The Lady, the Melody, & the Word
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REVIEW BY CASSANDRA WOODS
If you've ever heard Shirley Caesar sing, you won't be surprised at the candid account in her autobiography. Called the "First Lady of Gospel," she vividly describes her experiences growing up in the South, starting with a bloody racial attack when she was a young girl. Caesar believes God allowed her to escape because of a calling on her life to proclaim the gospel of Christ, "not just in spoken words, but also in melodious lyrics." Caesar was the tenth in a family of 13 children. Her father, who died when she was seven, was a tobacco worker, a preacher, and a gospel quartet singer. Caesar says he gave her "the passion for music and the desire to achieve." After his death, her mother managed to keep the family together though they faced "intense economic hardship." Most of Caesar's childhood was spent traveling from church to church to sing for the Lord and to help support her mother. Her ingenuity was at its peak when she saw the Caravans, a popular gospel group, on stage. She sent a note to the group by an usher that read, "Please call on Shirley Caesar to sing a solo." And they did. She sang "The Lord Will Make a Way Somehow." Caesar poured her heart and soul into the song, and it began a professional music career that to date has credited Caesar with nine Grammys, nine Dove awards, ten Stellar awards, and a place in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. A complete discography of her recordings is included in the book. Caesar has also performed in Broadway musicals, on television, and on several movie soundtracks. In 1984 Caesar made time for marriage, but that hasn't slowed her down. Through her outreach ministry she has fed and clothed the poor, served on Durham's city council, and now pastors a growing church. Caesar is more than just a singer. She is a powerhouse for God. Cassandra Woods is an inspirational writer and speaker in Birmingham, AL.
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