Oakland’s Oracle Arena was filled floor to ceiling this past Saturday as more than 20,000 gospel music devotees danced in the aisles and raised voices to the sweet sounds of the Bay Area’s finest soul stirring, church choirs during How Sweet the Sound - a Verizon experience and nationwide search for the best church choir in America. 

The annual event was hosted by Grammy- and Stellar award-winning gospel legend, CeCe Winans, along with co-host and MC, Grammy-winning songwriter, producer, arranger and music director, Donald Lawrence, who choreographed the opening selection that featured all eight choirs and set the stage for the evening. Celebrity judges for the night were the powerful and legendary Marvin Sapp, Hezekiah Walker and Byron Cage, who all got their start in gospel music as members of church choirs and musical directors and understand what it takes to make a choir come together.

Each group hit the stage with power and after the first note the game was on. They all came to win it.

Standout performances included a rendition of the "Hallelujah Chorus" – a soulful celebration, by the beautiful Capitol City Singers and The Pentecostals of the Bay Area raising the roof with "For Every Mountain."

The big winner of the $10,000 prize and a chance to compete in the national finale in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 13 went to over-all favorite, Apostolic Community Life Choir of Apostolic Life Center in Salinas, who rocked the gospel classic, "The Presence of the Lord Is Here." The Pentecostals of the Bay Area received a prize of $5,000 and the V Cast People’s Choice Award.

As if the local choirs weren’t enough, each of the celebrities came out to praise with the people of Oakland as they performed medleys of their gospel hits. Heads nodded, feet were stomping and plenty of tissue was passed around as everyone on stage, backstage and in the audience sang the closing song. Talking with the celebrities backstage, each said that it is the intent of the Verizon Company to not only provide a platform for local talent, but to also bring people together in celebration of an American art form - Gospel music.

Now in its third year, How Sweet The Sound has grown to include 14 cities on its national tour. Gospel artist Cage said that the enthusiasm in each city has been exciting.

The cities are chosen for the tour based on the size of the gospel music market. If Saturday’s attendance is any indication, Oakland must have a pretty good share of that market. How Sweet the Sound truly lives up to its mission to unite networks of people with soul stirring performances that inspire, uplift and empower through praise.

To read more about the tour and to see more pictures of Oakland’s choirs and people at the event, visit www.howsweethesound.com. Also make sure to learn about HopeLine from Verizon Wireless. This link provides a way for people to help victims of domestic violence and help save the environment by donating old phones.