The year 2002 is shaping up to perhaps be the most intense year of significant new music that Gospel has ever seen. The biggest names in Gospel each seem to have something cooking.

You may as well start lining up at Home Depot this weekend to buy extra shelving and CD case reinforcements!

Here’s a brief rundown of some highlights that will soon be heard on a radio near you. At least that’s what it seems like, but as anyone looking forward to a particular release can testify, albums can get delayed for many reasons:

Kirk Franklin headlines them all, with his Rebirth of Kirk Franklin project slated for an early year release. Informally referred to as his ‘Church Project’, the album is said to mark a re-emergence of Franklin’s more tender musical side, with strong emphasis on ballads and multiple pairings with guest artists, including Bishop T.D. Jakes and Jaci Velasquez.

Woody, known for his Dru Hill days, comes out with his long-delayed solo Gospel project from GospoCentric in the first quarter, featuring a slew of invited guests, among them Gospel Gangstaz, also Sisquo, Mary Mary, BBJay and Case.

Continuing with the urban scene, Ray Bady, brother of noted producer Percy Bady, gearing up for his GospoCentric solo debut, is giving the nation a taste of what’s to come by opening for CeCe Winans and Donnie McClurkin on their Fall 2001 tour. Look for fresh vocals from the noted drummer.

On the same label, Trin-i-tee 5:7 is due for their junior album. Noted cuts include a Gospel remake of “Love”, made popular by neosoul’s posterboy, Musiq Soulchild.

Duos kick into action early in 2002, with Mary Mary’s sophomore album, Happy first in February, preceded by the anticipated debut of urban inspirational twosome, Pam & Dodi from MCA Records in early January.

Then there’s the divas, with Yolanda Adams’ December 2001 release Believe sure to keep the charts humming, but up against labelmate Karen Clark-Sheard’s sophomore solo album in March 2002, as well as Dorinda Clark Cole’s early 2002 entry (featuring production from Asaph Ward). Twinkie Clark is slated for an album with Verity later in the year.

There’s also releases from Maurette Brown-Clark (on AIR Gospel) in January, Helen Baylor (on Diadem with special guest Marvin Winans), Shirley Murdock (on Dexterity Sound / EMI Gospel) and expectations for new music from both Kim Burrell and Vickie Winans further on.

The Anointed Pace Sisters return with a something new on Pace Gospel in the early part of the year, and Richard Smallwood’s Vision favorite Vanessa Williams is also set for a solo effort, on Detroit’s new Bajada Records. Kirvy Brown delivers a solo project on Evidence Gospel later in the year.

All eyes remain peeled for the label whereabouts of Dawkins and Dawkins. We know they’re not dormant, just not sure where we’ll find their next project, but hoping it will be in 2002. Gotta be, no?

Urban stylings from Charles Woolfork and Covenant (live this time) as well as Tonéx's next studio effort O2 are also on the horizon. Marvin Winans Jr.’s promising M2Entertainment entity looks to debut select urban artists in 2002, and Crazy C’s SoulMuzick empire will be bringing out more releases, including new material from Sounds of Urban Life (S.O.U.L.) to follow up on their debut splash from 2001.

Out of Eden’s fourth album is slated for January 2001, and newcomers Joshua's Troop bring out the urban sound, produced by Percy Gray, on their Tyscot debut in February. The Kenoly Brothers are busily assembling their sophomore project for their own Next Generation Music Group, this time featuring new rapper Eric G.

On the choir scene, it appears that one of the first off the blocks will be Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers, with Bishop Walter Hawkins guesting. The live project titled Go Get Your Life Back is from EMI Gospel in February. The label expects to go one-two on the choir front with a March release from Lamar Campbell and Spirit of Praise.

Look for new projects from Madison Mission Mass Choir, Mississippi Mass, MDM and Voices and Bubby Fann and Unlimited Praise. The Whitfield Company has a live project slated for next year on Crystal Rose Records.

Youthful Praise goes national with their Awesome God release in January from Evidence Gospel. And the urban choir fires get lit with Joshua's Troop out of the AARC camp in Chicago, on Tyscot.

On the male ensemble tip, Alabama-rooted newcomers Chapter 5 looks set to impress on the Affiliation label, as does promising and independent newcomers, New Harvest. Veterans Take 6 drop a brand new album (Beautiful World) on Warner Brothers in February. And there’s high hopes (at least from staff here!) that Image, the group that Marcus Cole is grooming, gets quickly signed and makes it with a project in 2002. Their one song "If Loving You Is Wrong" on the Songs for the Soul album (see review) is all we needed to hear to start anticipating more.

