Daily Observer (Jamaica)

Donnie Mcclurkin to headline ‘COME CELEBRATE JESUS’

- BY ACEION CUNNINGHAM

ROSE HALL, St James — Top selling American gospel and multiple Grammy award-winning singer and minister, Donnie Mcclurkin, will be the featured act for the highly anticipate­d gospel event, ‘Come Celebrate Jesus’, set for the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall in October.

The BA&D Gospel Production­s event is currently celebratin­g its seventh year, and will also feature top local talents such as Chevelle Franklyn, Jabez, DJ Nicholas, Yvonne Cohen and Flavia Beswick.

Mcclurkin known for the hits Great Is Your Mercy, I Need You and We Fall Down, is expected to deliver a powerful set, filled with his usual witty banter and audience engagement.

Jamaican superstar Chevelle Franklyn has been absent from the local scene due to touring engagement­s in African countries such as Nigeria, Ghana and Zimbabwe, as well as making stops in Europe, the United States and the MiddleEast. Franklyn is sure to provide a spirited peformance on the night.

Crowd favourite Jabez with his runaway hit single Drinking From My Saucer, adds to his singing, a powerful ministerin­g role to the hundreds that are expected to be in attendance.

The event has grown considerab­ly over the years and is now a staple for gospel music lovers, and is set to become a springboar­d for faith-based tourism.

Custos of St James Rev Conrad Pitkin, while speaking at the launch of the event last week Wednesday at the Iberostar Rose Hall Suites in Rose Hall, congratula­ted the organisers on the success of the event, and implored them to look towards a thrust for faith-based tourism.

“I would like to congratula­te the organising committee for the tremendous work in undertakin­g this event and making it a success, as it represents a springboar­d for furthering the relationsh­ip between Jamaica and the rest of the world. This event has evolved and will open new windows of opportunit­ies for the promotion of faithbased tourism.

“This area is untapped, and is a great opportunit­y for the organisers to be a catalyst in this area,” Pitkin said.

Keynote speaker at the event, Omar Robinson, president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Associatio­n (JHTA), commended the organisers and hoped for the event to become a part of the tourism product.

“In addition to Donnie Mcclurkin, this year’s concert will showcase our own Chevelle Franklyn, DJ Nicholas, Jabez and others that have been blazing a trail for Jamaica at religious events here and abroad. Strengthen­ing our island’s brand as a premiere destinatio­n for music, all of this is critical to Jamaica as we seek to gain a stronger foothold in the faith-based sector of tourism,” Robinson emphasised.

Pre-sold tickets for the event are available for $2,500, and $3,000 at the gate, for general admission, while VIP tickets will be sold for $5,000 pre-sold, and $6,000 at the gate.

 ?? (Photo: Philp Lemonte) ?? Pitkin…congratula­ted the organising committee for the tremendous work in undertakin­g this event and making it a success
(Photo: Philp Lemonte) Pitkin…congratula­ted the organising committee for the tremendous work in undertakin­g this event and making it a success
 ??  ?? Chevelle Franklyn
Chevelle Franklyn
 ?? (Photo: Aceion Cunningham) ?? Members of the Faith Temple Praise and Worship perform at the launch of ‘Come Celebrate Jesus’.
(Photo: Aceion Cunningham) Members of the Faith Temple Praise and Worship perform at the launch of ‘Come Celebrate Jesus’.
 ??  ?? Donnie Mcclurkin
Donnie Mcclurkin

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