Music: Gospel & other Christian music: Atlanta becomes a Mecca, or is it 'gospel's Hollywood'

Bes+dz becoming aware of Atlanta, Georgia, as a hub for Christian musicians and singers, I was del+ted to see the names of Marvin Sapp, Mary Mary, Kirk Franklin, and Jason Crabb all strung out in one sentence of recognition.  May their cohort and competitors increase (music, after all, strives for the virtue of excellence l+k all other arts, hence all the awards events).

— Musikos, refWrite Backpage music editor and columnist

Booker Rising (June1,2k12)
— posted there by Shay Riley; reposted here by Musikos



From the Associated Press (hat tip: theGrio): "Atlanta has become a key place of business for many of the heavyweights in gospel and Christian music, like Marvin Sapp, Mary Mary, Kirk Franklin and Jason Crabb. They flock to the city known to some as 'gospel’s Hollywood' because of its flourishing R&B and hip-hop scene, an evolving television market, a variety of Christian and gospel record labels, and a plethora of mega churches. Some of the industry’s best, such as Francesca Battistelli, the group Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin and Dottie Peoples, reside in the city or in the suburban areas."

The article continues: "That sounds good to the ears of Georgia officials, who have worked hard to promote the state as an entertainment destination. They offer one of the highest tax credits in the United States — up to 30 percent to those looking to produce shows, music videos and commercials in the state. 'We are developing strategies to aggressively promote Georgia’s strengths in the music industry including its wealth of talent, expanding digital media infrastructure, production facilities, live music scene and music education opportunities', said Lisa Love, the director of music marketing and development for the Georgia film, music & digital entertainment office. 'The gospel and contemporary Christian-oriented assets in all of those areas will continue to be invaluable in the positioning of Georgia as an entertainment industry destination,' she continued."