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Kirk Franklin Gathers Gospel Community to Record a Relief Song for Haiti

JAN
22
Average: 4.8 (122 votes)

As gospel music artists gathered in Nashville, Tennessee to celebrate the biggest and brightest at the 25th Stellar Awards this past weekend, they also came together for a higher purpose. With the recent tragic earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Kirk Franklin assembled numerous gospel artists in Nashville’s Quad Studios to lend their voices to “Are You Listening,” a song they all hope will inspire those devastated as well as raise much needed funds for Haiti. All proceeds from the record will be donated to charities involved in relief efforts.

Artists United includes Yolanda Adams; Jeremy Camp; Shirley Caesar; Dorinda Clark Cole; Natalie Grant; Fred Hammond; Tamela & David Mann; Mary Mary; Donnie McClurkin; Bishop Paul S. Morton; J. Moss; Smokie Norful; Marvin Sapp; Karen Clark Sheard; Kiera "KiKi" Sheard; BeBe Winans; CeCe Winans and Marvin Winans along with other gospel artists featured in choir including Shari Addison; Kathy Taylor Brown; John Gray; Bishop Darryl Hines; Stephen Hurd; Karima Kibble; Judith McAllister; Nicole C. Mullen; Jessica Reedy; The Neville Sisters; Troy Sneed; Micah Stampley; Melinda Watts and Brian Courtney Wilson.

All the artists associated with the project donated their talent and gifts for this project,” says song and project producer Kirk Franklin. “This initiative is so important because while we are asking America to give we know that many are giving sacrificially. The people of Haiti are very spiritual people with an unwavering faith and belief in God and still count The Lord as the main source and provider. We will continue to pray and stand with them. We hope this song will bring much needed support and awareness in an effort to raise funds in the near and long-term future.”

The official music video for “Are You Listening: A Love Song for Haiti” will world premiere in a one hour special presentation on GMC Friday, Jan. 22 at 7:00 p.m. (ET), immediately before GMC’s airing of the global “Hope for Haiti Now” telethon (8:00 p.m.). The special will be hosted by Lisa Kimmey-Winans and will feature exclusive interview footage with Kirk Franklin from the recording session interspersed throughout multiple runs of the music video.

“Are You Listening” will be available for purchase at Verity Records starting at 5 p.m. Friday, January 22. The single will be available next week on iTunes and will also be released at Wal-Mart and other major retailers after January 30.

Comments

I am an artist Christian musician, I am of Congolese origin, I shall like meeting Kirk Franklin for a project which holds me Heart to help the populations of my country DRCONGO destroyed by the war 7.000.000 of victims "SOS KIVU" belongs cry from the heart of an artist to an artist. I know Kirk Franklin's generosity and I count on him
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by MARY55

That is some inspirational stuff. Never knew that opinions could be this varied. Thanks for all the enthusiasm to offer such helpful information here.
Cheers,
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Kirk, April of this year I attended Tyler Perry's "Madea's Big Happy Family" at the Fox Theatre. He spoke on following your dreams and it was very encouraging for me. You see a few years ago I gave my first production called "He Watches Over Me" in Baltimore Maryland, the test run was good but I had a bump in the road that caused me to become homeless. I had used all my savings for this venture but the second time I presented it not many people came out. I was determined to follow my dream and moved to ATL , I was in ATL for eight months and someone took the siding off the house and cut a hole into my downstairs family room when I was not at home and destroyed everything. I left ATL and returned home to Boston (2009) when I was there I had two sisters to pass away within one month of each other. This was ONE of my darkest moments in my life. During this time the Lord gave me a vision to do a show about Gospel music. At that time writting this show was helping me to cope with the problems I had been facing. I had a little job there, taking care of an elderly man not making very much money. I was living on the job because I had no home. But I still had this vision about this show. One of my sisters had just taken out an insurance policy the month before she passed away and made me the beneficary. Everyone kept telling me the insurance company would not pay and dont look for that money. But the Lord I serve knew what I needed and blessed me with it. It was only $10,000, but to me that was like one million dollars at that time. I returned to ATL because I am happy here regardless of what happened. After returning I got alittle parttime job making 275.00 for two days and I rented a room. Since then I got another job taking care of a lady making $150.00 a day plus the parttime job. Right then and there at Tylers show I decided I would obey the Lord and step out on FAITH and produce this show. I said I would put the date out so far that I could pay everything one week at a time.I found a ventue Porter Sanford III Performing arts center in Decatur,GA. I have paid most of the money for the ventue, hired a 4 piece band, contracted Comcast to put a commercial together and I am going to do THIS. He did not bring me this far to leave me. This is a CLIMB that has had many valleys and I am still Climbing each week, each month. I am getting closer to that dream of my mountain. My show will be Feb. 12th, 2011, "A Tribute to Gospel Legends" a story of how Gospel music began up to where it is now. We are honoring the lives of YOU, Thomas Dorsey, Mahalia Jackson, Rev. James Cleveland, Clara Ward, Shirley Ceasar, and Marvin Sapp. I have some local talent I got off Craigslist that I would love for you to hear they are tremendous. One young man has worked with Vanessa Bell Armstrong and Yolanda Adams as back up singer. Another young man sang for President Clinton and other dignitaries. Tyler please, please put my show on your calendar and come see my CLIMB and how beautiful the view of my mountain will be. Come share this with me. I will be sending you a personal invitation (hard copy and evite) in hopes you can come to see my accomplishment. I Love the LORD and you also, thank you and God Bless Kirk

The lyrics are so awesome..and I love them!

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you've really become a great inspiration to me and I've took up songwriting because of you and that is now my dream. All I want to say is thankyou.

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by KLARA

I love your songs , in a time of turmoil we need a song to lift our spirits and make us humble ourselves. So beautiful!!!! I can't stop listening to it.this song is the best song i have ever heard in my life ever!!!! i had to sing bebe winan's part for my school concert and i absoulity love this!! i hav to sing it again and one of my teacher's donated to haiti and she is a missionary of the NAPS group and i asked her if i could go to a place with her to do mission work..i <3 my teacher like life itself other then God and my friends n family she is the best ever...god bless you all and be safe See Professional CV
hopefully it would be up and running in the near future !!!

by DAVYNE

About 4yrs ago I was driving down Taylor St. in Columbia SC when I saw a on billboard that Kirk Franklin was performing that night at the Township Auditorium. I wasn't no Kirk Franklin fan nor was I saved or into gospel music. In fact I was running a Strip Club at the time but for some reason I wanted to see Kirk show. I called this young lady I was seeing at the time and asked her if she wanted to go but she had to work and my homeboys definitely didn't want to go. So I bought a ticket for myself and somehow I was able to get a 2nd row seat. Well I went to his show and I was blown away! His energy and the way he interacts with the crowd was AWESOME! I left the show with a new found respect for Kirk! I told everybody how incredible his show was. So me and my girl went online to see where he was going to be next and it said Charlotte NC. My girl couldn't go again because of her job so I took my homie Ace with me. Once again I was blown the heck away and Ace was to! I was a little upset though because I didn't know the words to his songs like EVERYBODY in the crowd did! So when I got back home I went online AGAIN to see where Kirk will be performing next. Well the next closet place was in Baltimore Maryland! Well I use to live in Baltimore plus my best friend Anthony lives there. Well my girl said she could go and I called my best friend Anthony and asked him if he wanted to go? Then I called my female best friend Shamelia that lives in Buffalo NY and asked her if she could meet me in Baltimore for Kirk's concert? THEY ALL SAID YES!!!! So I bought tickets online for everybody and I bought me and my girl friend Kirk's latest cd so we could learn the words! Now we on 95north to Baltimore and I remember telling my girl; "Kirk Needs To Know How Much Support I'm Giving Him"lol! Once we reached Baltimore we were suppose to meet my best friend Shamelia down at the Baltimore harbor. We waited for hours and she never showed up. So me and my girl was about to head over to Anthony's house and while I was backing out the parking lot that's when Shamelia finally called and said she was in some store at the harbor. So we pulled back in the parking lot and when we started to walk back across the street to the Harbor guess who we saw coming out a store?!! KIRK FRANKLIN AND HIS WIFE!!! I yelled Kirk!!! Wasup!!! I ran over to him and his wife and said Kirk I have something to tell u! I told him about all his shows I've been to and that we traveled from Columbia SC and my friends came from Buffalo NY to see you! Kirk and his wife was blown away! We took too many pictures with Kirk! I told him I do music to but I don't do gospel. Kirk said whenever you ready to switch over here's my contact info! I've been holding his info ever since! Now that I have given my life to God and I have some pretty cool gospel music I think I'm ready to hit Kirk up! Not that I really need his help, because through God all things are possible, but I just respect Kirk's boldness with his music no matter what people think! I'm ready and I'm built for this! Please pray for my music career because I have a true journey ahead.
-God bless
Davyne Dantzler
scgreatestdavyne@yahoo.com

