I wanted a line in a poem to be the hollow ney of the dervish orchestra whose plaintive wail is a call to God. But all I achieved was awkward shrieking. Not even the pure shriek of a reed in the rain.
My heroes were gospel blues players like Blind Willie Johnson, Charley Patton, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe, not whoever was number one.
Music is part of God's universe.
I have been singing gospel music since I was four years old.
Sweet is the day of sacred rest; No mortal cares shall seize my breast; O may my heart in tune be found Like David's harp of solemn sound.
I'm probably at my least religious I've ever been in a while. When you're moved by music, that's always good. But I haven't been talking to God too much lately.
For me, it's more powerful to hear people sing about God than love in most circumstances because I've been hearing people sing about love for most of my life.
Here's the thing with me and the religious thing. This is the flat-out truth: I find the religiosity and philosophy in the music. I don't find it anywhere else.
I grew up singing in church. I've been doing that since I was 3 years old. Singing was a blessing for me to do.
Now I've heard there was a secret chord That David played, and it pleased the Lord But you don't really care for music, do you? It goes like this the fourth, the fifth The minor fall, the major lift The baffled king composing Hallelujah
The first music that came to my ear was gospel... I used to sing 'Amazing Grace' with a very strong southern accent and a vibrato already at five years old.
My father started me singing in church.
I love singing devotional songs, in whatever language.
God knows why - no pun intended - but every time I write a song, I feel a need to touch on religion.
The first choral music I remember hearing was Handel's 'Messiah' when the Mormon Tabernacle Choir broadcast it over the radio.
For four years, my mum allowed only church music in the house.
Participation is easily obtained with Latin chant.
I sang in the choir for years, even though my family belonged to another church.
Music is the child of prayer, the companion of religion.
I grew up around a lot of church musicians.
I started out in gospel music. A lot of people don't know that I started out in gospel music, and I've never lost sight of it.
I believe that gospel is more than just a sound, it's a way of life. I don't really have any shame to talk about spirituality in my music. A lot of your favorite soul songs started out in gospel.
I find most 'sacred music' pretty dismal.
Even if I make a gospel album, my gospel songs are going to get you dancing and crunk.
I used to sing at mata ki chowkis and other religious events, and people loved me.