Watch this. PERIOD.

Melonie Daniels posted it on her Facebook page a couple of weeks ago and I said “well, I’m just gonna have to post it, too.” Nearly forgot until one of my recent YouTube surfing sessions, but GAWDT!

The video features organist Aaron Shields playing “We’ve Come This Far By Faith.”  I love it!

Speak on it. PUH-LEAAASE!

It’s time for our weekly addition to The Prayer List.  For a recap of what we’re doing and why, click here.  Otherwise, let’s get it going!

This week, I’m cheating a little bit and I’m adding two folks to The Prayer List– Melonie Daniels to Canton Jones.  Both are grappling with the bittersweetness of each of their father’s passing (Canton’s last Thursday and Melonie’s today).  So, let’s hold them up as their brothers and sisters in Christ.

God, thank You for being the Divine Orchestrator of all things in Heaven and Earth.  Thank You for being a sovereign and loving God– a God who is infinitely greater than our finite understanding, but a God who is willing to reveal Yourself to us through nature, through Your word and by Your Spirit.

Lord, I lift up to you this week Canton Jones and Melonie Daniels, two of Your precious children who both experienced the passing of their respective Earthly fathers in the past week.  I pray that You would wrap them in Your comfort and peace.  Where the enemy would prompt them to challenge how good You are, I pray that the Spirit of the Living God, that dwells within them, would speak louder than him.  Where society, even the Church, would suggest that they need to hurry up and heal, I pray that You would do a thorough and perfect work, so that their peace about this situation would be complete, lacking nothing.

I pray that nothing would deter the music ministries of Canton and Melonie, but that they would have an even greater conviction of who You are, and how awesome You are.  I pray that these trials would cause them to serve You even more, love You even more, and live for You even more.

God, I pray that the respective families of Melonie and Canton would be strong even in the passing of the patriarchs of those families.  I pray that their respective memorial services and celebrations of life would be covered by Your grace and that souls would be won to Your Kingdom by the testimonies of the lives that Pastor Clarence Jones and Reverend Rufus Daniels lived.

I pray that their natural “absences” would be viewed as Heavenly “presences,” and that Your Church’s view of eternity, and the glory that surrounds it, would be Biblical and void of the finality that we often cast upon it.  Be glorified and allow us, Your children, to see how beautiful Your plan of redemption, and the promise of eternity with You, truly is.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Family, this is serious business.  Let’s lift up our brother, Canton, and our sister, Melonie, in prayer.

Post your prayers here and let’s get started on what we do!

Last year, my wife and I went to Lincoln Center to see Kim Burrell perform in a Christmas concert that would’ve made you SCREAM.  Her vocals were as great as you’d probably imagine, but what stood out were the ARRANGEMENTS of classic Christmas songs into jazzy tunes with mesmerizing vamps and… well, read the recap from last year if you want the details.

As she mentioned in my interview with her, she’s doing the concert again this year!  The dates are set and tickets are on sale now.

If you are, or can be, ANYWHERE near Manhattan on December 11th or 12th, I strongly encourage you to grab tickets to this event.  It’s enough to make me wanna catch a flight…

Visit the Jazz at Lincoln Center website for more details and to buy tickets.  And for a little teaser, here’s footage from LAST year that I just found (and yes, that’s Jason Nelson on stage with her in the beginning, Melonie Daniels and Jerard Woods on background vocals, etc.)!

Anyone go last year?  Anyone planning to go this year?  Talk to me!

I thoroughly enjoyed talking with Ted Winn.  In addition to being a gifted vocalist and songwriter, he’s intelligent, which always makes for fun conversation.  At a certain point, I wanted to just keep chattin’, but he’s a busy guy and had to step back into the studio where he was working.

You’ve seen Ted Winn in every form of artistry possible in our industry– from choir (Kevin Davidson & The Voices of Binghamton) to ensemble (Richard Smallwood & Vision) to duo (Ted & Sheri).  With the recent release of his anticipated solo project, Ted seems well-positioned for a long and successful career in the industry.

In our chat, Ted talks about his new project, his musical experiences and influences, his passion for empowering aspiring artists and educating current ones, and his thriving publishing venture, Veracity Entertainment.  He even weighs in on why he chose to cut off his signature locs.

I think you’ll enjoy it… here’s my talk with the impressive Ted Winn.

*     *     *

EJ:  Hey man, how are you?

TW:  I’m doing well, thank you.

EJ:  Great.  Well, thanks for taking a quick moment to chat with me.

TW:  No problem.

EJ:  Let’s get right to it.  Your debut solo project, Balance, was released in September, but it seems like rumblings about it were going on for years.

TW:  *laughing*

EJ:  Did it take some time to finish it and get it out there?

TW:  Now, that is funny.  *laughing*  You know, the first single, “God Believes In You,” I recorded it at the end of ’07 and I went on a tour in ’08, so I was performing it around that time.  But, it was a while… probably took a year and a half to finish the project.

EJ:  Well, regardless of when it came out, I’m glad it did.  I think it’s a really great piece of work.

TW:  Thank you.

EJ:  No problem.  Now, it’s been released on Shanachie, which is not necessarily a “gospel” label, but they’ve done three major gospel releases this year alone– yours, Vicki Yohe’s and Kim Burrell’s.  How did that relationship come about?

TW:  It came about through my publicist, Bill Carpenter, and through my radio promotions guys at that time, Kendall Duffie.  Each of them had relationships with Randall Grass, over at Shanachie, and they talked to him.  He heard the music and he said that he thought it was good, that there was a novelty about what I did… we started conversations and that’s where I ended up doing the deal.

EJ:  Cool.  Now, lemme ask you about the direction of Balance, because there’s something about the style that surprised me a bit.  I was expecting a studio joint, with some background vocals and that would just be it.  But you really kinda have a live praise & worship vibe on this project, with the band and singers being just as vital as your lead on many of the songs.  Why did you choose that route for this album?

TW:  Honestly, that is… well, most people who know me in a professional sense know me from Ted & Sheri.  That’s how they heard me, which is a duet and, obviously, the focal point was the duet.

But my background, my history, my PASSION, has always been choir music.  I started directing choirs when I was 13 and I grew up listening to Hawkins, Whitfield… the Thompson Community Singers is my favorite choir.  My influences are Ed[win] & Walter Hawkins, Andraé Crouch, Richard [Smallwood] and Donald Lawrence.  Those 5 people helped to shape my musical tastes.

EJ:  Yeah.

TW:  So,  I think that the BGV part being so intricate– and it’s great that you paid attention to that, because that was intentional– I kinda wanted a group, but was told “don’t do that.” *laughing*

EJ:  *laughs*

TW:  But I always wanted a choir or group– I love that whole thing… sharing the stage or the choir stand with another group of singers.  I think it makes for a great opportunity to share in ministry with somebody else.  So, that’s why I went in that direction and this project, sonically and stylistically, is really who “Ted Winn” is.

EJ:  And do you think you’ll ever go that route?  You know, with a group of singers that are set as the people who sing with Ted Winn and kinda have that vibe?

TW:  You know, I definitely won’t rule it out.  It’s something I’ve thought about and would love to be able to create that sort of platform, not just for me, but for other people.

I think there are so many singers out there who are great, but need mentoring.  They need someone to help them develop in terms of their talent and in terms of the focus of ministry, what’s important, how you nuance what you do and say as you move through this industry.  I would love to be a conduit for that for people, so it’s definitely a possibility.

EJ:  Sure.  I wanna ask you– and I hope you understand it and that the readers understand it– I’ll ask the question, then expound.  The question is “how did you make it out of Memphis?”

TW:  *laughs*

EJ:  *laughing* And when I say that, I mean that there are some AMAZING singers in Memphis.  I’ve been over there a few times in the past couple of months and my wife, who’s originally from there, will point out people that she used to sing with years ago.  And these people can SING.  Almost everyone.

But it’s becoming clear to me that, unfortunately, not everyone gets to “get out.”  So, I’m curious to know how people like you, like Sheri, people like Kevin Davidson or Darrel Petties, how you managed to not get caught up in what seems like a cycle there… how did you manage to stand out among all of the great talent there?

TW:  I’ll answer that in two ways.  One– probably the main thing was the push that Sheri and I, in particular, had from O’landa Draper.  Because he was the first breakout artist in gospel to really do what he did, it inspired us (and we aspired) to do something bigger than what we saw.  It was stuff like going to GMWA at that time, maybe mid to late-90′s, and singing.  He introduced us to Donald Lawrence, we started meeting people.  And as we started to travel outside of the city, we started to realize “wow… there’s a whole world of people out here and things to do.”

Unfortunately, and I want to say this in a way that’s not offensive, but there seems to be a mentality in Memphis that is pervasive, and it’s one that causes people, in some instances, to not maximize their potential.

EJ:  Yeah.  And I’ve heard that from people there.

TW:  And I think it has all to do with exposure.  It’s the headquarters of the Church Of God In Christ, it’s a very churched city.  Church is everything.  EVERYBODY goes to church.  And I think that it becomes some people’s microcosm– that’s it.  They don’t go outside of that.

And so I think that, for those of us who were able to make it to a larger stage, or have a larger platform, it had all to do with people outside of Memphis who saw something in us and pushed us to the next place.

Like I said, with Richard Smallwood.  I was in Memphis and O’landa Draper introduced me to Richard.  I moved to DC after I left Morehouse College, he started asking me to sing with Vision, and it went on from there.  Donald met Sheri, heard Sheri sing, asked her to start singing with Tri-City.

So, it really was people and players outside of the city that gave us the platform.

EJ:  Right.

TW:  Now, Memphis has some amazing talent.  And I endeavor to do some things there.  I was talking to some people recently about doing some type of symposium because I want to go back and do some things that give people an opportunity.

EJ:  That would be awesome.

TW:  You know, O’landa Draper used to have a music lover’s conference.  And he would bring in people– that’s where we FIRST heard Melonie Daniels, that’s where I met Richard Smallwood.  He would bring all these people in– Kim Burrell– and they would pour into those of us in the city.  And it would be great if we could get that to happen again.  There’s a talent there, but it needs to be nurtured and corraled.

EJ:  Absolutely.  It’s funny– you and Sheri aren’t recording together right now, but both of you created albums that speak life to, and encourage, your listeners.  Is that a personal passion of yours, or do you just feel that the gospel industry is in that season right now?

TW:  It’s definitely a personal passion of mine.  I have always aspired to push people into a better place.  My friends tell me that I always try to fix everybody. *laughing*

And I think that there’s an anointing that I have that lends itself to healing and to restoration, to give people hope and, hopefully, change their perspective about themselves.  That has a lot to do with why the content of my record is what it is, and moves people to what I feel is a more balanced position.

EJ:  Right.

TW:  And it’s not always easy to do that.  Sometimes you have your own days, you know, where you’re not feeling it.  You get bogged down dealing with the dynamics of the industry– radio, retail and awards shows and all that’s going on.  And you have to stop, take a reprieve, and say “okay, Lord, I need you to refuel me because it’s getting a little crazy.”

But, it’s definitely a passion of mine to see people have peace.  So I want to do whatever I can to help facilitate that.

EJ:  Amen.  That’s a good segue to my next question… what would you say has been the hardest part of launching your solo artistry?  And I don’t mean logistically, I mean at a deeper level.  Was there fear in striking out on your own, or has there been judgment and criticism that you’ve had to rise above… things like that?  What’s been tough for Ted to do?

TW:  It definitely was, first and foremost, the phobia of going it alone.  And it took me a year to even decide to do a solo project.  And it was after I felt like God gave me the title, Balance, and I started writing songs that I halfway liked, after trashing many many songs. *laughing*

EJ: *laughs*

TW:  That was when I said “ok, this is what I’m supposed to do.”  So, it was dealing with that.  And, of course, dealing with the obvious… some of the Ted & Sheri fans’ immediate response was “umm… we want a Ted & Sheri record.”  So, you’re also thinking about how people are going to receive solo projects when they liked what they had with the group.

EJ:  Absolutely.

TW:  So, that was definitely the biggest challenge to overcome– to even get to the place to decide if I wanted to do one.

EJ:  While I have you, I wanna know about Ted, the businessman.  We’ve got several mutual friends and they all sing your praises as an astute businessman.  What do you do, business-wise, in the industry and how do you juggle between that work and your artistry?

TW:  Wow.  Well, I have a company called Veracity Entertainment.  And it’s a publishing administration company that I started almost 3 1/2 years ago.  I started out with one client– Patrick Love, a songwriter.  We represent songwriters, we collect their money, we do their licenses, we argue their splits, the whole nine.

And it was through me having some bad situations in the past that I, basically, became a student of the business.  I started to pick the brains of my attorneys and going to lunch with them.  I had a lot of conversations with Donald Lawrence and with another record executive, Jimmy Maynes, who was at Jive [Records] at the time.  They all were saying “this is something that you can do.”

So, it started with Patrick Love, then, by word of mouth, went to two writers, then three to four to five, and now I’m at about 30.

EJ:  WOW.

TW:  And I represent writers on T-Pain’s latest album– one of my writers did 11 songs on the last T-Pain record… Akon, Ciara, two of my writers just collaborated on the new Toni Braxton single, “Yesterday.”  I was representing Elvin Ross, who scored Madea’s Family Reunion and did the cues for House of Payne… the list goes on and on.  It’s been an amazing run as it relates to that piece.

It’s a very interesting situation and God blessed me to do some amazing things… I was even able to do my deal with David Balfour, who did the T-Pain tracks, in such a way that I now own publishing on those T-Pain records.

EJ:  Wow, Ted!

TW:  And that’s part of the reason that I was able to do my own record and pay for it.  I do believe that the wealth of the world– I don’t say “wicked,” but people can say it how they want to…

EJ:  *laughing*

TW:  The wealth of the world, or of the world system, is laid up for the just.  And I think that means, at least to me, that there’s a system out there in place– we don’t live on it, we live on a Kingdom system– but we definitely can, if we learn it and are able to walk through it, we can definitely benefit from it.  I believe that God wants us to have influence in EVERY area of the world, so that we can influence things in a better direction.

