::THE SLICE REPORT WITH MONA AUSTIN

REGINA BELLE Premiere: Sunday, June 10 at 9 p.m. ET/8C Regina Belle was a college kid out of New Jersey when she burst on the R&B scene as a vocalist with the Manhattans on the hit "Where Did We Go Wrong." She was eventually signed by Columbia Records and skyrocketed to fame with number one singles, including "Make It Like It Was" and "Baby Come to Me." She crossed over to a mainstream audience with the Grammy Award-winning mega-hit, "A Whole New World," a duet with Peabo Bryson for the Disney film "Aladdin." Blessed with a soulful, pitch-perfect voice, she lived near the top of the charts for ten years until she was abruptly dropped by her label. Misfortune continued when she was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumor. How she bounced back with a renewed faith to record her first gospel album, is the inspiring story of a strong woman who overcame professional disappointment and personal tragedy to spread a mess...

buzzz worthy. . . For the third consecutive year, Grammy, Stellar, Dove, BET and NAACP Image  Award-winning Gospel mega-star Fred Hammond returns to the road with the Festival of Praise 2016 Tour, the star-studded national event he founded several years ago.  The kick off date is October 7th, at Oakland’s Paramount Theatre, and will reach over 50 major cities across the country, running through December, 2016.  (See list of confirmed dates, cities and venues below with more to follow.) “FOP 2016 is going to be off the chain!,” Hammond said, adding, “ The thing I love about this tour is that no matter who you are or where you’ve come from, you’re guaranteed to have a great time, something is surely going to inspire you, and you’re going to want to come back again and again! You definitely don’t want to miss this so don’t be late because we’ve got an incredible show planned from beginning to end!” One of the most revered singer/songwriter/producers in Christian m...

buzzz worthy. . . Multiple GRAMMY ®  Award-winning and Academy Award-winning singer, Regina Belle makes classic return to R&B with a new single, “Imperfect Love” from her album,  The Day Life Began  (Peak Records/Shanachie Entertainment). Recorded on a restored microphone used by Jimi Hendrix at The Heavyweights Studios in North Hollywood, CA,  The Day Life Began  is a perfect mix of classic R&B songs with a few selections of gospel and jazz tunes. “' Imperfect Love’ was a labor of love even if it didn't start out that way,” says Regina Belle. “I was up late at the dining room table at about 4:00 a.m. writing what I thought to be a throwback kind of love song when I had the misfortune of humming a few bars of what I'd written. I say misfortune because my husband (former NBA player John S. Battle with The Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers) had the nerve to say without ever looking up from the puzzle that he was completing, ‘You've alrea...

buzzz worthy. . . Regina Belle has released her first mainstream album in 15 years, "The Day Life Began."  The legendary vocalist was so excited about the release she could not sleep last night and posted a video announcement on Facebook asking for her fan's support. During her break from recording R&B, the pastor's wife released a gospel album titled  “God Is Good,” that expanded her fan base and  recovered from a brain tumor.  She returns full of life and inspiration. The album compiles 10 songs that represent the Oscar and Grammy winner's "deepest feelings and and strongest beliefs," covering a broad range of styles and subjects.  Over nearly three decades Belle has successfully navigated the genres of gospel, jazz and R&B.  Highlights include the dramatic gospel single “The Day Life Began,” the inspirational ballad “You Saw The Good In Me,” the moving parent to child message song “Be Careful Out There.” In the spirit of "If...