Morning Song – Oh My Lord

It’s tough to be more deeply rooted not just in African-American religious music, but in American music period, than the Fisk Jubilee Singers (founded in 1871). Despite growing up in California, that’s where Mandisa, who died last week at the age of 47, rooted herself, moving to Tennessee and graduating from Fisk University in 2000, having been a member of the famed group.

We’ll send her home with “Oh My Lord”, a powerhouse recording from her debut album where she’s backed by The Fisk Jubilee Singers and, with their work song shouts and sorrow song moans, they collectively summon up all the spirits of the ancestors to sing a contemporary song of praise.

“Oh, my Lord, You gone and set me free;
Oh, my Lord ain’t nothing holding on me;
Oh, my Lord it’s a brand new day;
Somebody raise your hands and sing, “Oh, my Lord”.”