Men of Standard are now looking at early 2002 for their junior effort on Muscle Shoals Sound Gospel, the project with an apparent increased urban edge to it. In March and on Motown, BeBe Winans delivers his third solo project, this one recorded live in Washington DC with guests Debbie Winans, Juan Winans, Stephanie Mills and others.

Hip hop looks to continue to heat up the scene. Cross Movement has been putting out new material in live concerts, fueling expectancy for another project in 2002. Duo New Breed turned heads on DJMaj’s 2001 sophomore project; their debut project drops mid year on prolific Uprok Records, as does the long-awaited third album fellow Tunnel Rats, L.P.G. Also set to debut is Philly crew The Process on Isaiah Entertainment. Gospel Gangstaz may find time to drop their B-Rite sophomore joint in 2002, one has been rumored for a while.

Praise and Worship continues with a kid’s project produced by Israel Houghton on Integrity slated for mid-year, and Rodney Posey releases his live album early in 2002, recorded in Cincinnatti. Kurt Carr has been pegged to produce the GospoCentric live debut for Byron Cage, to take place at Bishop Dennis Leonard’s church in January 2002. Joe Pace produces a jazz/instrumental praise album for Integrity, with guests Ben Tankard, Abraham Laboriel, Jonathan DuBose Jr., Kirk Whalum, Steven Ford and others.

After an absence, Craig Crawford returns to the scene with his next instrumental album, and Harborwood Records is certain to continue with their instrumental offerings. Masque delivers their sophomore jazz album, 811 from Meek Records early in the year, and keyboardist John Stoddart looks to make good on his Warner Bros. debut.

Traditional projects continue to have an appeal, and that will increase in 2002 with the immediate January release of Rev. Norman Hutchins latest from JDI Records, followed by a sermon album from him in spring. The Canton Spirituals are set for a new project mid-year, and The Charles Fold Singers have something cooking for March 2002. There’s also a new project from Rev. Timothy Wright in the wings, this one a reunion album that was recorded live last year. Rev. Clay Evans, Saints With A Vision, a new solo album from Doug Williams and a late year album from Bishop T.D. Jakes and the Potter’s House Mass Choir will also draw attention.

Newcomer Tehillah Records, based out of Bishop Paul S. Morton's church, drops the Daughters of Promise live project (with production from Michael Robinson) in Spring. Rev. Arthur Jones of Florida Mass renown debuts a solo project from AAMG in the Spring.

Newly signed singer/songwriter Smokie Norful (on EMI Gospel) enters in Spring. Other new artists to keep an ear clear for are Tamara Haddon, Bridgette Campbell (on Holy Spirit Records), Joann Rosario (on Fhammond Music) and Joanna Valencia on Gotee Records. The quartetish Texas Boyz from Blackberry also look to be hot.

It’s shaping to be huge Commissioned year as well, with not only the Reunion live project due out in April, but also solo albums from Mitchell Jones and also Keith Staten on their own labels, plus a new album from Parkes Stewart. Marvin Sapp’s next album, I Believe is also slated for release, and Fred Hammond and Radical for Christ are due for a new album later in the year.

Compilation and special projects are highlighted by the January release from Bishop T.D. Jakes, who presents Woman, Thou Art Loosed Worship 2002, Run To The Water...The River Within. WOW Gospel 2002 also comes through in Febuary, and word is that the Bad Boy Gospel compilation will eventually bpw in mid 2002.

Tyscot is prepping for dedication project titled One Nation Under GOD, a compilation inspired by requests from their artists who wanted to help uplift the victims and families of the terrorist tragedy of September 2001. The project includes Deitrick Haddon, Bishop Larry D. Trotter, Joshua’s Troop, Dr. Leonard Scott, Rev. Dan Willis, Franklin Bubby Fann, and Randall Fats Blakely, with a mix of new and old music.

Another special album due for 2002 is the US debut in February of Queen Esther Marrow & The Harlem Gospel Singers, on Dexterity Sound. From the same label is the March release of Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell & Windsor Village UMC with Kathy Taylor Brown.

Bishop Larry Trotter returns in March (with friends), on a new Tyscot release. Rev. Clay Evans, Bishop J. Delano Ellis, Bishop Paul S. Morton, Pastor Charles G. Hayes, Bishop H. Daniel Wilson and DeAndre Patterson join him.

And if that’s not all, there’s new music from Hezekiah Walker and LFCC, John P. Kee and New Life, and a solo project from Deitrick Haddon all coming down the pipeline for later in 2002.

With all these projects and no doubt several more, plus the inevitable sleepers that crop up, truly only God knows how we as consumers will be sorting them all out, let alone who will be residing chart top come the end of 2002.

Like they always say, stay tuned!