December 6, 2024 • 55 mins
Show Notes for Late Night with Jerry Royce Live & Kelly Holland
Episode Title: Music Legend Freda Battle
Airing Date: December 5, 2024, at 10 PM EST
Where to Listen: Spotify – Late Night with Jerry Royce Live & Kelly Holland
Episode Overview
On this episode of Late Night with Jerry Royce Live & Kelly Holland, Jerry Royce Live sits down with the legendary Freda Battle, a renowned gospel music artist, choir director, and songwriter. Known for her soul-stirring music and timeless contributions to gospel, Freda shares her journey through faith, music, and ministry, offering listeners an intimate glimpse into her life and legacy.
About Freda Battle
Freda Battle has inspired generations with her powerful voice and musical genius. As a trailblazer in gospel music, she is celebrated for her iconic compositions, anthems, and live worship recordings that have deeply touched audiences worldwide.Some of her most beloved works include:
Key Topics Discussed
Episode Title: Music Legend Freda Battle
Airing Date: December 5, 2024, at 10 PM EST
Where to Listen: Spotify – Late Night with Jerry Royce Live & Kelly Holland
Episode Overview
On this episode of Late Night with Jerry Royce Live & Kelly Holland, Jerry Royce Live sits down with the legendary Freda Battle, a renowned gospel music artist, choir director, and songwriter. Known for her soul-stirring music and timeless contributions to gospel, Freda shares her journey through faith, music, and ministry, offering listeners an intimate glimpse into her life and legacy.
About Freda Battle
Freda Battle has inspired generations with her powerful voice and musical genius. As a trailblazer in gospel music, she is celebrated for her iconic compositions, anthems, and live worship recordings that have deeply touched audiences worldwide.Some of her most beloved works include:
- For All You've Done
- Arise to Worship
- Serious Praise
Key Topics Discussed
- Freda's early inspirations and journey into gospel music.
- The challenges and triumphs of building a career in gospel music.
- How faith has played a central role in her life and artistry.
- The message she hopes to convey through her music.
- Upcoming projects and advice for aspiring gospel artists.
- Freda Battle's Official Website: Visit Here
- Listen to This Episode on Spotify: Late Night with Jerry Royce Live & Kelly Holland
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Can you feel the power? Can you feel the power? Fuel?
The power? A double accident Lwori's Wide Worldwide podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Hey, hey, hey, my name is Davis and I'm from Haiti.
But I don't even know the money. Come upperate, I'm here,
persy fower us any woman, Jerry wats Live Worldwide.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
That's right, that's right. You tell me a little fuddy.
You're listening Late Night, Late Night with Everybody, Late Night
with Jeffers Live Worldwide right here on POS of the
Power Doubles side Christian Minnie, welcome everybody to a Late
Night with Jervis Live and Kelly. But unfortunately Kelly Holland
will not be here tonight. Kelly is off. Kelly is off,
(01:06):
So we're gonna do our thing, and we hope everybody
had a great, great holiday. That's right. This is your engineer,
Jerry Lewis Live ak the Batman of Chump City. Now,
I know a lot of you guys been getting hit
by some super duper snowstorms already, I believe up in
the North Northeast, and it's trying to make his way
to Washington, West Virginia and Maryland. We hope we don't
(01:30):
see that stuff we're not ready right now, I'm wait
waiting for my snow. My snow are blow to get
picked up because the thing is not working. And that's
how they do you. It's like lawnmowers. You ready to
cut and it can't turn it over. Well, the same
thing is the same equipment that you use for cutting grass,
you use for play on your driveway and your sidewalks. Anyway,
(01:52):
we hope anybody get get prepared. Go out there and
get your salt, get your shovels, because I don't think
it's gonna be easy. Win to y'all. I just got
that funny feeling it's gonna be one of those winners.
And make sure your tires is right now. A lot
of ladies. You you guys, don't check your tires. It's
now you're supposed to use a nickel. And if you
if if you can't see the top of George Washington's head,
(02:15):
that mean your tire is flat. It's just it's balled out.
You need you tires, and just don't buy one. You
got by four. You got buy them all at the
same time. They got credit plans. Now you can borrow
money from from your from your daddy or your uncle,
grandpa or whatever. But get those tires, y'all, because that's
the that's the worst thing I look on the side
(02:36):
of us. I see mostly women in the ditch spend out.
That's right, mostly women because they don't check their own.
And also, if you don't have a lot of trail,
you can always let out a little bit of air
and the tire that has the most track. But I
prefer to do the front because you want to be
able to maneuver and control the cars. So you can
(02:56):
let the air out, not all the way out, but
maybe halfway. So make sure you carry yourself an air
pump or win those air pressure checkers like you can
use that the air out, all right, but don't do
that while you're on the road. Make sure you're in
the parking lot when you do that. You don't want
to get hit by no snowplow.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
All right.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Yeah, So that's my kind of like my triple A announcements,
but just concern because it is. You know, some blizzards
did hit people. You know, they weren't ready. I could
tell they just weren't ready, all right. So we got
a great great guest tonight. And again, like I said,
Kelly howand is not here. So the Batman, who mostly
is behind the scene, you know, just controlling everything and
(03:33):
making sure everything sounding good, is going to conduct the interview.
And tonight the interview is with Free to Battle. That's right.
Free to Battle is a phenomenal, phenomenal i'm'a call her
musicians sing a song to the songwriting. She probably does
it all, probably play piano and guitar and drums and everything,
because she been around for a minute, you know this
in this worship world of gospel music, and she's seen
(03:57):
the great and now I'm not gonna read her bio.
We're gonna let her might. We're gonna ask you some
good questions and learn something that's right. We're gonna learn
something tonight, y'all. You know, on this show, we do
have quite a bit of songwriters and musicians on the show.
But unfortunately, when they release new music, we're not allowed
to play it on podcasts anymore, you know. You know,
(04:18):
the government got involved and then some of the countries,
a lot of the countries they carry out our programming,
cannot receive the music for some reason. You guys probably
see those notices when you're on Facebook. So they're prohibit
from receiving the music. So therefore they made it a
worldwide thing. Can't play music on podcasts unless you own it.
(04:40):
Of course, you know, she probably she gave me permission
because they sent me to music. But of course there's
a whole bunch of paperwork that you got to fill out,
and it's one hundred and fifty countries if you got
my drift. All right, so let me open up the
mic and see what's going on with MS Battle Hey,
MS Freeda, How you doing. Welcome to Late Night. How
are you doing tonight?
Speaker 4 (05:00):
I'm doing good, Jerry, thank you so much for you
guys having me on.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Oh my pleasure, my pleasure inside. Kelly can't be here.
She's just up to it today. She wasn't feeling well.
She's she's a school teacher.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
So we understand, right, Oh yes, yes we do.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
It's right. We left. She probably thinks, oh bad man,
it's mad, and I understand. I get it. I know
what you're going through. And she does special edit that,
so you.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Know, okay, she could have been.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Win those days. You know, they have enough lollipops everybody.
All right, Well, we're gonna get started, and my first
question is gonna be who is MS Freeder? Who is she?
Tell the artist in your favorite words or or whatever,
who you are?
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Well?
Speaker 4 (05:48):
I'm I was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. I
currently live in the Durham, North Carolina area, which I love.
I've been here for about eleven years. But I started
out Jerry doing music at a very young age. Of course,
my mom put me in a choir and it went
from there. So around nineteen eighty nine I had a
(06:10):
chance to do my first recording and literally went to
a church, set up some mics and recorded my choir.
My first album was called God Will See You Through
and also He Shales Supply All Your Need. So we
went from there, and then around two thousand and three
(06:31):
two thousand and four, we signed with a company called
Axiom Records, and they were indie company that was established
by the church. I was minister of music at at
that time Jubilee Christian Church in Boston, and I formed
a group called the Temple Worshippers Free to Battlement Temple Worshippers,
(06:52):
and we did our first album called Serious Praise and
wound up on Bobby Jones Gospel did stuff on TV
one other stations and went from there. Our next project
was Here Is Our Praise, which did very good, and
again did some promoting for that one, and since then
we've done an album called How Glorious. So what I
(07:15):
did was I remixed the How Glorious one, And so
we'll soon be releasing next month in January, our latest album.
It's our twenty fifth anniversary album entitled Back Together Again,
and right now we're promoting the single how Glorious.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
All right, nice, Nice? Now only have seventeen questions. I
think you answered half of them already, but we're going
we're going to spin on it though, right work. All right, Well,
you sound like you had a you have you're having
an incredible, incredible, incredible journey in the gospel music. But
tell us share with us, what's your initial initially inspired
(07:56):
you to pursue a koreer in this genre?
Speaker 4 (08:00):
You know, I just always saw myself doing music. Like
I said, my mother put me in the choir and
at early at six, actually she was a choir director.
My grandfather before that was a choir director, so it
was just I had no choice. But I started directing
(08:21):
around eighteen and then self taught musician. I do play
the piano, and once I started playing, it seemed very
natural to me to begin to write songs. So I
wrote a song called God Will See You Through and
another one called love Song that ended up on an
(08:41):
old group's album called King James Version, and King James
Version came out with that album and the song God
Will See You Through was a big hit off of that.
And actually Bobby Jones when he had to show Bobby
Jones gospel, I swear they did that song every other week,
and so it was just a pleasure to finally meet him.
(09:04):
So I've always loved music since I was a child,
and and honestly not just gospel. We were raising the
household where we had all kinds of music, and so
it just resonated with me. So it's something I enjoy
and I'm still writing songs to this day. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Yeah, nothing. Shout out to doctor Bobby Jones. He's a
friend of the network. He had we had a few
few people that work with him, you know, from our platform,
and they went on to do some big and better
things and he's really helped a lot of people. So
we definitely gotta give him a shut out. Yeah, absolutely, Yeah,
congratulations to you. Yeah, we saw a number of people
(09:43):
been on the show, had an opportunity to you know,
perform in front of him and move to the next level,
next thing.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
You know.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Yeah, and then working with international artists you know and writers. Absolutely, yeah, yeah,
you need you need this step, you know that first
step and your grandparents and your parents gave you that
opportunity and that you just took it from there and
then you were.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Seeing right, I need that, you know.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
I had. Yeah, I had a few groups. Had a
group called freeda Battle of a Family early on, and
we did a couple of projects together. Had another group
based State Choral Chapter who was a part of the
National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses. Shout out to
Professor Thomas A. Dorsey. That's where I cut my teeth
(10:31):
as a songwriter in the youth department. So we've done,
like I said, several projects and it's good. I love it.
