Mary Mary Touching Lives through Song
By Ella Johnson-Pailey
WI Contributing Writer
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Some people turn to gospel music for guidance, strength, and stability because it’s a collection of testimonies and prophecies revealing God’s grace. During a high impact night of music and worship, gospel duo Mary Mary stirred the spirits of a packed Dar Constitution Hall last Friday evening while opening for the ever energetic Kirk Franklin.
Although it was gloomy outside, the atmosphere of Constitution Hall was joyous.
The inspirational melodies of the concert resounded within the walls of the auditorium. “There are some people who can sing, and there are some people who can sang. Mary Mary can sang!,” said writer/producer Franklin.
While ministering songs from their “Thankful” (2000), “Incredible” (2001), and Mary Mary” (2005) albums, the dynamic duo, who happen to be sisters Erica and Tina Campbell, kept the audience on their feet the entire show. They began their performance with “Believer,” the first song of their self-titled album. Throughout the auditorium, people were singing, dancing, and pumping their fists in the air as Tina yelled, “Where my believer’s at? Put your hands up!”
“Believer,” a testimonial song, reveals two inspirational, life changing events that occurred in the lives of both Tina and Erica. The first verse of the song reiterates the unforgettable evening the sisters’ house caught on fire. The second verse of the song replays Tina’s terrifying car accident. “My car flipped upside down, I cried, ‘Lord have mercy on me, Take the car but save my life, I walked away no scars, no pain, nothing broken, So now I testify- I’m a Believa,” crooned Tina. The powerful message of “Believer” acknowledges God as watchful and protective.
“If you believe it, get on your feet and give God praise,” Mary Mary said as people sang along. Audience members stood up joyously, chanting the uplifting lyrics. “There was a heavy anointing and lots of energy in the building,” said Natasha Copeland, who attended the concert with her husband.
In an exclusive interview with The Informer, Mary Mary talked honestly about an industry that has brought them tremendous success. When asked about their impressions of collaborations between secular and gospel artists, Erica said, “I think the Ministry of Jesus sums it up best.
He did not stick with just the Christian people or the people who believed in what He did. He mixed amongst everybody because the only way you’re going to affect change and let someone see what you’re about is if you’re around them and you get a chance to talk and interact with them. We gotta’ get in there and mix it all up.”
Agreeing with her sister, Tina also added, “When you’re a Christian and you are going to do collaboration, you have to make sure you stand for what you are about. I don’t think we should compromise who we are or what we stand for just because we are doing a collaboration with a mainstream artist or somebody who is bigger or larger or more successful.”
As the gospel industry can surprisingly be cutthroat and competitive, Tina and Erica have managed to maintain the right dose of humility. “When I see one of my peers as well as my friends, the only thing I can say is ‘Rep. us well.’ Whether it be a Yolanda, a Kirk, or a Fred Hammond… whoever it is, rep. us well. ‘Cause we are all representing God,” said Tina.
With his boisterous personality, Kirk Franklin certainly represented God well as the anchor leg in the concert. “I know ya’ll probably think I have had too many Red Bulls, but I got something to celebrate – I’m not in jail, I love God more than money, my kids know who their daddy is…,” said Franklin before performing “Let it Go” from his 2006 album, “Hero.”
“Let it Go” is an autobiographical account of Franklin’s painful childhood. “My momma gave me up when I was four years old. She didn’t destroy my body but she killed my soul. Now it’s cold ‘cause I’m sleeping in my back seat. I understand the spirit’s willing but my flesh is weak,” chanted an emotional Franklin. In “Let It Go,” Franklin admits his mistakes while at the same time forgiving those who hurt him in the past and asking forgiveness from the ones he hurt.
At the end of the song, audience members waved their cell phones in syncopation, lighting the entire Hall with neon greens, yellows, and whites. There was truly a heavy anointing within the walls of Dar Constitution Hall.