Today, Blacksmoke Music Worldwide and Kerry Douglas announced that the highly anticipated LP, Gospel Mix Christmas is available on all streaming platforms. The album arrives just in time for the most wonderful time of the year and features Gospel music’s heavy hitters as well as emerging artists: Zacardi Cortez, Keith Wonderboy Johnson, Earnest Pugh, James Johnson, Lasha’ Knox, the late legend Shawn McLemore, Monica Lisa Stevenson, Derrick Stevenson & Friends, Cinque Cullar, Cedric Ballard, Paul Turner & CMI, Angela Spivey, Algeron Wright, Geoffrey Golden (Season 7 “Sunday Best” Winner) and Nikki Ross. The songs range from nostalgic holiday favorites to new school Christmas songs of celebration and praise.
As a dynamic worship leader, a BMI award-winning songwriter, Stellar Hall of Fame Inductee and CEO of Blacksmoke Music Worldwide, Kerry Douglas has taken several unknown artists and turned them into Billboard #1 acts for over 25 years. GRAMMY® nominee, James Fortune, stratospheric crooner Earnest Pugh, quartet queen Evelyn Turrentine-Agee, Pastor Mike, Jr. and the prodigious Zacardi Cortez are only a few artists that Douglas has helped transcend. Kerry Douglas has a drive for success that is rooted in his childhood. Raised by a single mother, he had to work hard for everything that he had. After a little time in college, Douglas began working as a car salesman, where he staged R&B and rap concerts in the parking lot. Soon, Douglas quit the dealership and began promoting R&B concerts fulltime. After a near death situation, he became a born-again Christian and decided to use his sales and marketing skills to build the careers of some of the Houston-based gospel artists he had met – and Black Smoke Music Worldwide was born.
The label’s first hit was the late Rev. E. Stewart’s “I Believe” project in 1997. From there, Douglas signed Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson & the Spiritual Voices. Douglas then dusted off Evelyn Turrentine-Agee’s 20-year old tune “God Did It,” remixed it and sent it out to radio. Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) cited it as the most played gospel song of 2000. Douglas has been breaking hits ever since. While Douglas formerly only promoted Black Smoke artists, over the last few years he’s taken on several artists for major labels. In 2018, Douglas gave gospel legend Bebe Winans the first No. 1 hit of his solo career with “He Promised Me.” Before that, he took Ricky Dillard & New G to the top of the charts for the first time with “Amazing” in 2014.
“Music speaks a universal language and I wanted to have something special that we could share with everyone,” says Kerry. “Gospel Mix Christmas is my gift to the world as we come together in the spirit of the holidays, sharing love, peace and goodwill with friends and family both near and far. I am grateful and count myself blessed to be here after having a major heart attack and going through rehabilitation and therapy. Its these times that allow you to single out the things that matter the most and value and appreciate the gift that life gives to us. So a very Kerry Christmas to all.”
Christmas is a special time of year. Gospel music’s number one hitmaker Kerry Douglas is full of Christmas cheer as he releases his Gospel Mix Christmas compilation. Gospel Mix Christmas can be found on all streaming platforms now. The full track list is below.
- Intro
- Zacardi – That’s What Christmas Means To Me
- Lasha’ Knox – First Noel
- Shawn McLemore – Christmas Day
- James Johnson – Christmas time is here again
- Monica Lisa Stevenson – Have yourself a merry little Christmas
- Keith Wonderboy Johnson – 12 Days Of Christmas
- Derrick Stevenson & Friends – Everyday Is Christmas
- Earnest Pugh – O Come, All Ye Faithful
- Lasha’ Knox – Give Me Jesus
- Cinque Cullar – King of Glory
- Shawn McLemore – Joy To The World
- Zacardi – Oh Come all ye faithful
- Cedric Ballard – Agnus Dei
- Paul Turner & CMI Featuring Angela Spivey- Jesus Celebration
- Algeron Wright – It’s Christmas Time
- Nikki Ross – Noel (acoustic)
