Verizon's 'How Sweet the Sound' Gospel Competition Heads to LA
In search of the next best church choir in America, Verizon’s annual Gospel competition “How Sweet the Sound” made its mark in downtown St. Louis for three hours of energetic worship Monday.
The 2011 contest continues to put the spotlight on talented congregants and churches all across the nation, ultimately seeking to give God the praise. St. Louis was the sixth stop in its nine-city tour.
Some contestants have even said they hope to witness to and evangelize nonbelievers who attend the event.
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Three separate rounds, including the video audition round, the regional round and the grand finale round, allow for judges to designate the “Best Church Choir in America.”
Currently on the regional round, the tour will make two final stops in Los Angeles and Oakland before finalists head to the grand finale round in Los Angeles.
To participate, choirs must first submit a video audition. The best eight choirs are selected to compete in the regionals. Groups are separated into two categories: large choir or medium/small choir, with cash prizes for winners of each. The overall winner of the city’s event is then chosen to compete in the nationals with the other selected finalists.
Several choirs shined at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis Monday, but the overall winner of the region went to Metropolitan Community Church Choir, which sang a rendition of Kurt Carr’s “Psalm 68: Let Our God Arise.”
The group also won in the large choir category for the third consecutive year, receiving $10,000 in prize money, according to the St. Louis American. The choir will now travel to Los Angeles for the final competition on Oct. 28.
“This was our third time and each time we learned something,” Jerry Smith, Metropolitan’s choir director, told SLA. “We have grown and we gave it our all, 100 percent. We are [a] different choir [than] we were three years ago. We are a more disciplined choir. It has just been great for all of us.”
Out of all of the groups, the Metropolitan Community Church Choir reportedly stood out the most because of their inclusion of diversity, with singers of different ages and nationalities comprising the choir.
Marvin Sapp, one of three of the superstar judges commented, “This is what heaven is supposed to be like.”
“To have Marvin Sapp say that about us was awesome,” Smith responded. “It’s what our church is all about. We’re the human rights church. We want everybody in heaven with us.”
The Voices of Life choir from Life Center International Church of God in Christ won the small choir category for the second time in a row, singing “Jesus Can Work it Out.”
Sapp called their animated performance “explosive,” according to STL Today.
They also won the V CAST People’s Choice Award, selected by audience members via text, earning the group a total of $15,000.
All other participants also received a minimum of $3,000 and other Verizon Wireless prizes. They included First Baptist Church of Chesterfield Inspirational Choir, Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church Mass Choir, Mount Gideon Baptist Church Concert Choir, Voices of Melrose from Melrose Baptist Church, Fresh Anointing Prosperity Ministry and Mount Sinai Missionary Baptist Church Choir.
Its first time competing in “How Sweet the Sound,” Hopewell Church was excited and thankful for the opportunity to perform in front of a large audience.
“Everybody who will be there will not be saved,” choir member Kim Garrett commented to STL Today. “This is an opportunity to witness and evangelize.”
Grammy-winning producer, composer and recording artist Donald Lawrence hosted the competition for his fourth year, along with gospel music legend CeCe Winans.
In addition to Sapp, judges included gospel icon Pastor Shirley Ceasar and Dorinda Clark-Cole, of The Clark Sisters, who shared with The Detroit News that the event was all about the Gospel.
The “How Sweet the Sound” tour will stop in Los Angeles on Oct. 1 at the STAPLES center and in Oakland, Calif., on Oct. 4, at the Oracle Arena.
To see videos of the performances and for tickets and information, click here.
