ACM WINNER GORDON MOTE IN STUDIO WITH ACCLAIMED COUNTRY PRODUCER FRANK ROGERS
Written by SGN Scoops on April 11, 2013 – 5:19 am -
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 11, 2013) - New Haven Records recording artist Gordon Mote was recently in the studio cutting tracks for his upcoming 2013 release with acclaimed country music producer Frank Rogers at the helm. Rogers has garnered five Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards and 13 Country Music Association (CMA) Award nominations for producing such artists as Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins, Darryl Worley, Josh Turner and Darius Rucker.
Mote, a 2012 ACM Award winner for Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year, is a highly sought-after studio musician who has worked with Rogers on many of the producer’s award-winning productions.
“I’ve spent hundreds of hours in the studio with Frank as he has helped other artists find their voice. The fact that Frank is now shaping my music is both humbling and exhilarating,” Mote says.
Numerous magical moments occurred during the tracking sessions, with the most memorable occurring while recording “Faith Like That,” a poignant ballad which describes the heartache of a grieving father while offering hope to everyone who has lost a loved one. This song is especially close to Mote’s heart.
“One of my very best friends recently lost his daughter,” Mote says. “I am inspired by his faith every time I sing this song.”
Dove Award-winning songwriter Kyle Matthews (“We Fall Down”) joined Mote and Rogers to pen “Broken Open,” an autobiographical ballad revealing how God uses the negative things that happen to us for His glory and our good. Matthews also wrote the New Orleans-flavored “Main Event,” a light-hearted but insightful tune about missing the point, that is sure to become a concert favorite.
“Gordon covers a lot of musical ground on this new record: inspirational, country and southern styles. But the project holds together incredibly well because they’re all facets of the same gem,” Rogers says. “Gordon is simply a brilliant talent with a great heart.”
Mote’s yet-to-be-named New Haven Records CD will hit stores this Fall, with singles to Inspirational and Southern Gospel radio shipping in late Spring. Mote currently is on tour promoting his latest release, Songs I Grew Up Singing, throughout Canada with Country music star Paul Brandt.
Photo Caption: ACM Award winner Gordon Mote recently cut tracks in Nashville’s Ocean Way Studio for his Fall 2013 New Haven Records release. Pictured (l-r): Bob Rodgers (artist manager), Scott Williamson (instrumentalist), Mote, Frank Rogers (producer), and Ken Harding (president of New Haven Records). (McCain & Co. Public Relations photo)
About Gordon Mote:
Mote, who recently was voted “Top Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year” at the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, began playing piano at the age of 3 and toured with his family’s singing group until his undeniable talent made him an award-winning Nashville session player (Brad Paisley, Alan Jackson, Rascal Flatts, Lionel Richie, Alison Krauss). Mote recently wrapped up a six-year stint singing and playing for the popular Gaither Homecoming concerts and recordings so that he could devote more time to his family and expanding solo career. The vocalist, producer and keyboardist extraordinaire has been blind since birth, but his words and music reach beyond the ears to the heart. More than his undeniable talent, Mote’s fans appreciate his ability to communicate the love of Christ to a world in need of hope.
About New Haven Records:
New Haven Records is a Nashville-based music corporation that includes label, publishing, and film companies. For more than two decades, they have focused on the uniquely American genres of Black Gospel, Southern Gospel, and Country & Bluegrass Gospel. New Haven’s product is distributed to the mainstream through Sony and to the Christian marketplace through Provident Music Distribution. For additional information, go to www.newhavenrecords.com.
For more information or to schedule an interview, contact:
New Haven Records
741 Cool Springs Blvd.
Franklin, TN 37067
Phone: 615-327-3300
info@newhavenrecords.com
Tags: ACM, Frank Rogers, gordon mote, Kyle matthews, New Haven Records, Paul Brandt, Southern Gospel News
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Gospel Music Today On SGNScoops.com
Written by SGN Scoops Staff on April 8, 2013 – 8:44 am -Tags: Cheryl Paige, gordon mote, Gospel Music Today, Ken & Jean Grady, Lesters, Michael Frost Trio, njamin Blankenship, Southern Gospel Music
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Gordon Mote: “Music, Family, Life!”
