Tag Archives: Mahalia Jackson

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Robin Roberts Presents: ‘Mahalia’ to Premiere on Saturday, April 3rd at 8PM ET/PT on Lifetime!

Hello World,

ABC NEWS – Robin Roberts
(ABC/Heidi Gutman)

There will be excellent Easter programming this weekend! Lifetime’s highly anticipated gospel biopic Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia, will premiere Saturday, April 3 at 8:00pm ET/PT. An impressive list of Broadway stars including Tony® nominee Joaquina Kalukango (Slave Play), Jason Dirden (Fences & OWN’s Greenleaf...I loved him as Basie Skanks), Olivia Washington (The Butler) and Rob Demery (Lovecraft Country) join the film which is directed by Tony® Award-winner Kenny Leon and stars Tony Award nominee, SAG and Grammy® Award winning actress Danielle Brooks (Orange is the New Black) as the gospel legend and civil rights trailblazer.

In the movie, Dirden stars as Russell Roberts, the dashing, music-loving Reverend who falls  for Mahalia when they first meet in the late 1940s while Kalukango takes on the role of Mildred, Mahalia’s talented and opinionated, long-time pianist. Washington portrays Estelle, a piano teacher Mahalia meets at church who goes on to become her life-long friend and Demery stars as the influential civil rights leader.

Born in New Orleans, Mahalia Jackson began singing at an early age and went on to become one of the most revered gospel figures in U.S. history, melding her music with the civil rights movement. Her recording of the song Move on Up a Little Higher sold millions of copies, skyrocketing her to international fame and gave her the opportunity to perform at diverse settings including in front of a racially integrated audience at the prestigious Carnegie Hall and at John F. Kennedy’s inaugural ball. An active supporter of the Civil Rights Movement, Jackson sang at numerous rallies, including the March on Washington in 1963 alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in hopes that her music would encourage and inspire racial equality.

Danielle Brooks sings these songs in the movie including Come On Children Let’s Sing, Didn’t It Rain, Elijah Rock, His Eyes On The Sparrow, How I Got Over, I’m Going to Live the Life I Sing About in My Song, I’ve Been Buked, Move On Up A Little Higher, My God Is Real, Precious Lord Take My Hand, Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child. Soundtrack will be available on ABKCO Music & Records.

Below is the trailer…

From Rock’n Robin Productions and Lincoln Square Productions, Mahalia is executive produced by Robin Roberts and Linda Berman. Danielle Brooks and Kenny Leon are co-executive producers. Leon directs from a script written by Bettina Gilois and Todd Kreidler.

Any thoughts?

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Breaking Down the Holy Spirit/Why Beyoncé Did Ledisi A Favor…

Hello World,

Like the rest of the Innanet, I watched as Beyoncé, swaddled in her flowing, white organza, bejeweled dress with muted makeup to match, belt out her rendition of “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” on the GRAMMYs Sunday night.  Backed up by the Harlem Boys To Men Choir(tee hee), who also wore white, she hit all of the right notes and gestured with all of the appropriate movements, but when she was done…

Meh. I was still sitting on my bed, head scarf on and sleep at the corners of my eyes, with my remote beside me just like I was before she started….Translation: I wasn’t taken to church. Had she not been singing “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” I wouldn’t have even thought about church. As one of my FB friends aptly noted: “All those dramatics and no spirit.” Chile…And more proof that God just don’t like ugly. (Back story: In some sort of secret coup, Beyoncé usurped Ledisi’s chance to sing the song at this year’s GRAMMYs although Ledisi was the one that portrayed Mahalia Jackson and sang “Precious Lord” in the recently released movie “Selma.”)

So since this is a religious blog, I decided to break down or introduce the Holy Spirit for those who don’t know Him…First of all, the Holy Spirit, is one of the three parts of God. There is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the invisible presence God who enables us to know or perceive things that we could not know or perceive without His presence…Below are a few Bible verses that describe Him…

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:4

 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:26

“You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Acts 7:51

In today’s terms…

The Holy Spirit is the One that lets you know, in some sort of mysterious way, that even while the doctor is giving you bad news, you will be healed…Hallelujah, Thank You Jesus!

