General Gregory N. Pigott: Late Night Music Part 158......"Go-Spel It On The Mountain"

A few of you had been asking me for a gospel list, so here it goes. Let me go ahead and get something out of the way though. I am an avid gospel fan because I truly believe that the Christian church can be one of the most segregated institutions in America if you allow it to be. The worship of Christ should not be concerned with the color of the worshiper or the artists. This is the second Christian artist list I've done, and I hate that the last one kind of left out these unbelievably gifted artists. Any Christian of any denomination can enjoy these songs, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. All songs receiving votes in this category were included on this list.

"You Are"- Clint Brown. I start this list with easily one of the most underappreciated and underrated gospel artists ever in Clint Brown. This fantastic performance from his 2000 live album Nothing But Church shows his piano, singing, and songwriting ability. His songs were favorites of ours at Faith Outreach in Clarksville. This senior pastor of Faithworld Church in Orlando, Florida is the leader of one of the largest multicultural congregations in the United States, and his choir shows that this is evident in this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRs1OSIXbQc

"September"- Kirk Franklin. I love how this video shows the true gospel influence of Earth, Wind, and Fire and more specifically of Maurice White, who despite battling Parkinson's, is still very active in the music industry. This single from the tribute album Interpretations: The Music of Earth, Wind, and Fire was also released in conjuction with Franklin's 2006 album Songs for The Storm as a tribute to Hurricane Katrina survivors. This single peaked at #26 on the Billboard Christian Charts with this heavily promoted video including an appearance by Maurice White himself. Kirk Franklin is deceptively small and always blows me away with this agility and energy he seems to always have the older he gets. I wish I could move like that!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lQZ6j6UGrM

"One"- Take 6. This latest single from this Huntsville, Alabama sextet continues a 25 plus year career for this acapella group that gets more and more creative with every track. Besides their continuity, Take 6 has had very few lineup changes, showing their commitment to excellence and ministry despite the always changing music industry. A little known fact is that this group was started by and still features the older brother of Brian McKnight, Claude McKnight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3af9US_D0Is

"Open My Heart"- Yolanda Adams. I can never watch a Yolanda Adams video without thinking about Steve Harvey- watch his "Don't Trip" DVD and you'll understand. This breakout single for Adams shot to #1 on the Billboard Christian Charts and #57 on the Billboard Hot 100 off of her eponymous album Mountain High...Valley Low. This song gained Adams a mainstream following which is pretty impressive in 1999 when R & B music was being dominated by the likes of 112, Jagged Edge, and TLC. I guess a change of pace was the perfect idea. In 2009, Billboard Magazine named Yolanda Adams the #1 Gospel singer of the decade and named Mountain High...Valley Low the best gospel album of the decade. It went on to achieve platinum status as well as peak at #24 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart. It also won the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Soul Album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aYzc0Z0Z8Q

"Go Get It"- Mary Mary. This latest single for WE TV's favorite reality stars sister act Mary Mary is the title track for their newest compilation album. Mary Mary burst onto the scene in 1998 with their #28 Hot 100 hit "Shackles" and have been a mainstay ever since. This single peaked at #4 on the Billboard Christian Chart last year, and shows off the powerful vocals of the sister I always swore were twins. Their uncanny resemblance of each other makes them nearly impossible to tell apart. The funnest fact about Mary Mary is that both sisters go by the name Atkins-Campbell but are not married to men that are related. The band's name also comes from two Marys in the Bible, and most notably the two most well known women in the Bible. Mary, mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene. This song also took home this year's Grammy for Best Gospel Performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADGnIi9KrLQ

"The Best In Me"- Marvin Sapp. This single father of three and senior pastor of Lighthouse Full Center Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan included this single on his 2010 album Here I Am and it went on to win the GMA Dove Award for Best Contemporary Gospel Song. The single also peaked at #14 on the Billboard Christian Chart. Marvin Sapp always looks like he should be in the LeVert family- are you sure they weren't switched at birth?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mV6LsR2jCjs

