Tribute Records
Encyclopedia
Tribute Records is an American
gospel music
record label
established in 1990. The label was co-founded by 26yr old jazz
musician and former pro basketball player Ben Tankard
and George King. King owned Nashville based Diadem Music Group which produced Contemporary Christian music
. Diadem's signature artist Bob Carlisle
is best known for his hit song "Butterfly Kisses
". Tribute became the urban contemporary gospel
(black gospel) division of Diadem and home to several gospel music stars, most notably Tankard (a keyboardist whose solo albums were instrumental releases), Yolanda Adams
, Twinkie Clark
of The Clark Sisters
and others. Tankard was executive producer and music producer on most of the early Tribute releases and his vision was to develop artists and pioneer a new smooth genre of music he coined as "gospeljazz". He featured Yolanda Adam's jazzy vocals on the album and concept video single " You Bring Out The Best In Me " on his 1994 release " Play Me In Your Key ". The jazzy collaborations of Tankard and Adams produced major crossover success and brought the name of Tribute Records to the forefront. Office Depot produced a gospel style " Taking Care Of Business " commercial national ad campaign that was centered around Tribute Records, Tankard, and Adams and ran from 1994-1996.
Though the Tribute Label imprint remained with Tankard, the label contracts were later absorbed by Benson Records
and later by Zomba Music Group
, the gospel conglomerate Verity Records
circa 1996. With all the mergers and moves that had taken place with Diadem/Tribute artists and projects, Tankard put the vision for Tribute Records on hold in 1998 and was bought out of his Vice President of A & R / Producer position with Diadem/Benson when the companies were relocated to New York City by Zomba Music Group
. Tankard accepted the buy-out and put all his emphasis (and money) on his own solo career. Under a long term artist contract with Verity Records
he recorded eight addition instrumental studio albums over the next decade becoming the world's bestselling gospel/jazz artist. Tankard's Verity Records
contract expired with the release of his 2009 album " Mercy,Mercy,Mercy " which won the 2010 Stellar Award."
Tankard's sixteenth studio album, the highly anticipated "Ben Tankard & Friends / Black Butterfly ", will be released late 2012 on his revamped Tribute Records (& Film) label and marks his return to the corporate executive chair. The Tribute imprint label is also the home to several TV and Film projects Tankard has in development including, " Gospel Cribs" (a reality show that showcases the homes and testimonies of gospel artists, actors, athletes, and entrepreneurs), and a documentary that details Tankard's motivational work with the National Basketball Association
(NBA).
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Tribute Records & Film (Division of Destiny Center,Inc): Upcoming Releases
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
established in 1990. The label was co-founded by 26yr old jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musician and former pro basketball player Ben Tankard
Ben Tankard
Ben Tankard is a former professional basketball player and an American gospel, jazz keyboardist producer, songwriter and motivational speaker. Ben dropped out of college after one year to play minor league pro basketball in Canada. He was invited to an NBA camp but was injured and cut...
and George King. King owned Nashville based Diadem Music Group which produced Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
. Diadem's signature artist Bob Carlisle
Bob Carlisle
Bob Carlisle is a Grammy Award and Dove Award-winning American musician who performs Christian music. He performed with several bands, most notably Allies and Billy Thermal, before launching a solo career...
is best known for his hit song "Butterfly Kisses
Butterfly Kisses (song)
"Butterfly Kisses" is the title of a song written by Bob Carlisle and Randy Thomas from Carlisle's third studio album Butterfly Kisses . The song was written for his daughter Brooke's 16th birthday. Carlisle also wrote a journal entitled Butterfly Kisses for fathers and their daughters...
". Tribute became the urban contemporary gospel
Urban contemporary gospel
Traditional black gospel is music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
(black gospel) division of Diadem and home to several gospel music stars, most notably Tankard (a keyboardist whose solo albums were instrumental releases), Yolanda Adams
Yolanda Adams
Yolanda Adams is an American Grammy- and Dove-award-winning Yolanda Adams is an American [[Grammy Awards|Grammy]]- and [[Dove Awards|Dove]]-award-winning...
, Twinkie Clark
Twinkie Clark
Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark-Terrell is a two-time Grammy Award–winning American gospel singer, composer, musician, and evangelist. She is a member of The Clark Sisters, an influential gospel vocal ensemble active since the late '60s.-The Clark Sisters:...
of The Clark Sisters
The Clark Sisters
The Clark Sisters are an American gospel vocal group consisting of four sisters:Jacky Clark Chisholm, Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark, Dorinda Clark-Cole, and Karen Clark Sheard. A fifth sister, Denise Clark Bradford, no longer performs with the group. The Clark Sisters are the daughters of legendary...
and others. Tankard was executive producer and music producer on most of the early Tribute releases and his vision was to develop artists and pioneer a new smooth genre of music he coined as "gospeljazz". He featured Yolanda Adam's jazzy vocals on the album and concept video single " You Bring Out The Best In Me " on his 1994 release " Play Me In Your Key ". The jazzy collaborations of Tankard and Adams produced major crossover success and brought the name of Tribute Records to the forefront. Office Depot produced a gospel style " Taking Care Of Business " commercial national ad campaign that was centered around Tribute Records, Tankard, and Adams and ran from 1994-1996.
