Stephen Hurd

Who is Stephen Hurd?

Over the last decade, Stephen Hurd has distinguished himself as one of the leading voices in urban praise and worship music and his songs “Undignified” and “Lead Me To The Rock” are sung at faith gatherings around the globe. Now, he’s preparing to release his most ambitious project yet, O That Men Would Worship, his sixth CD and the first on his own Hurd The Word recording label. He’s designed the new CD as a tool to inspire men to take on a greater leadership role in church worship services. Recorded live at The First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro, MD where Hurd is the Minister of Music, the collection is scheduled to hit retail stores on March 20, 2012 (date change )via a distribution deal with Central South Distribution, Inc.

Joining Hurd for this manly worship experience are Verity Gospel Music Group recording artist Jason Nelson, Christian pop artist Anthony Evans and Minister Deonte Gray who is a member of the 7 Sons of Soul vocal group. Hurd created an all male sextet of singers to back certain songs and a coed group called Extol to back the CD as a whole. Aside from co-writing most of the songs, Hurd produced the fifteen track set alongside up-and-coming producers Kenny Shelton and Anthony Brown.

Celebrated producer Steve Ford, who’s worked with acts ranging from Phyllis Hyman to Richard Smallwood, created the lush string arrangements while the in-demand Phil Lassiter (John P. Kee, Marvin Sapp) delivered the hearty horn arrangements. “It was the easiest thing I’ve ever done,” Hurd says of the recording. “There was no drama. Everybody was excited to be there and came with the attitude of what can I do to make this impact?”

Although, Hurd began recording albums in the late 1990s, his first national CD release was 2004’s A Call To Worship (Integrity Music) that featured the Caribbean-styled radio smash, “Undignified.” The 2006 My Destiny (Integrity Music) CD featured the hit singles “Great Praise (The War Cry)” and “Destiny” while his 2008 Top 10 Stellar Award winning CD, Times of Refreshing. (Integrity Music), featured the radio single, “Amazing.”