After auditioning thousands of hopefuls from around the country and narrowing down the top 20, BET’s gospel reality competition, SUNDAY BEST is close to naming this year’s winner. Finalists and single mothers Y’anna Crawley, 32, from the Washington, DC area and Jessica Reedy, 20, from Saginaw, Michigan will compete for a national recording contract, a 2009 Lincoln MKS, and the title of SUNDAY BEST during the Mother’s Day finale on Sunday, May 10 at 9:00 p.m.* The 10-week singing competition with multi-GRAMMY Award winners Kirk Franklin as host along with siblings Erica and Tina Campbell of Mary Mary and BeBe Winans as judges will allow viewers to vote for their favorite contestant and ultimately decide who will be SUNDAY BEST. Additionally, brother and sister gospel duo BeBe and CeCe Winans will reunite on the SUNDAY BEST stage for a special performance during the finale episode. Voting ends on Saturday, May 9 at 12:00 p.m. PT.

For more on SUNDAY BEST and how to vote for the winner, please visit www.BET.com/sundaybest.

*All times ET/PT

Photo credit: Darnel Williams/BET Networks

Has Mary Mary gone to far? Check out the video, read the article and let me know what YOU think! Some of the responses:

People must realize that God’s message can be interpreted and communicated in many different ways. Everyone doesn’t respond to traditional Gospel and Mary Mary, Kirk Franklin, Kierra Sheard, DA TRUTH and other contemporary artists has the ability to save lives with their music.

Church people can be so judgmental sometimes. I’m not saying it’s right to have rappers in a gospel video but I am saying that we have to be careful about judging people’s motives and intentions.

Most of them are outraged about “sinners” appearing in the video, but as Christians, are we only supposed to mingle and associate with other Christians? If that’s the case, then most Christians certainly wouldn’t have approved of the lifestyle of Jesus CHRIST. He ate and fellowshipped with sinners in order to help win them over. What if Mary Mary is doing the same thing? We just need to think about it that’s all.

Read the entire article at EEWMagazine.com

Exclusive question and answer with SUNDAY BEST mentor, gospel artist, songwriter and producer Donald Lawrence:
Q. Did you disagree with any of the judge’s decisions?
A. “I was torn with the decision between eliminating Zeb or Dontavious. Both are amazing singers, but I think Zeb just had a little more stage personality. But I loved Dontavious and thought he was an amazing singer.”

Q. Comment on Zebulon’s strengths and what he needs to do to win?
A. “Zeb’s strengths are that he is an amazing vocalist. Zeb also has a great personality that shows through when he performs. Zeb owns the stage. For Zeb to win the song choice is going to be really important. Zeb is going to have to own the song and the moment to win.”

Q. Comment on Latice’s strengths and what she needs to do to win?
A. ” Latice’s strengths are not only is she an amazing singer, but she has great depth to her. Depth in her personality and depth that she puts into the lyric and the song. Latice really gets the lyric across when she performs. For Latice to win, she just needs to keep doing her thing. Song choice will be important too.”

Q. Comment on Jessica’s strengths and what she needs to do to win?
A. “Jessica’s strength is her tone! She has priceless tone. Her tone is so unique that the amount of range she has doesn’t matter. For Jessica to win she has to have a little more confidence. She has to be able to present and showcase the lyrics she is singing. And she must use her tone to her advantage.”

Q. Comment on Y’Anna’s strengths and what she needs to do to win?
A. ” Y’ Anna’s strength is that she is just a singer. Singing is in her fabric. She owns every song that she puts her voice on. For her to win song choice will be important as well. She needs the right song to put her voice on to win it all. She also needs to make sure she doesn’t get vocally tired during the process.”

Q. Since you’re known for developing and featuring vocalists who go on to big careers, would you consider signing any of the contestants to your label or featuring on one of your projects?
A.” I think all the singers are amazing and I would work with any of them, but, if I had to choose one singer to work with it would be Latice. Not just because of her amazing voice, but again, because of the depth she puts in every song and every lyric.”

