'GOSPEL SHOWS' and Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Coming Up at NJPAC

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents Gospel Shows: The Rebel, The Soul & The Saint Tour - an evening of inspirational, feel-good music featuring gospel powerhouse Kirk Franklin, sultry soulstress Ledisi and Special Guest PJ Morton on Sunday, November 26, 2017 at 7pm.

And GRAMMY Award winners Mary Mary and Tasha Cobbs - join forces for NJPAC's annual celebration of the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Friday, January 12, 2018 8:00 PM.

See 12-time GRAMMY-winning gospel superstar Kirk Franklin, who for well over two decades has been a trailblazer in contemporary music. He first burst onto the world stage with Kirk Franklin & The Family, forever changing the look and sound of gospel music. Since then, Franklin has written and produced a series of timeless, platinum-selling albums, for himself and for other top artists. Along the way, he has earned 12 GRAMMY Awards, 43 Stellar Awards, and has sold over 10 million albums worldwide. At NJPAC, Franklin will perform a variety of fan favorites and songs from his most recent release, Losing My Religion, which earned a 2017 GRAMMY for Best Gospel Album.

Also performing at this inspirational evening of soul it's 9-time GRAMMY-nominated R&B powerhouse Ledisi. Ledisi is a chart-topping singer-songwriter known for infusing her signature R&B vocals with a distinctly jazzy touch. Ledisi also lent her talent to the acclaimed 2014 film Selma, in which she portrayed American music icon Mahalia Jackson. Ledisi will perform many of her best-known songs including new songs from her latest release, Let Love Rule.

Special guest performer PJ Morton (Maroon 5) The son of fellow recording artist Bishop Paul S. Morton, PJ is a versatile musician, songwriter, producer who has been involved in contemporary gospel, contemporary rock, and R&B recordings since the early 2000's lending his musician talents by collaborating with Anthony David, Faith Evans, Monica, and Kierra"KiKi" Sheard; during these years, his biggest success was the gospel hit "Let Go," written for DeWayne Woods. Morton's album, Walk Alone, featured his own version of the song, and he and his father performed the GMA Dove winner for the live release Bishop Morton Celebrates 25 Years of Music. The same year, PJ joined Maroon 5 as a performing keyboardist and background vocalist. The work didn't slow his solo career; he signed to Young Money and released the album New Orleans -- featuring guest appearances from Stevie Wonder, Busta Rhymes, and Maroon 5's Adam Levine. Don't miss this evening of great artistry and music.

Enjoy an evening with three of the most gifted and inspiring women in contemporary gospel music - GRAMMY Award winners Mary Mary and Tasha Cobbs - join forces for NJPAC's annual celebration of the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Mary Mary is the GRAMMY-winning sister duo of Erica and Tina Campbell. Together, they've recorded seven albums that have sold more than 5 million copies worldwide and earned a variety of top industry awards, including four GRAMMY Awards, three NAACP Image Awards, and two American Music Awards. Erica and Tina also star in their own hit reality series, Mary Mary (currently enjoying its sixth season on WE TV), and in recent years have launched successful solo careers: Erica's solo debut, Help, won the 2015 GRAMMY for Best Gospel Album, and Tina's 2015 solo debut, It's Personal, earned the 2016 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Gospel Album.

Since the release of her 2012 debut LP, Grace, Tasha Cobbs has been a powerful force in gospel music and a major star on the Motown Gospel label. That album's lead single, "Break Every Chain," landed at the No. 1 Billboard spot for a total of 12 weeks, and the LP spent a full year on the same publication's Top 10 Gospel Albums chart. Since then, Cobbs' sublimely moving music has earned her a GRAMMY Award, three Stellar Awards, and three Dove Awards. Her latest LP - the just-released Heart. Passion. Pursuit. - also debuted at the No. 1 spot on the Billboard charts and generated a historic 2 million streams in one week.

See Mary Mary and Tasha Cobbs Friday, January 12, 2018 8:00 PM at Prudential Hall. Tickets are available at NJPAC.org or 888.GO.NJPAC (888.466.5722) or by visiting the NJPAC Box Office.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, N.J., has the most diverse programming and audience of any performing arts center in the country, and is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey - where Great Performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the state's and the world's best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted more than 8 million visitors (including over 1.6 million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents.

To post a comment, you must register and login.