Story Behind Monica Lisa Stevenson's First #1 Hit "I'm Not Ashamed"

Monica Lisa Stevenson's "I'm Not Ashamed," featuring quarter king Paul Porter, tops this week's Billboard Gospel Airplay chart this week. The song finally hit the top spot after spending 21 in the Top 30. "I'm Not Ashamed" is also Stevenson's first #1 Single on Billboard National Gospel Airplay Charts.
"I am overjoyed and thankful for this accomplishment," Stevenson says. "This has been a long and exciting journey over the years to get to this point. I'm even more elated that it happened during my 20th year in music ministry."
Singer-songwriter, VaShawn Mitchell, originally wrote the song for gospel legend, Shirley Caesar. "I've always prayed that God would allow me to write, to produce and to sing songs that can live longer than I will," he says. "I wrote this song with Pastor Caesar in mind, and I offered it to her, but she didn't feel that it was right for her and passed on it."
By chance, Mitchell was in the recording studio one day with Stevenson's engineer husband, Derrick, when Monica's name came up. "VaShawn asked Derrick if Monica was open to some new music and offered them the song. They added Paul Porter and the rest is history," says Stevenson's manager, Ruben Freeman.
The first of quartet singer George Bowen's (The Sensational Gospelaires) six children, Stevenson was raised in Wetumpka, AL and now lives in Atlanta, GA. She and her husband, Derrick, launched the Monicamuzik label in 2009 with the album, Finally...In God's Time. In 2013, she followed up with the project, Live in Atlanta, and Kainos (The Acoustic Documentary) in 2016.
Tags : MONICA LISA STEVENSON MONICA LISA STEVENSON news Monica Lisa Stevenson I'm Not Ashamed Paul Porter vashawn mitchell shirley caesar
Hot Trends
-
Gather Worship “Hear the World That You So Love Sing Back to You” Album Review
-
Huey P. Williams of the Gospel Group, the Jackson Southernaires, Has Died
-
Phil Wickham and Brandon Lake's "Summer Worship Nights Tour" Sees Record-Breaking Sales
-
Dali Rose Takes Flight with "The Boy Tried To Fly"
-
Anike Puts A Fresh Spin On Lecrae’s “Jesus Muzik”
-
CXMMXNS, Collective Form by Former Hillsong Worship Leaders, Releases "Chapter 2"
-
Broken Chalice Unveils Strikingly Powerful Music Video For Debut Single “Burn It Down”
-
Anchor Hymns "The Garden (Live)" Album Review
-
Bluegrass Band NewTown's "Harlan Road" Releases This Friday
-
More Details About Andrae Crouch's Death Revealed; Stars and Family Respond to the Legend's Passing
-
Tim Tebow Releases New Book "Shaken"
-
NEEDTOBREATHE's Josh Lovelace Announces Debut Family Album
-
Marvin Sapp Performs on NPR Tiny Desk for Black History Month
-
"The Chosen: Last Supper (Season 5)" Coming to Theaters in March 2025
-
Sister Sandra Crouch Gives Update on Gospel Music Legend Andrae Crouch's Health
Most Popular
-
Gather Worship “Hear the World That You So Love Sing Back to You” Album Review
-
Huey P. Williams of the Gospel Group, the Jackson Southernaires, Has Died
-
Phil Wickham and Brandon Lake's "Summer Worship Nights Tour" Sees Record-Breaking Sales
-
Dali Rose Takes Flight with "The Boy Tried To Fly"
-
Anike Puts A Fresh Spin On Lecrae’s “Jesus Muzik”
-
CXMMXNS, Collective Form by Former Hillsong Worship Leaders, Releases "Chapter 2"
-
Broken Chalice Unveils Strikingly Powerful Music Video For Debut Single “Burn It Down”
-
Anchor Hymns "The Garden (Live)" Album Review
-
Bluegrass Band NewTown's "Harlan Road" Releases This Friday
-
More Details About Andrae Crouch's Death Revealed; Stars and Family Respond to the Legend's Passing
-
Tim Tebow Releases New Book "Shaken"
-
NEEDTOBREATHE's Josh Lovelace Announces Debut Family Album
-
Marvin Sapp Performs on NPR Tiny Desk for Black History Month
-
"The Chosen: Last Supper (Season 5)" Coming to Theaters in March 2025
-
Sister Sandra Crouch Gives Update on Gospel Music Legend Andrae Crouch's Health