Gemstone Records launched with Patrick Bernard album.

A BRAND new British black gospel label, Gemstone Records, released their first album this week - a debut recording by Patrick Bernard, titled 'True'.

Bernard who in the past has worked with members of Take 6 and appeared on Gospel Show 'People Get Ready', has written arranged and performed all the music on the album himself. The label was initially set up after its founder, Tony Graham, heard Bernard sing and wanted to work with him. "His vocal range was phenomenal," Graham told a journalist recently. "I knew he wanted to sing gospel, and I knew I wanted to work with artists of this calibre." Now the label plan to work with a number of British artists, including Karen Ramileze and Shirley Fenty. Mainstream distribution for the label will be handled by Rough Trade, while Gemstone are organising promotion and distribution to the Christian market themselves. CR

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