| Martha Munizzi
(mew-NIZ-ee) is an internationally acclaimed and award winning Gospel music singer, songwriter, author, and actress.
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MARTHA MUNIZZI TICKETS
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Early years
A native of central Florida, Martha Munizzi was born into a Christian musical family. The daughter of evangelists, Martha and her twin sister
Mary Alessi were born in
Lakeland, Florida and grew up traveling and ministering through music with her family. She began performing at age 8, touring the country with her family in concerts and crusades around the
United States and
Canada.
Martha, Mary, and their older sister Marvelyne were born with their parents' talent for music and became a part of the traveling family group as kids. The family settled in
Orlando, Florida when Mary and Martha were 12, so that the children could attend formal, public school.
At age 16, Mary, Martha and Marveline (age 18) helped form a praise and worship band at the urging of a church friend. That group evolved into
Testament
and became popular enough to travel around the state of Florida performing in churches and at conferences and other events.
One year after completing high school (1986), Martha married Dan Munizzi, who was a keyboard and bass player in the band
Testament
. In 1993 she and Dan became the music directors and founding members of a new, fledgling church in
Orlando, Florida initially leading a congregation of 250 and a choir of about 30 people that eventually grew in 8 years into a 5000 member congregation and a 200 member music team. They remained there until 2001.
She led worship at
Lakewood Church while
Cindy Cruse-Ratcliff was on maternity leave.
[1] [2]
Musical career
Along with figures like
Ron Kenoly,
CeCe Winans, and
Israel Houghton, Munizzi is pioneering cross-cultural worship music that not only connects with both black and white Christian congregations but also reaches the masses.
[3]
Munizzi's songs are self-published under the name Say The Name Publishing/Martha Munizzi Music. She released her first Praise & Worship/Gospel album,
Say the Name
(2002), followed by
The Best Is Yet to Come
(2003) and
When He Came
(2004), both of which debuted high on
Billboard's Gospel chart.
The Best Is Yet to Come
peaked at #2 on the
Billboard Music Top Gospel Album charts in 2004 and remained on the charts for more than a year.
In 2004 Munizzi had two music albums in the top five on
Billboard's Gospel charts at the same time (
The Best Is Yet to Come
at #2 and
When He Came
at #5) and
Billboard Magazine named her as one of the top five Gospel Artists for 2004. Additionally, her project
The Best Is Yet to Come
was named one of the top ten selling Gospel projects for 2004.
In 2005 she signed a distribution deal with Integrity Media, Inc. Under this agreement her previously released albums
The Best Is Yet To Come
and
Say The Name
and all future releases were to be distributed to Christian retail outlets through
Provident-Integrity Distribution and to general market outlets on the Epic Records (a division of
Sony-BMG Distribution).
[4]
In 2006 Munizzi released her next CD entitled
No Limits Live
. This CD debuted on Billboard's Top Gospel Charts at #1 and remained at the top of the charts for 6 weeks.
Munizzi has ministered with several popular
Christian ministries including;
Joel Osteen,
Creflo Dollar,
Joyce Meyer,
Benny Hinn,
CeCe Winans, and
Bishop T.D. Jakes. She has also appeared on
Trinity Broadcasting Network's (TBN's) Praise The Lord,
on the
Daystar Television Network, on
Life Today
with
James Robison, and on
Black Entertainment Television's BET Celebration Of Gospel
. Additionally she performed as a part of the 3rd annual "Sisters In The Spirit" tour with
Yolanda Adams,
Kelly Price,
Juanita Bynum,
Rizen and
Sheila E in 2005. She was also a featured performer with
Kirk Franklin at the "Imagine Me" all-star celebrity benefit concert on January 11, 2007 at the
Opryland Hotel in
Nashville, Tennessee.
[5] The concert was a benefit for the
Children's Defense Fund.
Munizzi also performed with the
Gospel trio
Virtue on their 2006 album
Testimony
on the song
Praises to You
. She also performs her song
Glorious
live on
Donna Richardson-Joyner's 2006 exercise video entitled
Sweating in the Spirit 2
. Her twin sister,
Mary Alessi, performs with her on her 2006 album
No Limits Live
.
The CD/DVD project,
Change the World
was released on April 1, 2008. The project was recorded on December 7, 2007 and features
Israel Houghton,
Mary Alessi, Micah Stampley, Bishop Joseph Garlington, and Ricardo Sanchez.
[6]
Filmography
Film Appearances
Music Concert Videos
Other Project Appearances
Discography
Albums
Awards
Award Wins
| Year
| Award-giving body
| Award
|
| 2005
| Stellar Awards
| Best New Artist of the Year Award - The Best Is Yet To Come
|
| 2006
| Stellar Awards
| Special Event CD of the Year - When He Came
|
| 2006
| Oasis Awards
| International Female Artist of the Year
|
| 2007
| Christian Music Awards
| Female Artist of the Year
|
| 2009
| GMA Dove Awards
| Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year - Change The World
|
Award Nominations
Munizzi has been nominated for Grammy, Dove, Stellar and Soul Train Awards as both a performer and songwriter. In 2006, Munizzi was nominated for a
Grammy for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album. She has also been nominated for the 2007
Stellar Awards' Artist of the Year
and
Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year
.
[9]
| Year
| Award-giving body
| Award Category
| Song /Album Title
|
| 2003
| Dove Awards
| Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
| Because of Who You Are
|
| 2004
| Dove Awards
| Contemporary Gospel Song of the Year
| Because of Who You Are
|
| 2005
| Dove Awards
| Contemporary Gospel Song of the Year
| Say the Name
|
| 2005
| Stellar Awards
| Best New Artist of the Year Award (Winner)
| The Best Is Yet To Come
|
| 2005
| Stellar Awards
| Female Vocalist of the Year
| The Best is Yet to Come
|
| 2006
| Stellar Awards
| Special Event CD of the Year (Winner)
| When He Came
|
| 2006
| Oasis Awards
| International Female Artist of the Year (Winner)
| The Best is Yet to Come
|
| 2006
| Grammy Awards
| Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album
| Say the Name
|
| 2006
| Dove Awards
| Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year
| When He Came
|
| 2006
| CCM Magazine Readers Choice Awards
| Female Artist of the Year
| No Limits Live
|
| 2006
| CCM Magazine Readers Choice Awards
| Praise & Worship CD of the Year
| No Limits Live
|
| 2006
| CCM Magazine Readers Choice Awards
| Worship Artist of the Year
| No Limits Live
|
| 2007
| Stellar Awards
| Artist of the Year
| No Limits Live
|
| 2007
| Stellar Awards
| Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year
| No Limits Live
|
| 2007
| Dove Awards
| Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year
| No Limits Live
|
| 2007
| Dove Awards
| Contemporary Gospel Song of the Year
| No Limits
|
| 2007
| Christian Music Awards
| Female Artist of the Year (Winner)
| No Limits Live
|
| 2009
| Dove Awards
| Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year
| Change The World
|
| 2009
| Dove Awards
| Contemporary Gospel Song of the Year
| Favor Of God
|
Personal life
Munizzi currently resides in
Central Florida with her husband and manager Dan Munizzi and their 3 children.
See also
- Worship music
- List of Christian worship music artists