The song must will comfort people in Haiti and call on more and more people to helr the needed!!!
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I am looking forward to the book release. I have 2 sons i think they both will relate to hearing words of wisdom from you. I am divorced/single my sons are young adults but a mother will always be a mother and her children will always be her children. I can't be their father but I can pray and ask God to put the male influences in their life and you are an influence.

Blessings
Thank-you for making your contributions to this world
giving back.

very inspirational and eye opening.
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Hello there,
Can someone please tell me how do I invite Kirk to my Church?
my email is :stacbola@gmail.com
Thank you for sharing.
God bless
A M

--
Jesus is Lord

I want to appreciate ur believing in Nigeria,I am a nigerian living in the US,I watched the sunday best, the west african edition,if u did not believe in her u would not choose her for a venue,I was thrilled! You will go from strenght to strenght in Jesus' name.Amen.

Hello Kirk,
I'm a fan and we met while I was doing radio in Danville,Va.You were performing at Carowind in Charlotte, N.C. We then met again while doing radio In Greensboro at 97.1wqmg and at 1450weal. I'm still there part time. You were doing a concert at The Greensboro Coliseum. We talked at the meet and greet after the concert. I really admired as a person because, you were the only artist on the concert who stayed til the last fan in the room received a hug,autograph and took a picture with you. To me, you showed that GOD is strongly rooted in you. I've followed your career and it's a blue print for a successful life as a christian and a artist.I'm a musician as well. We have somethings in common. One thing is something you conquered.You overcame pornography. I'm trying to do the same. You had a preacher you trusted and he guided you to overcome it. I feel that you are the one who can help me. Maybe you can tell me the thing he told you. I have a wonderful wife. I need to leave porn alone.You are scheduled to perform a concert in Greensboro, N.C. on Mother's Day weekend. Here is my cell number(336) 587-4878. Could you please call me. I would love to meet with you and discuss how I can get victory over porn in private. May you continue to be Blessed of God.
Tamaman

yes

Well hi how are you? Can you tell kirk i said whats up.Anywho i wanted to know can you tell him to come up with a movie about past living.I think he would win many awards.but just not for that though.for us young men.Showing that we can make change.Somtimes thats all we need.I Would be glady to hear from you guys

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HI MY NAME IS TERRIAN AND IM ONLY 16 YEARS OLD........KIRK FRANKLIN IS THE BEST MAN ROLE MODEL IN MY LIFE.......ALL OF HIS SONGS BRING ME TO REALITY AND LET ME KNOW WHAT I SHOULD IN LIFE.......HERO IS A GOOD CD....I THINK NUMBER #4 I THINK ALL TEENS S

by MONCIE

--
Hi Kirk,I am an a aspiring gospel artist that has finally accepted my purpose and destiny.My hope is that God allows you to create a portal that I may share with you the inspiration that he shares with me through song and music . I know that many lives will be changed through this ministry. Please reply. Thanks Moncie

I wish i could see u sing on my b-day. ugh.oh well, u keep singing your emotion
I listen to this song at least 5 times a day. I absolutely love it! I can't wait till the new CD comes out!

