The Office for Equal Opportunity and the Office of Multicultural Affairs is pleased to announce Virginia Tech's Second Annual Black History Month Gospel Concert featuring Fred Hammond and special guests Zie'l, Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008, in Burruss Hall Auditorium. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. and the concert will begin at 5 p.m.

Fred Hammond, founder and CEO of Face to Face Productions Corporation, is known throughout the world as a talented songwriter, bassist, vocalist, musical arranger, and producer. Hammond has sold nearly two million albums as a solo artist and a member of the urban group Commissioned. Hammond has received numerous awards and nominations throughout his career including the Grammy, NAACP Image, Stellar, Dove, and Gospel Music Workshop of America Excellence Awards.

Since founding Face to Face Productions Co. in 1992, Hammond has produced more than 80 albums. The unique sound of Face to Face Productions has captivated the gospel marketplace and successfully delivered the praise and worship format to the African-American church that has resulted in a new genre of gospel music—Urban Praise and Worship. As a major contributor to this new category in gospel music, Hammond has become one of the most respected names in the industry.

Zie’l features Crystal Bell, Christina Bell, Aphten Jones, and Keyondra Lockett. At the 23rd Annual Stellar Awards—an awards show commonly thought of as the Grammy Awards of black gospel music—“Genesis,” Zie’l’s 2006 debut album, was nominated for contemporary group/duo of the year.

Tickets for the concert are $10 and are available from the University Unions and Student Activities (UUSA) Ticket Office on the first floor of Squires Student Center. See a flyer for the event. For additional information, e-mail Ray Plaza or call (540) 231-7289.

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