The Holy Spirit is the One that lets you know that after you have fasted and prayed, that what you prayed and fasted for, is already done in Heaven although it hasn’t been manifested on earth yet…Hallelujah, Thank You Jesus!

The Holy Spirit is the One that will have you crying like somebody slapped you when you hear your favorite gospel song on the radio, swearing the artist got in your head and is singing your testimony for all the world to hear…Hallelujah, Thank You Jesus!

And that was the problem with Beyoncé’s rendition…”Take My Hand, Precious Lord” is Thomas Dorsey’s testimony…He wrote that song after the death of his wife in childbirth and their child days later…Reportedly, it was Dr. King’s favorite song, and he loved to hear Mahalia Jackson sing it…Now, I don’t want to say that Beyoncé’ is not saved nor has the Holy Spirit, but from where I sat in my bedroom, the Holy Spirit bypassed her performance…That’s why aine nobody listenin’ to Rihanna, Lady Gaga and all of the popular girls in the music industry when you going through…You got to go to Shirley Caesar, Yolanda Adams and other great women of gospel music when you need to hear from the Lord…The Holy Spirit has blessed their songs to bless us in our time of need…Below is Ledisi’s version of “Take My Hand, Precious Lord.” The video is just her voice…You don’t even have to see her face to feel the Spirit…

Now since Beyoncé’s performance on Sunday, she released a video about why she sang the song instead of Ledisi. Something about connecting to her father, ancestors, the struggle etc. Bye Beyoncé…That could be true of Ledisi or any black person in America for that matter as well…It was her moment to shine…That’s why the late Etta James was mad at you…God rest her soul…You performed her signature song that nobody but nobody could sing like her for the Obamas’ first dance at the inauguration in 2009. Admittedly, you portrayed Etta in the movie “Cadillac Records” sooo…see, and that’s why Ledisi should have performed on Sunday. She portrayed Mahalia Jackson in “Selma” not you…

But God has a way of making things that seem bad end up being all good…This year’s GRAMMYs was one of the lowest rated in its history…But for the Beyoncé backlash, no one would probably be talking about it that much. But since Beyoncé is one of the biggest stars (I’m a fan…sometimes…) in the world, even people that didn’t watch the show are now wondering why Beyoncé did what she did…and inadvertently being introduced to the luscious vocals of Ledisi…

Any thoughts?

 

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How We Got Over…(The Funeral of Troy Davis)

Hello World,

Troy Davis was funeralized yesterday in Jonesville Baptist Church in Savannah, Ga. According to MSNBC, more than a 1,000 people showed up to honor the life of a man who was executed although there was considerable reasonable doubt that he committed the crime that he was accused of… 

I watched a video of a portion of the funeral in which Dick Gregory, a civil rights activist and comedian, paid his respects to the family while giving a wise and wickedly funny social commentary of the state of black affairs today. As I watched him, I was reminded of the rich religious heritage black people have in this country. We have only gotten over and are getting over because of the Lord! Black people have suffered grave injustices, and we still do. But none can deny that we have made great progress in spite of all that has been done to hold us back! Take a look at this video and tell me what you think.

 

 

And if you really want to feel the move of the Spirit, watch Mahalia Jackson sing “How I Got Over.” This video is an absolute treasure and gives us a glimpse of black life in that time period.

This month is evangelism month at my church Central Christian Church so I will be intentional about sharing my faith although I can be a scaredy cat about it sometimes…If you are looking for joy and peace that is not dependent on your circumstances, a purpose for living that goes beyond you and yours and the ability to see miracles taking place all round you, you’ve got to try Jesus!

And finally, in honor of Troy Davis and those who have been affected by his story, I leave this verse…

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”  Matthew 10:28

Any thoughts?