“I’m trying to find a way to say something other than ‘simply amazing,’ but that’s what it is,” said Pastor F. James Clark, senior pastor of Shalom Church (City of Peace).
He didn’t want to sound as if he were making a shameless plug by working the album title into expressing how he felt, but that pretty much summed it up.
It was three days into the second week of Shalom Choir holding the No. 3 position on Billboard’s Gospel Album Charts with their debut recording “Simply Amazing.” Clark still seemed in disbelief of what his choir has accomplished with their debut recording.
“I mean, who would have thought this … who would have thought this?” Clark said.
Shalom’s minister of music Dello Thedford and his protégé, nationally renowned songwriter and producer Oscar Williams Jr., headed up the project that was released nationally on June 16.
In less than a month, “Simply Amazing” is posing a serious threat to the No. 1 spot currently held by Richard Smallwood and Vision’s “Anthology Live.”
Smallwood and Marvin Sapp ranked above them, but Shalom’s debut recording would even set themselves apart from those gospel artists – household names in the faith-based music industry – by beating them out for the distinction of greatest sales gainer for this week.
Resting just beneath Shalom on the charts is the super-popular Wow Gospel franchise’s 2015 edition. Further down are artists like Tamela Mann and Erica Campbell.
“It is no secret that Shalom Church choir has always had the ability to sing,” Clark said. “This is the result of hard work and dedication – but, more importantly, the willingness to use your gift to give glory to God.”
While national artists such as Ernest Pugh and Lecresia Campbell (no relation to Erica) appear on the album, the choir itself is the main attraction over the course of the 16 tracks.
Their position on Billboard is a feat absolutely unheard of for a local church album recording, in St. Louis or anyplace else for that matter, without the attachment of a huge act.
“Oscar called me and said, ‘Congratulations’ and I said, ‘Congratulations for what?’” Thedford said. “He said, ‘You’re number three. I said, ‘Oscar, stop playing.’ That whole day I just walked around in amazement thinking, ‘Is this really true?’”
Thedford went out and purchased a Billboard magazine to see for himself – and to have as a keepsake.
Even though a top five ranking on Billboard’s Gospel Charts was beyond imagination, those who came to the concert celebrating the completion of “Simply Amazing” back in April had to know something special was in store.
The more than 100 voices that make up the choir had guests dancing in the aisles and laid out in the pews during a three-hour experience of worship and praise through song that highlighted selections of the CD.
“When we were at the concert, I certainly felt something,” Clark said. “But never in my wildest imagination did I see it taking its own life like it’s doing.”
While admitting he had a much smaller scale of success in mind, Thedford said after witnessing the reaction to the music at the celebration he had a “knowing” that “Simply Amazing” would connect with the national gospel scene.
“There was a level excitement where I felt like God was saying, ‘I’m going to bless this,’” Thedford said. “It was as if He was saying, ‘I am going to anoint this project.’”
Thedford feels that the album’s content also contributed to the resounding success of “Simply Amazing,” saying that the CD has a song on it for everybody’s church – and every denomination.
“The fact that we were able to accomplish this shows that when you work hard at anything and do your best so that God might get the glory, then good things will happen,” Clark said. “Beyond Shalom, this is just great for St. Louis. I just hope that people in our city – because we know what’s happening on the national level – sees it for what it is and supports us.”
“Simply Amazing” by Dr. F. James Clark and The Shalom (City of Peace) Mass Choir is available at all major music outlets. For more information on the music ministry and the church, visit www.shalomccop.org or call (314) 653-2300.
