Just mahalia, baby

[Kamasu_Jr]

I like how she was herself before this concert audience. She didn't care how much she sweated or how she looked. She just let it come out. That's soul! That's power!
That was keeping it real!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XscK8...endscreen&NR=1

[nabob]

In my opinion, had she been "seduced" into coming over to "the dark side" to sing secular music, she would have garnered the same fame as Aretha, but ten to 15 years before Aretha made her mark. She would have made a significant difference in the evolution of popular music. Her faith and beliefs at that time did not give her the flexibility for this means of expression. She was one of a kind.

[Kamasu_Jr]

Mahalia did record some inspirational or message songs that were not necessarily gospel, but I can't see her rocking and rolling...holy dancing - yeah, but singing the blues? NO!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5LsvoMViNA

[glencro]

What an amazing performance. I believe my mother was her biggest fan. I would always hear her records playing in our house. Haven't seen a lot of her live performances but that was awesome and she had that European crowd in the palm of her hands.

[splanky]

I can't think of any other gospel singer who was so strictly true to their beliefs. Even when
she stepped in the arena of jazz at the request of Duke Ellington she sang nothing but
spirituals. Her refusal to change ended her marriage and probably saved the carreers of
hundreds of secular singers....On a side note, I've noticed that it's been quite a common
occurrence for many women after a successful yet stressful carreer in popular music to
return to Gospel music, whether in a public setting or privately in their own church...

[marv2]

This clip of Mahalia singing always does it for me. She didn't need no choir!