By Nina Allen-Johnson, njohnson@tri-statedefender.com
Marcus Malone, owner and founder of Total Experience School of Music, has gigs from Memphis to London and beyond. He is an artist at Hammond Organ, USA, at Yamaha Corporation of America and at 64 Studio. Last week, he talked to the TSD year about his upcoming project – year four of Church Girls Rock.
Nina Allen-Johnson: Marcus, tell me a little bit about your vision and how Church Girls Rock got started.
Marcus Malone: Church Girls Rock started four years ago at Greater Works Deliverance Ministries. It started by a lady asking me to come up with something creative for Women’s Month. And it automatically came to me. I said, “Let’s do the Church Girls Rock.”
NAJ: Were you a member of that church?
MM: Yes. I was the Minister of Music. Not knowing the concepts of it, but as I started planning, it just came to me: We are going to do an all-girls choir; we are going to do an all-girls band. I guess that comes from me being a musician. From there, we decided to make it an awards show. We had different categories – favorite usher, favorite mother, favorite evangelist, favorite first lady. Basically, you nominate these women and there is a voting process. That’s what happened the first couple of years.
NAJ: Was it just at that church or was it citywide?
MM: It was just at that church, but the nominations were citywide. You could nominate anyone in the city. That was a huge success. The first year, realistically, we had 350 people in attendance.
NAJ: How’d you get the word out?
MM: We got the word out basically through social media, flyers. We hit the neighborhood. I walked the neighborhoods myself and passed out flyers.
NAJ: How did the people vote?
MM: They voted online. It was pretty cool. Then the next year, we partnered with the Redwing Group and they came on and did PR for us. We did it at Cummings St. Baptist Church. It was bigger than the first year. We had sponsors like Cigna and Methodist. It was our first time incorporating breast cancer (survivor tributes). We donated our proceeds to The Wings Foundation.
And from there it escalated even further in our third year, which was last year’s event. It was the same concept, but we added a few pieces. We added an all-girls children’s choir, which also was a huge success. This year will also be different because it is not an awards show anymore. It is just a night to honor women and empower women. And we have a few surprises.
NAJ: So there are no nominations and no voting process this time?
MM: No. No nominations and voting. We just want everybody to come out. I’m doing it free this year because I don’t want anyone to have a reason not to come out and participate.
NAJ: Has it not been free before?
MM: No. It’s never been free. This is the first year that it is free. It’s free to be in the choir. We are recording this year. So we are going to do our first single. Marquee Walker with Key Beats is sponsoring that studio time. He’s one of the biggest producers in the city.
NAJ: Awesome! … When is the show again?
MM: November 5 at Greater Memphis Pentecostal Assembly, 8941 E. Shelby Drive,. This year we are also excited about the Inaugural Church Girls Rock Fashion Show, which will be November 4. That is going to be at the New Bellevue Ministries, Bishop Tony B. Hastings… 672 N. Trezevant St.
NAJ: What does the fashion show consist of?
MM: It consists of Church Girls modeling! We have the agency of Bellisimo Modeling Company coordinating it. They are sponsoring their time as well.
NAJ: Will they provide the clothing for your models, or how does this work? Will the ladies of Church Girls Rock be in the fashion show?
MM: No. It’s a fashion show where we invite the people to come out and enjoy the show. It’s our version of a pre-show party. Past honorees, program participants, sponsors; everyone is invited to attend. Admission is $10.
NAJ: Thank you for taking the time to speak with me, and we look forward to the Church Girls Rock events this weekend!
NOTE: Sherry Mackey of 95.7 Hallelujah FM and Amy Speropolous of Local 24 News will host Church Girls Rock, which is set for 7 p.m. Nov. 5. For VIP seating, call 901-8728 or email cgrmemphis@gmail.com. On December 3, Church Girls Rock will make its debut at Without Walls International Church in Tampa, Fla.
