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He was liked by everyone and there was no ego-tripping. I don’t have much

knowledge about Christmas Blues
though. Believe it or not, I never

associated Blues with Christmas.
The funkiest I get is Ray Charles’

‘Rudolph The Red Nosed
Reindeer’.

But Mahalia - Yes! I was always in

love with Mahalia: ‘Silent Night’,
‘Sweet Little Jesus Boy’, ‘Go Tell It

On The Mountain’. And normally
my opening song on my Gospel

show is also a song from Mahalia,
‘Come On Children Let's Sing’.

Where did you hear Mahalia
Jackson?

We were members of The Victory

Baptist Church on 48th and
McKinley in Los Angeles. I was

singing in the Youth Choir, with
Billy Preston, his sister Rodena

was the choir leader, and his
Mahalia Jackson
mother Robbie Preston played the
Mahalia Jackson piano. Mahalia was often a guest

at the church.

Do you still sing Christmas numbers in church?

I always sing Christmas songs.

My programme is a Mahalia Jackson programme with ‘Rudolph The Red Nosed
Reindeer’, the Ray Charles’ version recorded in 1985.

I add ‘Love Train’ from the O’Jays, it is not a Christmas song but a feel good song
and ‘Put A Little Love In Your Heart’ - also a feel good song, and Mahalia recorded
it.

Thank you, Janice. Anything else you want to say?

Just “Merry Christmas everyone!”

(Check out: www.janice-harrington.com)

Norman Darwen