Written by SGN Scoops on March 7, 2013 – 10:38 am -“Music, Family, Life”
Gordon Mote
By Jennifer Campbell
(published December 2012 SGNScoops Magazine)
Sitting on a piano bench at the young age of three years old, Gordon Mote began a journey that has literally taken him across the country and around the world. For even as a young boy, God began preparing Gordon for a journey far greater than he ever imagined possible. Now, he travels more than 150 dates per year and works on recording sessions for a wide array of Gospel and Country artists each week. He has become one of the most sought-after recording studio session players in Nashville, receiving the Academy of Country Music Award for Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year in 2009 and 2011. But through it all, Gordon keeps his eyes on the One who made it all possible: God. He gives God the glory for his music, his family, and his life.
“I’m sure it was a big influence in me even knowing [Gospel] music because I’m sure Mama and Daddy didn’t listen to a whole lot of other at that time,” Gordon said. “But I remember playing [piano] in church. My first memories of playing piano were mostly gospel songs. As I grew up, as a kid, I’d listen to all kinds of radio and I’d play anything I heard, if it was a television commercial, or a country song, or a pop song, or a gospel song. But we grew up listening to Southern Gospel and as I got older, contemporary music.”
While Gordon has ventured into several genres of music throughout his career, there is still a special place in his heart for the music that started it all. The timeless melodies and old familiar lyrics of the Gospel classics hold fond memories for Gordon.
“We had a radio station in our hometown, WGAD, in Gadsden,” Gordon stated, “and they had a Sunday morning program called Songs of Inspiration. That’s where we heard so many of the songs that my brother and I learned to sing. That’s why the “Songs I Grew Up Singing” record I have out now is so important to me because it brings back a lot of great memories and it just proves that great lyrics and great songs can stand the test of time. You put a new face on it and it’s like it’s brand new again.”
Gordon credits Bill Gaither for giving him the platform on which to begin his ministry. He said his six years traveling with the Gaither Homecoming tour was a memorable journey, one that he cherishes to this day. He still joins the tour on select dates whenever his schedule allows.
Speaking of the Gaither Homecoming Friends, Gordon said the best part of being at a taping for the Homecoming Video series is what people do not see on the videos. He says that the Homecoming Friends are like a big family. They share stories, tell jokes, and even argue a little bit. But at the end of the day, they care for each other and love each other like one big happy family.
Gordon is part of the younger generation of Gospel Music artists, so I asked him what it was like to follow in the footsteps of so many of the Gospel Music legends. His response was that it is “weird.” He said people always come up to him at concerts, complimenting him and his ministry. And he said they say things about him like he would say of many of the legends. He humbly said that it seems odd at times that people will pay for a ticket just to come see him. But he said he enjoys talking to people and meeting new people, which is why he said his autograph line usually moves a bit slower than others nearby. Surely, this is a trait of someone who truly loves what they do and appreciates the people who come to hear him perform. Read more »
Tags: gordon mote, Jennifer Campbell, SGNScoops Magazine, Southern Gospel News
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GORDON MOTE JOINS COUNTRY SUPERSTAR PAUL BRANDT ON JUST AS I AM 2013 TOUR
Written by SGN Scoops on March 1, 2013 – 6:47 am -From Recent Songs I Grew Up Singing CD
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (February 28, 2013) - New Haven recording artist Gordon Mote has announced he will join Country Music superstar Paul Brandt on his Just As I Am 2013 Tour this Spring. Brandt is the most awarded male Canadian country music artist in history. The tour will kick off on May 15 and run through June 7, hitting 20 cities throughout Canada, including Winnipeg, Manitoba; Ottawa, Ontario; and Vancouver, British Columbia.
Mote will be performing songs from his latest album, Songs I Grew Up Singing, which features a collection of inspiring songs that helped shape Gordon’s music and ministry.
“This is a great opportunity for Gordon to increase his ever-growing fan base,” says Ken Harding, president of New Haven Records. “It is truly an honor for Gordon to share the stage with Canada’s most prominent country artist.”
