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George Sykes III might very well be gospel music’s best kept secret but he does not mind. The Newark, New Jersey native, who spent years working under the very able guidance of Cissy Houston, was patient, allowing himself to be led by his calling. He knew that timing was everything.

Sykes grew up in Newark’s Deliverance Baptist Church where his father was pastor and his mother was a singer and pianist. He went on to follow in her footsteps, eventually mastering the piano, organ, bass guitar and percussion.

At the age of 17, he became the Minister of Music at Ebenezer Baptist Church where he taught and played for four different choirs. But it would not be long before he would go on to direct the Youth Inspiration Choir and the male chorus at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey and work alongside none other than the great Dr. Emily Cissy Houston.

“I played with Cissy Houston at New Hope for 13 years,” he says. “She taught me how to be disciplined. Sometimes we think we know what we’re doing but God puts people in your life that know better. She was one of those people. She really grounded me.”

With Houston’s teachings well ingrained, Sykes left New Hope and became Minister of Music at New Zion Baptist Church in Elizabeth, New Jersey. But this would be his last official role at a church. He was now ready to write a new chapter in his life.

In April 2001, he created SIII & The Truth. Along with this 10-piece band and 18-member choir, he went on to work with some of the biggest names in music, among them Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughan, Melba Moore, Angie Stone, Wyclef Jean, Mary Mary, Tonex, Richard Smallwood, and the Clark Sisters.

He began to catch the eyes and ears of the industry and in 2009 he was crowned the best new artist by the Bobby Jones Gospel Hour. Many years and four CDs later, much had changed for Sykes but his music remained the same. It was still as pure and as powerful as ever. That, he says, is a testament to his unique style and the talent of his performers. “We do a lot of Take 6 style harmonies,” he says. “We do a lot of jazz gospel, reggae gospel, club gospel. I try to cover every style of music that’s out there.”

The success of SIII can also be credited to Sykes’ high standards. “I really train my choir hard to make them understand the difference in the way we sound and what we can bring to the table when we get out there.” But, Sykes, who says he creates on the spot, acknowledges that some things cannot be taught or planned. They must simply be felt. “I’m very spontaneous,” he says. “I write so many songs in my head so we usually go into rehearsals not knowing what God’s gonna give you. Whatever He gives us, we record.” While his process may seem unorthodox to some, Sykes has learned that in music and in life, you simply have to listen, surrender and trust God.

“I’ve just celebrated 25 years in gospel music,” he says. “And in all those years I have trusted that everything would come to me in God’s own time.” Sykes recalls an incident that reminded him that, even after many years and many successes, God was still making changes in his life. “A few years ago I was doing a concert in New York for a dinner. Afterwards, a woman came up to me and said, ‘You’re going to be big someday but the choir that you have now is not going to be your choir. The next choir that you have is going to be the choir that takes you where you need to be.’ At that time, this choir had been with me for seven or eight years and I didn’t believe what she was saying -- until it all unraveled in my face. The whole choir fell apart and everybody quit and started doing their own thing. I was very upset but I had to remember what she said. Now I have a new choir that sounds even better than the one I had before.”

Nowadays, George Sykes is no longer content to be gospel’s best kept secret. He has paid his dues, earned his stripes and he is ready for the world to stand up and take notice. “My goal is simple,” he says. “I want to be the biggest gospel artist in the world. I would hope that this would be anyone’s goal in life - to reach the highest heights in whatever you’re doing. If you don’t give 100 percent you don’t get 100 percent.”

George now has a new Record Label - SIII Pro-G Music. 

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