Paul Christensen and his wife Donna Christensen and their award winning Omega Productions crew were recently in Memphis shooting a live concert DVD for Atlanta based 
Air Gospel Records. The project, featuring Air Gospel’s flagship artist, Dottie Peoples, backed by a hand picked vocal ensemble and Memphis’ own acclaimed Billy Rivers & The Angelic Voices of Faith, was the culmination of a whirlwind week of activities and public appearances by the artist,
including visits with patients at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and on-air interviews at local radio station WBBP. Pastor Frank Ray Sr. and his congregation at New Salem Missionary Baptist Church hosted the standing room only crowd, which witnessed an evening of praise and riveting songs by the recent recipient of the 2004 Stellar Award for Best Female Traditional Vocalist.
MC’d by Memphis radio personality Tracy Bethea, the stage bristled with energy and vibrant color as the “Songbird of the South” strutted the platform dispensing songs,
leading her audience and fans on an evening of musical journey. Dressed in trademark regal gowns, the songstress delivered a wide array of songs featuring guest artists Angela Spivey, Gerald Thompson, Shea Norman, Edna Tatum and Pastor Frank E. Ray Sr. Peoples 
has released 13 albums since 1984, and has been awarded the prestigious Vision Award from the Stellar Gospel Music Association. She has won several other Stellar and Dove Awards, and has been nominated for GRAMMY® and Soul Train awards, among others. In 2003, she was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
The project, destined to be one of Peoples best efforts to date, was produced by the artist, co-produced by Rev. Gerald Thompson, with arrangements by
Peoples and Music Director John Croslan. Paul and Donna Christensen served as Television and Live Event Producers bringing in their award winning team of shooters, including Director Don Moore and Ruthel Flunder who assisted with talent and logistics. Rounding out Omega’s talented crew were Mike
Filippi on Hand Held Camera, Andrew Dean on Steadicam, Don Warren on Jimmy Jib and Steve Cobb, Perry Trest and Patrick Richmond on Fixed Cameras. Andrew Dean also provided all of the behind the scenes footage, including Dottie’s visit to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and her on-air radio interview with Tabitha Adams, Program Director of WBBP Radio.
The stage was transformed into a spectacular wash of colors by Lighting Director, Corey Combo, from Memphis based Moonshine Lighting, who provided the traditional and intelligent lighting for the project. Moonshine’s Allen Cox and Rob Dickens assisted Combo with the lighting duties. 
Harvest Media Television Group (HMTV), Anniston, Alabama, provided remote television facilities, with the assistance of Chief Engineer Oak Lea, who also shaded the cameras to capture the vibrant look of the stage. Remote recording facilities were provided by Sam’s Tape Truck, Atlanta, Georgia. Sam’s owner and chief engineer, Joe Neil
provided the recording expertise for the CD and DVD sound track, ably assisted by Steve Bracey and Greg Fisher. Affordable Sound and Light, Inc., Birmingham, Alabama, served as sound reinforcement vendor, with Warren Fambrough providing the concert mix at the Front of House position while Munford Hall handled Monitor Engineer duties. Brad Hilburn served as Systems Tech. Frank Ray, Jr., Music Director and Jeff Bell, Media Director, both with New Salem, provided 
additional logistical support along with local stage and video crew, Patrick Richmond, Frank Ray, III, Brian Chalmers, Alfred Patton and Jerrold Jefferson. Ms. Deborah Ray, wife of the Pastor, also graciously handled all of the catering for Omega’s crew and those involved in the project. Other Memphis based companies contributed to the success of the project, including Power Distribution Rentals (PDR) who provided generators and Grand Events and Party Rentals who supplied the backdrop and stage design.
Paul and Donna Christensen and their Omega crew have had the pleasure of producing the last three Dottie Peoples video projects for Air Gospel Records. We feel very fortunate to have
had the opportunity to be part of these projects, as well as the good fortune to have known so many of the individuals who make up the Dottie Peoples and Air Gospel organizations. Our thanks go out to all the fine folks at Air Gospel, especially Alan Freeman, Kenny Taylor and Tracy Milton, for their assistance and encouragement. We would also wish to thank Pastor Frank Ray, Sr., First Lady Deborah Ray and Administrator Curtis Leaks for supporting us and making all of our crew feel right at home.
The Long Form Video and DVD is scheduled to be edited in early Spring 2005, By Perry Trest, Post Digital, Nashville. The CD and DVD soundtrack will be mixed and posted at Joe Neil’s Doppler Studios, Atlanta. Both projects are scheduled for a Spring 2005 release. More information on Dottie Peoples is available at www.dottiepeoples.com.
