'Best Church Choir' competition at Joe Louis

Oralandar Brand-Williams / The Detroit News

Detroit -- Choirs from around the county will raise the roof at Joe Louis Arena and vie for a $25,000 prize today as they compete for the title of "The Best Church Choir in America."

Gospel Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter Donald Lawrence, who hosts the event, said the choirs will be judged on technical merit, originality, stage presence and tone quality. Lawrence said gospel music continues to be some of the most celebrated music in the world.

"In a time when the world is really so sad, everybody looks for something to really, really inspire or remind them of great times or to give them hope that things can really change, and Gospel music is one of the only genres of music that can really help you get through a rough week when you've had a bad week," Lawrence said. "It's just a music that can remind you that there is a higher power."

The "How Sweet The Sound" competition, sponsored by Verizon Wireless, begins at 7 p.m. It will feature 11 choirs, including one from Metro Detroit.

Chante Graham, a member of Praise Tabernacle's "Selected of God" choir, will be among those performing.

"I'm very nervous," said Graham, a 26-year-old legal assistant from Inkster. "I don't know about anybody else, but me personally ... I'm shaking in my boots"

Graham won't divulge what song the 28-member choir will sing but says "we're ready to make it happen."

A crowd of 15,000 people are expected to pack Joe Louis to hear the choirs, which will comprise a total of 800 singers. Gospel singer Marvin Sapp and the Clark Singers are among the performers at the Saturday event.

bwilliams@detnews.com (313) 222-2027