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Read Interview & Listen // Buy Latest Project// Contest Winners // BIO |
BLACKGOSPEL.COM,
in collaboration with GOSPO CENTRIC RECORDS, completed a CD giveaway
contest to find a few of the most devoted, earnest Kurt Carr fans on
the Internet. Ten very outspoken contestants were selected as winners for
the brand new CD release, ONE CHURCH (In Store March 22nd),
the fifth and most anticipated album release by Kurt Carr.
Like previous contests hosted on BLACKGOSPEL.COM, entries flooded our
inboxes from fans who’ve been touched, moved and inspired by the wonder of
Kurt Carr. Our contestants are responsible for leading worship services,
overcoming human tragedies and ailments and finding their way back to God
through Kurt Carr’s music. The testimonies below are evidence to the power
and anointing invested in Kurt Carr and his timeless
compositions. Congratulations to all our winners! And a special thank you
to Kurt Carr for dedicating his gifts to the work of the Lord.
Helen Breems (Blue Island, Illinois)
I am a White (steeped in Black Gospel) musical director for an integrated church on Chicago's South Side. Kurt Carr writes superb, singable melodies. Rarely do I buy a CD and enjoy every track. Kurt Carr delivers the attainable praise on every track. He writes with energy and dynamism for young Christians. He also writes with passion and sincerity for the middle-aged Christian. There's no disputing Kurt Carr's genuine love for our Lord and Savior and his desire to lead all nations to worship Him. Soon the whole world will be singing the praises of Kurt Carr!
Tamika D. Richardson (Jersey City, New Jersey)
Your last album - Awesome Wonder - is terrific… my favorite song(s) are Set The Atmosphere & Worship Medley. I grew up in a Pentecostal church not really understanding what Pentecostal meant. To me, it was the normal “devotion” service, traditional Gospel & traditional preaching. Traditional songs was what I listened to all my life; It wasn’t until I became pregnant and was ridiculed by the “church”, that I left the church. I couldn’t take the norm anymore. But I knew in my heart that the only place for my peace of mind was to be in the sanctuary…just to listen to the word of God would ease my mind.
So I joined my best friend’s church (non-denominational) which I am apart of now and I began to listen to various types of Christian music. I was amazed at how God can use people in song outside of the traditional Gospel norm. I never heard of Praise & Worship music until after I joined my current church. It was around that time that I also heard Kurt Carr & The Kurt Carr Singers on BET That’s Just The Way The Father Is. That song really ministered to my spirit. I recognize that in spite of my irresponsible actions, God blessed me with my son. Jesus Christ is that way toward me and so many other single mothers like me. He doesn’t hold our mistakes against us. He forgave me and I’ve learned to forgive myself.
I can testify God is so awesome. I love Praise & Worship to the fullest. I thank God everyday for his deliverance because he took me from a dry place in my life, to becoming saturated with true Praise & Worship from my lips and becoming the president of the Praise and Worship team at my church… only God could do that.
Charles F. Reid, Jr. (Danbury, Connecticut)
I am one of Kurt Carr's biggest fans, because he writes music that can be sung in any church. I am a minister of music for a multi-cultural church, and I am African-American. I love good, foot-stomping Gospel music. The ministry that I am a part of, has all races, thus Gospel music is not the focal point of the worship experience. Kurt Carr's music, however, can be ministered in our church, due to the lyrics, as well as the clarity of the musical instrumentation. I have been following Kurt's music since the album Serious About It, and he has continued to evolve as a giant in the music industry. I believe Kurt is a true worshipper, and knows what he is singing and playing about. This is why I love Kurt and his gift.
Louis Varela, Jr. (Rialto, California)
I am 23 years old and have been following Kurt Carr and his singers since I first heard of them in 1994. I was 13 years old at the time, but very involved in my church and loved Gospel music. His music and ministry through the years has blessed my life at a spiritual level, as well as giving the encouragement to sing in the choir and praise team at my local 1,000 member church in Fontana, California. I have purchased all his recordings and have been looking forward to this CD for the last five years since his last release in 2000.
He's a great man of God from what I've heard and would love the opportunity to meet him one day. My friends also sang in his praise team last summer when they recorded the CD. I was happy for him to have the opportunity to sing with Kurt Carr and the Singers. I am a huge fan of Kurt Carr, not only for his status, but his ministry and how anointed he and his singers are and have been through the years. I am Hispanic and believe that he has changed our Gospel world from not just being about African-American singers and fans, but about races and nationalities of all kinds. That is awesome!
