GARY MAYES & NU ERA
There are many strong Gospel producers and artists on the scene today, but you'd be hard pressed to find one with more heart than Houston's Gary Mayes. He comes by it honestly, as his passion for God flows from a battle-scarred soul, one that has scored every lesson the hard way, through the blood, sweat and tears of real life. But those are the teachings that stick with us, and Gary Mayes is definitely sticking, in it to win it over the long haul.

Gary Mayes' first encounter with the drums was a divine appointment of the highest order, when he filled in for a missing performer at a worship service. At the tender age of 8 the gift was handed down, and he's been tearing' it up ever since, performing behind some of the industry's biggest names, from Kim Burrell, to El Debarge, to Yolanda Adams. Through the years he has developed into a gifted producer, writer, and director, serving for close to 11 years as Music Director at Fountain of Praise Church in Houston, one of the country's fastest growing churches with over 15,000 members. But Gary loves his church and his ministry for more than its opportunities; these are the people who have supported him and loved him hard and true on the long road back from incarceration.

He'll be the first to tell you that he took the long way home, spending a year and a half behind bars. But Gary also wants it known that it was time well spent. "Some people may say I've lost a year and a half," he shares, "but in my heart I know it gained me a lifetime. Everything changed for me in that year and a half, the best of my lifetime." The discipline and perspective that he found on the inside gave him solid understanding of how to really walk the Lord's line. "I became healthy and strong in there," he says. "Now I pray that I can live the same life of obedience on this side of the bars."

That fervor and red hot passion spills out all over Gary's third offering, the slammin' "Diary of a Strong Souljah," on Light Records. He and his talented Nu Era group lay down 18 tracks of blazing vertical worship. The double disc serves up a phenomenal 109 minutes of high energy praise, tight musicianship, and deeply sincere worship. You won't find a Gospel project more rooted in Scripture than "Diary of a Strong Souljah," and Mayes brings the souljah's mentality to the battle field too. The fierce opener "Hit the Deck" serves notice right out of the gate, featuring BB Jay's strong support on the blistering war cry. Mayes breaks down the Old Testament Scriptures for our encouragement on the swirling kaleidoscope of sound that is "A Word From the Father," featuring the NuWorldMuzick Family. Mayes has a rep for showcasing powerful vocalists, and his generosity is in evidence on "Diary of a Strong Souljah," featuring the mighty strengths of Nikki Ross on "Wait on Him," and the heartfelt and energetic praises of Jonathon Dunn on standout track "Holy."

Mayes lays out solid Scriptural exhortation throughout, leading the listener to straight-up church with his passionate call to surrender all. His soulful message of hope never wavers, from the jazz-flaired "Strong Souljahs," to the encouraging "I Think I Can/I Know I Can," to the funk-infused burning track of gratitude, "Oh I Thanq U." He meets the listener head-on with his goal of "getting you in contact with the God who deserves your worship."

Gary Mayes makes no apologies for his intentions on the uplifting "Diary of a Strong Souljah." "I can't please everybody," he says with confidence. "But it's cool, because now I'm here to please God." It's that heart-felt integrity, received finally into the deepest levels of his heart, that flavors "Diary of a Strong Souljah" through and through. And it has everything to do with making this rock solid album one of the year's most significant Gospel offerings. Look for "Diary of a Strong Souljah" to make a big impact when it drops on July 17th from Light Records.