One of Gospel
Music's most accomplished
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singers and song writers
is right here with us today...
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Stay tuned to
find out who it is...
00:00:06.60\00:00:08.66
My name is Yvonne
Lewis and you're watching
00:00:08.70\00:00:11.39
Urban Report...
00:00:11.42\00:00:12.48
Hello and welcome
to Urban Report...
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My guest today is Babbie Mason
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one of my all-time
favorite singers and writers...
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Welcome to
Urban Report Babbie...
00:00:43.19\00:00:45.92
Thank you Yvonne,
it's good to see you again
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my friend... Oh,
it's great to see you,
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and it's great to hear
you... when I hear you, I mean,
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I'm just so
blessed by your ministry...
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Praise God... I am blessed...
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Thank you...
Thank you for taking
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the time out to be with us today
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you know, you have
had such an amazing career
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in ministry... tell
us a little bit about
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your background... and
then we're going to find out
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more about the
highlights of your ministry...
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Where were you born?
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I was born and
raised in a little town,
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about 70 miles east
of Detroit, Michigan
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in a little town called
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Jackson, Michigan...
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and I grew up... a
daughter of a pastor,
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and my mom and my
dad served in one Church
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for 40 years... my dad's
first and only Pastorate...
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there in that little
town and it was there
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at Lily
Missionary Baptist Church
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where I fell in
love with gospel music
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I fell in love
with the Word of God,
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I fell in love with Jesus,
got it way deep down in my bones
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and I believe that those
were really the formative years
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of the ministry that
God has given me today.
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Yes... so you are
a PK-Pastor's Kid...
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I'm a PK... I'm
not a Preacher's Kid,
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I'm a Pastor's Kid... Oh
come on now... come on now...
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I think that as
a very young child,
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I started playing the
piano at my daddy's church...
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got hired by the
age of 9 years old...
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Wow...
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and started playing for
all the Church Choirs...
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all the Choir Rehearsals,
all the responsibilities,
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and Yvonne, I could
only play in one key
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because they sing
everything by ear, you know,
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there was no
Printed Music... or no...
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we had hymnals... but we
didn't actually read the notes
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we read the words, or
we actually sang those
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songs and hymns
and spiritual songs,
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when the deacons led
the devotion service,
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but I grew up playing
when I first got started...
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as a 9-year-old,
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full-time Church pianist,
I could only play in one key,
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and that was the key of "C"...
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No sharps or flats?
No sharps... no flats...
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which meant... they
had to sing every song
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in the key of "C"...
and sometimes, Yvonne,
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sometimes... it was too high,
and sometimes it was too low,
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and sometimes it
was just plain bad...
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but they had to sing
that song in the key of "C"...
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but you know what
I've learned, Yvonne,
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I've learned that
God is faithful...
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He is so faithful... and if
we give Him what little bit...
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it may seem
like... so insignificant,
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but if we give Him
what little bit we have
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in our hand... He blesses it...
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He multiplies
it... and He uses it
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for the
glorification of His Kingdom
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and the encouragement
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of the Body of Christ... Yes...
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that's what He's done,
and He's still doing...
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in my life... Oh,
that's beautiful...
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that's beautiful...
so, at 9 years old...
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this... it's like...
it's hard for me to wrap
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my mind around
this... at 9 years old...
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you were already
in music ministry...
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Yes... which is...
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God was grooming you
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from a child... to
do... what He put you
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on this planet to do... Yes...
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and that is
incredible... one of the things
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that's interesting
to me about PKs is...
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many times... they
might stray or whatever...
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because they have a...
maybe a vicarious relationship
00:04:09.39\00:04:13.66
with the Lord,
through their parents
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and not their own...
was that your experience
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or did you ever stray
or did you just kind of
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stay focused on ministry...
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You know Yvonne,
I do have a story...
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and I believe the Lord
allowed me to get close enough
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to the edge... and look over
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but not see...
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but not like... what I saw...
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Ah... tell us a
little bit about it Bab...
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Well, I grew up
during the Motown era
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I am a product of
the 60s and 70s...
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and so, I grew up in
an era where music was...