So, it’s great for me to be able to have conversations with the top executives in the music business.  Sometimes I’m sitting talking to these people and I’m like “man, here I am, the dude from Memphis with nobody musical in my family– nobody sings, nobody plays, nothing.”  And to go from that, to Voices of Binghamton, to Ted & Sheri, to Vision, then to be sitting in the office across from people who orchestrate the careers of people who sell MILLIONS of records… it’s phenomenal.

EJ:  It absolutely is.  Absolutely.

TW:  I didn’t mean to give you such a long answer. *laughing*  But that’s Veracity, man.  That’s my baby, that’s my passion right there.  And I love what I do.

EJ:  I’m glad that you have something else because one thing that bugs me– and it’s probably because I love this industry and the artists in it– I hate to see when artists get older and have to struggle.  Here we are, singing your songs at the midnight musicals, and they’re on the compilation albums, and we call it one of the greatest songs of the decade, but the writers and artists can’t pay their medical bills when they have an issue, or what have you.

TW:  Right.

EJ:  So, it’s great to see artists who are not so wrapped up in the music of it that they don’t take time to understand the business of it.

TW:  Yeah.  And I feel it incumbent upon people like myself to not only get this money to help Ted Winn, but also to equip other people.  There have been instances where I’ve found money for Richard Smallwood, for Kim Burrell, Edwin Hawkins… I just found some money for the Clark Sisters and talked to Karen last week about it.

It is my mission to help empower our people and to spread the knowledge and information.  We have so much value in the gospel music industry, we just have to get the information to learn how to make it lucrative for us.

EJ:  Absolutely.

TW:  It’s part of my frustration when I go to different conferences… we have seminars on how to lead worship and 10 ways to grow your praise team… I think that’s fine.  But I really wish I could go to some of these conferences and teach people about handling their songs and their publishing.

EJ:  Sure.

TW:  And, I mean, I never even get invited to them.

EJ:  *laughing*

TW:  But here I am representing people who sell millions of albums.  *laughing*  Maybe people don’t know that I do it, or whatever.  But I’m not asking people to pay me or anything– I just want to be able to go in and empower the Kingdom with this information because I think that they really need it.

EJ:  I’m with you.  Absolutely.  Okay, last question.  I know tons of folks who have, or had, locs.  And they tend to get annoyed when people ask “when are you gonna cut them,” or, after they’ve done so, “why did you cut them,” but please indulge me cuz I think it’s the type of thing I’m supposed to ask in an interview.

TW: *laughing*

EJ:  What made you cut off your locs and what has the response been from folks?

TW:  Well, I grew my locs because I wanted to make a statement– that we can appreciate the natural texture of our hair, as people of color, the way that it grows.  When it came time to do the music, there were no other mainstream gospel artists that had locs.  There was no Stephen Hurd, Tye Tribbett, whoever else has them right now.  No one was doing it.

And I remember I was at [the] AIM [conference] with Sheri.  And we did “Come Ye Disconsolate” and the audience response was lukewarm.  And I’ll never forget it… I talked to Donnie McClurkin about it afterwards and he told me “you know, it’s gonna take people about a year to get used to your HAIR.”

EJ:  Really?

TW:  He said “after they get used to that, and realize that you can still be effective, they’ll be cool.”  And he was about right.  And I think that it kinda broke the stereotype of what people thought it was going to be.

One time, Sheri and I sang at a church and the pastor said “I’m gonna be honest, when you guys got up, I saw you with your hair and I thought ‘are they going to rap’?”  He thought I was going to rap and she was going to sing.  But he said “instead, you got up and you sang.  And not only did you sing, you sang a hymn.”  You cannot base that type of thing on aesthetics.

EJ:  Right.

TW:  So, I grew my locs and I cut them in June of this year.  It was 10 years– a decade, or an era– and I felt like, transitioning into a solo artist, and in this next phase of my life, even as a business person, I just felt like it was time for the next phase for me.

So, I ended it.  And it was a lot.  It took me a year to get prepped to cut my locs.  And the day I cut ‘em, I cried. *chuckles*

EJ:  Aww…

TW:  I did.  I had a moment… definitely had a moment because there were so many experiences I had with that hair, so many places I went around the world.  It had become a part of my I.D.  People knew me as the guy with the locs.

But, that’s why I cut them.  I’m appreciative of that time I had with them and I feel like, as I’ve heard from emails, I encouraged other people to loc their hair, you know?  People said that they can appreciate it because it made them not feel like an outcast or a misfit for having a similar type of expression.  But yeah, that phase is over for me now.

EJ:  That’s a lot deeper than I thought it was gonna be… I thought you might just say “it was hot” or something. *laughing*

TW: *laughs* Nah… it is for some people, but not for me.  I usually don’t do anything on a superficial level.  I’m too psychoanalytical of a person.

EJ:  I hear you, man.  Well, that’s about it from me.  I really appreciate you for chatting with me.

TW:  Thank you, man.  I really enjoyed the interview.

EJ:  No doubt.  And I’ll talk with you soon.

TW:  Okay.

EJ:  Bye.

*     *     *

And that was my chat with Ted.  He’s a really cool dude and he seems to mean what he says.  He’s passionate about the people of God.

AND, it helps that his album is REALLY REALLY good.  If you didn’t see my review of it, click here to check it out.

In the meantime, lemme know what you thought of the interview!

The Church Of God In Christ (COGIC) is gearing up for its 102nd Annual Holy Convocation, perhaps the last go ’round in Memphis, TN, where it’s been held since Jesus ascended to Glory.

Most folks get EXTRA excited for the musical component– it’s always star-studded and full of great performances.  This year should be no different.

From Vickie Winans, Melonie Daniels and Sheri Jones-Moffett to Israel & New Breed, God’s Image (G.I.) and Kevin LeVar, this year’s celebration has a little something for everyone.

Dates for the week-long event are November 2-9, 2009.  Visit http://www.cogic.com for more detailed info about who’s singing when and what not.

Anyone already planning to go?  I KNOW I’ve tons of COGIC folks here…

I need not reiterate that one of my favorite singers on this planet Earth is Melonie Daniels.  But I guess I just did….

I wrestled with posting this video because a lot of times we sensationalize her gift and go bananas because of the riffs and range.  She’s a brilliant vocalist with unfathomable ability, and she LOVES to sing and express herself with her voice.

Even more, though, she’s a servant who doesn’t think more highly of her musical ability than she ought.  And when she does what she does, though WE sometimes lose sight of the focus, she doesn’t.  It’s pure worship for her.

Ok. I wanted to clear that up so that folks wouldn’t watch this video and be like “it’s such a show.” For her, it’s not. With that in mind, BE BLESSED by this!

Ok, buddies… back with the conclusion of my two-part interview with the incomparable Kim Burrell.

If you missed the Part One, what are you waiting for?!  Click here to catch up.

