Marvin Lyles
Gospel Sunrise Productions’ radio host Marvin Lyles has been nominated in the category of Radio Announcer for the 2016 Rhytahm of Gospel Awards to be held June 23-26, 2016 in Memphis, Tennessee.
Lyles said when he first received the news that he had been nominated, he was sort of surprised, but very humbled to the fact that he was nominated. He said, “I thought I was just a common guy doing what I do. I didn’t know I was noticed that much across the breath of this country. I see a lot of people really admire and appreciate what I do in the radio industry. It really does my heart proud.”
Lyles said he got the news in October. He said he thought the person who informed him that he was nominated was pulling his leg until he received the official notice. “I said thank you Lord for this recognition. I’ll just wait and see just how far it will take me. This inspires me to know that my labor is not in vain at this point in my career,” said Lyles.
Lyles has been affiliated with the radio business for over 30 years. He said he was introduced to radio while attending Goshen College in Indiana. Also, as a DJ he was influenced by Chuck Deggans, who got him in the field of playing music.
Lyles said, “It was pretty much on the secular side though. I was into R&B radio and then I had an opportunity to network with Janice Ward. We were vying for a position at WGCI radio station back in the day. We met a guy named Elroy Smith who was the program director. He required that we come and have fellowship with him at his church, which was nondenominational. As we were driving home we were so impressed with the fellowship we thought why we couldn’t have something like that in Gary.”
“That inspired me to challenge Janice Ward to birth gospel music in Gary over radio station WGVE. As I was introduced to the gospel side of music, I was converted and my life changed to where I was more spiritually inclined. It put me into a position to want to know more about gospel music and the gospel music industry. All of the efforts I was putting into the secular side I converted over to the religious side of the industry and the music field. ” said Lyles.
Lyles said he deals with all styles of gospel music, but feels he has been categorized as being a quartet man because he is one of the few that brings quartet groups to the area. “That’s one of my specialized niches – quartet music,” he said.
Lyles said he has learned over the years that when he wanted to be noticed people would pass him by. He said, “When I wanted to be in the front I would end up in the back. I pretty much have grown to be content not being up front, but in the back. The more I try to stay away from the front, in the limelight the more people keep pulling me to the front. Now when I go places it’s hard for me to sit in the back because people are always trying to usher me to the front.”
Lyles is a member of the American Gospel Quartet Convention’s Chicago Chapter, The Gospel Announcers Guild of Chicago and the Quartet Convention in South Bend. Lyle’s favorite scripture that coincides with what he is doing in the radio and his ministry of being a gospel announcer is “The Lord is my light and my salvation….I deal in this every day,” he said.
To vote for Marvin Lyles as Radio Announcer of the Year anyone can cast their vote on line by logging in at http://www.therhythmofgospelawards.com/voting.html. In order for your vote to be validated you must vote in every category.
