I think folks kinda Slept On this album and I’m humbly urging you to reconsider.

The McClurkin Project released We Praise You, their sophomore album, in 2006.  The family group included Donnie McClurkin and his sisters Tanya McClurkin, Cheri McClurkin, Andrea Mellini, and the late, never EVER to be forgotten, Olivia McClurkin.  Long-time family friend Carol Carter is also a member of the group.

Their sound was incredibly reminiscent of the Hawkins family– that tight-knit sound with rich background vocals and memorable leads.  I love just about every track on this album, with my faves being “We Praise You,” written and led by Andrea Mellini, “I Am Your Servant Lord,” “If You’re Ever Feeling Lonely,” and ”Precious Lord,” led by Olivia McClurkin.

And who can deny the incredible imagery and power in the instant classic “As Long As There’s You” led by Andrea, Olivia and Donnie?!  Listen to a snippet of that here:

Also, watch this video clip of Andrea leading the album’s single, “We Praise You,” at the live recording:

Who has the album?  Who decided to pass on it?  Why?  Talk to me!

At the end of December, I announced this new series, On BGVs.  Click here if you don’t know what the heck I’m talking about, but make sure you come back.

Well, the first post of the series is finally here!  I chatted on the phone with a great vocalist (and a great friend) and I’m REALLY excited that she agreed to do this… just for ME.

In the gospel industry, Andrea Mellini is probably most frequently seen singing with her brother, Donnie McClurkin.  But she’s an artist herself, singing lead with, and writing for, her family’s group, The McClurkin Project.  And there’s much more to tell, but I’ll let the interview do the rest…

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EJ:  Hi!

AM:  Hi!

EJ:  You ready?!?!

AM:  Okaaaay…

EJ:  *laughs* So, how long have you been doing background vocal work?

AM: *sighs* It has to be since the early 90’s.  No, no that’s not true. It has to be … since age 17 or 18.  Wait.  Let’s just say 16. And that’s the age I’ll stick with for all eternity.

EJ:  How did you get started?

AM:  I was singing for Donnie McClurkin and The McClurkin Singers.

EJ:  And since then, who are some of the artists that you’ve worked with?

AM:  Oh wow.  Kurt Carr…

EJ:  Yeah, I remember seeing you on that video.

AM:  Uggghhh… Yeah, they told us to be trendy and my idea of trendy was this see-through dumb shirt that was too big for me… I should have been on somebody’s “worst dressed” list because it was horrible!  Oh gosh, who else?  Andraé Crouch, Sandra Crouch… I did some work on a BeBe & CeCe [Winans] greatest hits album, Vickie Winans, Marvin Winans… Michael Jackson…Martha Munizzi…

EJ:  Kirk Franklin?  Yolanda Adams?

AM:  Yeah, yeah.   Y’know, I don’t remember all of them.  I’m not wired that way.  I don’t make a mental log of who, when, what CD…  you know, it all just goes with the territory.  It’s not my “woo” factor.  My “woo” factor is living my life to please God.

EJ:  I get that.  Do you prefer studio work over live performances?

AM:  I prefer live performances.  When you’re in the studio, you have to be precise and if you work for a perfectionist, you’re in there for hours.  If it’s not right, you do it a million times.  A live performance, you give your heart, your passion, and you walk away.

EJ:  You’ve been doing this for a while now.  What do you think are some “must-have” attributes of a successful background singer?

AM:  Hmm… These days, everybody can sing.  You can get somebody from a grocery store who’s a good singer.  But to be a background vocalist who impacts people, you need a working relationship with the Lord.  You need to know Him and be in constant communication with Him.  I know that what I’m about to say is not really popular, but we need to live a holy lifestyle, a life completely surrendered to Him, so that what we sing affects people… because people come to concerts and church with all kinds of issues.  Some have been molested, they know someone who’s been murdered, they beat someone up or they’re being beat up at home by their spouses, they’re living in cars… all kinds of issues that are real issues.  Those people are coming to church and they’re coming to the concerts desperate for an answer.  Now, if I’m living a life of the devil, trying to sing songs of redemption, what I’m saying is not going to affect your spirit and minister to you.  I’d just be singing a song that makes you feel good.  But living a lifestyle that is holy and pleasing to the Lord is a must-have attribute if you are a background singer who wants to impact somebody’s life.

EJ:  Amen.  And from a musical standpoint?

AM:  You just have to be able to sing. *laughs*  Let’s just say that.  Because sometimes you need to learn stuff on the fly.  And if you can’t, as I say, “lock and load,” y’know.. grab it and go… you’re going to be a liability to whoever you’re singing with and a great frustration, too.  You have to be able to sing and do stuff in a moment’s notice.

EJ: Andrea, how glamorous is it all?

AM:  *quickly responds* Not at all… Well, not entirely.

EJ:  What?!  But what about the nice clothes and the makeup and stuff?

