The Albums

Click on the above album covers.

Witness has often been compared to Commissioned. It is too simplistic to claim, as some have done, that Witness is the female version of Commissioned, for the two groups truly have maintained their own identities over their long years of existence.

Nevertheless, there are some intriguing similarities between the two super-groups. Of course, both groups hail from the Detroit area, and both debuted in the late 1980’s. Both have maintained a strong fan base and both have paved the way for the myriads of other contemporary Gospel groups who followed.

But perhaps the strongest similarity begins with Witness’ founder and producer, Michael Brooks, who himself is a founding member of Commissioned. Certainly his keyboard skills, production and his strong songwriting marked the early years of Commissioned. Michael Brooks continues to serve in all of these areas with the continuation of Witness.

Here are some additional facts that link the groups together:

• Founding Commissioned members Fred Hammond and Michael Williams played on Witness’ first three albums (see Witness discography).
  
  
• Some of the same session players shared their skills on Witness and Commissioned albums: Earl Wright on keyboard and Eric Brice on guitar are both credited.
  
  
• Witness member Lou Stewart is married to Parkes Stewart, who has had a longtime association (songwriting, vocals) with Commissioned.
  
  
• Witness sang “Living Beneath Your Privilege”, a song first performed by Lexi (on her debut project Call Her Lexi). Lexi is a former member of Fred Hammond’s Radical For Christ choir.
  
  
• Witness members sang background vocals for Commissioned’s Keith Staten’s first solo album in 1990, From The Heart.
  
  
• Both Commissioned and Witness reunited early this new millenium to record an album.