SOURCE: Torrence Glenn of BET.com.
On The Web: BET.com/sundaybest

The 11-track CD is a musical expedition that speaks to the hearts and minds of both the “churched” and the “un-churched” alike featuring extraordinary voices handpicked by Jones, the CD’s producer and also CEO of Ultimate Entertainment.

Developing and working with artists such as Mary J. Blige and Heavy D, in addition to executive producing for Montell Jordan and the Nutty Professor and Rush Hour sound tracks, Pastor Jones has orchestrated a recipe for success in past projects and the current one.

Radio Reviews:

“Even though it seems like we are in trying times, no need to worry; no need to cry. Remember the Righteous are not Forsaken. What a right song for the right time!” Bishop Long’s song is a favorite here in Chattanooga,” said Sam Terry PD at WNOO in Chattanooga TN.

“Bishop Eddie Long’s “Righteous Forsaken” is a song that is perfect for the times we are going through! Already showing a lot of promise here in Jackson,” reflected Percy Davis PD at WOAD in Jackson MS.

“I’ve worked in the Atlanta market and now that I am in New Orleans, Bishop Eddie Long’s word is as prevalent here as well as Atlanta or anywhere else in the country. ‘Righteous Forsaken’ is a right now song for right now praise! The response was immediate from my listeners. And his song speaks directly to my core audience of women 25-54,” exclaims Jojo Walker, PD at WPRF in New Orleans, LA.

SOURCE: EURWEB.com

Starting on Apr. 8 in Annapolis, Md., Mary Mary sisters Tina and Erica Campbell will travel from the east coast to the west, stopping by New York, New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles, among other cities, before wrapping up Apr. 29 in Anaheim, Calif.

The spring concert tour will be Mary Mary’s first U.S. tour in two years. Their last big tour, “Mary Mary Christmas Unplugged” in 2007, followed the October 2006 release of their Christmas album A Mary Mary Christmas.

For the Campbells, 2009 has been the “year of Mary Mary,” as awards and accolades have been trickling in following the release of their latest album, The Sound.

Since the album’s release last year, Mary Mary have been honored with the 2009 NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding Gospel Artist” and Grammys for “Best Gospel Performance,” among other awards.

The gospel music duo has also been nominated for Dove Awards for “Group of the Year,” “Urban Recorded Song,” and “Contemporary Gospel Album.”

Beyond the music, The Sound has also marked the launching point for a new phase in Mary Mary’s career. The sisters recently started the Paint A Smile foundation and have launched BE U, a bath, body and candle line designed to inspire young women to celebrate their natural beauty and inner uniqueness through four basic principles – “be honest, be beautiful, be intentional, be you.”

To further expand the BE U brand, Mary Mary have signed a publishing deal with Simon & Schuster to pen a devotional collection of inspirational stories, anecdotes and helpful hints.

“In an era when everybody gets nipped and tucked to look like somebody else, we’re just telling people, ‘Be you… Be intentional, honest and the unique person God made you to be,’” says Tina Campbell. “And with Paint A Smile, it’s all about giving back, making kids happy and making them feel special because we want them to know how cool they are to us and that they’re worth so much.”

The month of April will certainly be a busy time as the sisters are currently serving as judges on “Sunday Best,” the BET Gospel/Inspirational reality show similar to American Idol.

April is also when the winners of 40th annual Gospel Music Association (GMA) Dove Awards will be announced with the awards presentations scheduled for Apr. 23 in Nashville.