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just... at... where
"Motown" was at its height
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all of that beautiful music
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that came out of
Detroit with the Supremes
00:05:00.88\00:05:03.16
and Martha
Reeves and the Vandellas
00:05:03.19\00:05:05.44
and The Jackson 5...
and the Temptations...
00:05:05.47\00:05:09.23
and Aretha...
00:05:09.26\00:05:11.05
she wasn't a Motown Artist
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but she came out to
Detroit and her music
00:05:12.41\00:05:14.68
was very influential
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in my upbringing...
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she was a
Preacher's daughter, Yes...
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she played the piano,
she writes beautiful music
00:05:19.72\00:05:24.55
so I grew up singing
all of Aretha's music
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don't tell my daddy
though, but... I did it...
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I was listening to
Motown music under my pillow...
00:05:31.16\00:05:35.16
you know... I have
very strict parents...
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and so, they didn't allow
00:05:36.43\00:05:38.78
you know... Rock 'n' roll
00:05:38.82\00:05:41.10
or R and B music
played in our home,
00:05:41.14\00:05:42.83
but on my
little Transistor Radio
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I put it under my
pillow at night...
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and listened to the music coming
out of CKLW out of Detroit...
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Windsor, Ontario,
Canada actually...
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and listened to Motown music
under my pillow at night...
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Now were you
singing at this point
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or playing... primarily...
were you singing primarily...
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Both... Okay... okay...
00:06:02.90\00:06:05.72
but I was not only the
pianist, at age nine...
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I was not only the Pianist,
I was the Choir Director,
00:06:09.44\00:06:12.32
and I could sing...
so, I led a lot of songs,
00:06:12.36\00:06:16.20
I taught harmony...
and, of course, you know,
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this was very
gradual... as the Lord
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allowed my gifts and
talents to be nurtured and
00:06:21.21\00:06:24.93
all of this...
not only practicing
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but application on a
routine and regular basis
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my gifts began to
flourish... and the Church...
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they were very patient with me,
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they were very nurturing to me,
00:06:37.19\00:06:39.48
and it was really a
wonderful place for my gifts
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and talents to grow...
so my mom and dad thought
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that I would be a gospel
singer, and my daddy said,
00:06:49.98\00:06:53.86
one day... I told my daddy...
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I said, "Look,
daddy, I think the Lord
00:06:55.28\00:06:56.63
is calling me into the
full-time music ministry"
00:06:56.66\00:06:58.59
and he said,
"Baby, you need a job... "
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my daddy was one of those
men that was all to all people,
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he was the County
Commissioner, he was a Pastor,
00:07:08.27\00:07:10.14
he was a
Preacher, he was a Teacher,
00:07:10.17\00:07:11.76
he taught in the
local Community College
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Bible Study classes
and things like that...
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and so he was very influential,
00:07:15.06\00:07:17.00
he set me up with
an interview with the
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Superintendent of Schools
00:07:19.62\00:07:20.75
there in Jackson... and
the next thing you know...
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I was teaching School...
but while I was in College,
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I discovered the
music of Danniebelle Hall...
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and you and I know
and remember Danniebelle
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because we were
involved in that Project
00:07:33.67\00:07:35.78
called "Sisters" years ago...
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Yes... yes years ago we were...
00:07:37.50\00:07:39.13
with the part of that
Project as a matter-of-fact...
00:07:39.16\00:07:42.14
I was able to record
a duet with Danniebelle
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that was on the Sisters'
Project... it was called,
00:07:45.52\00:07:48.24
"Somebody pray... " Yes...
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Yes... Yes... and
Danniebelle was...
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I know that the Lord...
I know... that I know...
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that I know...
that I know... Yvonne...
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that the Lord sent
Danniebelle Hall into my life...
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I discovered her music...
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one day... I was in
the registration line
00:08:02.45\00:08:04.19
at School... at
Spring Arbor University
00:08:04.22\00:08:05.89
that's my alma mater
there in southern Michigan...
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not far from home... and
I was in the registration
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line and the
School has a Radio Station
00:08:10.90\00:08:13.21
and they were selling
some music back there...
00:08:13.25\00:08:15.50
they had a big Record Sale...
and they had these bins and bins
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of albums and the line
was moving tediously slow
00:08:18.73\00:08:22.08
and so, I was just
filing through these bins
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of records... of albums...
