Shirley Murdock

Home is the debut gospel project from noted R&B vocalist Shirley Murdock. Although this is her first all-gospel offering, performing gospel music is nothing new for Murdock, having appeared on the 1997 Grammy-nominated project by T.D. Jakes entitled Woman Thou Art Loosed as well as Jakes' controversial 1999 release Sacred Love Songs. Home features a number of the industry's top producers, including Derrick "D.O.A." Allen, Danny Weatherspoon, Cedric Thompson, Kevin Bond, and Sanchez Harley, along with Murdock's husband, Dale Degroat. Throughout this project, Murdock displays why she was recognized as one of R&B's top vocalists. She does a splendid job covering the powerful, message-driven ballad penned by the late Thomas Whitfield entitled "We Need a Word From the Lord." Other attention-grabbing ballads include the beautiful song of encouragement "Never Let You Down" and the inspirational "The Dream That Would Not Die." Murdock does not forsake her R&B roots, offering a number of urban-flavored, groove-filled woofer-rattlers; among those are the tracks "Somebody" as well as the regular and remixed versions of "This Is That." A very pleasing effort from this talented vocalist. ~ Tim Smith, All Music Guide