MAHALIA JACKSON: My Angel

Let me tell you a story...

When I shop for records, often it's a grab it all and go situation. I pick up anything and everything in the soul section (don't get me STAAAH-TED). Sometimes it takes me awhile to listen to it all so I have a few lurking around that have never been played. This was the case with Mahalia Jackson.

Mahalia Jackson was a spiritual singer who brought rock n' roll to church y'all. I first saw her on PBS while flipping through channels. There she was: eyes closed and pouring her soul into a simple hum that stopped me dead in my tracks. Who was this woman!?! I missed the part where they said her name...

A few weeks later, I went over to my record collection and picked up a record I had never played before and suddenly I heard a familiar hum. Instantly it hit me like a wave of joy that this was the inspirational angel whose simple hum guided me through recent trials and whose voice was now in my hands.  Needless to say, it now gets a lot of play. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l49N8U3d0Bw