Since the time of the group's inception, Anointed has been guided by the creative vision of Da'dra Crawford Greathouse and her brother, Steve Crawford. This spirit-filled vocal duo draws seamlessly from pop, gospel and R&B influences to create a sound and a message that readily finds a home among congregations small and large, inside and outside the church. Anointed is among a handful of artists able to bring together the diverse audiences of modern Christian music: urban and traditional gospel as well as contemporary Christian. In other words, black and white. Anointed's wide appeal is reflected in the seven Dove Awards, two Stellar Awards and three Grammy nominations the group has earned over the years.
Da'dra and Steve's passion for music and ministry, as well as their gift for inspiring diverse audiences, come together in the pair's latest musical collection. Now Is The Time is the work of seasoned artists and showcases the sophisticated presentation Anointed is known for in concert with the stylings of veteran producers Warryn Campbell (Mary Mary, Ruben Studdard), Mark Heimermann (Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant) and Roger Ryan (Shirley Caesar duet with Faith Evans).
"It's about hope and encouragement and the songs are so dynamic," says Sony Urban Gospel executive vice president Tara Griggs-Magee. "I'm so proud of their work ethic and of their passion for this album."
Now Is The Time also represents an artistic and professional evolution for Da'dra and Steve. While the pair are accomplished songwriters and arrangers and have always played a role on the production side of their work, this album marks their first producing credits on “Jesus Is Lord” and “You Are” and co-producing credits--with Ryan on both "Gonna Lift Your Name" and "Eternal Life." Gospel legend Andrae Crouch joined Anointed in a special appearance on “Jesus Is Lord,” the song he originally penned and made famous over two decades ago. The duo also wrote or co-wrote all but one of the album's tracks.
"Making this album has been an extraordinary process," says Da'dra. "We made discoveries about ourselves and about the recording process, and now it feels great to be able to express ourselves more in the production of our songs.”
True to Da'dra's words, many of the tracks emerged from the siblings' most intimate spiritual experiences and the result is an expansive, complete offering. Sony Urban Gospel A&R vice-president Joseph Burney puts it best when he says simply, "It's what you need."
For Anointed, "Eternal Life" embodies the foundation of their faith. As the writer of the song, Steve explains, “Tears would fall from my eyes just thinking about our ability to share the message of God’s love for us through this song. The production of this song has the musical influence of Richard Smallwood (known for combining gospel with classical and baroque musical styles). This sweeping, emotional ballad makes heady use of that big orchestral sound.
"Now That I'm Free," another intimate ballad from Steve and songwriter Dave Clark, is a soulful, melodic story told in music. "What the lyrics explore is the idea that your revelation of God influences the perspective of your struggle,” says Steve. “Once I received revelation of who He is and what He wants for my life, it liberated me.”
Anointed is known for its compelling live performances, and “Now Is The Time” features the duo in top form. "Gonna Lift Your Name," for example, captures the great energy of today's immensely popular praise and worship sound. The triumphant gospel harmony came to Da'dra as she was waking from a dream.
"I heard the chorus in my head and I jumped up to search for my recorder and paper and pen. I was frantic to get it down," Da'dra recalls. She and Steve got together in his garage and put together a demo of a track that, from day one, has been completely captivating. The song moves from testimony to can't-hold-back jubilation, celebrating the renewal found in God's grace.
"Everyone who's been down that road can feel this," Steve explains. The lyrics tell of the human experience from struggle to triumph: I remember the day you found me. My hope was lost and fading fast. I searched but couldn't find relief…Then…I felt a rushing mighty wind. It changed my heart…Now I have peace within. Gonna lift your name on high. Your presence I cannot deny. Tell everybody if I could, cause I know Lord You been so good.
