Fred Hammond talks about music, CD ‘Love Unstoppable’

After more than 30 years in gospel music, Fred Hammond is unstoppable as he crisscrosses the country to promote his 19th CD, Love Unstoppable, on Verity Gospel. The founding member of the classic male group, Commissioned, is excited about his latest effort.

“Because when I think about it the love that God has for me and where he will go to get me and where he will go to get any of us-it’s unstoppable and there’s no force that can stop him from coming to get us,” said Hammond.

Music was a regular part of his household’s routine, the Stellar Award-winning singer said.

“Every Saturday, my dad would play Lou Rawl’s Tobacco Road while we cleaned the house,” he recalled.

Ironically, growing up Hammond’s passion was playing the drums and bass guitar.

“I didn’t think I could sing, we just mimicked artists like Stevie Wonder, Dramatics and Donnie Hathaway.”

Then he started to see things differently.

“I always felt I had to tell somebody about the Lord. I looked at Jehovah’s Witnesses and they told people because they believed in it. I really wanted to tell (people) Jesus loves them. I had to change my theology, church and denominations can be confusing. My friends are C.O.G.I.C. and baptist. I can’t send everybody to hell. So I figured if I sing it, it would reach more people,” said Hammond.

His rich musical background allowed him to tour with the legendary Winans for two years as well as to produce an album for his uncle’s popular group, The Whispers. Also, a lover of sports-Hammond played football and baseball-he always looked to play his music center stage.

“I hoped if I worked hard it would pay off and allow me to have a life of music ministry ….so it was good,” he said.

Although he has a household name, the gospel celebrity’s life has been filled with adversity.

“When you hear these songs, it took me a lot to get there. No Weapon came from a painful place so that people in the midnight hour can make it. So that when I sing about something it’s transparent and they can feel it,” the gospel singer, songwriter and producer said.

Hammond admits to almost slipping into depression during his career, especially after enduring a divorce and the death of his mother.

“I looked at my mother and knew that as soon as I let go of her hand that I had to go pick out a coffin for her. That was painful,” Hammond recalled.

Consequently, he uprooted from Detroit and moved to Dallas, a move he said was difficult but necessary.

For the past four years, Hammond has been a member of The Potter’s House church where Bishop T.D. Jakes is the pastor.

In the meantime, Love Unstoppable is hot off the press and making its way to the top of the charts.

Congratulations to all the Chicago choirs and especially, Dr. Ray Berryhill and the Evangel World Outreach Center for their choir receiving $15,000 in the Verizon Wireless How Sweet the Sound Gospel Celebration and Choir Competition. The regional winners will move to the national finals in Detroit in November.

Effie Rolfe is the religion entertainment columnist for the Chicago Defender.