RICHMOND, Va. -- An academic music center at Virginia Union University named after one of gospel music award-winning artists opened with a big celebration on Juneteenth.
Gospel music has always been good to artist Hezekiah Walker. He's a multi-Grammy Award winner, is known worldwide for his gospel music and is a student at VUU's school of theology.
"You know, I remember listening to these records, enjoying the music but not knowing that the spirit of the music and the lyrics was actually going into my heart and into my mind and eventually it manifested," Walker said.
Walker brought his award-winning streak to VUU when the university announced the naming of the Hezekiah Walker Center of Gospel Music, the first of its kind in the country.
Walker said that the center will be a great opportunity for people to learn about gospel music.
"We want people from all over the world to come here to learn about gospel music, to enjoy gospel music and to collaborate, to learn about songwriting, to learn about the industry, to learn about how to become an artist," Walker said.
There's no better time to have the gospel music center open than on the weekend of Juneteenth. Walker will join the music center for the university's Juneteenth celebration, "Sounds of Freedom." Ten local choirs will join the VUU choir, led by award-winning producer David Bratton.
The free celebration was June 19 is from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. was open to the public on the VUU Campus off the Graham Street entrance.
