NASHVILLE, TN. (Black Gospel Promo/ www.blackgospelpromo.com) - Off the heels of his gold-selling 2001 'Awesome Wonder' CD, the classically-trained gospel choir conductor Kurt Carr has returned to the gospel scene with the smash CD 'One Church' which debuted at No 1 on the Billboard gospel sales chart in March 2005.
Carr's latest success caps off a decade of steady growth for him as a recording artist, church leader and anthem composer.
Having trained under the late Rev. James Cleveland and touring with gospel legend Andre Crouch early in his career, Kurt Carr has come into his own over the last few years. He's become one of the most sought-after and gifted composers of his generation with a litany of hits for himself and others. His tune 'Every Mountain' earned the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir a Grammy in 2003. He wrote and produced 'The Presence of the Lord' and 'There is A Name' which transformed Byron Cage from a Sunday morning music minister into a gospel superstar in 2003 when Cage's CD 'Prince of Peace' sold 250,000 copies. The former won a Stellar Award for Song of the Year.
Carr did not shortchange his own group, the Kurt Carr Singers, though. After years of making solid, embraceable hits such as 'Grateful' and 'For Every Mountain', Carr took his ensemble's fame to another level with 2001's 'Awesome Wonder' CD. That album featured smash radio hits such as 'In the Sanctuary' and 'I Almost Let Go' which were soon being sung in Sunday morning worship services worldwide. The former has now been recorded by more than 20 other artists and translated into 9 languages. It also won the Stellar Award for Song of the Year and earned the group appearances on the CNN, BET and TBN television networks.
However, Carr's ambitious new album 'One Church' promises to eclipse all of his prior works. 'I've felt God impressing on me that it was time to really reach out to the world with our music,' says Carr, 'so it was very important to me to draw on the talents of people of different races, ages, nationalities, and doctrinal backgrounds—all to solidify the theme and the truth that we really are one church in Christ. I think there's something on this album that all believers will be touched by.' Billboard magazine scribe Gordon Ely agrees. On reviewing the new project (hailed as a masterpiece by many music critics), he wrote that it boasts 'dazzling displays of imagination and vision that transport the venerable traditions of gospel to new, uncharted and thoroughly mesmerizing terrain.'
After many years of sacrifice and labor, Carr's life has come full circle. Aside from his professional success, he has achieved personal contentment. After a dozen years as Creative Music Director for the influential West Angeles Church of God in Christ (COGIC) in Los Angeles, Carr pulled up stakes and re-planted himself in Houston, Texas, a central location that makes it easier for him to travel nationally to fulfill his rigorous concert schedule. Less time on the road, has allowed Carr to spend more time with relatives, friends and church family. It all ties into the message of the new project, one church which stresses the concept that we're all one family of believers under God.
Kurt feels that his new CD is the most important project of his career. "I'm totally clear of Gods purpose for my life and ministry, which is to make music that serves as a tool to promote God's vision and plan for One Body and One Church." He plans to share this vision with the world as he is in the process of developing outreach campaigns for the Armed Services, youth and the church at large on a global level.
"We don't have time for a black/white church mentality, too many souls are being lost and wounded daily. Worship isn't black or white, worship is universal,' Carr says. 'It's time for the Church to be ONE CHURCH and worship the one and only God who is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! I'm ready and willing to fulfill my mission to go wherever the Lord would have me to go to bridge the gap!"
