REV. BOBBY FULTON - President, CEO, Senior Pastor, Executive Producer
BIOGRAPHY
Bobby Fulton, Rev. Dr. Robert J., B.A., M.Ed., Ph.D., L.C.P.C.
aka Bobby Fulton from Soulville,
Place/Date of Birth: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, March 5, 1941
Residence: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Personal: Married, Children and Grandchildren
Occupation-Profession:
Government Retiree - Human Relations; Currently: Gospel and Music Minister – Pastor, Speaker, Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Producer- Promoter; Independent Business Owner: Personal Development Consultant, Human Relations and Pastoral Counselor/Advisor; Internet Entrepreneur: Online Store; eCommerce and Smart Media Consultant.
Education:
LaSalle Extension University, Diploma in Business Management, 1972.
University of Pittsburgh, B.A., Self-Designed, 1975. (Communications, Education and the Performing Arts Industry)
East Stroudsburg University, M.Ed., Secondary Education, 1987. (Educational Media and Technology)
International Seminary, Ph.D., Theology, 1991. (Author of Dissertation: The Spiritological Perspective of the Gospel Connection)
Military Service: United States Marine Corps, 1959-1963, (Vietnam Veteran).
Music Background - The Emperors and Soulful Sounds from Soulville
Bobby co-Founded the Emperors Singing Group with, Donald Brantley, Billy Dillon, Furman Clark, and cousin “Cricket” Elvin Fulton, Jr. Eleven years later, with three new members and a three piece band, led by Bobby’s younger cousin, songwriter-organist, Milton Brown, Jr., the Emperors recorded “Karate” which became a national hit (Mala). Bobby also formed the Bobby Fulton Band with Soulful Sounds from Soulville and recorded the 45 single “I’m Not Sorry” b/w “The Jimmy Spriggs” that gave birth to Soulville-Jaywalking Records. Soulville produced the Soulville All-Stars and numerous other Soul, R ‘n B, and Gospel acts. Bobby also played keyboards, wrote and recorded with The Soul-Exotics, another Harrisburg group, that he took to Phil Gaber, producer of “Karate.” Bobby wrote songs for the Sashades, a top 40 band that would record his song “People Are Falling In Love” under a new name “The Penna. Turnpike,” on the Perception Record Label in New York, produced by Patrick Adams, famed Disco songwriter-producer, and producer of the R ‘n B group, Black Ivory. Bobby Martin, famed Philadelphia songwriter-arranger-producer-orchestra conductor teamed with Soulville to produce several hit singles and albums, Gloria Spencer “Gloria’s Views of Glory” (Gospel), and The Continental Four “Dream World” (Rhythm ‘n Blues). Martin produced Bobby’s song “Memories,” with Little Doolie. Rev. Fulton is also the Presenter of "SOULFUL SOUNDS FROM SOULVILLE: The Soulville-Jaywalking Story," a compilation CD and Collector's "Double" Vinyl Album released by Get Hip Records and Distribution of Pittsburgh.
Music Background: Bobby Fulton Enterprises and Music of Pittsburgh
Bobby later worked at Black Circle Records in Pittsburgh with “Showtime, Inc.” and “Don’t Stop Walking” songwriters, Woody Miller and Milton Brown, Jr., with arranger-producer, Nate Edmonds (Love On A Two-Way Street), and record promoter Stan Price who returned to New York City as National Promotion Director for Delight Records (Kool and the Gang). One year later, Bobby entered College in the Pocono Mountains where he had an epiphany experience and calling to the Gospel Ministry. Transferring to the University of Pittsburgh, Bobby became a student of Dr. Nathan Davis, world famous Jazz Musician and Founder of the University’s Annual Jazz Seminar. Dr. Davis worked with Bobby on his first Album “Til I Fly Away” on the Bobby Fulton Enterprises label, which included the single “Massa’s Grand Boy.” Bobby worked with a variety of Pittsburgh area artists as a songwriter, musician, arranger and/or producer, including guitarist Ronnie Jones and his Zaruba Street Players, The Floyd Beck Band, Butch Martin, FeeBee Music and the Dell-Vikings, Sonny Gilmer of Sonny & the Premiers, Phyllis Hyman, Raymond Mitchell of Apple Ray Records whose label first recorded Bobby’s song “Supertown,” guitarist, Luther DeJarunette, Conga player Cecil Valdez Washington. Bobby also managed the group “Sisterhood,” who was backed by Larry Butch McGee’s Band, later young Ozanam Strings musicians. "All I Need" by the Pittsburgh group "T.H.A.T." was arranged, produced and released on the Bobby Fulton Enterprises label.
