took that song to new places and the United Center was going crazy! Needless to say, we got out praise on after that. They left John Hannah speechless as he declared “I ain’t got nothin to say” a true rarity for him!

Evangel was the audience favorite, earning them the V CAST People’s Choice Award and a check for $5,000. God’s House of All Nations took home a check for $10,000 and the title of best small choir. Evangel was also best large choir and received check for $10,000, plus they edged out God’s House to become Overall Regional Winner and will represent Chicago in the finale. The choirs collected 1,005 phones tonight for Verizon Wireless’ charity initiative HopeLine and the funds from the sale of these refurbished and recycled phones will go to assist victims of domestic violence. You can help be a blessing to this cause by taking your old cell phones and accessories to any Verizon Wireless store. Tonight’s choirs definitely worked hard and to celebrate them Verizon Wireless is giving each choir a minimum of $3,000!

I am definitely with Donald in saying that his city represented tonight. I can’t see what Atl is going to offer! Friday, Oct 2nd at Phillips Arena is going to be jumping! Get your tickets now! Also, the finale tickets have gone on sale and are selling like crazy so be sure to get yours so that you can be in Detroit on Nov 7th to see who is crowned “The Best Church Choir in America!”

]]> http://www.howsweetthesound.com/blog/2009/10/chicago-stands-and-delivers/feed/ http://www.howsweetthesound.com/blog/2009/09/detroit-delivers-an-incredible-evening/ http://www.howsweetthesound.com/blog/2009/09/detroit-delivers-an-incredible-evening/#comments Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:41:30 +0000 admin http://www.howsweetthesound.com/blog/?p=109 I know that the city of Detroit has had more than its share of difficult times. However, tonight, God was magnified and there was a lifting in the house as 5,570 people gathered in the Joe Louis Arena for Verizon Wireless’ How Sweet The Sound, “The Search for The Best Church Choir in America.”

As thousands entered the concourse and saw how much work was put into this event, you could feel the excitement building. The festive atmosphere of the lobby let’s everyone know this is not going to be an ordinary concert. Where else can you find an art exhibit of original
pieces commissioned by Verizon Wireless for this event, a Youth Gospel Showcase, and Gospel Karaoke before the show even begins?

The start of this show is so awesome; I haven’t missed one opening performance. Donald Lawrence is truly great at what he does and really
gets the audience going. I am still impressed with the massive stage, incredible lights and awesome sound! You really have to see this show!
If you can’t make it, check it out on V CAST in the multicultural catalog and you can see what I’m talking about.

I already know about Detroit’s musical heritage and of course since I married into one of its legendary families I hear even more. “There’s
no singers like Detroit singers” is a regular topic of conversation. So needless to say, I had very high expectations!

The first choir in the small choir category let me know I was not to be disappointed. Jesse H. Bishop Crusaders A’Cappella Choir from the Church of Christ sang “Oh Happy Day” and as guest judge Dorinda Clark Cole put it they were “a great opening.” One of the members was the vocal bass and other beat-boxed. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a choir director pop lock, but she totally did. Their sound was so full that you didn’t miss the music. They mixed old school with new school and the crowd loved it.

Next from The Bread House, the Bread House Choir sang “There’s No Way.” The very first line let you know that there are some ’sangers’ in this choir! The choir director had great energy, the soloist could straight blow and their vocal dynamics were real crowd pleasers. Kierra “Kiki” Sheard thought they were excellent and loved how they took the song, added their own flavor and still got everyone on their feet.

Third, singing “Hosanna” from Conant Gardens SDA Church was Spiritual Sisters and A Brother (there were two men, the director and a lone
tenor). They came out strong with a shofar horn, a powerful exhortation and a huge vocal intro. I liked that they were wearing one of my favorite color combos; white and turquoise. Anyway, they had serious choreography, freezing, posing on beat, jumping, truly fun to watch. Plus they sounded incredible, doing three different versions of “Hosanna”. The crowd screamed for forever when they were done and
Donald Lawrence commented on their amazing band and originality.

Closing out the small choir category was Selected of God from Praise Tabernacle singing “Bless Me (Prayer of Jabez)”. I love when choirs sing really big and the right away sing really quietly. It’s so dramatic. I’ll have to ask Donald what that’s called. Anyway, they did that, along with other incredible vocal displays. Dorinda Clark Cole said during judging, “I’m so impressed with the director. You can tell when they take time with the group. I’m just speechless” Kierra added, “Amazing control. The anointing was there and you connected with the audience. I really felt God.”

I totally agree with both comments. I love watching the dynamic between the director and the choir. There’s such mutual respect and trust. It takes a lot of time and effort to develop that relationship and to operate in that kind of excellence. I love that Verizon Wireless is celebrating all of this hard work and allowing us, the audience, to enjoy these choirs on this incredible stage.

I don’t know if Donald is an ordained minister, but he was preaching to the Detroit crowd tonight! He declared that all the city has gone through is no match for the greatness of God and that we have to remember we are kingdom people! There was true encouragement given to the audience tonight. This encouragement continued with Marvin Sapp’s performance, speaking life in his gift of a song “Never Would’ve Made It”.  It was obvious that the crowd connected once again to the message and it was another incredible ministry moment.

Opening Act Two was the extraordinary Dorinda Clark Cole singing “I Want It All Back”. I love this song! Everyone in the audience and all of us backstage were dancing and singing along. She has such presence and authority and she took us directly to church! It was fantastic! I
was in heaven and then went to second heaven because after Dorinda finished, Donald called Karen Clark out of the audience and she continued the song with the elated crowd as her background singers. I was insane. Like Donald says, “Those two are like the energizer bunny; they keep going and going.”

First to the stage in the large choir category was the CLFMI Mass Choir from Christian Love Fellowship Ministries, International singing “When The Saints Go To Worship”. They opened with a beautiful a’cappella arrangement, sounding like a string section. Then the band started to play and the choir released their power. Unreal!! As Kierra Sheard said, “They took us from classical to the storefront church to the opera house!” She also commented on the choir director standing strong as a woman of God and how that obviously influenced the choir.

Second, from Calvary Church came Calvary Sanctuary Choir singing “Total Praise”.  They delivered the song with such worship and strength! I think they’re the first choir in the competition thus far to sing “I lift my hands” and actually do it. The crowd was on their feet in worship and when the choir was done there was such a praise that Dorinda said “It sounds like revival in here!”, and thanked the director for letting the Holy Ghost take control. Pastor Marvin Sapp replaced Judge Marvin Sapp and we had church! He declared that God reigned over every situation! The event seemed to be just what these Detroit residents needed.

Keeping the praise going was Majestic Voices from Second Ebenezer Church singing “Great is Thy Faithfulness”. What a massive sound! They
had incredibly synchronized choreography and pulled out all the stops. The choir director, the band and the choir flowed together flawlessly.
Donald Lawrence called them “Authentic Detroit” Dorinda loved their enthusiasm and expertise in bringing a different variation.

While the judges tallied up their votes Keirra Sheard took the stage and did an amazing job singing “Praise Him Now”. Her voice is so awesome and she looked so beautiful up there. So crazy that she’s all grown up! What a gift she has.

All the choirs were so prodigious that I had no idea who the winners were going to be. So I was as anxious as the audience to find out! The
V CAST People’s Choice Winner was Calvary Sanctuary Choir and they received a check for $5,000! They were also the large choir winner and
walked away with an additional check for $10,000! Selected of God from Second Ebenezer won best small choir and was handed a check for
$10,000! For the first time this season a small choir beat out the large choir for the title Overall Regional Winner and Selected of God will represent Detroit in the finale! All of the choirs were so amazing and will receive a minimum of $3,000 for their efforts. The Bread House Choir was our HopeLine winner, taking home $1,000 for bringing the most phones tonight. The choirs brought in a total of 833 phones that will be used for Verizon Wireless’ charity initiative HopeLine that gives service and support to victims of domestic violence.

What an incredible evening. The presence of God and the Joy of the Lord was thick in the Joe Louis Arena tonight! Wednesday, September 30th we’re in Donald Lawrence’s hometown of Chicago and I know they’re going to represent!! 5 to 7 dollars a ticket and it’s for sure going
to be packed so get your ticket and come get your praise on!

From the moment the lights dimmed and I heard the roar of the 8,978 member Philly crowd I knew that this too would be a night to remember. The maestro Donald Lawrence set it off with another high energy performance of “One Word Away”. It’s such an outstanding show opener!

The choirs in Philly came prepared to blow our celebrity judges away! In the house tonight was resident judge, the illustrious Pastor Marvin Sapp, host of “The Big Show- Real Christian Music” on Praise 103.9, the multi talented Lonnie Hunter, and renowned Pastor Hezekiah Walker. They were prepared to give the choirs great encouragement and constructive criticism, however, Philly gave the judges plenty to encourage but very little to critique because these choirs had worked like crazy to get here, and it showed!

First to the stage from West Philadelphia SDA Church came the West Philadelphia Praise Choir singing “For Every Mountain”. The 15 member choir began to sing and kid you not, they sounded like a mass choir. They had the audience on their feet before they got to the first chorus! Later, they broke the song down and sang the chorus a’cappella, like an old spiritual and it was captivating. Resident judge Marvin Sapp recognized this saying, “You all were unbelievable and I love how you went back to the traditional components of the Adventist church” This group opened the show with a bang and definitely jump started tonight’s “chuch” service!

Second, the New Hope Revival Center Choir sang “The Battlefield”. They had such a big sound and I loved watching the choir director dance! I think he might have stolen the show because all three judges spoke of how much they enjoyed him. Hezekiah Walker said “I really enjoyed the choir, but I think I enjoyed you [the director] even better!”

