FROM THE HEART Staying true to form, Lamar Campbell & Spirit of Praise, once again unleash a powerful praise and worship offering entitled, From the Heart. As with previous recordings, From The Heart displays a sincere passion for worshipping God, and it is just that: a collection of exceptional loves songs to the Lord…From The Heart. Song after song will take you on a spiritual journey of praise and thanksgiving ushering you into the sweet presence of the Lord with an enthusiasm and anointing that’s more than just superior musical styling, and extraordinary vocal expression; it’s personal. Smooth choir blends, outstanding vertical lyrics, and a fervent desire to worship make this latest project his most powerful release yet; as well as a much wanted addition to any gospel lovers’ collection. “It’s important to reach out to the world with gospel music in order to try and draw them into the church,” says Lamar, who co-wrote eight of the album’s ten songs, “and once they are there, they’ll still need something that’s going to feed them, teach them, minister to them, and keep them there. That’s what I want this album to provide…music that gets to people’s hearts, music that puts them into relationship with Jesus Christ and with the people of God.” Though known to most people outside the Indianapolis area through their exposure on CDs and gospel radio, Lamar’s preeminence as a true leader of worship shines throughout From the Heart. “You can put the label of artist on me, and that’s accurate,” says Lamar, “but I’m a Worshipper, first. I do not want anyone to be so busy looking at the ‘artist’ that they can not see the Worshipper. It is the Worshipper in me that will penetrate a person’s heart for Christ.” Lamar was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he was active in the church and musically gifted from an early age. Playing piano in his home church from the age of eight, he became the music director of another church when he was only age fifteen. Though he was steeped in both gospel and secular music in his youth, it was in gospel that he found his greatest love and passion. He has spent the better part of the last two decades as the music minister of several Indianapolis churches, including Light of the World Christian Church. Lamar is currently serving as a Choral Director and Praise and Worship leader at Windsor Village United Methodist Church of Houston, Texas. After graduating from high school, Lamar pursued studies in several different areas in search of a vocation, including mechanical drafting, computer technology, and accounting before feeling a call to music ministry as his God-appointed career. He studied music at the Jordan Music College at Butler University in Indianapolis before founding his first group in the late ‘80s, known then simply as Lamar Campbell & Praise. That ensemble released a major-label album two years later that performed moderately well nationally, yielding a major hit titled, “This Debt of Love I Owe,” and made the act a significant name in Indianapolis and the surrounding areas. Lamar, however, chose to disband that group after three years in 1992, when he felt attention had shifted toward himself and Praise as ‘personalities’, and too far away from more God and ministry-centered focus, leading Lamar to form Lamar Campbell & Spirit of Praise in 1995. Years later, as he continues to strive for an even greater degree of excellence, Lamar admits that From the Heart occupies a special and sacred place in his heart. “Everything seems to have come together in such a perfect way on this album,” Lamar concludes. “Awards, hit records, and accolades are all great, but you can’t let them become the defining elements of your ministry. I can really say that for the first time in my life, I truly believe that God is going to do what He says He’s going to do with this offering, without me looking over His shoulder. And that’s a wonderful place to be.” |
|
 | ||||||||||||||||
