[MUSIC] Gospel music is a contemporary, modern sacred sound. The word means good news. And it takes instruments like the guitar and the the sounds of the tambourine, and with a very hard-hitting, rhythmic beat. Gospel music has become a very important part of the American South. Gospel music is sung both in churches and in large arenas as a performance type music. And many of the traditional gospel singers eventually became pop stars. Like Sam Cooke, and Al Green, even James Brown and Aretha Franklin came out of Gospel music, as did Ray Charles, and crossed over. I asked a musician once if it was difficult to cross over from sacred to secular. He said no. All you do is change My Lord to my baby, but the music is the same. And gospel music is the foundational sound for modern rhythm and blues and blues. When we think of gospel, I think of my old friend Fannie Bell Chapman who lived in Centreville, Mississippi. And she and her family formed what they called a praying band. They played their Gospel Music on the streets and roads of Centreville. They healed in special healing ceremonies using the music to heal all ages of illnesses. And this music she saw as her gift to her community, not only to bring the word of God, but to help heal illnesses, and she would even speak in tongues. She would become possessed by the Spirit, and speak in tongues that no-one could understand. But Fannie Bell Chapman was a dramatic figure. Within the black church most churches have men as the ministers and as a result of that, many women took to the streets and the roads, preaching and singing. And Fannie Bell Chapman was clearly a very important figure in that tradition. [MUSIC] >> My friend. [MUSIC] Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thou kingdom come. Let thy will be done. We just a family, you know, a family that pray together. Stays together, as a Hallelujah. You know what I mean in hallelujah, we be singing, and having jolly times, and Lord give thy one another. And we can dance sometimes, the music and everything be fun and good, we reach back, and, you know, I would speak, and I would guitar, drums and things, and say oh man, I [INAUDIBLE] myself. Yay, my Lord. [LAUGH] You talking about a hallelujah time. Oh, we had it dear. [LAUGH] Yes, together. Oh my Lord. [MUSIC] I was born in Wilkerson County to a place that you called Capal, Mississippi. I was there until I got married. After then, I moved to Centreville and Amite County. And I can say that I am truly a Christian, and a church worker, and a missionary of the praying brand here in Centreville, Mississippi. And I also prays for the sick people. Help those that is not able. Go into their homes and hospitals. And I have so much missionary work to do until I hardly can't get around to it. All my songs, you know, come in as an inspiration. And why my mouth fly open, just like a mockingbird, just sing. I ain't heard that song, never heard it in my life. And I cried when God spoke. And His Holiness that you must be born again. Well, I just cried. I said oh, Lord. Y'all say come here. I said, woooo, my goodness I said, I got something. I say, I told my baby girl I said, get on your piano one early one morning just a rising thing. And play this for me. And the, all together background and everything that was all together. And my, my just almost a. [MUSIC] God spoke, God spoke, the background. >> Huh. [MUSIC] Oh God spoke. Yes he did to Daniel in the lion's den. God spoke, yes God spoke to Daniel in the lion's den. [MUSIC] God spoke to Daniel in the lion's den. He said that you must be born again. [MUSIC] And I just cried it all. [CLAP] Oh, I said that's a wonderful thing, Lord, I ever heard in my life. I said, so beautiful, master. And I just wrang my hands and just walked on through the house, and just cried, just couldn't help it. [MUSIC] Oh, God spoke, yes he did, I recognised his voice. God spoke, God spoke, then I made my choice. [MUSIC] God spoke. [MUSIC] Yes Lord [CLAP] [MUSIC] He said that you must be born again. [MUSIC]