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and I discovered...
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I saw this beautiful
Black woman's face...
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on the cover of this record,
that was very unusual in the 70s
00:08:31.78\00:08:35.63
because to my knowledge,
I hadn't seen very many
00:08:35.67\00:08:39.60
African American women
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that sang solos...
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now there were some
that sang in groups...
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Right... right...
they were very popular
00:08:45.42\00:08:47.65
in the 60s and
70s... but it was a very
00:08:47.69\00:08:49.89
contemporary-looking album...
00:08:49.92\00:08:51.46
there was a woman who
looked a lot like me...
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it was a beautiful
photograph and it was intriguing
00:08:54.06\00:08:58.45
and so, I picked it
up... it was the music of
00:08:58.48\00:09:00.56
Danniebelle Hall...
and so I bought the album
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not even knowing who
she was... at the time...
00:09:02.85\00:09:04.44
and I took the album
home... and there was just
00:09:04.48\00:09:07.57
beautiful
music... gorgeous lyrics...
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refreshing contemporary
sounds, and Danniebelle's music
00:09:10.07\00:09:13.85
literally saved my life...
she gave me something to sing...
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I imitated and
emulated her music...
00:09:17.67\00:09:20.09
she plays the piano...
she was really... God's answer
00:09:20.13\00:09:25.14
to Aretha Franklin...
So, were you at a place where
00:09:25.17\00:09:29.79
you were kind of teetering
00:09:29.82\00:09:32.03
with going out into
the world with your gifts
00:09:32.06\00:09:35.75
as opposed to
using them for the Lord
00:09:35.78\00:09:37.69
were you at that
place in your life...
00:09:37.72\00:09:40.07
when you picked up
that Danniebelle's CD?
00:09:40.11\00:09:42.39
Yes... I was at a very critical
place in my life, Yvonne,
00:09:42.42\00:09:46.41
because... in my heart...
00:09:46.44\00:09:48.38
I had accepted Christ
00:09:48.41\00:09:50.28
as my Savior by the
age of eight-years-of-age
00:09:50.31\00:09:52.72
but my heart
was truly divided...
00:09:52.75\00:09:55.96
I felt that the only way
that I could really allow
00:09:56.00\00:09:58.95
my musical
dreams to come true...
00:09:58.99\00:10:00.47
was to become a Motown Singer
or to be an R and B Singer
00:10:00.50\00:10:04.70
and there are some people
who are called to do that...
00:10:04.74\00:10:08.90
but the Lord...
and I was singing
00:10:08.94\00:10:12.58
in bars and clubs,
trying to make that happen,
00:10:12.61\00:10:15.13
trying to make that
dream happen for me...
00:10:15.17\00:10:17.62
on Fridays and Saturday nights,
I'd be in the local bar and club
00:10:17.65\00:10:21.44
singing secular
music... and I'd met a friend
00:10:21.47\00:10:24.33
and he and I were like
Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway
00:10:24.37\00:10:27.00
we'd sing duets together...
and I'd play the piano
00:10:27.04\00:10:29.67
and I'd sing Aretha songs,
and Roberta Flack songs...
00:10:29.71\00:10:32.27
and Carole King songs
and then on Sunday mornings
00:10:32.30\00:10:35.36
I'd be right there
at my daddy's Church
00:10:35.40\00:10:37.80
leading the
music... playing the piano
00:10:37.84\00:10:40.11
as a young College person,
00:10:40.14\00:10:41.76
and I tell you, Yvonne,
00:10:41.79\00:10:43.33
I would be so convicted...
when I darkened the door
00:10:43.37\00:10:46.53
of a bar...
00:10:46.57\00:10:47.85
and then I'd be convicted
again on a Sunday morning
00:10:47.89\00:10:50.21
when I'd go to Church... Hmmm...
00:10:50.24\00:10:52.31
Yeah... isn't that something...
and the Lord showed me
00:10:52.34\00:10:54.51
my lifestyle... as I
began to study the Word
00:10:54.54\00:10:56.91
and go to this Christian
School, and sing in the groups
00:10:56.94\00:11:00.49
and choirs there on
that Christian campus...
