[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 58 (Thursday, April 25, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H2306-H2308]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING GOSPEL MUSIC PIONEERS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) for 5 minutes.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, later on today, the President will join
my fellow Texans in West, Texas, to mourn the loss of so many who died
in a tragic plant explosion last week. Many of them were first
responders. And many who will come to mourn and celebrate life and the
life of West, Texas, are those who have been harmed and injured. I will
join them in spirit, as I know my colleagues here today will.
That's why as I rise today to commemorate and salute two gospel music
titans, it becomes even more appropriate to salute my friend, James
``Jazzy'' Jordan and Mr. Don Jackson, for they understand the value and
message of gospel music.
Gospel music holds a special place in the American experience. Gospel
music was a release from suffering and hardship, but it was also a form
of praise and protest. I would like to thank Jazzy Jordan for
understanding that as we introduced in 2008 the Gospel Music Heritage
legislation that establishes September in the United States of America
as Gospel Music Heritage Month.
We hope as we have faced these tragedies over the last couple of
weeks that Americans, no matter what their religious background or
nonreligious background, will find relief in this joyful and comforting
music. Spirituals once sung by slaves transformed into gospel songs
sung by free people who had their own space and place to express their
emotions and tell their stories in music--those spirituals have been
translated into gospel music.
Gospel music could express the joys and sorrows of so many people.
All of us remember and have often sung the song ``Amazing Grace,''
created by one who saw this wonderful resilience of their life when
they thought they had been lost. That is truly American and American
gospel music.
We know the early founders: Thomas Dorsey, Mahalia Jackson, James
Vaughan, James Cleveland, and now today Kirk Franklin, and Yolanda
Adams, among so many. And then those who were influenced by gospel
music: Sam Cooke, Al Green, Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Whitney
Houston, Little Richard, Buddy Holly, among many.
Jazzy Jordan understands that and is now head of The Jordan Webster
Group, a film and music production house in Washington, D.C. A
brilliant businessman, he has a great love of gospel music. We are
grateful for his service to Verity Gospel Music Group, now known as RCA
Inspiration. Mr. Jordan was a founding board member of the Gospel Music
Heritage Foundation and cochair, with gospel music advocate Mr. Carl
Davis of my district, of the Evolution of Gospel Celebration which
kicks off Gospel Music Heritage Celebration in the Nation's capital.
Mr. Jordan was executive producer for Gold, Platinum, Grammy, Stellar,
and Dove award-winning projects. Throughout his career, he served as a
creative producer and has marketed and promoted many awarding-winning
CDs and gospel artists that have included Kirk Franklin, and as well
worked with DJ Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith--``Fresh Prince.''
Oh, he knows music. And to tell you that he does, he has engaged and
worked with the likes of Kirk Franklin, as I said, Marvin Sapp, Donnie
McClurkin, Fred Hammond, Heather Kyle Walker, Donald Lawrence, Richard
Smallwood, Byron Cage, John P. Kee, Jay Moss, Crystal Aikin, Deitrick
Haddon, and DeWayne Woods. Mr. Jordan is truly one who lives his life
in commemorating and cultivating and nurturing the gospel tradition,
the gospel tradition which has now spread beyond the borders of this
Nation.
He is joined by Mr. Don Jackson, the founder, chairman, and CEO of
the 41-year-old Central City Productions, now the founder and organizer
of the Stella Awards.
I am grateful that Mr. Jackson thought it was important to recognize
those who excelled in gospel music. He graduated from Northwestern
University and entered a career in media and broadcasting with a number
of stations, WBEE and WVON, a top radio station in Chicago. As he
founded Central City Marketing in 1970, his company over 41 years
involved itself in encouraging and helping others promote their issues.
He had involvement in promotion and sales and production of media and
television.
{time} 1050
But his first gospel music awards show in the United States, the
Stellar Awards, was produced by his company. The Stellar Awards honors
gospel music artists, writers, and industry professionals.
He is one who has featured so many artists, such as the Clark
Sisters, Kirk Franklin, Da' T.R.U.T.H., Mary Mary, and many others.
Mr. Speaker, as I close, let me simply say, these two men are more
than deserving of being American icons, and we congratulate them for
loving, cherishing, and promoting gospel music.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize two of America's pioneers in gospel
music: Mr. James ``Jazzy'' Jordan and Mr. Don Jackson.
[[Page H2307]]
Jazzy Jordan and Don Jackson are titans in the field of Gospel Music.
Over the last 30 years their combined efforts have elevated this unique
American art form to national and international prominence.
Gospel music holds a special place in the American experience. Just
as Jazz is well known far from our nation's shores, the spread of
gospel music has also become popular around the world. Gospel music
holds a unique place in the African experience--its roots are deep in
the black church. For generations, gospel music could only be heard on
Sunday mornings where African American people gathered to worship.
Church was a place where black people felt truly free and safe to
express themselves. Gospel music was a release for suffering and
hardship--it was a form of praise and protest. Spirituals once sung by
slaves transformed into gospel songs sung by free people who had their
own space--and place to express their emotions and tell their stories
in music.
Gospel music could express the joys and sorrows of black people in
ways that touched those who were not African American. There were
lessons to be learned for the artists and the listeners. Famous jazz
and rock-and-roll artists perfected their singing styles by visiting
black churches to listen to gospel music.
Gospel music traditions produced many memorable voices and musical
pioneers in the history of our country; singers like Thomas Dorsey,
Mahalia Jackson, James Vaughan, Roberta Martin, Virgil Stamps, Diana
Washington, James Cleveland, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, Kirk Franklin,
Yolanda Adams, and The Winans among many others.
Gospel music has inspired and influenced other music art forms and
artists that include Sam Cooke, Al Green, Elvis Presley, Marvin Gaye,
Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Little Richard, Ray Charles, Buddy
Holly, Alan Jackson, Dolly Parton, Mariah Carey, Bob Dylan, and Randy
Travis.
I stand in the well of the House to honor two men who are my friends
who also are great contributors to the American experience by
preserving and cultivating new converts to the gospel music. Through
their efforts gospel music has in a very short time period expanded
beyond the black church to a broader global audience.
Mr. James ``Jazzy'' Jordan is head of The Jordan Webster Group, a
film and music production house in Washington DC. Mr. Jordan is a
brilliant businessman with a love of gospel music, which he fully
expressed in his leadership of the Verity Gospel Music Group now known
as RCA Inspiration. Mr. Jordan is a founding board member of the Gospel
Music Heritage Foundation and is Co-Chair along with Gospel Music
Advocate Carl Davis of the ``Evolution of Gospel Celebration'' that
Kicks off Gospel Music Heritage Celebration in the Nation's Capital.
Over his 30 year career, Mr. Jordan was executive producer for Gold,
Platinum, GRAMMY', Stellar and Dove award-winning projects.
Throughout his career, Jordan has served as executive producer or has
marketed or promoted many award-winning CDs for gospel artists that
included Kirk Franklin and R. Kelly. He also, worked with DJ Jazzy Jeff
and The Fresh Prince (Will Smith) on their album Parents Just Don't
Understand, which sold over four millions copies; Salt N' Pepa on their
Very Necessary album, which sold over five million copies; Joe on his
tops selling CDs All That I Am, which was a platinum selling album, and
My Name Is Joe, which sold over three million copies; and three of R.
Kelly's CDs--R. Kelly, R. and TP-2.Com, which all sold more than three
million copies.
The other person I want to recognize is Mr. Don Jackson, the founder,
chairman and CEO of the 41-year-old CENTRAL CITY PRODUCTIONS a national
television production, sales, and syndication Company based in Chicago,
Illinois.
Mr. Jackson after graduating from Northwestern University entered a
career in media and broadcasting with WBEE & WVON radio. He was someone
to watch--and for good reason--he became youngest and first African
American sales manager at WVON, the top radio station in the Chicago
media market at the time. He had to work hard and be extremely smart to
reach such notable success at such a young age.
In 1970, Mr. Jackson founded CENTRAL CITY MARKETING. His company for
over 40 years has specialized in marketing, promotion, sales, and the
production of media and television programs for African Americans. The
first Gospel Music Awards show in the United States, the Stellar
Awards, was produced by CENTRAL CITY MARKETING. The Stellar Awards
honor Gospel Music Artists, writers, and industry professionals for
their contributions to the Gospel Music Industry. The Stellar Awards
program is syndicated in over 140 markets nationwide.
The Stellar Awards has featured well known gospel artists that
include the Clark Sisters, Kirk Franklin, Da' T.R.U.T.H, Tye Tribbett,
Mary Mary, Heather Headley, CeCe Winans, Marvin Sapp, Yolanda Adams,
Donnie McClurkin, and Tamela Mann. Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los
Angeles, Nashville, and New York have been the location of the Stellar
Awards programs. Through his efforts, the spread of gospel appreciation
is traveling far beyond our nation's shore and finding new converts
every day.
Because of the efforts to these two men scholars now know--if you
want to truly understand the black American experience--you must
understand the music of that experience and a way to do this is through
gospel music.
I ask my colleagues to join me in applauding the life achievements of
Mr. Don Jackson and Mr. James ``Jazzy'' Jordan.
40 Years of Media Marketing Experience
Don Jackson is the founder, chairman, and CEO of 41-year-
old CENTRAL CITY PRODUCTIONS, Inc., a national television
production, sales, and syndication company based in Chicago,
IL.
Mr. Jackson is a Chicago native who graduated from Marshall
High School, where he played on the school's 1960 state
championship basketball team. He also started on the 1961
Marshall basketball team, which won 3rd place in the state
championship. He attended Northwestern University on a
basketball scholarship and was captain of the University's
1965 Wildcat basketball team. Mr. Jackson earned his B.S. in
Radio, TV, and Film from Northwestern in 1965.
After graduating from Northwestern, Mr. Jackson worked in
the media and broadcast industries in sales at WBEE & WVON
radio. He became the youngest and first African American
sales manager at WVON, the top radio station in the Chicago
market at the time.
In 1970, Mr. Jackson founded CENTRAL CITY MARKETING, INC.
For over four decades the company has specialized in
marketing, promotion, sales, and the production of media and
television programs for African Americans.
Today, CENTRAL CITY PRODUCTIONS, INC., is the full-service
company that produces, syndicates, and manages advertising
sales for all of the company's local and national television
programs. Central City Productions' mission is to develop,
produce, and market television programming which is designed
to communicate positive, uplifting images of Black people all
over the world.
Under his guidance and vision, CCP has launched many new
and unique television programs to Black Americans nationwide.
Many of these programs have more than 30 years of consecutive
airing over local and national television.
Mr. Jackson also gives back to the community as a member of
several organizations. He is the former chairman of the board
of the DuSable Museum of African American History. He has
also previously served on the boards of Northwestern
University, Junior Achievement of Chicago, Columbia College,
Gateway Foundation and Chicago Transit Authority Board.
In addition, Mr. Jackson is the founder and a member of
A.B.L.E. (Alliance of Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs),
which is the first business organization bringing Black
Leaders together in the business community to network, to
address business issues and to provide a legacy for future
African American entrepreneurs.
He has received numerous awards for his business
accomplishments and community involvement. Mr. Jackson is
married to Rosemary Jackson. The couple has two adult
children and two grandsons, Donovan and Dain. Their daughter
Rhonda is a graduate of Syracuse University, and their son
Baba Dainja graduated from the University of Minnesota.
____
James ``Jazzy'' Jordan
James ``Jazzy'' Jordan is head of The Jordan Webster Group,
a film and music production house in Washington DC. Projects
to be released this summer are ``Your Husband Is Cheating On
Us'' starring JD Lawrence, A reality TV series The Football
Moms with Reggie Bush's mother Denise, Adrian Peterson's
mother Bonita and others.
Mr. Jordan is also developing a theatrical film titled
``ColorBlind'' starring JD Lawrence and directed by Bill
Duke, he is filming a new comedy TV series for Comedian
Michael Colyar, taping this summer at The Howard Theater in
DC.
He most recently was Executive Vice President/General
Manager of Verity Gospel Music Group (VGMG). A division of
Sony Music Entertainment, INC., it is the largest gospel
music company in the world.
The VGMG roster of artists includes: Kirk Franklin, Marvin
Sapp, Donald McClurkin, Fred Hammond, Hezekiah Walker, Donald
Lawrence, Richard Smallwood, Kurt Carr, 21:03, Byron Cage,
John P. Kee, J. Moss, Crystal Aikin, Deitrick Haddon, Dewayne
Woods, and others.
Over his 30-year career, Jordan has worked in a variety of
areas within the music industry, including retail, radio
broadcasting and marketing. These experiences have given him
a 360-degree view of the music business and uniquely equipped
him to shepherd artists to success. Jordan was in charge of
all operations for Verity Gospel Music Group, Jordan lent his
business acumen and expertise to the consistently successful
label. He has served as executive producer for Gold,
Platinum, GRAMMY', Stellar and Dove award-winning
projects such as Hello Fear and The Fight Of My Life (Kirk
Franklin), Thirsty and Here I Am (Marvin Sapp), Live
[[Page H2308]]
In London (Donnie McClurkin), Show Up (John P. Kee), and many
others.
Jordan has held senior executive positions at Tommy Boy,
RCA and PolyGram record labels. In 1995, he was named Vice
President of Black Music Marketing at Jive Records. At Jive,
Jordan not only played a vital role in the label's success in
urban music, he also helped to launch Verity Records and
catapult it into the most successful gospel record label to
date.
Throughout his career, Jordan has served as executive
producer or has marketed or promoted over 50 award-winning
CDs for artists ranging from Will Smith to Kirk Franklin. He
worked with DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (Will Smith)
on their album Parents Just Don't Understand, which sold over
four millions copies; Salt N' Pepa on their Very Necessary
album, which sold over five million copies; Joe on his tops
selling CDs All That I Am, which was a platinum selling
album, and My Name Is Joe, which sold over three million
copies; and three of. Kelly's CDs--R. Kelly, R. and TP2.Com,
which all sold more than three million copies.
A man of many interests and skills, in 2006 Jordan was one
of only two African Americans to have ownership in an Indy
500 racecar (the other was NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony).
Jordan's car placed 12th in the race.
____________________