Mote co-produced and played keyboards on Brandt’s latest album, Just As I Am, which was released in October 2012 on Brandt’s independent label, Brand-T Records. The album, featuring an assortment of well-known Gospel songs, was recently named one of the top Country Albums of 2012 from iTunes Canada, in the company of Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and the Zac Brown Band.
“Paul Brandt is a megastar in Canada,” says Bob Rodgers, Mote’s manager. “From the time Gordon started working with Paul on the Just As I Am project, both artists have dreamed of making this upcoming tour a reality. I can’t wait to see how God is going to use them together to bless thousands and to win new fans for both!”
“I am so pleased to have Gordon Mote joining me on my upcoming Just As I Am 2013 Tour,” says Brandt. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Gordon over the years. Just when I think I’ve seen the limit of his talent, both vocally and playing the piano, he takes it to another level. He is a musical genius; a true master of his craft, and I’m thrilled and honored be working with him.”
“I’m very excited to be a part of this tour with Paul,” says Mote. “It was an honor for me to be involved in the production of his new Just As I Am project and I look forward to sharing the stage with such a talented musician and Godly man.”
The Just As I Am 2013 Tour will be featured in numerous churches across Canada. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at www.gordonmote.com or www.uniteproductions.com.
About Gordon Mote:
Mote, who recently was voted “Top Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year” at the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, began playing piano at the age of 3 and toured with his family’s singing group until his undeniable talent made him an award-winning Nashville sessions player (Brad Paisley, Alan Jackson, Rascal Flatts, Lionel Richie, Alison Krauss). Mote recently wrapped up a six-year stint singing and playing for the popular Gaither Homecoming concerts and recordings so that he could devote more time to his family and expanding solo career. The vocalist, producer and keyboardist extraordinaire has been blind since birth, but his words and music reach beyond the ears to the heart. More than his undeniable talent, Mote’s fans appreciate his ability to communicate the love of Christ to a world in need of hope.
About New Haven Records:
New Haven Records is a Nashville-based music corporation that includes label, publishing, and film companies. For more than two decades, they have focused on the uniquely American genres of Black Gospel, Southern Gospel, and Country & Bluegrass Gospel. New Haven’s product is distributed to the mainstream through Sony and to the Christian marketplace through Provident Music Distribution. For additional information, go to www.newhavenrecords.com.
About Paul Brandt:
Paul Brandt is the most awarded male Canadian country artist in history. His 1996 debut was certified Gold by the RIAA and went on to sell 1 million albums internationally, propelled by the No. 1 R&R single and wedding standard “I Do.” He’s written songs for Johnny Cash, Dave Matthews and others, and produced tracks for new Canadian supergroup High Valley. His 2011 release Give It Away was named iTunes’ Canadian Country Album of the Year, and the accompanying NOW Tour successfully criss-crossed Canada, generating 5.2 million impressions via his @paulbrandt Twitter handle. Brandt released his 11th album, Just As I Am, in October 2012. Brandt and his family enjoy using the platform of celebrity to raise funds and awareness for causes they believe in through their Build It Forward Foundation.
Photo top: Academy of Country Music award winner Gordon Mote will join Canadian country music superstar Paul Brandt on the Just As I Am 2013 Tour. (New Haven Records photo)
Photo bottom: Paul Brandt welcomes Gordon Mote on his upcoming tour in support of his current CD, Just As I Am, a project on which Mote co-produced and played keyboards.
Tags: Country Music, gordon mote, New Haven Records, Paul Brandt, Southern Gospel News, The Just As I Am 2013 Tour
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GORDON MOTE PERFORMS AT GOSPEL AND COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS
Written by SGN Scoops on December 6, 2012 – 3:26 pm -
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (December 6, 2012) - Multi-talented New Haven Records and RSI Music Group recording artist Gordon Mote was recently invited to perform at the artist induction ceremonies of both the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame, underscoring the Academy of Country Music award winner’s rare position as a top crossover performer whose talent is winning acclaim across multiple genres of music.
