ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

KIRK FRANKLIN
For nearly two decades, Kirk Franklin has been a multi-platinum-selling purveyor of majestic fusions of gospel and contemporary music. Franklin is a pioneer in gap-bridging musicianship, uniting audiences across gospel, hip hop, pop and R&B. His irresistible rhythms and rhapsodies have resulted in albums that consistently top both Billboard's Gospel and Christian charts, as well as ascend in to the Top 10 of the mainstream R&B/Hip Hop chart. Franklin is also the host and executive producer of the gospel talent show "Sunday Best", the highest-rated gospel program in BET network history now heading into its fifth season. To date, Franklin has garnered nine GRAMMY&reg Awards, an American Music Award, 39 Stellar Awards, 16 Dove Awards (CCM), eight NAACP Image Awards, two BET Awards, a Soul Train Award, and numerous others.

MARVIN SAPP
Since his debut release in 1996, Marvin Sapp has been thrilling Gospel audiences everywhere with his acrobatic vocals and deep-within-the-heart delivery. He made history with his seventh and latest album, Here I Am, which was the all-time highest charting gospel album in Billboard history, debuting at Number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. He has won two BET awards, seven Dove Awards and numerous others.

DONNIE MCCLURKIN
For a man who has declared that he may at any moment cease making music to concentrate fully on his passion for ministering, Donnie McClurkin has never stayed away from recording profoundly uplifting music for the soul for very long. Born in 1959, McClurkin was encouraged at an early age by the legendary Andrae' Crouch, after his aunt became a singer in the Gospel great's choir. Fighting through a rough home life and a battle with cancer, Donnie was eventually discovered and recorded a solo album. After an appearance on Oprah Winfrey's top-rated television show, Donnie's solo debut was catapulted to the upper regions of the Gospel charts and his career was born. Donnie has won three GRAMMY&reg Awards, as well as BET, Soul Train and Dove awards.

ISRAEL HOUGHTON
Israel Houghton is known by thousands for his day job as a worship leader at Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. But since 1997 with the release of his debut album Whisper It Loud, Houghton has been recording and performing his music for Gospel fans all over the world. Since then he's performed with such pop icons as Alicia Keys, performed at the 50th Annual GRAMMY&reg Awards, racking up two gold albums, six Dove Awards, two Stellar Awards, a Soul Train Award and four GRAMMY&reg Awards in the process.