Female Speaker: From the Library of Congress, in Washington, DC. Thea Austin: On behalf of the entire staff, welcome to the 2009 Homegrown Concert Series. As you know, Coolidge has a really long history with folk and roots music. In 1938, Alan Lomax used it to capture piano performances and oral histories with the jazz great Jelly Roll Morton. Those recordings were re-issued on CD a couple of years ago, and won a Grammy. Josh White and the Golden Gate quartet have also sung here, they set the standard for the kind of music you're going to enjoy today. Mississippi John Hurt has also been here, and other legendary folk and roots music, musicians, have played here, and because of that, we've got wonderful recordings of them in the permanent archives of the American Folklife Center. Today's performance will also be recorded for the permanent collections, and the concert will be put up on our Web site as a Webcast as well. That way, future generations can learn, can hear the music and learn from it, so just as a reminder, this would be a good time to turn off your cell phones, so researchers 100 years from now don't hear your ringtones. The Homegrown Series was designed to feature the very best of traditional music and dance from around the nation. The American Folklife Center works collaboratively with the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center to bring you these concerts, and these guys will be there tonight, 6-7, if you want to catch them again, it's another free concert. We also work with many talented and dedicated state folk arts coordinators from across the country. They help us to identify and bring to DC the most important and representative traditions from around the country. So, today, we're presenting a wonderful gospel quartet, well they sing more than gospel. They sing many different kinds of music. But they originally formed as a gospel quartet from Northern Kentucky and Ohio. So, to introduce the group, and tell you a little bit about the tradition, let me introduce Bob Gates, director of the Kentucky Folklife Program at the State Historical Society. [applause] Bob Gates: How are you all doing? They told me to be brief, I'm from Cincinnati so I'll talk fast, that's what we do up there. It's an honor to be here, to introduce this special group. Thea asked me to talk a little bit about the Folklife Program, I can [unintelligible]. We're an inter-agency program, of both the Historic Society and the Kentucky Arts Council, which is kind of unusual, but it kind of allows us to do different things. We're basically, we have two bosses and two staff meetings every month to go to, so it's, but it allows us to do very bright [spelled phonetically] things. At the Arts Council, we document and present the everyday art of Kentuckians, as part of the Historic Society, we study the history of folk groups that have often been left out of the public record. Some of the things we do, is to collect information about Kentucky folk groups, maintain an archive, collect materials, develop exhibits and festivals and teach others to do the same thing through what we call our community scholar program, where we go out and teach people how to document their own culture. But I think the most important thing we bring to both these agencies as folklorists, is that we develop relationships with folk communities. We're kind of that arm of both these groups that go out and talk with them, document them and get to know them. It's been my privilege to have a relationship with Northern Kentucky Brotherhood for nearly 20 years. About 20 years ago, we did a survey of the Ohio River area, and we were hoping that gospel music and traditional music in that area, and we found out about the 9th Street Baptist Church as being kind of a hotbed of artists and music. We did some documentation there, and Reverend Fowler [spelled phonetically], we suggested that we could do a concert. And Reverend Fowler asked Rick Jennings [spelled phonetically], who is the Director, or the leader of the Northern Kentucky Brotherhood, to come and bring the choir, the men's choir, which is usually about 20 people. Well, he came to the concert with four guys. And that's really how they started the quartet. And they were beautiful, it was the most amazing concert that I've ever seen, and we got them kind of started. They have one lead and four harmony vocalists sing sacred gospel, a cappella style, and when they got together, I thought it was kind of magical how it all fell together. I watched them practicing that day, and couldn't believe how it came together, but then I realized, after doing some research, that this is something that was part of their families, part of their school, especially the segregated Lincoln-Grant elementary school in Covington area [spelled phonetically], where they had great teachers, and after segregation, those teachers followed