On Thursday, August 20, The Jones Family Singers helped kick off the International Faith & Family Film Festival during MegaFest 2015 with the “Musical Evangelism in Film” screening and panel discussion. Moderated by pop culture expert Jawn Murray, the panel also included President and Co-Founder of Arts + Labor Alan Berg as well as Grammy Award winning gospel artists Israel Houghton and Kirk Whalum.
In front of a standing-room-only audience, Bishop Fred A. Jones of the Jones Family Singers and director Alan Berg (Arts + Labor) presented and discussed their new documentary, The Jones Family Will Make A Way, followed by a spirited performance from the group that brought the crowd to its feet. Later, they joined fellow panelists Houghton and Whalum for an enlightening Q&A session led by Murray on the significance of musical evangelism in film.
MegaFest, led by bestselling author and pastor T.D. Jakes, is the nation’s largest inspirational family festival. Its plethora of life-changing events and empowering seminars focus on faith, inspiration, music, comedy, entertainment, youth and more.
The Jones Family Singers have been tearing up churches and festivals alike for over two decades. Their documentary, a collaboration of director Alan Berg and Arts + Labor, has been a success since it’s premiere earlier this year at SXSW. Available now, fans can view the film online by visiting jonesfamilymovie.com; the film is also available now for purchase on iTunes and Google Play for $7.99. Online viewer guides and supplemental materials are also available to churches, youth agencies and community organizations seeking to host screenings of the film.
The Jones Family Singers received a standing ovation at the Lincoln Center this summer, and showcased at New York City’s globalFEST and The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. They have crisscrossed the globe with domestic and international appearances including Newport Folk Festival, Playboy Jazz Festival, Winnipeg Folk Festival, and a two-week tour of Russia. Their next performance will take place at the Monterey Jazz Festival on Sept. 20, 2015.