Calvary Baptist Church Choir opened up in dramatic fashion showing incredible vocal control and aptitude as they sang “Shabach”. The crowd was hooked by their incredible choreography, energy and ability. Guest judge Lonnie Hunter renamed them “The Breakout Choir”! You could really tell how hard they worked just to be here tonight.

I was in a singing group for 13 years, and it takes countless hours to achieve excellence, so I truly appreciate that Verizon Wireless has created this event to celebrate these choirs, and their dedication. It really gives them a chance to share their gifts on the big stage. The choirs come ready and the audience became new fans!

Last in the small choir category was the Music Ministry Choir from Green Grove Baptist Church singing “Faithful Is Our God”. They sang with such controlled strength and let the song ’speak’ for itself. The judges enjoyed the fact that they didn’t do too much or too little but had a perfect balance and stayed true to the song.
The judges left to deliberate and before the intermission Marvin Sapp blessed us with another unbelievable performance. With all due respect I have to say that Marvin Sapp is a vocal ninja. He completely slays the audience every night!

Hezekiah Walker brought us back from intermission with an inspiring performance of “All I Need”. I love how joyful and upbeat the song is, and the audience could really feel the celebration in the song. There was definitely a praise in the house.

Kicking off the large choir category from Ford Memorial Temple - The Anointed Voices of Ford Memorial Temple singing “Total praise”. The choir looked beautiful and sang with such a lovely spirit. They performed half of the second verse a’cappella and the audience was captivated. Guest judge Lonnie Hunter said “Flat foot singing. You all didn’t move a foot and you let that song have it!” Marvin Sapp closed by saying, “When you listen to choirs like yours, you try to pick out what’s wrong. I couldn’t pick anything out tonight!” That’s a pretty big compliment!

Next came Voices of Canaan from Canaan Baptist Church singing “Souled Out”. They got huge support from the audience before they even started and opened strong with dynamic energy! I loved their choreography; they were like The Temptations up there! They brought the power of praise. Hezekiah Walker said that he felt the power of God and spoke of the anointing on the director, who sang lead. Everyone clearly agreed!

Closing it out was The Chorale from the Chorale at the Lord’s House Ministries singing “He Will Supply”. They came out with such a calm confidence and took their time telling the song. It didn’t take long, however, for their true power to be revealed, causing judge Lonnie Hunter to exclaim “What a great choir!”

Verizon Wireless knows the power of gospel music and how it brings people together. The arena tonight was packed and full of joy and support. Like every night, the show was also full of surprises! In the concourse there is a beautiful exhibit of original art commissioned exclusively for How Sweet he Sound. There is a Youth Gospel Showcase where each night the future of gospel music performs. There is also Gospel Karaoke, and this surprise can follow you inside the arena because you never know if you’ll get put on the big screen like several of our audience members tonight! Also, there is such excitement generated from this event that you never know who will be in the audience. Tonight, Donald pulled Pastor James Nelson (twin brother of singer Jonathan Nelson) to the stage and James gave an incredible impromptu performance, surprising everyone with his amazing vocal gift.

After another uplifting offering from Pastor Hezekiah Walker and the Love Fellowship Choir featuring Marvin Sapp singing “God Favors Me” came the moment of truth. The choir directors all came out and Donald announced the V CAST People’s Choice Award Winner. West Philadelphia Praise Choir was presented with a check for $5,000! In the small choir category Calvary Baptist Choir took home a check for $10,000! Taking the title of best large choir and a check for $10,000 was Anointed Voices of Ford Memorial Temple! They were also named the Overall Regional Winner and I seriously had to pray that the stage wouldn’t collapse they were jumping up. And down so much! It was so exciting! All of the choirs received a minimum of $3,000 just for sharing and ministering tonight which is what this event is all about; community, family, friends, music and giving.

Speaking of giving, we collected 704 phones tonight, with the Voices of Canaan named the HopeLine winner, bringing in 354 and receiving a check for $1,000. HopeLine is Verizon Wireless’ charity initiative that puts wireless services and equipment to work to assist victims of domestic violence. We collect phones from the participating choirs in each city and the choir who brings the most phones is named the HopeLine Winner. You too can be a part of this important work and in turn be a blessing by donating your old cell phones and accessories to any Verizon Wireless store and they’ll take it from there. It’s a pretty easy way to help improve the lives of others.

All in all I was totally impressed with Philly. The audience was rockin’, the choirs brought it and once again we all went home feeling uplifted, encouraged, and changed by the power of praise. Detroit is next and I cannot wait to see what is going to happen there! Dorinda Clarke Cole, Keirra “Kiki” Sheard and Marvin Sapp on one stage? I might just fall out. Spread the word about Detroit, Monday, Sept 28th at the Joe Louis Arena!