DOROTHY NORWOOD “50 YEARS: IT’S BEEN WORTH IT ALL” IN STORES NOW!!!

“50 Years: It’s Been Worth It All” by the Gospel living legend, The World’s Greatest Storyteller, Dorothy Norwood is finally In Stores!!!

Millions have heard the power packed re-recording of one of the greatest congregational hymns in of all time, “Victory Is Mine” (Obama Mix) backed by
2009 Stellar Award Nominee Ricky Dillard & New G being played on Gospel and Urban radio stations alike, leading up to the historic election, on election day,
and on the day of the inauguration in honor of President Barack Obama.

Now you can bring home “Victory Is Mine” and the new foot stompin’, hand clappin’, get out of your seat, single, “I Wanna Go” both taken from her latest
release “50 Years: It’s Been Worth It All”

“I Wanna Go” is being mailed nationally today to radio stations so be sure to stay tuned to your favorite station to be amongst the firsts to hear it debut in your area.

Nothing short of a living legend, Dorothy Norwood has been entertaining, preaching, uplifting, mentoring, writing, and producing for more than fifty years.

Dorothy Norwood officially began her gospel career in 1956, singing with Mahalia Jackson, Reverend James Cleveland, and with one of the greatest female gospel
groups of all time, The Caravans, founded by The Queen Of Gospel, Albertina Walker.

In 1960, she launched her solo career with Savoy Records, recording her first album, Johnny and Jesus in 1964. This release was quickly followed by Denied
Mother in 1965, earning Norwood the title, “The World’s Greatest Storyteller.” Both projects certified gold. All total, five albums reached gold status. 1971, she
recorded Live with the GMWA Mass Choir of Northern California; Live reached #1 on the Billboard Charts. To her credit, she has also had three top ten gospel
albums and been in the top forty fourteen times (Billboard).

In 1972, she became an unlikely opening act for the Rolling Stones’ national tour with Mick Jagger. By 2000, Ms. Norwood was nominated for the Lady of Soul Award
for her album, The Lord is a Wonder. She followed that nomination with two more at the 2001 Dove Awards for Ole Rickety Bridge (Traditional Album of the Year)
and “There’s Got To Be Rain” (Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year).

In 2005, Norwood won the Soul Train Lady of Soul Award for Stand on the Word, and was inducted into the International Gospel Music Hall of Fame twice;
for her work as a solo artist as well as that with The Caravans. The American Quartet Hall of Fame also inducted The Caravans in 2006 and Norwood reunited with
the group to produce what would become a Billboard chart topping album, Paved The Way (Malaco). Paved The Way also garnered nominations in every major
industry award group including the Grammies, Doves, Stellars, and Soul Train.

For nearly every year of her professional career singing gospel music, Dorothy Norwood has recorded an album.

Honor this Gospel Legend with your support!!!

Vote For B-Hamp!

B-Hamp's "Do The Ricky Bobby" was featured on BET's 106 and Park on Friday, March 27, 2009. In order for it to remain on the show, we need your vote! Click here to vote.

Updated News On B-Hamp

The latest addition to the Malaco Music Group's distributed label, B-Hamp' s "Do the Ricky Bobby" video will receive airplay on MTV Jams, Music Choice as well as New Joint on BET's 106 and Park. All three video channels are on board with B-Hamp's video featuring the highly popular "Ricky Bobby" dance!!! Stay tuned to these channels!

B-Hamp... coming to a store near you this spring!!!

"Do the Ricky Bobby" video will also appear on video screens in retail stores nationwide including Champs, Foot Locker and Foot Action"!!!

MALACO TELEVISION SUNDAY– MAURETTE BROWN CLARK & THE SOUL STIRRERS

The Malaco Music Group invites you to experience two historic television events this Sunday, March 15, 2009 on Black Entertainment Television (BET) & TV One.

Two time Stellar Award winner, Atlanta International Records (Air Gospel) recording artist Maurette Brown Clark will be performing her 2nd consecutive R&R /Billboard
& Mediabase Top 10 song, “It Ain’t Over” (Until God Says It’s Over) from her CD “The Dream” on BET’s Bobby Jones Gospel at 9 am est. (Check your local listing for air times.)

You will also witness Jada Simone Clark (Maurette’s 8 year old daughter), one of the youngest Stellar Award winning artists in history make her national television
debut, performing “I Am What God Says I Am” also from “The Dream” CD.

On TV One’s, The Gospel Of Music With Jeff Majors at 9:00am est, you can watch the exclusive television performance of “The Original Kings Of Quartet” The Soul Stirrers
perform “The Love Of God” with special guest Floyd Taylor, son of the late Johnnie Taylor, a member of The Soul Stirrers from 1957 until 1961. (Check your local listing for air times.)

The Soul Stirrers will also perform the Sam Cooke classic “Stand By Me Father.” Both songs are from the critically acclaimed CD “A Soul Stirring Reunion”
on Malaco Records.

You don’t want to miss either show!!!

Set your VCR, DVR or TIVO!

“The Dream” & “A Soul Stirring Reunion” are available In Stores, iTUNES, or log on to www.malaco.com.

Malaco Music Group Taps Industry Veteran Lionel Ridenour to Head Up New Urban Music Division

Jackson, Miss. – March 10, 2009 –The legendary Malaco Music Group, after 40-plus successful years of making southern rhythm & blues and gospel hits,
has tapped industry veteran Lionel Ridenour to head up its new Urban Music Division.

The Urban Division will bring a mix of established and new cutting edge talent from the worlds of Hip Hop and R&B to the legendary soul, blues and Gospel label.
“We are excited about branching out into new territory with our Urban Music Division and Lionel Ridenour was our first choice to helm this project,” said Tommy Couch,
President of Malaco. He brings with him to Malaco, 20 years of working with the best that Hip Hop and R&B have to offer. We look forward to working with Lionel and
the talented new artists that he will be escorting through our doors.”

Under his deal with Malaco, Ridenour will also focus on bringing the industry’s hottest new urban independent labels to the Music Division. “Our plan is to create a new
home for established independent labels as well as provide guidance to new labels,” says Ridenour. “Our division is geared up and our team is ready to provide not only
distribution but national urban marketing and promotion.”

Ridenour comes to Malaco with a long history in the industry. He stepped into the business as an entrepreneur in 1987, with the successful L.A.-based street promotion
company, Mainframe Promotion, of which he was co-owner.

Understanding the value of grass roots level outreach, Capitol Records brought Ridenour in-house. Ridenour and his partner were the first in-house street team to ever be
hired by a major label, starting a new trend in music marketing. At Capitol he worked with such talent as MC Hammer, MC Ren, Mello Man Ace and Mantronics.

In 1993, Ridenour was named Sr. National Director of Promotion at Arista Records in New York during a time when the label was at the top of its game. He worked
closely with industry veteran and label President Clive Davis on projects from stellar artists like Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin, while also working alongside music
mogul L.A. Reid and his La Face Records on releases from multi-platinum stars Outkast, Usher, Toni Braxton, Monica, TLC, Pink and Baby Face.

When Sean “Diddy” Combs made the decision to bring his new Bad Boy Record label to Arista, it was Lionel Ridenour who sat down with him and Clive Davis to
map out a plan for their now classic 4X platinum first release, “Ready to Die,” from rapper Notorious B.I.G. Chart topping hits from Craig Mack, Faith Evans, 112,
Total and, then named, Puff Daddy followed. Ridenour was named Executive Vice President of the company in 2000.

Moving on to Virgin Records as Executive Vice President of Urban Music in 2003, Ridenour was instrumental in the careers of such talents as Janet Jackson, Outkast,
Jermaine Dupri, Lenny Kravitz and Dem Franchize Boyz as well as the label venture, Purple Ribbon, from Outkast member Big Boi.

D. A. Johnson, Malaco executive states, “The Malaco Music Group houses the largest and oldest Gospel music catalog in the world with Savoy Records, Malaco Records,
Muscle Shoals Sound Records and Atlanta International Records. We are also the home of many of the icons of Rhythm and Blues such as the late Johnnie Taylor, Little
Milton, Tyrone Davis, and Bobby “Blue” Bland who is still working today. It was only a matter of time before we would utilize our 40+ years of record business experience
to incorporate the Hip Hop & Rap genre. The addition of Lionel solidifies us as a major player in the Hip Hop and Rap game.”

Lionel Ridenour comes to Malaco from the New York-based MusicWerks Online, of which he was co-owner. Established in January of 2008, MusicWerks is a one-stop
for music business services including distribution, online marketing, promotion and A&R, and is run by top veterans and tastemakers in the industry who are plugged in to
all entertainment related new ideas and upcoming trends.

For more information on The Malaco Music Group,
Please contact Burton Doss
at phone # 601-982-4522
E-mail: bdoss@malaco.com

La Salle recognized by state lawmakers

Jackson, MS (WLBT) - A Mississippi blues legend was honored in the Mississippi State Senate Wednesday morning.

Denise La Salle was born in Leflore County in the Mississippi Delta.

Senator David Jordan presented her with a proclamation from the state legislature.

In 1971, her album "Trapped By A Thing Called Love" went gold.

She later signed with Malaco Records and recorded for them here in Jackson.

Lasalle told lawmakers she is proud to be from the state and she still has "Mississippi mud" on her shoes.

As posted on WLBT in Jackson, MS

Malaco Records, D. A. Johnson Jumps the Broom

Memphis, TN - It's been more than a week now, but on Saturday, February 7, 2009, D.A. Johnson, Executive Director of the Gospel Division for Malaco Records got married to Kim Harper, Program Director for WLOK. Johnson told The Belle Report, "We got married in Memphis. It was a small intimate ceremony for ourselves." ~ Courtesy of The Belle Report

Willie Clayton

Willie (www.willieclayton.com) had two album releases on Malaco in 2008 and both of them are of high standard, especially in terms of vocal prowess. The latter one is titled Soul & Blues (MCD 7534; www.malaco.com), and it’s produced – besides Willie himself – by Vick Allen, Donell “Showcase” Taylor and Mike Snoddy. Willie wrote or co-wrote seven songs out of the ten on display, and on five tracks on top of the programming there’s a horn section, arranged by Harrison Calloway. On those tracks you can hear live guitar and organ, too.