I love nothing more than sitting writing songs and then
sharing it or have others sharing my music.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Awesome, awesome and something. You have a very talented family.
Your grandmother, I mean your mom, your grandfather and all
these people that influenced you. You approach to music. Now,
tell us how did they in fluend ship your proast
and music in ministry.
Speaker 4 (11:04):
Well, I was very blessed to be raised in a
at that time, a very large church of about fifteen
hundred in the Boston area. Conquered Baptist Church in Boston,
and we had an outstanding, you know, ministry of music there.
It was your typical large church. We had about seven choirs,
(11:28):
and we also had you know, different variations. So when
I started out as a child and the children after
I moved up, I was in the teenage choir, then
the young adult choir, and then they asked me to direct,
and honestly, I didn't want to direct. I was like,
(11:48):
I want to be in front of people directing. I
was like, ma, I can't direct. You never saw me directly, goes, well,
I know you can do it. I did it, your
grandfather did it, so you know. But we had outstanding
musicians and singers, just incredible. So you know, I had
a bird's eye view of what ministry of music should
(12:09):
look like. And eventually, of course, the advent of you know,
praise and worship and being able to allow the congregation
to be involved with not just the choir singing to them,
but the congregation at a whole singing to the Lord.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Now your calling ministry was in nineteen eighty eight, your
dain in two thousand and three. How has your role
as a minister influenced your songwriting and your performances over
the years.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
Oh very much. So. I write from several different places.
Like sometimes I might open up a scripture and just
write something directly out of that. A song I wrote
years ago called Behold, Behold, Bless You the Lord, which
is taken from Psalms song one point thirteen. And so
(13:03):
sometimes a lot of my music comes through, you know,
the scriptures, or sometimes out of an experience in my
walk with God, or sometimes what's going on at the time,
you know, during this time of whatever it is we're
going through, whatever season that is, I write songs. So
(13:26):
there been times when I've dreamt about a song and
woke up and wrote it. So I come from different
areas when it comes to songwriting. And so I always
suggest that people keep, you know, their phone with them,
and as they get melodies, you know, record them, so
at least you'll know you know it and you can
pull it out when you're ready to actually write it.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
Yeah, So do you have a second love of music
like jazz or R and B.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
Yes, yes, I do love jazz, and actually you listen
to some of my stuff, you will hear elements of
jazz in it. So it's not just straight gospel because
a lot of times, Jerry, you know, I write music
before I actually write the lyrics, so I can sit
down and just put together or create music, and then
(14:18):
I'll go back and add lyrics. So the title cut
of our album coming out Back Together Again, actually was
a semi jazz piece that I just had sitting around.
It was an instrumental and when we would get ready
to record last year, I said I need something like
just a little little jazz flavor to it, and pulled
(14:40):
up that song and then I wrote the song actually
called Back Together Again. So I love jazz, I do
love R and B. You know, I love classical. So,
like I said, we wasn't sort of inhibited from playing
music in the house, whether it was gospel, whether it
was R and B or jazz. But jazz is another
(15:04):
love of mine.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Absolutely, yeah, because you know, you know, the last few years,
I say, during the pandemic, a lot of us were
introduced to you know, Alvis's Journey and Whitney houston Journey
on the streaming platform, you got a chance to see
where they're their music ability started. It was the church,
but they wanted to They wanted more than just you know,
(15:25):
performing Christian music. So did you ever approach your mom
and your grandmother say hey, I want to perform in
the nightclub. I want to do you know, did you
try that?
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Well?
Speaker 4 (15:38):
You know, honestly, that was what I thought I was
going to do at an early age. I saw myself
on stage, not necessarily doing gospel. However, my mom had
other plans, and so when she finished you know, quoting
scripture for about two weeks and all of that, I
decided that, you know, maybe I'll just do my gospel thing,
(15:58):
which is good because I love the word and so,
you know, and I love sharing, you know, my music
through that. But I also have a desire at some
point to do a jazz album, you know. And when
I say jazz, I don't mean you know, like fusion
or anything like that. I mean more like smooth jazz
(16:19):
or something like that.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
It's tough sometime to try to present a new idea
to your parents if they already got it stuck in
their head, what your journey gonna be like, Because to
be honest with you, yeah, I really really enjoy sometime
just sitting. Like my wife, her best friend is a
jazz performer. She went professional few years ago, and we
go to all of her performances. It's over here in Maryland,
(16:41):
are in d C. And that is the time when
I really found my body just start calming itself down
and I'm not overthinking, you know, live and she's connecting
with everybody, and sometimes she sing other songs to other
you know, covers, but it's just so relaxing, you know.
And of course we love to hear her and her
(17:03):
sister performing church as well, because I know her sister
travels with one of the big artists that you performed
with before, and but they come together and they do
that jazz stuff together. And I think sometimes sometimes it's
good to switch gears once in a while too. Just
appreciate what you're doing for the first gear, you know.
Speaker 4 (17:23):
Absolutely absolutely with you know, the gift comes from within,
so you know, when we share, I mean, I don't
feel like I'm going outside of God or I'm doing
something other than when I'm doing you know, jazz. When
I sit down, I just create. Sometimes it becomes a
(17:45):
gospel song, other times it becomes a jazz It's just
sort of flow. So you have to be true to
your creativity.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
That's right. Break the ice in the and rehearsals. Hey, guys,
I'm gonna pass up the sheet music. Have this little
jazz session real quick. You know, it's to break up
the little ice breaker I feel, you know, ms Frieda.
I had a band before, and I'm a non non
music guy really, you know now, because I didn't have
(18:14):
formal training because you know, school just you know they
you know, what they started us out with back in
the day with was a xylophone and a triangle. I don't
think that was it right. Teacher wouldn't let nobody touch
the piano. Well, I took upon myself to get my
kids drum lessons. So both my daughter and my son
took drum lessons privately here in my home. I bought
(18:35):
them drums. And then my daughter went on to learn guitar.
Took her in town and a Jewish guy trained her.
And then she wanted to learn keyboard and the German
lady trained her and she did recitals and everything, and
I feel really good. So when they finally when they
got to you know, really deep into music in school,
they were really they really were connected with it because
they had you know, professional training, and so now, yeah,
(18:59):
how to write music, you know, and and and there
really well. And then that transformed into my daughter helping
me with my television children ministry with puppets, they performed music.
It's actually a band, and she sings all for the
Female League. Yeah, so it kind of worked itself out.
I didn't I didn't see that journey, but it ended
(19:21):
up you know, yeah, because I because I had a band,
I knew. I knew we needed a lead guitar, a
jazz bace, and we needed a drum drummer and the
lead singer. And I was able to structure the children's
television show and rewrite all of the nursery rhymes. My
daughter just had a problem with them, and my son
(19:42):
helped with the rap. So just to say all of that,
I kind of understand the origin of learning music. It's
like it comes from the early ages, you know, because
it probably comes easier, easier for you learning at an
early age and working with profess would you.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
Agree, Yeah, I would, I would say so absolutely. I
think being influenced at a very early age concerning music
really helped to mold and shape me into what I was.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
Going to do.
Speaker 4 (20:16):
And I think also having a love for it and
approach from where it's you know, trying to be professionally done.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Right now, your creative process is incredible. You did cover that.
We know you have eight hundred songs written and perform worldwide,
and we talked about your process and writing. You start
your music, you do the music first, and then you
put the lyrics on top. Now here is our praise.
That's that's that's become what a church standard keisha song
(20:47):
and what inspired that creation?
Speaker 4 (20:50):
Yeah? You know what is interesting is I wrote I
wrote the song just a you know, average everyday thing.
I sat down and I wrote the song, here's our praise.
And usually my approach is I always have a notepad
on my piano, so you know, I wrote the words down,
and usually what I do is I write the melody
(21:13):
notes over it so I won't forget. And so I
had written the song and you know, just left it
there for months and we were getting ready to actually
what would become the Here is Our Praise album would
get ready to record, and I was getting ready for
a rehearsal, and I said, I need a really good
(21:33):
worship song. I don't have one of those. And so
I went to the piano and I'm flipping through some
of the pages of songs that I had written recently
at that time, and I said, here's our praise. What
is this? And so I started playing the melody. I said, oh,
I know what this is. And I started playing it
and I sat back and I said, this is funny
(21:57):
because I feel something on this song. And at the time,
to be honest, Jerry, I didn't because I had an
extra line of here's our Praise, and it wasn't fitting
it To my ear, the melody wasn't really fitting, and
for some reason, when I looked back at it, I
(22:19):
skipped that line and didn't realize it. And I was like, Oh,
this is great. Why haven't I ever used it before?
I took it to rehearsal that night, and I mean,
the Lord just really came in and blessed and we
wound up doing the album and then naming it, Here
is Our Praise, And so I've shared it at conventions.
I recorded it actually with GMW a gospel music workshop
(22:42):
a number of years ago, and wound up recording it myself,
of course, and so it's been done several times. I
hear they tell me that I have not heard my song.
Here's our praise. So I've heard five thousand zimbob and singing.
So it's been to Africa and all over the world,
(23:05):
and it's a church standard. I remember being on YouTube
one day and pulled up Mob and Whiners and he's
singing the chorus here's the phrase, and I was like, wow,
I mean, you're talking about my writing hero right there.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
So yeah, so I was, you know, I'm blown away.
And I always tell young writers that, you know, don't
try to write a lot of words or make it
complicated musically, because people people grasp melodies and it's usually
a simple melody that really captures their ears, and so
(23:47):
you want to keep it simple. Certainly, have a message
in there, but keep it simple melodic wise, and it's
usually the simple ones that people wind up remembering. You know,
Kirk Franklin's you Know the Reason Why I Sing? Someone
asked the question and it went on from there, you know.
So that's what iourage young people to do.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
Yeah, yeah, thanks for the advice, because I'm actually giving
it a shot myself.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
Just keep it simple and just nice fun music, you know,
for the kids, you know, So thank you for the advice.
All right, Right, don't make it complicated. It's like Jack
and Jill. All right. Now, your career highlights that you
perform with legends like Shirley Caesar, Fred Hammond and Isaac
ka isaka Walker. What has been your standout moment in
(24:43):
your career? Why?
