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| Gospel Songstress Sherrie Keys climbs the Myspace Music Charts Before the release of the first single from her CD 'For Anointed Ears Only', Singer Sherrie Keys is already creating an early buzz on the Myspace Music charts. The gifted, anointed and enormously popular singer has exploded onto the music scene through music industry channels and online networking communities such as Myspace, Twitter and Friendfeed. She has been ranked in the top twenty of California gospel artists by Myspace charts for several months. Her ranking is based on an algorithm which includes myspace page hits, song plays and user responses. The Los Angeles based singer is receiving hundreds of hits and comments per day from all corners of the globe particularly Japan and Italy where gospel music has enjoyed enormous popularity. "God's timing differed from mine. Besides, I have an aversion to self-promotion. The kind of adulation normally reserved for secular artists seems strange in a gospel arena. The dichotomy is that art demands self-expression. The best musical artists are rewarded for creating a buzz. I'm clueless as to how to create a buzz...If I could walk on water, open blind eyes or raise Lazarus from the dead, people would definitely sit up and take notice." Armed with a warm spirit, an infectious smile, a generous heart and a passion for missions outreach, her abundant gifts serve as a platform for ministry beyond music. When asked why she's joining a robust gospel music arena, Keys replies: "America doesn't need another gospel singer. But there are places all over the world mired in poverty, death, despair and disease that could use a song. 1.2 billion people living in extreme poverty globally need a song. A song can be a catalyst for change. A song can uplift a nation." Keys grew up in Memphis, specifically South Memphis near Stax Records. She observes: "Memphis is a wonderful fusion of gospel, Delta blues, soul, country, jazz, rock, rockabilly and cat meows. I'm not a gospel purist though I was raised in a holiness (Church of God in Christ) home. I'm not sure how you would describe my vocal style. I'm not ornate. You'll never catch me doing riffs and runs unless I've had too much caffeine." When asked why did it take her so long to record, she replies: "God's timing differed from mine. Besides, I have an aversion to self-promotion. The kind of adulation normally reserved for secular artists seems strange in a gospel arena. The dichotomy is that art demands self-expression. The best musical artists are rewarded for creating a buzz. I'm clueless as to how to create a buzz...If I could walk on water, open blind eyes or raise Lazarus from the dead, people would definitely sit up and take notice." Keys has earmarked most of her CD sales to support charitable endeavors. The artist has set up an outreach ministry to highlight her concerns which she describes as human suffering which wounds the spirit. "Mohandes Ghandi said that there were people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread. My calling is to reach hurting, indigenous people and say, 'Don't give up! God has not forgotten you' " write your comments about the article :: © 2009 Jazz News :: home page |