How Sweet The Sound Seeks Atlanta's Best Choir and No-Longer-Used Wireless Phones

PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless announced today the Atlanta-area semi-finalists in the search for the country's best church choir. Atlanta-area choirs and their choir directors who have made it into the semi-final round of the Verizon Wireless' How Sweet The Sound(SM) national competition are:

-- Small Choirs (6-35 singers):
- Atlanta Praise Ministries, Pastor James Jackson (Atlanta)
- Enon Church, Kevin Styles (College Park)
- Eagles Nest Cathedral, Johnathan Williams (West Point)
- Due West United Methodist Church, Billy Payne (Marietta)

-- Large Choirs (36-100 singers):
- Beulahland Bible Church, Dr. Jay Terrell (Macon)
- Atlanta West Pentecostal Church, Brandon Frazier (Lithia Springs)
- Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church, Celia Stockton (Atlanta)
- Shaw Temple Mass Choir, Keyth Lee (Atlanta)

The semi-final competition will be held September 15 at Philips Arena. During the event, Atlanta area church choirs will perform for a chance to compete in the national grand finale for a cash prize of up to $25,000 and the title of the best church choir in America.

Bring Your No-Longer Used Phones for a Good Cause

Atlanta gospel music fans planning to watch their favorite choirs compete during this event are encouraged to bring their no-longer-used wireless phones and donate them to the company's HopeLine(R) program. Verizon Wireless will collect the phones at booths set up at different locations throughout Philips Arena. All collected phones will support local domestic violence organizations.

HopeLine is Verizon Wireless' exclusive phone recycling and reuse program that collects no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries and accessories in any condition from any wireless service provider to benefit victims of domestic violence. Proceeds from the HopeLine program are used to provide wireless phones and cash grants to local shelters and non-profit organizations that focus on domestic violence prevention and awareness. Since 2001, HopeLine has collected more than 5 million phones, awarded more than $5 million in cash grants to domestic violence agencies and organizations throughout the country.

Those who cannot make it to the September 15 show can drop off their used wireless phones, batteries and accessories at any Verizon Wireless Communications Store across the state of Georgia, at any time of the year.

Award-Winning Gospel Artists Hosting and Judging

The Verizon Wireless How Sweet The Sound national finals are in Atlanta November 8. The semi-finalist winners from 11 cities will compete in the national grand finale. GRAMMY(R)-winning songwriter, producer arranger and music director, Donald Lawrence, will be the tour emcee at each of the 11 semi-final competitions and at the finale. Marvin Sapp, Hezekiah Walker and other gospel artists will join the competition as judges.

Tickets Available

The doors to Philips Arena will open at 6 p.m. before the How Sweet The Sound competition begins at 7:30 p.m. on the 15th. Tickets can be purchased via Ticket Master or the Philips Arena Box Office and are $7 for floor seats and $5 for upper level seats.

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Contemporary Christian Music Featured Sunday, Aug. 31 at Powers' Crossroads 3-Day Labor Day Weekend Festival in Newnan, Ga.

The three-day Powers' Crossroads Country Fair and Art Festival, which opens for its 38th consecutive year on Labor Day Weekend, will feature an afternoon of contemporary Christian music on Sunday, Aug. 31.

Scheduled entertainment beginning at 2 p.m. on the festival's main stage includes One Way Caravan from St. Louis, Mo., featuring Adam Trotter and Kevin Schulte.

West Georgia local favorites Jake Eugene and The Summit of South Fayette, and Chandler, featuring lead vocalist Jeff Chandler, are also scheduled to perform. Contemporary Christian radio station J93.3, WVFJ-FM, Atlanta, is sponsoring the afternoon of music.

The festival, which is held every year on the rolling and wooded 100 acres of historic Powers Plantation in Newnan, Ga., near Franklin, Ga., will open at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 30 with the annual Rising Star competition set to kick off at 10 a.m.

The festival will wrap up at 5 p.m. Labor Day afternoon, Sept. 1, after a 2 p.m. Miss Coweta County Pageant, a preliminary event for the Miss West Georgia competition in January 2009.

Visitors to this year's festival will also find perennial favorites in shopping for unique arts and crafts. Each of the more than 175 artisans showcasing their work for sale is selected by judges during the course of the year.

Festival hours are 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and military personnel, $3 for children ages 5-12, and free for children 4 and under. Parking is free and complimentary shuttle service is available from the parking areas.

Visit www.newnan.com/powers for additional information and driving directions.

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Gospel Music Fest June 28 in Fayetteville

The Fellowship of Christian Churches and Friends (FCCF) will hold a Gospel Music Fest on Saturday, June 28, 2008 at 5:00 PM in Sams' Auditorium, 205 La Fayette Avenue, Fayetteville, GA, 30214 (just off GA Highway 85, behind ARBY's and Captain D's.) Please join us as we praise the Lord in music and in song.

