This month’s edition of Upscale Magazine is entirely devoted to men in lieu of Father’s Day fastly approaching. Upscale, interviewing there guest contributor, multi-award winning international gospel artist  Israel Houghton ,ask who his favorite television father figures were and Houghton explained  how much he admired the grace and patience it took Mr. Brady to merge two of the largest families on television in the show “The Brady Bunch” .

In his contributing article Houghton reveals how much he struggled with his identity as a child, how that translated into the first years of his budding music career and how being true to himself helped him “find his own trail”. He was transparent in this article, revealing  how people (who he calls experts in the industry) ,Ignorantly (his words) told him after his start “well you just can’t do it like that” which he admits was quite discouraged . But he pressed forward focusing on his ultimate goal to “be a bridge culturally”.

(Identity issues forgotten,  seasoned artist Israel Houghton gives advice to industry new comers James Fortune & FIYA)

Contributing to this month’s issue of Upscale is perfect timing as Houghton is currently  on tour promoting  the release of his latest  album which is receiving high reviews from critics and topping both gospel and secular charts.  When Houghton is not on the road promoting  his CD’s he is serving as minister of music  for  million member congregation (ok we don’t have a actual count but its real big) Lakewood Church in Houston TX with Pastor Joel Osteen. Not only a musician but a philanthropist Houghton and his devoted wife Meleasa have three children and are in the process of adopting a child from South Africa.

(Israel’s latest video for FIRST single “Just Wanna Say”)

(If you were wondering who was on the cover so you can find it in the store its R&B singer Tyrese )