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Whether it’s traditional church wreckers roaring out God’s praises, smooth virtuosos crooning soulful encouragement to the saints, or new urban evangelists giving gospel an R&B or hip-hop flavour, one this is certain, African American gospel is flourishing. Countless gospel albums are being released into the booming market. But one release that stands boldly out from the crowd is ‘Only You’ by Steven Perrilloux.

Here is an album that follows none of the popular stylistic paths. Best described as old school soul gospel with a jazz undertone, it is the work of a singer, pastor, actor and percussionist. As well as being a showcase for Steven Perrilloux’s richly soulful voice ‘Only You’ is also a platform for Bernard Stevenson who wrote all the songs and produced the project. Steven explained how the two came to form such a close musical relationship. “Bernard and I met in Los Angeles through one of his friends who was a saxophonist who invited me to perform with a group called Spirit Filled and we became like brothers quickly. We’ve been friends for 24 years. Bernard is a gifted, talented and anointed producer, songwriter and arranger. We’re covenant brothers. We’re like a Jonathan and David that have embraced each other’s calling and we are helping each other to fulfill God’s purpose in our lives. He’s currently working on his first album due out next year. It will be awesome!”

The recording of ‘Only You’ was far from easy. “The pressure of the time and logistics because of distance - Bernard lives in California and I am based in Louisiana - meant the album was a big challenge. Even Bernard doubted that we’d be able to complete the project within the year and a half deadline we had set. But we did it through God’s grace.”

Steven has released previous albums, the cassette releases ‘Vision’ and ‘Count It All Joy’. But singing is far form being Steven’s only gift. I asked this charming and intelligent man to give me a potted biography of his fascinating life. “I was raised as Roman Catholic. I believed in Jesus, but I didn’t feel ’saved’. I lacked knowledge of Scripture. There were high moral standards in my home of walking in love, however, there were some distortions not in accordance with Scripture. I was an aggressive boy in my behaviour, but I knew that I was different. I just couldn’t put my finger on it. It was like a déjà vu experience. I remember the story of Moses when I was 11 or 12 years old. The thought came before the experience. One day I was walking through a ditch and the thought came to me that I’d be like Moses. And I remember this and that God would use me. Little did I know at that time that I’d be called to minister.”

As a teenager Steven’s interest in music really kicked in. He commented, “I always had a love for music and I was drawn to drums by way of a few bands in my area. I learned through observation and was naturally gifted. I was attracted to percussion because I felt these instruments were a way to express my passion, a release and an expression.” 

The late ’70s found Steven dissatisfied with the way his life was heading. “After graduating from Southern University and my experiences with drugs, alcohol and women, I arrived at a place where I was no longer satisfied. I redirected my time and energy toward buying musical equipment and through that process, God began to deal with my heart to change my behavior to the best of my ability. I began to change, in part, not completely. There was a song by The Commodores ‘Jesus Is Love’ and I would sing that as a part of my practicing every night. And that same year, 1980, God opened the window of heaven and I saw the world of the Spirit twice. On July 15, 1980, I saw the glory of God’s light. On December 12, 1980, I saw a vision of Jesus. He said, ‘Go and tell my people what you have seen.’ Not knowing Scripture, at first I thought he meant music. However, later I understood there was a pastoral and prophetic call on my life.”

After such a powerful spiritual experience a new direction began to slowly become clear for the talented graduate. By the ’90s he was receiving ministerial training and was ordained at Los Angeles’ Crenshaw Center where in 1993 he was ordained. Moving back to New Orleans he started the Riverlands Christian Center Church. A powerful minister, Steven had opportunities to undertake ministry trips to Brazil in 1994 and 1997 and to Ghana in 1999. Then in 2002 he made his first visit to Europe, to Switzerland.

He remembered, “Seven members of my church and 25 others who were music ministers went to Zurich and did a seven city tour. We ministered in cathedrals and other venues. These opportunities were wonderful. The audiences really appreciated the ministry and worship.”

