As a special “thank you” to his fans, multiple award-winning artist Smokie Norful will release SMOKIE NORFUL LIVE: DELUXE EDITION (EMI Gospel/Tre’Myles Music) on August 25, 2009.  The Deluxe Edition package will consist of an expanded version of Norful’s fourth and latest album release, SMOKIE NORFUL LIVE, with two bonus tracks (a studio version of the favorite “Dear God” and a live performance of the never-before-released “My Choice”) as well as an explosive 90+ minute LIVE Concert DVD of the album recording.

Upon its initial April 7, 2009 release, SMOKIE NORFUL LIVE immediately shot to the top of the charts, landing at #1 on both Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums and the iTunes Christian/Gospel Top Albums. Recorded live at The Cannon Center in Memphis and produced by Norful and Jason Tyson, SMOKIE NORFUL LIVE includes guest performances by Tony Award® winning artist, Heather Headley and Stellar Award winner Tye Tribbett and is steeped with the energy that was generated from the enthusiastic sold out audience in attendance at the live recording where Norful displayed his talents as a prolific singer and songwriter.

“Justified,” the lead single release from SMOKIE NORFUL LIVE has given Norful his sixth Top 10 hit at Gospel Radio and continues to gain momentum at key stations such as WPPZ (..Philadelphia..), KATZ (..St Louis..), WFMI (..Norfolk..) and WDJL (....Huntsville....).  Also garnering significant spins and audience impressions is Norful’s elegant cover of the classic Lionel Richie composition, “Jesus Is Love”, which features label mate Heather Headley.

This Fall, fans will be treated to a Smokie Norful LIVE 1-hour special airing exclusively on Gospel Music Channel.  Norful can also be seen performing songs from the new album on the upcoming season of BET’s perennial favorite, Bobby Jones Gospel.  Fans can connect online with Norful’s music, videos and more via his myspace page (www.myspace.com/smokienorful) and YouTube channel (www.YouTube.com/smokienorful) as well as at http://smokienorful.emigospel.com/.

Smokie Norful—husband, father, pastor and recording artist—continues to solidify his place in today’s continually changing gospel music landscape with the release of SMOKIE NORFUL LIVE.  We all can learn a life lesson during today’s challenging times from how Norful prophetically describes his own circumstance. “If I start to look at the condition of the circumstances—how busy I am and how much I have on my plate—that’s when I will start to sink. But I don’t look at it. I continue to do what God has called me to do and trust that He’s going to give me strength and provision to be able to accomplish it.”

AIRS THURSDAY, MAY 14

It will be available on their website (www.npr.org)  by 12am EST and it will be running on Sirius Satellite Radio three times that day, starting at 9am.  Their first national feed goes out at 9am EST.  The show airs at 2pm EST in WNYC in New York and WAMU in Washington, DC (check NPR website for local stations and times in your area).

Check me out as I host Rolling Out Magazines top gospel video countdown. Some say I have a career in hosting. lol
CLICK HERE to view

Watch it here: www.streamingfaith.com  1:30 pm EST!

GRAMMY® Award winning artist Smokie Norful’s new CD release SMOKIE NORFUL LIVE, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Gospel Album chart this week—his second #1 CD debut and third #1 record.  Released in stores on April 7, the multiple-award winning artists’ fourth CD offering is also riding high on other charts─debuting at #5 on the Billboard R&B Album Chart (highest ever entry), returning to the #1 position (his first ever #1) on iTunes Christian Gospel Album Chart, and the album is Norful’s highest debut to date on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart ranking at #55.  The project’s lead single, “Justified” continues to grow at Urban Gospel radio, coming in this week at #14 with a bullet on R&R.

Recorded live in front of a standing room audience at The Cannon Center in ....Memphis...., the 10-track CD was produced by Norful and Jason Tyson, and includes guest performances by Tony Award® winning artist, Heather Headley and Stellar Award winner Tye Tribbett.  Released on TréMyles Music/EMI Gospel, the CD is the first project released through a new agreement between the Christian music label and Norful’s newly-established TréMyles Music—a label based in ....Naperville.., ..Illinois.....

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“Smokie's hard work, talent and commitment to the ministry shine through on his new album,” states Ken Pennell, President of EMI Gospel about SMOKIE NORFUL LIVE.  “We could not have asked for a better project to launch our new, joint venture with him."

In a recent “Critics’ Choice” lead review of SMOKIE NORFUL LIVE, THE NEW YORK TIMES music critic Ben Ratliff writes: "[Mr. Norful], a smooth but powerful singer in the Donny Hathaway mold is the pastor of a church outside Chicago...Gospel may be the last remaining pop genre in which live albums make sense and mean something, because it operates on a built-in context of real time. Even a slick concert recording like this one refers to the tension-and-release patterns of a church service, and the vamps, transitions and intermittent sermons are part of its strength...The ballad “Dear God,” with Mr. Norful singing and playing piano, accompanied at first only by strings and chorus, moves into flyaway magic."