The following is the list of tour dates for Mary Mary’s 2009 spring concert tour (subject to change):

4/8: Annapolis,MD (Rams Head On Stage)
4/9: New York City (Sound of Brazil “S.O.B.’s”)
4/13: Alexandria, VA (Birchmere Music Hall)
4/14: Foxboro, MA (Showcase Live)
4/17: New Orleans, LA (House of Blues)
4/18: Lake Charles, LA (Lake Charles Civic Center)
4/24: Las Vegas, NV (House of Blues)
4/25: Phoenix, AZ (Celebrity Theatre)
4/26: Los Angeles, LA (Sunset Strip House of Blues)
4/27: Oakland, CA (Yoshi’s)
4/28: Sacramento, CA (Crest Theater)
4/29: Anaheim, CA (House of Blues)

SOURCE: Christianpost.com

Back by popular demand, Sunday Best returns for its second season this Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Host Kirk Franklin and judges Erica and Tina Campbell of Mary Mary and BeBe Winans are all back together to find America’s next great Gospel singer.

Making stops in Atlanta, Chicago, and our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., Sunday Best kicks off the season premiere with a special episode dedicated to the inspiring, hilarious and even sometimes challenging audition process.

“The level of talent for the second season is going to show the world what we’ve been saying since the beginning of the series only on Sunday Best will you find true, honest talent that hasn’t been compromised,” said returning host Franklin.

Season two of Sunday Best will tape in its new home of Atlanta at Turner Studios. Each week during the hour-long competition, viewers will be treated to musical performances from the remaining Sunday Best hopefuls along with candid feedback from the all-star team of judges and surprise visits from an array of celebrity guests.

“We’re so excited about this season! The level of talent we saw was so amazing; which made it really hard to say no to some folks,” said Erica and Tina Campbell of Mary Mary. “The viewing audience will be blessed, entertained and uplifted for sure!”

Sunday Best is executive produced by D’Angela Proctor Steed and Nia T. Hill of Strange Fruit Films, Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, BeBe Winans as well as Brian Gadinsky and Arnold M. Preston of The G Group, and co-executive produced by Marilyn Gill.

The winner of Sunday Best will receive a 2009 Lincoln MKS as part of the grand prize package.

For more on Sunday Best, please visit www.BET.com/sundaybest.

SOURCE: EURWEB.com

Best Traditional Gospel Album: The Blind Boys of Alabama, Down in New Orleans.

Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album: Gaither Vocal Band, Lovin’ Life.

Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album: CeCe Winans, Thy Kingdom Come.

Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album: TobyMac, Alive and Transported.

Best Gospel Song: Kirk Franklin, “Help Me Believe”.

Best Gospel Performance: Mary Mary, “Get Up”.

Mary Mary, LL Cool J, Louis Gossett Jr., Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin, Vickie Winans and More Take the Stage with Funnyman and Host Steve Harvey

/PRNewswire/ — Taking the spirit to new heights, BET’s CELEBRATION OF GOSPEL is a soulful two-hour celebration with moving performances of worship by both gospel and mainstream greats. In his ninth year, veteran comedian, actor and popular syndicated radio personality Steve Harvey again hosts the popular religious telecast, which premieres Sunday, January 25 at 8:00 p.m.* on BET.

Led by the world-renowned musical director Ray Chew and his 24-piece orchestra, gospel supernovas Mary Mary and hip-hop legend LL Cool J passionately performed their new hit collaboration “We Gonna Make It” to a packed house at downtown Los Angeles’ Orpheum Theatre. Kirk Franklin, Isaac Carree, Lowell Pye and Rance Allen also blessed the crowd with a soul-moving performance of “Lil Boy”, followed by Smokie Norful and Heather Headley’s rendition of “Jesus is Love.” Oscar winner Louis Gossett Jr. and actor Terry Crews performed beautiful spoken word segments, while Trin-i-tee 5:7 and 21:03 hit the stage and gave young gospel listeners something to stand up and dance to with “I’ll Take You There.”

Marvin Sapp, Pastor Shirley Caesar and Pastor Dorothy Glass, Dr. Bobby Jones with the Nashville Super Choir, Karen Clark-Sheard, Donnie McClurkin, Vickie Winans, Hezekiah Walker & LFC, Kurt Carr & The Kurt Carr Singers, as well as Christian artists Muyiwa & Riversongz direct from the United Kingdom, round out the mega-list of awe-inspiring performances at BET’s CELEBRATION OF GOSPEL ’09.

CELEBRATION OF GOSPEL is produced by BET: Stephen Hill (President of Programming), Lynne Harris Taylor (Vice President of Specials) and Marilyn Gill.

*All times ET/PT

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 98 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of businesses extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET Digital Networks – BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

Source: BET Networks

“We are honored to continue our longstanding partnership with the NFL in producing what has emerged as the premiere, family-oriented entertainment event where players and fans can come together and share in an inspirational evening during Super Bowl weekend,” said Few. “Through official sanctioning, a highly coveted designation, which grants us official usage of the NFL brand and logo, the ‘Super Bowl Gospel Celebration’ attracts marquee players and corporate partners as well as capacity crowds in each host city.”

Gospel superstars scheduled to date for live performances as part of the 10th Anniversary Super Bowl Gospel Celebration include Marvin Sapp, Mary Mary and Hezekiah Walker. Additional artists will be announced ongoing as Super Bowl weekend approaches. The 2009 concert will also feature the return of the NFL Players All-Star Choir. With league stars and longtime event supporters such as Michael Gaines (Bills), Ovie Mughelli (Falcons), Richard Seymour (Patriots), Troy Vincent (Redskins/Retired), and Pro Bowlers Tommie Harris (Bears) and Ray Lewis (Ravens) among the more than 40 players that participated in the first-ever performance, the NFL Players All-Star Choir made its debut at the 2008 show under the direction of Grammy award-winning Gospel star, Donnie McClurkin.

“The unveiling of the players’ choir at last year’s show in Phoenix generated overwhelming excitement and we are planning for an encore performance in Tampa that will be equally as memorable,” Few commented. “It’s the big game and a big weekend so we are planning the biggest ‘Super Bowl Gospel Celebration’ ever with more players and an unprecedented roster of Gospel stars.”

In 1998, Few recognized that many athletes and fans desired a safe, entertaining venue to celebrate the big game, and not only show their love for football, but also be inspired by the uplifting sounds and rich culture of Gospel music. Since its inception, the “Super Bowl Gospel Celebration” has drawn crowds in the thousands and has demonstrated growth year-over-year, with recent sellouts of venues in major markets hosting the Super Bowl including Miami (James L. Knight Center), Detroit (The Masonic Temple), Jacksonville (Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church), Houston (Reliant Arena), and Phoenix (Symphony Hall).

Sponsors of the 10th Anniversary Super Bowl Gospel Celebration include NFL PLAYERS and the Tampa Tribune. For more information on the 10th Anniversary Super Bowl Gospel Celebration, visit www.superbowlgospelcelebration.com. Tickets are available purchase via Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.

About Super Bowl Gospel Celebration
In its 10th year, the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration is the first and only gospel event sanctioned by the NFL for Super Bowl Weekend. Since its inception, the event has drawn crowds in the thousands and time and again proves to be one of the most attended activities during the Super Bowl Weekend. Participants have included award-winning gospel artists including Patti Labelle, Mary Mary, Hezekiah Walker, Yolanda Adams and Donnie McClurkin, just to name a few. For more information, we invite you to visit our website at www.superbowlgospelcelebration.com

About Results Inc.
Results Inc. is a leading urban faith-based entertainment and promotions agency that works with leading companies to develop faith-based initiatives to reach the valued faith-oriented consumer. Few has garnered national recognition as a “deal-maker,” securing several first-of-their-kind marketing agreements with leading corporations including Church’s, The Coca-Cola Company, General Mills and Hallmark Cards. Most recently, Few was tapped to develop and implement faith-based marketing promotions for Tyler Perry’s “House of Payne” and ABC Family’s “Lincoln Heights.”