Chicago’s 31st Gospel Fest celebration

Photo Credit: Melanie L. Brown with Steed Media
Photo credit: Melanie L. Brown for Steed Media Service

The city of Chicago celebrated the 31st Chicago Gospel Music Festival over the weekend. Saturday’s headliners included Hezekiah Walker, Shirley Caesar, William Murphy, Travis Green and Brian Courtney Wilson. Chicago native gospel recording singer Jonathan McReynold’s, radio personality Marcella Jones and radio personality Sonya Blakely hosted. Ivy Hall was acknowledged for putting the event together. She also was celebrated on stage because it was her birthday.


Brian Courtney Wilson sang some songs from his recent release, Worth Fighting For, and then William Murphy sang and ended with his hit “It’s Working.” Pastor Shirley Caesar sang some of her oldies like “I Remember Momma” and then her newer tracks. She graced the stage in a camouflage outfit and did marching moves throughout her performance. Some audience members got the opportunity to sing her song to her with her band.


Throughout the concert, various artists made special appearances. Pastors DeAndre Patterson and Charles Jenkins came on the stage and sang a medley. They performed at last year’s show. Donald Lawrence was spotted in the crowd, too.

Travis Green gave his testimony of dying because of an accident when he was younger and his mother praying over his lifeless body. He left many people in the audience crying. He sang his popular song “Intentional.”


The finale featured Bishop Hezekiah Walker. He sang a tribute to the fallen in Chicago, asking everyone to turn the lights on their phones on to salute the lives lost from violence. Walker sang some of his older songs like “Won’t He Make You Clean” and his newest single “It Will Get Better.”

See pictures below.

Photo credit: Melanie L. Brown for Steed Media Service

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