Worship festival preps on course

Preparations for this year’s edition of the Crossline Music Worship Festival which features two American award-winning gospel artistes are on course, organisers have said. Pastor Herman Chimusoro of Crossline Music and Video, the organisers, announced yesterday that both Michael W. Smith and Nicole C. Mullen had confirmed their presence at the show.

“Michael W. Smith was the first one to confirm and we are now happy to announce that Nicole C. Mullen will be joining him at the festival for the third time. “All in all, we are expecting at least 20 band members for the two musicians as preparations gather momentum,” Pastor Chimusoro said.
The three-day festival is scheduled to start on August 24 and end on August 26 at the Harare Gardens.

Asked why they moved the festival from Borrowdale Racecourse to Harare Gardens, Pastor Chimusoro said they needed a more central venue, which was accessible to gospel music lovers. “We want to change the face of the Harare Gardens in the same manner that the Harare International Festival of the Arts does every year. We are planning on bringing state-of-the-art PA system and lighting to give an international feel. There is also going to be a VIP area,” he said.

A gospel musician in his own right, Pastor Chimusoro is basking in the glory of his newly released nine-track album titled “Live in Worship”, which critics have described as a masterpiece. The album features tracks like “We Exalt Your Name/King of Kings Medley”, “This is the Day”, “Ndinomutenda” and “Nyasha Dzenyu”.

The dreadlocked singer’s music reaches and touches souls with his laid-back rhythms, which he often delivers effortlessly. Those not in the know, Michael W. Smith was born on October 7, 1957. He is best known for his Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit song “Place in this World”. His biggest success in mainstream music was in 1991 when “Place in the World” hit number six on the Billboard Hot 100. Smith earned 40 Dove awards.

Over the course of his career, he sold more than 13 million albums ad recorded 29 number one hit songs, 14 gold albums and five platinum albums. As a child, he developed a love of music through his church. He learned to play the piano at an early age and sang in the church choir. Herald