“It is a rare talent that finds favor in both the Gospel and Country music worlds. We are honored that Gordon Mote calls New Haven Records ‘home,’ and we are thrilled about the ever-broadening attention that Gordon’s music and ministry is receiving,” says Ken Harding, president of New Haven Records.
The Academy of Country Music award winner recently performed when Aretha Franklin, Ricky Skaggs, Dallas Holm, The Hoppers, Love Song and Rex Humbard were inducted into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame at a ceremony recorded for broadcast at TBN’s Trinity Music City auditorium. Mote performed Holm’s gold-selling hit, “Rise Again,” which is featured on Mote’s recent CD, Songs I Grew Up Singing, an inspiring musical diary of landmark songs that not only shaped his music and ministry but also inspired a generation of Gospel music lovers. Near the end of Mote’s performance, Holm joined Mote onstage for the final verse and chorus, resulting in a rousing standing ovation. Read more »
Tags: Dallas Holm, gordon mote, New Haven Records, RSI Music Group, Southern Gospel News
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December 2012 Edition Of SGNScoops Magazine
Written by SGN Scoops Staff on December 4, 2012 – 5:52 pm -
From the staff of SGNScoops Magazine, Merry Christmas! We pray the December edition warms your heart this holiday season. On the cover this month is the sensational Annie Moses Band. Also we highlight the latest happenings in the ministries of Gordon Mote, Cross Music Group, Soul’d Out Quartet, Randy and Sherri Miller, Kevin Mills, C S & K, and Micah Watkins. Rhonda Frye share the highlights of the recent Write About Jesus songwriter’s conference, Jennifer Campbell shares a recent Women of Faith experience and Rob Patz shares a media minute with Patricia Mathis. We urge you to give the gift of Gospel Music! Sandi Duncan Clark reviews the latest albums from the Littles, the Hoppers, The Easters, the Blackwood Brothers, and the Hinshaw Trio. Also included in this edition, Laurrette Willis encourages Christian Fitness during the holidays, John Mathis gives a word of encouragement and Lou Hildreth shares wonderful memories. For this special holiday issue, we’ve gathered many tasty recipes from our staff, readers and many artists. We urge you to put these recipes to the test! We’ve had a great 2012 at SGNScoops and are looking forward to great things in 2013. Remember, SGNScoops All Digital Magazine is absolutely free, so please share with your family, fans and friends! Merry Christmas!!
Download This Months Magazine Here
Tags: Annie Moses Band, C S & K, christian entertainment, church, Creekside Gospel Music Convention, Cross Music Group, Faith, gaither, gordon mote, John Mathis, Kevin Mills, Laurrette Willis, Littles, Lou Hildreth, Micah Watkins, New Southern Gospel, Patricia Mathis, Randy and Sherri Miller, Rhonda Frye, rob patz, Sandi Duncan Clark, SGNScoops Magazine, soul'd out quartet, southern gospel concerts, Southern Gospel News, Southern Gospel Top 20, The Blackwood Brothers, The Easters, The Hoppers, Top 20, women of faith, Write About Jesus
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ACM Award Winner Gordon Mote Celebrates The Season With THE STAR STILL SHINES
Written by SGN Scoops on October 5, 2012 – 3:26 pm -
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (October 5, 2012) - New Haven Records and RSI Music Group have announced that Academy of Country Music award-winner Gordon Mote’s new Christmas project,The Star Still Shines, will hit store shelves October 16. The holiday CD combines Southern Gospel, inspirational, and country music-flavored renditions of new and traditional Christmas songs and carols, including Michael W. Smith’s classic “Emmanuel” and Steven Curtis Chapman’s “Christmas Is All In the Heart.”
In addition to 10 tracks on The Star Still Shines featuring Mote’s warm, engaging vocals, the musician’s award-winning keyboard prowess is spotlighted on the instrumental interludes “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” “Away In A Manger,” and “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” The first single from the project, an exhilarating vocal/keyboard arrangement of “Go Tell It On the Mountain,” releases to radio in November.
