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Dorinda Clark Cole Defends Artist Formerly Known As Tonéx: ‘Everyone Goes Through’
Wednesday, August 21, 2013 at 9:54AM
By Elaine Byrne:: EEW Magazine Entertainment Reporter
The faith-based community remembers the artist formerly known as Tonéx coming out as gay, but is he now coming home?
At Evangelist Dorinda Clark-Cole’s 15th annual “Singers, Musicians & Arts Conference” (SMAC) on August 14-17 in Toledo, OH, according to EEW Magazine’s insiders, the 38-year-old performer, real name Anthony Charles Williams II, appeared to be showing signs of transformation.
During the gospel music event, the seven-time Stellar Award-winning artist, best known for his smash hit, “Make Me Over,” was spotted crying, praising, and even breaking out in a dance alongside Clark-Cole—an image she posted on Facebook August 18.
Photo Credit: Dorinda Clark-Cole Facebook
Williams’ jubilant expressions of rejoicing in a church environment have left the faith community wondering if this should be viewed as proof positive that he is making a return to a Christian lifestyle that denounces homosexuality as sin.
In 2009, during an appearance on The Word Network’s “The Lexi Show,” in response to Lexi Allen’s questions, the vocalist stunned the conservative faith community with his open admission of same-sex attractions, hinting that he had given over to the lifestyle. Then, in 2010, Williams was profiled in The New Yorker magazine in a piece that also exposed an undercover gay culture in gospel music.
“I think the interesting notion is that people kind of knew [I was gay]. It’s just as long as it wasn’t confirmed I was deemed okay,” the out artist told Essence.com in a 2011 interview.
But in the face of Williams’ much buzzed-about public praise break, gospel enthusiasts and Christians who say they have been praying for his deliverance, are waiting to see what happens next.
Since 2010, he has adopted the stage name “B. Slade” and performs as an independent R&B/Glam Pop artist, finding his niche in the small, but growing LGBT music market.
While some have expressed joy over what appear to be his first steps—literally and figuratively—in the right direction, others have wondered aloud about the genuineness of Williams’ praise and brokenness in God’s presence.
Despite what others feel, Clark-Cole, is defending the prodigal son of gospel on her Facebook page. “We will continue to pray for our brother that God will keep him in perfect peace,” she wrote. “Everyone goes through, heartaches, pain and wrong doings, but we serve a God that sits high and looks low, we know him to be a healer and a deliver, so with that being said, is that we will pray and continue to uplift my brother.”
While the online debate has reached fever pitch, with hundreds of commenters expressing their opinions, the journalist, Allen, who originally broke the story about Williams’ sexuality on her show, chided those judging his praise.
“HEY REALLY!! THE WORD SAYS LET- LET MEANS ALLOW-- LET E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G THAT HATH BREATH PRAISE THE LORD!” she said.
“Now take your opinions and sweep around your own front door. We always do the most and wanna talk about someone's salvation when we already have instructions given to us BY GOD HIMSELF!”
During her tirade, she remarked, “No matter what's going on in his PERSONAL LIFE, LET EVERYTHING that hath breath praise the Lord.”
One of the SMAC conference attendees, Debora Gregory, also came to the controversial singer’s defense on Facebook, sharing her personal take on what transpired in Ohio.
“For most of you commenting you were not there when Tonex came on Thursday night to hear Bishop Hezakiah Walker preach you did not see his face he was broken and hurt and when he called us to the alter he was one of the ones who fell just crying out to God,” she explained in detail.
“He was wounded and tired and at the end of himself he had to turn it over to God. He was restored on Saturday afternoon and testified on Saturday night that's when he changed his name to Anthony Clark Williams and praised God for restoring his joy (his words).”
Gregory concluded, “None of us can say if he was telling us the truth but we can continue to pray for our brother. Please pray for each other because we all stand in the need of prayer.”
So far, no word from Williams on what this all means for his lifestyle or music career. However, he did decide to pull his latest deeply personal and profanity-filled album, “My September Issue,” originally slated for an August 19 release date.
“This LP was lawful for my private journal but not for everybody,” Williams said in a statement, adding, “I have to be mindful of bigger global assignments in my near future which trump the need to publicly express my personal tragedies.”
The faith-based community remembers the artist formerly known as Tonéx coming out as gay, but is he now coming home?
At Evangelist Dorinda Clark-Cole’s 15th annual “Singers, Musicians & Arts Conference” (SMAC) on August 14-17 in Toledo, OH, according to EEW Magazine’s insiders, the 38-year-old performer, real name Anthony Charles Williams II, appeared to be showing signs of transformation.
During the gospel music event, the seven-time Stellar Award-winning artist, best known for his smash hit, “Make Me Over,” was spotted crying, praising, and even breaking out in a dance alongside Clark-Cole—an image she posted on Facebook August 18.
Williams’ jubilant expressions of rejoicing in a church environment have left the faith community wondering if this should be viewed as proof positive that he is making a return to a Christian lifestyle that denounces homosexuality as sin.
In 2009, during an appearance on The Word Network’s “The Lexi Show,” in response to Lexi Allen’s questions, the vocalist stunned the conservative faith community with his open admission of same-sex attractions, hinting that he had given over to the lifestyle. Then, in 2010, Williams was profiled in The New Yorker magazine in a piece that also exposed an undercover gay culture in gospel music.
“I think the interesting notion is that people kind of knew [I was gay]. It’s just as long as it wasn’t confirmed I was deemed okay,” the out artist told Essence.com in a 2011 interview.
But in the face of Williams’ much buzzed-about public praise break, gospel enthusiasts and Christians who say they have been praying for his deliverance, are waiting to see what happens next.
Since 2010, he has adopted the stage name “B. Slade” and performs as an independent R&B/Glam Pop artist, finding his niche in the small, but growing LGBT music market.
While some have expressed joy over what appear to be his first steps—literally and figuratively—in the right direction, others have wondered aloud about the genuineness of Williams’ praise and brokenness in God’s presence.
Despite what others feel, Clark-Cole, is defending the prodigal son of gospel on her Facebook page. “We will continue to pray for our brother that God will keep him in perfect peace,” she wrote. “Everyone goes through, heartaches, pain and wrong doings, but we serve a God that sits high and looks low, we know him to be a healer and a deliver, so with that being said, is that we will pray and continue to uplift my brother.”
While the online debate has reached fever pitch, with hundreds of commenters expressing their opinions, the journalist, Allen, who originally broke the story about Williams’ sexuality on her show, chided those judging his praise.
“HEY REALLY!! THE WORD SAYS LET- LET MEANS ALLOW-- LET E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G THAT HATH BREATH PRAISE THE LORD!” she said.
“Now take your opinions and sweep around your own front door. We always do the most and wanna talk about someone's salvation when we already have instructions given to us BY GOD HIMSELF!”
During her tirade, she remarked, “No matter what's going on in his PERSONAL LIFE, LET EVERYTHING that hath breath praise the Lord.”
One of the SMAC conference attendees, Debora Gregory, also came to the controversial singer’s defense on Facebook, sharing her personal take on what transpired in Ohio.
“For most of you commenting you were not there when Tonex came on Thursday night to hear Bishop Hezakiah Walker preach you did not see his face he was broken and hurt and when he called us to the alter he was one of the ones who fell just crying out to God,” she explained in detail.
“He was wounded and tired and at the end of himself he had to turn it over to God. He was restored on Saturday afternoon and testified on Saturday night that's when he changed his name to Anthony Clark Williams and praised God for restoring his joy (his words).”
Gregory concluded, “None of us can say if he was telling us the truth but we can continue to pray for our brother. Please pray for each other because we all stand in the need of prayer.”
So far, no word from Williams on what this all means for his lifestyle or music career. However, he did decide to pull his latest deeply personal and profanity-filled album, “My September Issue,” originally slated for an August 19 release date.
“This LP was lawful for my private journal but not for everybody,” Williams said in a statement, adding, “I have to be mindful of bigger global assignments in my near future which trump the need to publicly express my personal tragedies.”
