You may recognize some of the big names in gospel music 鈥� Kirk Franklin, Yolanda Adams and Marvin Sapp. But hands down, the Queen of Gospel music is Pastor Shirley Caesar.
Caesar, a native of Durham, North Carolina, is known for keeping traditional, African American gospel music alive. She spent the early part of her career singing with The Caravans. As a solo artist, Caesar has won 12 Grammy Awards, 18 Dove Awards, and 14 Stellar Awards, presented by the Stellar Awards Gospel Music Academy.
鈥淚 started singing when I was three or four and I鈥檝e been doing it ever since,鈥� said Caesar, who also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has sung for U.S. presidents going back to Jimmy Carter. In 2015, she sang for Barack and Michelle Obama at the White House.
鈥淥ver the years we have had the quintessential sounds of America fill this room, from Jazz to Motown to Blues to Country,鈥� said Barack Obama at the time. 鈥淪o it is fitting that tonight, we honor the music that influenced all those genres. Gospel.鈥�
Today, the 83-year-old sounds as bodacious and vibrant as she did on some of her most well-known songs, like her 1975 version of 鈥淣o Charge.鈥� 鈥淗old My Mule鈥� from her 鈥淟ive in Chicago鈥� album, remained number one on Billboard鈥檚 gospel chart for 52 weeks.
Caesar will likely sing her popular Mother鈥檚 Day song, 鈥淣o Charge,鈥� at Thursday's concert at The Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh. It is one of the biggest shows for Caesar and the Caesar Singers since the start of the pandemic. A choir from Shaw University, her alma mater, is also expected to perform.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be off the chain, girl!鈥� said Caesar, as she listed the songs she will perform. 鈥淚 am going to sing 'I Remember Mama' and 'Take Your Knee Off My Neck.鈥� We are just going to let go and let God have the right-a-way.鈥�
Caesar said 鈥淭ake Your Knee Off My Neck鈥� is in remembrance of George Floyd, the Black man was killed in 2020 by a white police officer who held his knee on Floyd鈥檚 neck for more than eight minutes.
鈥淭his boy lost his life. Well, I鈥檓 going to sing that,鈥� Caesar said.
Caesar, is also known as, Shirley Caesar Williams. Her late husband, Bishop Harold Ivory Williams, died in 2014. The couple co-pastored Mount Calvary Word of Faith Church in Raleigh for more than 30 years. Caesar says her dream is to continue building on the 53.5 acres of property to include affordable housing, a performing arts center, and even a grocery store.
鈥淎 Calvary City,鈥� said Caesar. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 my dream.鈥�
Early in the pandemic, Caesar recorded her sermons and aired them on YouTube. She also recorded a concert for NPR鈥檚 Tiny Desk 鈥淏lack History Month鈥� series. Caesar is celebrated for the way she intertwines her songs and preaching called 鈥渟ermonettes.鈥�
鈥淵ou may have had some heartaches and some pain, but you made it,鈥� said Caesar. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all about on the other side of the comma. I went through, comma, but made it. Hello!鈥�
