Ye Olde Fish Eyed Heathens

A couple of weeks ago, I wandered over to the Pritzker Pavilion to catch the tail end of Mavis Staple's concert. She wrapped things up with the Staples Singer hit I'll Take You There and the spiritual Will the Circle Be Unbroken. These two songs are fitting examples of the balance the Staples Singers tried to achieve between secular success and spiritual foundation. For many within that particular staunchly religious community, the balance does not exist. While for others, like local hero Jennifer Hudson, that community is their bedrock from which they can achieve almost anything.

Jennifer Hudson entered the American Idol contest a couple of years ago with a golden voice, unfortunately accompanied by the body of a sea lion and the fashion sense of Aunt Esther. She didn't win but she did get noticed. One year later she won an Oscar for her role Dreamgirls,(which is playing this week in Chicago's Open-Air Movie series). On her mantel also sits a Golden Globe Award and two BET trophies. The girl has always beamed confidence even in defeat. The source of that confidence she credits to her community. One could tell, watching the many interviews she did here in her hometown (often at her church), that girl was going to be okay no matter what. Her aplomb was evident in victory too when she walked the Academy Awards red carpet. She was asked about her exercise method, and replied "I actually stopped working out because I don't want to lose my jelly."


Jelly or not, she cleans up nicely.

Aunt Esther however would not be pleased. In fact many folks in the Southern Baptist community would not be pleased with this secular use of talent.

Ms. Hudson is lucky though. She faces no controversy at least not in her local church. Like the Staple Singers before her, she is happy to admit that her first love is church music. That didn't help the Staple Singers avoid a round of community criticism for paving the way out of the church and on to the radio.

Shirley Caesar was one such critic back when the Staple Singers were gospelizing the pop landscape. In the late 60's she was a highly charged gospel singer with a big afro and a big sound. To A&R reps, Caesar must have looked like a big bag of singing money also. She turned down the cash because, as she put it, they wouldn't let her "rock for Jesus and roll for God."

I saw Shirley Caesar in concert a few years ago at the NAACP National Convention in Milwaukee. You might think that's a funny place to find a big white dork such as myself and yeah let me tell you it was. Of the couple thousand people in attendance, I counted only three white folks including myself. I was there to photograph the Sears volunteer gospel choir. At the time I was employed by Sears and the choir leader was my co-worker.

If it surprises you that Sears has a black gospel choir it shouldn't. Sears has a history of respect both for and from the black community. For an example, you need look no further than Roebuck "Pops" Staples, the singing group's patriarch, who is named after the company co-founder. His brother's name is Sears.

Anyway that trip is a story in itself. One I've already written here.

What I'm here right now to tell you brothers and sisters is that Shirley Caesar is one mean lady and I mean that in multiple respects. For one thing, like Aunt Esther, she'll put the fear of God in you with a look you will not soon forget. For another thing, she may do it for Jesus, but she certainly does rock. Here's her explaining in song why she doesn't "sing the Rock and Roll."

Songs

Shirley Caesar - My Testimony
the Staple Singers - Gloryland
Quincy Jones - Streetbeater


Well that's it. Another Wednesday series put to rest. So long Jesus, you had a good run!
Hey. We're lucky - former Axiom booking agent, Julie Grob will grace NAP Wednesdays for the next couple of weeks.




all photos are distributed promo shots except Fred and Aunt Esther so watch it sucka.