This episode tells a bit of Malaco Record Label's history and it's significance in the genre of Black Gospel Music.  The company started in the 1960's focused on The Southern soul sounds featuring artists who were generating a crowd that did not necessarily hit the top radio stations or fan base.  Many of the early artists were soul singers and blues singers it wasn't until Misty Blue came out and hit the charts hard then garnering the attention of this small town independent record label.  As a matter of fact that one song is said to prevent the label from going into bankruptcy.

In the 1970's the owners decided to lean into the Black gospel genere signing several quartet groups to their label, however the label's largest signing choir did not come on until the mid to late 1980's and became the label's largest selling group to date.  And that group was none other than The Mississippi Mass Choir (Organized by the Late Frank Williams of The Williams Brothers).

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Rev. Milton R. Brunson Founded The Thompson Community Singers ("The Tommies") in 1948 on the West Side of Chicago, IL at the age of 18 after graduating from McKinley High School.  Many of the 40 singers in the core choir were classmates of his.  Milton was trained by Thomas A. Dorsey, Mahalia Jackson and Robert Johnson as he pursued a career in music in 1947.  Over time the choir had once grown to over 200 members.  The choir was named to honor Rev. Eugene Thompson who gave the choir access to rehearse in the basement of St. Stephen AME Church on Chicago's West Side.  Rev. Thompson was instrumental in the choir singing around Chicago at various churches, special events and community events.  As the choir presented more they were repeat guests on Jubliee Showcase Television Show hosted by Sid Ordower.

In 1964 after going through seminary Milton Brunson became the found Pastor of Christ Tabernacle MB Church.  Through the years of service to the West side community in Chicago - following his passing in 1997 there was a U.S. Post Office dedicated in his name and a Chicago Public School

With the dedication and professionalism of Rev. Brunson the Tommies secured many showcases, appearances and accolades.  The first recording to hit the charts was in the 1960's with "I'll Trade A Lifetime" and the years following the choir continued recordings that hit the gospel charts Over and Over again.  The choir won many awards for chart topping songs for over 10 years during the 1980's and 1990's.

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•Lanvester “Lance” Jackson is a native of Atlanta ATL (to some) who began his musical studies with Dr. Mary Frances in the Atlanta Public Schools. His musical concentration was on guitar and organ. At the age of 13 he was hired as church organist for a local church and has been playing ever since.

•Lanvester has served churches in Chicago, IL; Seattle, WA, Washington D.C. and Atlanta (which includes 15 years as staff organist and director of the Martin Luther King Sr. Choir at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church.

Lanvester has also performed in Jazz and R&B bands. From 1985 through 1991 Lance was organist for the Atlanta Masonic Choir and contributed two original compositions to their 1999 recording project “Been So Good”. In 1987 Lance organized a community choir named “The Voices of Reason”. The choir disbanded in 1993. He is currently director of music and organist at Paradise Baptist Church and in Atlanta.

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•Edward Wright briefly took music lessons and began playing for his piano teacher’s children’s choir on to teen church and by the age of 14 began playing for the church as the main musician.  He has composed music for Movies and Television.

•Edward has been able to travel and serve great churches and travel the country with an evangelist. During his travels and journey, he discovered his love for teaching piano. He started a YouTube channel to reach more people with his teaching methods. His YouTube channel is Edward Wright.

Edward teaches techniques, methods and musical theory for keyboardists and he translates that along with vocal training and exercises.  His dynamic methods are not just 1 dimensional, he does live instruction asking that participants present during his YouTube Live!  He is very energetic and Loves teaching music!

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•Pastors Joseph & Trina Davis of Word for the World Ministries International of Chicago, IL are my guests today. This family is of Word in Ministry and Word in song.

•I asked for a group interview to talk about and celebrate the New Single Release of “Not Too Late” Available December 27th

•Trina Davis Ministries has hosted “The Help” Women’s Conference; released CD’s and Singles with the previous single released in 2016 “My Prayer.”

•Both Apostle Joseph & Pastor Trina Davis hosted their Internet radio show “Words to Live By” and authored a book “I Said I DO, But Sometimes I Don’t Want To.”

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•Dr. Ouida Waltryce Harding began her “on the job training” in church music leadership at the age of twelve, in Harlem NY. During her collegic studies Her studies at Morehouse focused on Church Music with a specialization for standards in music ministry.

•September 2012 she was ordained as the first Minister of Music for Worship. Following this ordination, she was featured in the December 2012 Edition of Baltimore’s Grace and Glory Magazine and accepted the invitation to lecture at the prestigious Hampton Ministers Conference in June of 2013 and 2014.

•Presently, Dr. Harding is serving as consultant to help pastors set standards in music ministry leadership in the Black Church… and beyond.

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Honoring the memory of James C. Chambers, the founder, organizer, executive director and producer of the Ecclesiastes Community Choir of Chicago in 1971. The choir released their first album 1979 where you could hear the power of the choir and James’ building on vocal excellence.

James C. Chambers had a design and a method all his own and with every opportunity he thrived to give God his Best and stressed that others around him did so as well.  James was a true visionary and made those around him see where he lead and directed.  With each year, each concert, each recording and each anniversary; James sought ways to get the Best out of his choir; The Ecclesiastes Community Choir of Chicago Illinois.  ECC presented 5 recordings during the late 1970's and into the early to mid 1990's.  During that time James and ECC made several transitions in music and in vocal strengths.  Following each annual event ECC had, James would review the concert or anniversary to see where he could improve.

James C. Chambers was the organizer and founder of the Ecclesiastes Community Choir; in 1988 he organized and was founder of the ECC Music Workshop (a week long seminar) culminating with the Music Workshop Choir at the end to have a recording session.  In 1990 the choir's name was changed to The Chicago Mass Choir and released their first album in 1991.

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•Rev. Ray A. Patrick served as Assistant Pastor at the Oakwood University Church (a 3,000-member congregation) and he Pastored the Ephesus Community Church in San Jose, California.

•Rev. Patrick has also tackled media hosting a weekly radio program named “Ray of Hope Gospel Show” on both Adventist Radio London and  medianetgospel.com, He is a contributor on Premier Gospel, London's largest gospel station. Prior to this he hosted,  "Solid Rock" on 1450 AM in Huntsville AL, which had approximately 20,000 listeners. He was also a consistent contributor to W.O.C.G. 90.1 FM with "Prayer on the Line" where he served as a Prayer Counselor. He  produced and hosted his first weekly TV show, "AdventConnex" on AT&T cable in Los Angeles, California.  And his sermons are played on several TV stations around the world.

•His Motto: “Keep it real"

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•James “JB” Brown is a musician, producer, creative leader and executive credited with shaping the sound of gospel in the 1980’s and 1990’s.

•James began his professional music career as a Musical Director (M.D.) for gospel legend Vanessa Bell Armstrong and later as the Musical Director for the late Rev. Daryl Coley. His musical leadership appointments include mega churches: New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, West Angeles COGIC and Greater St. Stephens Full Gospel Church.

•In 2009, James founded The JB Factory LLC. which is an entertainment and music production company based in Los Angeles, California.  Brown has built a collective committed to connecting artists with opportunities.

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•Calvin Gibbs, Jr. who has many passions among which are Theatrical Acting, Directing and Producing. He has produced Christian theatre arts programs in theaters and churches one of the largest produced was a Gospel “musical” entitled “If The Preacher Ain’tRight.” And served as Theatre Arts Director for a well-known church in Illinois and conducted workshops for churches and their Drama Ministries across the country.

•Calvin has a motivational video blog which posts three days per week. He hosted his own podcast DRAMA TalkRadio; where the acronyms were Developing Real And Moving Art. He has now developed a new podcast Diverse Talking Heads.

•Calvin also presents workshops and trainings to express communication, speaking and diversity.

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