The repertoire consists of familiar ingredients in Willie’s case. There’s one “Tyrone-inspired” dancer called Another Man’s Gain, one mid-tempo song with a memorable chorus titled Strong Love and, for some reason, one more version of I Can’t Stand the Rain. Besides three slow blues tracks (Triple Diamond Slot Machine, All Day Blues and Do What I Gotta Do – bluesoul actually), there’s one Isley Brothers type of a bedroom ballad named Body Talk.

George Jackson wrote the impressive opener, I Feel a Cheatin’ Coming On, which is a distant cousin to Cheating in the Next Room. Sweet Thing is Willie’s own soul ballad, but the highlight and absolute delight is It Hurts So Much, a highly emotional deep soul ballad. Once again I gladly stay in Willie’s corner.

As seen in Deep #1/2009 (January 2009) Soul Express

Bobby “Blue” Bland

The Web site Rollingstone.com says of Bobby Blue Bland:

“Bobby “Blue” Bland is one of the eminent patriarchs of modern soul singing, his distinctively grainy vocal style drawing on gospel and blues. Raised in Memphis, he joined a gospel ensemble, the Miniatures, in the late 1940s. He later met guitarist B.B. King and joined the Beale Streeters, an informal group of Memphis blues musicians that included King, Johnny Ace, Roscoe Gordon, and Willie Nix. But not until 1954 (after working as King’s chauffer) did he land his first recording contract, when an executive at Duke Records heard him sing at a Houston talent show.

“His first successful single, “It’s My Life, Baby,” was released in 1955. He played one-nighters around the country accompanied by his band, led by tenor saxophonist Bill Harvey and trumpeter/arranger Joe Scott. Members of the band, under the pseudonym Deadric Malone, wrote or co-wrote most of Bland’s material. His band was bigger and brassier than most current blues bands, and anticipated the rich sound of 1960s soul music while harking back to big-band jazz.

“Since 1957, when “Farther Up the Road” was a Number Five R&B hit, Bland has had over 30 R&B Top 20 singles, including “I’ll Take Care of You” (Number Two, 1959), “I Pity the Fool” (Number One, 1961), “Don’t Cry No More” (Number One, 1961), “Turn on Your Love Light” (Number Two, 1961), and “That’s the Way Love Is” (Number Three, 1963).

“Most of Bland’s records enjoyed only modest success in the pop market; only three singles ever made the pop Top 30. In the mid-1960s Bland adopted a slicker, more upbeat style, but his career stalled until Duke Records was taken over by ABC-Dunhill in 1972. Dunhill paired him with producer Steve Barri (the Four Tops), who guided Bland back to a bluesier vocal style while giving him contemporary material by Leon Russell and Gerry Goffin, as well as new material by Deadric Malone. His California Album and Dreamer introduced him to white audiences and proved to be the most popular LPs of his career. After a fallow early-1980s he resurfaced mid-decade on the independent soul-blues label Malaco, revitalizing his career.

“While he never achieved the wide recognition of B.B. King (with whom he toured and collaborated on two LPs, Together and Together Again), he had a considerable influence on modern soul music. In 1997 he was the recipient of the Recording Academy’s coveted Lifetime Achievement Grammy. In 1998 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Blues Foundation. In 2002 Bland had a late-career resurgence with the excellent Two Steps From the Blues featuring an amalgam of blues, gospel and southern soul produced, co-written and arranged by Joe Scott with help from Duke head Don Robey. He continues to record and tour internationally well into his late seventies.

As seen in The Cape Cod Times.

Ten best!: Record & CD stores

As seen in Yes Weekly!

FYE: For Your Entertainment
By Jordan Green

400 Four Seasons Town Centre, Greensboro, 336.294.1884; Hanes Mall, Winston-Salem, 336.768.3411, www.fye.com The list of casualties in the Triad’s retail music scene grows longer by the day. Some notable departures in the past four years— and these are only counting Greensboro stores: Andrew Dudek’s Gate City Noise, famed for its in-store appearances, closed when Dudek threw his lot in with the Flying Anvil club, which in turn closed after a year; BB’s New & Used CDs near Guilford College shut down last year; the Record Exchange at the corner of Spring Garden and Aycock streets was torn down when the city approved a rezoning to put in yet another drug store; Collectables at the corner of Lee and Tate streets fell prey to crime; and Collectables Too on Holden Road closes Saturday to make way for a Dunkin’ Donuts. The FYE store closed at Oak Hollow Mall in High Point, but the chain maintains locations in both Greensboro and Winston-Salem.

The stores provide a notable service — allowing customers to scan the barcode of any CD and listen before purchasing. In addition to the standard rock/ pop, R&B and hip hop sections, FYE stocks Christian, gospel, bluegrass, country and international music.

Lil Wayne, Slipknot, Beyonce and the Twilight soundtrack are big sellers, but my money would buy Johnnie Taylor’s Wall to Wall, pressed on Malaco Records out of Jackson, Miss.