WoW Gospel 2006

Word Entertainment/Verity Records/EMI Christian Music Group/Zomba Label Group

By Rene Williams

Wow Gospel is a perennial favorite for gospel music lovers. Touting the year’s best songs and artists, the compilation is a mainstay on the Billboard Top Gospel charts and frequently goes gold or platinum. The collection of music for 2006 is no exception. Wow Gospel 2006 is just that….wow! It’s an amazing collage of hits from gospel’s top labels. A joint venture of Word Records, Verity Records, GospoCentric Records, EMI Gospel and EMI Christian, the 2-disc CD includes 2005’s hottest artists like Fred Hammond, Mary Mary, Kierra “Kiki” Sheard, Donnie McClurkin, Hezekiah Walker, J Moss and Kurt Carr. This year’s edition celebrates the strong gospel culture of “Chi-Town”. Some of Chicago’s most notable musicians and singers are included such as Donald Lawrence, Smokie Norful and Joann Rosario.

Darwin Hobbs opens the first set with his riveting praise song, Glorify Him. Perfect for the church service opener, the tune flaunts Hobbs’ incredible vocals as he gives honor to God. Continuing with the sound of up-tempo praise, Marvin Sapp enters with his jam, Do You Know Him (Trendsetters Mix). The hot gospel club mix is a great merge of dance and praise. Tye Tribbett & G.A., known for their high octane performances, include their hit, No Way, followed by a Kierra “Kiki” Sheard favorite, Let Go (The Godson Concept) from her remix project, Just Until. Another EMI Gospel artist steps up to the mic on Disc One of WoW Gospel 2006. Myron Butler & Levi delivers their powerful song, Set Me Free. The song is a fascinating mixture of urban rhythms and godly adoration. Two of gospel’s favorite pairs make appearances, too; brother-sister duo Anointed includes their song Gonna Lift Your Name On High and the sister twosome Mary Mary adds their mellow track, Save Me. Popular songwriter, producer and singer Detrick Haddon lends his vocals to the churchy, inspiring God Didn’t Give Up.

Some of gospel’s best-selling artists also provide their songs. Fred Hammond, one of the few artists to sell more than 500,000 units in the genre, sings his deeply moving song, I Will Find A Way. Smokie Norful, the best-selling gospel artist for 2005, croons on the worshipful God Is Able. The beautiful melody and the lyrical simplicity make this one of the many highlights of Wow Gospel 2006. Stellar Award winners Donald Lawrence and J Moss sing two of their finest songs, I Speak Life and We Must Praise, respectively. CeCe Winans’ Purified, Joann Rosario’s I Hear You Say, Nicole C. Mullen’s Without You and Antonio Neal’s The Only One also make the cut on Wow Gospel 2006.

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