A six man vocal group is hard to comprehend. As Southern Gospel enthusiasts, we enjoy an occasional soloist, maybe a few duets, more trios but we really enjoy is the four part harmony of a quartet. I will guarantee that you’ve never read or heard about a sextet in any industry magazine or website until now.
NBC aired its second season of a vocal contest called The Sing Off. The contestants were groups all over America who sang acapella music in an inventive and new way. We can look back in the catalog of Christian music and remember Keith Lancaster who started the group Acapella and later the Vocal Union, and if you remember this style, the contestants competing on the Sing Off had similar style.
A Christian group from Lakewood University of Huntsville, AL known as Committed won the Sing Off and with that win brought a record deal as well as a $100,000 cash prize. According to Dennis “DJ” Baptiste, “God opened doors of opportunity immediately that we would have never had if we hadn’t won the Sing Off competition.” Immediately, the guys went into the studio and began recording their self titled project that released August 30, 2011. Dennis went on to tell me that although they’ve been working since January, they have been constantly “tweeking” and perfecting the sound for the recording. It is a lot different for Committed because their tracks consist of their voices not instruments so the process of tracking is totally different than anything any other artist is used to.
The group has been on several talk shows and award shows since their win and life has been a whirlwind but Dennis says that they continue to stay committed to God and each other. He said, “we are exposed to a lot of things that we weren’t previously tempted with but it’s so much easier having 5 other men who are your best friends keeping you accountable!”
The first radio single for the group, “Break Free” is an original song written by group member Therry Thomas. Therry says, "I wrote the song last year with two of my friends from Oakwood."I sent it to one of the producers and they liked it. It's a big honor to have it on the album. The song is about breaking free from the life that we're living. There are a lot of things that just tie us down it talks about letting God handle our business for us and being free from the cares of the world."
Collectively the group shares a wide range of influences that includes BeBe & CeCe Winans, Stevie Wonder, Bobby McFerrin, Fred Hammond, Earth, Wind & Fire, Al Jarreau and of course, Take 6, who are also Oakwood alumni. "As we arrange, we try to incorporate some of the stuff that we've learned over the years," says Gervais. "A lot of our sound comes from a jazz background and we try to fuse that with our gospel roots.
Committed releases their self titled CD on August 30, 2011. For more information log onto http://www.committedsings.com
(Quotes used by permission from Epic Records Press Room)
Author: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Written: 09/01/2011
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I heard these guys in June at the Fraze Pavilion in Kettering, OH. They were GREAT. It's amazing how much sound they generate vocally. I'm sure they'll do very well.
Great article on Committed. Thank you to Absolutely Gospel for featuring these anointed and talented young men. One point of correction: The group is out of "OAKWOOD" University, not Lakewood which was referenced in your article. Thank You.
They're from Oakwood University (my alma mater), not Lakewood. I know all of them personally and they're really nice guys
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