Donald Lawrence Talks How Sweet The Sound & Choir Culture

• Choirs are a 'non-accredited conservatory' that train great singers and musicians.
• How Sweet The Sound is more of a celebration than a competition, pushing choirs to excel.
• Lawrence's choir rehearsals are intense, sometimes 10-12 hours a day, to achieve perfect blend.

A Gospel Giant Returns To How Sweet The Sound

On Get Up! Mornings With Erica Campbell, Cheryl Jackson caught up with gospel legend Donald Lawrence about his longtime role with How Sweet The Sound. Donald shares that he was the host on the very first installment of the event when Verizon launched it years ago. Over time, he became a true brand ambassador for the competition and everything it represents. This year, he returns once again to host and help lead the number one gospel choir competition in the country.

Why Choirs Are “A Non‑Accredited Conservatory”

Donald lights up when he talks about choirs. He calls the choir “an institution” that has trained some of the greatest singers and musicians in the world. From Whitney Houston to Aretha Franklin and many others, he says nearly every artist fans love has been influenced in some way by the gospel choir. He even describes the choir as a “non‑accredited conservatory,” because it functions like a training ground for vocalists and band members. For him, championing choirs and choir culture has become a lifelong assignment.

More Celebration Than Competition

Although How Sweet The Sound is billed as a competition, Donald insists it is really a celebration. It celebrates gospel music, choirs, and the culture they carry. JJ Hairston has even called it a “concert/competition” because audiences get so much from both the choirs and the featured artists. Donald agrees and notes that when great choirs come together, “iron sharpens iron.” The environment pulls out each group’s greatness and pushes everyone to rehearse more, train harder, and keep growing.

The Discipline Behind A Donald Lawrence Choir

Cheryl points out that choirs under Donald’s direction sound like one voice in each section. Donald laughs and admits he loves a good blend. He treats arranging voices like working with a careful recipe. He considers himself a connoisseur of choirs and background vocals and takes the craft seriously. His group does not rehearse constantly, but when they do, it is intense—sometimes 10 to 12 hours a day. He even recalls a Michael Jackson interview where the star said that, if he could do anything differently, he would rehearse more. That line stuck with Donald and shapes how he works with singers today.

How Sweet The Sound Comes To DC

Cheryl closes by highlighting this year’s How Sweet The Sound, happening May 30 at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. The night will feature JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise, Kierra Sheard Kelly, Jekalyn Carr, David and Tamela Mann, and Donald Lawrence hosting and judging alongside them. Griff from Get Up! Mornings will also be in the building. Choirs from around the world—including HBCU choirs, community choirs, spoken word artists, dancers, and soloists—will compete for the top title. Listeners can get tickets now at HowSweetTheSound.com.

Donald Lawrence Talks How Sweet The Sound, Choir Culture And The Power Of Rehearsal was originally published on getuperica.com