Marvin Sapp “Thirsty” In Stores Now!

The words “parched”, “dehydrated” and “dry” conjure up thoughts of a desert, a place lacking water. But “thirsty” means something entirely different to Marvin Sapp. It’s a word that reflects a renewed desire for the living water from the lover of his soul, Jesus Christ. Thirsty is the new project from the multiple Stellar Award winning, GRAMMY and Dove nominated artist Marvin Sapp. His seventh solo project, Thirsty encompasses what fans have loved about the artist since his days as lead singer with Commissioned – unmatched vocal delivery, and powerful, inspiring performances.

One of Gospel music’s most recognizable voices, Marvin Sapp – Founder and Pastor of Lighthouse Full Life Center Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan – returns to a live setting on Thirsty. “I love recording live,” says Sapp. “I like to feed off the energy of the people. With a live recording, I get a chance to feel what they feel, draw off their emotions, and see their tears. It really helps to direct me in ministering to them.”

“The night of the live recording was unbelievable,” says Sapp. “It was a mind-blowing, life-changing experience. I really had the opportunity to minister songs that ministered to me,” says Sapp, who recorded Thirsty at Resurrection Life Church, Grandville, MI under the musical direction of producer Aaron Lindsey, with Myron Butler directing background vocals.

Although the evening was filled with amazing new music, for the pastor, the night was bittersweet. “A lot of people don’t know, but during that period, within a 90-day span, I lost three of the most important men in my life: my father, Henry Lewis Sapp Jr.; my musical mentor, L. Craig Tyson, who co-founded Tyscot Records; and my spiritual father, Bishop Abney, who had passed the day before my live recording,” recalls Sapp.

It was particularly out of the pain and grief over his father’s death that the lead single, “Never Would Have Made It” was born. “Never Would Have Made It” was written the Sunday after Dr. Sapp buried his father. He says, “We had already eulogized him. I had to throw the blanket in with him and close the casket. I had to stand up and say ‘earth to earth, ashes to ashes’. I had to preach the message and drop him off at the cemetery to be buried. But the Sunday after that, I went into the church, everyone was in position, functioning normally, and I was standing there thinking, ‘What is going on? Don’t these people see that I’m in pain?’” At that moment, Sapp decided he wasn’t going to preach the Sunday morning message. That’s when he heard the voice of God.