“It was on a business flight from Cleveland to Chicago” says Kelly Chapman when asked about the moment she realized she was a songwriter. “I was at a point in my life where I needed to express myself creatively, express my thanks to God. I needed to find my voice and maybe being 30,000 feet closer to heaven helped because the lyrics started flowing and haven’t stopped since.” Find her voice she did! With the upcoming release of her sophomore CD “Great is Your Grace,” this multi-talented singer/songwriter/actress/ speaker and author has been using her voice to reach out to the world. Whether speaking to woman about empowerment through Christ or ministering through music, there is no doubt that Kelly Chapman’s voice is anointed!
Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio into a musical family, it was no surprise that Kelly would become a performer. “We always had music playing in the house, whether it was my mother listening to Amy Grant, my father playing the piano, my sister singing show tunes or my brother producing hip hop, there was always music!” The Chapman family attended church on Sunday mornings, which would set the foundation for Kelly’s spiritual journey. “I actually didn’t truly understand what being saved meant for quite sometime. I understood salvation, but it was many years later when I understood what it meant to have a personal relationship with Christ.” Kelly wanted to help others discover their own relationship with God and on that flight to Chicago, “Real” was born.
Kelly’s first CD“Real” was released to a packed house at the Ohio Theater Playhouse Square in Cleveland. The impressive debut featured the poignant single “Heal Me” which BET selected as the theme song for their Hurricane Katrina relief telethon. The corresponding video has been in regular rotation on Gospel Music Television as well as BET Video Gospel. It was also a finalist in the 2004 Gospel Music Associations Songwriting Competition as well as the International Songwriting Competition. But the creative flow didn’t end there, Chapman co-authored (with Kenya Banks) a companion book to the CD titled “Real: The Truth about Being Single” “I feel like I’m supposed to be honest and transparent in ministry, and the book allowed me to discuss some difficult subjects that many woman face while offering bible-based truths to help them overcome.”
Which brings us to the release of “Great is Your Grace” on Lightworld Records. “Grace” is a Word-laced CD in which Kelly Chapman’s soaring voice deftly takes the listener through various styles of music from Jazz to Rock to Gospel. Featuring an impressive list of musicians including Everette Harp, pianist Herman Jackson (Stevie Wonder), guitarist Jen Leigh (Michael Jackson), Grammy winning violinist Charlie Bisharat and in high demand bassist Larry Kimpel. Kelly takes you on a journey. “My faith journey is definitely relatable, but not typical and I think that the diversity in my music is a direct reflection of that journey.” Kelly enlisted the family production team of Kenai Sound Productions to help her create break out songs such as the rock tinged “Taste and See,” the rousing New Orleans flavored “Excuse Me While I Get My Praise On,” and the infectious world beat of “Celebrate Jesus.” Chapman recently energized and touched listeners with a variety of television appearances including Harvest Show (LeSea Broadcasting), Celebration of Praise with Ron Rosson and friends (Christian Television Network) and Focus Four (Cornerstone Television Network.)
An Avid philanthropist, Kelly created the Wilma A. Chapman Scholarship Fund at the Cleveland Foundation in honor of her mother. With the launch of "Great is Your Grace", Kelly will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of “Excuse Me While I get My Praise On,” to the New Orleans Mission indefinitely. As a member of New Song Church where Ron Bradley is the pastor, Kelly enjoys singing, speaking at various youth programs, church conferences, business conferences and concerts. “Gods grace, mercy and faithfulness are key messages that I want to share to draw others to Christ.” Kelly is walking in God’s word with her unique vocal style and spirit. A gift from God who is ready for the masses!
For more information about Kelly, contact Montrie Rucker Adams at (440) 684-9920 or mra@visibilitymarketing.com, or visit Kelly's Web site at www.kellychapman.net. For booking arrangements, contact Janice Christian at (216) 932-0101. "Great is Your Grace " CD Photos by Chuck Goodenough
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