VIA EURWEB: “I love this album and I love singing about Heaven,” Pastor Shirley Caesar said about the title of her latest CD project on Shu-Bel/Light Records. “I love singing about my future home…I put something for everyone.”
One thing I can say for Shirley Caesar and that is she is always willing to reach out with God’s words and message of salvation through all avenues available to her – Traditional Gospel and Contemporary such as Urban, R&B, Jazz and Pop Gospel.
On “A City Called Heaven” Caesar is joined by J. Moss in an Urban flavored selection titled “Nobody.” On this song Shirley is rocking!
“Every time I record I put the word out that Shirley Caesar is looking for songs,” she explained when asked how she was able to be so diverse. “I couldn’t resist that one (title song).”
Anyone who has seen this multi-Grammy Award winner perform know that she gives her heart and soul into a performance – she holds church. Caesar started very young as a member of the Caravans, so young that they had to get her mother’s permission for her to go on tour. Today Shirley has since recorded over 30 albums to her credit.
“I just left South Africa, they made me a Zulu Queen,” Shirley informed me. “I went not to sing but they are trying to bring awareness to abuse of women and children.”
If not preaching at her church in Raleigh-Durham, NC Shirley is traveling the world singing and uplifting God’s children – preparing them for ‘A City Called Heaven.” Songs on the CD that either touched my heart or are my favorite inspirational selections include the first single “Nobody,” featuring J Moss, a gusty Urban Gospel selection; “In This Place” a sweet love song about God’s love which I feel in time will become a traditional Gospel song; the title track “A City Called Heaven” a beautiful emotional ballad of God’s promise of an eternal life; “Cornerstone,” written by Caesar, is a traditional sounding selection that has a touch of Jazz thanks to the horn support; “Been So Good” a great Praise and Worship” song, and “Can’t Even Walk (Without Him Holding My Hand)” another traditional Gospel song of testimony.
“That’s all I do,” Shirley said. “I sing. I feel I can pretty much sing any kind of Gospel.”
I agree with her and I enjoy listening to her sing any kind of song. For more on Shirley Caesar and her “A City Called Heaven” release log onto http://www.ShirleyCaesar.com, http://www.myspace.com/shirleycaesar or visit her at http://www.facebook.com/pastor.shirleycaesar.
