BET’s Sunday Best Season 4
GEORGIA NATIVE SERVES AS MUSICAL DIRECTOR FOR HIT TELEVISION SHOW
ATLANTA – Damien Sneed, a graduate of Davidson Fine Arts High School in Augusta, is now serving as the musical director for the hit Gospel singing competition television show, Sunday Best, on the Black Entertainment Television (BET) channel. Sneed, whose Augusta roots have helped cultivate his career, has arranged more than 90 songs and collaborated with the show’s contestants, background vocalists, band members and executives as musical director for season four of the Sunday Best series.
The television show, which is being filmed in Atlanta and eclipsed more than 1.1 million viewers during its third season debut, showcases the vocal talents of artists from across the country in a competition to become the next great gospel star. Augusta’s Sneed is surrounded by top-notch talent on the show which is hosted by gospel icon, Kirk Franklin (“Melodies from Heaven”, “Stomp”) and judged by veteran gospel recording artist, Donnie McClurkin (“We Fall Down”), and the award-winning contemporary gospel duo, Mary Mary (“Yesterday”, “Walking”).
“It is truly an honor to serve in this capacity, working with some of the best up-and-coming artists, as well as those who are known and loved by people around the world,” said Sneed, who, before his work with BET, served as a professor of music at the City University of New York and as a staff accompanist at the Juilliard School of Music. “At times, it’s unbelievable— like a dream come true to have so many amazing people in one room.”
Sneed — an acclaimed pianist, organist, vocal coach, conductor, composer, arranger, lecturer and producer — was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2010 for his extensive work on Vickie Winans’ album, How I Got Over, which received two Stellar awards. Sneed also released his own album, Introspections Live, in January 2011. In addition to serving as musical director for the popular television series, Sneed has also served as music director for gospel legends Karen Clark-Sheard, Vickie Winans, Melonie Daniels, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Kierra Sheard, the Clark Sisters, Richard Smallwood, Donnie McClurkin, Marvin Sapp and many more.
Not only has he worked in gospel, Sneed’s music palette also spans into the jazz and classical arenas. The Howard University School of Music and New York University graduate also performed with other artists including Stevie Wonder, Carlos Santana, David Sanborn and Fantasia Barrino, among many others. The talented Sneed has also performed with the legendary Wynton Marsalis – one of the highlights of the musical director’s career. He has also been afforded the opportunity to perform with Opera great and Augusta native Jessye Norman, who is an inspiration to Sneed. Don’t miss Sneed’s work on Sunday Best, which is expected to air each Sunday beginning in July 2011 through September 2011.
