Shirley Caesar
First Lady of Gospel Shirley Caesar brings her high notes to the high seas as part of The Gospel Music Cruise 2016. Since recording her first single, “I’d Rather Have Jesus,” at the age of 13 as Baby Shirley, the spiritually exhilarating songstress has released 40 albums and won 11 Grammy®, 18 Dove and 14 Stellar awards. Shirley spent eight years as a member of pioneering female gospel group The Caravans before going solo in 1966. In her more than six decades-long career, she’s collaborated with the likes of Dottie Peoples, Kirk Franklin, Al Green, Whitney Houston and Faith Evans and continually breathed new life into gospel music with disco rhythms, country music covers and her trademark incorporation of dialogue. Currently senior pastor of Mount Calvary Word of Faith in Raleigh, North Carolina, she has film, television and Broadway performing credits and ministers to the needy through her nonprofit, Shirley Caesar Outreach Ministries.
Marvin Sapp
Since age 4, Marvin Sapp’s shared the God-given gift of his voice with lucky listeners, and Guests of The Gospel Music Cruise 2016 will be counted among those privileged with the opportunity to hear this vocal powerhouse live. In 1990, Marvin joined and recorded three albums (Number 7, Matters of the Heart, and Irreplaceable Love) with the gospel group Commissioned. He went solo in 1996 and has since released 10 of his own albums and earned 10 Grammy® nominations, 22 Stellar Awards, two Soul Train Music Awards, two BET Awards, two Dove Awards, and eight BMI songwriter’s awards. His bestselling single, “Never Would Have Made It,” held the No. 1 slot in gospel radio for nearly a year. Now senior pastor of Lighthouse Full Life Center Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as well as bishop over Global United Fellowship Central Providence’s 50-plus churches, Marvin has authored six books and is the President/Founder of Grand Rapids Ellington Academy of Arts and Technology (GREAAT), the first performing arts and technology charter school in West Michigan.
Welcome To The GOSPEL MUSIC CRUISE!