Houston’s gospel godfather Kerry Douglas’ Black Smoke Music Worldwide label (Billboard’s #1 indie gospel label for 2010) made personal history this week with the release of Washington, D.C.-based gospel star Earnest Pugh’s new CD “Earnestly Yours” debuting at #1 on iTunes Christian and Gospel digital album sales chart Tuesday – just above platinum-selling acts such as Casting Crowns and Kirk Franklin. “My staff and I have been working every angle for weeks,” says Douglas. “We have been working social media, street teams, pushing for radio airplay and doing everything we can think of to let the world know about Earnest Pugh’s new CD and the hard work has paid off.”
A year after hitting #1 on the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs chart with the smash hit “Rain On Us,” Pugh (Billboard’s #4 gospel artist for 2010) is on his way back to the top with the new tune, “I Need Your Glory” which cracked the Top 10 gospel airplay chart this week. The dramatic ballad (written by James Fortune who wrote the #1 hit “I Trust You”) is drawing thousands of fans to listening parties around the country. A Washington, D.C. area party earlier this week was packed. “Unfortunately, we had to turn people away because there was no more room,” says Pugh’s manager Keith Williams. “The public response has been incredible.”
Traditionally, gospel music fans have been slow to download digital CDs, preferring physical product instead. “Earnest Pugh is ushering gospel into a new era by attracting all ages to download his music,” Douglas adds. Pugh released his first solo CD in 2006 and showed off his five-octave vocals on the radio hits such as “Wrapped Up, Tied Up, Tangled Up”, “The Great I Am” and “Perfect Peace.” However, it’s “Rain On Us” that spent two weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs chart last year that has made him a hot commodity. Visit www.earnestpugh.com or www.mrkerrydouglas.com for more information on this exciting artist.