Recently Steven began working on writing an autobiography. This, unexpectedly, led him into “almost” appearing in the hit Denzil Washington movie Déjà vu. Steven explained, “This came about as a result of the call upon my life. I went and applied to be an extra so that I could glean experience and knowledge about the film industry because I plan to produce a film based on my life. Unfortunately, the footage with my scenes landed on the cutting room floor. However, it was exciting and informative. I learned a lot about the industry. I also got to work in a Brad Pitt film. I did not apply for that. I was already on file as an extra and was called. They wanted me to play a train conductor. Instead, they placed me in another scene that required that I smoke and so I declined. So now I’m in a tent revival scene.”

The release of the ‘Only You’ album on Steven’s own Crosstown South Music has brought forth a positive response. A panel of industry professionals named the song “Only You” the number one Independent Gospel Song in Gospel USA magazine’s June-July issue. As pastor in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans his final comment has a powerful resonance. “My goal is to bring God’s message to his people through song, and the kind words of support from family and friends and the many sacrifices made by my beautiful wife Rita are the motivating force behind this album. My greatest burden is to reach all of mankind, especially victims of the most recent disasters, with words of consolation, guidance and wisdom through the words of our Lord in song

Lloyd Phiri Gospel musician - He went into hibernation after taking a trip to the United Kingdom but now he is back to continue with his music ministry after spending over 2 years in the foreign land. The name Lloyd Phiri is not new to those people who have followed gospel music in the country.

This is a gospel musician who made a name for himself after releasing his debut album Musagwedezeke in 2002. The album, sold over 30,000 copies. It was no wonder that the hit from the album ‘Afuna Ulape’ was voted as the best gospel song in entertainers of the year in 2002.

Interestingly the gospel artist says that his music career is not at all in born and before he released his first album, he harboured no ambition of becoming a gospel music artist.

“I started singing because I wanted to thank God for whatever he has done for me. When I became a born again Christian, I thought singing would make me serve God best,” says the musician who has never sang in a church choir or any other group when he was young.

Born on March 4, 1980, Phiri — a last born in a family of 8 children — did his primary school education at Limbe Primary School before he did his secondary school education at Davie Boys and Soche Progressive Secondary School.

His hunger to learn prompted him to enroll with the Malawi Polytechnic for a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering after completing his secondary school education at Soche Progressive in 1999.

The gospel artist, who hails from Mulinga village, Traditional Authority Mpama in Chiradzulu says he joined Presbyterian Church of Malawi where his interest in music grew.

“ At PCM I was given a chance to play a keyboard after they asked for those who were willing to take the challenge. I took it up and frankly speaking nobody taught me how to play the keyboard,” he says.

Instead of concentrating on his course, Phiri became obsessed with music after gaining a lot of knowledge in music.

“I had mastered all the tricks with the keyboard, I was able to sing and this was the time God gave me this gift. I later failed to continue with my course,” says the artist who knows how to play a guitar, a keyboard and drums.

Lloyd believes he is into gospel music to minister and take God’s word all over the world.

He is happy at the moment that he will be entering into holy matrimony this tomorrow with his sweetheart Harriet Chipinda, who is also a long time member of his Happiness Voices Band.

“Marriage is a very precious thing and I am happy that the time has come for me to get married. I thank God for giving me a wife whom I am going to live with the rest of my life,” says Lloyd about the wedding whose officiation take place at Calvary Family Church and thereafter a reception at Comesa Hall in Blantyre.

After he released his debut album, Phiri released his second album Ndagwiritsa in 2003 which proved that he was on gospel music scene to stay. The album did well on the market and the song ‘Sitimasilira,’ scooped position 2 in Entertainers of the Year 2003.

“I felt on top of the world with this achievement and I knew God was taking control of each and every move I was making,” he says of Ndagwiritsa.

On his trip to the UK Lloyd says: “My going to the UK was all to do with ministering God’s word through music. I was performing at Calvary Family Church of which I am a member and Living Waters Church.”

He adds that his plan was to stay there for only 2 months but then he prolonged his stay because he enrolled with Manchester Christian College to pursue a course in Theology.

“I ended up not finishing the course because it later transpired that my visa had expired and I was refused a student visa because I went there on a ministry visa,” says the artist who is working on his third album.

The frustrations of failing to secure a student visa led him into the idea of getting a job to compensate on the money incurred on his Theology course.

“I wanted to raise more money before coming back home to cover up on the money I lost while pursuing a course in Theology. I secured a job at a certain company where I worked as a Vice stores manager,” explains the musician adding that people chose to hear the wrong information when he returned to Malawi.

