“font-family: Verdana;”>Truth be told, in some cases a Kirk Franklin song being played on the radio is all the church some people get.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“It’s very humbling and a great honor for people to listen, but it’s not enough,” Franklin said. “I know my songs can’t be the sum total of people’s experience, relationship and/or worship with God.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Barely out of his teens when his hit “Why We Sing” became a gospel and urban contemporary radio hit in 1993, Franklin has consistently provided music to inspire and uplift that has managed to bridge the gap between gospel and urban mainstream music.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“This whole experience has been life-changing, because He has been life-changing,” Kirk Franklin said of his nearly 20 years as a household name in the music industry. “And I don’t try to figure out any of it on my own.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The “crunk” stylings of “Stomp” featuring hip-hop star Salt (of female rap group Salt-N-Pepa) got listeners hyped for Christ. His ballad “Lean on Me” featured R. Kelly and Mary J. Blige and offered encouragement through the trials that come with everyday living.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Franklin
is bringing
his message of hope and peace through God back to St. Louis next
Thursday when the Fearless tour stops at the Fox
Theatre.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“I really hope to speak to people and at the same time they will hear some of their favorites, but mostly I want everyone who comes to this show to know that tough times don’t last long, but tough people do,” Franklin said.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“Fear may knock, but we don’t have to keep answering. God has a plan, and you can go through the storm without being killed.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>His music has garnered him Grammy Awards, platinum status and sold-out performances. But to Franklin the accolades and credentials that have come with his track record as a musician are beside the point.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“What I’ve done as an artist is not important except for the fact that hopefully it brings people closer to God,” Franklin said. “My accomplishments over the years aren’t going to get people the help that they need today– only the word and encouragement can do that. I want to speak life instead.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Franklin
is thrilled
to be returning to St. Louis – and with special ties to the
city.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>St. Louis
native Amber
Bullock, winner of the hit BET show Sunday Best, is a
featured performer on the Fearless tour. And Franklin, who also
serves as host of Sunday Best, admitted he is almost as
excited to be bringing presenting her to her hometown as he was
when he first found out she would she would be trying out for the
gospel singing competition.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“I had a chance to hear about her when she was singing with Myron Butler,” Franklin said. “And when she auditioned for the show I was like, ‘Wow.’ All throughout the auditions, she was a monster. What is going to be exciting about her career is that she is young, so she has that eye of the tiger, but she has this old woman voice – seeing that marriage is going to be exciting.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Franklin
says that he
is also looking forward to sharing the ups and downs – but mostly
downs – of his career with Bullock and helping her grow into the
artist he knows that she’s capable of becoming.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“I’m going to enjoy the opportunity to share my failures,” Franklin said. “Folks don’t benefit from sharing your accomplishments.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>And in the same way he wants to offer lessons learned – as opposed to awards earned – with Bullock, he wants to offer testimonies through his music through his new tour.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“I’m trying to get on that stage and speak to people like their life is depending on it,” Franklin said. “They need to save their money and not get their hair done, because they are going to sweat their curls out.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>But my hope is that they leave saying, ‘I know I can do this. Through this show God has reminded me he didn’t put me here to die.’ I hope they walk away feeling ‘Not only do I know who I am, but whose I am.’”
Kirk
Franklin’s Fearless Tour stops in ST. Louis at 7:30 p.m. on
Thursday, Nov. 17 at The Fox Theatre with special guests Amber
Bullock, Isaac Carree, Deon Kipping & Jason Nelson. For more
information, call (314) 534-1111 or visit
“http://www.metrotix.com/”>www.metrotix.com
