Tag: Who’s Next

Who’s Next: Lee Walker & Spirit “I Love Me Some Jesus”

Who’s Next: Lee Walker & Spirit “I Love Me Some Jesus”

Posted on by Johnson Five Admin

SMN Radio Gospel shines its Who’s Next spotlight on Lee Walker & Spirit and their latest single, “I Love Me Some Jesus.”

Some songs arrive wrapped in metaphor.

Others simply tell you exactly what is on the heart.

With “I Love Me Some Jesus,” Lee Walker & Spirit make their message unmistakable. It is a declaration of faith, gratitude and love for Jesus delivered through a smooth, soul-rooted gospel sound.

A Ministry Built Through Music

Based in Richmond, Virginia, Lee Walker is a gospel recording artist, worship leader and inspirational speaker whose work reflects a commitment to faith, encouragement and ministry through music. His official platform carries a simple message that captures much of that mission: Love God. Love People. Love Self.

Through Lee Walker & Spirit, that message has taken shape in a catalog rooted in gospel tradition while incorporating soul and contemporary influences.

Their recorded history stretches across a number of projects and singles. The 2013 project Reminisce included songs such as “On the Battlefield,” “Heaven,” “One Day at a Time,” “I Can’t Afford Not to Praise,” “Drive Satan Away,” and “I’m Still Here.”

That catalog continued with the 2018 single “Time to Climb,” a song that would also receive attention beyond the group’s own audience.

“Time to Climb” was later included in Episode 129 of the Journal of Gospel Music Music Hour, placing Lee Walker & Spirit alongside a lineup of independent gospel artists selected for the program by gospel historian and radio host Bob Marovich.

The group followed with releases including “That Time of Year,” “The Battle,” and the 2024 Reminisce Live! project. That live collection revisited several songs from their catalog, including “Have Your Way,” “Heaven,” “He Did It For Us,” “Let’s Pray About It,” “Can’t Afford,” and the title track “Reminisce.”

Later in 2024, Lee Walker & Spirit also released their version of “Jesus and Me (Keynotes Prayer),” continuing a catalog consistently centered on faith, prayer, perseverance and a personal relationship with God.

Taking the Message Beyond the Studio

Lee Walker & Spirit’s journey has not been limited to recorded music.

In 2017, the group appeared at Richmond’s Gospel Music Fest with The Belle at Dogwood Dell, performing as part of a lineup that included nationally recognized gospel artists Wess Morgan, Earnest Pugh, Bryan Popin, Cora Harvey Armstrong and other regional and national performers.

The group was also part of Richmond’s gospel community the previous year, appearing on an Old School Gospel concert lineup alongside artists including Melvin Williams and Cora Harvey Armstrong.

Those appearances help tell a larger story.

Lee Walker & Spirit have continued to carry their music into churches, concerts, community gatherings and gospel platforms while steadily building a recorded catalog of their own.

And that work continues today.

Walker’s official site currently invites churches, concerts and revivals to book him for appearances and ministry, reinforcing that the music remains connected to a larger purpose beyond simply releasing songs.

“I Love Me Some Jesus”

Now comes a song whose title may be one of the clearest statements in the Lee Walker & Spirit catalog.

“I Love Me Some Jesus.”

There is no puzzle to solve.

No complicated theological language.

No question about where the artist stands.

The single brings together gospel and soul influences while allowing its central declaration to carry the weight of the song.

At its core is something both simple and deeply personal: love for Jesus.

Not merely tradition.

Not simply attending church.

Not faith presented as an obligation.

Love.

And sometimes the simplest testimony is the one that connects most easily.

Still Moving Forward

2026 has also brought another milestone for Lee Walker’s ministry.

Walker’s official site also reflects the ministry side of his work, with appearances centered around churches, concerts and revival settings. That connection between music and ministry is a consistent part of how Lee Walker & Spirit present their work.

“I Love Me Some Jesus”

That same sense of conviction comes through clearly in “I Love Me Some Jesus.”

The title says exactly what the song is about.

There is no complicated message to decode and no ambiguity about where the heart of the song rests.

Blending gospel and soul influences, “I Love Me Some Jesus” centers on a simple but deeply personal declaration: love for Jesus.

Not merely tradition.

Not simply attendance.

Not faith treated as obligation.

Love.

And sometimes the most direct testimony is the one that stays with you.

Still Moving Forward

2026 has also marked another active chapter for Lee Walker & Spirit.

