9/5-Marvin Sapp

Marvin Sapp-“How Sweet the Sound”

Gospel Legends Donald Lawrence and Marvin Sapp will be on to Discuss Verizon’s How Sweet the Sound National Gospel Music Competition The gospel community’s biggest event is back in 2010 with a bang! Church choirs across the country will have the chance to win the title of “The Best Church Choir in America,” up to $50,000 and prizes in Verizon’s How Sweet the Sound competition. Choirs will also rejoice in the experience of performing in front of gospel giants like co-hosts CeCe Winans and Donald Lawrence along with the resident tour judge Marvin Sapp and community members! Church choirs will compete in 14 regions including: Houston, TX; Jacksonville, FL; Memphis, TN; Philadelphia, PA; Washington, D.C.; Newark, NJ; Cleveland; Detroit, MI; Chicago, IL; Charlotte, NC; Atlanta, GA; St. Louis, MO; Oakland, CA; and Los Angeles, CA. Participating choirs will compete for the title of “The Best Church Choir” in their city, up to $16,000, prizes, and the opportunity to participate in Verizon’s How Sweet the Sound grand finale event in Washington, D.C. Two gospel legends are available to discuss how your community members can be a part of this celebration of gospel music! Co-host Donald Lawrence and Judge Marvin Sapp can share: • Tips on how to prepare for the competition • The judging process • Different categories for small and large choirs • What makes a great church choir • How everyone can be a part of the celebration • The V CAST People’s Choice Award for the choir that captures the heart of the audience at each regional performance and grand finale • The charity component HopeLine, which will collect wireless phones, batteries and accessories in regions where Verizon How Sweet the Sound events are held, to provide wireless phones and cash grants to local domestic violence shelters and nonprofit organizations • What makes great gospel music For more information, please visit www.HowSweetTheSound.com About Donald Lawrence: GRAMMY-winning producer, composer and recording artist Donald Lawrence is one of the most influential figures in modern gospel music. After a stint as music director for soul legend Stephanie Mills, Lawrence made his mark in the gospel world by reshaping the regional Tri-City Singers in the 1990s and transforming them into an internationally acclaimed choir. The Charlotte, NC native guided the Tri-City Singers into superstar status in the gospel world with hits such as “The Best is Yet to Come,” “Encourage Yourself” and “The Blessing of Abraham,” which was number 1 on the Radio & Records Chart for a then record-breaking eighteen weeks in 2005. After a very successful Finale CD/DVD release and farewell concert tour with the Tri-City Singers, Lawrence retired from the group in 2007 to focus on personal and solo pursuits. As a producer, Lawrence has collaborated with artists as diverse as Mary J. Blige and jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis, Hezekiah Walker and the legendary Clark Sisters. Lawrence produced himself again (along with Daniel Weatherspoon) on his sophomore solo CD The Law of Confession Part 1. He will co-host the competition with GRAMMY-winner and gospel legend CeCe Winans. About Marvin Sapp: Debuting at #2, Sapp’s newest record, Here I Am, is the highest debuting gospel release ever on Billboard’s Top 200 chart. The album also debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Gospel chart, R&B chart, Top Christian/Gospel chart and on the Christian/Gospel Digital Albums chart. Sapp was first introduced to the gospel community by Fred Hammond as a six-year member of the vocal group Commissioned. He later received a Doctor of Divinity Degree from Aenon Bible College and a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Friends International Christian University. Musing on his smash gospel hit from the Thirsty release, Never Would Have Made It, Sapp, the senior pastor at The Lighthouse Full Life Center Church in Grand Rapids, says, “The mind blowing thing about Thirsty is that I put it out without expectation. There was no way to predict that Never Would Have Made It would have the impact that it had.” As a family man, Sapp believes praise and worship starts in the home he shares with his wife of 18 years, MaLinda and their three children Marvin II, Mikaila and Madisson. He will be a judge in the “How Sweet the Sound” competition.