Sunday Sermonette: Sister Rosetta Tharpe - This Train

Sister Rosetta Tharpe -- vocalist, songwriter and guitarist -- is the undisputed Godmother of Rock and Roll.  She was the first bonafide gospel star and yet, her trailblazing extends far beyond the church in three very important ways. First, she infused gospel with rock and roll the way Ray Charles infused R&B with gospel.  Secondly, she did this with the electric guitar, which was a new item at the time, and played it like none other. Thirdly, because she was a master of the electric guitar (she started playing in church when she was 3 years old), she was a strong influence with artists like Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley -- and they influenced everyone, most notably bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. And who hasn't been influenced by The Beatles and the Stones?

They're all standing on her shoulders. It is for these reasons and more that her body of work can't be denied or diminished.

This woman is my heroine and in many ways, my blueprint: here she is, performing for a European audience, in a beautiful gown with that white Gibson, singing an old Negro spiritual her way -- and talking smack to pianist Otis Spann, no less.  What a glamorous, flamboyant performer she was -- and yes, so theatrical.  It's everything I aim for, when I perform. It's like I was doing it, then I discovered her and found a parallel line that eventually ran all the way through me -- from her Southern beginnings in COGIC to her time in New York City and eventually Europe.

Listen in and be blessed.

This Train

This train is bound for glory - this train;
This train is bound for glory - this train;
This train is bound for glory - all who ride it must be holy;
This train, this train, this train.

This train has left the station - this train; 
This train has left the station - this train; 
This train has left the station - this train takes on every nation; 
This train, this train, this train.

This train don't carry no liars - this train;
This train don't carry no liars - this train;
This train don't carry no liars - no false pretenders, no back-biters;
This train, this train, this train.

This train don't pull no gamblers - this train;
This train don't pull no gamblers - this train;
This train don't pull no gamblers - no crap-shooters, no midnight ramblers;
This train, this train, this train.

This train is a clean train - this train;
This train is a clean train - this train;
This train is a clean train - everybody ride it in Jesus' name;
This train, this train, this train.

Sunday Sermonette: The Caravans -- "Lord Keep Me Day By Day"

When it's time for me to perform country gospel songs for an HAI gig in the city, there are certain groups that never fail to inspire me. This classic gospel song was recorded by Florida Mass Choir, Willie Neal Johnson & The Gospel Keynotes, Dorothy Norwood and a few others. I especially like this one from The Caravans -- a group that launched the careers of legendary gospel greats Rev. James Cleveland, Albertina Walker, Shirley Caesar, Josephine Howard and many more.

Those of you in the peanut gallery who are actually paying attention already know that Ms. Howard is the one and only Miki I Found Love Under New Management Howard's mother.  So there's that.

Listen in and be blessed.

Lord, Keep Me Day By Day  (written by Eddie Williams)

Lord, keep me day by day,
in a pure, and perfect way.
I want to live, I want to live on
in a building not made by hand.

Lord, keep my body strong
so that I can do no wrong.
Lord, give me grace just to run this Christian race
to a building not made by hand.

I'm just a stranger here,
traveling through this barren land.
Lord, I know there's a building somewhere,
in a building not made by hand.

Sunday Sermonette: Edwin Hawkins and The Edwin Hawkins Singers -- "I Believe"

This song -- commissioned by pre-war singer/actress Jane Froman in 1953 for her tv show The Jane Froman Show as a response to the Korean War -- was the first hit song ever introduced on television. She said wanted to give people hope.  I don't know if it worked but it's a popular and enduring song that transcends genres.  Everyone -- and I mean everyone -- has covered it, from Elvis Presley to Frank Sinatra to Mahalia Jackson to Dolly Parton. 

Interestingly, Ms. Froman -- an educated Midwesterner (from Columbia, Missouri), a classically trained vocalist (Cincinnati Conservatory of Music), a genuine Hollywood movie star and a chronic stutterer  -- has not one but three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

I've heard this song before, quite a lot. I don't like it or dislike it.  It's just there, like pleasant aural wallpaper.  Kinda pre-hippyish in this deliberate way that's so sincere, it's not schmaltzy at all. 

It's like that song Misty: You know it even if you think you don't know it. You don't quite know how you know it or when you learned it. It's just there, stuck in your head, like an earworm you carried into the world at birth.

What better gospel choir to do this song justice than the iconic Edwin Hawkins Singers?

Listen in and be blessed.

 Lyrics:

I believe for every drop of rain that falls
A flower grows,
I believe that somewhere in the darkest night
A candle glows,
I believe for everyone who goes astray,
Someone will come to show the way,
I believe, I believe.

I believe above the storm a smallest prayer
Will still be heard,
I believe that someone in the great somewhere
Hears every word,
Every time I hear a newborn baby cry,
Or touch a leaf, or see the sky,
Then I know why,
I believe.

Every time I hear a newborn baby cry,
Or touch a leaf, or see the sky,
Then I know why,
I believe.

Sunday Sermonette: Sam Cooke and The Soul Stirrers -- "Be With Me Jesus"

When I hold still and remember my earliest recollections of music, it sounded a lot like this -- a sacred chant in a sanctified place, with so many voices crying out to God.

Listen and be blessed.

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh Lord, the time is growing nigh
When I must breathe my last breath inside
Lord, in my dying hour, stay with me, Lord

Oh Lord, my friends have gathered 'round
They're watching me slowly, slowly sinking down
Lord, in my dying hour, stay with me, Lord

Now Lord, now Lord, now Jesus time have come
When I'm a leave my earthly home
Friends standing around, tear in the eyes

They know that I am about to die
But I'm not worried, I'm not afraid
I know you do, Jesus, just what You say
You be with me Lord, day and night
I'm not afraid, I said I'm dying, don't leave me now

Oh Lord, I know you'll stand by me
When I'm in trouble, when I'm in misery
And Lord, in my dying hour, stay with me, Lord

Oh Lord, I know You'll stand by Your word
Whenever I call You, I know You have already heard
Lord, in my dying hour, stay with me, Lord

Now Lord, I said farewell, fare thee well
Fare thee well to my friends down here
I got loved ones waiting for me up there

Oh Lord, others are waiting for me
What a reunion, I know that will be
Lord, in my dying hour, stay with me, Lord

Sunday Sermonette

This is Sylvester Stewart -- otherwise known as Sly Stone -- at the tender age of nine (!!!) singing Walkin' In Jesus Name.  Listen in and be blessed!

Sunday Sermonette

And now, a word from Lady Tramaine Hawkins -- the first vocalist I ever made a deliberate effort to imitate, ever.  She's a real powerhouse.

While she was in high school, she was a member of The Heavenly Tones which eventually became  Little Sister, the four member group that sang backups for Sly and The Family Stone -- on recordings and in concert.  Lady Tramaine eventually married Walter Hawkins and was lead vocalist with his Love Center Choir for years. That album Love Alive! is a basic and simply shimmers with empassioned brilliance. It's the perfect synthesis of soul, funk and traditional gospel. 

How interesting that Lady Tramaine, the Hawkins brothers and Sylvester Stewart were walking down the same (gospel) path, more or less...

Sunday Sermonette

Here's Andre Crouch -- one of the founding fathers of 70s soul-infused gospel -- singing He's Brought Me This Far.  Listen in and be blessed.