AM:  *sucks her teeth and laughs* It’s exciting and really cool the first two or three times, but after that it kind of loses its excitement.  Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do.  But do anything more than a handful of times and the excitement level goes way down!

EJ:  *laughing* I hear you.  Now, you’ve ventured out as an artist a bit with The McClurkin Project and doing some guest spots on TBN’s Praise The Lord. Any plans to do more?  Maybe a solo project?

AM:  Yes, actually, I’ve got some things in the works as we speak.

EJ:  REALLY?!

AM:  Mmm-hmm… I’ve written a handful of the songs already, but I’m in the “embryonic stage.”  I’ve written a handful of songs and a handful of people have them.  We’re just in the beginning stages.  I don’t have a timeline, no date as to what, when or how, but it’s in the works.

EJ:  Who would you like to work with?

AM:  I don’t know…. it really doesn’t matter.  As long as they can bring out what I’m trying to give.  Maybe… Tommy Sims seems to have a magic touch, so maybe Tommy Sims.  But it doesn’t matter to me.

I have a song in mind that’s been sung a million times, way back in the day, and I want to put a Latin twist to it. I thank God for my beginnings– I listened to rock and a lot of everything else.  So now that Christian music has all those elements in it (cuz I don’t listen to secular music), I can still listen to all of those sounds.  And I wanna be able to do it without a label saying “we don’t want that.”  I just wanna be able to do what I wanna do.

EJ:  Makes sense.  I think that’s a common concern for artists.  Ummm… what’s the best part about doing background work?

AM:  The best part of doing background work?  Umm… *her eldest son says something inaudible from the background and she responds to him: “Yes, praising Jesus Almighty.  Thank you.”*  The best thing, outside of people coming to know the Lord at the end of the concert (cuz that’s top), is traveling to places you’ve never been, experiencing cultures you’ve never seen… seeing how people praise the Lord in places outside of America… it puts America to shame.

EJ:  I know! Like in Africa.

AM: Yeah, like Africa– this thing we just did in Lagos, it rained like Noah’s Arc… I mean, pelted and pummeled rain until it flooded the whole area.  There were 300,000 to 400,000 people out there.  It rained and those people did not move!  They lifted their plastic lawn chairs over their heads until the rain finally canceled the sound and they were forced to leave.

EJ:  The sound system went out?

AM:  The sound system went out.  It was raining that hard.  There was no way to keep the equipment dry.  So, stuff like that… seeing how other people worship is great.  Anything outside of America– it’s like they worship the Lord for points!  They get it.  We’re the only ones like “yeah, whatever…”  He’s great to a point… we don’t really get it.  But if we were denied the basest comforts, like in other countries, we’d see how much God means to us and how desperate we are just to be in his presence.

EJ:  That’s incredible.  Speaking of traveling, how grueling is touring?

AM:  *sighs* For me, personally, I don’t like being away from home more than 3 days.  Anything past that, I lose focus on reality.  Being on the road is not completely fun.  The perfect example is Hopeville.  We were on the road for 6 months straight.  You had to pick the day you wanted to go home, on your own dime, and you’d better make sure you were back at the appointed time.  But if you didn’t have money to go, or the schedules didn’t work, or whatever, you were on the road for 6 whole months away from home.

That almost killed me because you have the whole “road mentality,” like “hey girl… you going for breakfast?  Let’s go.”  And where it’s fun, it’s fun.  But where it’s not, it’s not.  A lot of people on the road… we say we’re saved, but we turn into the biggest devils trying to get into all kinds of stuff.

See, no one talks about the ROAD… if you’re not careful, y’know, staying strong… You can get into all kinds of “devilment.”

EJ: *laughing*

AM:  So, y’know, I bring my bible, my bible aids, my notebook, and I stay in my bunk, and I read and pray.  If I don’t have to be somewhere, I go nowhere.  And whenever I do go out, I stay in a group with people.  See, full-time ministry will make or break you.  If you don’t have the right mindset, and realize that it’s all about souls… you can be tricked.  When you’re out of your element, on a bus, city to city, hotel to hotel… If you are not careful and if you are not focused, and stay in the presence of the Lord, the lines and boundaries that you have drawn for yourself start to blur and you will fall for everything!

EJ:  What?!  Are you serious?

AM:  This is the reality.  The road experience can kill your testimony if you are not careful and staying prayed up.  Now I understand why CeCe [Winans] has Alvin [her husband] with her everywhere she goes.  I understand that like you wouldn’t believe.  And it forces me to take stock in who I am and what I’m doing at all times… to know my strengths and weaknesses… to have that accountability factor and stick with people who have your best interests at heart.

Cuz you don’t have your mom, your husband or your wife with you on the road, unless your lucky… You can stay up all night.  You can bowl until 5 a.m. and go to a late movie, or stay all night at a restaurant… If you’re really not focused on what is REAL, you can get caught up.  This is real.  Here at *she rattles off her home address*, this is real life.  The only thing that’s real out there are the souls.  Everything else is dynamite if you are not careful.

