| Martha Munizzi | |
| Birth Name: | Martha Denise Stallings |
| Birth Date: | 26 February 1968 |
| Birth Place: | Lakeland, Florida |
| Origin: | Orlando, Florida |
| Years Active: | 1987–present |
| Associated Acts: | Mary Alessi Israel Houghton |
Martha Denise Munizzi (born February 26, 1968) is an American Christian music singer, songwriter, author, and pastor.
A native of central Florida, Martha Munizzi was born into a Christian musical family. The daughter of evangelists, Martha and her twin sister Mary Alessi were born in Lakeland, Florida, and grew up traveling and ministering through music with her family. She began performing at age 8, touring the country with her family in concerts and crusades around the United States and Canada.
Martha, Mary, and their older sister Marvelyne were born with their parents' talent for music and became a part of the traveling family group as kids. The family settled in Orlando, Florida, when Mary and Martha were 12, so that the children could attend formal, public school.
At age 16, Mary, Martha and Marveline (age 18) helped form a praise and worship band at the urging of a church friend. That group evolved into Testament and became popular enough to travel around the state of Florida performing in churches and at conferences and other events.
One year after completing high school (1986), Martha married Dan Munizzi, who was a keyboard and bass player in the band Testament.[1] In 1993 she and Dan became the music directors and founding members of a new, fledgling church in Orlando, Florida, initially leading a congregation of 250 and a choir of about 30 people that eventually grew in 8 years into a 5000-member congregation and a 200-member music team. They remained there until 2001.
She led worship at Lakewood Church while Cindy Cruse-Ratcliff was on maternity leave.[2] [3]
Along with figures like Ron Kenoly, CeCe Winans, and Israel Houghton, Munizzi is pioneering cross-cultural worship music that not only connects with both black and white Christian congregations but also reaches the masses.[4]
Munizzi's songs are self-published under the name Say The Name Publishing/Martha Munizzi Music. She released her first Praise & Worship/Gospel album, Say the Name (2002), followed by The Best Is Yet to Come (2003) and When He Came (2004), both of which debuted high on Billboard's Gospel chart. The Best Is Yet to Come peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Music Top Gospel Album charts in 2004 and remained on the charts for more than a year.
In 2004, Munizzi had two music albums in the top five on Billboards Gospel charts at the same time (The Best Is Yet to Come at No. 2 and When He Came at No. 5) and Billboard Magazine named her as one of the top five Gospel Artists for 2004. Additionally, her project The Best Is Yet to Come was named one of the top ten selling Gospel projects for 2004.
In 2005, she signed a distribution deal with Integrity Media, Inc. Under this agreement, her previously released albums The Best Is Yet To Come and Say The Name and all future releases were to be distributed to Christian retail outlets through Provident-Integrity Distribution and to general market outlets on the Epic Records (a division of Sony-BMG Distribution).[5]
In 2006, Munizzi released her next CD entitled No Limits Live. This CD debuted on Billboard's Top Gospel Charts at No. 1 and remained at the top of the charts for 6 weeks.
Munizzi has ministered with several popular Christian ministries including; Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar, Joyce Meyer, Benny Hinn, CeCe Winans, and Bishop T.D. Jakes. She has also appeared on Trinity Broadcasting Network's (TBN's) Praise The Lord, on the Daystar Television Network, on Life Today with James Robison, and on Black Entertainment Television's BET Celebration Of Gospel. Additionally she performed as a part of the 3rd annual "Sisters In The Spirit" tour with Yolanda Adams, Kelly Price, Juanita Bynum, Rizen and Sheila E in 2005. She was also a featured performer with Kirk Franklin at the "Imagine Me" all-star celebrity benefit concert on January 11, 2007, at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.[6] The concert was a benefit for the Children's Defense Fund.
Munizzi also performed with the Gospel trio Virtue on their 2006 album Testimony on the song Praises to You. She also performs her song Glorious live on Donna Richardson-Joyner's 2006 exercise video entitled Sweating in the Spirit 2. Her twin sister, Mary Alessi, performs with her on her 2006 album No Limits Live.
The CD/DVD project, Change the World was released on April 1, 2008. The project was recorded on December 7, 2007, and features Israel Houghton, Mary Alessi, Micah Stampley, Bishop Joseph Garlington, and Ricardo Sanchez.
On April 24, 2011, Munizzi released Make it Loud her first self-produced CD. The new project features William McDowell, Michael Gungor, Jonathan Stockstill, Lori Morrison, Daniel Eric Groves, and the debut of Danielle Munizzi, her daughter.[7]
On August 27, 2021, Munizzi released Best Days, with a new single "Fight for Me".[8]
Munizzi married Dan Munizzi in 1987 and have three children: Danielle, Nicole, and Nathan. Martha and Dan currently pastor Epic Life Church in Orlando, Florida.
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Say the Name
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| 2003 | The Best Is Yet to Come
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| 2004 | When He Came
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| 2006 |
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| 2008 | Change The World
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| 2011 | Make It Loud
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| 2021 | Best Days
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Munizzi has been nominated for Grammy, Dove, Stellar and Soul Train Awards as both a performer and songwriter. In 2006, Munizzi was nominated for a Grammy for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album. She has also been nominated for the 2007 Stellar Awards' Artist of the Year and Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year.[9]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | GMA Dove Awards | Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year | "Because of Who You Are" | ||
| 2005 | Stellar Awards | Best New Artist of the Year Award | The Best Is Yet To Come | ||
| 2006 | Stellar Awards | Special Event CD of the Year | When He Came | ||
| Oasis Awards | International Female Artist of the Year | ||||
| Grammy Awards | Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album | Say the Name | |||
| GMA Dove Awards | Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year | When He Came | |||
| 2007 | CCM Magazine Readers Choice Awards | Female Artist of the Year | No Limits Live | ||
| Praise & Worship CD of the Year | |||||
| Worship Artist of the Year | |||||
| Stellar Awards | Artist of the Year | ||||
| Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year | |||||
| GMA Dove Awards | Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year | ||||
| Contemporary Gospel of the Year | |||||
| Christian Music Awards | Female Artist of the Year | ||||
| 2009 | GMA Dove Awards | Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year | Change The World | ||
| Contemporary Gospel Song of the Year | "Favor Of God" |