“I remember the first Christmas with my wife, Kimberly. We had a little 700-square foot apartment in Nashville and a scrawny little ‘Charlie Brown’ Christmas tree. We crammed our friends and family into that tiny living room, dimmed the lights and sang Christmas carols. What sweet days those were … simple, yet so full,” Mote reflects. “Now that we have children of our own, we are blessed with new memories. It is our prayer that as you listen to these songs, you, too, will sit back and think of all you have to be thankful for this Christmas.”
“From poignant to powerful, this CD celebrates the ‘Christ’ in Christmas in the fresh, creative, and heartfelt manner that has made Gordon one of the brightest emerging artists in music today,” says Ken Harding, president of New Haven Records. “It’s the kind of fun, yet meaningful, music you want playing while you decorate the tree or sit down for Christmas dinner. We are thrilled to bring the world another extraordinary project from this amazing artist.”
The Star Still Shines is New Haven’s second Gordon Mote release in 2012, following Songs I Grew Up Singing, an inspiring musical diary of landmark songs that not only shaped his music and ministry, but also inspired a generation of Gospel music lovers. Singles from that project include Mote’s renditions of the Hinson’s hit “Call Me Gone” and the Gaither classic, “This Is the Time I Must Sing.”
Photo caption, top: Gordon Mote’s The Star Still Shines will be released October 16 by New Haven Records. (New Haven Records photo)
Photo caption, bottom: Gordon Mote is a New Haven Records recording artist. (New Haven Records photo)
About Gordon Mote:
Mote, who recently was voted “Top Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year” at the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, began playing piano at the age of 3 and toured with his family’s singing group until his undeniable talent made him an award-winning Nashville sessions player (Brad Paisley, Alan Jackson, Rascal Flatts, Lionel Richie, Alison Krauss). Mote recently wrapped up a six-year stint singing and playing for the popular Gaither Homecoming concerts and recordings so that he could devote more time to his family and expanding solo career.
The vocalist and keyboardist extraordinaire has been blind since birth, but his words and music reach beyond the ears to the heart. More than his undeniable talent, Mote’s fans appreciate his ability to communicate the love of Christ to a world in need of hope.
Mote’s fans can read more about the keyboardist in the October 2012 issue of Singing News where he will be featured as the cover story.
About New Haven Records:
New Haven Records is a Nashville-based music corporation that includes label, publishing, and film companies. For more than two decades, they have focused on the uniquely American genres of Black Gospel, Southern Gospel, and Country & Bluegrass Gospel. New Haven’s product is distributed to the mainstream through Sony and to the Christian marketplace through Provident Music Distribution. For additional information, go to www.newhavenrecords.com.
Tags: christmas music, gordon mote, New Haven Records, RSI Music Group, Southern Gospel News, Steven Curtis Chapman
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TALENT ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2012 GMA GOSPEL MUSIC HALL OF FAME
Written by SGN Scoops on August 7, 2012 – 6:52 pm -
TALENT ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2012 GMA GOSPEL MUSIC HALL OF FAME
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – August 3, 2012 – An unforgettable night of tributes and performances will be featured at the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Tuesday, August 14, 2012 (7:00 PM CST) at Trinity Music City in Hendersonville, TN. Dailey & Vincent, Dottie Peoples, Gordon Mote, Greg Long, The Isaacs, Jamie Grace, Michael W. Smith and The Talleys are among the artists set to provide recognition to this years inductees: Aretha Franklin, The Hoppers, Rex Humbard, Ricky Skaggs and Love Song. Jason Crabb and Jaci Velasquez will host the evening’s festivities.
Jackie Patillo, Executive Director of the Gospel Music Association and President of the Gospel Music Foundation commented: “It is great to see our christian and gospel music communities come together to pay tribute to this years GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductees. It is an honor to recognize our trailblazers and remind the world of the people God has used to spread the gospel through music.”
