Zomba Gospel Holds 4 Key Positions In Top 10 Of Billboard's Top Gospel Chart

NEW YORK (SONY BMG) - Zomba Label's recently formed Gospel division, consisting of powerhouse labels Verity and GospoCentric Records, holds down four slots of the top 10 on Billboard's Top Gospel Chart this week. At No 1, Donnie McClurkin entered the chart with the double-CD set 'Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs' scanning 52,192 units in its first week. The album, which shipped Gold before its release date on April 5th, also entered Billboard's Top 200 Chart at No 12 and No 5 on the Top R&B Album Chart the highest debut entry for McClurkin to date

Verity's perennial hit WOW GOSPEL 2005 was No 2 and GospoCentric's Kurt Carr is at No 3 with his recent release 'One Church.' J. Moss, GospoCentric's breakthrough artist maintains his highest position on the chart at No 6 with his debut release 'The J. Moss Project.'

McClurkin's single, 'I Call You Faithful,' also hit No 1 on Billboard's newest chart, Hot Gospel Tracks which monitors airplay at 38 radio stations formatted primarily in church-oriented black gospel. The single is also the most played Gospel single on the R&R Gospel Chart and is No 1 in Audience reach at over 4.1 million

Referred to by many retailers and industry insiders as the first significant Gospel release of the year, 'Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs,' is a comprehensive 2-CD that features a host of guest stars including label mates Joann Rosario & Richard Smallwood, Gospel songbird Dottie Peoples, and Kirk Franklin who appears on the bonus track, 'Ooh Child,' the soul classic revisited.

Here's what others had to say about the project
'This pastor's [McClurkin] choir-endowed music is so polished and grandly arranged...' – Knight Ridder, April 5, 2005
'McClurkin takes things home in grand fashion … McClurkin's focus on who he is and what he does only gets tighter and more exhilarating each time out.' – Billboard, April 9, 2005
'McClurkin just might be gospel's most inclusive singer, spanning from Dr. Isaac Watts to Michael W. Smith during this exhilarating set recorded at a Virginia church.' – USA Today, April 4, 2005.