Gospel Music Channel and Lincoln Team to Present HOMETOWN GOSPEL: ATLANTA

New Special Tracing Atlanta’s Rich Gospel Music History
To World Premiere This Sat. June 23 at 9:00 PM:

Atlanta, GA - Generations of people around the world have been impacted by Atlantas rich gospel music heritage and hip, modern influences. Hometown Gospel: Atlanta, a new Gospel Music Channel (GMC) original special, offers an in-depth look at the singers, songwriters, landmarks and legends that shaped Atlanta's Gospel/Christian music heritage and continue to do so today. It is the newest installment of GMCs original series Hometown Gospel and will premiere nationwide on Gospel Music Channel on June 23 at 9:00 p.m. ET (Also 11p; June 24 8p & 11p; June 27 9p; June 29 10a; July 1 4p.) Automotive luxury leader Lincoln is the presenting sponsor of the Hometown Gospel series.
Hometown Gospel: Atlanta is hosted by top recording artist, Atlantas own Byron Cage. The artists featured in the show cut across all styles of Gospel/Christian music - Traditional, Southern, Jazz, Hip-Hop and more. They include:

• Dorothy Norwood -- Gospel legend and Atlanta native who sang with Mahalia Jackson, the Caravans and Reverend James Cleveland. She opened for The Rolling Stones on their 1972 tour.
• Eva Mae Lefevre -- The first living woman inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. She moved to Atlanta in 1939 and began holding concerts along with husband and his brother. They were signed in 1940 to do a radio show on WGST and in the 1960s, were joined by son Pierce, for a weekly television show, The Gospel Singing Caravan.

• Dottie Peoples -- Another gospel legend whose first record, Live at Salem Baptist Church, earned her a Stellar nomination and her 1994 release, On Time God, reached #1 on the gospel charts and won four Stellars.
• Georgia Mass Choir -- Rev. Milton Biggham founded the choir in 1983 signing singers who ranged in age from 13 to 70. They were featured in the Denzel Washington/Whitney Houston The Preachers Wife.
• Family Force Five -- young, fun, three brothers and two best friends from Atlanta
• Brian Free and Assurance -- Brian Free was the original tenor for Gold City (1980-94).
• Angela Christie -- gospel saxophonist she got her start opening for acts like BeBe & CeCe Winans and Shirley Caesar.
• Canton Jones (Hip-Hop) came to Atlanta to attend Morehouse College where he sang in the glee club.

Atlanta-based Gospel Music Channel (www.gospelmusicchannel.com) is the nations first and only 24-hour, advertiser-supported, all music entertainment network devoted to the uplifting, inspiring and diverse music that is gospel/Christian music. Gospel Music Channel can be seen on various cable systems around the country. Check local listings or visit gospelmusicchannel.com.

Lincoln is a brand of Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., which manufactures and distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 300,000 employees and 108 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Volvo. Its automotive-related services include Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Lincoln products, please visit www.lincoln.com.