God Said I Can Radio with Richard Smallwood

The story of Richard Smallwood reads like the script to a great movie. It's a struggle for survival—leading to success beyond his wildest imaginings—set against the long odds of poverty and discrimination that were just a routine part of everyday life for most African-American families in the “Old South.” The cast of characters includes parents of often diametrically different dispositions: a stern taskmaster/pastor father, and a mother of a gentler, artistic disposition; and a little boy born into the world with prodigious gifts as well as a profound loneliness. The scene could open with a baby in his crib, humming melodies to hymns before he'd even learned to articulate a word to go with them; and later, as a youngster in his robe, standing before a mirror, “conducting” a choir of Christmas-tree-ornament angels, to whatever music was playing on the radio at the time. Then, as a young man at Washington, D.C.'s renowned Howard University—living a life immersed in both the great classical music of the last several centuries, and the campus radicalism of the late-‘60s that raised a loud—and proud—voice, that would not be silenced, demanding that studies of African and black American history, music and all art forms be included in the school's curriculum. Perhaps, more than anything, it's a love story: the love of a mother for her son, God Almighty's love for all His children, and Richard Smallwood's lifelong love affair with music. And while it's not a movie—at least, not yet—Richard takes a long and loving look over his career…past, present and future…on his new, 25th Anniversary release, aptly titled Journey! Live in New York. Get Your Copy but more importantly welcome Richard Smallwood to God Said I Can Radio! A Lengend, A Gospel Great!