Speaker 4 (24:47):
Wow, Oh, that's a good question. I would say one
of my standout moments, I don't know if it had
to do was so much well, being on Bobby Joe's
Guide for sure the first time. Now, you got to
(25:08):
understand when we were when the year we went on there,
he was doing sort of a road thing, so he
was going to different cities recording the show live, and
so at the time he was going to be in Detroit,
which is where GMWA was going to be that year,
and so we were invited to be on there, and
(25:28):
at the time, we were promoting our single serious Praise,
and we went on there and I'll never forget we're
on there, and I remember I was just so hyped
and you know, just you know, encouraging the people to worship.
And you know, we did two songs on there, and
so when we got finished, I walked off stage left
(25:48):
and I'm looking for my choir. I'm like, with a choir?
Go because I did a short interview with him while
they left the stage, and so I when's the choir?
They were in the alley going in because they had
been on Bobby Jones, and I just thought it. But yeah,
I would say that was one of the biggest highlights.
(26:09):
And on that show, it was Fred Hammond, it was
a new artist by the name of Ty Trivit who
you might know, you know, and it was several artists
at that time on that show. So it was really
just an honor and a privilege that that was one
of the major highlights of my career.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
He did a great job, you know, putting gospel music
out there in the artists, making them stars.
Speaker 4 (26:35):
You know, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
And the thing that I love the most is that
we have you know, pretty much every major city has huge,
you know congregations and conscien sized churches and these little
amphitheaters that they had built in you know, customs systems.
It's so nice to see these artists are able to
(27:01):
come there and feel comfortable performing on that stage. And
a lot of times my father I might check, you know, right.
So I just loved that because I remember my church,
my wife and I started attending right before the pandemic.
They invited our top artists. It came in and did
this thing, and it was just so nice, and it
(27:22):
was free for the members. You know, it was because normally,
you know, it's hard to get it's hard to get
gospel tickets to some of these well known artists because
they don't do a lot of shows, and once they
sell out, they sell out, so you do, so a
lot of us don't even try, you know, so I really,
we really appreciated that. All right. Now you have national
(27:45):
TV appearances, your music featured on shows like Beverly's Full House.
How did those opportunities unpack your career in the audience reach?
Speaker 4 (27:55):
You know, it's funny today, while a lot of young
probably young people might not have heard of me, they
have they have heard through their parents or their grandparents.
So their their mothers say it was like, oh, yeah,
I remember Free the Battle. Yeah, they had some good
(28:15):
music out back in the day and they'll come up
to me, pastor freeda, did you know that you know,
my grandmother knows you? But really okay, all right, And
it's sort of it's sort of like a go ahead
thing with them, you know, a grandma like you and
mama like you. I guess you're okay, so but I
(28:36):
would say, you know, it has been very impactful. I
think when you get an audience where you know you're
on b et or you know, like I said, we
did my song far You're Done for Me was featured
on Beverly's House and which is on the which was
on the own network Oprah Winfish Network. It's amazing how
(29:01):
you know, those kind of doors sort of expand you
know your reach and you're thinking, well, at least for me,
you know, thinking, well, I know, twenty fifth anniversary, Should
I do an album? Not even sure most people would remember.
And it has been so wonderful the response that we
have gotten so far, it has been awesome.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
Yeah, that nice, especially when social media bring everybody so close.
Now you know they can just reach out. Oh yeah,
if your manager allows it. All right, now we're going
to talk about your recording and producing. Then you record
and produce numerous projects over the years. What challenges have
you faced as an artist and executive producing How did
(29:45):
you overcome them?
Speaker 4 (29:48):
Well, I think I started out doing independent albums, and
you know, so I started out where my first three
or four projects we're independently done. I you know, it's
sometimes it's hard to break in what we call break
into the business, and so a lot of people sort
(30:09):
of try to sit and wait till they get that
big deal with the recording company or whatever. And for
some reason I didn't. I said, well, I just want
to record, so, you know, I sort of, like I
said before, set up some mics and I did it.
I think that for me, uh and for a lot
of creatives, it is important that we have as much
(30:31):
say as possible as far as you know, our projects
are concerned, because what can tend to happen is, you know,
once you establish yourself with you know, a company, then
you know you're under them, and so it sort of
goes as they go. You know, you might have a
three to five year deal and then they decide when
you're going to do your next project, and you know,
(30:54):
so sometimes that can be kind of strenuous and so
I think you can run into those problems. I've heard
of artists who have run into problems where they wanted to,
you know, use certain songs, and you know, they would
discouraged from using certain songs, you know, and using others
(31:14):
materials of things of that nature. So I say, especially
if you're creative, as much as possible, you know, try
to get in there and do as much as you
can on your own. Especially, just like you said, there's
such a social media platform now that you are exposed
to you know a lot of audiences where you can promote,
(31:36):
you know, you can basically promote yourself. So I would
encourage that, you know, it's good to be with a
company and trust me, especially when you've got you know,
a company that has a little money that can back
your project. But again, you know, you're sort of under
their thumb to do, you know, what may desire for
you to do. And sometimes that can be good. I
(31:58):
don't say we always know the best. Sometimes that can
be good and then other times, if you're not careful,
it can be a hinderance.
Speaker 3 (32:06):
So yeah, it seemed like, you know, you know, when
people say it's doing the housing the housing market, they say, oh,
it's a seller's market. Now it's a buyer's market. It
seemed like for the music industry, it seems like it's
a buyer's market, you know, like the end music for
the listeners have all these options. Like like my son
(32:27):
told me he likes listening to the old school music.
So my my wife's cousin left him an album collection
and we got him a record player. He just there
and they said, that's like a thing right now for
young people. They get together.
Speaker 4 (32:44):
Yeah, I have an eighteen year old nephew, and man,
he can tell me something about old school music because
he loves It's.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
A funny thing, though, mister Reeder. When we're in my
car and I'm playing and they got their airpards on
playing their own music. I'm playing this stuff all the
time because my favorite station is serious Radio. The groove. Yeah,
so they kind of throwd me sometime with that. So
it's like, I guess it's like his own moment of
(33:17):
relaxing and unwinding. He just want to keep getting up
to the record listen to the old album flip it over.
I was like, man, that was too much work. I
love my iPhone. They can get all the playlists on Spotify.
It's easy, yeah, all right. Your latest project, Back Together Again,
(33:39):
features the head He's one. What can listen to expect
from this album and how does it reflect your growth
as an artist?
Speaker 4 (33:50):
I think one of the things that I liked about
the project is, you know, I think that there's a
gap right now with music, particularly gospel music, and that
a lot of artists my age or you know, ten
years younger or whatever. I think that there is a
(34:14):
need for us, who a songwriter is from the eighties
and nineties, to really begin to let our voices be heard.
Just because we're older don't mean we stop creating. And
I think it's such a need for that. You know,
Ricky dillit is keeping the choirs alive, thank god, So Ricky,
(34:36):
you know, and I think that it's important that our
sound be heard because here's what I find when people
hear or when I should say, when other artists hear
a certain type of music using it opens the door
to them. It opens the door of their creativity. So
(34:58):
what tends to happen is if you've got to say
people doing the same type of music, and what happens is,
after a while, you're saying oh, all the music sounds
the same. You know, it's not you know, it's not
versatile at all. Whereas when you've got a number of
artists who are out there and really sharing different music.
Just like I said, sometimes some of my music has
(35:19):
a jazz flavor to it, I think it opens doors
for you know, others to hear. And so I think
that it is important in gospel music today that you
know those writers. I have a playlist that has all
eighties contemporary music. Oh, it is so good. I love it.
(35:40):
And then of course I have another playlist that's just
all choirs. But I would say we need more versatility.
Who we have now is awesome, I love. I can't
say there's an artist that I don't really like today,
but I think there is a need creatively musically that
we expand. I think we went through a season where
(36:01):
you know, we're doing praise and worship, which of course
is my first love. But I think we've sort of
put down the whole genre of who we are as
gospel songwriters, and so I think it's important that we
again be the forerunners to open that door of creativity
(36:22):
so that others, and especially the younger ones, can have
a sense of where they're going. I don't know if thats.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
That was good? That was good and kind of leads
to my next question, how have you embraced the new
era the way music is being listened to and how
is being produced and recorded. Have you embraced that a
new way of technology.
Speaker 4 (36:45):
Yes, I get it, I understand it. I like it
to a certain extent. The album that we've done back
Together Again is more of a you know, we did
a live album, so you know, so I love the
live feel and you know, it's not perfection, which is
(37:09):
one of the things I loved. I remember when I
was growing up and we would hear James Cleveland and
he was like one of the first to bring the
live church service into the home. And I remember my
mom would be listening and she might be washing dishes
and wiping tears, you know, as James Cleveland and the
(37:31):
Angelic Gospel Choir whoever it was that he was recording,
and you'd have an old piano that was so out
of tune. But yet you know, he literally brought the
church service in and I think that's what really catapulted
pulled him because at the time you didn't hear that
a lot. So I think for me, this album I
(37:52):
decided to do and I've done studio albums, I decided
to do it live and raw, and you know, I
love it, and I think that that's important to you know,
what we're trying to do today.
Speaker 3 (38:04):
Yeah, I'm gonna tell you that that was one of
my favorite things to do. My son and I we
used to record live gospel plays or stage plays because
we did Yeah, we did a show with Shirley Murdoch
and it was just really nice that we were able
to capture that that that opera like sound, and you know,
and that big on on open mics. We didn't even
(38:26):
plug into the boards. We just capture it and it
was and that was one of one of our specialties too,
was with audio capturing live sound without yeah, plugging to
the to the to the boards. And I really I
really appreciate that that that sound, that live band. You know,
it is a different feeling. Who knows if the if
(38:48):
the musician made a mistake or not, only you probably
would know because you know, you wrote.
Speaker 4 (38:52):
The bars right exactly, you know, And of course we
are of course we do add you know, you know,
we do go in the studio to add, whether it's
horns or strings and things of that nature. And you know,
but for the most part, it's doing that the way
(39:12):
it is is to do it without letting go of
the live feel that night.
Speaker 3 (39:18):
Yeah, gotta be nice, all right. Teaching and mentoring, you're
deeply passionate about teaching the next generation. What advice would
you give the young gospel artists you're going to make
an impact on the industry.