This year marks the 39th anniversary of the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame which was established in 1971, and has inducted more than 150 members since its inception. Previous inductees include Johnny Cash, DeGarmo & Key, Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, Mahalia Jackson, Amy Grant, the Statler Brothers, the Winans, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Andrae Crouch, Sandi Patty, Andrae Crouch & the Disciples, Vestal Goodman, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Shirley Caesar, The Oak Ridge Boys, the Blackwood Brothers, Petra, Bill Gaither, Gloria Gaither, the Happy Goodman Family, Larry Norman, George Beverly Shea, Albertina Walker, The Imperials, Pat Boone, Dottie Rambo, Evie, Larry Norman, Richard Smallwood, Jake Hess, The Lewis Family, Cliff Barrows, Thomas A. Dorsey, the Cathedral Quartet, the Fairfield Four, Billy Graham and The Jordanaires. The Gospel Music Hall of Fame is dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the historical development of gospel music and its impact on our culture by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collections for a global audience, as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to gospel music. For a full list of GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame Members click here.
ABOUT THE INDUCTEES:
ARETHA FRANKLIN
Although born in soul’s capitol city, Memphis. The Franklin family soon moved to Detroit, MI, where her father, Baptist minister Reverend C. L. Franklin, soon became one of the most revered public figures in black America. During her late preteens, Franklin was regularly singing solo numbers in her father’s New Bethel Baptist Church. She grew up with local and national celebrities visiting in her family home, including gospel greats Albertina Walker and her group The Caravans, Mahalia Jackson and Clara Ward, three women who played a pivotal role in her vocal development.
In 1972, she released the gospel album Amazing Grace. The album eventually became her biggest-selling release ever, selling over two million copies and becoming the best-selling gospel album of all time. In 1987 she again returned to her gospel roots with the album, One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, which though it did not repeat the success of Amazing Grace despite a powerful rendition of “Oh Happy Day”, featuring Mavis Staples, but did reach the Top 10 of Billboard’s gospel chart.
Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All Time as well as the ninth greatest artist of all time. She has won 18 competitive Grammys and two honorary Grammys. She has 20 #1 singles on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart and two #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: “Respect” (1967) and “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” (1987), Since 1961, she has scored a total of 45 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. She also has the most million-selling singles of any female artist. Between 1967 and 1982 she had 10 #1 R&B albums—more than any other female artist. In 1987, Aretha became the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She was the only featured singer at the 2009 Presidential Inauguration.
DALLAS HOLM
Dallas has earned his influence in today’s Christian music throughout more than 40 years of writing, singing and ministry in some 4,000 concerts in every state in the USA as well as many countries abroad. His 38 recordings have garnered gold records, multiple Dove awards, Grammy nominations, number one songs, and countless accolades.
Artists such as Steven Curtis Chapman, Twila Paris and Greg Long of Avalon all make reference to Holm’s significant impact on their lives and ministries. Holm can be seen on several of the Bill Gaither Homecoming videos. On one video Gaither introduces Dallas by saying, “This is one of the nicest guys in our entire industry.” This broad appeal and respect by peers has undoubtedly been one of the reasons for Holm’s amazing longevity and relevance. They became the first Contemporary Christian band to receive an RIAA certified Gold Album for Dallas Holm and Praise LIVE.
THE HOPPERS
Multi-award winning family group The Hoppers have been singing to global audiences for over 55 years with appearances ranging from presidential religious inaugural ceremonies and New York’s Carnegie Hall to singing conventions and church platforms. They have performed throughout the United States as well as in Israel, Europe and Africa. Their unique blend of harmonies and song choices have created a legacy of musical excellence embraced by leading pastors and event organizers. Known as America’s Favorite Family of Gospel Music, they are favorites on the Gaither Homecoming videos and tours, and their recordings frequently land at the top of the BILLBOARD sales charts and The Singing News radio charts.
Comprised today of family members Claude & Connie, son Dean and his wife, Kim, and son Mike Hopper, The Hoppers were formed in 1957 in the rural-farm town of Madison, NC, and have grown continuously for decades, touching countless lives around the world. A cancer survivor, Connie has been honored with the prestigious Marvin Norcross Award, in addition to numerous industry and fan honors; and she has been inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Sons Dean and Mike have continued the family legacy with their musical talents and business abilities; and Kim, Dean’s wife, hails from her own nationally acclaimed musical family, The Greenes. She is noted for the excitement she brings to any live performance, and her unmistakable, rafter-ringing soprano vocals have taken The Hoppers to new heights for many years.
