SiriusXM's Praise Channel to Become Kirk Franklin's Praise
buzzz worthy. . .
NEW YORK-May 22, 2013- Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) announced today that its gospel music channel, Praise, will become Kirk Franklin's Praise, a commercial-free music channel executive produced by multi-Grammy® Award-winning, multi-platinum selling, crossover gospel artist Kirk Franklin.
Kirk Franklin's Praise channel will give SiriusXM listeners the opportunity to hear contemporary and classic gospel music from artists such as Shirley Caesar, Fred Hammond, Mary Mary, Donnie McClurkin, Marvin Sapp, Isaac Carree, LeAndria, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Mali Music and Lecrae.
Kirk Franklin's Praise will be available via satellite on channel 64, and through the SiriusXM Internet Radio App on smartphones and other connected devices, as well as online atsiriusxm.com. The 24/7 commercial-free gospel music channel will launch on Friday, May 24, at 12:00 pm ET.
Kirk Franklin will celebrate the launch of Kirk Franklin's Praise with a live performance and an intimate Q&A in front of an audience of SiriusXM listeners for SiriusXM's "Artist Confidential" series. The performance will air on Kirk Franklin's Praise channel, on Monday, May 27 at 8:00 am ET and throughout the following week. SiriusXM's "Artist Confidential" with Kirk Franklin will also be available on SiriusXM On Demand for listeners listening via the SiriusXM Internet Radio App for smartphones and other mobile devices or online atsiriusxm.com. Visit www.siriusxm.com/ondemand for more information on SiriusXM On Demand.
"I am so honored and excited to be able to have this platform to bring music fans the biggest stars and the freshest new talents in Gospel music," said Mr. Franklin. "Over the years, SiriusXM has shown a real commitment to Gospel music and I am proud to be working alongside their staff to build this new channel."
"We are thrilled to have Kirk Franklin bring his passion and enthusiasm to SiriusXM and help change how gospel music is heard"," said Steve Blatter, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Music Programming, SiriusXM.
SiriusXM listeners will also continue hearing Houston-based Pastor Rudy Rasmus sharing his unique style of applying love to real-life, spiritually uplifting and motivational situations on his weekly Love Revolution show, airing Sundays at 12:00 pm ET, with an encore broadcast on Wednesdays at 6:00 pm ET. Popular hosts Gina Rogers, Meta Washington, and Fred Mills will also continue presenting gospel music to SiriusXM listeners.
For nearly two decades, Franklin has been a multi-platinum-selling pioneer in gap-bridging musicianship, uniting audiences across gospel, hip hop, pop and R&B. His irresistible rhythms and rhapsodies have resulted in albums that consistently top both Billboard's Gospel and Christian charts, as well as ascend triumphantly into the Top 10 of the R&B/Hip Hop chart. His unprecedented penetration into the mainstream has fortified him to also become a New York Times bestselling author for The Blueprint: A Plan for Living Above Life's Storms (Gotham/Penguin). Franklin is also the host and executive producer of the gospel talent show "Sunday Best," the highest-rated gospel program in BET network history now heading into its sixth season. To date, the trendsetter has garnered nine Grammy Awards, 39 Stellar Awards, 16 Dove Awards (CCM), eight NAACP Image Awards, two BET Awards, an American Music Award, a Soul Train Award and numerous others.
More recently, Mr. Franklin has been hard at work alongside the House of Blues creating a brand new Gospel brunch experience. Kirk Franklin's Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues debuted this month at all of the HOB locations around the country and will continue each and every Sunday (check local clubs for times).
Kirk Franklin's Praise joins SiriusXM's roster of channels created with iconic artists, including Bruce Springsteen's E Street Radio, Ozzy Osbourne's Ozzy's Boneyard, Pearl Jam Radio, Eminem's Shade 45, Willie Nelson's Willie's Roadhouse, B.B. King's Bluesville, Elvis Radio, Jimmy Buffett's Radio Margaritaville and Siriusly Sinatra.
SiriusXM's "Artist Confidential" series features important and timeless names in music sitting down for candid interviews, intimate conversations exclusively with SiriusXM studio audience members, and live performances. SiriusXM's "Artist Confidential" series has featured Paul McCartney, Santana, Coldplay, Phil Collins, Foreigner, Don Henley, Bonnie Raitt, Rush, Smashing Pumpkins, Moody Blues, Robert Plant, Sting, Bob Weir and over 100 others.
For more information on SiriusXM, please visit www.siriusxm.com.
