Donald Lawrence Brings 6 Stellar Awards Back To Chicago!

Donald Lawrence is being used by God, and he's certainly giving the saints something to shout about. His tunes of liberty and triumph over life's catastrophes remind us that we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ, and that through Him, we can do all things. Donald Lawrence had one of the biggest songs of 2005, and brought home six Stellar Awards to Chicago to prove it. Not resting on his laurels, he has nothing but high hopes and high praise for what is sure to be a blessed future.

For the launch of ChicagoGospel.com, it was especially appropriate to catch up with Donald, a Chicago resident for the past five years, fresh off the heals of an extraordinary year. At last month's Stellar awards, Donald won six of his eight nominations for his hit album I Speak Life including Producer of the Year, CD of the Year, and Artist of the Year. He spoke with Chicago Gospel about his Stellar wins, his deep involvement in and support of the gospel music industry, and his plans to go even higher than the Lord has already brought him.

CG.com: Congratulations on your Stellar Awards!

D. Lawrence: Thanks so much! I appreciate that!

CG.com: So you probably have gotten a lot of feedback from people. What was your reaction to winning so many?

D. Lawrence: I wasn’t expecting all that. I don’t really do that well with getting compliments. It was a little uncomfortable. I appreciate it more than anything because I work for a lot of people, I’ve done a lot of records for a lot of people in the industry, and I’ve done a lot of radio. I think it was just a surge of everybody that we wanted to celebrate this year. I’ve worked in the corridor a long time.

CG.com: You definitely have earned it. You’re active with the Recording Academy and you’re a major member of the Board of Governors for the Midwest Chapter. How did you get involved with that and why do you stay involved with that?

D. Lawrence: Well I think just like any other organization, it’s important for you to have a voice or if you represent the genre, you should really possess a really good intelligent voice. So when I first got to Chicago, I said I wanted to make sure that I started becoming active in a Grammy chapter especially since I’m in a metropolis. I knew the chapter would be very active doing things. When I first went there they really didn’t have a whole lot of gospel representation. The president, who is Steve Silk Hurley, is a guy that I know, but I didn’t know that he was the president. So when I came to talk to Tara, who is the Executive Director, she let him know that I came by, and he called me and said, "Donald, please come and be active with the chapter. As a matter of fact I want to recommend to the Board that they vote you in as one of the Board of Governors." I was like, "Okay, cool!" They had a vote later that year when the slots opened up and they voted me on as a Governor. Since then I’ve been talking to them about making sure the gospel community in the Midwest really is represented because there is so much talent there and so many artists out there, and it's been a drive and a passion of mine to have the voice of three to four hundred different people just from the gospel inside of Chicago, which covers the Midwest.

CG.com: That's great because one of the things you stressed is the importance of people that are part of the gospel industry or aspiring to become gospel artists to get involved and to make their vote count.

D. Lawrence: I think they should. It will make it count and make it accurate. Also, I can see a slight difference just based on the people that are nominated. I can see where it’s starting to show up because the people who really do it and live the genre are really the people who are voting. I want to make sure that the people that are in the category are represented rightly so. Also, when they get ready to do a gospel presentation nationally, you can get in there and make sure that the gospel presentation is not only polished and fine tuned, but accurate and not something that misrepresents the genre to the point where we're looking [and asking], "Who is this? Why are they doing this? That’s not something that we do."

CG.com: That’s excellent advice for gospel music artists. Do you have any other advice for artists looking to be involved or to grow in the gospel music industry?

D. Lawrence: The Stellars have an academy as well that you join and vote in. It is a very similar process. I’ve been telling a lot of people, "Make sure you’re working inside and you’ll have a voice." The requirement to be a part of the Stellar Academy is not as extensive as it is to be in the Academy of Recording Artists. So, I just tell everyone that it’s a voting process. Your voice really counts. Even if you think that [your voice is] just one, and that it won’t make a difference, it does.

CG.com: I know you get asked this question all the time. What or who are some of your musical influences?

D. Lawrence: That would definitely be Andrae Crouch, Thomas Whitfield, Twinkie Clark, Bishop Walter Hawkins, Edwin Hawkins and Richard Smallwood. Those six are my influences.

CG.com: That’s a great group to be in. You’ve mentioned in other interviews that you were raised in a very strict church. How would you describe your relationship now with the Lord?

D. Lawrence: Well I think that I definitely grew up in a real strict church, FBH Holiness Fire Baptized Church in Gastonian, North Carolina, which is like a suburb of Charlotte. Now what we call the 21st Century Church is a little different, actually a little looser and a little bit more open to people just being who they are in ministry. So it’s not as tight. Growing up that way gave me a great sense of discipline. Therefore, I think the disciplinary part of it really sticks with you for a long time and it kind of keeps you grounded and balanced, but I like the 21st century church because they deal more so with life and that’s what people need in order to be ministered to and to help them get through life, [whereas] the old church really tried to keep you living on a certain pattern, but not necessarily dealing with life. I just think the 21st Century church is great, because I think it helps people deal with their everyday situation.

CG.com: In November, the Tri City Singers held your farewell concert. Now what’s on the horizon for Donald Lawrence?

D. Lawrence: I’ll still do the Donald Lawrence & Company. That’s probably how you’ll get my records after this final Tri City record. I want to dig into a record label called Dark Water Entertainment. I just want to work on my artists; they are all coming out this year. This includes Dewayne Woods and others; I’m working on signing a couple of other artists. I want to dig into that; I enjoy developing acts. I used to attend Columbia College here in Chicago. I teach a music business class, and it’s a class that kind of helps me develop mentors, inspirational music and professionals. Really soon, [I want to develop] an Inspirational Music Degree program.

CG.com: Wow! That’s exciting.

D. Lawrence: I’m really excited about that. It’s something that I really, really wanted to do. It's kind of like a pet project of mine. [Also], the release date for the Tri-City singers is April 4. Between March 31 and April 15, you can look for me and the choir to be running around the Chicago area.

CG.com: Do you have anything that you’d just like to share with any of your fans, admirers, people that listen to your music?

D. Lawrence: Well, I’d just like to give a shout out to the Chicago Gospel community because I think they have taken me in and embraced me like I grew up here. I appreciate it and I appreciate all the radio support from Dennis Cole and Scott Gadden, as well as Mike Robinson, Elroy Smith, and Darryll King. They have been incredible to me and they keep the music alive in the area and I appreciate it.