RANSOMED SOUL: Micah Stampley talks about being delivered from hard knocks and suicide.

twitt RANSOMED SOUL: Micah Stampley talks about being delivered from hard knocks and suicide.

Ahhhh the good life. Micah Stampley is patting nectar from his lips from eating the succulent fruit sitting on the counter when I enter the dressing room. As he rises to greet me with a hug I’m conscious not to get my made up face near his Clorox clean Ivory-colored jacket.

The setting is the Evening of Stars tribute to Aretha Franklin. The beat of Franklin’s “Rock Steady” is throbbing through the house speakers at the Kodak Theatre as Micah Stampley lets the elite opportunity of being hand-picked to sing for The Queen of Soul sink in. That was 3 years ago and the favor keeps flowing toward this man of deep faith.

Just when Micah Stampley thought he’d received the ultimate compliment from Aretha — as the story goes they’d never met; Aretha heard him sing on TV and hunted him down! Even the President of Ghana, Africa personally requested the multi-octave-mounting tenor to come minister in his country.

micah stampley RANSOMED SOUL: Micah Stampley talks about being delivered from hard knocks and suicide.

Micah Stampley hasn’t been far from the spotlight since he won the 2004 Stellar Award Talent Search and released his record breaking first album “The Songbook of Micah” (Dexterity Sounds / EMI Gospel ), which premiered as the second highest male debut in Billboard music history.

His magnetic voice has jolted him from anonymity and seemingly insurmountable odds to become a cross-cultural … all ages favorite. His versatile voice is a paradoxical composite of rock squawking with the tenderness of a soul balladeer.

Words like hit-maker, chart-topper, and phenom all accurately describe the highly acclaimed artist; they all explain why he is in-demand at venues nationally and quickly garnering international attention. But none of them adequately grasp what makes him unique. With his Manager/writing partner/wife Heidi by his side, this conscientious observer sings and writes lyrically poignant music with themes that urge submission and holy living that supernaturally transports listeners from the here and now. Give Micah a mic and a few minutes and he will convert any space into a place of pure worship.

The depth of his passionate performances stems from the belief he has in a God who has seen him through the death of a close relative, homelessness twice (once as a youth and while married) and a suicide attempt. For now, the 37-year-old father of five is rocking steady in his career, but in this interview excerpt he flashes back to the adverse circumstances that speckle the journey that brought him to the good life and talks about his upcoming new release “Ransomed,” an unadulterated worship offering, balanced with hymns recorded live in Atlanta:

micah stampley 1 RANSOMED SOUL: Micah Stampley talks about being delivered from hard knocks and suicide.

Original Article By: Mona Austin

More… Read the full story in the Winter 2008 issue of Precious Times magazine.

Written by

I have worked in the Gospel Music industry continuously since 1993, as a Gospel Music Promoter and Musician. My career has included working with some of Gospel Music’s top recording artist, such as Kurt Carr, Maurette Brown Clark, Stephen Hurd, J Moss, and Andrae Crouch etc. I am experienced in many areas of the Gospel Music Industry. I am a Promoter, Musician, Singer, Music Coordinator, Event Manager and Gospel Music Reviewer. I have particularly strong experience in Event Management and have managed and organised many successful event throughout the years. I have developed a strong international Gospel Music Industrial respect from industry. My event management experience is founded upon a strong Musical background.

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