Speaker 4 (39:34):
I would say, number one, be yourself. What I find
is when an artist comes out and breaks out and
you know, they're just all over the place and everybody's
you know, singing their praises and they've got hits coming out,
and you know, they might have something that they do specifically,
(39:57):
what I find is sometimes if we're not careful, we
tend to try to copycat that. Oh that worked for
that point, so I'm going to do that too, And
so what you wind up having is, uh, three or
four artists who are sort of, you know, copycats of
one another. So my first thing would be just be yourself.
Be who you are. There is a gift in you
(40:19):
that no one else has. That's what made that person unique.
And there's something in you that makes you unique. So
I think being you and understanding that, you know, you
have an opportunity to share whatever gifted you have and
if it hits, it hits. But to be honest, being
(40:40):
a creative is just really sharing what's in you. And
if you share what's in you and it's real, others
will love it.
Speaker 3 (40:48):
Yeah. I was just thinking about that today, being a creator.
You know, it's like we just always thinking about the
next creation. You know, That's that's what. Yeah, I'm glory
all right. As a consultant of the worship leader's development,
what are some of the key principles you teach about
creating an atmosphere of sincere worship.
Speaker 4 (41:13):
I would say number one, it starts with the practicing
of it. Let me think, I would say three things
to be mindful of, which is number one. I would say,
(41:34):
always approach it like you are not just being the leader,
but you're the one who is actually worshiping God. So
the first thing that understands that worship belongs to God.
He designed it as God breathed, He decided how he
wanted to be worshiped, and so we have to first
(41:57):
as worship leaders, make sure that we go be for
God and asking for his direction and his wisdom as
we lead this service. You know how it is, Lord,
give me wisdom to know how you wanted to flow.
So you know, the Bible says in Jobe thirty eight
and seven, the earth was full of his praise when
He created all things for his own pleasure. And so
(42:21):
I think that it says the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy. And so number
one worship belongs to God, doesn't belong to us, It
belongs to God. And I would say number two, the
second one out of three, worship singing is a commitment,
meaning you should be committed to God. Number one your
(42:44):
relationship with him and to others, your relationship with others
as well as the church you know. And the last
one meaning make sure you are taking time to increase
in your knowledge and under standing of who you are
in Christ. So number one worship belongs to God. Number
(43:05):
two worship singing is a commitment. And the last thing
worship is agreement. So what do I mean by that?
There's a phrase my pastor us that he says, agreement
is the place of power. When we stand before the Lord,
we are saying that we are in agreement, and that
we agree with not only the word, but we agree
(43:27):
with the fact that He is worthy of praise. And
that's power, you know. Matthew eighteen says again, I say
to you that if two of you agree on earth
concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for
them by My Father in heaven. And of course you know,
(43:49):
for where two or three are gathered in my name,
I will be in the midst. So number one worship
belongs to God. Remember that number two worship singing is
a commitment, and number three worship is agreement. I agree
that God is great. Therefore I will praise his name.
Speaker 3 (44:05):
Yes, yes, awesome. All right. So I had two questions
for legacy and future. But one is going to be
what's your vision for the future of gospel music and
how do you see yourself contributing to the evolution?
Speaker 4 (44:20):
Oh wow, okay, I think that gospel music is going
to First of all, I think it's going to be
very very relevant in the seasons that we're coming into.
I think you're going to find a lot of people
are going to be looking for peace, a lot of
(44:42):
people are going to be looking for just some right
answers and looking for something that helps them along the
way and encourages them. I think we're going to go
through a season of that. So I think gospel music
it'll be a forerunner for that. And it doesn't necessarily
(45:03):
mean it'll be, you know, necessarily a gospel song, but
just songs of encouragement, songs that uplift the spirit, you know.
I think that those times are coming, and I think
you're gonna find minstrels and psalmists and singers who, while yes,
(45:25):
they'll still be recording, but a lot of them will
just be sharing their music, not necessarily for the purpose
of recording and getting out there and being seen, but
because there's a word in their heart that God has
blessed them to speak. And I see myself as a
part of it. I think being at the age i'm
(45:47):
at now, Yet when I was young, I was looking
for that record deal, and you know, I was looking
to be out there. And now it's just it's a
pleasure when I write a song, if I put a
smile on your face and I've done my job, you know.
So I think you're going to see more of a
natural thing. It reminds me of the sixties when the
(46:09):
birth out of the civil rights movements and the things
that was going on in the turbulent sixties, came this
sound besides the Motown sound, and you'll find it. I
know I'm using R and B, but bear with me,
But there was an uplifting about the Motown sound. It
was very light, it was very uplifting. And then along
(46:32):
with that came another genre in American music called folk music,
where you had a lot of young artists at that
time who was writing songs about the answer, my friend
is blowing in the wind and things of that nature.
So I think that you're going to see a resurgence
(46:52):
again of those who will you know, be speaking in
terms of what is going on in the earth today,
particularly in America.
Speaker 3 (47:00):
Yeah, you're right, because I just lashed onto a young
artist coming out of Philly, young Guy. So I on
one of those shows where the guy asks people to sing,
sing with him, sing with me, and it was when
it was original song and it was called Recovery. I
was like, why that was pretty deep because we're coming
out of it so much right now, you know, with
(47:21):
the pandemic and the new administration and talks of another
pandemic coming. It's like you're constantly recovering, undersaid, I'm gonna
really get to know that song, and I listened to
it pretty much since I heard heard the young guy
on that show. All right, it's freedom. We got one more.
I'm gonna give you one more. Then you can close
out because I know it's getting late. I didn't have
(47:44):
my coffee. But anyway, here we go. Personal reflections. If
you could leave one last thing, message or legacy for
your audience in the next generation, what would it be.
Speaker 4 (48:00):
It would be to understand how much we have a loving,
heavenly Father that loves us, and understand that, you know,
he has called us to be lights in the world.
(48:21):
I don't know what that's going to look like for
the future. I don't think that church is going to
look the same in the future. I think that God
is going to be using us. But I think the
first thing to understand is you have a loving Father
that loves you. And if he didn't love us, he
wouldn't have sent his son, Jesus Christ, who died for
(48:44):
our sins and then rose again. And so I feel
like in my journey I had to learn that. I
had to learn that through all the things that I
have been through. God is such a loving father. I'm
on this side to tell you that He's got your father.
So it doesn't matter what the world says, whether they
(49:04):
believe or don't believe, that we're not in it to
fuss and fight and you know, make people believe. But
if who will be light, they'll be drawn to us.
It reminds me of real quickly when Jesus was at
the well with a woman at the well and he
was sitting there and if you really really look at
(49:27):
the passage, he's slowly bringing her from the natural to
the spiritual. And he talks about the water, you know,
give me a drink of water. And he's like, well,
I just came here get the water for myself. And
so he was like, well, if you knew who you
were talking to, you would have asked me for water
and how they gave you living water. And right away
(49:47):
it sparked her interest, like whoa why you a prophet?
What is going on? And so you know, she asked
him something and he said, go get your husband, and
she was like, I don't have a husband. He says,
what you're right now? Noticed he didn't beat her up,
He did, well, you're right about that, because you don't
have five and the one that's with you now is
(50:09):
not your husband. And you can interpret that anyway you
want to. But the love that he showed for her,
and he waited while she went, and she said, come
see a man. And what I found interesting is she
would know what a man is. Amen said, come he
say a man? Otherwise I found a man that just
(50:31):
rocked my world. And of course she was talking about Jesus,
so I said that to say, sometimes when I look
at the Jesus Ministry, it's not so much Jerry Us
browbeating people. Sometimes it's just having a conversation, you know,
talking to them and leading them slowly to the presence of.
Speaker 3 (50:51):
God right glory all right. Inclosing, lastly, Ms Frieda can
how can I connect with you port your music and
stay updated on your latest projects.
Speaker 4 (51:06):
Well we have, Like I said, we have a single
out now called how Glorious, which you can get on
all these streaming platforms, Apple Music as well as Spotify title.
You can definitely go there. You can go to at
free to Battle. I'm on Facebook, I'm on Instagram, and
(51:30):
you know, look for me and be listening out for
you know, our single, and like I said, January twenty
twenty five, we'll be releasing our full album, Back Together Again.
It's a live recording celebrating on twenty fifth anniversary. So
we have some old stuff for those that have no
Free Battle music. We'll be doing some medal as well
(51:52):
as new stuff.
Speaker 3 (51:53):
Awesome. Awesome, ladies and gentlemen that is free to battle. Awesome.
We really having you on the show. Thank you for
sharing your remarkable journey, your talents, your insight, and your
inspiring messages. Amen.
Speaker 4 (52:11):
Yes, Jerry, thank you so much for having me on,
and thank you to your wonderful audience as well. And
we look forward to doing this again.
Speaker 3 (52:20):
Amen, and maybe next time Kelly will be here. It's
been a minute for me. No, I'm just I'm in
the background, just pushing the buttons for those guys. But
she's just she couldn't do it tonight because she was
just so tired. Yeah I guess I did.
Speaker 4 (52:36):
Oh yeah, yeah, you did very well. Matter fact, Thank you,
Yes you did.
Speaker 3 (52:43):
Thank you. All right, Well, we're getting out of here,
and if you don't mind, would you could you pray
us out?
Speaker 4 (52:50):
Absolutely? Father, We just thank you so much, thank you
for this interview. I thank you for Jerry and for
the podcast that they have going on. I pray your
continued blessing over them, Lord, and then I pray for
those that are listening in the audience. Lord, you know
every need that's out there. So Father, I'm asking that
(53:13):
you will meet their needs. That you will restore everything
that the enemy has stolen. And not only that, Lord,
that you will open up doors in their lives that
nothing or no one can shut, and shut doors that
nothing or no one can open. And then, Lord, resurrect dreams,
resurrect visions, resurrect those things that they thought were dead
(53:35):
and gone. Lord God that you're calling back to life.
Give them the desires of their hearts. Father, that they
will not only serve you, but that they will be
blessed in the land. And we thank you and glorify
you in Jesus' name. Amen.
Speaker 3 (53:51):
Amen, Thank you so much, ladies and gentlemen. That was
a nine hundred and twenty fifth episode or freeda Battle
American Gospel music artists. Thank you so much, and don't
forget to join us every Monday and Thursday at ten
pm Eastern Standard Time, and as well as our other
podcast at the beginning at eight o'clock Monday through Thursday.
(54:12):
Take care of mis ms Frieda, take care and tell
your promoter thank you so much and tell him give
me a call. Yeah, appreciate you guys. All right, every
great holiday.
Speaker 4 (54:25):
Same to you.
Speaker 5 (54:26):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (54:38):
Can you feel the power? Can't you feel the power?
Feel the power? A doubles You are listening to your
worst live worldwide podcast.
Speaker 2 (54:58):
Hey, hey, my name is Babies and I'm from Haiti,
but I don't even know many come oberate, I'm here
proceeded power up to twenty one Jerry Wall's Live wrang wide.
Speaker 3 (55:10):
All right, thank you ladies and gentlemen for joining us.
Stepness free to battle well and we enjoyed having her
in the program. I hope you guys enjoyed the interviews. Well,
Kelly will be back. Kelly will be back. Have a
great week y'all, Stay safe, protect yourself now. I'm Jerry
Lewis Live, I'm worldwide.
Speaker 1 (55:46):
Thank you, buddy, I'm the new Taylor with this week's
gospel news. Well, mister
Can you feel the power? Can you feel the power? Fuel?
The power? A double accident Lwori's Wide Worldwide podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Hey, hey, hey, my name is Davis and I'm from Haiti.
But I don't even know the money. Come upperate, I'm here,
persy fower us any woman, Jerry wats Live Worldwide.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
That's right, that's right. You tell me a little fuddy.
You're listening Late Night, Late Night with Everybody, Late Night
with Jeffers Live Worldwide right here on POS of the
Power Doubles side Christian Minnie, welcome everybody to a Late
Night with Jervis Live and Kelly. But unfortunately Kelly Holland
will not be here tonight. Kelly is off. Kelly is off,
(01:06):
So we're gonna do our thing, and we hope everybody
had a great, great holiday. That's right. This is your engineer,
Jerry Lewis Live ak the Batman of Chump City. Now,
I know a lot of you guys been getting hit
by some super duper snowstorms already, I believe up in
the North Northeast, and it's trying to make his way
to Washington, West Virginia and Maryland. We hope we don't
(01:30):
see that stuff we're not ready right now, I'm wait
waiting for my snow. My snow are blow to get
picked up because the thing is not working. And that's
how they do you. It's like lawnmowers. You ready to
cut and it can't turn it over. Well, the same
thing is the same equipment that you use for cutting grass,
you use for play on your driveway and your sidewalks. Anyway,
(01:52):
we hope anybody get get prepared. Go out there and
get your salt, get your shovels, because I don't think
it's gonna be easy. Win to y'all. I just got
that funny feeling it's gonna be one of those winners.
And make sure your tires is right now. A lot
of ladies. You you guys, don't check your tires. It's
now you're supposed to use a nickel. And if you
if if you can't see the top of George Washington's head,
(02:15):
that mean your tire is flat. It's just it's balled out.
You need you tires, and just don't buy one. You
got by four. You got buy them all at the
same time. They got credit plans. Now you can borrow
money from from your from your daddy or your uncle,
grandpa or whatever. But get those tires, y'all, because that's
the that's the worst thing I look on the side
(02:36):
of us. I see mostly women in the ditch spend out.
That's right, mostly women because they don't check their own.
And also, if you don't have a lot of trail,
you can always let out a little bit of air
and the tire that has the most track. But I
prefer to do the front because you want to be
able to maneuver and control the cars. So you can
(02:56):
let the air out, not all the way out, but
maybe halfway. So make sure you carry yourself an air
pump or win those air pressure checkers like you can
use that the air out, all right, but don't do
that while you're on the road. Make sure you're in
the parking lot when you do that. You don't want
to get hit by no snowplow.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
All right.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Yeah, So that's my kind of like my triple A announcements,
but just concern because it is. You know, some blizzards
did hit people. You know, they weren't ready. I could
tell they just weren't ready, all right. So we got
a great great guest tonight. And again, like I said,
Kelly howand is not here. So the Batman, who mostly
is behind the scene, you know, just controlling everything and
(03:33):
making sure everything sounding good, is going to conduct the interview.
And tonight the interview is with Free to Battle. That's right.
Free to Battle is a phenomenal, phenomenal i'm'a call her
musicians sing a song to the songwriting. She probably does
it all, probably play piano and guitar and drums and everything,
because she been around for a minute, you know this
in this worship world of gospel music, and she's seen
(03:57):
the great and now I'm not gonna read her bio.
We're gonna let her might. We're gonna ask you some
good questions and learn something that's right. We're gonna learn
something tonight, y'all. You know, on this show, we do
have quite a bit of songwriters and musicians on the show.
But unfortunately, when they release new music, we're not allowed
to play it on podcasts anymore, you know. You know,
(04:18):
the government got involved and then some of the countries,
a lot of the countries they carry out our programming,
cannot receive the music for some reason. You guys probably
see those notices when you're on Facebook. So they're prohibit
from receiving the music. So therefore they made it a
worldwide thing. Can't play music on podcasts unless you own it.
(04:40):
Of course, you know, she probably she gave me permission
because they sent me to music. But of course there's
a whole bunch of paperwork that you got to fill out,
and it's one hundred and fifty countries if you got
my drift. All right, so let me open up the
mic and see what's going on with MS Battle Hey,
MS Freeda, How you doing. Welcome to Late Night. How
are you doing tonight?
Speaker 4 (05:00):
I'm doing good, Jerry, thank you so much for you
guys having me on.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Oh my pleasure, my pleasure inside. Kelly can't be here.
She's just up to it today. She wasn't feeling well.
She's she's a school teacher.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
So we understand, right, Oh yes, yes we do.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
It's right. We left. She probably thinks, oh bad man,
it's mad, and I understand. I get it. I know
what you're going through. And she does special edit that,
so you.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Know, okay, she could have been.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Win those days. You know, they have enough lollipops everybody.
All right, Well, we're gonna get started, and my first
question is gonna be who is MS Freeder? Who is she?
Tell the artist in your favorite words or or whatever,
who you are?
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Well?
Speaker 4 (05:48):
I'm I was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. I
currently live in the Durham, North Carolina area, which I love.
I've been here for about eleven years. But I started
out Jerry doing music at a very young age. Of course,
my mom put me in a choir and it went
from there. So around nineteen eighty nine I had a
(06:10):
chance to do my first recording and literally went to
a church, set up some mics and recorded my choir.
My first album was called God Will See You Through
and also He Shales Supply All Your Need. So we
went from there, and then around two thousand and three
(06:31):
two thousand and four, we signed with a company called
Axiom Records, and they were indie company that was established
by the church. I was minister of music at at
that time Jubilee Christian Church in Boston, and I formed
a group called the Temple Worshippers Free to Battlement Temple Worshippers,
(06:52):
and we did our first album called Serious Praise and
wound up on Bobby Jones Gospel did stuff on TV
one other stations and went from there. Our next project
was Here Is Our Praise, which did very good, and
again did some promoting for that one, and since then
we've done an album called How Glorious. So what I
(07:15):
did was I remixed the How Glorious one, And so
we'll soon be releasing next month in January, our latest album.
It's our twenty fifth anniversary album entitled Back Together Again,
and right now we're promoting the single how Glorious.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
All right, nice, Nice? Now only have seventeen questions. I
think you answered half of them already, but we're going
we're going to spin on it though, right work. All right, Well,
you sound like you had a you have you're having
an incredible, incredible, incredible journey in the gospel music. But
tell us share with us, what's your initial initially inspired
(07:56):
you to pursue a koreer in this genre?
Speaker 4 (08:00):
You know, I just always saw myself doing music. Like
I said, my mother put me in the choir and
at early at six, actually she was a choir director.
My grandfather before that was a choir director, so it
was just I had no choice. But I started directing
(08:21):
around eighteen and then self taught musician. I do play
the piano, and once I started playing, it seemed very
natural to me to begin to write songs. So I
wrote a song called God Will See You Through and
another one called love Song that ended up on an
(08:41):
old group's album called King James Version, and King James
Version came out with that album and the song God
Will See You Through was a big hit off of that.
And actually Bobby Jones when he had to show Bobby
Jones gospel, I swear they did that song every other week,
and so it was just a pleasure to finally meet him.
(09:04):
So I've always loved music since I was a child,
and and honestly not just gospel. We were raising the
household where we had all kinds of music, and so
it just resonated with me. So it's something I enjoy
and I'm still writing songs to this day. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Yeah, nothing. Shout out to doctor Bobby Jones. He's a
friend of the network. He had we had a few
few people that work with him, you know, from our platform,
and they went on to do some big and better
things and he's really helped a lot of people. So
we definitely gotta give him a shut out. Yeah, absolutely, Yeah,
congratulations to you. Yeah, we saw a number of people
(09:43):
been on the show, had an opportunity to you know,
perform in front of him and move to the next level,
next thing.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
You know.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Yeah, and then working with international artists you know and writers. Absolutely, yeah, yeah,
you need you need this step, you know that first
step and your grandparents and your parents gave you that
opportunity and that you just took it from there and
then you were.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Seeing right, I need that, you know.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
I had. Yeah, I had a few groups. Had a
group called freeda Battle of a Family early on, and
we did a couple of projects together. Had another group
based State Choral Chapter who was a part of the
National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses. Shout out to
Professor Thomas A. Dorsey. That's where I cut my teeth
(10:31):
as a songwriter in the youth department. So we've done,
like I said, several projects and it's good. I love it.
I love nothing more than sitting writing songs and then
sharing it or have others sharing my music.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Awesome, awesome and something. You have a very talented family.
Your grandmother, I mean your mom, your grandfather and all
these people that influenced you. You approach to music. Now,
tell us how did they in fluend ship your proast
and music in ministry.
Speaker 4 (11:04):
Well, I was very blessed to be raised in a
at that time, a very large church of about fifteen
hundred in the Boston area. Conquered Baptist Church in Boston,
and we had an outstanding, you know, ministry of music there.
It was your typical large church. We had about seven choirs,
(11:28):
and we also had you know, different variations. So when
I started out as a child and the children after
I moved up, I was in the teenage choir, then
the young adult choir, and then they asked me to direct,
and honestly, I didn't want to direct. I was like,
(11:48):
I want to be in front of people directing. I
was like, ma, I can't direct. You never saw me directly, goes, well,
I know you can do it. I did it, your
grandfather did it, so you know. But we had outstanding
musicians and singers, just incredible. So you know, I had
a bird's eye view of what ministry of music should
(12:09):
look like. And eventually, of course, the advent of you know,
praise and worship and being able to allow the congregation
to be involved with not just the choir singing to them,
but the congregation at a whole singing to the Lord.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Now your calling ministry was in nineteen eighty eight, your
dain in two thousand and three. How has your role
as a minister influenced your songwriting and your performances over
the years.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
Oh very much. So. I write from several different places.
Like sometimes I might open up a scripture and just
write something directly out of that. A song I wrote
years ago called Behold, Behold, Bless You the Lord, which
is taken from Psalms song one point thirteen. And so
(13:03):
sometimes a lot of my music comes through, you know,
the scriptures, or sometimes out of an experience in my
walk with God, or sometimes what's going on at the time,
you know, during this time of whatever it is we're
going through, whatever season that is, I write songs. So
(13:26):
there been times when I've dreamt about a song and
woke up and wrote it. So I come from different
areas when it comes to songwriting. And so I always
suggest that people keep, you know, their phone with them,
and as they get melodies, you know, record them, so
at least you'll know you know it and you can
pull it out when you're ready to actually write it.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
Yeah, So do you have a second love of music
like jazz or R and B.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
Yes, yes, I do love jazz, and actually you listen
to some of my stuff, you will hear elements of
jazz in it. So it's not just straight gospel because
a lot of times, Jerry, you know, I write music
before I actually write the lyrics, so I can sit
down and just put together or create music, and then
(14:18):
I'll go back and add lyrics. So the title cut
of our album coming out Back Together Again, actually was
a semi jazz piece that I just had sitting around.
It was an instrumental and when we would get ready
to record last year, I said I need something like
just a little little jazz flavor to it, and pulled
(14:40):
up that song and then I wrote the song actually
called Back Together Again. So I love jazz, I do
love R and B. You know, I love classical. So,
like I said, we wasn't sort of inhibited from playing
music in the house, whether it was gospel, whether it
was R and B or jazz. But jazz is another
(15:04):
love of mine.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Absolutely, yeah, because you know, you know, the last few years,
I say, during the pandemic, a lot of us were
introduced to you know, Alvis's Journey and Whitney houston Journey
on the streaming platform, you got a chance to see
where they're their music ability started. It was the church,
but they wanted to They wanted more than just you know,
(15:25):
performing Christian music. So did you ever approach your mom
and your grandmother say hey, I want to perform in
the nightclub. I want to do you know, did you
try that?
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Well?
Speaker 4 (15:38):
You know, honestly, that was what I thought I was
going to do at an early age. I saw myself
on stage, not necessarily doing gospel. However, my mom had
other plans, and so when she finished you know, quoting
scripture for about two weeks and all of that, I
decided that, you know, maybe I'll just do my gospel thing,
(15:58):
which is good because I love the word and so,
you know, and I love sharing, you know, my music
through that. But I also have a desire at some
point to do a jazz album, you know. And when
I say jazz, I don't mean you know, like fusion
or anything like that. I mean more like smooth jazz
(16:19):
or something like that.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
It's tough sometime to try to present a new idea
to your parents if they already got it stuck in
their head, what your journey gonna be like, Because to
be honest with you, yeah, I really really enjoy sometime
just sitting. Like my wife, her best friend is a
jazz performer. She went professional few years ago, and we
go to all of her performances. It's over here in Maryland,
(16:41):
are in d C. And that is the time when
I really found my body just start calming itself down
and I'm not overthinking, you know, live and she's connecting
with everybody, and sometimes she sing other songs to other
you know, covers, but it's just so relaxing, you know.
And of course we love to hear her and her
(17:03):
sister performing church as well, because I know her sister
travels with one of the big artists that you performed
with before, and but they come together and they do
that jazz stuff together. And I think sometimes sometimes it's
good to switch gears once in a while too. Just
appreciate what you're doing for the first gear, you know.
Speaker 4 (17:23):
Absolutely absolutely with you know, the gift comes from within,
so you know, when we share, I mean, I don't
feel like I'm going outside of God or I'm doing
something other than when I'm doing you know, jazz. When
I sit down, I just create. Sometimes it becomes a
(17:45):
gospel song, other times it becomes a jazz It's just
sort of flow. So you have to be true to
your creativity.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
That's right. Break the ice in the and rehearsals. Hey, guys,
I'm gonna pass up the sheet music. Have this little
jazz session real quick. You know, it's to break up
the little ice breaker I feel, you know, ms Frieda.
I had a band before, and I'm a non non
music guy really, you know now, because I didn't have
(18:14):
formal training because you know, school just you know they
you know, what they started us out with back in
the day with was a xylophone and a triangle. I don't
think that was it right. Teacher wouldn't let nobody touch
the piano. Well, I took upon myself to get my
kids drum lessons. So both my daughter and my son
took drum lessons privately here in my home. I bought
(18:35):
them drums. And then my daughter went on to learn guitar.
Took her in town and a Jewish guy trained her.
And then she wanted to learn keyboard and the German
lady trained her and she did recitals and everything, and
I feel really good. So when they finally when they
got to you know, really deep into music in school,
they were really they really were connected with it because
they had you know, professional training, and so now, yeah,
(18:59):
how to write music, you know, and and and there
really well. And then that transformed into my daughter helping
me with my television children ministry with puppets, they performed music.
It's actually a band, and she sings all for the
Female League. Yeah, so it kind of worked itself out.
I didn't I didn't see that journey, but it ended
(19:21):
up you know, yeah, because I because I had a band,
I knew. I knew we needed a lead guitar, a
jazz bace, and we needed a drum drummer and the
lead singer. And I was able to structure the children's
television show and rewrite all of the nursery rhymes. My
daughter just had a problem with them, and my son
(19:42):
helped with the rap. So just to say all of that,
I kind of understand the origin of learning music. It's
like it comes from the early ages, you know, because
it probably comes easier, easier for you learning at an
early age and working with profess would you.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
Agree, Yeah, I would, I would say so absolutely. I
think being influenced at a very early age concerning music
really helped to mold and shape me into what I was.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
Going to do.
Speaker 4 (20:16):
And I think also having a love for it and
approach from where it's you know, trying to be professionally done.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Right now, your creative process is incredible. You did cover that.
We know you have eight hundred songs written and perform worldwide,
and we talked about your process and writing. You start
your music, you do the music first, and then you
put the lyrics on top. Now here is our praise.
That's that's that's become what a church standard keisha song
(20:47):
and what inspired that creation?
Speaker 4 (20:50):
Yeah? You know what is interesting is I wrote I
wrote the song just a you know, average everyday thing.
I sat down and I wrote the song, here's our praise.
And usually my approach is I always have a notepad
on my piano, so you know, I wrote the words down,
and usually what I do is I write the melody
(21:13):
notes over it so I won't forget. And so I
had written the song and you know, just left it
there for months and we were getting ready to actually
what would become the Here is Our Praise album would
get ready to record, and I was getting ready for
a rehearsal, and I said, I need a really good
(21:33):
worship song. I don't have one of those. And so
I went to the piano and I'm flipping through some
of the pages of songs that I had written recently
at that time, and I said, here's our praise. What
is this? And so I started playing the melody. I said, oh,
I know what this is. And I started playing it
and I sat back and I said, this is funny
(21:57):
because I feel something on this song. And at the time,
to be honest, Jerry, I didn't because I had an
extra line of here's our Praise, and it wasn't fitting
it To my ear, the melody wasn't really fitting, and
for some reason, when I looked back at it, I
(22:19):
skipped that line and didn't realize it. And I was like, Oh,
this is great. Why haven't I ever used it before?
I took it to rehearsal that night, and I mean,
the Lord just really came in and blessed and we
wound up doing the album and then naming it, Here
is Our Praise, And so I've shared it at conventions.
I recorded it actually with GMW a gospel music workshop
(22:42):
a number of years ago, and wound up recording it myself,
of course, and so it's been done several times. I
hear they tell me that I have not heard my song.
Here's our praise. So I've heard five thousand zimbob and singing.
So it's been to Africa and all over the world,
(23:05):
and it's a church standard. I remember being on YouTube
one day and pulled up Mob and Whiners and he's
singing the chorus here's the phrase, and I was like, wow,
I mean, you're talking about my writing hero right there.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
So yeah, so I was, you know, I'm blown away.
And I always tell young writers that, you know, don't
try to write a lot of words or make it
complicated musically, because people people grasp melodies and it's usually
a simple melody that really captures their ears, and so
(23:47):
you want to keep it simple. Certainly, have a message
in there, but keep it simple melodic wise, and it's
usually the simple ones that people wind up remembering. You know,
Kirk Franklin's you Know the Reason Why I Sing? Someone
asked the question and it went on from there, you know.
So that's what iourage young people to do.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
Yeah, yeah, thanks for the advice, because I'm actually giving
it a shot myself.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
Just keep it simple and just nice fun music, you know,
for the kids, you know, So thank you for the advice.
All right, Right, don't make it complicated. It's like Jack
and Jill. All right. Now, your career highlights that you
perform with legends like Shirley Caesar, Fred Hammond and Isaac
ka isaka Walker. What has been your standout moment in
(24:43):
your career? Why?
Speaker 4 (24:47):
Wow, Oh, that's a good question. I would say one
of my standout moments, I don't know if it had
to do was so much well, being on Bobby Joe's
Guide for sure the first time. Now, you got to
(25:08):
understand when we were when the year we went on there,
he was doing sort of a road thing, so he
was going to different cities recording the show live, and
so at the time he was going to be in Detroit,
which is where GMWA was going to be that year,
and so we were invited to be on there, and
(25:28):
at the time, we were promoting our single serious Praise,
and we went on there and I'll never forget we're
on there, and I remember I was just so hyped
and you know, just you know, encouraging the people to worship.
And you know, we did two songs on there, and
so when we got finished, I walked off stage left
(25:48):
and I'm looking for my choir. I'm like, with a choir?
Go because I did a short interview with him while
they left the stage, and so I when's the choir?
They were in the alley going in because they had
been on Bobby Jones, and I just thought it. But yeah,
I would say that was one of the biggest highlights.
(26:09):
And on that show, it was Fred Hammond, it was
a new artist by the name of Ty Trivit who
you might know, you know, and it was several artists
at that time on that show. So it was really
just an honor and a privilege that that was one
of the major highlights of my career.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
He did a great job, you know, putting gospel music
out there in the artists, making them stars.
Speaker 4 (26:35):
You know, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
And the thing that I love the most is that
we have you know, pretty much every major city has huge,
you know congregations and conscien sized churches and these little
amphitheaters that they had built in you know, customs systems.
It's so nice to see these artists are able to
(27:01):
come there and feel comfortable performing on that stage. And
a lot of times my father I might check, you know, right.
So I just loved that because I remember my church,
my wife and I started attending right before the pandemic.
They invited our top artists. It came in and did
this thing, and it was just so nice, and it
(27:22):
was free for the members. You know, it was because normally,
you know, it's hard to get it's hard to get
gospel tickets to some of these well known artists because
they don't do a lot of shows, and once they
sell out, they sell out, so you do, so a
lot of us don't even try, you know, so I really,
we really appreciated that. All right. Now you have national
(27:45):
TV appearances, your music featured on shows like Beverly's Full House.
How did those opportunities unpack your career in the audience reach?
Speaker 4 (27:55):
You know, it's funny today, while a lot of young
probably young people might not have heard of me, they
have they have heard through their parents or their grandparents.
So their their mothers say it was like, oh, yeah,
I remember Free the Battle. Yeah, they had some good
(28:15):
music out back in the day and they'll come up
to me, pastor freeda, did you know that you know,
my grandmother knows you? But really okay, all right, And
it's sort of it's sort of like a go ahead
thing with them, you know, a grandma like you and
mama like you. I guess you're okay, so but I
(28:36):
would say, you know, it has been very impactful. I
think when you get an audience where you know you're
on b et or you know, like I said, we
did my song far You're Done for Me was featured
on Beverly's House and which is on the which was
on the own network Oprah Winfish Network. It's amazing how
(29:01):
you know, those kind of doors sort of expand you
know your reach and you're thinking, well, at least for me,
you know, thinking, well, I know, twenty fifth anniversary, Should
I do an album? Not even sure most people would remember.
And it has been so wonderful the response that we
have gotten so far, it has been awesome.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
Yeah, that nice, especially when social media bring everybody so close.
Now you know they can just reach out. Oh yeah,
if your manager allows it. All right, now we're going
to talk about your recording and producing. Then you record
and produce numerous projects over the years. What challenges have
you faced as an artist and executive producing How did
(29:45):
you overcome them?
Speaker 4 (29:48):
Well, I think I started out doing independent albums, and
you know, so I started out where my first three
or four projects we're independently done. I you know, it's
sometimes it's hard to break in what we call break
into the business, and so a lot of people sort
(30:09):
of try to sit and wait till they get that
big deal with the recording company or whatever. And for
some reason I didn't. I said, well, I just want
to record, so, you know, I sort of, like I
said before, set up some mics and I did it.
I think that for me, uh and for a lot
of creatives, it is important that we have as much
(30:31):
say as possible as far as you know, our projects
are concerned, because what can tend to happen is, you know,
once you establish yourself with you know, a company, then
you know you're under them, and so it sort of
goes as they go. You know, you might have a
three to five year deal and then they decide when
you're going to do your next project, and you know,
(30:54):
so sometimes that can be kind of strenuous and so
I think you can run into those problems. I've heard
of artists who have run into problems where they wanted to,
you know, use certain songs, and you know, they would
discouraged from using certain songs, you know, and using others
(31:14):
materials of things of that nature. So I say, especially
if you're creative, as much as possible, you know, try
to get in there and do as much as you
can on your own. Especially, just like you said, there's
such a social media platform now that you are exposed
to you know a lot of audiences where you can promote,
(31:36):
you know, you can basically promote yourself. So I would
encourage that, you know, it's good to be with a
company and trust me, especially when you've got you know,
a company that has a little money that can back
your project. But again, you know, you're sort of under
their thumb to do, you know, what may desire for
you to do. And sometimes that can be good. I
(31:58):
don't say we always know the best. Sometimes that can
be good and then other times, if you're not careful,
it can be a hinderance.
Speaker 3 (32:06):
So yeah, it seemed like, you know, you know, when
people say it's doing the housing the housing market, they say, oh,
it's a seller's market. Now it's a buyer's market. It
seemed like for the music industry, it seems like it's
a buyer's market, you know, like the end music for
the listeners have all these options. Like like my son
(32:27):
told me he likes listening to the old school music.
So my my wife's cousin left him an album collection
and we got him a record player. He just there
and they said, that's like a thing right now for
young people. They get together.
Speaker 4 (32:44):
Yeah, I have an eighteen year old nephew, and man,
he can tell me something about old school music because
he loves It's.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
A funny thing, though, mister Reeder. When we're in my
car and I'm playing and they got their airpards on
playing their own music. I'm playing this stuff all the
time because my favorite station is serious Radio. The groove. Yeah,
so they kind of throwd me sometime with that. So
it's like, I guess it's like his own moment of
(33:17):
relaxing and unwinding. He just want to keep getting up
to the record listen to the old album flip it over.
I was like, man, that was too much work. I
love my iPhone. They can get all the playlists on Spotify.
It's easy, yeah, all right. Your latest project, Back Together Again,
(33:39):
features the head He's one. What can listen to expect
from this album and how does it reflect your growth
as an artist?
Speaker 4 (33:50):
I think one of the things that I liked about
the project is, you know, I think that there's a
gap right now with music, particularly gospel music, and that
a lot of artists my age or you know, ten
years younger or whatever. I think that there is a
(34:14):
need for us, who a songwriter is from the eighties
and nineties, to really begin to let our voices be heard.
Just because we're older don't mean we stop creating. And
I think it's such a need for that. You know,
Ricky dillit is keeping the choirs alive, thank god, So Ricky,
(34:36):
you know, and I think that it's important that our
sound be heard because here's what I find when people
hear or when I should say, when other artists hear
a certain type of music using it opens the door
to them. It opens the door of their creativity. So
(34:58):
what tends to happen is if you've got to say
people doing the same type of music, and what happens is,
after a while, you're saying oh, all the music sounds
the same. You know, it's not you know, it's not
versatile at all. Whereas when you've got a number of
artists who are out there and really sharing different music.
Just like I said, sometimes some of my music has
(35:19):
a jazz flavor to it, I think it opens doors
for you know, others to hear. And so I think
that it is important in gospel music today that you
know those writers. I have a playlist that has all
eighties contemporary music. Oh, it is so good. I love it.
(35:40):
And then of course I have another playlist that's just
all choirs. But I would say we need more versatility.
Who we have now is awesome, I love. I can't
say there's an artist that I don't really like today,
but I think there is a need creatively musically that
we expand. I think we went through a season where
(36:01):
you know, we're doing praise and worship, which of course
is my first love. But I think we've sort of
put down the whole genre of who we are as
gospel songwriters, and so I think it's important that we
again be the forerunners to open that door of creativity
(36:22):
so that others, and especially the younger ones, can have
a sense of where they're going. I don't know if thats.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
That was good? That was good and kind of leads
to my next question, how have you embraced the new
era the way music is being listened to and how
is being produced and recorded. Have you embraced that a
new way of technology.
Speaker 4 (36:45):
Yes, I get it, I understand it. I like it
to a certain extent. The album that we've done back
Together Again is more of a you know, we did
a live album, so you know, so I love the
live feel and you know, it's not perfection, which is
(37:09):
one of the things I loved. I remember when I
was growing up and we would hear James Cleveland and
he was like one of the first to bring the
live church service into the home. And I remember my
mom would be listening and she might be washing dishes
and wiping tears, you know, as James Cleveland and the
(37:31):
Angelic Gospel Choir whoever it was that he was recording,
and you'd have an old piano that was so out
of tune. But yet you know, he literally brought the
church service in and I think that's what really catapulted
pulled him because at the time you didn't hear that
a lot. So I think for me, this album I
(37:52):
decided to do and I've done studio albums, I decided
to do it live and raw, and you know, I
love it, and I think that that's important to you know,
what we're trying to do today.
Speaker 3 (38:04):
Yeah, I'm gonna tell you that that was one of
my favorite things to do. My son and I we
used to record live gospel plays or stage plays because
we did Yeah, we did a show with Shirley Murdoch
and it was just really nice that we were able
to capture that that that opera like sound, and you know,
and that big on on open mics. We didn't even
(38:26):
plug into the boards. We just capture it and it
was and that was one of one of our specialties too,
was with audio capturing live sound without yeah, plugging to
the to the to the boards. And I really I
really appreciate that that that sound, that live band. You know,
it is a different feeling. Who knows if the if
(38:48):
the musician made a mistake or not, only you probably
would know because you know, you wrote.
Speaker 4 (38:52):
The bars right exactly, you know, And of course we
are of course we do add you know, you know,
we do go in the studio to add, whether it's
horns or strings and things of that nature. And you know,
but for the most part, it's doing that the way
(39:12):
it is is to do it without letting go of
the live feel that night.
Speaker 3 (39:18):
Yeah, gotta be nice, all right. Teaching and mentoring, you're
deeply passionate about teaching the next generation. What advice would
you give the young gospel artists you're going to make
an impact on the industry.
Speaker 4 (39:34):
I would say, number one, be yourself. What I find
is when an artist comes out and breaks out and
you know, they're just all over the place and everybody's
you know, singing their praises and they've got hits coming out,
and you know, they might have something that they do specifically,
(39:57):
what I find is sometimes if we're not careful, we
tend to try to copycat that. Oh that worked for
that point, so I'm going to do that too, And
so what you wind up having is, uh, three or
four artists who are sort of, you know, copycats of
one another. So my first thing would be just be yourself.
Be who you are. There is a gift in you
(40:19):
that no one else has. That's what made that person unique.
And there's something in you that makes you unique. So
I think being you and understanding that, you know, you
have an opportunity to share whatever gifted you have and
if it hits, it hits. But to be honest, being
(40:40):
a creative is just really sharing what's in you. And
if you share what's in you and it's real, others
will love it.
Speaker 3 (40:48):
Yeah. I was just thinking about that today, being a creator.
You know, it's like we just always thinking about the
next creation. You know, That's that's what. Yeah, I'm glory
all right. As a consultant of the worship leader's development,
what are some of the key principles you teach about
creating an atmosphere of sincere worship.
Speaker 4 (41:13):
I would say number one, it starts with the practicing
of it. Let me think, I would say three things
to be mindful of, which is number one. I would say,
(41:34):
always approach it like you are not just being the leader,
but you're the one who is actually worshiping God. So
the first thing that understands that worship belongs to God.
He designed it as God breathed, He decided how he
wanted to be worshiped, and so we have to first
(41:57):
as worship leaders, make sure that we go be for
God and asking for his direction and his wisdom as
we lead this service. You know how it is, Lord,
give me wisdom to know how you wanted to flow.
So you know, the Bible says in Jobe thirty eight
and seven, the earth was full of his praise when
He created all things for his own pleasure. And so
(42:21):
I think that it says the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy. And so number
one worship belongs to God, doesn't belong to us, It
belongs to God. And I would say number two, the
second one out of three, worship singing is a commitment,
meaning you should be committed to God. Number one your
(42:44):
relationship with him and to others, your relationship with others
as well as the church you know. And the last
one meaning make sure you are taking time to increase
in your knowledge and under standing of who you are
in Christ. So number one worship belongs to God. Number
(43:05):
two worship singing is a commitment. And the last thing
worship is agreement. So what do I mean by that?
There's a phrase my pastor us that he says, agreement
is the place of power. When we stand before the Lord,
we are saying that we are in agreement, and that
we agree with not only the word, but we agree
(43:27):
with the fact that He is worthy of praise. And
that's power, you know. Matthew eighteen says again, I say
to you that if two of you agree on earth
concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for
them by My Father in heaven. And of course you know,
(43:49):
for where two or three are gathered in my name,
I will be in the midst. So number one worship
belongs to God. Remember that number two worship singing is
a commitment, and number three worship is agreement. I agree
that God is great. Therefore I will praise his name.
Speaker 3 (44:05):
Yes, yes, awesome. All right. So I had two questions
for legacy and future. But one is going to be
what's your vision for the future of gospel music and
how do you see yourself contributing to the evolution?
Speaker 4 (44:20):
Oh wow, okay, I think that gospel music is going
to First of all, I think it's going to be
very very relevant in the seasons that we're coming into.
I think you're going to find a lot of people
are going to be looking for peace, a lot of
(44:42):
people are going to be looking for just some right
answers and looking for something that helps them along the
way and encourages them. I think we're going to go
through a season of that. So I think gospel music
it'll be a forerunner for that. And it doesn't necessarily
(45:03):
mean it'll be, you know, necessarily a gospel song, but
just songs of encouragement, songs that uplift the spirit, you know.
I think that those times are coming, and I think
you're gonna find minstrels and psalmists and singers who, while yes,
(45:25):
they'll still be recording, but a lot of them will
just be sharing their music, not necessarily for the purpose
of recording and getting out there and being seen, but
because there's a word in their heart that God has
blessed them to speak. And I see myself as a
part of it. I think being at the age i'm
(45:47):
at now, Yet when I was young, I was looking
for that record deal, and you know, I was looking
to be out there. And now it's just it's a
pleasure when I write a song, if I put a
smile on your face and I've done my job, you know.
So I think you're going to see more of a
natural thing. It reminds me of the sixties when the
(46:09):
birth out of the civil rights movements and the things
that was going on in the turbulent sixties, came this
sound besides the Motown sound, and you'll find it. I
know I'm using R and B, but bear with me,
But there was an uplifting about the Motown sound. It
was very light, it was very uplifting. And then along
(46:32):
with that came another genre in American music called folk music,
where you had a lot of young artists at that
time who was writing songs about the answer, my friend
is blowing in the wind and things of that nature.
So I think that you're going to see a resurgence
(46:52):
again of those who will you know, be speaking in
terms of what is going on in the earth today,
particularly in America.
Speaker 3 (47:00):
Yeah, you're right, because I just lashed onto a young
artist coming out of Philly, young Guy. So I on
one of those shows where the guy asks people to sing,
sing with him, sing with me, and it was when
it was original song and it was called Recovery. I
was like, why that was pretty deep because we're coming
out of it so much right now, you know, with
(47:21):
the pandemic and the new administration and talks of another
pandemic coming. It's like you're constantly recovering, undersaid, I'm gonna
really get to know that song, and I listened to
it pretty much since I heard heard the young guy
on that show. All right, it's freedom. We got one more.
I'm gonna give you one more. Then you can close
out because I know it's getting late. I didn't have
(47:44):
my coffee. But anyway, here we go. Personal reflections. If
you could leave one last thing, message or legacy for
your audience in the next generation, what would it be.
Speaker 4 (48:00):
It would be to understand how much we have a loving,
heavenly Father that loves us, and understand that, you know,
he has called us to be lights in the world.
(48:21):
I don't know what that's going to look like for
the future. I don't think that church is going to
look the same in the future. I think that God
is going to be using us. But I think the
first thing to understand is you have a loving Father
that loves you. And if he didn't love us, he
wouldn't have sent his son, Jesus Christ, who died for
(48:44):
our sins and then rose again. And so I feel
like in my journey I had to learn that. I
had to learn that through all the things that I
have been through. God is such a loving father. I'm
on this side to tell you that He's got your father.
So it doesn't matter what the world says, whether they
(49:04):
believe or don't believe, that we're not in it to
fuss and fight and you know, make people believe. But
if who will be light, they'll be drawn to us.
It reminds me of real quickly when Jesus was at
the well with a woman at the well and he
was sitting there and if you really really look at
(49:27):
the passage, he's slowly bringing her from the natural to
the spiritual. And he talks about the water, you know,
give me a drink of water. And he's like, well,
I just came here get the water for myself. And
so he was like, well, if you knew who you
were talking to, you would have asked me for water
and how they gave you living water. And right away
(49:47):
it sparked her interest, like whoa why you a prophet?
What is going on? And so you know, she asked
him something and he said, go get your husband, and
she was like, I don't have a husband. He says,
what you're right now? Noticed he didn't beat her up,
He did, well, you're right about that, because you don't
have five and the one that's with you now is
(50:09):
not your husband. And you can interpret that anyway you
want to. But the love that he showed for her,
and he waited while she went, and she said, come
see a man. And what I found interesting is she
would know what a man is. Amen said, come he
say a man? Otherwise I found a man that just
(50:31):
rocked my world. And of course she was talking about Jesus,
so I said that to say, sometimes when I look
at the Jesus Ministry, it's not so much Jerry Us
browbeating people. Sometimes it's just having a conversation, you know,
talking to them and leading them slowly to the presence of.
Speaker 3 (50:51):
God right glory all right. Inclosing, lastly, Ms Frieda can
how can I connect with you port your music and
stay updated on your latest projects.
Speaker 4 (51:06):
Well we have, Like I said, we have a single
out now called how Glorious, which you can get on
all these streaming platforms, Apple Music as well as Spotify title.
You can definitely go there. You can go to at
free to Battle. I'm on Facebook, I'm on Instagram, and
(51:30):
you know, look for me and be listening out for
you know, our single, and like I said, January twenty
twenty five, we'll be releasing our full album, Back Together Again.
It's a live recording celebrating on twenty fifth anniversary. So
we have some old stuff for those that have no
Free Battle music. We'll be doing some medal as well
(51:52):
as new stuff.
Speaker 3 (51:53):
Awesome. Awesome, ladies and gentlemen that is free to battle. Awesome.
We really having you on the show. Thank you for
sharing your remarkable journey, your talents, your insight, and your
inspiring messages. Amen.
Speaker 4 (52:11):
Yes, Jerry, thank you so much for having me on,
and thank you to your wonderful audience as well. And
we look forward to doing this again.
Speaker 3 (52:20):
Amen, and maybe next time Kelly will be here. It's
been a minute for me. No, I'm just I'm in
the background, just pushing the buttons for those guys. But
she's just she couldn't do it tonight because she was
just so tired. Yeah I guess I did.
Speaker 4 (52:36):
Oh yeah, yeah, you did very well. Matter fact, Thank you,
Yes you did.
Speaker 3 (52:43):
Thank you. All right, Well, we're getting out of here,
and if you don't mind, would you could you pray
us out?
Speaker 4 (52:50):
Absolutely? Father, We just thank you so much, thank you
for this interview. I thank you for Jerry and for
the podcast that they have going on. I pray your
continued blessing over them, Lord, and then I pray for
those that are listening in the audience. Lord, you know
every need that's out there. So Father, I'm asking that
(53:13):
you will meet their needs. That you will restore everything
that the enemy has stolen. And not only that, Lord,
that you will open up doors in their lives that
nothing or no one can shut, and shut doors that
nothing or no one can open. And then, Lord, resurrect dreams,
resurrect visions, resurrect those things that they thought were dead
(53:35):
and gone. Lord God that you're calling back to life.
Give them the desires of their hearts. Father, that they
will not only serve you, but that they will be
blessed in the land. And we thank you and glorify
you in Jesus' name. Amen.
Speaker 3 (53:51):
Amen, Thank you so much, ladies and gentlemen. That was
a nine hundred and twenty fifth episode or freeda Battle
American Gospel music artists. Thank you so much, and don't
forget to join us every Monday and Thursday at ten
pm Eastern Standard Time, and as well as our other
podcast at the beginning at eight o'clock Monday through Thursday.
(54:12):
Take care of mis ms Frieda, take care and tell
your promoter thank you so much and tell him give
me a call. Yeah, appreciate you guys. All right, every
great holiday.
Speaker 4 (54:25):
Same to you.
Speaker 5 (54:26):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (54:38):
Can you feel the power? Can't you feel the power?
Feel the power? A doubles You are listening to your
worst live worldwide podcast.
Speaker 2 (54:58):
Hey, hey, my name is Babies and I'm from Haiti,
but I don't even know many come oberate, I'm here
proceeded power up to twenty one Jerry Wall's Live wrang wide.
Speaker 3 (55:10):
All right, thank you ladies and gentlemen for joining us.
Stepness free to battle well and we enjoyed having her
in the program. I hope you guys enjoyed the interviews. Well,
Kelly will be back. Kelly will be back. Have a
great week y'all, Stay safe, protect yourself now. I'm Jerry
Lewis Live, I'm worldwide.
Speaker 1 (55:46):
Thank you, buddy, I'm the new Taylor with this week's
gospel news. Well, mister
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!