Walker’s official website has highlighted an Anniversary Celebration & CD Release in Appomattox, Virginia, reflecting an artist who continues to create, perform and carry his ministry forward through music.

That ongoing work is part of what stood out when Lee Walker & Spirit connected with SMN Radio Gospel and shared “I Love Me Some Jesus,” a single that has also reached No. 6 on the LTTM Singles Chart in the UK.

Because Who’s Next is not simply about who is new.

It is about introducing our listeners to independent artists whose music, message and body of work deserve to be heard.

Sometimes that means discovering an artist at the beginning of the journey.

Other times, it means encountering an artist who has already been steadily creating, performing and building a ministry through music.

Lee Walker & Spirit fall comfortably into that second category.

SMN Radio Gospel’s October Pick

With a catalog that includes studio recordings, live gospel projects, independent radio recognition and appearances alongside respected voices in gospel music, Lee Walker & Spirit have built a body of work rooted in faith, perseverance and ministry.

Their outreach to SMN Radio Gospel brought “I Love Me Some Jesus” to our attention, and the song’s unmistakable message made it a natural fit for this month’s Who’s Next spotlight.

And with “I Love Me Some Jesus,” the message could hardly be clearer.

Faith does not always require an elaborate explanation.

Sometimes four words will do.

Lee Walker & Spirit and “I Love Me Some Jesus” are SMN Radio Gospel’s Who’s Next featured artist and song for October 2026.

Listen for “I Love Me Some Jesus” throughout the month on SMN Radio Gospel, and discover more music and ministry from Lee Walker & Spirit at Lee Walker Entertainment.

Previously on Who’s Next: Discover Mulamaxs.

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Who’s Next: William Edge Steps Into the Black Cat Lounge

Who’s Next: William Edge Steps Into the Black Cat Lounge

Posted on by Johnson Five Admin

SMN Radio Smooth Jazz shines its October Who’s Next spotlight on William Edge and his latest album, Sessions at the Black Cat Lounge.

Some albums simply ask to be heard. Others create a room, dim the lights, settle into a groove and invite the listener inside.

Sessions at the Black Cat Lounge feels much closer to the latter.

Released in September 2026, William Edge’s 13-track collection moves through contemporary blues, jazz, lounge-inspired grooves and the atmospheric musical character that has become part of Edge’s creative fingerprint.

But Edge’s music has never seemed particularly interested in staying inside one neatly labeled box.

A Musical Journey Built on Exploration

Born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida, William Edge began studying classical piano as a child before discovering jazz during his teenage years. His musical influences have included artists such as Dave Brubeck, Ramsey Lewis and Stevie Wonder, musicians whose work demonstrated just how naturally melody, rhythm, improvisation and soul could coexist.

Over the years, Edge has developed a body of work that moves through smooth and contemporary jazz, blues, funk, lounge, ambient music and electronic soundscapes.

That willingness to explore is part of what makes his music interesting.

Rather than approaching each project from the same musical direction, Edge allows atmosphere, rhythm and melody to determine where the music goes.

And in Sessions at the Black Cat Lounge, the destination feels very much like an after-hours listening room.

Inside the Black Cat Lounge

Across the album, titles including “One More Time,” “A Fool For You,” “Another Day,” “Te Amo Como,” “Heart Listening,” “Always Sexy,” “Just Gettin Started” and “I’m Gonna Wait Right Here” help establish the personality of the project.

There are grooves built for late-evening listening, melodic passages that invite closer attention and enough jazz and blues influence running beneath the surface to keep the music from simply fading into the background.

The result is a project with atmosphere.

You can almost picture the room.

Low lights. A table tucked away from the crowd. Conversation drifting somewhere in the distance. And the music holding everything together.

That is the Black Cat Lounge.

From Asheville to SMN Radio Smooth Jazz

There is also a little North Carolina connection behind this month’s feature.

Edge now lives in Asheville, North Carolina, and during his correspondence with SMN Radio Smooth Jazz, he added a bit of what he jokingly called “local color,” pointing out that he and the station were practically neighbors.

That conversation quickly opened another door.

A future conversation with William Edge could give SMN Radio Smooth Jazz listeners an opportunity to learn more about his creative process, his musical journey, the stories behind his projects and life as an independent artist creating from right here in North Carolina.

A Productive Year of Music

Sessions at the Black Cat Lounge is also part of an especially active creative period for Edge.