Lorraine T. Carroll (San Diego, California)
A "fan" is a colloquial term used to convey the display of one's affection, appreciation, admiration, and dedication towards another for the contribution that the person has made to their industry, platform, or audience. Anyone that has ever witnessed Kurt Carr live, heard his recordings, or read his music (lyrically) should instantaneously become a "fan". There is no question that the music that exudes from this man in totality exhibits the glory of God, and that alone is what causes someone to appreciate Kurt Carr, because one can not only see the glory of God in his music, but hear it.
One of the most inherent qualities of Kurt Carr's music is that it is genuine and exonerates the essence of what is truly soulful. It causes one's soul to experience a catharsis that expels depression, disdain, or despair just by listening to it. Kurt Carr's music is tranquil, inspirational, and meditational. The lyrics, coupled with the music, reflects what God has demonstrated to Kurt as true fans know the transitions he has experienced simply through the music. We can sense that Kurt faced depression, even perhaps suicide and we can relate because he's here today, because of God's grace. Many of us recognize his pain, trials, trauma, drama, and transitions through his music, and we relate. The true fans know where Kurt is in his soul. We relate to words not being able to convey what his heart wants to say because at times, we feel the same way.
If one has been a faithful listener of Kurt's music and is Serious About It, it is easy to appreciate its rich history, texture, style, and impact. If they're just a lay person that only makes it to church once or twice a month, regardless of the nature of their relationship with the Lord, Kurt has helped them to understand that when we lift our hands In the Sanctuary it is Comely or looks good on us as we praise God.
Kurt Carr's music is always appropriate, noteworthy, and will quickly escort you into The Presence the Lord simply by hearing. I thank God for Kurt Carr, and his fabulous presentations, his exquisite compositions, as well as his excellence and perfection in arranging the most challenging vocal harmonies. His music challenges singers and musicians alike to excel beyond the ordinary. His dedication to Gospel music truly reveals his sacrifice in giving God an "Abel" offering of Kurt's best. Many Gospel artists render to the Lord a "Cain" offering, which is just "an offering" as opposed to giving God their best. As a result, there music is unequivocal to the exhibition, execution, and performance of Kurt Carr and The Kurt Carr Singers.
It is for these reasons among many more that I have been and will always be a fan of Kurt Carr. I appreciate his singers, their dedication and devotion to the Lord and to Kurt and the group, and all of the musicians that he diligently grinds in order to perfect the sound. I might not be the "biggest" Kurt Carr fan but I definitely can attest to being the most "Grateful".
Joy Filius-Bailey (Los Angeles, California)
I am a Kurt Carr fan and have been for as long as I can remember. The majority of the songs I sang in church with my family’s gospel group as a teenager/young adult were Kurt Carr Songs. We were seven people strong and went by the name “The Revelation”. Unfortunately, in a short span of time, we broke up and all went our separate ways. The path I chose left me far from God and the church. I was hopeless. I had lost everything and had even dropped out of college and become a single mother. I moved back home with my mom and as God would have it, my aunt sent me to the corner store, which happened to be the neighborhood Bible bookstore. When I got inside, I heard music that was very unlike the typical gospel hymns that my mother’s traditional Pentecostal church sang. I asked who the artist was and it was Kirk Franklin. I had never heard of him at the time and I was curious. I was pointed toward the CD racks to look in the K section.
As I was looking through the music, I spotted an old familiar name, KURT CARR!! As I picked up the album (No One Else), I was flooded with the memories of one my favorite Kurt Carr songs, Come Home. I couldn’t leave the CD in the store. I bought Kirk Franklin’s Watcha Lookin’ 4 and Kurt Carr’s No One Else and rushed home to listen to them. When I played No One Else, the music was as beautiful and as compelling as I remembered it. When For Every Mountain came on, I had to put it on continuous play because I knew that they were singing the song that best described my situation. Until that point, I didn’t realize that despite everything I had been through in my life, God never let any situation get the best of me, and for that, He was worthy of the praise.
For everything negative thing I had experienced in my life, there was always a way of escape provided for me. Maybe not when I wanted it but always when I needed it. Each day, God gave me was a new mercy and a new chance to do something that I probably never dreamed of doing before. This is why I am a big fan of Kurt Carr and his music. The music reflects real life. Kurt Carr’s music serves as a reminder before, during and after trials and tribulations that God is still God and we can’t make it without him. It is a must that we praise him. The ultimate Kurt Carr song is still his version of, Holy, Holy, Holy. I have never heard anything like it since.
In conclusion, I am a big fan of Kurt Carr because he is not afraid of taking chances with his music. He’s not afraid to tackle issues, disappointments, grievances, and negativity in his music. Any Kurt Carr album you listen to is going to take you on a praise roller coaster. I’m ready…Are you??
Kerry-Ann Richards (Jamaica, West Indies)
Kurt Carr is a blessed songwriter and worship leader and his singers are really good. For Every Mountain from the No One Else album has really blessed my soul. I taught it to my choir, here in Jamaica in February of this year, and the Lord moved in that service in an awesome way. The preacher didn't preach. We sang for hours while he ministered to the people as God led him.
Kurt Carr came to Jamaica for a concert after Awesome Wonder was released. I was extremely blessed at that concert. It has been my favorite concert. The worship was rich. God really moved in an awesome way at that concert. My friends and I still talk about it. It so happened that my choir again, was rehearsing to sing Almost Let Go on the Sunday after the concert. Gladly, Kurt Carr offered the background music to the song when my choir sang it. I know that people were delivered that night as well. It was really awesome. The fact that Kurt Carr played the music allowed us to sing the song with a deeper understanding and we really ministered effectively on that Sunday morning. People were in tears when we sang and I know it was the work of the Holy Spirit.
I love his music (a nice variety, especially on the Awesome Wonder album). I don't play an instrument (just my voice), but I do know good music when I hear it. I was glad when I went on BLACKGOSPEL.COM and realized that Kurt was releasing a new album. I've told some of my friends already. I know you asked for a short explanation but I just had to share my experiences because they're etched in my long term memory. So, Kurt Carr's ministry will always mean alot to me. God bless ya and keep on doing the good work for the Lord. He deserves the BEST and I'm sure the Lord is pleased with your work.
Kathleen Hall (Waterbury, Connecticut)
A couple years ago, I went through one of the hardest times of my life. My family called me and told me my father only had a little while longer to live. He had cancer, kidney failure and many other diabetic related diseases. I went home for the last two weeks to help my mother. My father chose to die at home. My mother and brothers in the medical field had handled all of his home care up to then. He was receiving dialysis through his stomach and visited a treatment center once a week. The stress and pain of the whole situation were unrelenting.
If it had not been for the time I spent every morning worshiping in song with my Kurt Carr CD, the stress may have broken me. I was calmed and lifted up. It was a growing experience that brought me closer to God. I also admire some of the things he has done. He went to UCONN and was mentored by Richard Smallwood(what an honor).
Elder Raymond Lindsey, Jr. (Richmond, Virginia)
I have known Minister Kurt Carr since I was about 15 years old. I have been a fan of his ministry since I first heard him and his first group out of Hartford Connecticut, back in the day. I was young and singing & directing with the Louis Gibson Chorale, The Connecticut Chapter of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, and the late Minister Vernon Jones and The VJ Singers. I will always support him and be a groupie. I am proud of how he's allowed God to use him. His musical contribution has inspired me to live to achieve, live to become, and live to share what God has for me. I AM A FAN! I believe God's hands are definitely on and leading Minister Kurt Carr. May God continue to bless you, my brother.
Vickie Merritt (Kansas City, Missouri)
I'm Kurt Carr's biggest fan because of I Almost Let Go. I am the First Lady at our church. My Ministry is Praise & Worship. One particular Sunday morning, we played the tracks to several worship songs and the congregation just sat there. They didn't move, they didn't clap their hands, they would NOT Praise the Lord. I began to search myself, while singing his praises. I knew the other praise conductors had been fasting along with myself but the people still would not praise God.
By accident, the man responsible for sound and music began to play I Almost Let Go. Realizing his mistake, he stopped the song but we quickly told him to continue playing the song. A few minutes into the message of that song and the Spirit of God began to move people in the aisles and down to the alter, all of THIS DURING PRAISE AND WORSHIP. A ministering song such as this, played during Praise & Worship service, has turned our services around. Due to the anointing presence in our service and the anointing on this song, lives were changed. That's why I'm Kurt Carr's biggest fan.
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