If you’re ready, let’s jump right back to it where we left off.  Here’s Part Two of my talk with Kim Burrell…

*     *     *

EJ:  I wanna skip over, real quick, to talk about one of my favorite facets of your artistry– your arrangements.  I spoke with Jerard Woods and he talked about how you gathered them around a piano at your house and taught these incredible parts for the Live In Concert album.  When I interviewed Melonie Daniels, she talked about how incredible you are to work with in that regard.

My wife and I went to your Lincoln Center Christmas event in December…

KB:  Really?

EJ:  Oh, yes!  You presented some of the most jaw-dropping arrangements of Christmas standards I’ve ever heard, like on “Little Drummer Boy” and “This Christmas” with Jason Nelson…

KB:  Awwwww!

EJ:  How fun is arranging music for you, in comparison to the actual singing of songs?

KB:  *laughs*  It would be right at the top of the list!  When I tell ya, I love it!  Especially when I have GREAT singers to work with.  And I mean that, it makes it a lot easier to convey what I’m saying because they get it.  Jerard Woods is not only one of my favorite singers, he’s one of my favorite people.  I love him.  He’s my guy.

Melonie plays a part in my life… *laughs*… I like to call her “sister” because we both like to laugh quite a bit.  We’re both very silly around each other and she’s an incredible, INCREDIBLE vocalist.  And that girl’s mind, when it comes down to singing and even arranging, herself, it is nothing less than genius.

EJ:  Absolutely.

KB:  I love arranging.  Arranging is one of my favorite things to do.  I love to sing, don’t get me wrong, because singing is one of my most creative times.  But to arrange other people’s songs is fun because I get a chance to experience my gift.  I don’t necessarily know the level of the gift until I hear it in its complete form… until I hear it all out.

But when I hear it all out, it’s like WHEW! My God!  Especially if there’s some great people singing it.

EJ:  Speaking of that Lincoln Center event, and I blogged about this back then–  my wife and I went, sat among a bunch of folks who probably didn’t know much about you, but perhaps just had season tickets to the Jazz at Lincoln Center series… my wife sat there and screamed out “that’s alRIGHT Kim!”

KB:  Oh, was that her?! *laughing*  You know, the very last show, we had CHURCH.

EJ:  Did you?

KB:  Oh, it was ridiculous!  We got loud up in there and I told them “some of y’all may be feeling a little warm… we know what it is, it’s the HOLY GHOST!”

EJ:  *laughing*

KB:  Oh, we lost it.  I don’t care where I am.  You know, the first couple of shows, I had to try to be nice, know my limitations… But I thought about it and said “Lord, there is no way you’re gonna open for me a door like this and I not be who I’m supposed to be.”

EJ:  Right.

KB:  Honey, I went there.  I lost it.  So, you know I’m coming in having church this year because we’re going back.  I’m doing it again.

EJ:  I’m going to have to be there for that.  It was unreal. Are you doing a Christmas album from that?  I heard talk about that.

KB:  I was gonna do it.  You know, I still have the material from it and I’ve not quite listened to it yet.  It was like a trial run because it wasn’t everything I wanted it to be.  It was nice, I enjoyed it.  But, at the degree and level that I want?  I may release it as a DVD.

EJ:  NICE!

KB:  But it was not something that I felt was CD-ready.  I could’ve cleaned it up, and I planned to, so I could release it, but nah… not right now.

EJ:  I wanna ask you about something that remains a hot topic of debate in gospel– associations and collaborations with secular artists.  You’ve been outspoken about your friendships with mainstream artists like Chaka Khan, Omarion and countless others.  And you’ve recorded with some mainstream artists as well.  Yet you have peers in gospel, some of whom you’ve even recorded with, who are just as outspoken about NOT fraternizing with people in hip-hop or R&B.

What is the responsibility of the gospel artist in reaching artists in other genres, if there even IS one?

KB:  The Bible is the truth for me.  And it said “go into the highways and hedges and compel men to come, that My house might be filled.”  It did not say “go and compel Christian men.”

EJ:  Wow.

KB:  Let me get my Bible because I want to quote it exactly… *pauses to grab her Bible*… Luke, Chapter 14, verse 23… and I hope this doesn’t get me in trouble because I’m here in my office and I’ve got this Bible, the one that I pray and cry in.  That’s VERY not safe right now, because we will end up on the phone for 3 hours.

EJ:  Ummm… we can do that.  I’ll take it all.  You can even call and leave voicemail messages with a good word in ‘em.

KB:  *laughing* See, it’s in RED– “unto the SERVANT, go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that My house may be filled.”

Let me tell you something.  THIS is a priority.  If Jesus said it, it’s priority.  And if we’re going to ever, EVER preach and teach and compel, I don’t plan to EVER do it just in the house of God, with people who are commanded to do the same thing as I am.

EJ:  RIGHT!

KB:  Why in the world would we not communicate with people… and people say “why can’t you just minister to them and call it a day?”  I do.

I called Tyrese the other day– he’s in Austria right now and he’s finishing up his movie.  Right before he went to Austria, I called him because he was heavy on spirit, because of my interaction with him, and having dinner with him and spending time with him in L.A.

EJ:  You haven’t been eating with the tax collectors, have you?

KB:  What?  Oh, yeeeeees.  And boy, was the meal good!

EJ:  *laughing*

KB:  *laughs*

EJ:  But that’s the type of interaction I believe that Christ calls us to.  It’s so weird to me that we wanna sing and preach to each other exclusively, as if we’re presenting some new revelation each time.  It’s one thing to remind one another of the Gospel daily, but we’re almost so busy EVANGELIZING Christians.

KB:  That’s right.  And STILL not helping each other.  Because we’re falling in front of each other, and we’re falling WITH each other.

EJ:  Uh-oh.

KB:  Some are leaving church together, getting drunk together, men AND women, whatever the gender… doing everything under the sun.  But judgmental of things with which they have not been acquainted, things that are unfamiliar territory for them.  They don’t know how to encounter it, so it becomes a “no-no.”

When people have only done what they’ve been taught, and they’ve not experienced it or asked God about it, they’ll be judgmental.  But my commission, my priority is to do what the Lord has called me to do.  And I’ve been successful with that.

EJ:  Amen.

KB:  I’ve had PLENTY of opportunities because of it.  Like Tyrese, I mentioned calling him.  He was just waking up and he said in his tired voice, “hey Lovely,” (that’s what he calls me) and I said “hey, when you wake up, call me because you’re in my spirit and I need to pray with you.”  He said “I’ll do it, give me ten minutes.”

He called back in five and I shared some things with him and prayed with him.  Do you not know, my friend, that he said “Kim, I’ve got 103,000 people following me on Twitter right now and I’m letting them know that what you’ve done for me, that you just prayed for me.  And I’m starting a Twitter page for you right now.” 

He grabbed whatever pictures he had of me and set something up… within maybe 5 hours, I had over 2,000 people following me. [Editor's Note: You can follow her at http://www.twitter.com/kimburrelllove.]

EJ:  Yep.

KB:  You mean to tell me that I’m not supposed to reach out and have dealings with them?  They say “well, you’re doing music… you have to represent…” I REPRESENT GOD.

