Andrea R. Williams
President & CEO, Publisher, Editor

Tehillah Enterprises (pronounced teh-HEE-lah) was started by Andrea R. Williams, a former GRAMMY Awards employee, in 1999. She began the company because she felt a strong need to help publicize what was happening in the gospel community. "When I entered the gospel music industry, it was a learning process for me. In my desire to find out all I could about the industry, I located a wealth of information. But it seemed to me that it wasn't being shared. I felt there was so much information I knew was vital to many who felt the call of God on their lives to enter music ministry. It was at that point that I felt compelled to share what I had learned with others," says Williams. It was her desire to give back a little of what God had given her that she decided to start Tehillah Enterprises.

A gospel singer and songwriter, Williams has sung with such artists as Byron Cage, Richard Smallwood, Jeff Majors and Kirk Franklin. In addition to singing, she has a passion for writing. Because of her unique ability to put pen to paper, she has received accolades, specifically for her e-zine, The Gospel News Update. In 2000, she received the Yaw Buama Award for "Outstanding Contributions In The Gospel Music Industry" from Gospel News TV in Alexandria, Virginia. News from The Gospel News Update is included during "The Gospel News Update" daily radio segment on 2006 Stellar Award winner, Washington, D.C.'s Heaven 1580AM's Midday Show with Cheryl Jackson.

She's also the author of two bi-weekly gospel music e-zines, The Tehillah Report, reaching 25,000 people nationally and the D.C. Gospel News Update, hitting 10,000 people in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore, MD metropolitan area. DCGospelNewsUpdate.com, a complement to the D.C. Gospel News Update e-zine, is viewed by thousands each month and has extensive information in reference to gospel music in the Nation's Capital. Williams has been cited in the Gospel Industry Roundup, The Bible of the Gospel Music Industry, as a "Mover & Shaker" on the Internet in the "On The Scene" section of the book for 2004 & 2005. In 2006 and 2007, she was recognized in the same publication as a "Mover & Shaker" in the Washington, D.C. area alongside gospel notables Richard Smallwood, Jacquie Gales-Webb and Cheryl Jackson.

Williams is a freelance writer for Gospelcity.com, BlackGospel.com, Gospel Today Magazine, Charisma, Ministries Today, SpiritLed Woman and Xii Magazine. As an interviewer, she's interviewed dozens of popular artists including Kirk Franklin, Yolanda Adams, Kurt Carr, Donald Lawrence, Richard Smallwood, Tonex, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Byron Cage, CeCe Winans, Tye Tribbett, Smokie Norful, Martha Munizzi, Kim Burrell, J Moss, Hezekiah Walker, Jeff Majors, Daryl Coley, Tramaine Hawkins, Fred Hammond, Israel Houghton, Walter Hawkins, LaShun Pace, Bishop Paul S. Morton, and Dr. Bobby Jones.

She's been a guest panelist for many conferences and contests including the Kellogg's Gospel Sing-Off Competition, the National Gospel Artist Showcase, the Northeast Artist's Guild East Coast Music & Worship Conference, the Ministers Of Music Summit, the Bobby Jones Gospel Industry Retreat and the United States Army Entertainment Division's Stars Of Tomorrow Contests. She was also featured on Former NAACP Chair Kweisi Mfume's television show, "The Bottom Line", on their segment about the rising popularity of gospel music. In addition, she was a featured panelist for the 2006 Gospel Heritage Praise & Worship Conference in Washington, D.C. She was also included in BET's Lift Every Voice Host Gerard Henry's book, Voices Of Inspiration, along with noted personalities like Bishop Eddie Long, Yolanda Adams and Tonex. Tehillah Enterprises, LLC was also featured in the August 2005 edition of Gospel Today Magazine in the magazine article, Untangling The Web.

A former 8-year employee of The Recording Academy (The GRAMMY Awards), she assisted in starting the D.C. Chapter – from the ground up – and making it the fastest growing GRAMMY Chapter in the history of the GRAMMY Awards. During her time with the popular industry association, she organized events with such mainstream artists as U2, Natalie Cole, John Mayer, Anthony Hamilton, Erykah Badu, India.Arie, Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Usher, Billy Taylor, Chris Brown, Raheem Devaughn, Chuck Brown, Nile Rodgers, Gloria Estefan, George Clinton, Bruce Hornsby, Jimmy Jam and dozens of others. Also during her tenure at the GRAMMY Awards, she brought legends of gospel music into the Academy’s membership ranks. Artists like Kim Burrell, Tonex, Tramaine Hawkins and Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers became members at Williams’ prompting.  In addition, through her efforts, Donald Lawrence and Richard Smallwood not only became members of the Recording Academy, but ultimately, served on the national board giving gospel music a louder voice with one of music’s most influential organizations.

Now a full-time gospel music publicist, Williams’ efforts helped up-and-coming artist Earnest Pugh to debut on the Billboard Top Gospel charts. Her work throughout the years has exposed hundreds of gospel artists to thousands of potential fans. Williams endeavors to continue bringing her expertise and insight to gospel music artists – both independent and major label. She formed Tehillah Enterprises, LLC in August 2006 to do just that. “I believe the experiences I’ve had have prepared me to take the ministries of God’s people to another level. Tehillah Enterprises' goal is to expose God’s music to the world”.

Andrea can be contacted by e-mailing info@TehillahEnterprisesPR.com.



Darren A. Jones
Junior Publicist

Darren A. Jones joining the staff of Tehillah Enterprises is a logical progression in his effort to combine a love of the Lord, His gospel and public relations.

 

A Native Washingtonian, Jones has held membership in numerous local gospel groups— The Howard Gospel Choir, DonaldVailsCapitalCity Youth Choir, Marc Williams & Higher Calling, and John Tillery & Living Sacrifice. However, he has maintained as a priority growing spiritually and working diligently within GalileeBaptistChurch. Jones has served the Suitland, MD-based church in numerous capacities his entire life, including praise and worship leader, as well as a director for the Gospel Ensemble, Mass and New Vision of Praise choirs. He was most recently appointed Galilee’s public relations coordinator, charged with maximizing the promotional opportunities for church events, and serving as a liaison to national gospel artists.

 

Prior to graduating from BowieStateUniversity in 2005 with a B.S. in Communications and a concentration in Public Relations, Jones completed several internships and assistantships. He worked as a public relations assistant with the 2005 Miss Black USA Scholarship Pageant; executive assistant to on-air radio personality Wayne A. Waller of Like That Enterprises; and administrative assistant for The Recording Academy (The GRAMMY Awards), working on its GRAMMY in the Schools and Heroes Awards programs. Jones also served as an intern with Capital Entertainment, working with co-founder Bill Carpenter on several projects including the launch of his seminal book, Uncloudy Days: The Gospel Music Encyclopedia.