MAUREEN BUNYAN: Bob, the last time gospel music met with such mainstream success was in the '60s and early '70s, with Edwin Hawkins' "Oh, Happy Day" and Aretha Franklin's "Amazing Grace." But today, a new breed of recording artists is redefining gospel music for the '90s.
Kirk Franklin, he's one of today's hottest new recording artists, with platinum-selling albums and hit songs topping BILLBOARD's Rhythm and Blues pop charts. Kirk has been making gospel sacred music popular, very popular. Using R&B grooves, funk, and rap, Kirk features a positive message of God, dear to his heart.DONNIE SIMPSON (Disc Jockey): You'll be listening to his message on the dance floors with this one. This is "Stomp" on WPGC.
BUNYAN: Chances are good that you will hear pop gospel music on mainstream radio stations. Kirk Franklin's hit single "Stomp" is the top request on Maryland's urban radio station, WPGC.
Mr. SIMPSON: Obviously his messages are very positive and -- but if you just brought forth that message, maybe the kids don't get to it. But when you put that funky George Clinton beat behind it and you've got the choir singing, "GP are you with me!" and the choir's going off, you know, I mean, kids can get to that. You know, it's what they deal with and it's not just for the kids, but the parents can get to it at the same time.BUNYAN: Maybe that's why contemporary gospel music has such a wide appeal.
Unidentified Woman #1: It's bringing the young, the old, the middle-aged, every walk of life, every color and nationality back to the Lord.
Unidentified Man: It really just changed my life and it redefined gospel music for me. And being a young, black man, it showed me if I put my trust in God, anything is possible.
Unidentified Woman #2: Basically, that's what our pastors are talking about, how we need to get the young people off the street and bring them in and how else to attract them? By this kind of music.Mr. SIMPSON: Times have changed. It's not like it was when I was a kid, when on Sunday morning, the neighborhoods were empty. Everybody was in church. You know. Everybody, all accounted for. It is not like that anymore. So if they aren't coming to the church, then you have to take the church to them.
BUNYAN: Yolanda Adams, an award-winning pop gospel artist in her own right, is thankful for those gospel artists who paved the way.
Ms. ADAMS: Every time I step up to the mike and God says, "All right, here we are, Yolanda. Are you going to -- are you ready?" And I'm like, "Yes, God, I'm ready." And I pour out of my spirit what he's given to me. I know that when it's all over and when, you know, the lights shut off, I've done what he's -- wanted me to do, and that's the most important thing.
Reverend SCOT MOORE (Judah Temple AME Zion Church): Kirk Franklin has done a lot to bless gospel music, but because of the gyrations in the video, the dancing, you've got partners that are saying, "Well, look, well, you can do these same things and do them in church." So I think it gives our young people false reality of what Jesus is all about and what church is supposed to be about.
BUNYAN: The young people at least, and certainly many of the older ones, say that they do receive a spiritual message. So they like the music and the combination of the music and the message. They're receiving both, apparently.