EJ:  Wow.  Folks really need to hear that.  Hey, how’s the pay?

AM:  *chuckles*  Ummm… this needs to supplement something.  *laughs hard*  Maybe if you’re singing for Sting, you’re making a bunch of money.  But in the gospel music community, I don’t care who you sing for, you’re not making millions and trillions of dollars.  Y’know?  You’re not paying a college tuition by being a background singer.  And that’s why you have to have a passion for it.  It can’t be for money.  AT ALL!  I love what I do and the fact that I get paid to do what I love is awesome!

EJ: Which pays better?  Studio or live stuff?

AM:  Studio.

EJ: Really?  But live, you get your hotels paid for…

AM: Yeah, you get hotels paid for and you get per diem.

EJ:  But don’t some people do it?  Like Patti Austin?

AM:  Y’know, I don’t know. I don’t know what anyone else makes.  I never get into all of that.  I just… what I bring home is nice and if you do a string of stuff, it’s real nice.  But, studio seems to pay best, especially if they pay union wages.

EJ:  Okay.  Suzie and Tommy want to be background singers. How should they get started?

AM:  It’s kind of who you know.  Because you never see a “Calling All Cars, I’m searching for a background singer.”  It’s done in-house.  Someone refers someone, like “I can’t be there, but I know someone who can fill my space.”  And sometimes, it’s hard to get in, especially if it’s like a family thing.

EJ:  *laughs* Yeah, like with YOU all.

AM:  *laughs* Yeah.  This is how bad, though– I had a date to sing in Florida that conflicted with [Donnie's most recent live] recording.  Roger [Donnie's manager] called me about the recording and I said “I can’t go cuz I have to sing in Florida.”  He said “Andrea, you HAVE to do the recording.”  And I did.  I don’t know how– they moved heaven and earth to get me at the recording.  I’m sure someone could have sung in my place, but I let them move heaven and earth to do it.

EJ:  Hey, do you get to keep your clothes?

AM:  *laughs*  If I’m doing something that has a budget for background vocals, but 9 times out of 10, there’s not.  This is gospel, y’know, it’s not Mariah Carey or something.  And mostly, they don’t include background vocalists’ wardrobe.  Whoever handles wardrobe for the artist, the stylist or whoever, just says “wear black” or “I saw something in a magazine and let’s try that… so WHEN YOU GO SHOPPING, try to get it.” *laughs*  Normally, you’re just told the color and style and what to bring.

EJ:  Cool.  Andrea, who’s on your background vocalist dream team?  Like, if you were singing with the IDEAL group of vocalists, who would they be?

AM: Ummm… well, for starters, Duawne Starling.  His voice is amazing… He and Jerard Woods are, hands-down, my opinion (and of course I haven’t been everywhere and don’t know everyone)… oh, and Anthony Evans… they have some of the most amazing male voices I’ve ever heard.

EJ:  And who else?

AM:  Umm… Can I say their names even if they’re not background vocalists anymore?

EJ:  Sure.

AM:  Ok, all of CeCe’s old singers– Tiffany, Duawne, Cindy.  Even the more current ones– Leann, Jerard, and Christy.  But her singers– they’re ideal… Every one of Kirk Franklin’s singers, past, present and future!  And Angie & Debbie and Sherrie Kibble from the BeBe & CeCe days… ohhh, like, the greatest ever.

EJ:  What about Sherry McGhee?

AM:  OF COURSE!  All of Donnie’s singers– Sherry McGhee, she’s awesome.   Queenie, Ayana George… that goes without saying.  Seth Ready, Shawn & Rhonda McLemore… you’d have to name everybody I’ve ever sung background with.  Vince Freeman and Troy Bright!  The list goes on and on.

I think, when I do my thing, I want an all-girl band and all-male backgrounds.

EJ:  Why?

AM:  I think girls aren’t really given their due musically.  Gospel music is like a “boy’s club”… maybe one or two females are playing keyboards once in a while, but you don’t see a lot of female drummers or guitarists.  And I’m sure they’re out there because Beyonce is rocking those girls in her band.  But no one in the forefront of gospel has an all-girl band and I wanna be able to have one.  And if anyone has one after this interview, you know where they get their idea, so WHATEVER!

EJ:  *laughing*  And why a background full of guys?

AM: Why not?! *laughing*

EJ:  *laughing* “Why not.”  Andrea, I’ve really enjoyed chattin’ with you.  Thanks for being my first victim.

AM:  Thanks for having me!

* * * * *

Hope everyone enjoyed the interview. Lemme know what you think!

And if you wanna check out Andrea doing what she does best, watch the YouTube link of her singing “We Praise You,” the single (which she wrote) from the latest album from The McClurkin Project: