God's Property

God's Property is a gospel choir known for its collaborations with Kirk Franklin and other recording artists.

God's Property
OriginDallas, Texas
GenresGospel
Years active1993–2003
Associated actsKirk Franklin

Musical career

God's Property Choir was organized and founded by a public school music teacher by the name of Linda Ray Hall-Searight in 1992 in Dallas, Texas. She and her son, Grammy Award Winner Robert Sput Searight, and daughters, Robin and Rachella Searight, were totally responsible for recruiting all of the original singers and musicians of this choir. Linda Searight groomed the choir into an exceptional performing organization that was often featured on national television shows in the mid and late 1990s. The choir began to collaborate with Kirk Franklin in 1994 and sang backup on his 1995 album, Whatcha Looking' 4. Franklin, in turn, produced and co-wrote most of the songs on the group's 1997 album (also produced by Scott "Shavoni" Parker and Buster & Kevin Bond).[1] Kirk Franklin often works out new material with the choir in the studio and has appeared with the choir on the Late Show with David Letterman. The choir itself has performed with Celine Dion at the encore of the "Call The Man/Power of the Dream" concert in Dallas, Texas and on The 10th Annual Essence Awards in 1997 with Stevie Wonder.[2] In 1998, a few of God's Property singers performed a few songs for Kirk Franklin's The Nu Nation Project.

On November 2, 1998, God's Property sued their record label. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges that Franklin's parent label executives Vickie Mack induced God's Property founder Linda Searight into signing an "onerous and one-sided" contract with B-Rite Music.[1]

Albums

The choir's May 27, 1997 album God's Property from Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation[3] with Kirk Franklin won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Gospel Artist, the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Music Video, the Soul Train Music Award for Best Gospel Album, and the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album in 1998. The album, driven by the radio hit "Stomp",[4] sold at least 2.7 million copies and was on the Billboard's gospel chart for at least 71 weeks.[1] "Stomp" made it onto the following charts Hot 100 Airplay, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Recurrent Airplay, Rhythmic Top 40, The Billboard Hot 100, and Top 40 Mainstream.[4] To date, the album is the highest-charting gospel album in history.[1]

Members

Sopranos: Juanita Blair, Latrina Cooks, Tamryn Cornelius, Ramona Evans, Emma Hawthorne, Marion Hawthorne, Tonya House, Shanika Leeks, Kelly Lewis, Deltreicia Zanders, Barbara Mitchell, Tia Neal, LaTisha Pope, Paula Pope, Roshanda Swan, Caltomeesh West, Chelsea West, Keisha Williams, Melonye Williams Brandelene Carter

Tenors: Scott Allen, Adrian Brackens, Myron Butler, Rodrick Butler, Greg Brown, Damond Cobin, Victor Evans, James Henderson, Will Horn, Sedrick Jenkins, Vincent Johnson, Terry Miles, Burnis Neal, Darryn Ray, Floyd Spencer, Keith Thompson, Patron Thomas, Laron Vaughn, Tarlton Walker Farrell Mannings Jonathan Burns, Jon "Jontez" Montes

Altos: Aisha Cleavers, Uvonda Collins, Debbette Draper, Phreddra Evans, Shupon Gray, Dondra Harris, Shantael Johnson, Nicole Moss, Satanya Robinson, Shaniqua Robinson, Rachella Searight, Robin Searight, Andrea Wallace, Bridgette Washington, Gwen Williams, Kressy Williams Farrell Mannings

Band: Robert "Sput" Searight, David "Paco" Cruz, RC Williams, Lawrence Peabody Ferrell, Shaun Martin, Keith Taylor, Daniel Jones, Braylon Lacy, Tim Clifton, Terrace Martin, Leon Devers, Jeriel Carter, Jason Davis, , Lamont Taylor, Shelton Summons, Derrick Harris, Jared Coleman, Greg Brown.

References
  1. "God's Property sues Kirk Franklin". Jet Magazine. 1998-11-02. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
  2. "Kirk Franklin, Richard De La Font Agency, Inc". Retrieved 2006-11-18.
  3. Audio CD (May 27, 1997), Original Release Date: May 27, 1997, Number of Discs: 1, Label: Gospocentric, ASIN: B000001Y37 (Amazon.com)
  4. Billboard, search of archives at billboard.biz
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