them to the integrated schools. Rick also, who's Director, [unintelligible] with him, talked about the other influences, and one of them was standing on street corners singing doo-wop with their friends, and learning gospel that way, taking Motown songs, and using what they learned in school and church to supplement that. They're primarily a community-based gospel church. They sing in churches, special gospel program anniversary and other sacred events, and if you have never been to a black church and listened to some of these, it's a great experience. Often, their role there is to help people feel the Holy Spirit, and feel the spirit, and they do that by interaction with the community. When we got to know them, we also found that they wanted to reach the world. They wanted to go out and find, and reach bigger audiences. So, our relationship with them grew, and they used some of our expertise, I guess, they toured with our tour of, Kentucky folk music, they rile [spelled phonetically] people on our Kentucky Folklife Festival, and the Southern Arts Federation helped them kind of promote themselves, learn how to do their packages and go out and do that. Their big opportunity actually came when they sang on the same stage, when they opened for M.C. Hammer at the Ottowa Blues Festival I'm still trying to imagine that. [laughter] But they were also seen there by the Dixie Hummingbirds, who helped them, who saw potential and helped them establish the tour that they do annually in Spain, so they've been to Spain for 11 years straight, and they go to Spain, France, Switzerland and other places. They're now a staple at the Augusta Heritage Festival, the National Folk Festival has kind of discovered them, they're over here now. And then you can find them in Cincinnati singing the introduction to the-National Anthem. They've been-but they still do sing in churches, as often as they can. I often wonder what makes them so good, and I think it's because they work so hard on stage, and you'll see that when they get up here. There's a lot of communication going on between them, and as Rick says, they try to get the right flavor. He says it feels good, he said, they get the flavor and it feels so good, the taste buds of the soul. I like that. Singing a cappella with the Brotherhood is like fine cooking, because each member brings his own personality, his own influences, experiences, special techniques, and you'll see a lot of them will lead songs that they enjoy most, and bring with them. Because they feed off the audience in different ways, especially in a gospel, in a church, and in an auditorium like this, you, the audience are an ingredient in that flavor, so I hope you can take your role seriously and make them feel welcome. My Northern Kentucky Brotherhood. [applause] Ric Jennings: Thank you very much. It is so good to be here with you today. We're the Brotherhood Singers from Northern Kentucky. And yes, that is in the United States. [laughter] To my left, and your right, is Brother Eric Riley. [applause] Stace Darben. [applause] Demetrius "Chilly Wind" Davenport. [applause] Our bass man, Greg Page. [applause] I'm Ric Jennings, and we're the Brotherhood Singers. We have put together, I think, a really good and interesting program that we want you to be a part of. If you feel like you need to clap your hands, you go ahead and clap your hands. Feel like you need to pat your feet? You pat your feet. These, this is, we're going back to the jubilee days, where there will be four-part constructive harmony, just a simple harmonic structure. For the lead singer. But what we've done, is we've added a little flavor to our program to make it pleasing to the taste buds of the soul. So sit back, and if you can, find a way to enjoy the songs that we've selected for you. Now, we're going to be going back to when we were all little kids, and we're going to travel all the way up to today. And we're going to first of all, recognize the Almighty. We've got to give him all the praises, okay? [applause] And then, we request permission to maybe fall back into a couple of the secular songs. Maybe a little Sam Cooke, Temptations, and some flavor like we think that may also be pleasing to the taste buds of your soul, and that's what we're here for. To try to tickle you with some good songs, and we want to start out, because first of all, we want to recognize this great country that we live in, and we want to salute that with a Patriotic song. So sit back, we hope you enjoy our program. [music] From sea to shining sea O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! O beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years Your alabaster cities gleam Undimmed by human tears! America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! [music] [laughter] [music] Ric Jennings: Thank you. [applause] Thank you. Thank you so much. God bless you. Male Speaker: Thank you. Ric Jennings: Thank you. Brother Eric Riley. Thank you, Eric. Stace Darben. Somebody's knocking at your door. Today. [music] O tell me who is that knocking on the door, Knocks like Jesus, Somebody's knocking at your door. Knocks like Jesus, O sinner, why don't you answer? Knocks like Jesus, Somebody's knocking at your door. Knocks like Jesus, Somebody's knocking at your door. Somebody's knocking at your door. Somebody's knocking at your door. [music] Ric Jennings: Amen. Thank you. [applause] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Did you get a taste of the flavor yet? Are the taste buds going to be all right? The taste buds of the soul going to be all right today? Okay. Cool. [music] The minister was preaching And the crowd was standing near The congregation sang in a tune In the hall, it was loud and clear All of the crowd that stood all around him They were crying as I could plainly see Oh, the songs that they sang was so touching They were singing to my God to Thee Nearer my God to thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Kept on singing Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer my God to Thee I remember I was a little boy My mama used to steer off, steer off all alone [spelled phonetically] I used to wonder what my mother was doing, have mercy, Lord I stepped out one morning found mother all folded up And mother rised up and as she looked towards the sky And I saw the tears as they fell down my mama's eyes And I can still hear the song mother was singing Nearer my God to Thee, have mercy Lord, she kept on singing Nearer my God to thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Kept on singing Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer my God to Thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer my God to Thee Sometimes, I like to be in company Then again, I like to steer off all alone Song is the only thing that can control me, Lord When I know trouble, trouble's about to come I fall down on my knees and call God late at night And I know He'll make my, my burdens alright I tell him, Lord, I have a desire to be Nearer, nearer my God to Thee, have mercy Lord, I kept on singing, Nearer my God to thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Kept on singing Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer my God to Thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer to Thee, nearer to Thee Nearer my God to Thee [applause] Ric Jennings: Thank you. Thank you. I love, we gave him this nickname, just a few weeks ago. Demetrius "Chilly Wind," that's the title of the song that he's going to bring to you, Davenport. Here's Chilly Wind. Demetrius Davenport: Thank you, thank you. [music] [applause] Ric Jennings: Can't take him nowhere, we can't take him nowhere. Are we acting peculiar yet? I see some of you out there, one person's going, like, "is that my foot?" [laughter] That was so cool, I won't point you out, you know who you are. [laughter] Here we all work, on the Mississippi Here we all work, while the rich man plays Getting no rest from the dawn till the sunset Getting no rest till the judgment day You don't look up and don't look down You don't dare make the big boss frown Bend your knees and bow your head And tow that barge until you're dead Let me go 'way from the Mississippi Let me go 'way from the rich man's town Show me that stream called the River of Jordan That's the old stream that I long to cross Ol' Man River, that Ol' Man River He don't say nothin', he must know somethin' But Ol' Man River, He just keep on rollin' along [music] [applause] Ric Jennings: Thank you, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I like this part of the program, because all, and we mean all, because we have spies throughout the whole auditorium. So all of you have an opportunity to participate in this song, and it's a good, easy one, I think you might like it. Eric's going to explain it to you. Eric Riley: This song is entitled "Jesus Is The Rock On Which I Stand." "Jesus Is The Rock On Which I Stand." And will you repeat with me? Audience: Jesus Is The Rock On Which I Stand. Eric Riley: Nobody told you all to say all that. [laughter] Jesus Is The Rock On Which I Stand. One more time. Jesus Is The Rock On Which I Stand. Now, there comes in a time in this song where I'll say, "now, tell me where he is," and we'll go, "above, below, before, behind, around me." Can you do that with me? Above, [laughter] I'm not playing, now. I know we're in Washington, D.C., but hey, I ain't playing. Above, below, before, behind, around me. Jesus Is The Rock On Which I Stand. My friend. [unintelligible]. Here we go, guys. [music] Jesus is the rock on which I stand Jesus is the rock on which I stand Jesus is the rock on which I stand Jesus is the rock on which I stand, now tell me where he is Above, below, before, behind, around me Above, below, before, behind, around me Above, below, before, behind, around me Jesus is the rock on which I stand [repeated] [applause] Eric Riley: All right, give yourselves a hand. Ric Jennings: Thank you. Thank you. Stace Darben. The Last Mile of the Way. Stace Darben: Before we get into this, I want to give honor to Sam Cooke and the Soulsters [spelled phonetically]. Do you know them? [applause] All right. One of our inspirations. But then, there's a group that you may not have heard of, the Harptones of Cininnati, Ohio. [applause] Oh, okay? We've got some people that heard. So you may have heard Sam Cooke and the Soulsters' version of Last Mile, this is the Harptones' version, with their arrangement, way back in the 50's. See if you like this. [music] If I walk in the pathway of duty, If I work till the close of the day, I shall see the great King in all His beauty, When I've gone the last mile of the way. If for Christ I proclaim the glad story, If I seek for His sheep that are gone astray, And I know there is joys that awaits me, When I've gone the last mile of the way. [music] Male Speaker: Hallelujah! God Bless, thank you. [applause] Male Speaker: [unintelligible] Ric Jennings: It's all about him. Amen. We can have church in here now, I know it's at lunch time. But we can have church. It's all about Jesus, thank you. Amen. Male Speaker: [unintelligible] Ric Jennings: We're going back to the hard rock of religion. But before we do, we've got some music that you, if you think you may be interested in, make contact with us after the program, we'll see what we can do. Tenemos un Nuevo disco. [laughter] Se llama veinte anos. [applause] Puedes comprarlo en la entrada. [laughter] Can you tell we've been to Spain 15 times? [laughter] Thank you. Yeah, you like the States as well, representing them. We get over there and it's like, yeah, we're from the United States, we see some cool people. Come on over here, bring you some really cool songs. [laughter] But the backbone, my beliefs, the backbone of the gospel is this one. Let's see if you recognize this. Some of you may not, but try to keep up if you can. Okay? [music] Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me.... I once was lost but now I'm found, Was blind, but now, I see. 'Twas Grace that taught... my heart to fear. And Grace, my fears relieved. How precious did that Grace appear the hour I first believed. Praise God, Praise God Praise God, Praise God Praise God, Praise God Praise God. Praise God, Praise God Praise God, Praise God Praise God, Praise God Praise God. Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a low down, dirty wretch like me I once was lost but now I'm found, Was blind, but now, I can see. [applause] [low audio] Ric Jennings: Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. We won't have an opportunity to bring the secular to you, because we got carried away, and had a good time. But we got something good for you to take home, so try to grab now, now hold on to it as best you can. This is going to be kind of rough. But you'll get over it, because we've got the Lord on our side, don't we? Don't we? [laughter] [applause] Thank you, thank you so much. Like we say, if you are interested in any of our music, you're welcome to come and see us after the program, and we'll see what we can do. Otherwise, go to the Web site, at nykbrotherhood.com. That's n-k-y-brotherhood.com. Special thanks to, where's Thea? Thea, we want to thank you for the invitation to come to Washington, D.C., yes. [applause] And our main man, that kind of got it started, the Brotherhood Singers, Brother Bob. [Unintelligible] that introduced us. Stand up, Bob. [applause] Thank you. Thank you, Bob. Most of all, thank you, Washington, D.C. and all that have come to visit this great city. Thank you, God Bless, and be safe. [music] Wade in the water. Wade in the water, children. Wade in the water. God's gonna trouble the water. Wade in the water. Wade in the water, children. Wade in the water. God's gonna trouble the water. Wade in the water. Wade in the water, children. Wade in the water. God's gonna trouble the water. Wade in the water. Wade in the water, children. Wade in the water. God's gonna trouble the water. See that host all dressed in white Wade in the Water Looks just like the Israelite God's gonna trouble the Water. Wade in the water. Wade in the water, children. Wade in the water. God's gonna trouble the water. See that host all dressed in red? God's a-gonna trouble the water Looks just like the one that Moses led God's a-gonna trouble the water. Wade in the water. Wade in the water, children. Wade in the water. God's gonna trouble the water. [music] Ric Jennings: God bless you. [applause] Thea Austin: The Northern Kentucky Brotherhood. [applause] Female Speaker: This has been a presentation of the Library of Congress. Visit us at loc.gov. [end of transcript]