Karen Clark-Sheard, Beverly Crawford & A Request

My audio/VHS archive is open with some gospel greatness!

When I was a teenager, I started watching Bobby Jones Gospel. Yes. Dr. Jones showcased the diversity of gospel music. Traditional and contemporary artists as well as national and regional acts. But it was his own group, New Life, that completely captivated me. I was (and am!) a huge fan of The Caravans and the incarnation of New Life that I first saw in action reminded me of them.

Francine Belcher, Emily Harris, Angela Primm, Nuana Dunlap and Beverly Crawford brought the Holy Ghost every time they hit the stage. My godsister, Kelly, and I were completely captivated. I started taping the show as often as I could and have held on to those tapes for the last thirty years. I started sharing them again a few months ago via YouTube and, believe it or not, of all of the performances I’ve shared by a variety of artists, the most searched for names are theirs!

Yesterday, I shared this rare clip from their performance at the Louisiana Heritage Festival in 1993 that showcases why they captivated the hearts of so many people around the world! I hope you enjoy.

After my sophomore album, The Muse, was released in 2006, an internet station in England asked me if I would be interested in hosting a two hour program. I leapt at the opportunity and began reaching out to artists from gospel, soul/R&B, jazz, pop and other worlds and started conducting interviews. This past week, I shared the first from my treasure trove of conversations. In 2007, I interviewed Karen Clark-Sheard of The Clark Sisters about the family group’s reunion album, Live: One Last Time, and her own recent solo project It’s Not Over. I was given seven minutes with her and I did my best to make them count!

FINALLY!

You all have been on the fundraising journey with me for the New York Community Choir book project. It’s hard to believe that next month, it will be an entire year. In that year, the GoFundMe has been an incredible help in taking the time to actually write the book that I’ve been researching and conducting interviews for since 2014. As of this moment, we are $248 from reaching the goal! Would you help me close out this fundraiser this week? You can contribute by clicking here.

I’m humbled and grateful for your belief in this project and your understanding of this choir’s importance. If you’re new to the newsletter, you can read my feature on the choir which focuses on their 1977 disco hit, “Express Yourself” to learn more about this incredible group, directed by the dynamic Benny Diggs, and why their story needs to be told.