| Once confined to the churches, Gospel music has | | | | projections for the channel's cable growth this year," |
| now gone almost completely mainstream, and thanks | | | | Said Charles Humbard, founder and president of GMC, |
| to the efforts of stars like Amy Grant and Kirk | | | | in a press release." To exceed those goals by nearly |
| Franklin, experts say faith-based music will become | | | | double reflects both the strong desire of the cable |
| even more popular as the new millennium progresses. | | | | operators to provide their customers with positive, |
| "Like the blues, gospel will become part of the fabric | | | | family-friendly and inspiring music television |
| of American music and will become synonymous with | | | | programming." |
| American music," says scholar and performer Horace | | | | The GMC release pointed out that the key catalyst |
| Clarence Boyer. "It will be heard in elevators, over | | | | for the network's growth has been its ongoing |
| telephones, in department stores, movies and | | | | commitment to producing original programming. |
| commercials." | | | | "Gospel Music Channel has become the largest |
| Of late, big business has embraced the gospel genre, | | | | producer of original Gospel/Christian music television in |
| according to a recent article on Washington "There's | | | | the world, producing more than 200 hours of |
| been a growing interest in this faith-based market | | | | concerts, series, specials and video, producing all new |
| from mainstream corporate America," Max Siegel, | | | | content in High Definition," said the release. "Most |
| president of Sony's Zomba Gospel label, was quoted | | | | recently, GMC premiered a new weekly series, The |
| as saying in the article. "Initially there was a lot of | | | | Kitchen Sink, an hour-long music performance, news, |
| hesitation due to the religious nature of it. A lot of | | | | entertainment and variety program; the only national |
| companies liked to stay neutral, and no one could say | | | | show of its kind featuring Christian and gospel music." |
| exactly what the benefit would be. But the federal | | | | The show is a combination of live in-studio |
| government has made faith-based initiatives | | | | performances by top artists, interviews, world |
| acceptable," he said. The article noted that in 2004, | | | | premiere videos, the latest entertainment news and |
| African American gospel singers sold $140 million | | | | previews, undiscovered new talent, inspiring feature |
| worth of CDs. | | | | stories and more. |
| Siegel went on to note that in the past, the | | | | Gospel music is also featured on the oldest gospel |
| advertisers most interested in reaching this market | | | | station, Gospel Music Television, out of Gainesville, |
| were small church-based entrepreneurs -- Christian | | | | Texas, and Black Entertainment Television, which |
| book authors and small-time recording artists. But as | | | | hosts a show called "Gospel Explosion," a premier |
| the genre evolved from Mahalia Jackson singing | | | | showcase for new gospel songs. It seems that no |
| sweet hymns in a choir robe to singers performing | | | | matter where you look on the musical landscape |
| holy hip-hop for sold-out concerts in huge sports | | | | today, you'll find gospel music-praise the Lord! |
| arenas, corporations noticed. | | | | Whether it's southern bluegrass, soul or Christian |
| Both Wal-Mart and Proctor & Gamble have signed on | | | | gospel songs, you can find an array of faith-based |
| as advertisers to the newly launched Gospel Music | | | | tunes on the Web, at sites like As you can tell by its |
| Channel, which turned out to be the fastest growing | | | | abundance, gospel music is fast becoming a part of |
| cable network in 2007, now viewed in 22 million | | | | the mainstream and a musical experience anyone can |
| households. "We were very ambitious in our | | | | appreciate. |