Pop singer Marie Osmond surprised the ICRS crowd Monday with an appearance to promote a forthcoming inspirational music CD available to stores through Word Distribution. Osmond, who gained fame with her brother Donny, currently appears with him in a musical variety show in Las Vegas.

After greeting a large crowd of retailers at the Word Distribution booth, Osmond met with key retail accounts, explaining the inspiration for the project. Osmond said she felt "moved by the Spirit" to record the CD, getting on her knees in prayer before ultimately realizing it's "what I needed to do."

The disc, titled The One and Only, will include "How Great Thou Art," a cover of MercyMe's "I Can Only Imagine," a couple of classical opera-style songs and original contemporary tracks. When asked if there were any songs done in a country style, she joked, "Well, I am a little bit country," referring to a song made popular by her and her brother.

Osmond said she was a longtime listener of Word music artists, but had previously felt that the "barrier with me as a Mormon" prevented the possibility of a recording. She said she hoped that people would realize "it doesn't matter what denomination (you are)," but that she wanted to bring people to "my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."

Whether Christian retailers, who are mostly evangelical in nature, will stock the CD remains to be seen. Mickey Nuttal, owner of Sonlight Christian Books and Gifts in Grand Junction, Co., told Christian Retailing that "if she's a Mormon, I probably wouldn't stock it. If you're going to be a Christian store, be a Christian store."

Lois Friesen, owner of Faith and Life Bookstore in Newton, Kan., however, said she would judge the CD on its own merits and definitely consider it "if it's not contradictory" to Scripture.

In a presentation during CBA's Industry Conference in January, researcher Kelly Gallagher revealed 18% of Catholics and 7% of Mormons shop at Christian stores.

Word Distribution has not released an official street date for the project.

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