A year after hitting #1 on the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs chart with the smash hit “Rain On Us,” Earnest Pugh is on his way back to the top spot with the new tune, “I Your Glory.” The single debuted at gospel radio at #29 last week and has jumped to #20 this week. The dramatic ballad (written by gospel star James Fortune who wrote the #1 hit “I Trust You”) has also received a 107% increase in radio spins, moving past new songs by platinum duo Mary Mary, Dorinda Clark Cole and Vashawn Mitchell.
“The song has a lyric that says less of me and more of you is what I need," Pugh says of the song that features lush background vocals against his signature high notes. “The book of John says it like this: He must increase and I must decrease. That song made me take an inventory of where I was in my walk and was I really decreasing and allowing God to increase in me as an artist? One morning while in prayer I asked the Lord to show me His glory. His response to me was, If you really want to see my glory you will have to put away your airs and pretense and come to me honestly about your struggles, challenges and your shortcomings.’ He would no longer allow me to sing, dance and shout over them. It was at that point that I yielded to Him and He revealed his presence to me in a mighty way.”
A Memphis native who got his start singing with O’Landa Draper & the Associates, Pugh released his first solo CD in 2006 and showed off his five-octave vocals on the radio hit “Wrapped Up, Tied Up, Tangled Up.” After years of making respectable forays into gospel, Pugh finally hit it big in 2009 with his #1 smash “Rain On Us” which led to TV appearances on BET’s “Celebration of Gospel” and TBN’s “Praise The Lord.” The new CD “Earnestly Yours” hits stores June 28th. Visit www.earnestpugh.com or www.mrkerrydouglas.com for more information.