REX HUMBARD
In 1932, Rex Humbard did his first radio program on KTHS Radio, Hot Springs, Arkansas; at the age of 13. His father, Alpha Rex Emanuel Humbard, ran an orphanage and church in downtown Hot Springs. In the midst of the Great Depression, church attendance was poor and offerings for the orphanage suffered greatly. Rex did his radio program every week, singing, playing his guitar and telling the listeners about his father’s church. One year later the seats were full to capacity and the orphans had a new lease on life. From that time forward, Rex Humbard realized the power of the media and the importance of the “life changing” message contained in gospel music.
From 1945 through 1952 (during the war years), Rex and his wife, Maude Aimee, traveled to every section of the USA and Canada conducting tent crusade meetings. In each of these cities they purchased radio time and appeared daily singing gospel music and promoting the tent crusades. In 1949, Rex did his first TV show in Indianapolis, Indiana on the local CBS station. Once again, gospel music was the center piece of the program.
The Rex Humbard Ministry program ran from 1952 to 1985. In the early 1970’s, Time Magazine did a feature story on Rex Humbard and coined the phrase “tele-evangelist” to describe Rex. In 1999, Rex was named as “one of the 25 shapers of the 20th century” by US News and World Report because of his visionary use of the media to promote his message of hope, love and salvation. One of the most vital parts of his ministry was gospel music.
LOVE SONG
In the early 70′s, during the beginnings of what became known as the “Jesus Movement,” a group of young, longhaired, “hippie” musicians called LOVE SONG began to use their music to express their newfound faith in Jesus Christ. A mixture of rock and pop, LOVE SONG’s music was entirely new and unique for the Christian music world.
The music was fresh, sometimes radical, and yet truly inspirational for a generation of young people searching for truth. It helped blaze the path for what we know today as Contemporary Christian Music. They flourished amidst the swirl of national media attention from top record labels and interviews with magazines including ROLLING STONE. God used them in a powerful way to bring many people to Himself. “In a world of imitators, Love Song has been an originator, the first domino that started the others going”
RICKY SKAGGS
Fourteen-time Grammy Award winner and two-time Dove Awards winner, Ricky Skaggs, is affectionately known as one of bluegrass music’s most recognized ambassadors. Singing comes naturally to Skaggs, and singing Gospel songs even more so. At the tender age of 3, he began by harmonizing with his mother as she sang Gospel songs. He began to perform in his church, singing with his parents there. His illustrious path to stardom has always included Gospel songs, as he loves to sing about Jesus and His love for all of us.
From there, Skaggs went on to put his own stamp on the mainstream country and bluegrass formats, resulting in twelve #1 hits, eight Country Music Association Awards and eight Academy of Country Music Awards. 1997 marked Ricky Skaggs’ triumphant return to bluegrass and the establishment of his own Skaggs Family Records label, which has gone on to break new sales records in the genre. Now in his 40th year as a professional musician, he continues to record and tour with his band Kentucky Thunder as one of music’s most sought after live performers.
Tags: Aretha Franklin, Dailey and Vincent, Dallas Holm, Dottie Peoples, gma, GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame., gordon mote, Jaci Velasquez, Jamie Grace, Jason Crabb, Michael W. Smith, Rex Humbard, Ricky Skaggs, Southern Gospel News, tbn, The Hoppers, the isaacs, The Talley's
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42nd Annual Seminole Gospel Sing!
Written by SGN Scoops on July 23, 2012 – 5:36 pm -Plans are underway for the 42nd Annual Seminole Gospel Sing! The Seminole Music Park, one mile south of Seminole Oklahoma, is the site of 
Oklahoma’s largest gospel music event, hosted by The Gospel Station Network and the Seminole Gospel Singing Association.
