Witness (gospel group)

Last updated
Witness
Origin Detroit, Michigan
Genres Urban contemporary gospel, traditional black gospel
Years active1986 (1986)–2006
Labels PolyGram, A&M, Tyscot, Compendia, CGI, Intersound, Axiom
Past members Lisa Page Brooks
Marvie Wright (1986-1987)
Tina Brooks (1986-1991)
Yolanda Harris (1986-1991)
Diane Campbell (1986-1996)
Lizz Lee (1991-1992)
Lou Ann Stewart (1991-1996; 2003-2006)
Laeh Jones (1992-2006)
Candace Smith (1997-1999)
Ayana Thomas (1997-1999)
Tasha Page-Lockhart (2003-2004)

Witness was a contemporary gospel group from Detroit, Michigan. Often called the female version of Commissioned, an all-male contemporary gospel group, they were the brainchild of and chiefly produced by Michael A. Brooks, an original member and producer of Commissioned.

Contents

History

The group hailed from Detroit, Michigan, and was originally formed as a quintet consisting of Lisa Page Brooks, Tina Brooks, Yolanda Harris, Diane Campbell, and Marvie Wright. The group was signed to the Tyscot label in 1986 where they produced their debut album Keep Looking Up, after which Wright departed the group. After the release of their fourth album Mean What You Say, Tina Brooks and Yolanda Harris also left.

In the years between Mean What You Say and the release of Standard, LouAnn Stewart joined the group; gospel singer Lizz Lee also briefly joined before being replaced by Lisa's sister Laeh Page. After the release of A Song In the Night, Campbell and Stewart left the group. Detroit singers Ayana Thomas and Candice Smith joined the group for Love Is An Action Word, but subsequently left when it went on hiatus in 1999. When Witness returned in 2003 for An Appointed Time, LouAnn Stewart rejoined the group. Tasha Page-Lockhart, daughter of Lisa Page Brooks and future Sunday Best winner, had also joined the group.

Albums We Can Make a Difference and Standard received three-star reviews from AllMusic, and albums Mean What You Say and Love Is an Action Word received four-star reviews from the publication. [1] Witness's best-reviewed album was He Can Do the Impossible, which was awarded four and a half stars. [1]

Cross Rhythms rated Mean What You Say a four out of ten, while giving A Song in the Night a nine out of ten. [2] An Appointed Time was awarded a seven out of ten, and Speak to the Generations was rated an eight out of ten. [2]

Witness also experienced Billboard success with their albums He Can Do the Impossible, We Can Make a Difference, Love Is an Action Word, A Song in the Night, and Standard. [3]

Accolades

Witness was nominated for a Grammy in 1991 for Best Group/Duo, and was awarded the 1991 GMWA Excellence Award for Best Group and the 1993 Stellar Award for Best Performance Group/Duo.

Discography

Albums

Release date Album title [4] Label
1987 Keep Looking Up Tyscot Records
1989 I've Come Too Far Tyscot Records
1990 We Can Make a Difference Fix It/Polygram Records
1991 Mean What You Say Fix It/Polygram Records
June 22, 1993 Standard CGI Records
September 13, 1994 He Can Do the Impossible CGI Records
April 16, 1996 A Song in the Night CGI Records
June 2, 1998 Love Is an Action Word CGI Records
November 25, 2003 An Appointed Time Axiom Records
July 19, 2005Speak to the GenerationsAxiom Records

Compilations

Release date Album title [5] Label
1999The Best of WitnessCGI Records

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<i>Ive Come Too Far</i> 1989 studio album by Witness

I've Come Too Far, released in 1989 on Tyscot Records, is a gospel music album by the American contemporary gospel music group Witness. This album was the first as a quartet after the departure of member Marvie Wright.

<i>Standard</i> (Witness album) 1993 studio album by Witness

Standard, released in 1993 on A&M Records, is a gospel music album by American urban contemporary gospel group Witness. The album contains the title track, "Standard" and the song "Get in the Way", which won the GMWA Excellence Award for Best Contemporary Song. The group won the Stellar Award for Best Contemporary Group Performance.

<i>He Can Do the Impossible</i> 1994 studio album by Witness

He Can Do the Impossible, released in 1994 on CGI Records, is a gospel music album by American contemporary gospel music group Witness. The album reached No. 12 on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart.

<i>A Song in the Night</i> (album) 1996 studio album by Witness

A Song in the Night, released in 1996 on CGI Records, is a gospel music album by American urban contemporary gospel group Witness. This was the group's last album to feature founding member Diane Campbell and features vocals by singer Marshetta Nichols in addition to the four group members. The album hit number three on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart.

<i>Mean What You Say</i> (Witness album) 1991 studio album by Witness

Mean What You Say, released in 1991 on CGI Records, is a gospel music album by American contemporary gospel music group Witness. This would be the last album to feature original founding members Tina Brooks and Yolanda Harris, who departed after the album's release. Gospel singer Liz Lee stepped in with LouAnn Stewart to replace Brooks and Harris to promote the album. Lee would then depart to the group and be permanently replaced by Lisa Page's sister Laeh Page.

<i>An Appointed Time</i> 2003 studio album by Witness

An Appointed Time, released in 2003 on Axiom Records, is a gospel music album by American urban contemporary gospel group Witness. This was the group's first release in five years since they had disbanded in 1999. The group reunited in 2003 with founding member Lisa Page Brooks, Laeh Jones, the return of Lou Ann Stewart and the debut of Brooks' daughter and future Sunday Best winner Tasha Page-Lockhart. This album also includes an update remake of their previous hit "Standard".

Lisa Charise Brooks is an American urban contemporary gospel, traditional black gospel, and gospel music recording artist and musician. She started her music career, in 1986, with her quartet, Witness. Her solo music career began in 1997, while she has since released four solo studio albums, More Than You'll Ever Know in 1997, Lisa Page Brooks in 2001, Strong in 2009, and Ready in 2013. Three of those albums charted on the Billboard magazine charts.

References

  1. 1 2 AllMusic. "Witness Discography". AllMusic . Retrieved March 11, 2015.{{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  2. 1 2 Cross Rhythms. "Witness Artist Profile". Cross Rhythms . Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  3. "Witness Chart". Billboard . Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  4. "A Discography: Witness".
  5. "The Best of Witness - Witness - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic .