Following a week of violence in our country from Baton Rouge, Minnesota to Dallas, this was truly the weekend to come together for a time of healing. Helping to make that happen in Richmond, VA were two events, the East Coast Gospel Music Summer Fest and the city of Richmond’s 7th Annual Gospel Music Fest with “The Belle.
Now labeled as one of the biggest Gospel event’s on the East Coast, the weekend event was filled with panel discussions, music, and healing for the community. “I simply couldn’t believe the timing of our event which was placed in the middle of a week of violence. From the North, South and Midwestern portion of our country the police brutality and violence has become a non-stop conversation with little solutions. My prayer is that our event will spark more love, words of encouragement and ideas to help heal so many wounded hearts in our country that continues to display its racist head!,” says Sheilah Belle, organizer of the weekend event and CEO of The Belle Report and Mid-Day Personality for Radio One Richmond, Praise 104.7FM.
(In photo: from left to right: Minister Earl Bynum, Cora Harvey Armstrong, Pastor Marlon Lock, Dr. Bobby Jones, Melvin Williams and Kenney Taylor)
Kicking off on Saturday July 9th, the4th Annual East Coast Gospel Music Summer Fest, returned to 5th Baptist Church, 1415 West Cary Street, Richmond, VA. The event created a blessed networking opportunity for newcomers in the Gospel community as well as established and industry executives.
This year East Coast Gospel Music Summer Fest 2016 included a special session for “New Gospel Artist…Is their Message and Music Reaching Your Generation” with guest facilitatorReggie B and guest panelists, Van Boyd, Tamika Patton, Terrence Bell and Earl Bynum. Goss with No Celings “Live” lit the room up next with his millennial biblical conversation and how to use the Word to fight injustice.
Closing out the morning session was our panel discussion on Traditional Music- Where is it headed? Dr. Bobby Jones served as the guest facilitator along with guest panelists Cora Harvey Armstrong, Pastor Marlon Locke, Minister Earl Bynum, Kenny Taylor and Melvin Williams.
Weekend guests traveled from as far away as Houston, TX, Memphis, TN, Atlanta, GA and Durham, North Carolina to be apart of this fun filled, uplifting, educational and powerful music weekend, along with vendors that offered something for everyone.
At 4:00PM the crowd began to swell for our Inaugural OLD SCHOOL Gospel Concert with special guest host Doc Christian and featured guests Faithful Connection, Lee Walker & The Spirit, Melvin Williams, Cora Harvey Armstrongand Pastor Marlon Locke.
At 6:00p.m. the praises continued with the East Coast Gospel Music Summer Fest Praise Party with special guests Donte’ McCutchen, Zion’s Voice, Pastor Marlon Locke, Tamika Patton, Earl Bynum & The Mount Unity Choir, The Goochland Virginia & Vicinity Chapter of the GMWA, Terrance Bell, Trisha Alicia, C. Goss, Lindsay Slayton, Lucinda Moore, Eric Wydell and Pastor Larry Miles.
