They will have to go down in history as one of the greatest R&B groups that ever sang.
I have been blessed to share the stage with so many great acts.
You hear in Curtis Mayfield in the Impressions the spiritual power of a Martin Luther King
That’s why People Get Ready is even higher to me than Amazing Grace because People Get Ready means no matter what color you are just get on this train and get on board.
You couldn’t stay at the big hotels at all. There were black hotels. There was a Holiday Inn there and we were kidding with each other. One of the guys said, ‘maybe we should go and stay over there.” Of course, we knew we couldn’t stay there. Finally, Curtis gets up and goes in. We were sitting in the car. We figure we know he ain’t going to be in there long. He came to the door and he was smiling. He motioned for us to come inside. We got on the phone with all of the other groups that we knew like the Temptations and some of the other acts. We told them to check into the Holiday Inn. They are allowing blacks to stay there.
You don’t need a ticket man. You just get on board.
It’s a good life but the thing it is, there’s so much out there that can lead you one way or the other. I turned out to myself to be one of the worst guys in the world. I mean toward family, toward anybody. All I thought about was myself. My wife, I think I took her through so much. If I were her, I would have left years ago.
I would ask the Lord to help me with finances, with this or that and he would make everything alright. Everything was fine. I would say, “if you will do this for me, I will join the church and I will turn my life around.” I didn’t go and do it. I’m telling you something. I was getting on up there in age. I was asking her and she said, “Have you promised anything?” and I said, “Yeah.” She said, “Well, there you are. You didn’t do what you said you were going to do” That Sunday I went to the church. The first person that stood up was me. I walked up and said “I’m ready to join now. I’m ready to turn my life around.” I didn’t ask my kids. I didn’t ask my wife. I turned around and who was standing by me? There they were.
He has touched me and made me a better father, better grandfather, a better great grandfather, friend.
The Lord stuck with me. He’s that good. He’s that good.
Were it not for a gracious, merciful God we would all bust hell wide open.
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