Friday, November 18, 2011

Gospel Superstar Fred Hammond to Grace DeVos Performance Hall

For three amazing decades, singer/songwriter/producer/musician Fred Hammond has been a Gospel music arbiter, consistently pushing the genre into new melodic territory. The Detroit native ascended from bass-playing sideman for The Winans; to founding member of the trendsetting sextet Commissioned; to creating the further renowned ensemble Radical for Christ,l to becoming a highly influential solo artist and producer in his own right. Now, Fred Hammond will bring all his talents to DeVos Performance Hall on Friday, December 30 at 7PM.

All tickets are $47.50 in advance and $55 the day of show. Tickets go on sale Monday, November 21 at 10AM and can be purchased at the DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena box offices, ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets or charged by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

Unforgettable songs such as "Blessed"; "Now Weapon"; "King of Glory"; "Celebrate (He Lives)"; "Let the Praise Begin" and more have lifted the spirits of millions both cross-culturally and cross-generationally. His 1998 release Pages of Life: Chapters 1 & 2 is a double platinum seller and his award wins over the years have recognized his excellence in all areas upfront (Best Male Vocalist, Best Album and Best Song) as well as behind the scenes (for songwriting and producing). He is a multiple Stellar and Dove Award winner and his last CD, Love Unstoppable (2009), was a smash hit.

From traditional gospel to funk, acoustic rock and even a Capella pieces, Fred Hammond's new 15-song set pulls from a sprawling musical palette to mold his musical messages - something the Community Inclusion Group was looking forward to when collaborating with Marvin Sapp Ministries to bring Hammond over.

Convention/Arena Authority Operations Committee member and CAA Community Inclusion Group Chairperson, Darius Quinn states that the "group's number one priority this year is to increase the number of top level events and attractions for communities of color to enjoy within our facilities (Van Andel Arena, DeVos Place Convention Center and the DeVos Performance Hall). Working in conjunction with Marvin Sapp Ministries helps us to get closer to meeting this goal by bringing to Grand Rapids one of the all time greatest gospel singers in Fred Hammond."