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www.wordrecords.com
Word Records Signs Two Idols
08/20/04
WORD RECORDS SIGNS TWO IDOLS:
AN AMERICAN IDOL AND A GOSPEL LEGEND
GEORGE HUFF & KAREN CLARK-SHEARD
Word Entertainment's urban music division is gearing up for an exciting 2005
release schedule. The label has just signed two American Idols to recording contracts. The raspy-voiced New Orleans chef, George Huff, who won America's heart on Fox television's "American Idol" competition this past spring has inked a deal to record his first solo CD. In another coup, Word has won the bidding war to sign the legendary Karen-Clark-Sheard of the Clark Sisters to a recording agreement as well. The singer had been in negotiations with several major labels; but returned to the label that made her group, the Clark Sisters, a household name in Urban America in the 1980s.
"Karen Clark-Sheard is exactly the caliber of artist Word is ecstatic about partnering with as a catalyst for Word's new era of gospel legacy," says Desmond Pringle, Word's Director of Urban A&R. "George Huff is an example of the new and unique talent we're going to present to America."
During the 'American Idol" competition, Huff never hid his faith. He often cited gospel as his favorite music genre and said that people would be surprised to know that he's an evangelist. The former University of Oklahoma student and short order cook, is now on a nationwide "American Idol" concert tour through the end of September.
One of gospel's most celebrated voices, Karen Clark-Sheard (whose vocal acrobatics have influenced pop stars such as Mariah Carey and Faith Evans), has given the world recent hit smashes such as "Nothing Without You", "Balm in Gilead" and "We Acknowledge You" as a solo artist since 1997. With the Clark Sisters, she recorded classics such as "You Brought the Sunshine", "Pray for the USA" and "My Redeemer Liveth."
"In the past, Word Records represented the greatest names in Gospel music and the signing of George Huff and Karen Clark Sheard sends the message that we want that valued position back again," says Barry Landis, President of Word Records. "I want my legacy at Word to be identified as a time where Word Records reclaimed its status as the industry leader in Gospel."
Word was founded in 1952 and is the oldest existing gospel recording label. Over its six decades, Word has spawned gospel radio classics by artists such as America's first black superstar Ethel Waters, First Lady of Gospel Shirley Caesar and America's premiere quartet, the Mighty Clouds of Joy.
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