GDN Music Feature: James Fortune and FIYA to Release ‘I Believe: Live’

Houston, TX – For the last five years, James Fortune & FIYA have electrified the gospel world like Kirk Franklin did over 15 years ago. Like him, Fortune is more of a storyteller than a singer. In a relatively short span of time, he’s accumulated a long list of gospel and R&B–crossover radio hits like “The Blood,” “Encore,” “I Wouldn’t Know You,” “You Survived,” and “I Trust You” which spent 29 weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs chart. Fortune’s current smash, “I Believe” (featuring Shawn McLemore & Zacardi Cortez), has already spent eight weeks at #1 on the Hot Gospel Songs chart.

Image these sort of fan favorites alongside a smoking band, full-throttle backing vocals, and Fortune’s preacher-like sermonizing in a rousing hometown concert and one has the CD/DVD. I Believe: Live (Black Smoke Music Worldwide) that in stores now. The 14-track set was recorded live at the Houston Arena in early 2010 and pops with the smoking crackle of a July 4th fireworks display. The festive, funk-gospel concert features cameos by gospel stars Kierra Sheard and William Murphy. The album runs the gamut of feverish Pentecostal moments such as “Praise Break” to the anthem-like coda, “I Need Your Glory.”