Black people in America have always been torn between walking with Jesus and wandering in the world, clear back to the times of slavery when we either cried out in captivity by singing the blues or held out for a better hope by singing spirituals. We've been walking the line for hundreds of years. It's only natural that some of us lose our balance once in a while. That struggle is part of what makes us great as a people, and part of what makes our music so powerful.
Anybody can tell you that all the great soul singers learned their best licks in the choir loft, that the church is the mother of R&B and the grandmother of rock'n'roll. But no one can tell you the pain of having the choice between lifting up your voice for God and taking a bow for your third encore. That's something you have to experience for yourself. Like Sam Cooke. Like Marvin Gaye. Like Al Green.
Of course, Sam and Marvin have gone on to their reward. Al Green is still here, preaching at the Full Gospel Tabernacle. That's my little church off a side street in Memphis, not too far from Graceland - where, year after year, millions come to pay homage at the shrine of another great singer who had to make his choice between serving God or pleasing all those folks who thought he was God. Make no mistake about it - if you're faced with that decision, you better think carefully.
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