Profile of gospel singer Tonéx. Anthony Charles Williams II has never had a comfortable relationship with the industry that made him famous.
Fans know him as Tonéx. His eccentric style and vertiginous high notes helped make him one of the most acclaimed praise singers of the past decade, and, for a time, one of the most successful. He had a certain hip-hop swagger and the status of a sex symbol.
A boisterous live double CD, "Out the Box," won him six trophies at the 2005 Stellar Awards, gospel's most prestigious event. Tonéx was a welcome guest at all the biggest black churches, a regular presence on BET's gospel shows, and a headliner at gospel festivals. He has released dozens of CDs, which contain some of the strangest and most seductive Christian pop music since the glory days of James Cleveland; his most evident musical forbears are adventurous pop stars such as Stevie Wonder, Janet Jackson, and Erykah Badu. He made it a habit to tweak old-fashioned, upstanding churchgoers.
In 2005, Tonéx was divorced, after four years of marriage to Yvette Graham. This past September, the television host known as Lexi broadcast an interview with Tonéx on the Word Network, a gospel channel, in which he made his clearest public statements about his sexual orientation. He is, within the church world, the first high-profile gospel singer in history to come out of the closet. Within hours, he started to realize what he had done. His relationship with the mainstream gospel industry was effectively over.
Tonéx was brought up in the church. The Williams family belonged to the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (P.A.W.), and his father, A. C. Williams, founded Truth Apostolic Community Church. Mentions the Church of God in Christ (COGIC). Nearly all the Pentecostal gospel stars were COGIC. Mentions T. L. Carter. In the nineties, Tonéx was signed by a local Christian label called Rescue, and then by Jive Records. Mentions his first album, "Pronounced Toe-Nay" (2000) and his second album, "Out the Box" (2004).
Tonéx sensed early on that he was attracted to other boys, and he spent the better part of three decades trying to figure out what that might mean for him. Along the way, he has honed a style of his own, a sly but ecstatic form of electronic pop. Early last year, he made a major-label comeback with "Unspoken," but the album was largely ignored by the gospel industry. By going public, and by suggesting that a homosexual relationship can be as godly (or ungodly) as a heterosexual one, Tonéx went from being just another sinner to being a high-profile heretic.
Mentions Long Island pastor Donnie McClurkin. As a stock character in African-American folklore, the gay choir director probably predates gospel music. Mentions Alex Bradford, Prophet Jones, and Rev. James Cleveland. In Bishop Yvette Flunder's view, gospel music is gay music, with vanishingly few exceptions; she estimates that the proportion of gospel performers who are, or have been, same-gender-loving might be as high as ninety per cent. Gospel music has offered generations of same-gender-loving singers a place to call home, in exchange for their obedience, or their silence. By talking plainly about his sexual identity, Tonéx has scrambled his professional identity.
SOURCE: The New Yorker
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This is a crying shame
We just need to keep praying for him and love him through this time in his life. If we continue to love him, love covers a multitude of sin.... we are so quick to throw people away. I'm not gay nor am I'm condoning his behavior but I believe if Jesus was here, he would reach out to him and love him regardless. Jesus would also tell him there is a reward for every decision if it be a good reward or a bad reward that is up to him.
I really feel sad for Tonex. Its unfortunate that his lifestyle is not of a belivers. I am not judgeing him but the word of God does not support his lifestyle. My prayer is that he will cone into the knowledge of the truth. as believers we cannot "throw him under the bus". He is a soul that is in error. Lets keep him in our prayers. He is one of Gods children.
I admire Tonex for his strength. I truly believe that no one makes a choice to be gay - to come out and be persecuted by his peers. His voice is no different, his look no different. Who knows what some of our esteemed gospel singers are hiding? Pray for our brothers and sisters not to be so judgemental - based on the BIBLE which teaches us a lot of lessons not just about homosexuality.
People once again A Minister said over the radio to all his listners years ago to go to a website called the gay agenda It was exposing there plans to take over our churches if the church will not except them and to move in high postions to change laws. The letter also stated that were going to recruit our sons and daughters. They have pulled together and have accomplished what their plans are. (The letter is not there now)
But wait a minute: I can here the Lord speaking from his word:
Jeremiah chapter 5 verse 22: Do you not fear Me?' says the LORD. 'Will you not tremble at My presence, Who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea, By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it? And though its waves toss to and fro, Yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it.But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone. 'For among My people are found wicked men; They lie in wait as one who sets snares; They set a trap; They catch men.
The saddest part of this is the syndrome of people marrying, having children, then "finding themselves to be gay."
African Americans, perhaps more than any others, need intact families--we need to see loyalty.
1 Corinthians 6:12 informs us, "You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything. You say, “Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.” (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead.
The sadder part is i do not really think he is gay. I think in his struggle he thinks he is. I speak as one who knows the hold that being molested has on you especially when its happened at such a young age. I believe depending on what day it is and how alone he feels determines what gender he goes for. I DONT Dispute his feelingsw for men but i really don not think he is gay. I THINK HES JUST ALONE, SCARED AND CONFUSED.
I would start by saying that, if any one knows that he or she is perfect should cast the first stone ................... BUT NO ONE IS PREFECT THEN I SAY ALL SINS ARE EQUAL BEFORE THE SIGHT OF GOD. LORD HAVE MERCY ON US
I really like the colors here on your blog. did you design this yourself or did you outsource it to a professional?