To Aretha - alterity in reverence

In 1973, Aretha Franklin recorded her album Amazing Grace live at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church. As part of my response to her, I visited New Templem, whose current members are now my lifelong friends. In the act of showing reverence to Aretha, and in the act of the church community and me all showing reverence to each other, we were able to recognize a healing type of alterity together. It is an alterity that finds community within difference. It is an alterity that crosses racial, geographic, and historical boundaries in solidarity and love. It is alterity in reverence.

(left to right) First Lady Glasco, Rev. Rhodell Glasco, King, Samaria, Sarah, me, Sylvia, Lashandra, Debbie

(left to right) First Lady Glasco, Rev. Rhodell Glasco, King, Samaria, Sarah, me, Sylvia, Lashandra, Debbie

Amazing Grace

I sang Aretha’s version of Amazing Grace twice at New Temple. The first time, the church’s music director, Rick Jones, told me to learn it and sing it at service; this was in some ways my musical introduction to the church. The second time, I asked to sing it on my last day in California as a gesture of gratitude. Even though they’re not tracks on the album, they are still an integral part of the whole project, so I have included them here. Enjoy!