NEW YORK, NY. (Top40 Charts/ Columbia Records) - The platinum-selling Grammy Award-winning R&B/gospel duo
Mary Mary is riding high on the Billboard charts this week with the pair's critically acclaimed new album The Sound, heralded as "Praiseworthy" by People magazine.
Released on October 21, 2008, The Sound is currently the nation's No 1 Gospel album as it makes its "Hot Shot" debut on Billboard's Top Christian Albums chart and the Top Christian & Gospel charts at No 1 while becoming this week's "Greatest Gainer" rocketing from No 22 to No 1 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart.
A bona fide crossover success, The Sound has entered the Billboard Top 200 at No 7, giving Mary Mary their highest charting - and second Top 10 - album on that chart (2005's Mary Mary peaked at No 8 on the Top 200). Mary Mary and The Sound have achieved the highest chart debut on the Top 200 of any gospel album in 2008.
In addition, The Sound has made a "Hot Shot" debut on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart at No 2.
"Get Up," the lead single from The Sound, is currently garnering crossover radio play on Urban, Urban Adult Contemporary, Rhythmic, Gospel and Dance radio formats while charting in a number of formats including No 5 Hot Gospel Songs, No 12 Hot Adult R&B Airplay, No 32 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, No 4 Hot Dance Club Play, and No 6 Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles. "That song embodies what the whole album is about," says Mary Mary's Erica Campbell. "It asks people, 'Why are you waiting? Why do you care what other people think?' It reminds us that your beginning can be whenever you want it to be."
Beyond the music, Mary Mary's current projects an ongoing association with the Paint A Smile foundation as well as the launch, through participating Walmart stores, of BE U, a bath, body and candle line designed to inspire young women to celebrate their natural beauty and inner uniqueness through four basic principles : be honest, be beautiful, be intentional, be you.
"In an era when everybody gets nipped and tucked to look like somebody else, we're just telling people, 'Be you... Be intentional, honest and the unique person God made you to be,'" says Tina. "And with Paint A Smile, it's all about giving back, making kids happy and making them feel special because we want them to know how cool they are to us and that they're worth so much."
The Sound is Mary Mary's first new album since the release of A Mary Mary Christmas in October 2006 and is the duo's first new full-length non-seasonal album since release of the RIAA gold-certified Top 10 collection Mary Mary in July 2005.
The Sound premieres 11 new Mary Mary performances including the R&B-flavored title track "The Sound," "Superfriend," "God In Me," "Boom," "I'm Running," "Forgiven Me," "Dirt," "Seattle," "I Worship You," and "It Will All Be Worth It."
With able assistance from longtime producer and collaborator Warryn Campbell, Erica Campbell and Tina Campbell, the real life sisters a/k/a Mary Mary, weave their love of truth-grounded gospel music into a tuneful blend of R&B, pop, soul, jazz, electronic music, and more. (Erica's husband, Warryn Campbell has produced all of Mary Mary's albums including the RIAA platinum-certified Thankful as well as the RIAA gold-certified Incredible and RIAA gold-certified Mary Mary.)
As Mary Mary, Erica and Tina Campbell bring a revolutionary combination of R&B, urban, hip-hop and electronica to the world of contemporary gospel music.
Growing up in Inglewood, California, Erica and Tina first sang publicly in the local church choir and received their first break in 1998 with a song on the "Prince of Egypt" soundtrack.
In 2000, Mary Mary's platinum debut album, Thankful-featuring the hit "Shackles (Praise You)"-earned numerous awards including a Grammy for Best Contemporary Gospel Album and three Dove Awards, six Stellar Awards, a Lady of Soul Award, a Soul Train Award. Incredible, their second album, became the nation's No 1 Top Christian Album in 2002 and featured the Dove Award-winning hits "In The Morning" and "Thank You," featuring Kirk Franklin.
While Erica and Tina took a break after recording their second album to start-and spend time with-their respective families, the platinum-selling duo found the time to bring their exuberant gospel soul sounds down new avenues, including an appearance in the 2003 musical comedy, "The Fighting Temptations," and concert performances around the world.
In November 2005, Mary Mary took home the coveted American Music Awards trophy in the Contemporary Inspirational Music category, adding to a growing collection of critical and popular kudos that includes a Grammy and numerous other awards.
The Grammy-winning R&B/gospel duo Mary Mary crossed over into Top 10 pop territory when the group's self-titled new album, released in July 2005, debuted at No 8 on the Billboard Top 200 best-selling album chart, the highest Top 200 chart position in the group's career. (Mary Mary's previous albums-2000's Thankful and 2002's Incredible-peaked at No 59 and No 20, respectively.)
When Mary Mary subsequently debuted at No 1 on the Billboard Gospel album sales chart, it became the best-selling Gospel debut of 2005.
"Heaven," the first single from Mary Mary, made chart history during its unprecedented 9 week run as the No 1 record on Billboard's Gospel Radio chart. "Heaven" was also a No 1 R&R Gospel Radio Single which hit the No 3 slot on the Billboard Bubbling Under - Hot R&B Singles chart."