Regards
Byter

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by PRITTY

--that is a really nice thing to do. i think god let dis happen just to show us that , no mata wat this worldis still connected and full of luv
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Students at Richland College is hosting a Haiti relief show sponsored by Student Government Association
Feb 25th which is this thursday
there will be entertainment and a silent auction with all proceeds going to the Red Cross

Kirk if you could come or someone from your gospel family, it would be more powerful

Thanks
RobertM

by CRENAE

Kirk, my 12 year old daughter loves you and your work. She has been nagging me for weeks to send you and e-mail of some sort b/c her dream in life right now is to sing for you. She is a gifted singer and would love the opportunity to sing with you one time!!
Keep doin what your doin and being a blessing to so many people. Stay Strong and Be Blessed!!

Olivia

Hello Kirk, I have been a fan since the early days and have admired your genius in pulling together great choirs to sing inspiring, memorable songs. Now, no one is going to tell you the truth, because people don't like to do that anymore. I just have one request of you - I watched you on the Stellar Awards and you did a great job. My request is for you to stop doing that dance that you were doing at the end of the show. That is so outdated, it looks very provocative, and it has no place at a gospel celebration. You are a grown man with a wife and family, so you don't have to do this anymore. I had to stop watching at the end because it really looked nasty. I'm sorry to say these things to you, but as we grow up and progress through every year, some things have to stop and others begin. I am going through this same evolution. If you had just stood there and waited for your turn on the mike to tell us all good night, you would have made a much better impression on the people. Take care of yourself and I am still your biggest fan.

Someone at work told me about this song, I went on you tube and viewed the video and it brought me to my knees. I was born and raised in Haiti, I left when I was a pre-teen I have families and friends there, my father retired and move back. When this tragedy happened I lost my head for at least 2 weeks, I couldn't sleep, eat or do anything else. All I could do is try to get in contact with my love ones, I was extremely frustrating not knowing and thinking of the worst about the situation. At one point I couldn't pray anymore, all I could say was the Name of Jesus every second. Watching CNN and others news cast seeing how my beloved Haiti had crumbled and detroyed my heart couldn't take it. I haven't been able to grieve about what happened, 2 of my brothers got hurt pretty bad, their homes are demolished, I still have family and friends that are still missing. I had to shift into soldier mode to take care of mines, I shield myself the whole time since this happened, I never show any expression or any sign of weakness. But when I heard this song and seen those images that I must have seen more than 50 times it hit me like a bullet to my chest. It broke me down, I was able to cry and come to the realization that this event happened and was not a dream......... I'm so very greatful and thank you for letting God use you to create this masterpiece, I really don't think you will ever know what's dwell within these lyrics. May God Bless you and keep you and all those others wonderful artists who participate in this production. In the Name Of Jesus Let your well never runs dry.

Thank you so much

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqAtnqvm0Ys

Thank you for continuing to write songs that inspire us to be greater than we are & more like Jesus.

by JAY13

I appreciate this song, it really touched me. My fiance was born in Haiti and came to the US 3 years ago. It hits home for me because I see him worry about his family in Haiti and it has taken a toll on him. I dont have much and honestly, I have $2.19 in my checking account but I chose to purchase the song. I dont have a job but I feel in my heart, if a simple gesture could help, I would give whatever I could. I feel for the people of Haiti and wish that I could go and help because I would really love to do something meaningful for someone in need. So as far as financially, this is about all I can do but if God has more in store for me to do, I will do.....

hey kirk just wanted to say thanks for all those times when my boys were small and in the choir where you played music.you were the only musician i remember that would pray with those kids at immanuel for them to accept the Lord into their lives as their Savior. Both of my boys are in Church now one is a preacher and the other a preachers helper. so even then Kirk God was still using you. Thank you and i still play all of your cds and Gods property is my signature i love you kirk.SARAH

I would like to know what happened to the auditions that was to take place at the hyatt? i booked a room at over 100 a night for nothing:

Kirk,
Thank you so much for helping my country. I purchased the song I absolutely love it. Thank you for utilizing your gift to help others. I am sad that I didn't get a chance to see the presentation tonight but I made sure to put it on my outlook for tomorrow night. May God continue to use for his kingdom.

--
In His Grip,
Roseline