Gospel Music Ministries International:
Gospel Music Ministries International (GMMI) was founded to carry-out Rev. Fulton’s calling to ministry, for him to use his gifts and talents for God’s mandated purposes, a multi-fold Mission: (1) To reach the world for Christ, invite and help artists, in particular, make their Gospel Connection through Christian Ministry; (2) To discover, develop and present Talent, help people use their gifts and talents, in ministry, in business, in careers, personal development, and service to others; and (3) To help meet human needs, providing and linking people with Social Services, Professional, Technical, Administrative Support and Referral Services.
Rev. Bobby Fulton and The Gospel Connection:
In addition to being a Journeyman in the Music-Record Business (Mt. 25:14-30), Rev. Fulton’s experiences and training have included educational media and technology, print media, radio and television broadcasting. The name “Gospel Connection” was first used as the name of GMMI’s Official Newsletter. In 1981, Rev. Fulton, Hosted the first GMMI sponsored “Gospel Connection” radio broadcast on Pittsburgh’s WYJZ-WAMO. Making a live church appearance one Sunday with his daughters, they were introduced as “Rev. Bobby Fulton and the Gospel Connection.” From that day, the name carried over into every aspect of the ministry up to the present time, and it speaks of the ministry’s mission of bringing God’s people together thru Christ, working as a group, a team, and having the Lord Jesus Christ with GMMI-GCO (pseudonym) wherever it goes. Numerous musicians, singers and non-musical volunteers have participated in GMMI sponsored activities with the Fultons and have been recognized as a link, and a member of the Gospel Connection Outreach Network Missions Team.
Primarily, Dr. Fulton is engaged with his duties as Senior Pastor and C.E.O. of GMMI, overseeing his Entrepreneur affairs, and mentoring. In addition, he recently has been recording and performing with talents of protégé, singer-songwriter-arranger-producer, Gary Germany of g2square Productions, and his brother, Glenn Germany. The brothers pastor Jesus’ Dwelling Place in North Braddock, a Suburb of Pittsburgh, and have a new soon-to-be-released CD coming out under management of the TATE Music Group. Rev. Fulton is featured on one of the songs in the CD. Gary Germany has been a longtime member of GMMI’s Arts Fellowship, and is an ordained minister of GMMI’s Gospel Connection Outreach “Church Coming To You.” Glenn Germany who does Gospel Rap also has appeared at the Arts Fellowship. “Stop Domestic Violence” a Bobby Fulton-Gary Germany Production that has been on hold for quite some time is being scheduled to be released on Rev. Fulton’s Music of Pittsburgh label which, todate, has administered all GMMI related music.
Rev. Fulton and James Lattaker, another Pittsburgh minister-singer-musician (piano), have teamed up for appearances and to record as “The Bobby Fulton-James Lattaker Project, a piano-organ worship team. They recently conducted worship music for the Sunday non-denominational service at the Global Business Alliance (GBA) Fall Conference in Rochester, New York (September 2011). Lattaker plays also as a member of the Worship Band at “Ebenezer”, one of the prominent Historical Baptist Churches in the City of Pittsburgh’s famous Hill District. The Fulton-Lattaker Project also conducts PEIT GROUPS, (Free Training Seminars for “Potential Entrepreneurs In Training”).