The Hymns Professor, Bishop Leonard Scott, is continuing his series of hymns compilations with a new installment, Keep Hymns Alive: Cross Songs(Tyscot). His hymns projects have garnered over 26 million digital streams. The six-track set includes both studio and live (at New Way Church in Indianapolis, IN) sessions. Producer on the rise, Jeffrey Thomas II, creates a crisp, balmy listening experience that encompasses both polish and the power of praise. Scott’s traditional style fits nicely with the songs of Pop Staples, the Holmes Brothers, and the Blind Boys of Alabama.
The opener, “Down at the Cross,” is a festive, mid-tempo, hand-clapper. Then, Bishop Scott opens the piano-ballad, “At the Cross,” with a smooth spoken-narration of the Crucifixion story. Then, the choir comes in as Scott continues to narrate, Bryan Thompson (who has shared stages with Najee and Toni Braxton) sings smoothly as a gentle saxophone ease into the mix. Mid-way, a mellow rhythm section surfaces as wunderkind, Kelontae Gavin, takes over and sings the song with the soulful abandon of a Marvin Winans or Donnie McClurkin.
“I heard these songs as a child growing up in church,” Scott says. “They used to sing a lot of songs about the blood and the cross. They would especially sing them around Holy Communion, Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. But the message of this song is relevant all year long. It tells the story of the individual sinner being cleansed through the relationship with the blood of his Savior at the cross. It explains why Jesus suffered so at Calvary, not just for me, but for everyone who will accept His awesome sacrifice.”
The audience at New Way Church serves as Bishop Scott’s choir on the mesh of “Old Rugged Cross” and “Near the Cross” as “The Cross Medley.” Then, GRAMMY® Award nominated singer, VaShawn Mitchell, leads mid-tempo, “Jesus Saves.” With the full backing of a worship team, it builds into a booming declaration of faith. “Because He Lives / Jesus Something About That Name” is simply organ and LaFrietta “LA” Norris’ astounding vocal gymnastics as the audience responds with fervent shouts of encouragement. Finally, there’s an alternate solo performance of Bryan Thompson singing “At the Cross.” This is old time religion at its best. Over the coming weeks, Bishop Scott will hit the road to do a few concerts, workshops and preaching engagements.
08.30.2024 – Puritan Missionary Baptist Church, 872 West 27thStreet, Indianapolis, IN 46208
09.06.2024 – New Covenant Assembly, 602 Piney Grove Rd, Columbia, SC 29210
09.07.2024 – Harvey Family Life Center, 702 Piney Grove Road, Columbia, SC 29210
09.08.2024 – New Covenant Assembly, 602 Piney Grove Rd., Columbia, SC 29210
09.14 2024 – Gethsemane Baptist Church, 6019 Madison Street, West New York, NJ 07093
09.15.2024 – Gethsemane Baptist Church, 6019 Madison Street, West New York, NJ 07093
10.12.2024 – Ephphatha Outreach Ministries, 878 South Ohio Ave, Columbus, OH 43206
Over the years, Bishop Scott has released at least one hymn on each of his albums. The 25-track, Hymns for the Nation, a live recording session, was a Top 40 bestseller in 2004. The sequel, Hymns & Church Songs: Live from Alabama, was a bigger success, peaking at #29 on Billboard’s Gospel Albums sales chart. The 2008 Be Lifted Upalbum, hit the Top 20 on Billboard’s Gospel chart. Scott’s love of hymns dates to the 1970s when he founded Tyscot Records because he couldn’t find a company to distribute his church’s choir LP. Tyscot released Christ Church Apostolic Radio Choir’s 1977 Feel Good album. While it was not a bestseller; it drew the attention of aspiring gospel acts. Tyscot, operating out of Scott’s dental practice, began to release those projects and develop a name for itself. “We had a little house,” Scott recalls. “The record label was on the top floor; the dental office was on the first floor and my family lived in the basement. In the beginning, we weren’t making any money with music, so it was an expensive hobby.”
After years of struggle, Tyscot enjoyed its first national hit in 1983 when it released the late Rev. Bill Sawyer & The Christian Tabernacle Concert Choir of Cleveland’s Something Old/Something New album that featured the radio hit, “Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross.” By the1990s, Tyscot had signed future gospel megastars such as John P. Kee, New Life Community Choir, and Deitrick Haddon which elevated the label to a new level of respect and success. Today, Tyscot is the leading independent black gospel label in the world with acts such as the gold or platinum-selling acts Anthony Brown & group therAPy, VaShawn Mitchell, the Rance Allen Group, and John P. Kee.
Bishop Scott was the recipient of the Stellar Awards Thomas Dorsey Notable Achievement Award in 2020 and the Gospel Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
