Firm FoundationThings are full steam ahead for the Dr. Bobby Jones Gospel Complex for Education and Preservation that will open in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The facility will serve as a museum for the gospel music and have an educational facility where conferences and classes can be taught. "Every genre of music has a home. It's about time that gospel music has one as well," Ambassador
Dr. Bobby Jones told attendees of his bi-annual International Gospel Industry Retreat at the Westin Diplomat Resort in Hollywood, Flori. last week. "Fort Lauderdale and its surrounding communities have been very supportive of the International Gospel Industry Retreat and have embraced us with open arms. We are thrilled to be here and I am truly amazed by the depth of support and love we have received from the corporate community as well."
The Dr. Bobby Jones Gospel Complex for Education and Preservation is being spearheaded by
Albert Tucker, vice president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. Others on the board of directors for the complex include "Queen of Gospel"
Albertina Walker, attorney
Richard Manson,
Donna Richardson Joyner, Hall of Fame football star
Jim Brown,
Jolinda Wade (mother Miami Heat baller
Dwyane Wade),
Dr. Maya Angelou, BET founder
Robert L. Johnson and
Kirk Franklin.
"We expect to break ground for the complex as early as January," Tucker told those in attendance at a press conference held during International Gospel Industry Retreat. Mock-ups for the complex were on display through the retreat and if all goes as planned, construction on the complex could be underway by the end of 2007.
The announcement of the lineup for 2007's Super Bowl Gospel Celebration was also made during the International Gospel Industry Retreat. Marketing guru
Melanie Few, the brains behind the production, announced during the press conference that
Fred Hammond,
Yolanda Adams,
J. Moss,
Hezekiah Walker & Love Fellowship,
Jaci Velasquez and two soon-to-be announced acts will headline the annual show. "One of these people is a major star that we don't get to hear sing gospel too often," Few told the crowd. NFL executives are also in the final stages of negotiating a television and DVD component to the show as well.
In addition to talk of the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration and Dr. Bobby Jones Gospel Complex for Education and Preservation, the International Gospel Industry Retreat serves as a three-day informational forum for gospel artists, music executives and Christian media and industry professionals that combines classes, showcases and television tapings. The retreat is the most intimate of all of the gospel industry conferences and several major gospel recording artists have been discovered and secured record deals from performing during the bi-annual event.
Among the standout performers at this year’s retreat were
The Anointed Pace Sisters,
Paula Payden-Champion (keep your ears open for her!),
VaShawn Mitchell,
Christopher,
Leon Timbo and
Micah Stampley, who was accompanied on piano by the legendary
Richard Smallwood during The Word Network showcase. Others in attendance for the retreat included actress
BernNadette Stanis (‘Good Times’),
Donald Lawrence,
Dorinda Clark-Cole,
Tye Tribbett,
Kim Burrell,
Kenny Lattimore &
Chante Moore,
Byron Cage,
Shirley Murdock,
Melvin Williams,
Trina Jeffries,
DeWayne Woods,
Florence LaRue (of
The 5th Dimension),
Myron Butler,
Chanita Morris,
Ted Winn,
Lemmie Battles,
Trin-I-Tee 5:7,
Dave Hollister,
Shirley Caesar,
V. Michael McKay,
Candi Staton,
Shawn McLemore,
LeAnn Faine,
Earl Bynum,
Lexi,
William Demps,
The Virginia Gospel Mass Choir,
Lance Williams,
Antwaun Stanley,
A7,
Lonnie Hunter,
Martha Munizzi,
Irocc,
K&K Mime Ministry,
Patrick Lundy,
The Craig Brothers,
Earnest Pugh and entirely too many gospel movers and shakers to name.
Segments from the International Gospel Industry Retreat will air on The Word Network. The International Gospel Industry Retreat will return to the Westin Diplomat Resort in Hollywood, Fla. in May 2007.
Step UpNot since
Spike Lee released 'School Daze' in 1998 has there been a major motion picture to showcase Black college life. Because of that, anticipation for Sony Screen Gems' 'Stomp The Yard,' has been extremely high. One of the film's producers,
William Packer, describes 'Stomp The Yard' as a "contemporary look at Black college life." And though "a story about a young kid who goes to a black college and gets uplifted and redeemed" aren't commercial themes in Hollywood, Packer said they were able to get the movie made because they "interweaved those themes with a lot of the traditional elements that work in Hollywood."
Despite its positive subject matter and a cast that includes
Brian J. White ('Mr. 3000'),
Darrin Henson ('Soul Food'),
Meagan Good ('Waist Deep'),
Laz Alonzo ('Jarhead'),
Ne-Yo,
Chris Brown and newcomer
Columbus Short ('Save The Last Dance 2'), a few fraternities have raised concerns about the film being released without even having seen the movie.
Packer, who has also produced 'The Gospel,' 'Motives' and the 'Trois' series, wants to eradicate any negative buzz those organizations may be causing. "We have heard some people say this is a Hollywood film and that it is not about steppin', its about dancing, and the fraternities and sororities are not going to be depicted correctly. [They think] it was shot at [the University of Southern California] and its just some white Hollywood studio behind it. That's not true," Packer explained. "This is a film that originated with people; myself and my partner who produced the film, members of Alpha Phi Alpha, a Black Greek letter organization. [We] are both married to Deltas. We went to a [Historically Black Colleges and Universities]. Our director, his father is a Kappa. One of our main choreographers is a Kappa. We shot it at the AUC in Atlanta. We shot it at Morris Brown, shot scenes at Spelman, we shot scenes at Morehouse and we shot scenes at Clark Atlanta. Yeah, its loud and its big and its flashy and that's why people think its just a dance movie, but when you get in you're going to be in store for so much more."
Opening around the
Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday weekend has served films like 'Glory Road,' 'Last Holiday,' 'Coach Carter' and 'Are We There Yet' well in recent years and Packer is hoping to impact the same way with 'Stomp The Yard.' "Anytime you're doing the right thing, you're not going to have everybody support you. We're hoping people will reserve judgment until they see the film because I'm confident that they're going to be pleasantly surprised," he concluded.
Read Page 2 of the BV Buzz
