I write to you three days after the worst mass shooting in modern American history.
My heart is breaking for all the young lives wiped out on Sunday morning.
I offer my sincere condolences to any and all family members and friends of the deceased who are grieving. I also think of the pets who have lost their owners and wish them safe transition into their new homes and situations.
I am stunned by the violence that was inflicted upon these unassuming people.
But going forward I will continue to focus on love.
On that same Sunday, the gospel choir gathered at Middle Church to sing at our 30th anniversary “Legacy of Love” concert, dedicated to the choir's founder, Jerriese Johnson, a flamboyant and civic minded black, gay neighborhood activist who in 1986 was determined to create a community gospel choir for anyone who wanted to join and help organize.
Whether they were members of the church, agnostic, gay, straight, black, brown, white -- anyone who had an interest in singing gospel was welcome. He felt that music was a way to gather people together from all walks of life to spread love in the community.
(Click on the photo for the full size panorama. This choir is truly a magnificent source of love and light!)
He was so right. Thirty years later, that message is still being sent out, loud and clear. We work hard as a choir, we rehearse every Thursday night, we sing big and Bam! It turns out, singing and community outreach is a whole lot of fun!
This Friday, June 17th, another small but mighty musical event is happening in midtown NYC. At 1:00pm the Singin’ Seniors will give their Spring Recital at St. Peter's Church on Lexington Ave between 53rd and 54th Streets, downstairs.
The Singin’ Seniors are a group of talented senior citizens who are members of The Lenox Hill Senior Center. I am their fearless leader and Clare Cooper is our illustrious accompanist. They will be singing seven contemporary songs with Bernice Brooks on drums and Steve Marks on bass.
As ever, many thanks to Feel the Music for their amazing work, through which The Singin’ Seniors class is made possible.
I'm also returning to The Bitter End to sing backing vocals for Elise Morris on Monday, June 20th at 8 p.m. We will be filming the show and performing new songs that no audience has seen yet, so it will be a special night.
The Bitter End
147 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012
8 p.m.
$10 cover, 2 drink minimum
Thank you so much for all that you do to keep love flowing in the world.
Love,
xxx
Deborah