Bham News: “Birmingham can be a gospel music recording capital”

Henry Panion III (File/The Birmingham News)

Henry Panion III, a professor of music at UAB and president of Audiostate 55 Recording Studios in Woodlawn, thinks Birmingham can become the gospel music recording capital of America.

He believes he’s taking a major step toward that goal with the Aug. 13 release of “Without You,” a contemporary urban inspirational album by singer Denita Gibbs of Birmingham.

It’s the first project released under Audiostate 55 Entertainment’s worldwide distribution agreement with the Warner Music Group. Warner has agreements to stock the CD for sale in more than 800 U.S. stores, including Walmart and Best Buy.

Panion believes it could be the start of something big.

“We’re trying to create Motown in the South,” he said. “It was an incubator, a place where young musicians could be nurtured.”

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