Wearing faith on the jacket
By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
IBERTY -- EDDIE HOWARD IS A CON-tradiction.
He will let his past affect some aspects of his career, but he refuses to let his accomplishments define him professionally.
The Liberty Township resident continuously pushes forward, facing new challenges.
Reflecting on the pain he felt while watching the terrorist attacks Sept. 11, and filtering in pains he personally felt before that day, Howard pushed himself once again for his latest project.
The Grammy Award-winning artist created "the WORD," a full-length CD that features him singing for the first time in his long career.
"Singing is something new I started," he said. "This [CD] was a personal experience. I figured if anybody could deliver it, I could really be the one to do it."
"The WORD," released on the New Spirit Music label -- for which Howard serves as president -- is his expression of healing songs.
"I really have no other words to describe them," he said.
With titles like "Jesus Knows (How You Feel)," "We Need A Healing" and "Come Back Home," it's pretty evident the songs come from a personal place, Howard said.
But he backs up the songs with Scripture; the jacket lists the inspiring words from the Bible under each title, including Psalm 23 and excerpts from John, Luke and Chronicles. The whole effect is like a musical study guide, which helps those experiencing pain or suffering.
His purpose
"People were hurting way before [Sept. 11], and people will continue to be hurting long after today," he said, noting that this CD is his way of letting people know they are not alone in that hurt.
It was watching the events of Sept. 11 that had a deep impact on him, making him think about the feelings people throughout the country were experiencing.
Howard, who also actively ministers in addition to his career as a musician and record executive, hopes "the WORD" will give all people a way to express their hurt and overcome it.
To support the CD, Howard will perform selections from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday at the New Beginning on Elm Road in Warren and July 8 at the Universal Caf & eacute; Arts and Lecture Series at First Unitarian Church in Youngstown.
Howard started his musical career at age 5, playing piano and writing songs, and credits his parents with encourages his love of music and his talent.
A graduate of Warren Western Reserve High School, Howard has remained in the Mahoning Valley throughout his life, these days with his wife, Denise, and their three children.
Howard and his brothers -- Kevin, Alvin and Eric -- made themselves known throughout Trumbull County for performances Sunday mornings at the St. James Church of God in Christ in Warren.
In 1993, the multitalented entertainer was awarded a Grammy for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album for his work on "Handel's Messiah -- A Soulful Celebration."
Spiritual element
Throughout his career, the performer-composer-arranger has worked with a number of established artists, including Anita Baker, The Clark Sisters and Walt Whitman and the Soul Children.
Every project he has worked on has featured some spiritual element, which only seems to add to the contradictions that make up his career.
A recent example of this comes from his work producing and performing on the Billboard-charting soundtrack "TaeBo Inspirational," which features high-energy gospel music for Billy Blanks' workout program.
The idea of "TaeBo Inspirational" was to create a piece that not only "worked on the physical well-bring, but also the spiritual well-being," Howard said.
Blanks' TaeBo workout program features innovative moves and high-energy exercises created by the Erie, Pa., native.
The project with Howard combined his spiritual side and motivational aspects of his smash workout sessions, creating hit singles in the process.
Howard and other contemporary gospel artists like David Dawson, Chit Chat and The St. James Choir charted with the songs "Highest Praise," "I Will Bless the Lord" and "You Can Praise Him."
slshaulis@vindy.com