Washington, D.C.’s own Stellar Award winning recording artist, Stephen Hurd, is back on the scene with his first CD in three years and the first on his own Hurd the Word music label. The ambitious new project, “O That Men Would Worship”, ties with Hurd’s 2009 release, “Times of Refreshing”, as his highest charting CD. Both debuted at #8 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums sales chart. The rousing radio single, “Let’s Celebrate,” has just cracked the Top 40 gospel music playlist and is building momentum.
Hurd will perform songs and sign autographs of the new CD on Sunday, April 22@ 2:30-4:30 p.m. at The Potomac Adventist Book & Health Food Store, located at 12004 Cherry Hill Road, Silver Spring, MD 20904. Phone: 301-572-0700. Hurd’s sixth CD was designed as a tool to inspire men to take on a greater leadership role in church worship services. Recorded live at The First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro, MD where Hurd is the Minister of Music, the collection features cameo performances from Jason Nelson, Anthony Evans and Deonte Gray, a member of the 7 Sons of Soul.
Aside from co-writing most of the songs, Hurd produced the fifteen track set alongside producers Kenny Shelton and Anthony Brown. Celebrated producer Steve Ford, who’s worked with acts ranging from Phyllis Hyman to Richard Smallwood, created the lush string arrangements while the in-demand Phil Lassiter (John P. Kee, Marvin Sapp) delivered the hearty horn arrangements. “It was the easiest thing I’ve ever done,” Hurd says of the recording. “My goal is to get men and especially men of color to realize that worship is not a feminine sport,” Hurd says. “In this season, I feel we should come together and lift up a sound that has the power to change families and strengthen communities and help brothers to get a glimpse of what real worship is. I think when men see other men worship it gives them freedom to worship without feeling emasculated.”
Although, Hurd began recording albums in the late 1990s, his first national CD release was 2004’s “A Call To Worship” (Integrity Music) that featured the Caribbean-styled radio smash, “Undignified.” The 2006 “My Destiny” (Integrity Music) CD featured the hit singles “Great Praise (The War Cry)” and “Destiny.”