This year’s talent line-up is great, with some of the legends of gospel AND several new quality artists, including: The Dove Brothers, The Freemans, The Williamsons, Chris Hester, The LeFevers, The Blackwood Brothers, The Chuck Wagon Gang, Charlotte Richie, Gordon Mote, The Nelons, Masters Voice, Palmetto State Quartet, and Gold City. Save $10 on Tickets if you buy them before August 13th at www.TheGospelStation.com
Over the years, the Seminole Sing and the Konawa OK Gospel Singing have attracted people from all over the U.S. – people who love real gospel music – people who believe in the message of Jesus Christ, and love this style of singing. “We are honored to be working with the association in Seminole to keep this wonderful singing alive and moving forward. God is working all over the world through Gospel Music and we feel so blessed to be a part of it,” said Randall Christy, President of The Gospel Station Network.
Tags: Blackwood Brothers, Charlotte Ritchie, chris hester, gordon mote, palmetto state quartet, Seminole Gospel Sing, Southern Gospel Music, The Chuck Wagon Gang, the freemans, The LeFevres, the nelons, The Williamsons
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Academy of Country Music Award Winner Gordon Mote Releases New CD
Written by SGN Scoops on July 18, 2012 – 4:29 am -Award-Winning Artist Unveils Musical Diary of Landmark Songs That Shaped His Music and Ministry
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (July 17, 2012) – New Haven Records, in association with RSI Music Group, has 
today released Songs I Grew Up Singing, Gordon Mote’s inspiring musical diary of landmark songs that not only shaped his music and ministry, but also impacted a generation of Gospel music lovers. The CD includes the Gaither classic “This is the Time I Must Sing,” Dallas Holm’s “Rise Again,” Andrae Crouch’s “Through It All,” and the first single, The Hinson’s “Call Me Gone,” which is already receiving strong airplay at Gospel radio.
The songs on the recording are especially close to Mote’s heart. “When I was a little boy, my parents would travel with my brother and me to sing in churches across the South,” he says. “I remember the first time I heard these songs on Sunday mornings on WGAD in Gadsden, Alabama. They quickly became part of our repertoire. Since then, I have had the pleasure of meeting so many of the writers and performers of the songs that have meant so much to me throughout my life. That makes this project even more special.”
For the past six years, Mote has lent his considerable vocal and keyboard skills to the Gaither Homecoming concert stage, winning the admiration of hundreds of thousands of loyal Gospel music fans. Blind since birth, his words and music reach beyond the ears to the heart. But more than his undeniable talent, Mote’s fans appreciate his ability to communicate the love of Christ to a world in need of hope.
Mote can also be heard on recordings from some of music’s biggest names, including Brad Paisley, Alan Jackson, Rascal Flatts, Lionel Richie and Alison Krauss. An outstanding instrumentalist, Mote recently was voted “Top Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year” at the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, as well as tying for Music Row Magazine’s Top Album Keyboardist of 2012.
New Haven Records’ President Ken Harding concludes, “If you aren’t yet acquainted with Gordon Mote, Songs I Grew Up Singing is the perfect introduction. If you’ve already experienced the depth of his talent and ministry, these songs will deepen your appreciation for one of the brightest emerging artists in Gospel music today.”
Tracks on Songs I Grew Up Singing include:
1. “This Is the Time I Must Sing”
2. “Give Them All to Jesus”
3. “Who Am I”
4. “Shut De Door”
5. “God’s Gonna Do the Same For You and Me”
6. “Rise Again”
7. “Oh Buddha”
8. “Through It All”
9. “Getting Ready to Leave This World”
10. “Call Me Gone”
11. “Everything Is Beautiful”
For more information on Gordon Mote or Songs I Grew Up Singing, visit www.newhavenrecords.com.
About New Haven Records:
New Haven Records is a Nashville-based music corporation that includes label, publishing, and film companies. For more than two decades, they have focused on the uniquely American genres of Black Gospel, Southern Gospel, and Country & Bluegrass Gospel. New Haven’s product is distributed to the mainstream through Sony and to the Christian marketplace through Provident Music Distribution. For additional information, go to www.newhavenrecords.com.
For more information or to schedule an interview, contact:
Julia Daily, Media Relations
New Haven Records
741 Cool Springs Blvd.
Franklin, TN 37067
Phone: 615-327-3300
jdaily@newhavenrecords.com
Tags: Bill Gaither Homecoming video series, gordon mote, New Haven Records, RSI Music Group, Southern Gospel News
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