God's Music Is My Life

With her new release, "Back to My Roots," Candi Staton fuses gospel, blues, soul, and country together, looking back at the songs that are a part of her foundation and looking forward with a half dozen new compositions from her own pen. In this candid and revealing conversation, we discuss her memories of the gospel highway in the 1950s, the stigmas on transitioning from gospel to secula...

There's a lot to be said about Reba Rambo. From 1976-1982, she was one of contemporary Christian music's mavericks, the first to receive crossover buzz from mainstream publications like Billboard and Cash Box. She had the lyrical prowess of Laura Nyro, the vocal power akin to Streisand, and the glamour of Diana Ross. Her 1976 album Lady came from out of nowhere, establishing this member of...

I was not at all prepared for the calls I got, back to back, late Sunday afternoon telling me that Sandra Crouch had died. I didn’t know her, but the people who called knew that I loved her and they wanted me to know before the news went all around the world. A world without Sandra (or Andraé) Crouch in it is hard to fathom. Her music has been present in my life since I was born. Her solo albums i...

This past Tuesday (March 5, 2024), the world learned of the death of singer-actress-vocal coach, Debra Byrd. Many first saw Debra Byrd in the seventies as part of Barry Manilow's backing group, Lady Flash, but she found herself in the living rooms of America when she was hired as the vocal coach for American Idol where she nurtured the talents of Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia Barrino, Clay Aiken, J...

In this episode, I talk with Charles Miller, Frankie Henry, Robin Johnson and Everett Drake of the Twenty-First Century Singers about their 1978 album "Sunday Night Fever" and their memories of their founder, the incredible male soprano, the late Johnny Whittaker and original group member, the late Lula Jordan. Who were the Twenty-First Century Singers? A Nashville group founded in 1972...

Tori Taff is an under-celebrated talent whose pen played a major part in birthing a number of innovative songs that have been a companion and comfort to many of us over the last four decades via the Imperials, her husband Russ Taff's body of work, and First Call, among others. I centered our conversation around Russ' blockbuster 1985 release, "Medals," but we discuss her life as...

Last night (2/12/24), I was part of a vigorous panel discussion at the National Museum of African-American Music for WPLN, Nashville's local news and NPR station, curated and moderated by WPLN's LaTonya Turner. Myself, Nashville music legend Odessa Settles, daughter of Walter J. Settles of the Fairfield Four, Patrick Daily, countertenor, director of the W. Crimm Singers and professor at Te...

Many first became familiar with Donna McElroy when they saw and heard her on tour with Amy Grant between 1982 and 1992. But her career began before that as a student at Fisk University when she became a part of Nashville community of session singers on hits like Kenny Rogers' "You Decorated My Life," Barbara Mandrell's "If Loving You Is Wrong" and others. In 1990, she w...

In this episode, I'm joined by Leah Payne, author of the brand new book, "God Gave Rock and Roll to You: A History of Contemporary Christian Music" and we discuss her book AND deep dive into Amy Grant's 1984 album, "Straight Ahead" which turns 40 this year. To read more about 'Straight Ahead,' join me at https://godsmusicismylife.substack.com/ for a full length...

Pam Mark Hall is one of the most important CCM artists of the 70s and 80s--but if you weren't listening to the music in that era, you might not have heard of her. In addition to her own solo work, she wrote songs for many of the best-selling albums of the 80s, including Amy Grant's "Straight Ahead," Kathy Troccoli's "Heart & Soul," Russ Taff's "Medals,&...

Author Elizabeth Cunningham discusses her latest book, "My Life as a Prayer" (Monkfish Book Publishing) and the impact that gospel music has had on her spiritual path. To watch the longer interview, go to https://godsmusicismylife.substack.com/p/going-down-to-the-deep-places To learn more about Elizabeth's work, visit elizabethcunninghamwrites.com

She was one of the primary influences for artists like Little Richard and Aretha Franklin, was given the McArthur Foundation Genius Grant, was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque in France, was inducted into the Philadelphia Walk of Fame and the only gospel artist to be a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors. Who is she? Marion Williams. From her beginnings in the Clara Ward Singers in 1947, a coll...

In 2008, I had the pleasure of interviewing Bishop Carlton Pearson for a radio show I was hosting while he was promoting his book, The Gospel of Inclusion: Reaching Beyond Religious Fundamentalism to the True Love of God. I am thrilled to share it once again. Bishop Pearson died in November 2023, but his words remain vital and essential for our collective (re)awakening. Thank you Bishop Pearson fo...

In the first episode, host and gospel music historian Tim Dillinger shares the inspiration and overarching aim of the God's Music Is My Life project. Learn more about God's Music Is My Life and subscribe for our weekly newsletter here: https://godsmusicismylife.substack.com/