You’re tellin’ me that every person in the Armed Forces, that’s saved and loves Jesus Christ, knowing that they might have to go and MURDER somebody if they go to Iraq, they’re going to hell?  They’re not doing the work of the Lord?

EJ:  Right.

KB:  So, I’m not into debates with people because folks always have their own idea about what it is that folks should and should not be doing.  And those who are usually pointing the finger are talking to the wrong people.

And listen, those people found ME.  I was walking in the store, 15 years ago or so, and Chaka Khan called MY cell phone.  I don’t know how she got it.  She called me.  Same thing with Stevie.  I left that message for so long on my machine…

EJ: *laughs*

KB:  But he called me and we’ve been very close for 13 years.  We talk about everything.  But the deal is that these people need an outlet, they need somebody that they can trust.  They know they can’t talk to each other, just like we can’t in church.

We know we can’t go to some of these artists– I KNOW I can’t!  I know several artists I can’t go to right now and trust them with my personal business.  Baby, it’ll be all over the place!

EJ:  *laughing hard*

KB:  With stuff ADDED depending on how they feel about me, with their grinnin’ selves.  Don’t get me started, maaaan.

EJ:  Oh my!

KB:  I don’t get started on that junk.  I’m out here doing work.  I have more comfort with people in the world than I do with them.  Because they’ll come right out and tell you– “if Jesus Christ comes back, I ain’t going.”  And it gives me an opportunity to tell them why I know that they CAN, and deal with their situation.

Rather than church folks sayin’ “oh, I know He’s alright!  High-five your neighbor!”  They ain’t about to say “high-five your neighbor, although I fornicated last night” or “high-five your neighbor, although I committed adultery”… “high-five your neighbor although I’m an alcoholic, and a homosexual and a pervert.”

They ain’t gonna say that.

EJ:  Right.

KB:  But, you know, I love everybody.  I love Jesus.  I love doing this– it is what I do.  I do the work of the Lord.  It happens to come in the form of an album or two once in a while, concerts, and all kinds of stuff that the Lord is blessing me to do.  This ain’t about Kim Burrell.

I haven’t known how to wake up and be about Kim Burrell since I was about 27.  I stopped trying to be about Kim Burrell, especially after I had my son when I was about 31.  I am not about Kim Burrell anymore.  I’ve forgotten how to be about her.

EJ:  Beautiful.

KB:  And when God shows up and gives me favor to go shopping every once in a while, He lets me know “you may not be about Kim Burrell anymore, but I am.”  So, I do that.

EJ:  Nice.  Couple more questions… I’ve asked several people who they’d most like to record with and many of them have said either Stevie Wonder or Kim Burrell.  Now, you’ve already recorded with Stevie Wonder and you are Kim Burrell– so how do YOU answer that question?

KB:  Prince.

EJ:  PRINCE?!  I was not expecting that.

KB:  I wanna record with Prince.  There’s still a sound… I feel the presence of God.  There’s a sound to come out of Prince through submission to the Holy Spirit.  Not just to God, because he has a regard for Jehovah, for God.

But I’m talking about a SOUND to come out of Prince.  I feel like every time I say it, God is shooting it to him.  Not for the benefit of Burrell to do a recording.  We can do it and keep it in the house as far as I’m concerned.  I just wanna record with the man and sit with him because God has invested something in Prince that NOBODY in the world has.

And because of that, he has a worship inside of him that is second to none.  There is an album that he did within the last 5 or 6 years, and one of the songs… honey, when I tell you there is a sound on there that came very close to the Holy Spirit of God… and I know he’s been tapping in on that because of his encounters with God.

EJ:  I believe that.

KB:  But there is still something that is to come out of him that I want to experience, and I’d love to do a recording with him because I want to experience that moment.  I want the Spirit of God to flow through him to write and say some things to God that can change some people’s lives, and change how people worship.

I believe that Prince has an element inside of him that can change the way worship is heard.

EJ:  Hmmmm.  I pray that it happens.

KB:  I do, too.

EJ:  Okay, last question: of all the albums you’ve released, which one is your favorite?

KB:  *takes a long pause* I haven’t done it yet.

EJ:  Hmm.  Fair enough.  Well, then, I’m waitin’ for that!

KB:  Me too. *chuckles*

EJ:  I wanna thank you so much for chatting with me.  It has meant a lot to me and I’ve really enjoyed it.

KB:  Thank you.  I love you, my brother.

EJ:  I love you so much.  Thanks.  And I’ll be in touch.

KB:  Please do.  God Bless you, sweetheart.  We’ll talk soon.

EJ:  Alright, bye-bye.

*     *     *

That, ladies and gents, was my chat with Kim Burrell.

There was SO much more to it, but some of it was just for me– she carries the Word of God in her and she is an encourager, a servant, a minister… I was tremendously blessed by this woman of God.

Another video to bless ya… Kim on TBN singing “I Believe”:

Sooooooooo, what do you think about all that she had to say???

My DUDE Grant Jenkins, of Point5ive Agency, invited my wife and me to an awesome event at Sony’s offices in Manhattan last night– an “Hour Of Power” with Integrity Music recording artist Freddy Rodriguez.

By now, y’all HAVE to know how much I enjoy Freddy’s ministry– I’ve done an album review, album giveaways and a bunch of other features on him at GospelPundit.com.  He’s a great artist, with great music and an inspiring calling.  So, I was super excited to attend the shindig.

It was an intimate “getting to know Freddy” type of deal in which he shared his heart, his testimony and his music with some local industry folks and church leaders.  A very awesome concept and an inspiring time.

Freddy started the event with “No Other Name,” a rousing praise track from his album, Light In The Darkness.  He chatted with us about how he came to know Christ and his passion for inspiring people to worship through music… it was great.  Then, he ministered with his hit single “I Will Run” and the presence of God was practically tangible in the room.  INCREDIBLE.

Among those in attendance were Jeremy Castro of Integrity, Andree Farias (you’ve undoubtedly seen his great album reviews at ChristianityToday.com) and vocalist extraordinaire Melonie Daniels.

A coupla pics for your viewin’ pleasure (please pardon the quality– I used my camera phone cuz I was TwitPic-ing the night away):

Guys, I cannot stress enough that YOU NEED TO CHECK OUT THIS ARTIST!  Visit his website at http://www.freddyrodriguezlive.com and listen to his tracks.  I really think you’ll be blessed by the music, but even more, blessed by his entire ministry.

Ask and ye shall receive.  I said “I WANNA TALK TO JESSICA” and, just like that…

THEN, I got Y’Anna and Latice, so I’m launching a Sunday Best Edition of my artist interviews.  EVERY NIGHT this week, a new interview with a different finalist– just to get y’all ready for this Sunday’s show!

Up first is Jessica… Now, I’ve not been quiet AT ALL about the fact that Jessica Reedy is my favorite contestant on BET’s Sunday Best.  I like her tone, her approach, her look, her testimony… We like you, ma’am!  Plus, she’s just as sweet and humble as you’ll find ‘em, and we LOVE that, ma’am!

So, without further ado, here’s my chat with Jessica Reedy…

*     *     *

EJ:  Jessica Reedy.

JR:  Yes!  How you doin’?

EJ:  Good, how are you?

JR:  Wonderful!

EJ:  I don’t know how familiar you are with my gospel music blog, GospelPundit.com–

JR:  I read the reviews.

EJ:  Yeah?

JR:  Yes, I’m addicted!  I read those things all the time.

EJ:  Oh, on my site or across the web?

JR:  On YOUR site.

EJ:  Oh, well thank you!  This is gonna be easy, then.  First, do you have any idea how good you are?!

JR:  Absolutely not.

EJ: *laughing*

JR: *laughs* Listen, EJ.  I am shocked!  Every episode you watch, I’m shocked that I make it each time I do.  Now, I know a lot of people would say it’s a lack of confidence, but there are a billion and one singers in this world.  In my mind, it’s like “why me?!”  I have no idea what people hear.

EJ:  But I think some of the greatest singers feel that way.  I just posted an interview with Melonie Daniels and she basically said “yeah, well, my tone… it’s nothing special to me.”

My wife and I sit and watch you with goosebumps EVERY week, and I watch your performances EVERY day on my DVR.  I know every note, every riff…

JR:  *laughing* awww…

EJ:  Serious!  And if you gimme another week, I’ll know your stage positioning!

JR: *laughing*

EJ: I think you’re bananas!

JR:  Are you serious?!  I cannot believe you’re saying this.

EJ:  I’m serious.  I speak with other folks in the industry and everyone agrees that you are NOT playing.  I mean, don’t get me wrong– we’ve got Y’Anna and Latice, too.  All THREE of you are phenomenal vocalists and at this point whoever wins, it’s gonna be fair.

But you are just doing so well, week-by-week.  How overwhelming is it all?

JR:  EJ, I am from Saginaw, Michigan.  I don’t know if you’ve even heard of a “Saginaw.”

EJ:  *laughs*

JR:  *laughing*  I mean, I can’t believe it.  I didn’t believe I got past the auditions, so being on the show is overboard for me.  It’s not even reality yet.  I am overjoyed.

I’m so grateful to God to be favored enough in His eyes to be placed on this type of platform.  I cannot believe it.

EJ:  And we can see that, too, because each week, as the judges give their feedback, you always seem a bit shy and you have this “shocked” expression on your face… like “really?!”

JR:  *laughing* I’m just shocked.  Especially with the comments they make… I wish you could see how I act before I go on stage and when I come back, after the performance.  I’m still like “oh my God, did y’all hear that?”  The other contestants are like “Jessica, you did good.”  EVERY time.

EJ:  What musical experience had you had before Sunday Best?  Were you doing music already?

JR:  Ummm… well, I pursued an R&B career when I was younger.  I would mimic Brandy and think “man, I wanna sing like that,” but I was raised in the church.  After going through life’s struggles, I got saved and there was just no way that I could sing R&B.

EJ:  That influence kind of shows because some would say that you have the least “gospel” sound among the contestants.  But you seem to be infusing those mainstream sounds into the Gospel message, which is why a lot of folks like you.

JR:  I read somebody’s blog and they said “she doesn’t have a gospel voice” and, my thing is, Gospel is a message.  And the Gospel can be delivered in all kinds of ways– through preaching, through a walk of life, how you live– and I hope somebody will explain that to people.

I love God, EJ.  I don’t even know how to express that to you.  I am so in love with God.  If you had met me about four months ago, you would be like “wow… I can’t believe you’re smiling or you’re happy.”  I was in such a bad place in my life.

I owe everything to God.  So, I’m grateful that God has given me favor with the judges, favor with people, but it’s GOD’S doing.  I am NOT that good.

EJ:  Amen.  The other day, my wife was watching you and she was like “when I watch Jessica, I feel like she MEANS what she’s SAYIN’!”  You appear to mean it, not just because you learned it growing up, but because you tested that faith out last month or last week… it’s real for you.

JR:  Yeah.  Definitely.

EJ:  Now, you have a son and I can imagine that the Sunday Best tapings cut into your “mommy time”.  How do you manage all that you have to do for the show with your responsibilities as a mom of a baby boy?

JR:  I honestly don’t know how I manage it.  I’m really preparing myself now because of the conclusion of the show– I don’t know how busy I might be.  And I love my boy.  If you notice, he’s at every episode.

EJ:  Yep, we see him sitting with your sister?

JR:  Yeah, with my sister.  And, beforehand, my mom was saying “well, Jessica, leave him here so you can stay focused.”  And I said “absolutely NOT!”  I’ve gotta have my boy.

He’s my blessing.  For a while, I thought he was my curse because I was so young being pregnant.  Like, this was my punishment.  But that boy, he is… man, I can’t even explain it.  So, I don’t know how I’m going to deal with it, to be honest.  I have no set plan.  I don’t even think I’m mentally prepared for it.  Because I can go to a store and think “okay, I need to go home and get my boy, I miss my son.”

EJ:  That’s awesome.  BET aired a portion of your testimony during the auditions, but for those people who missed it, can you briefly share it with the GospelPundit readers?  What went down regarding your pregnancy and how did God work in that situation?

JR:  Well, my town is so small.  When you excel at something, it blows up.  I was in this group called ACT-SO.

EJ:  I know of ACT-SO.

JR:  Yeah, and I won gold my senior year.  It was really big in Saginaw, put on by the NAACP.  Then, I got a full ride, a scholarship in music to Tougaloo College in Mississippi.  Once I got there, I had favor with all of the teachers, all the students.  Then, I got pregnant.

I had been working on music– I was working with J-Pat, Usher’s mom.  And some of the other people I was working with were saying “so, you’re pregnant… yeah, this is not a good time for a baby, so what are you gonna do?”

EJ:  Like that?!

JR:  Yeah, and I was thinking to myself, “HUH?!  What are you asking me?”  I was already ashamed and embarrassed.  One guy was like, “maybe you should go home and have your son, or you could stay here.”  I said “stay here and kill him, right?”  And they said “well, right now is not a good time for a baby.”

I said “I’m going home.”  Now, granted– did I want to have my son?  I questioned it, just to be honest, but I don’t have enough guts to go to a clinic, passing people with signs that say “don’t kill your kids.”  I don’t have enough guts.  So, God blessed me with enough courage to take what I call that “walk of shame.”

Now, my family, they all can sing.  But they’re older now and I was the closest person to reaching those dreams of singing.  So, when I got pregnant, they were like “J, we were really hoping that you would be the one.  Man, Jessica.  How did you do this?  How did you get pregnant right now?!”

EJ:  That’s a lot of weight on you.

JR:  And I was the talk of the town, too.  “Y’all heard?  Jessica Reedy got pregnant.  I knew she wasn’t gonna be nothin’.”  It was the first feedback.

So, I stayed in the house.  Nobody saw me.  I barely went to the mailbox.  And I just cried.  And on top of that, I was by myself with my son… his father didn’t want to be involved.  AND, I’m young, so I’m like “no, God, this can’t happen to me like this.  I’m not a fast girl.  I made a mistake, but you can’t do me like this.”

That was my mindset.  And I was just so depressed.  I know everyone has their own separate pain, but my pain hurt me so badly.  And for [Sunday Best] to happen…

EJ:  Wow.

JR:  This was just going out on a limb.  A friend of mine auditioned last year for Sunday Best.  He didn’t make it, but he said “I’m going back.”  I had just lost my job– my only source of income– and I lost my car!  And I was really depressed then.

My friend said “Jessica, you need a break.  Come on and drive down here with us.”  So I agreed to go, but even then, people were like “you don’t need to audition… you’re not ready.”  And I was like, “yeah, you’re right.”

EJ:  Like, spiritually?  Because of all that had happened?

JR:  No, just my vocals!  After I had my son, my voice got deep.

EJ:  WAIT.  What?  That wasn’t like that before?!

JR:  I never could hit those notes.

EJ:  GIVE ME A BREAK!

JR:  I promise you.  I was a soprano!

EJ:  Oh my goodness.

JR:  While I was pregnant, I couldn’t go any higher than maybe a middle alto note, but I started hitting all these low notes.  And I was depressed about THAT!  I was like “Ma, I sound like a man!  I can’t sing like this.”  I was so used to being able to sing high.  And I thought I just didn’t have any range.

EJ:  And what did God do?

JR:  I’m talkin’ bout… God DID it.

EJ:  For REAL.

JR:  Yeah.

EJ:  And so, your confidence is being built?  You’re saying you’re a work-in-progress.

JR:  I am.  And I’m not gonna sit here and lie to you.  I have never been one to be in denial– my confidence is not… all the way up there.  I question my ability all the time, even now, watching myself on the show, I say “God, why did you choose me to do this?  God, I can’t do this.  I’m scared… help me.”

EJ:  Yeah.

JR:  I’m sorry if that offends somebody, like “she’s not ready.”  Whatever.

EJ:  Nah, that’s real.

JR:  I’m being honest.  This is how I feel on the inside– I’m scared.  I don’t wanna mess up, I don’t wanna… you know, I wanna make sure that I’m saving souls, but that’s a big responsibility because everyone’s got you under a microscope now.

Like, a lot of people, for example… I know Y’Anna.  That’s my friend.  A lot of people say she’s arrogant.  Y’Anna has a little sarcasm, but she’s funny.  It’s like you make one facial expression, and everyone says “oh, she’s arrogant.”

Everything now MEANS something.  Every movement you make, it means something.  “Did y’all see how she did her fingers???”

EJ:  *laughing* Not fingers!

JR:  *laughing*  You know?  Every little ol’ thing.  So, I’m scared, but I trust God.  So, I’ve kinda gotta let that fear go.

EJ:  I think you should be proud of yourself.  Definitely, be mindful of how you got here, but rejoice in that grace that He’s given you because it’s a beautiful thing.  And He’s definitely faithful.  And I know God is committed to working with you like He’s committed to working with everyone else.

JR:  Absolutely.

EJ:  Well, we’re gonna keep watching to see how things shape up on the show.  We actually want an album TODAY, but we’ll wait if we have to.

JR:  Oh my goodness, thank you so much.

EJ:  No doubt.  I appreciate you for taking a minute to chat with me.  And definitely keep in touch.

JR:  Okay.

EJ:  Alright, take care.

JR:  Bye!

*     *     *

That, ladies and gents, is Jessica Reedy!

Don’t forget to check back tomorrow for my interview with another Sunday Best finalist!  You don’t wanna miss it.  In the meantime…

What did you think???

Okay, people.  Here’s the culmination of my chat with our vocalist extraordinaire, Melonie Daniels.  If you missed Parts ONE and TWO, click here to catch up on what she’s had to say so far!

In this segment, Melonie shares a bunch of info about her vocal routine, what it takes to be a great background vocalist, her work at NYC’s Village Undergound, her transition from background to foreground as a solo artist, and what’s next for her.  You don’t wanna miss it!

Ladies and gents, enjoy PART THREE:

*     *     *

EJ:  How do you prepare for a studio session?  Like, how much rest do you get, what foods do you avoid, and all that?

MD:  Well, that’s a biological thing and it’s an individual situation.  There are those of us that are lactose intolerant, or allergic to citric acid, or whatever.  You have to know what your body is capable of handling, what your allergies are…

EJ:  And you don’t mean “allergies” like if you eat it, you have to go to the hospital, right?  You just mean “allergies” in the sense that your body responds negatively in some way?

MD:  Right.  It’s not a blanket thing.  I love the teachings of Lady Tramaine Hawkins, but her routine may not work across the board for everybody.

EJ:  What does she do?

MD:  She’s very protective of her voice.  Wherever she ministers, she has to shut down the air in the entire place, she stays wrapped up.  She can’t handle air conditioning.  And there are several singers that do that.  For me, I’m like “turn down the heat, turn up the COLD.”

EJ:  Really?!

MD:  I chew ice.  I don’t have a problem with dairy products, but I can’t do orange juice because I’m allergic.  So it really is dependent on the individual and knowing what your body can handle.

EJ:  Know your instrument, people!

MD:  Yeah, you have to really study yourself.

EJ:  That’s funny cuz some people take themselves so seriously based on what they’ve heard… like “no, no… I can’t do dairy right now because we’re singing later,” when that may not even affect them in the same way.

MD:  Right.  When I’m ministering and they ask me if I want water, I’m like “yes, ICE COLD.”

EJ:  Are you for real?

MD:  *laughing*  Yeah!  I’m like “you got some ICE?  Crack me up some ice!”  But that’s just me.

EJ:  *laughing* What does it take to be a great background vocalist?

MD:  Be teachable.  Be very studious.  And be quick about it.  Have good intonation, memorization, good pitch… Ear training has a lot to do with it because you have to pick up stuff so quickly sometimes.  And you don’t get a second chance a lot of times.  Rehearsal is the only place where you can fool up and get away with it, but when it comes to performance, you’ve gotta nail it.

And that’s why a lot of background singers are losing jobs– because a lot of people now are keeping Pro Tools nearby and aren’t using background singers.  You’ll never sound like what they have on the record because artists will either hire session singers that don’t travel, or they’ll do the vocals themselves.  So, there’s no way to sound just like that.

Most of my life, I’ve done live stuff.  I don’t sound exactly like the record, but I try to come as close to it as possible– to do the same inflection, the same words, and the same tone quality, if possible.  I have the advantage of being like a mimic, especially from growing up and watching cartoons, because I could mimic the characters’ voices.

EJ:  So, watch your cartoons, folks! *laughing*

MD:  That was my thing.  And even people’s speaking voices.  You have to study those things in order to be effective as a background singer.  And that’s why people keep getting called– they can give the singer certain nuances, they can give the artist something familiar.  You may have a great voice, but if you’re not able to conform VOCALLY to what someone requires of you for that moment…

That’s the hardest part of background singing for a lot of people– conforming vocally.  You have to, though.  They called me at the last minute to do something with Ricky Martin 8 or 9 years ago.  That next morning, I was on a flight and I had to learn five or six songs, three of which were in Spanish.  I took French.

EJ:  *laughing*

MD:  *laughing*  So, I had to take a crash-course in learning how to phonetically pronounce the Spanish lyrics.  And then, you know how some Spanish artists have the mariachi-type, nasal sound?  I had to adapt to that as well.  So, you have to be a chameleon of sorts as a background singer.

You know, the Bible says don’t conform to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind… that’s the only place I conform! *laughs*

EJ:  *laughing*  Right!  I ask most of the background vocalists this when I interview them– can you assemble a dream team of background vocalists for me?

MD:  Ummm… Jerard and Jovaun Woods.  Blanche McAllister-Dykes… ummm… well, that’s a soprano, alto and tenor right there!

EJ:  Aaaaaand you’re DONE! *laughing*

MD:  See, that would be a great session.  Working with people like Donald Lawrence and Richard Smallwood, even with Mariah… I’ve had the opportunity to sing, coast-to-coast, with some great voices.  There’s a girl named Sharlotte Gibson, she’s on American Idol now singing background.  She used to sing with Mariah and she’s incredible, one of the L.A. crew.  Umm… the late Olivia McClurkin was a wonderful person to sing with.

EJ:  I know.

MD:  Oh my God.  Incredible voice.

EJ:  For real!  I miss her.  You know, in these interviews, I like to ask about how lucrative session work can be.  Do background vocalists need a day job or can they be alright?

MD:  They can be alright if they have a certain work ethic.  There’s no job too small, no job too big.  Pride goes out the window.  It can range from doing a demo session for somebody and getting $250 to do it, all the way to doing a performance and getting paid $5,000 to do background with Madonna.

EJ:  For one show?!

MD:  For one show.  It can be very lucrative.

EJ:  Am I on the wrong side of this business?! *laughs*

MD:  *laughing* That’s why I’m sayin’… If Sting, Elton John, Madonna and Cher… if any one of them wanna call me to put me on the road and I get $5,000 a show, guess who’s goin’?

EJ:  *laughing hard*

MD:  Me and my Bible!  *laughing*  But, like I said, there are certain criteria that have to be met before I can do that.

EJ:  Right.  No matter how much.

MD:  Yeah, no matter how much.  I’ve been offered hundreds of thousands of dollars and said “no,” because it didn’t feel right.  It didn’t sound right to my spirit to accept it.

EJ:  I understand that.  I wanna get to your solo artistry in a sec, but talk to me for a minute about the Village Underground in NYC on Sunday nights.  For those who’ve never heard about it, how would you describe what it is?

MD:  Basically, it’s an open mic– anyone that wants to come up and sing can sign the list and sing, accompanied by the band LIVE… no performance tracks.  And it’s just somewhere to let your hair down and enjoy music without being threatened by what you believe or don’t believe.

There was a time that we did, one Sunday a month, a gospel night.  But because we were in what people call a “secular” place (a bar), the owners complained because they were losing money. *laughs*

But there’s a responsibility involved in invoking the presence of God.  We were literally changing the atmosphere.  And they said they were losing money at the bar because we were singing gospel music.  We were forced to discontinue the gospel night, but that doesn’t mean we’ve stopped singing gospel music.  At any time, in that venue, someone may come up and sing a gospel song.  If it’s true to that individual, spirit recognizes spirit, and whoever’s in there will hook into it and we will have a worship moment in there that’s better than what you can find at some churches.

EJ:  Why do you think it’s become so popular?  It’s even been featured on Bobby Jones Next Generation as the place to be in New York.

MD:  It is an outlet for people, especially in this new generation, to be “in the world, but not of the world.”  Because you can be in a place, and not be a part of what’s going on in the place.  But that comes with a level of maturity in your walk with Christ.

I’ve heard people emphatically say “I will NOT” or ”I cannot be caught in a place like that.”  Those were the words that were used.

EJ:  Really?

MD:  Yes.  But on the flip side, Martha Munizzi comes down, Israel comes down, Lisa McClendon has called me to get information, Shari Addison and Crystal Aikin were there a month or so ago.

EJ:  Yeah, I haven’t been in years, but it’s great.  My wife and I are coming soon!

Listen, I wanna chat about your transition from background vocalist to artist.  First, is it hard to do and, if so, why?

MD:  Ummm… a lot of times, it’s an insecurity issue… not feeling adequate to deliver.  Comfort zones– you feel safe in a group, in the back.  I’m speaking all from personal experience.  Not feeling like you have anything to convey to the general audience…

But mostly, it boils down to insecurity.  Everyone has a purpose because God put us here with purpose.  It’s up to the individual, in their walk, to recognize the purpose that God has placed in them and to walk in that purpose.  And that can be difficult.

EJ:  Amen.  But you went for it… a coupla years ago you released your long-awaited solo project.  Talk to me about your album, Live In Concert.

MD:  It started as a conversation with my pastors.  And the church invested in me.  And September of 2006 was the result of that investment– we recorded a CD.  They just sowed into my life.

EJ:  That’s great.

MD:  Yeah, so that’s how the record got done.

EJ:  Who wrote and produced it?

MD:  Stanley Brown produced the music with Nathaniel Townsend III, the drummer.  I got to handpick everyone.

EJ:  How do you describe your style of gospel music?

MD:  The CD’s style is as eclectic as I am.  You can hear “Glory After This,” which is straight churchy, or “My King,” with intricate harmonies and chord structure, kinda gospel-jazz.  I’ve got a song on there called “Kingdom I,” which has a neo-soul kind of vibe.

EJ:  You workin’ on another album?

MD:  Umm… still planning stuff out.  Not actively working on it yet, but just thinking.  There are so many different directions I could go in, because of my musical influences.  I would love to do a “big band” gospel CD… I would love to do a neo-soul set, unplugged… I would love to do alternative-sounding stuff, because I’m a student of music, not just gospel music.  To me, all music is God’s music, honestly.

So, I have so many ideas that I have to narrow them down to get at least the NEXT project out.

EJ:  I was gonna say “we will take all of the above, thank you!”

MD:  *laughing*  That’s enough material for three more projects.  I would even love to do a CD of love songs for gospel folks who are uncomfortable buying Luther [Vandross], or Joe or Anita Baker… or Jill Scott.

But, then again, you have to contend with the critics who say that it doesn’t glorify God…

EJ:  Ewww… well, please contend!  I think that would be great.  Either way, I’m looking forward to it.

MD:  We’ll see.

EJ:  Well, that’s it for me.  I have REALLY enjoyed chatting with you and I appreciate you for taking the time to do this interview.

MD:  Thank you!

EJ:  No doubt.  I’ll talk to you soon.

MD:  Okay, bye.

*     *     *

And, that’s THAT!  You can learn more about Melonie (and buy her bangin’ album) at her website, http://www.meloniedaniels.com/.

Sooooo… what did you guys think of the interview series???

Oh, and as a parting gift, here’s the Melonie clip for this segment.  It’s an audio clip of a KILLER track from her solo album, entitled “Glory After This”: