Try a little praise with your party
| Wednesday, Sep 09 2009 04:03 PM
Last Updated Wednesday, Sep 09 2009 04:05 PM
GO & DO
What: Gospel Music Festival
Where: Bright House Amphitheater, Stockdale Highway and Buena Vista Road
When: 3-10 p.m. Saturday
Admission: Free
Star attraction Matthew West has been gaining a lot of attention since his 2003 debut single "More," and multiple Dove Award nominations for his first album "Happy." He's had several chart-topping records, including "You Are Everything" and "The Motions." With a soaring career, West, who signed with Sparrow Records in 2007, plus a new wife and baby, seemed to have everything going his way.
But soon after his signing, West lost his voice due to a vascular polyp and hemorrhaging blood vessels. West was forced to put his career on hold and hope that complete vocal rest and surgery would restore his voice, and career.
West obviously recovered, and has resumed touring.
ABOUT MATTHEW WEST
With all there is to do in Bakersfield already this weekend, another community-wide event has been added to calendar this year: the first Gospel Music Festival on Saturday at Bright House Networks Amphitheater. It starts at 3 p.m
Rising Christian music star Matthew West is the headliner for the music festival, which will also feature a number of local groups from several different Christian churches.
"I think it's great," said Roman Catholic musician Javier Valenzuela, whose group, The SonRise Singers, opens the concert. "It gets all the denominations together to present the different types of worship music that's available."
San Joaquin Hospital is the originating sponsor of the event, chaired by vice president of marketing and development Jarrod McNaughton.
McNaughton, a Bakersfield native who is also a professional singer, returned two years ago after a six-year absence.
McNaughton said the event seemed a natural for the hospital, which is run by Adventist Health.
"Of course, the hospital is a faith-based Christian hospital," McNaughton said.
"There's a lot of literature about how healing music is. We're a community hospital and we thought it would be good to showcase local artists"
McNaughton said the festival committee auditioned dozens of groups and soloists.
Those who will be performing at the festival include The Boasting Weak, Rob Ryerson, The SonRise Singers, Rick Baze, McNaughton with Kristin Briley, Sandy Johnson, the St. John's Baptist Evangelical Choir, and the Carillo Family.
"There's phenomenal talent here," McNaughton said. "I knew that before I left given the arts in this community."
"It was quite a difficult decision for the committee to make," McNaughton said, speaking of the acts that were turned down. "There were so many great artists."
While the event is listed as the "First Annual," McNaughton said the hospital will have to wait and see what happens.
"If the community's receptive to it, then we would sure like to make it an annual event," McNaughton said.
