Fred Hammond’s new song, “Thoughts of Love,” from the album, “Love Unstoppable,” is best listened to with your significant other. When you press play, imagine the two of you transported to a softly lit jazz club. As the romantic bossa nova begins, get ready to smile and raise your eyebrows at each other. Clinking glasses would be appropriate.
[picapp src=”e/8/2/7/The_Apollo_Theater_187f.jpg?adImageId=4605764&imageId=4332461″ width=”234″ height=”359″ /] Fred Hammond
With brushes dancing on the snare drum and a guitar offering its rich accompaniment, Hammond starts to sing, and the mood is set. While Hammond is tenderly crooning about amor, he’s singing about a different kind of love, a spiritual love.
Such is the genius of gospel music legend and Grammy award-winner Fred Hammond. The singer/songwriter/bassist/producer/chief executive officer has expanded the frontiers of gospel music for some 30 years with the Winans, Commissioned, Radical for Christ and as a solo artist. Also, he has worked with mainstream artists, such as Sean “Diddy” Combs, Brian McKnight, Chanté Moore, Kenny Lattimore and Ruben Studdard.
On “Thoughts of Love,” Hammond sings:
“At my best, I’m wrong, I’m torn, I’m frail
But your love fills me up
Always in need of your heartbeat to cover me
For it, my passion sings this praise
For I am offering a grateful heart
As the tears flow down with thoughts of love”
I can relate to the human imperfection described in this passage, and I’m betting Hammond’s wider audience can, too. He’s singing about the pain and self-doubt we all experience along with the hope that carries us through.
Hammond’s pure, luxuriant voice on this track is a welcome contrast to the robot-enhanced (albeit fun) vocals popularized by hip-hop artists such as T-Pain and Kanye West. (Rapper Jay-Z slams this electronic phenomenon in his recent track, “D.O.A. – Death of Auto-Tune.”)
So if you’d like to share a real moment with your better half, or you just want to hear a great “love” song, check out Fred Hammond’s “Thoughts of Love” on the album “Love Unstoppable,” Verity Gospel Music Group, released Sept. 29, 2009. His Web sites include www.fhammondfamilyent.com and www.myspace.com/therealfredhammond. He also has a fan page on Facebook called “The Real Fred Hammond.”
Sources: www.fhammondfamilyent.com, www.verityrecords.co, www.singeruniverse.com (“Hit R&B Duo Kenny Lattimore & Chanté Moore Return With Their New 2-CD Set, Uncovered/Covered”) and www.blackchristiannews.com (Review of Fred Hammond’s “Love Unstoppable,” Sept. 30, 2009).
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