00:11:00.53\00:11:02.75
I got involved in a
Christian Singing Group
00:11:02.79\00:11:04.95
there on campus... by
this time... I'd discovered
00:11:04.98\00:11:07.93
the music of Danniebelle
Hall, and the Lord showed me
00:11:07.96\00:11:10.87
my lifestyle... one
day I was sitting at lunch
00:11:10.90\00:11:14.16
eating a cup of
00:11:14.20\00:11:16.15
piping hot soup...
00:11:16.19\00:11:18.07
it was about the
fall of the year,
00:11:18.10\00:11:20.21
the air was chilled...
00:11:20.30\00:11:21.54
and this hot soup was feeling
00:11:21.58\00:11:24.46
very good going down...
00:11:24.50\00:11:25.79
but as the soup
began to get lukewarm
00:11:25.82\00:11:27.75
over the course
of the lunch hour...
00:11:27.79\00:11:29.68
the Lord showed me
00:11:29.72\00:11:30.82
that this was my
life, and my lifestyle...
00:11:30.86\00:11:32.71
oil in the soup
began to coagulate
00:11:32.74\00:11:34.98
it wasn't very tasty
00:11:35.01\00:11:36.16
it began to upset my stomach,
and the Lord reminded me
00:11:36.20\00:11:38.98
from the book of
the Revelation...
00:11:39.02\00:11:40.46
the 3rd Chapter and
the 15th and 16th Verses...
00:11:40.50\00:11:43.67
"that you're lukewarm...
you're neither hot nor cold
00:11:43.70\00:11:47.04
I wish you were
one or the other,
00:11:47.07\00:11:48.72
but because you're lukewarm,
00:11:48.75\00:11:49.83
and neither hot nor
cold... I'm about to spew you
00:11:49.86\00:11:52.35
out of my mouth... " Yes...
00:11:52.38\00:11:53.74
the Lord literally...
sitting right there...
00:11:53.78\00:11:56.32
on that
Christian College Campus,
00:11:56.35\00:11:57.76
gave me an ultimatum...
"Serve me... get right... "
00:11:57.79\00:12:00.78
I heard somebody say years
ago, "Get right or get left"
00:12:00.82\00:12:03.77
Yes... and the Lord convicted me
00:12:03.81\00:12:07.64
of my life and my
lifestyle that day and
00:12:07.67\00:12:09.94
sitting right there
as a College Junior,
00:12:09.97\00:12:12.51
I surrendered my
life totally to the Lord,
00:12:12.55\00:12:15.02
He'd become my Savior at
the age of eight years of age
00:12:15.06\00:12:18.98
but that day as
a College Junior,
00:12:19.01\00:12:21.31
Jesus became... my
Lord... and from then on...
00:12:21.34\00:12:24.35
I turned my back on
this Secular Music dream
00:12:24.39\00:12:27.36
and dedicated my life
to singing gospel music
00:12:27.39\00:12:30.33
to teaching...
to serving the Lord
00:12:30.36\00:12:33.96
and giving Him back my life
00:12:34.00\00:12:35.47
and my talents... and
over the course of the years
00:12:35.51\00:12:38.51
over the course of my
ministry, God has just opened up
00:12:38.55\00:12:41.52
my dreams and doors
00:12:41.56\00:12:45.33
that have literally been
00:12:45.37\00:12:46.92
beyond my wildest
dreams and imagination...
00:12:46.96\00:12:49.89
Isn't it
amazing... how we can get
00:12:49.93\00:12:54.59
so caught up in
that whole illusion...
00:12:54.62\00:12:58.72
of what's out
there... and really...
00:12:58.75\00:13:01.92
God's plan for us
is so much better...
00:13:01.96\00:13:04.49
it's more than we
could ask or think...
00:13:04.53\00:13:06.99
I mean... here you
are... you looked at the world
00:13:07.02\00:13:11.39
and what it had to
offer, and you kind of
00:13:11.42\00:13:13.26
bought into
it... and then God...
00:13:13.30\00:13:15.32
in His perfect timing,
had that tape... sitting there
00:13:15.35\00:13:19.15
for you to take...
to take home with you...
00:13:19.18\00:13:21.64
of Danniebelle...
you took that home
00:13:21.67\00:13:23.93
and that actually...
began this whole process of
00:13:23.96\00:13:27.34
you surrendering...
that's a wonderful,
00:13:27.38\00:13:29.76
wonderful thing... it
shows that... when we walk
00:13:29.80\00:13:32.43
in God's plan...
there is nothing better
00:13:32.47\00:13:34.69
there is nothing more
fulfilling than walking in
00:13:34.73\00:13:37.94
His plan for you... so tell us
00:13:37.97\00:13:40.46
some of the
highlights of your career...
00:13:40.49\00:13:42.13
where has God taken you...
this is not to glorify you...
00:13:42.16\00:13:45.45
this is to glorify
Him... where has He take you
00:13:45.49\00:13:48.28
in your career?
00:13:48.32\00:13:49.61
You know, Yvonne... the
Lord, as you just mentioned,
00:13:49.65\00:13:55.42
He has a plan for us... Yes...
00:13:55.46\00:13:59.95
This is what He
said, and this has become
00:13:59.98\00:14:03.29
a life verse for
me... a lot of people know
00:14:03.32\00:14:06.22
Jeremiah 29:11 to 13... Yes...
00:14:06.26\00:14:08.99
I thought I'd
mention that, that He says,
00:14:09.02\00:14:12.03
"I know the Plans for
you," declares the Lord...
00:14:12.07\00:14:16.08
"they are plans to
prosper you and not to harm you,
00:14:16.12\00:14:20.10
plans to give you a
hope, and a future... "
00:14:20.14\00:14:22.86
He says, "Call on me...
00:14:22.90\00:14:24.91
and I'll answer
you... search for me...
00:14:24.94\00:14:27.94
and you'll find me...
when you search for me
00:14:27.98\00:14:30.71
with all of your heart...
" Jeremiah 29:11 to 13...
00:14:30.74\00:14:36.64
and you know Yvonne,
for every authentic thing...
00:14:36.68\00:14:42.55
there is an imitation...
00:14:42.58\00:14:44.86
and we have a God
who has a plan for us...
00:14:44.89\00:14:50.04
we also have an adversary
who has a plan for us as well,
00:14:50.07\00:14:53.82
That's right... Isn't that true?
00:14:53.86\00:14:55.95
That is right... we have
the true and the counterfeit...
00:14:55.99\00:14:58.77
We have the truth
and the counterfeit,
00:14:58.81\00:15:01.05
Hmmm... hmmm... and
the enemy does not want us
00:15:01.09\00:15:04.24
to discover God's true purpose
and plans for our lives...
00:15:04.27\00:15:07.71
and so he will do
everything that he can
00:15:07.74\00:15:10.15
to distract us... you
know, he's on a mission as well
00:15:10.19\00:15:13.31
to kill, to steal and destroy...
00:15:13.35\00:15:16.40
he does not want us to realize
God's perfect plan for us...
00:15:16.43\00:15:20.16
and I tell you...
over the course of almost
00:15:20.19\00:15:24.29
30 years now, Yvonne,
00:15:24.32\00:15:26.10
I taught Middle
High School music...
00:15:26.14\00:15:28.65
for eight years,
and all that time...
00:15:28.69\00:15:31.36
the Lord was
opening up doors for me
00:15:31.40\00:15:34.04
until Music
Ministry began to crowd my
00:15:34.07\00:15:36.88
everyday job and it literally
forced me out of the classroom,
00:15:36.91\00:15:40.66
and over the course
of the last 27 years now,
00:15:40.74\00:15:44.25
we have had the
opportunity to travel literally
00:15:44.28\00:15:47.71
around the globe... and
right here in our own County
00:15:47.75\00:15:51.93
I visit the Women's
Jails and Prisons...
00:15:51.96\00:15:55.72
you talk about some
wonderful worship services
00:15:55.76\00:15:59.35
just a high Worship Services...
00:15:59.38\00:16:01.96
if you have never heard the
women and men sing in Prison
00:16:02.00\00:16:05.48
you have not heard
singing in your life...
00:16:05.51\00:16:08.17
it is something
phenomenal to behold...
00:16:08.21\00:16:10.23
Yes... from a Prison...
00:16:10.27\00:16:12.47
where I go and visit and sing,
to singing before Presidents,
00:16:12.92\00:16:17.97
President
Carter, President Ford,
00:16:18.00\00:16:20.80
President Bush, I've
been literally around
00:16:20.84\00:16:24.57
the world to the
jungles of Africa,
00:16:24.61\00:16:26.14
to the beautiful City
of Lights in Paris, France
00:16:26.17\00:16:30.76
from South
Africa... where we've spoken
00:16:30.79\00:16:34.55
and ministered to women there,
in Victoria and Johannesburg,
00:16:34.58\00:16:40.40
and Cape Town, South Africa,
literally to Eastern Europe,
00:16:40.44\00:16:46.23
in the depths of poverty,
00:16:46.26\00:16:48.51
and where the gospel...
00:16:48.54\00:16:50.73
you know...
places where the gospel
00:16:50.76\00:16:52.07
has not even been preached...
00:16:52.11\00:16:53.14
and then now... I'm
honored to do a television show
00:16:53.17\00:16:57.07
that literally
goes around the world...
00:16:57.11\00:17:00.06
it's broadcast over the Internet
as well as on Television...
00:17:00.10\00:17:04.43
and so the Lord... you
know, when you give Him
00:17:04.47\00:17:07.76
your life... when you dedicate
00:17:07.79\00:17:10.06
your life to Him...
and you make the statement,
00:17:10.09\00:17:12.49
"Lord, I will no
longer compromise...
00:17:12.52\00:17:14.09
but I will dedicate my gifts,
my life, my talents to you... "
00:17:14.13\00:17:19.50
He'll take you up on
it... He'll take you up on it...
00:17:19.53\00:17:23.16
Yes... yes... and
oh that's so good...
00:17:23.20\00:17:24.87
Isn't that good? It's so good...
00:17:24.90\00:17:27.30
We... and I say this on
this Program... all the time
00:17:27.33\00:17:30.67
we talk about,
basically, Jeremiah 29:11...
00:17:30.71\00:17:33.96
that God has a divine
plan for each of us...
00:17:34.00\00:17:37.19
if we would just make
ourselves available...
00:17:37.22\00:17:39.73
just like you just
said... He will show us
00:17:39.76\00:17:42.88
what that plan is...
and then open the doors
00:17:42.92\00:17:46.00
so that we can
walk in our destiny...
00:17:46.04\00:17:48.87
our divine destiny...
Satan has a destiny for us...
00:17:48.90\00:17:53.16
and God has one...
and if we just focus on
00:17:53.19\00:17:57.60
what God wants us to
do... He will have us doing
00:17:57.64\00:18:00.60
things that are
exceedingly above
00:18:00.64\00:18:03.68
more than we could
ask for or think...
00:18:03.71\00:18:06.17
I want our viewers to hear
you because many of them...
00:18:06.21\00:18:10.26
some of them...
I'm sure many of them
00:18:10.30\00:18:12.98
have already heard you sing...
some of our viewers haven't...
00:18:13.01\00:18:16.14
so I have a little
video of you singing...
00:18:16.17\00:18:19.29
and I'd like for
us to put that up
00:18:19.32\00:18:22.36
and let our viewers get exposed
the artistry and ministry
00:18:22.40\00:18:28.36
of my sister Babbie Mason...
00:18:28.40\00:18:30.83
See Babbie... it's these
songs like "shine the Light"
00:22:33.86\00:22:36.31
that you've written that just...
00:22:36.35\00:22:38.52
they just take us
to another place...
00:22:38.55\00:22:41.21
it's all about
ministry and that's...
00:22:41.24\00:22:43.83
and I love that
about you and your music...
00:22:43.87\00:22:46.52
it's about
ministry... God has given you
00:22:46.55\00:22:49.13
a wonderful instrument and
then He's given you that gift
00:22:49.16\00:22:52.03
of writing as well...
00:22:52.06\00:22:53.45
you've done over 20 albums...
you have sung on over 20 albums
00:22:53.49\00:23:00.75
tell us some of the
artists that have sung
00:23:00.78\00:23:02.62
some of your songs...
because you've written...
00:23:02.66\00:23:04.25
how many songs have you written?
00:23:04.28\00:23:05.49
Well, let's see,
Yvonne, I have probably written
00:23:05.52\00:23:10.40
maybe over 400 to 500 songs,
00:23:10.44\00:23:12.56
Amazing... and who
are some of the artists
00:23:12.60\00:23:15.83
that have recorded your songs?
00:23:15.87\00:23:17.17
I have had... the
Lord has blessed me to have
00:23:17.20\00:23:21.21
songs in many genres in
contemporary Christian music,
00:23:21.25\00:23:25.68
I've recorded many of
my songs, Alvin Slaughter,
00:23:25.72\00:23:30.12
CeCe Winans...
Larnelle Harris...
00:23:30.15\00:23:32.86
then I have songs
in gospel music...
00:23:32.89\00:23:35.53
traditional gospel
music, O'Landa Draper...
00:23:35.56\00:23:38.42
remember sweet
old O'Landa Draper
00:23:38.45\00:23:40.52
Yes... you know, Walker...
00:23:40.56\00:23:42.62
Danniebelle Hall and
I've recorded together...
00:23:42.66\00:23:46.24
I've had some wonderful,
some wonderful artists
00:23:46.28\00:23:49.83
record my songs...
I've even had songs
00:23:49.86\00:23:52.45
that have been in movies...
do you remember the movie
00:23:52.49\00:23:55.84
Déjà Vu with Denzel
Washington, the song,
00:23:55.87\00:23:59.24
"Holy Spirit come
and fill this place... "
00:23:59.28\00:24:02.58
that was recorded by CeCe Winans
was actually in that movie
00:24:02.61\00:24:05.75
so, God has really
honored my music and my ministry
00:24:05.79\00:24:11.58
and music career
it's been a real privilege
00:24:11.61\00:24:14.47
and lots of sweet surprises...
working for the Lord...
00:24:14.50\00:24:17.26
Yes... yes... for
sure... for sure...
00:24:17.30\00:24:19.64
and now... you are
just not even satisfied
00:24:19.67\00:24:23.12
with just writing music...
you've written a book as well...
00:24:23.16\00:24:26.20
tell us what's
behind the book...
00:24:26.23\00:24:28.61
the book is
"Embracing" is it "Embrace you?"
00:24:28.65\00:24:31.68
"Embraced by God"
Embraced by God...
00:24:31.71\00:24:35.14
tell us...
what's behind this book?
00:24:35.17\00:24:38.53
Well, one Sunday morning...
quickly, just to give you the
00:24:38.56\00:24:42.01
long and short
story... my husband and I
00:24:42.04\00:24:44.14
were sitting there on
Sunday Morning Worship Service
00:24:44.18\00:24:45.84
one Sunday...
and the Pastor said,
00:24:45.87\00:24:47.48
"Turn to your neighbor
and say to your neighbor,
00:24:47.52\00:24:49.78
'I am God's favorite'"
00:24:49.81\00:24:51.47
and I thought, "Okay,
that's kind of cute... "
00:24:51.51\00:24:54.02
I said it to my
husband and he said it to me...
00:24:54.05\00:24:56.53
people chuckled as
we said those words...
00:24:56.56\00:24:58.35
but as the days
progressed, Yvonne,
00:24:58.39\00:25:00.45
I wasn't sure
that it was true...
00:25:00.49\00:25:02.48
I wasn't sure that I actually
qualified to be God's favorite,
00:25:02.52\00:25:05.41
I mean, how does one
become God's favorite?
00:25:05.45\00:25:07.40
I thought God
didn't play favorites...
00:25:07.43\00:25:08.62
how could that possibly
be that I could be considered
00:25:08.65\00:25:12.23
God's favorite...
and it intrigued me so
00:25:12.26\00:25:14.77
that I began looking for
answers in the Word of God...
00:25:14.81\00:25:18.51
and I came upon... John 17...
I know I've read the Chapter
00:25:18.55\00:25:22.22
many times... but I
happened to be reading
00:25:22.26\00:25:23.76
in a passage of the Bible
00:25:23.80\00:25:25.95
that was more contemporary...
00:25:25.98\00:25:28.06
in a version that was
more in contemporary language,
00:25:28.10\00:25:31.29
and what it says in John
17:23, Jesus is praying...
00:25:31.33\00:25:35.45
He's praying...
that we would understand
00:25:35.48\00:25:38.18
that God loves us as
much as He loves His own Son,
00:25:38.22\00:25:42.73
my eyes were opened...
00:25:42.77\00:25:44.68
I said, "What in the
world! God, you mean you love me
00:25:44.72\00:25:48.50
as much as you love
Jesus... this is revelatory...
00:25:48.53\00:25:52.78
you love me as much as
you love your own Son... "
00:25:52.81\00:25:57.02
therefore, Yvonne,
you know how we feel like
00:25:57.05\00:26:00.44
we have to perform
00:26:00.48\00:26:02.37
for God's love...
00:26:02.41\00:26:04.24
Yes... We are not good enough...
00:26:04.27\00:26:05.82
we think we have to pray more...
00:26:05.86\00:26:08.46
we have to always
do more... you know...
00:26:08.50\00:26:10.43
that's what that
legalistic mind-set...
00:26:10.47\00:26:12.33
it's a mind-set of
striving... I have to do more...
00:26:12.37\00:26:17.12
I have to pray
more... I have to be more...
00:26:17.16\00:26:19.12
I have to strive to be
perfect, I have to give more...
00:26:19.16\00:26:22.23
I have to go to Church
more... but Jesus is enough...
00:26:22.26\00:26:24.98
Come on... Jesus is enough...
00:26:25.02\00:26:27.45
Jesus has done
all that we need...
00:26:27.48\00:26:30.24
Jesus is our sacrifice...
He was the perfect sacrifice...
00:26:30.27\00:26:34.48
therefore... we no longer
have to do sacrificial giving...
00:26:34.52\00:26:38.70
we no longer
have to do any more...
00:26:38.73\00:26:41.35
we just have to
be... be grateful...
00:26:41.38\00:26:43.96
be thankful... be obedient...
00:26:44.00\00:26:46.62
be the person that
He wants us to be...
00:26:46.65\00:26:49.23
through His
beautiful Son, Jesus...
00:26:49.26\00:26:51.76
and that is freedom...
and that's really the theme
00:26:51.80\00:26:54.59
behind "Embraced by God"
00:26:54.62\00:26:56.10
is...
understanding that God loves you
00:26:56.14\00:26:59.18
as much as He
loves His own Son...
00:26:59.21\00:27:02.22
and we can be free in that...
00:27:02.25\00:27:03.88
Well, praise the
Lord... what better way to end
00:27:03.92\00:27:06.07
than on those words...
00:27:06.11\00:27:07.29
Babbie... thank you so
much for being with us today,
00:27:07.32\00:27:10.73
and I want
you... to come here...
00:27:10.76\00:27:14.29
to 3ABN to our
Urban Report Set...
00:27:14.33\00:27:17.79
and come here on the
Set... so that we can
00:27:17.82\00:27:20.53
really look face-to-face...
and talk like sisters...
00:27:20.57\00:27:23.98
I'd love that... and
if I could just remind
00:27:24.02\00:27:26.67
your listeners...
they can check me out...
00:27:26.71\00:27:29.30
I'd love to visit with
them, or communicate with them,
00:27:29.33\00:27:32.41
at my website... babbie. com
00:27:32.44\00:27:35.46
and Babbie is spelled, Babbie...
00:27:35.49\00:27:38.09
babbie. com...
I'm on Facebook...
00:27:38.12\00:27:40.65
and Twitter and all of
those wonderful media places,
00:27:40.69\00:27:43.01
I'd love to reach
out to you sometime...
00:27:43.05\00:27:45.13
Thank you...
we're going to put your
00:27:45.16\00:27:47.25
information up on
the screen as well...
00:27:47.29\00:27:49.34
Thank you Babbie... love you...
00:27:49.38\00:27:51.26
I love you too my friend...
00:27:51.29\00:27:52.92
We've reached the end
00:27:52.96\00:27:54.40
of another Program...
00:27:54.43\00:27:55.84
Thanks for tuning
in... join us next time...
00:27:55.87\00:27:58.03
it just wouldn't be
the same... without you...
00:27:58.06\00:28:01.26