Mississippi Mass Choir

The Mississippi Mass Choir
Background information
Origin	Jackson, Mississippi
Genres	Gospel music
Years active	1988 - present
Labels	Malaco Records
Associated acts	Jerry Mannery- Executive Director David Curry Jr.- Minister of Music Jerry C. Smith - Minister of Music Katrina B. Williams- Assistant to Executive Director Willie Carey- President/Road Manager Daniel James III- Communication Director
Website	https://www.facebook.com/TMMC1/
Members	200

Jerry Mannery- Executive Director David Curry Jr.- Minister of Music Jerry C. Smith - Minister of Music Katrina B. Williams- Assistant to Executive Director

Willie Carey- President/Road Manager

For twenty-nine years, the awesome talent of the Mississippi Mass Choir has touched gospel fans. Some faces have changed, but the choir’s mission remains the same; “evangelizing the world in song.

”Reaching down to the root of this gospel powerhouse, one finds a very humble beginning. They have ministered in song in over 40 states within the USA, including Alaska. They have been fortunate enough to travel to international stages in countries such as Japan, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Bahamas, and Greece; becoming the first gospel group to perform at the Acropolis. While attending the famed Umbria Jazz Gospel and Soul Easter Festival in Terni, Italy, the choir was unexpectedly invited to sing for Pope John Paul II at his summer residence. On Christmas day in 2000 they Performed with the 90-piece Tenerife Symphonic Orchestra on a live telecast throughout the Canary Islands and Spain.

The Mississippi Mass Choir is an American gospel choir based in Jackson, Mississippi.

Serving God Through Song" is the motto and the mission of The Mississippi Mass Choir. Although striving to succeed in the gospel music industry, the choir's purpose is to help establish the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world. Since its formation in 1988, the choir has won numerous honors and awards for its contributions to gospel music. The group has traveled throughout the United States, toured Japan, Europe, and appeared in Nassau, the Bahamas.

After wrestling with the idea of forming a mass choir, Frank Williams, a member of The Jackson Southernaires and an executive in the gospel music division of Malaco Records, decided to form The Mississippi Mass Choir. First, he got the record company's support. Then he began calling on Mississippi talents like David R. Curry Jr., who became the choir's music director. Having the foundation laid, open auditions were held and more than 100 voices from across the state came together to form The Mississippi Mass Choir. After months of rehearsals, the choir recorded their first album and video The Mississippi Mass Choir Live on October 29, 1988.

In the spring of 1989, five weeks after their debut album was released, Billboard magazine certified it as the Number 1 Spiritual album in the country. The album stayed on the Billboard charts for a consecutive 45 weeks, setting a new record for gospel recordings. At the 9th annual James Cleveland GMWA Awards, the Mississippi Mass won the Choir of the Year-Contemporary, and Best New Artist of the Year-Traditional. They also walked away with four Stellar Awards in 1989 and nominated in several categories for the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards and Dove Awards.

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