Gospel Music Channel Founder Charles Humbard

ATLANTA, June 2, 2008—Charles Humbard, founder and president of the Gospel Music Channel, was among a small group of music industry leaders honored for “their commitment, hard work and longevity in helping to make the gospel music industry what it is today.” The group was feted last week by the International Gospel Industry Retreat at its first Service Honors Awards ceremony, held at the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, Florida.

While artists are usually the focal vocal point of most of the group’s visible activities, those who work behind the scenes were brought out to the forefront to be recognized. The honorees included the top key leaders of virtually every component of the gospel music industry.

The visionary behind the awards show was Dr. Bobby Jones, producer and host of the new Bobby Jones: Next Generation series on GMC, which premiered June 1. Jones conceived of the awards because he felt it was time to recognize those who do so much for the music industry.

In addition to Humbard, the honorees selected for this first-ever award included:

James “Jazzy” Jordon, Zomba Music

Don Jackson, The Stellar Awards (Central City Productions)

Susan Austin, The Sheridan Gospel Radio Network

Lewis Gibbs, The Word Television Network

Edwin Hawkins, Gospel Music Arts & Music Seminar

Walter Hawkins, Gospel Music Arts & Music Seminar

John Styll, Gospel Music Association (The Dove Awards)

Sheilah Belle, The Belle Report

Bryant Scott, Tyscot Music Group

Dr. Mack King Carter, Mt Olive Baptist Church, Ft Lauderdale, FL

Bishop Victor Curry, New Birth Baptist Church, Miami, FL

Al “The Bishop” Hobbs, Gospel Music Workshop of America

Special guest performances were given by Jones, Byron Cage, Demita Haddon, Deitrick Haddon, 21:03, Sunday Best’s Crystal Aikens, George Huff, Melvin Williams and Marvin Sapp.

Gospel Music Channel (http://www.gospelmusicchannel.com) is the fastest-growing network in television today and can be seen in nearly 40 million homes on various cable systems around the country and nationwide on DIRECTV.

FIRST: DragonLight

It is June FIRST, time for the FIRST Blog Tour! (Join our alliance! Click the button!) The FIRST day of every month we will feature an author and his/her latest book's FIRST chapter!

The feature author is:

Donita K. Paul

and her book:

DragonLight: A Novel

WaterBrook Press (June 17, 2008)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Donita K. Paul is a retired teacher and award-winning author of seven novels, including DragonSpell, DragonQuest, DragonKnight, and DragonFire. When not writing, she is often engaged in mentoring writers of all ages. Donita lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado where she is learning to paint-walls and furniture! Visit her website at http://www.dragonkeeper.us. The Books of the DragonKeeper Series:DragonSpell, DragonQuest DragonKnight, DragonFire DragonLight. Visit her website.

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Castle Passages

Kale wrinkled her nose at the dank air drifting up from the stone staircase. Below, utter darkness created a formidable barrier.

Toopka stood close to her knee. Sparks skittered across the donee*l child's furry hand where she clasped the flowing, soft material of Kale's wizard robe. Kale frowned down at her ward. The little doneel spent too much time attached to her skirts to be captivated by the light show. Instead, Toopka glowered into the forbidding corridor. "What's down there?"

Kale sighed. "I'm not sure."

"Is it the dungeon?"

"I don't think we have a dungeon."

Toopka furrowed her brow in confusion. "Don't you know? It's your castle."

"A castle built by committee." Kale's face grimaced at the memory of weeks of creative chaos. She put her hand on Toopka's soft head.

The doneel dragged her gaze away from the stairway, tilted her head back, and frowned at her guardian. "What's 'by committee'?"

"You remember, don't you? It was just five years ago."

"I remember the wizards coming and the pretty tents in the meadow." Toopka pursed her lips. "And shouting. I remember shouting."

"They were shouting because no one was listening. Twenty-one wizards came for the castle raising. Each had their own idea about what we needed. So they each constructed their frgment of the castle structure according to their whims."

Toopka giggled.

"I don't think it's funny. The chunks of castle were erected, juxtaposed with the others, but not as a whole unit."

Continue hear to read the entire first chapter.

*Doneels- one of the seven high races. These people are furry with bulging eyes, thin black lips, and ears at the top and front of their skulls. Generally are musical and given to wearing flamboyant clothing.

Will Contemporary Christian Music Emulate Christ Again?

This month I get the pleasure to attend the AARP Songs of Inspiration Concert featuring some of the greatest women entertainers of our time: Yolanda Adams, Patti Austin, Shirley Caesar, Jamia[of August Rush,]Chaka Khan, Queen Latifah, Dionne Warwick, CeCe Winans, and Ann Nesby. Songs of Soul and Inspiration honors the musical legacy of the African American church and the extraordinary voices that flowed from the church into the worlds of popular music and film.

I am excited about gospel music's influence on pop culture, but very concerned about the future of gospel music. Today it seems as if the roles are reversed, that pop culture has become gospel's muse instead of Christ.

Yesterday I spoke with my friend, Doug Ramsay, Vibes & Scribes podcaster and inspirational guitarist, about how Christian entertainment has--to its detriment--infused secular society into His art to achieve higher radio ratings and sells, instead of remaining an original art form.

This is what we discussed.