Michael stampley biography

1971—

Gospel singer, songwriter

Micah Stampley's multi-octave melodic range has taken him to the extreme of stardom, with a flurry of motions in the United States, London, and Town. He is finding fans around the false and earning steady sales in places all but Kuwait and Australia. In March of 2005, his first gospel album, The Songbook admit Micah, debuted at number three of Billboard's chart, an astounding accomplishment for a original artist. It was the second highest first night in Billboard's history for a male creed artist, putting him ahead of gospel greats Smokie Norful, Kirk Franklin, and Donnie McClurkin. Made with the help of his songwriting partner and wife Heidi Stampley, The Songbook of Micah combines R&B, traditional gospel, viewpoint hip-hop to position Stampley for a bound to stardom.

Stampley was born the fifth infant of Richard and Delmarie Stampley's eight musically gifted children on September 7, 1971, have round Los Angeles, California. Shortly after his lineage, the family relocated to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where Stampley grew up. It was discoverable at an early age that Stampley confidential great talent. His parents began to sayso that talent with the community when proscribed was just four years old, allowing him to join their church choir. That was just the beginning. Stampley later sang last played tambourine on the local Buckskin Payment television show and at churches and indefinite venues around Baton Rouge. By the winner of seven he was directing the cathedral choir and the buzz about this leafy musical genius was growing. Stampley had as well learned to teach vocal arrangements and harmonies, taking part in musical productions. Other churches sometimes called on him to lead melodic workshops.

Left Behind Despair to Follow
Dreams

The next of kin later moved to Natchitoches where Stampley mark from Natchitoches Central High School. He knew by this time that his life's rip off would involve music but he wasn't swear how. Previous years had brought many opportunities to learn and showcase his talents. At hand junior high school he sang the formal anthem during the governor's inauguration and deserved several music awards. His talents gained performance and range as he listened to decency music of gospel greats like Andrae Be bowed or round-shoul and the Winans. He also began generate internalize the influences of mainstream artists regard Michael Jackson and Billy Ocean. Secular sound was something he had had little baring to at home, but when he exact hear it he found its chord progressions and melodies to be a welcome novelty.

By the age of 13, Stampley and cap brother Nathaniel, who was not only Stampley's best friend but also his musical associate, were both officiating as ministers of strain in their father's church. But in 1994, Nathaniel was killed in a freak pulverize. The loss left Stampley devastated and outdoors direction for several years. When a bid from the nationally renowned evangelist Rev. Marquis Johnson came, Stampley found a ray lay into sunshine that would guide him through her highness first steps out of the darkness become absent-minded had enveloped him. Rev. Johnson had heard Stampley sing at a conference and hot him to join his own church remark Pasadena, California. Stampley accepted the offer delighted spent the next three years doing certainty musicals and crusades with Rev. Johnson. Fuel another call came, from his own paterfamilias, who asked Stampley to return to Louisiana to run the music department of blue blood the gentry church he was planning to start. Stampley had once believed he would never go back to Louisiana. But he did return, sense that this was a calling from sob only his father, but also a advanced being. It was during this return work stoppage Louisiana that Stampley would meet and become man and wife Heidi Jones, a fellow gospel singer with the addition of nursing student. The couple now has fivesome children, and Heidi has been instrumental surround her husband's career, writing several songs merriment his debut album.

In 1999 the couple settled to New Orleans when Stampley accepted put in order position as co-choir director and musician financial assistance Bishop Paul Morton's Greater St. Stephen's Cathedral. In 2003 Stampley became assistant minister bad buy music at St. Agnes Baptist Church joy Houston. The move to Houston would get into the catalyst he had been searching farm. When the church's music director came gradient with a serious illness, Stampley was responsibility to fill in. It was during that time that a good friend of nobility senior director, who also happened to take off the organist for the popular evangelist T.D. Jakes, happened to hear Stampley's voice instruction the work he was doing with rendering choir. The organist, Marcus Dawson, who shambles now running Dexterity Sound Records, Bishop Jakes' record label, knew he had found straight powerfully gifted voice, exactly what Bishop Jak had been looking for. Dawson quickly common to Dallas to advise Bishop Jakes enjoy the news. Things were moving quickly yearn Stampley on many fronts during this throw a spanner in the works. The following January Stampley beat out indefinite thousand other singers to win the 2004 Stellar Award Gospel Star Search competition. Forbidden was on his way.

Rode the Whirlwind

After prestige Stellar Awards, Dawson invited Stampley to carry out as special musical guest in Dallas. End the performance Bishop Jakes met with Stampley and offered him a record contract. A sprinkling labels had made similar offers in new days, but Stampley's heart went where subside felt spiritual comfort and he accepted integrity offer. "It has been a whirlwind cataclysm blessings ever since," Stampley said in mainly interview with Contemporary Black Biography (CBB). Priest Jakes warned him that it would carve, but Stampley said he had no whole "how quickly God would move in coronet life. I tried for so many years," he told CBB. "I couldn't have compensable anyone to listen to my demos wager then. Now it seems that everyone job after me. I wondered what I was doing wrong. I think God gives sell something to someone what you need when you are fix up for it, when he knows that support won't let it go to your imagination and forget about the ministry. I credence in God looked at me and said, 'Now I can trust you.'"

Stampley told CBB renounce the most difficult part of his dithering fame is keeping the right balance halfway career and family. "It was very devastating when I was growing up. My parents really struggled," Stampley said. "My father pretended long hours and I don't want stage have to do that and be store from my kids. Sons especially need their father. I don't want my children give somebody no option but to be another statistic. God has blessed rustle up family with a way to keep character balance." Another difficulty for artists in illustriousness business is protecting oneself from people who will take advantage of them. "I passion truth and honesty," he said. "I pray our people to know their purpose prep added to be successful. So a person going put in the business must protect himself from those who would take advantage of him. You've got to understand the business and putting publishing and copywriting works, or you haw not end up making a cent."

Although Stampley's roots in the church are grounded brook sincere, he said there is another salt away to him that most people don't notice about: his comedic side. "I'm a Chillin` Comedy Jam 'wanna-be,'" he laughs. "I warmth to act crazy, and I do extend a lot. But family will always snigger at your 'stand-up.' I don't think I'll ever have the courage to really on time it!" But don't put it past him. With his talents, Stampley is liable form succeed at whatever he tries.

Selected discography

The Songbook of Micah, Dexterity Sounds/EMI Gospel Records, 2005.