"I Give Myself Away"- William McDowell. This super underrated artist gives a fantastic performance from his live album DVD As We Worship of a song that is now included in church services of all sorts all across the country. This Cincinnati born now Orlando based praise leader rode this song to the top of Billboard Christian Charts with this song, which eventually led to the volunteer movement www.igivemyselfaway.org, this live album also joined it at #1 that same year. This song was actually written for his worship services, I doubt he never realized how big it would eventually become.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4v5IXbEauM

"Holy"- Donnie McClurkin. This senior pastor of Perfecting Faith Church in Freeport, New York included this amazing song on his 2003 album Again. I've always been impressed with McClurkin himself, but more amazing to me is his arrangment for his choir and backup singers. I think only Kirk Franklin can compare in that category. I also think that McClurkin is a great example of someone who has truly turned their life around, as his much maligned past has been a frequent target for critics in the Christian music industry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmQg-j7WmO8

"Bread Of Heaven"- Fred Hammond. This awesome live track from former Winans bass player and former bandmate of Marvin Sapp brought home a winner in this worship track that has been used in churches across the country. This track was featured on his 2001 gold album Purpose By Design. Hammond's latest album God, Love and Romance recently peaked at #8 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart. This song has always meant a lot to me, as it was a constant rotation at Faith Outreach.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY-QKuaxm4Y

"He Is With You"- Mandisa. This track from the former American Idol's 2009 album Freedom went to #21 on the Billboard Christian Chart, but this again is a robbery of one of the most unbelievably gifted and elegant musicians in the world. This great track, however, helped her earn a Grammy Nomination for Best Pop/Gospel Album. There is no question that Mandisa is one of the most humble and passionate singers in gospel music history just because of her choice to go to the gospel side after "American Idol" could have offered possibly more lucrative pastures, and her well documented weight loss has been nothing short of phenomenal. I could listen to this woman sing all day and never get sick of it. She has a voice that demands attention, yet doesn't yearn for it. She'll definitely have mine forever though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3CVlv2dz3w

"I Need You"- Tye Tribbett and G.A. This great song from Tye Tribbett and G.A. (Greater Anointing) from their 2008 album Stand Out is one of this Camden, New Jersey singer's best efforts ever. Few other artists in any genre have such a full performance as Tribbett as his entire group performs at such a high energy level evident by their passion shown in this video. This is one of those songs that just makes you stop whatever you're doing and enjoy it. There is no way you can't enjoy this song if you're a Christian. No other song on this list gets me more excited! What a great song!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q_lRWWlEBU

"Favorite Song Of All"- Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Carol and Jim Cymbala are amazing. They have turned a fledgling New York City church into a 16,000 member church that is one of the largest in the country and also home of one of the best choirs in the world, having won Grammys in 2000, 2001, and 2003, and gave a memorable performance at the latest Presidential inauguration. This multi cultural inter denominational church has become a staple for choirs of all sorts across the world, as the overwhelming majority of their music is written by Cymbala herself. We had the privilege to sing this song in Brazil in the summer of 2000, and I have to admit, this song is awesome in any language.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6pLUukyvgw

"The Greatest of These"- Larnelle Harris. This legendary gospel singer and 5 time Grammy winner gives an unbelievable performance here. I actually saw Larnelle Harris live twice and was always blown away at his pure musicianship to go along with his unreal heart of ministry. Larnelle Harris is living proof that a gospel singer can be a great musician, as I would bet anything he could transition into opera with no problem. I think the faces of the choir behind him says it all as all you can do is watch and admire when he is singing. I don't know many other singers who could match this effort here. Wow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj7B6h3zJu4

"Tomorrow"- The Winans. This gospel classic and title track of The Winans 1984 album won the 1985 Grammy for Best Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group, and has since been covered by several other artists. I remember hearing this song being blared on the speakers when I walked into their little brother's restaurant in downtown Atlanta. This family discovered by Andrae Crouch could have been a great Motown group- this video just screams Billy Ocean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnD4xBd2Geg

"God's Grace"- Trin-i-tee 5:7. This track from New Orleans girl gospel group's self titled debut album was a smashing success when it crossed over to #32 on the Billboard Hot 100, with this video featuring Kirk Franklin helping put the video on BET and MTV. The female R & B scene was being dominated by TLC, Xscape, En Vogue, Destiny's Child, Monica, Brandy, and Divine at this time, so this mainstream crossover was no small feat. Trin-i-tee 5:7 went on a heavily promoted tour with Audio Adrenaline and other christian artists, that actually made a stop in Jackson. Trin-i-tee 5:7 were marketed by Gospocentric Records as an "alternative" to mainstream R & B music, which many fans were very skeptical of, but it surprisingly worked rather well. Many artists have tried to make the "alternative" christian music by closely resembling mainstream acts, but few other groups have done it as well and as successfully at Trin-i-tee 5:7.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJcl5WNPOv4

"My Redeemer Lives"- Nicole Mullen. Nicole Mullen won the Dove Award for Best Female Vocalist when this song put her on top of the genre in 2000, as this song and the success of her follow up album Talk About It helped her win the 2001 Dove Award for Female Vocalist Of The Year. Mullen actually started out singing backup for the Newsboys, Michael W. Smith, and "Veggie Tales" and writing the Jaci Velasquez hit song "On My Knees" (I smell a bonus video), and became to date still the only black artist to ever win a Dove Award for Song of the Year when this song won in 2001.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP-dxW-Th3c

"Send Out A Prayer"- Anointed. I had the privilege to see this Columbus, Ohio band live in 1999 in Jackson and had a chance to meet them afterwards when they opened for Avalon. This song from their 1995 album The Call is at least to me, one of the most underrated gospel songs ever. While it's been huge in churches of all sorts, the airplay never came for this song, which still baffles me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cR_blld-X8

"Champion Of Love"- Chris Willis featuring the Heritage Singers. I'm not gonna open up the debate here, but it is well known that Chris Willis started in gospel music before coming out a few years ago. He's gone on to have a good career recording with the likes of David Guetta and LMFAO, which is good, because as seen here, the guy is talented beyond belief. In this great performance from North Phoenix Baptist Church, he owns every bit of this song- he doesn't even need the backup singers. I saw him in 1996 open for Mark Lowry and I'm serious when I say this, I've never heard a singer annunciate better in my life, and it's not even close. It's funny how you notice that about people, but his vocal training is evident. I love how everyone on stage looks at him like they know they can't even dream of ever sharing a stage with someone that good again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sucak1Fu0Cg

"This Too Shall Pass"- Crystal Lewis and Yolanda Adams. I had the unreal opportunity to see Crystal Lewis at Faith Outreach at Christmas 2009 when she was the guest for our Christmas program. This collaboration with Yolanda Adams was included on Adams 2005 album Day By Day and went to #15 on the Billboard Gospel Charts. I'm blown away at how well these two complement each other, and have to wonder why haven't they done this more often? When these two hit that second chorus.......chills.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkaEFHpsXck

"I Look To You"- Whitney Houston. This R. Kelly pinned title track to the final Whitney Houston album in 2009 gave us a lasting image to truly remember her by. This song peaked at #70 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #14 on the Billboard Gospel Chart. Whitney Houston is one of the only artists ever who could just stand on a blank stage with a spotlight and still make such an amazing and track. I get sad when I think about her making a comeback in a huge way. Just watch this video and watch the movie "Sparkle" and tell me it wasn't about to happen all over again for her.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pze_mdbOK8

BONUS VIDEOS- "I Get On My Knees"- Jaci Velasquez. Written by Nicole Mullen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By-8BN316mM

"Carry The Light"- Various Artists. So dang funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3af9US_D0Is