This event is FREE and EVERYONE is invited! For more information, contact FCCF President, Rev. Jerome Drakeford at jeromesusie@bellsouth.net or (678) 438-0905.

Glorious Gospel Jazz Fills the Gardens

Extraordinary live music will melodiously fill the gardens as Villa Christina celebrates the 2nd annual Gospel in the Gardens Jazz Series. Step past the lush foliage and wandering stream into the beautiful garden where the top inspirational jazz musicians will perform a trio of free concerts during the summer. When it’s hot outside, let the cool uplifting music be a balm for the soul. Villa Christina’s soothing al fresco evenings of inspirational gospel jazz are presented by Praise 97.5 and TD Entertainment. Escape the hustle and bustle of city life with a relaxing getaway to Villa Christina’s secluded gardens and enjoy live performances at the 2nd Annual Gospel Jazz Series at Villa Christina. Adam Ghali, General Manager of Villa Christina, welcomes visitors to the free concerts. “We love hosting outdoor concerts here. Everyone enjoys listening to the uplifting music outside and sharing incredible food with friends and family members.”

Three complimentary outdoor gospel concerts will be performed at Villa Christina on select Sundays throughout the summer. The trio of shows begins on Sunday, June 29th with Brian Clay and special guest Antonio Allen. Originally from Chicago, pianist Brian Clay began learning to play piano at age five. He moved to Atlanta as a youngster, where he still resides. This polished vocal performer, known as “The Nu Flava in music”, accompanies his elegant singing with emotional, passionate piano playing. His style has been described as “a unique blend of urban rhythms and contemporary jazz melodies”. Soulful saxophone player Antonio Allen grew up in a houseful of musicians, all of whom were heavily involved with church music. Although his sax playing is in the gospel genre, Allen’s hip, urban vibe broadens his appeal.

Chandra Currelly is all set to wow the crowd with her improvisational vocal stylings on July 13th. As the former lead vocalist for the SOS Band, Ms. Currelly has plenty of hits on her musical resume. In addition to pop chart success, she has explored success in other genres, including gospel, as well as acting and writing. Chandra has received numerous award nominations including an Atlanta gospel choice (best female vocalist), Helen Hayes (slam!), NAACP (Hot Mikado) and Suzie Bass (rejoice!). Her smooth, soulful, inspiration sound has its own category, one Chandra herself calls “urspijazz”, an extraordinary potpourri of urban, spiritual and jazz musical elements.

Singer and keyboardist Christopher Lewis takes the stage on August 24th. A prolific career songwriter, Lewis has penned numerous gospel jazz hits, including “Delivered”, a number-one single in 1996. Lewis nurtured his musical aspirations by singing in the church choir from age 10 and eventually moving on to quartet harmonies, directing, and pursuing a musical career writing heartfelt lyrics. Eloquent and moving, Lewis attributes his style to old-school influences such as Stevie Wonder, Sam Cooke and newer artists Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and Fred Hammond. Lewis believes his God-given musical purpose is “to melodiously articulate dreams, desires, hope, and love”.

Doors open at 4:00 p.m. and music begins at 5:30 p.m. Concertgoers should bring blankets or lawn chairs for comfortable seating. Children of all ages are welcome and will be delighted by free activities including a moonwalk and face painting. There will be a variety of exhibitors whose products and services will be available for purchase including exquisite hand made jewelry, original artwork and more.

A variety of food and beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) will be offered by Villa Christina and Caffe Christina for purchase on the premises. Nibble on light delicacies such as pasta and salmon salads, or feast on gourmet burgers stuffed with special seasonings, plump hot dogs with French fries, or real Italian-style pizza straight from the wood-burning-oven. Be sure to save room for an indulgent dessert such as tiramisu or cheesecake, because the food here is unsurpassed. No coolers are allowed on the grounds.

The Summer Gospel Jazz Series is sponsored-in-part by Villa Christina, Praise 97.5, C3 Marketing Group, Atlantan Magazine and Piedmont Review. For more information on the Gospel Jazz Series or Villa Christina, call 404-303-0133 or visit www.villachristina.com. For Corporate sponsorship or exhibitor information, contact Terri Harof at terriharof@bellsouth.net or call 404-786-7410.

Free Old Fashioned Southern Gospel Sing

The free old fashioned Southern gospel sing will be held at the ''old train depot'' in downtown Grantville, GA Saturday, June 28th at 7 p.m. This month's singing will feature, The Cleghorns from Warner Robins, The Christianaires from LaGrange and others. Everyone is invited. Refreshments will be available. Per the promoters, "Jesus will be there in the spirit to meet every need. Bring the family and friends and lets have a good time praising the Lord."

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