Sister Marshall and Joseph Niles honoured at Gospel concert

by Ricky Jordan

Has Jesus ever failed you yet?

He has never, never, never, never...failed Sister Marshall.

She sang this over and over to the audience at the Steel Shed last night, getting the backing band to rhythmically punctuate each "never" and "no" in the song He Never Failed Me Yet, and bringing the crowd to its feet in joyous dancing and acclamation.

Marshall's high energy climax to the 2011 Crop-Over Gospel concert capped a spirit-filled night of local talent and came after she was presented with a plaque by the Minister of Culture Stephen Lashley.

She and her fellow local gospel music pioneer Joseph Niles were honoured on the night; but sadly Niles, who is ailing, could not attend to add his stage magnetism to the evening.

But the 72-year-old Marshall, who revealed that she had cut and loaded sugarcane in former years before selling her trademark sno-cones,, noted that she had survived only because Jesus had never failed her.

Similar testimony was the order of the night, as singers Mya Daniel, Sheldon Hope, Sammi Jane, James Leacock and Paula Hinds opened the show with Lord You Are Good and later appeared individually.

Against a  backdrop of dazzling sequined lights, the performers flowed onto the stage and into the hearts of those packed into the Shed, including NCF chairman Monique Taitt and artistes TC, Smokey Burke and George Jones.

Among the performers were New Creation Ministries who expressed their joy in God's presence with dance and mime; spoken word artiste Marcus King, the five-voice group Dreydan, young dancers Destiny, vocal male group G Syndicate showing awesome harmony and originality, and the backing band Healing Hands led by longstanding ace drummer Frederick Griffith.

Also contributing to the spiritual warmth of the occasion was MC Pastor Mark Harewood, who at one point opened the altar, leading one woman to give her life to the Lord.

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