Has gospel music become too contemporary?

Jet, August 21, 1995 by Trudy S. Moore

Gospel music is being heard in some of the most unlikely places nowadays--from the nation's top concert halls to pop music radio stations.

With the likes of BeBe and CeCe Winans, Kirk Franklin and the Family, and John P. Kee, gospel is winning a wider audience. Some of these uptempo tunes have even made the pop and soul music charts.

That makes some people wonder if gospel music has become too contemporary.

Pop Staples, who as part of the Staple Singers with daughters Mavis, Cleo and Yvonne, was among the first to enjoy pop success with music with a message. His latest album Father, Father is in keeping with his tradition of "just telling the truth" in his music.

When Staple Singers tunes like Respect Yourself and I'll Take You There raced up the music charts in the early '70s, he told JET the gospel-based group lost a lot of fans initially because they were accused of being too contemporary.

He, however, has not wavered in his conviction over the past two decades. "If you are saying something good that will enhance and inspire people along the way, it's all right," he said, adding, "But if you got to do the electric slide and the butterfly, well...."

He said the group's faithful followers soon returned and new fans joined the bandwagon, taking I'll Take You There to the top of the music charts and selling 2.5 million copies. Staples said, "You don't have to be saying Lord Jesus God Almighty help me!... But I don't feel I'm doing anything wrong in the eyes of the Lord" by making music that has mass appeal.

CeCe Winans, half of the brother-sister duo whose biggest hits include Heaven and Hold Up The Light which featured Whitney Houston, has an upcoming album, Alone in His Presence, that is a mix of traditional and contemporary.

Though the Grammy Award-winning gospel artist who has attracted a mainstream following wouldn't say gospel has gone too contemporary, she believes there is nothing that compares to traditional gospel. "The young people, this generation, they don't realize the power in songs like Great Is Thy Faithfulness.

"The hymns are such an important part of my life--that's what I grew up on," she noted. "I love contemporary music and it is doing a work for the Lord. But hymns are the songs that encourage Christians and strengthen the Church."

Kirk Franklin and The Family, whose hit single The Reason Why I Sing is a favorite on urban radio contemporary stations across the country, said he doesn't feel that gospel has gone overboard with its upbeat tunes. According to Franklin, the new trend in gospel is just keeping pace with the times while perpetuating the message of The Gospels.

"Music changes with the time and we have to keep the same message that sustains us in the past with music that describes our future," he said.

"Simple Sunday morning hip-hop" is what John P. Kee attributes the over-whelming success of his hit single Show Up and the album of the same name. As far as he is concerned, gospel has not become too contemporary because "it touches the masses" and can change lives.

"I've been blessed to be able to cross contemporary with the traditional...If the kids enjoy it and I can capture their imagination with the beat, it can touch that life," Kee said.

Yolanda Adams, who has risen to prominence in the field of gospel, is riding the wave of popularity of contemporary gospel with her latest LP, More Than A Melody.

Ms. Adams, who describes her gospel sound as jazzy contemporary, said the music is not too worldly because it allows her to reach people from all walks of life. "I want to reach a variety of people with important spiritual messages, different styles of music appeal to different people."

Other gospel artists like Ron Kenoly, A-1 S.W.I.F.T., Donald Lawrence and the Tri-City Singers, Lamore Nu-Joi, O'Landa Draper, Kim Stratton and Donnie McClurkin are on the cutting edge of today's progressive gospel sound. Even the rap genre is opening up for gospel artists with groups like the Gospel Gangstas.

Mr. Solo of the Gospel Gangstas, a group of former gang members who are now Disciples for Christ, feel the message in their debut album, Gang Affiliated, is as relevant as any traditional gospel work around.

"It's a blessing that the music is more contemporary. I could never get into traditional church gospel because in my era it is rap."

Perennial gospel favorites, The Mighty Clouds of Joy and The Winans both agree that today's gospel has not become too secular. Joe Ligon, Mighty Clouds lead singer, told JET, "Doors have been opened for us because we were one of the first traditional groups to do contemporary gospel. The doors opened to us were at Radio City, Carnegie Hall, the Waldorf Astoria, the Apollo, and the White House." He said that enabled the group to reach more people with their message.

Carvin Winans, who with his brothers have won numerous Dove and Grammy Awards, said, "I feel gospel music is just moving ahead and keeping up with the flow of time." He pointed out, "It's not our intent to offend or eliminate any of our listeners, but we fell it's important to reach our youth because they're our future."