Bishop Alfred A. Owens Jr. and Co-Pastor Susie C. Owens, founders and pastors of the Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church, are celebrating the Greater Mount Calvary Recording Choir and Calvary Records’ new CD, Greater Mount Calvary LIVE As Told By The Music Ministry, for debuting at No. 7 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart in its first week sales. “I believe it’s truly a testament to the vision of the church and will give people another chance to experience Calvary,” Bishop Owens said in a prepared statement.
This is the first time that Calvary Records and its choir have landed on a Billboard chart. However, its music ministry is no stranger to the spotlight. The music department produced the Greater Mount Calvary Men of Valor ensemble that won Verizon’s “How Sweet the Sound” Regional (Washington, D.C.) and National VCast People’s Choice Awards gospel choir competition in 2010. Stellar Award winner Maurette Brown-Clark, Courtney Nero, and Grammy-Award winner Steve Lawrence (Bishop T.D. Jakes & The Potter’s House Mass Choir) all hailed from Calvary’s music department.
Calvary Records and the GMC Recording Choir kicked off the release in true Calvary style with a red carpet release event attended by over 2,500 people. “This has truly energized our church for the New Year and new season for the Calvary Nation,” Co-Pastor Susie Owens added in a press release.
Greater Mount Calvary LIVE As Told By The Music Ministry is an inspiration,17-song live set that gives its listeners a front row seat to experience the Pentecostal fervor of a Sunday morning service at the 3,000-member church, founded in 1976. The album was produced by Grammy Award winner Steven Ford, who has also produced other artists such as Vickie Winans, Tye Tribbett and Richard Smallwood.