His 2026 releases include projects such as Edge Above, Edge Olicious and The Dream Galaxy, reflecting the broad musical territory he continues to explore, from contemporary jazz and funk to ambient and electronic textures.

That range says something important about the artist.

William Edge is not creating toward a single destination.

He is still exploring.

Still experimenting.

Still following the music wherever it decides to go.

SMN Radio Smooth Jazz’s October Pick

That spirit makes William Edge a natural fit for Who’s Next.

Who’s Next has never needed to mean “Who just started?”

Sometimes discovery means finding an artist at the beginning of a journey.

Other times, it means introducing listeners to an established independent artist whose work deserves another set of ears.

William Edge belongs comfortably in that second category.

With Sessions at the Black Cat Lounge, he gives listeners a project rooted in groove, atmosphere and musical exploration, with enough personality to make you want to remain in the lounge for one more song.

William Edge and Sessions at the Black Cat Lounge are SMN Radio Smooth Jazz’s Who’s Next featured artist and album for October 2026.

Listen for William Edge throughout the month on SMN Radio Smooth Jazz, including his special station drop, and discover more from an artist who just happens to be one of our North Carolina neighbors.

And perhaps, somewhere down the road, we will pull up a chair with William Edge himself and continue the conversation.

Previously on Who’s Next: Discover M.L.P.M.

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WHO’S NEXT: SEÑOJ “RUNNING”

WHO’S NEXT: SEÑOJ “RUNNING”

Posted on by Johnson Five Admin

Coming Full Circle With “Running”

Atlanta singer, songwriter and musician Señoj returns to the spotlight with the re-release of “Running,” a track that helped introduce her contemporary blend of R&B and pop to listeners earlier in her career.

For SMN Radio, her name is already familiar. Her intimate and authentic single “CRY” had already introduced us to her artistry. Now, “Running” brings another chapter of her artistry to the forefront and earns Señoj this month’s Who’s Next feature.

Built on Musicianship

An Atlanta native, Señoj developed her musical foundation early.

A classically trained pianist and vocalist who also plays guitar, she brings a musician’s perspective to a sound rooted in modern R&B, soul and pop.

Her songwriting ability earned her the Ella Fitzgerald Songwriters Scholarship through GRAMMY Camp, giving her additional opportunities to develop her craft and gain exposure to the professional music industry.

That foundation continues to shape an artist whose music balances polished contemporary production with expressive vocals and personal songwriting.

The Song That Caught SoundCloud’s Attention

“Running” previously drew recognition from SoundCloud’s editorial staff, who highlighted Señoj as an emerging voice from Atlanta’s vibrant music scene.

The editors praised her “enchanting vocals” and described her sound as modern R&B with contemporary pop appeal. They also suggested her music could resonate with listeners who enjoy artists such as Ariana Grande, NAO and Sinéad Harnett.

Most notably, they described Señoj as an artist “bound to make her mark.”

That early recognition placed attention not only on the song, but on the potential of the artist behind it.

A New Chapter for “Running”

Re-releasing a song offers something an original release cannot: perspective.

Time passes. Artists evolve. New audiences discover the music.

For Señoj, bringing “Running” forward again allows the track to meet listeners at a different point in her career, after years spent continuing to write, record and develop her sound.

Her catalog has grown since the song’s original release, including newer material such as “CRY,” giving listeners an opportunity to hear both where she has been and where her music is heading.

Creativity Beyond the Studio

Señoj’s artistic work has also extended beyond recording music.

Her song “Leave It Alone” appeared in the film The Morning After, and she later explored acting through the independent film Pressure.

Those experiences reflect an artist comfortable moving across multiple creative spaces while continuing to build her identity as a singer, songwriter and musician.

Who’s Next: Señoj

With “Running,” Señoj brings an earlier chapter of her catalog back into the present while continuing to introduce listeners to the artist she is becoming.

For SMN Radio, the selection feels especially fitting. “CRY” had already given us an introduction to Señoj’s sound.

Now “Running” has done it again.

And sometimes, that is exactly how discovery works.

A song lands.

You listen.

And an artist makes you want to hear more.

This month’s Who’s Next artist on SMN Radio is Señoj.

Discover Señoj

Featured Track: “Running”

Instagram: @senojmusic
Facebook: @senojmusic

Previously on Who’s Next: Discover Devin Chase.

SMN Radio
The Heart and Soul of The Internet.

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