Gary Clark, Jr. "Catfish Blues" | White House

Blues Poetry: Truth Serum

Piedmont Blues Talk

Featured art:  William H. Johnson

Happy Birthday Roberta Flack

Happy Birthday to Ms. Roberta Flack! She was born on February 10, 1937 in Black Mountain, North Carolina. She and Donny Hathaway met as students at Howard University. They both got their start singing in D.C. night spots like Mr. Henry's on Pennsylvania Avenue (near Eastern Market). Ms. Flack is such a legend as a soul singer. I would love to see her life on the new soul documentaries like Unsung on TVOne. A beautiful and soulful sister. Happy Birthday and may God bless you with many more. Mr. Donny Hathaway (RIP)~

P.L. Dunbar Hymn: Lead Gently, Lord, and Slow

Lead Gently, Lord, and Slow

Lead gently, Lord, and slow,

For oh, my steps are weak,

And ever as I go,

Some soothing sentence speak;


That I may turn my face

Through doubt's obscurity

Toward thine abiding-place,

E'en tho' I cannot see.


For lo, the way is dark;

Through mist and cloud I grope,

Save for that fitful spark,

The little flame of hope.


Lead gently, Lord, and slow,

For fear that I may fall;

I know not where to go

Unless I hear thy call.


My fainting soul doth yearn

For thy green hills afar;

So let thy mercy burn--

My greater, guiding star!


Sources: esperstamps.org; Dunbar, P.L. (1913). The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar. New York: Dodd, Mead, and Company.