GRAMMY® Award Winning Producer Steve Lawrence Named New Executive Director of Faith Outreach and Content For ALRIGHT TV

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Tracey E. Edmonds, President and COO of Our Stories Films today announced the appointment of GRAMMY^® Award winner Steve Lawrence as the Executive Director of Faith Outreach and Content for the newly created ALRIGHT TV, a digital collaboration with YouTube.   

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In his new role, Lawrence will lead the channel's outreach efforts to churches and faith-based groups nationwide, and will assist in the development of faith-friendly content for the channel. He will also be responsible for ALRIGHT's national rollout of live and digital streaming service of church broadcasts from across the country. 

"We are excited to bring Steve on board as ALRIGHT TV's executive director of faith outreach and content," said Edmonds. "He has an impressive career working for 11 years at The Potter's House Church, led by Bishop T.D. Jakes in Dallas, Texas, and he has been the driving force behind so many of the major gospel productions that have captured our attention throughout the years," she continued. "His roots in the faith community will help us bring the strongest possible faith-friendly content to audiences, and I am confident his solid relationships will have a positive impact on our upcoming projects."

"I am honored to join ALRIGHT TV and look forward to helping to integrate faith-friendly messages into the programming that we will offer through the new channel," said Lawrence. "There are so many creative ideas underway and working with Tracey E. Edmonds and her team will prove to be incredibly rewarding. As executive director, I will work to ensure that our audience receives the best faith-friendly programming available and that viewers from across the country have the opportunity to experience inspirational and aspirational messages like never before."

Originally from Washington D.C., Lawrence is recognized nationally as one of the greatest producers, worship leaders and music teachers. He currently serves as the fulltime music consultant for several churches, including the Potters House Church of Denver, Colorado under the ministerial leadership of Pastor Christopher Hill.

Lawrence worked for 11 years for Bishop T.D. Jakes' The Potter's House Church in Dallas, Texas, and his impressive credits include: producer, 2007's Grace Live In Kenya with T.D. Jakes & The Potters House Mass Choir, recorded live from Nairobi, Kenya; producer, 2003 GRAMMY^® award winner for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album for A Wing & A Prayer with T.D. Jakes & The Potters House Mass Choir, released through EMI Gospel; producer, 2001 GRAMMY^® nominated, The Storm is Over, with T.D. Jakes & The Potters House Mass Choir, released through EMI Gospel; 2005 winner of the BMI Christian Music Awards for Song of the Year for One Thing; and as the vocal producer and arranger for Marvin Sapp's 2003 Diary of A Psalmist, released through Verity Records.

For over 25 years, Lawrence has collaborated with music artists and talents such as Kirk Franklin, Tyler Perry, Marvin Sapp, Donnie McClurkin, Yolanda Adams, Kurt Carr, Donald Lawrence, Karen Clark-Sheard, Kim Burrell, Tramaine Hawkins, Vickie Winans, Smokie Norful, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Byron Cage, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Kirk Whalum, Bill & Gloria Gaither, Kelly Price, Aaron Neville, The Blind Boys of Alabama and Mary Mary.

About The RLJ Companies: The RLJ Companies, founded by Robert L. Johnson, is an innovative business network that provides strategic investments in a diverse portfolio of companies. Within The RLJ Companies portfolio, Johnson owns or holds interests in businesses operating in a publicly traded hotel real estate investment trust; private equity; financial services; asset management; insurance services; automobile dealerships; sports and entertainment; and video lottery terminal (VLT) gaming. The RLJ Companies is headquartered in Bethesda, MD, with affiliate operations in Charlotte, NC; Little Rock, AR; Los Angeles, CA; San Juan, PR; and Monrovia, Liberia. Prior to founding The RLJ Companies, Johnson was founder and chairman of Black Entertainment Television (BET). For more information visit: www.rljcompanies.com.

About Our Stories Films, LLC: Our Stories Films is the first African American owned film production studio that produces theatrical motion pictures that showcase the talents of African Americans on both sides of the camera and in the creative process. Founded in 2006, Our Stories Films is headquartered in Hollywood, CA, and targets underserved, urban audiences within the family and urban comedy genre with a production budget of $5M–$7M per film. In May 2011, Our Stories Films in collaboration with TriStar, a Sony Pictures Entertainment company, produced and released Jumping the Broom, which debuted as the number one comedy during the opening box office weekend. For additional information please visit: www.ourstoriesfilms.com.

Contact: Candace Randle, 1-240-744-7821, [email protected]

SOURCE The RLJ Companies