I think maybe the vehicle for me was 'Sam Cooke's Greatest Hits.' It has a song called, 'Touch the Hem of His Garment.' Do you know that song? I kind of got obsessed with that song and started exploring and getting more of his old recordings with the Soul Stirrers and really getting into that super, super deeply.
I have been singing gospel music since I was four years old.
I was always drawn to gospel music and the roots of African-American music. It's the foundation of rock and roll.
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.
Even if I make a gospel album, my gospel songs are going to get you dancing and crunk.
I've always loved gospel music. Being raised in Mississippi, it was kind of part of the atmosphere down there.
I'm from the gospel world. I grew up playing in church.
I was brought up singing gospel, and I really enjoy getting the church up on their feet, their hips swaying, their hands clapping, it's a great feeling to evoke that energy for the Lord.
I have the background singers of Ray Charles, the background singers of Smokey Robinson, and the background singers of Barry White and I built a choir around that.
Oh boy, I grew up hearing Sam Cooke, The Soul Stirrers, Mahalia Jackson, sitting on Mahalia Jackson's lap in my dad's church.
When I got married, I hired a great choir - the St. James Choir, an all-black gospel choir - to sing at my wedding.
I grew up on a lot of gospel music.
Visible Faith is an expression of my Christian faith which must be visible to be real! I gave the name to the collection of musicians who worked with me on the record.
I learned at an early age that what we were doing in the choir was just as important as the preacher. It was a ministry in itself. We could stir the pot, you know?
I'll be singing with The Blind Boys of Alabama, which is a great joy to me. I've done some work with them before, and they truly are amazing.
I belong to a gospel choir. They know I am an atheist but they are very tolerant.
My family don't listen to R&B - never have, never will. They only listen to gospel. That's where I get my voice from. I got a gospel voice.
I've done gospel songs on every album.
My mother was into church so she listens to gospel music. I like the way gospel is composed... the great vocalist chord and the way they make you feel.
I was a big fan of black gospel. As a kid, there were black groups I sang with from my teen years to my early 20s.
My brothers and I had a gospel quartet, and that was the only music people listened to. But I was already gravitating towards songs by Sam Cooke, and then one day I put on a Jackie Wilson record, and baby, I was thrown right out of the house.
I would say when I was 9 or 10 I started doing gospel choir, and I was with them for about two years.
The gospel music and doo-wop is what has informed me personally.
I was influenced by gospel and Christian music from a very young age.
When I was little I was into gospel music.
