Choirs rock

Jubilee Music Festival gives a stage to stars, local choirs

By St. Clair Murraine
Outlook Staff Writer

Members from three groups that competed in My Choir Rocks left Cascades Park believing that they delivered the message they wanted to, while the event organizer would like to see an annual rerun.

The My Choir Rocks competition was one of the highlights that proceeded the final night of the Jubilee Music Festival. Three acts, including Yolanda Adams and the Clark Sisters, performed each of the two nights.

The weekend event was billed as being part of the city/county year-long bicentennial celebration. The festival, which brought together a lineup of top-notch singers, was significant because of the role that gospel had in the lives of Blacks who contributed to building the country, said Pastor Quincy Griffin.

Contributions by Blacks in the development of Tallahassee remain evident throughout the city.

“When you think about any city in the United States of America, specifically in the South, you know it was our ancestors that paid a huge price to make the cities what they are,” Griffin said. 

At the core of enslaved people’s existence were gospel hymns that helped them endure, as documented. What took place on the stage at Cascades on Friday and Saturday night has its roots in those same hymns, Griffin said. 

Singing had great significance to enslaved people because it “brought them over and gave them deliverance spiritually and mentally under much suppression,” he said. “It was gospel music that gave them the clues and signs. Gospel music has been a very powerful tool in building our nation and brings value to who we are as a people.”

Quincy, whose Family Worship and Praise Center worked on the logistics of the event, collaborated with Scott Carswell Presents, which has a contract with the County to put on shows at Cascades.

Rain threatened the event early before it went on with Adams, Lisa Knowles and Todd Dulaney on Friday. The next night’s show featured Jekalyn Carr, the Clark Sisters and Pastor Mike Jr. 

The My Choir Rock competition was entertaining as it was captivating. Alton Richardson and True Worship was the only entry from Tallahassee. The Unionaires came from Valdosta and the Free Flow Prophetic Worship Team took a shorter drive from Cairo, Ga.

Each of the choirs performed with their own backup bands.

The Unionaires, a quartet, took home the top prize of $1,000 and a trophy. Richardson’s choir was second and Free Flow Prophetic Worship Team placed third. Each of the runners-up received a trophy.

They also left with plenty of advice from the two judges who have ties to the gospel music industry. They were Derrick Huggins, Founder and CEO at Avidity Awards, and Jarod Holmes founder of the Florida Gospel Music Awards.

The choirs were judged on tone quality, technical preparation and musical effect. Each had seven minutes to perform and the Unionaires used the time for three songs, while the others each performed one.

Eric Brown II, leader of the Unionaires, said he hopes his group whose members ages range from 20 to 18 inspire others. 

“We want to serve as an example for our young kids, especially young Black men,” he said. “It’s cool to be a like Jesus. It’s cool to be a Christian. Music is our medium to get that message across.”

During a comment period, Huggins gave the first sign that the Unionaires could win.

“You all were killing it,” he told the young men.

The judges were obviously divided on their expectations from Alton Richardson and True Worship.

“Some had the energy and some didn’t,” Holmes said, adding the first lead singer could have been more engaged.

Huggins thought the group could have been more demonstrative in line with the title of their song, “Work it out,” which was written on the front of their t-shirts.

Speaking directly to the singers, he said, “I liked the shirt but you all needed to show more about working it out.”

The Jubilee came to life after Kerri Post, Director of Leon County Division of Tourism, called on Griffin to spearhead planning the event as part of the bicentennial celebration.

“I told her yes because I knew that Tallahassee needs to be celebrated in a big way,” Griffin said. “I was very elated to be a part of an event of this magnitude.

 “A festival like this pulls everyone together in a spirit of unity. It has an impact on the community.”

Griffin said he would like to stage the festival annually, including another choir competition.

“My hope and prayers are that it might inspire the churches in Tallahassee to rebuilding choirs,” he said. “Think about it; most of us came to church because the choir was good.”

Prior to the competition, the audience got a look as some young talent. They included performances by a chorus and drum line from Nims School in separate appearances, along with the FSU Gospel Choir and the Royalty Dance Company.