(Promotional material for “My Bible is My Guide” a deal between Kirk Franklin and The American Bible Society)

I personally never need an incentive to go to Seven Time Grammy Winner Kirk Franklin’s concerts.. But if there were ever an added bonus, BAM- here it is, Kirk, the biggest selling contemporary

Christian artist in Soundscan history with more than 20 No. 1 singles and host of BET’s Sunday Best is teaming up with the American Bible Society to share the REAL inspiration behind the music- JESUS!

Using technology, Kirk’s promoting “The Bible is My Guide,” a national program to motivate young people to engage with THE Word. Uncle Kirk, who Miley Cyrus in an Access Hollywood interview called her ”favorite person to listen to in the shower” (Picture her singing Melodies from Heaven at the top of her little Country lungs…. wow) will connect his audience to THE Word by encouraging his fans during his concerts this summer to text him.

Fans who text him will receive daily bible verses to their cell phones free of charge. Uncle Kirk will use this opportunity as a platform to discuss the importance of reading and studying the Bible.”I’ve found the process of reading the Bible and writing a song is life-changing, and I’m always eager to share the inspiration behind my music. Being a part of the American Bible Society’s ‘Bible is My Guide’ project is a huge statement about the man I am trying to become,” said Franklin.

Now if you just can’t make it to a Kirk Franklin concert, The American Bible Society also provides Bible verses via email, voicemail, text message, podcast and RSS feed free of charge to anyone who subscribes at Kirk.AmericanBible.org.

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(Album cover for Lord Lift Us Up – 1984)

Benjamin and Cecelia are back with a vengeance!  BeBe and CeCe have come a long way during their 20 years in the GI (Gospel Industry) yall wasn’t ready for us to take you all the way back like that. They have sown their royal oats with multiple platinum and gold albums both in the Gospel and R&B genres (Don’t Gasp for air Saints, I said R&B) 5 Grammys, 8 Doves and more than 12 Stellars, 2 NAACP’s and more #1′s on radio than you can count!

(New promotional pics shot in ATL by celebrity photographer Derrick Blanks)

With a resume like that Tommy Couch, president of Malaco Music Group, a legendary southern R&B and Gospel label based in Jackson, Mississippi welcomed the dynamic duo with open arms… Yes Malaco!!!!  You read it right, BeBe and CeCe have a new distribution partner (Malaco Music Group) for their new record label, B & C Records. The single ‘Close to You’ is already getting radio spin pending their September release. RA’s (Recording Artist) take note, these two didn’t just return after a long hiatus, but they returned with their own record label! “As a true fan of their music for many years, this is one of the most exciting signings that I have made in recent years,” said Tommy Couch, president of Malaco Music Group.

On Wednesday, June 3, 2009 Malaco released this video and statement:

Here’s the statement….

The Malaco Music Group has announced that gospel music superstars BeBe and CeCe Winans have signed an exclusive distribution deal for B & C Records, their first joint record label venture. With Malaco Records as their new distribution partner BeBe and CeCe have launched their new label with the release of “Close to You”which is the first single from their gospel music CD which will be in stores in September.

I love this video of them singing the new single on TBN. You can tell they love and enjoy each other very much. What a special brother/sister relationship. lol @ CeCe teasing BeBe about going to bed at 8:00. Reminds me of how much I love my brothers even though they teased me terribly when were were young. lol ~ 1800Gospel.com

Posted by Malaco Records at 9:53:00 AM 0 comments

(with Oprah, Vince Gill, and Wynonna Judd after performing “Right Now (We Need One Another)” after a recent taping of The Oprah’s Show)

We hope to see BeBe and CeCe joining their Malaco counterparts Dorothy Norwood, Luther Barnes, The Mississippi Mass Choir, Maurette Brown Clark, Keith ‘Wonderboy’ Johnson, and newcomer Jai Reed in Stellar-ville next season!!! To read Malaco’s full statement from June 1 and see more video footage click on continue reading below….

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Ok, so the OC couple of the Week is not exactly Mahalia Jackson and James Cleveland (that is too funny even for us…); however in their playful introduction of each other, they often refer to each other as such! It’s hilarious! Cedric and LeJuene Thompson have earned their place as this weeks’ Bonnie and Clyde in the GI (Gospel Industry).

You can mention the name Cedric Thompson to any musician, singer, producer or writer in the GI and beyond and get instant respect. He is a Stellar Award Winning, Grammy Award Nominated producer. He’s worked on projects for just about “eeeeerrrrrbody”-Bishop T.D. Jakes, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, John P. Kee, Heather Headley, Monique Walker, Shirley Murdock, Men of Standard, Marvin Sapp, Micah Stampley, Donald Lawrence, Twinkie Clark and Karen Clark-Sheard- and that’s just the short list.

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President and CEO John Wells along with the executive leadership staff of Cross Movement Records (CMR) a Christian Hip-Hop recording company have decided to drop their #1 artist William “Duce” Branch AKA The Ambassador (TA) citing marital infidelity. 

 Literally days within the release and world promotion of an upcoming CD ,record label executives released these ststements:“It is with much grief, severe disappointment and an overwhelming fear of the Lord that Cross Movement Records is sad to announce that we will be discontinuing the forwarding and promotion of the Artist and Minister, due to recent findings of moral failure in his marriage.”  

(William “Duce” Branch AKA The Ambassador(note the big t-shirt to prove it) and his wife. I promise this was the best picture I could find of them)

 This Comes as a huge surprise seeing as TA was once considered CMR’s headline artist. Before we knew the now popular Hip-Hop artist, Da Truth(a pastor signed to CMR) there was The Ambassador. TA was CMR’s most publicized artist and if you visit crossmovementrecords.com right now you will still be able to find his records for sale as well as his promotional material in banner form at the top of most of the sites pages.

Calling his infidelity “unacceptable,” CMR said TA, also a pastor, failed to serve as the leader and role model all Christians should be.

 CMR executives said they arrived at their decision to discontinue their business partnership with Branch after speaking with the artist himself, his church leadership, other Christian leaders and much prayer.

“So we know that our beloved brother Duce is under the Lord’s loving care (Hebrews 12:5-11). We at CMR solicit your prayers for him as he begins the uphill climb of restoration through the process of
repentance. We also ask that you remember his wife and children in your quiet time with our Lord as well.”

Here is the last video promoted by CMR from TA’s last CD “Chop Chop from Milk to Meat”

To read the full statement and to see pics of CMR’s CEO continue reading after the cut.

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