He says his return back to Malawi in June was also to do with God’s ministry.

“The ministry in the UK was not at all convincing and I decided to come back and continue from where I stopped,” he says.

The musician describes his UK trip as fruitful as far as his music ministry is concerned. He says he has managed to acquire modern studio equipment and he is destined to open his own studio in February next year.

“This will be a sophisticated studio taking into consideration the modern equipment and we will be recording musicians live at any place they would like to be captured,” said Phiri further saying that the studio can capture 16 separate tracks at once.

Apart from acquiring studio equipment, Lloyd says the UK journey has also been of great importance to his music ministry in that he had a chance to study music production at one of the studios in Manchester.

“ I won’t have difficulties operating the studio because I learnt a lot during my music production study and had a short training at the place I got the equipment,” he says.

The artist who admires gospel songbird Ethel Kamwendo for her strength says he would like to go far with his gospel music ministry and reach the level where people in foreign countries would call for him to perform.

“I like the way Ethel sings, composes her songs but all in all her strength and faith,” he says.

The Chilobwe based musician observes that distribution of music in the country is the main problem, which is letting musicians down.

“This is a very serious problem because all musicians in the country rely on O.G. Issa for distribution and I wish something was done. Musicians invest so much money to come up with an album but in the end they get nothing and fight a losing battle,” says Lloyd.

The artist who has grown to love the kwaito style and says he will continue playing it, says his two albums had a strong message of repentance and further advises the youth to tread carefully in these times of the HIV/Aids pandemic.

“As youths we need to choose one thing and then do it but the most important of all is to follow what God wants us to do,” he says.

It’s not the kind of news you want to hear from a singer.

“I have a sinus infection today. My nasal passages are all crazy,” said Amy Perry of the Christian-music vocal trio Selah.

Fortunately, the artist still had a couple of weeks before her group was scheduled to begin its Christmas tour, which comes to Kalamazoo on Thursday. Proceeds will benefit the Kalamazoo Christian Schools.

“I’m drinking green tea with honey and having three or four glasses of something hot every day. … I’ll be healed up,” Perry, 29, said from her home in Martinez, Calif.

Perry’s vocals are key to the three-part harmony she creates with Selah members Allan Hall and Todd Smith. She joined the trio just 14 months ago. But now she’s fully acquainted with Selah’s repertoire, including songs from its Christmas CD, “Rose of Bethlehem.”

“I think on the first half of our Christmas shows we sing our popular songs, like `Press On’ and `You Raise Me Up,”’ Perry said. “After intermission, we come back and hit all the Christmas stuff.”

Selah (a Hebrew word often used in Old Testament psalms of praise), got its start when Hall and Smith joined forces while they were music students at Nashville’s Belmont University. Hall, a keyboardist, often would ask Smith to sing with him when he would perform at area churches.

Smith invited his sister Nicol along, and as a trio they would harmonize their own arrangements of classic hymns. Their talented collaboration led to their first CD (“Be Still My Soul”) in 1999, which won a Gospel Music Association Dove Award as the year’s top inspirational album. Two of their succeeding albums were similarly honored.

Smith’s sister left Selah in 2004 and was replaced by Melodie Crittenden. When Crittenden left the following year, the door opened for Perry.

“I had been in Nashville for five years pursuing music, but it was to the point where I didn’t care anymore about a record deal or what people thought,” said Perry, who was content to sing as part of her church worship team.

But the church worship leader also was a professor at Belmont and had taught both Smith and Hall. She knew they were looking for a third voice.

“I auditioned, waited a couple of weeks, and then had a second one, and they hired me,” Perry said.

The soprano joined Selah in time to do some of the vocals on the group’s recent “Bless the Broken Road: The Duets Album.”

The title track, a country ballad popularized by Rascal Flatts, originally was recorded by Crittenden in the ’90s when she was a solo artist. Selah covered the song, and its version was a hit on Christian radio this year.

Another of the tunes, “Mary, Sweet Mary,” is a song the group likely will perform on the Christmas tour.

“It’s very tender and sweet,” Perry said of the ballad, which also is part of a new collection of songs inspired by the current feature film “The Nativity Story.”