If You Didn’t Know, NOW YOU


By Sonya Bradford


A veteran in gospel music, Dr. Norman Hutchins has certainly paid his dues to enjoy the success he does today. The “blessings with his name on it” are extensive and impressive and range from an earned doctorate degree to chart-topping and award-winning gospel hits. Not only that, he’s an accomplished musician, producer, songwriter, pastor and bonafide preacher of the gospel. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Hutchins and what he shared was not only enlightening, but inspiring as well. He’s a living testament to the fact that truly, “God Is Able!”


Inspiration Today: Who influenced you to get started in gospel music, or is this something that just came naturally to you?


KNOW An Interview with Dr. Norman Hutchins


Dr. Hutchins: First of all, my mother. My mother played the piano and she taught me how to play. I used to travel with her when I was a small child and I’d sing with her. Back then, it was people like the O’Neal Twins, James Cleveland and Bishop Clay Evans. Those were the three who really influenced me. When they were in their heyday, I was a teenager, so, they were our “Kirk Franklin” and “Mary Mary.”


Inspiration Today: When did your gospel music ministry take off?


Dr. Hutchins: Back in 1991, I was a member of West Angeles Church of God in Christ with Bishop Charles Blake. I was the Assistant Minister of Music at that particular time and I recorded on “Saints In Praise, Volume Two” with West Angeles Mass Choir. The song that I wrote, “Press Toward the Mark,” was one of the most requested songs on that album. After that experience, Sparrow Records offered me a five year solo contract.


Inspiration Today: These days, when you want to be ministered to personally, who do you listen to?


Dr. Hutchins: There are so many artists out there. You have new art- ists that have come on the scene like Earnest Pugh and Micah Stampley. Then there’s Donnie McClurkin and VaShawn Mitchell. For me, it’s like a big pot of soup. I can eat something from everybody.


Inspiration Today: You’re a pastor too. What’s the name of your church, and how long have you been pastoring?


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Dr. Hutchins: We’re pastoring Frontline Ministries in Dover, Delaware. The church is eight years old and my wife and I birthed the ministry.


Inspiration Today: How do you han- dle the demand of being a husband, father, gospel artist and pastor?


Dr. Hutchins: The Bible says, “to whom much is given, much is required.” I’ve surrounded myself with some good people who I delegate responsibilities to. My wife serves as my road manager and she travels with me full time. We have a good administrative staff at my church and I’m not as busy as people think I am because I’ve surrounded myself with so many wonderful people.


Inspiration Today: You’re a community leader also. What are you doing in your community at this time?


Dr. Hutchins:We’ve established businesses in our community and we’re creating jobs. A couple of projects we’re working on now are establishing a restaurant and beauty salon. We just purchased a shopping center and we’re developing that shopping center to create jobs for our city.


Inspiration Today: You had a bout with blindness. Please share a little of that testimony with us.


Dr. Hutchins: Several years ago I was diagnosed as diabetic, and I kind of just ignored it - thinking it would go away. Because I ignored it, I started going blind. I went to the doctor’s office and they told me I needed to have surgery on my eyes. When I went into surgery, they reattached my retinas, but when I woke up out of surgery I was blind. Blood had leaked into the back of my eyes, blood vessels were bursting and I was developing


cataracts. I went back to church and repented to God for not taking care of my health and I kept on preaching every Sunday for about six months. I had a couple of surgeries in the meantime with no success. One day the Lord minis- tered to me and said because of His assignment for my life, and because of my faithfulness, He would restore my sight. After six months of being blind, God restored my sight.


Inspiration Today:Thank God for your healing; that’s a powerful testimony! Your latest album is entitled “If You Didn’t Know, Now You Know.” Would you say this project was birthed out of your bout with blindness, or was it based on a combina- tion of the things you’ve endured?


Dr. Hutchins: Actually, 90% of the songs on this CD were birthed in the midst of worship. Every so often I’ll lead praise and worship at church before I minister. In the atmosphere of worship, many times, is when I hear different melodies and I’ll teach them to the congregation and praise team right on the spot. On the Sunday “If You Didn’t Know, Now You Know” was birthed, it was at a time when many of our congregants were experiencing job layoffs and home foreclosures. Economically, many of our mem- bers were affected and it was a struggle to feel a breakthrough in praise and worship. /As I was preparing to preach, that’s when I heard these words: /Have you ever been through a trial? Thought you wouldn’t make it/ You were smiling on the outside, but crying on the inside/ Wondering when will this season end. When will the joy begin?


/ How much more can I take? When will this season break? And then I said to the congregation: “Look at your neighbor and say: ‘If You Didn’t Know, Now You Know!’” Right then we sang that song until everyone was blessed and delivered.


Inspiration Today: You seem to have gained a reputation for including a “praise break” on your projects. Would you consider that your trade- mark, or is this just something that happens when you’re recording?


Dr. Hutchins: God birthed a CD that can be food for our faith. Many believers are going through difficult times, and there always seems to be a song that becomes the soundtrack of our lives. It feeds our faith and helps us through the crises. When you believe that what you’re dealing with is a temporal thing, then you display that through your faith. These are songs of faith that help us through the transitions of life.


Inspiration Today: If the Lord gave you the luxury of choosing between preaching and singing, which one would you pick and why?


Dr. Hutchins: It definitely would be preaching. The reason is because music is my “gift,” but preaching is my calling. Music is a backdoor approach to presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ.


Dr. Hutchins: To be honest with you, when I look back over my shoulder, it seems to be that every CD has a praise break on it! (laughing) That’s what happens when you’re in worship, because that’s what our live recordings are. Worship always builds to a climax and the praise break is a climax of what we’re experiencing.


Inspiration Today: With this project “If You Didn’t Know, Now You Know,” what message do you want the listener to receive as they listen to it?


“If You Didn’t Know, Now You Know” is Norman Hutchins’ tenth solo album. The project is available on his label, IR Music Group, which he founded with his wife, Karen.


His favorite tracks: “God Is Able,” “I Know You’re Gonna Make It,” “Just When You Need Him,” “Praise Break,” and “Who is the King of Glory?”


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