Though the Tribute Label imprint remained with Tankard, the label contracts were later absorbed by Benson Records
Benson Records
Benson Records was founded by Bob Benson & John T. Benson, beginning as the John T. Benson Music Publishing Company in 1902. The record label started out as Heart Warming Records and would come to house labels such as Impact Records, Greentree Records, RiverSong, StarSong and Home Sweet Home...
and later by Zomba Music Group
Zomba Music Group
The Zomba Group of Companies was a music group and division which was owned by and operated under Sony Music Entertainment. The division was renamed to Jive Label Group in 2009 and was placed under the RCA/Jive Label Group umbrella. In 2011, the RCA/Jive Label Group was split in half...
, the gospel conglomerate Verity Records
Verity Records
Verity Records is an American gospel music-focused record label founded in 1994. The label is a now major component and namesake of Verity Gospel Music Group , the Gospel group operated by Jive Label Group, which in turn is owned by Sony Music Entertainment.-Artists :* 21:03* Crystal Aikin*...
circa 1996. With all the mergers and moves that had taken place with Diadem/Tribute artists and projects, Tankard put the vision for Tribute Records on hold in 1998 and was bought out of his Vice President of A & R / Producer position with Diadem/Benson when the companies were relocated to New York City by Zomba Music Group
Zomba Music Group
The Zomba Group of Companies was a music group and division which was owned by and operated under Sony Music Entertainment. The division was renamed to Jive Label Group in 2009 and was placed under the RCA/Jive Label Group umbrella. In 2011, the RCA/Jive Label Group was split in half...
. Tankard accepted the buy-out and put all his emphasis (and money) on his own solo career. Under a long term artist contract with Verity Records
Verity Records
Verity Records is an American gospel music-focused record label founded in 1994. The label is a now major component and namesake of Verity Gospel Music Group , the Gospel group operated by Jive Label Group, which in turn is owned by Sony Music Entertainment.-Artists :* 21:03* Crystal Aikin*...
he recorded eight addition instrumental studio albums over the next decade becoming the world's bestselling gospel/jazz artist. Tankard's Verity Records
Verity Records
Verity Records is an American gospel music-focused record label founded in 1994. The label is a now major component and namesake of Verity Gospel Music Group , the Gospel group operated by Jive Label Group, which in turn is owned by Sony Music Entertainment.-Artists :* 21:03* Crystal Aikin*...
contract expired with the release of his 2009 album " Mercy,Mercy,Mercy " which won the 2010 Stellar Award."
Tankard's sixteenth studio album, the highly anticipated "Ben Tankard & Friends / Black Butterfly ", will be released late 2012 on his revamped Tribute Records (& Film) label and marks his return to the corporate executive chair. The Tribute imprint label is also the home to several TV and Film projects Tankard has in development including, " Gospel Cribs" (a reality show that showcases the homes and testimonies of gospel artists, actors, athletes, and entrepreneurs), and a documentary that details Tankard's motivational work with the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA).
Notable 1990's Tribute Releases
- Ben Tankard: Keynote Speaker (1990)
- Yolanda Adams: Through The Storm (1991)
- Ben Tankard: Keys To Life (1991)
- Ben Tankard: An Instrumental Christmas (1991)
- New Jersey Mass Choir: Hope Of The World(1992)
- Ben Tankard: Sunday Drivin (1993)
- Yolanda Adams: Save The World (1993)
- Alabama State Mass Choir Have Thine Own Way (1993)
- Ben Tankard: Play Me In Your Key (1994)
- Yolanda Adams: More Than A Melody (1995)
- Yolanda Adams: Live In Washington (1996)
- Twinkie Clark: The Masterpiece (1996)
- Ben Tankard: Instrumentally Yours (1996)
- Ben Tankard & Tribe Of Benjamin: Git Yo Prayze On (1997)
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Tribute Records & Film (Division of Destiny Center,Inc): Upcoming Releases
- Album: Ben Tankard & Friends " Black Butterfly " 2012
- Album: Tribe Of Benjamin "Tribute's New Artist Sampler Vol. 1"
- TV Shows: "Ben & Jewel Tankard Today" (Motivational) 2011
- TV Show: "Gospel Cribs" (Reality) 2012
- NBA Documentary: "Bouncing Back From Failure" TBA
- Social Documentary: "Why Women Try To Change Men" TBA
- Social Documentary: "Urban Eagles" (Motivational profile of black pilots/aircraft owners). TBA