An inspirational evening of hymns and spirituals await audience members at the Van Singel Fine Arts Center when God’s Music highlights the stage on Friday, Oct. 20, at 7:30 p.m. as part of the 2017-2018 Chemical Bank Series. This staged musical/concert includes national recording artists and Grammy Award contenders Deborah and David Johnson.
Together with fascinating stories and narrative, the Johnsons, bring new life to the rich history and messages of the songs. The concert also includes local choir members who auditioned for the chorus including Leon DeLange, Linda Bekkering, Linda Baas, Amy Fein, Karen McKenzie, and Nick, Michael and Cassie Wnuk.
Underwritten by the Van Singel Family Foundation, God’s Music is a theatrical show featuring best-loved hymns, spirituals and gospel songs based on the album up for a 2012 Grammy, My Father’s Favorite Hymns. Many associate the hymns and spirituals with American Folk music, but they are so much more. Hymns and Spirituals are full of fascinating historical facts and come from lives that were both victorious and broken. God’s Music includes contemporary instrumental and vocal arrangements of some of those timeless favorites.
The Johnsons prove to be an amazing blend of two powerhouse voices delivering an incredibly entertaining spiritual event. With an unmatched vocal blend and style, the duo are an amazing team to lead this theatrical production. They are not only extremely talented, but a unique mother/son combination with a warmth audiences love.
Deborah Johnson has a voice that goes anywhere and is a prolific songwriter, pianist and consummate musician. She has a Masters Degree in Arranging and Composition and does most of the writing and arranging for the duo. Her credits include writing and producing dozens of albums, she has toured nationally and internationally as both a headliner and backup singer/pianist. She has also written three complete staged musicals and is a publisher with Samuel French Publishers. As well as a musician, Deborah is an author with nationally acclaimed books and a keynote/workshop speaker at corporate events. She is currently the President Elect of the Los Angeles chapter of the National Speakers Association.
David Johnson has a voice versatile enough to sing anything from Sinatra to Rock and is a young rising star with a magnitude ability and charisma. He is also an amazing young conductor with a dynamic ability to bring out the best in most any group. His credits include student director of the College Choir who won the title “Choir of the World” and was awarded “Outstanding Soloist” in back-to-back years at the Monterey, Calif. Next Generation Jazz Festival. He was Choral director for multiple groups at a large High School for two years and has also toured nationally and internationally as a singer and lead trumpet player. Unrelated to his performing, David is currently a National MVP Softball Champion with the nickname “Lazer” with his signature on a limited release bat.
