A 45-Year Career in Gospel Hits High Note With Grammy

More than 45 years ago, the Rev. Milton Brunson started the Thompson Community Singers in his hometown of Chicago.

Wednesday night, the 65-year-old pastor had something to celebrate for his decades of work: his first Grammy, won in a tie for the best gospel album by a choir or chorus.

“After all these years, I’m very happy,” said Brunson, who was nominated for a Grammy twice before.

The win by his 50-member choir, which puts a contemporary spin on traditional gospel music, is only one example of the prominent place Christian music is taking on the American music scene.

“I just think it’s exciting to see the increased visibility and stature that gospel music is receiving,” Bruce Koblish, president of the Gospel Music Assn., said Thursday.

The association, based in Nashville, Tenn., estimates that gospel record sales totaled $1 billion last year. If the trend continues, gospel will account for 10% of all record sales by 1996, the group says.

Koblish noted that the Grammy ceremonies featured everything from contemporary Christian musician Steven Curtis Chapman as a presenter to a final number featuring a gospel choir.

“I hope it means that the . . . entire music industry at large is starting to see the significance of contemporary Christian music,” said April Hefner, managing editor of Contemporary Christian Music magazine, based in Nashville.

“It is a relatively young field . . . but it is a market (that) is alive and growing every year.”

Gospel music was first recognized in a single category, “best gospel or other religious recording,” in 1961, the fourth year of the Grammy Awards, according to Candy Catlin, spokeswoman for the Gospel Music Assn.

Wednesday night’s awards were a far cry from that humble beginning, as the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences honored gospel musicians in six Grammy categories.

Brunson’s choir, known as the “Tommies,” tied with the Love Fellowship Crusade Choir, directed by Hezekiah Walker. Their winning album is “Live in Atlanta at Morehouse College.”

Petra, the first Christian group to be enshrined at the Hard Rock Cafe, won its third Grammy for “Wake-Up Call,” which encourages listeners to influence the world with their Christian beliefs.

Alison Krauss and the Cox Family won in the category of best Southern gospel, country gospel or bluegrass gospel album for their collaboration on “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow.”

Albertina Walker won best traditional soul gospel album for “Songs of the Church--Live in Memphis.” A 50-year veteran of gospel music, she has been nominated at least seven times.

Andrae Crouch won best pop/contemporary gospel album for “Mercy,” his seventh Grammy.

Take 6, an a cappella Christian group, won best contemporary soul gospel album for “Join the Band.”