When I found out she was going, I had to do something special for her. Because music is her love, it was a no-brainer. My dad, who loves gospel music, went to one of the shows at the Smith Family Theater and said it was great. I researched them and decided to call them one day and we went from there.

I sent that to (the theater) and they said they would love for her to do the pre-show. We surprised her with it in choir. She is excited and nervous, and she's ready to do this.

Her dream was to be a vocal performer. I've got three kids and they're about the same age as two of her kids, so we've got that in common.

I feel a part of the congregation. I've never had to do special music. The kids sing in the choir. It's just normal. We're treated like everybody else.

That's what's so appealing about it. I've always been attracted to the freedom and improvisational aspect of Roots music.

They can take our homes, our possessions. Our families. Our lives. They can drive us out, like they've driven us out before. They can humiliate us and dehumanize us. But they cannot take our thoughts. They cannot take our talents. They cannot take our knowledge, or our memories, or our minds. In music there is no bondage. Music is a door, and the soul escapes through the melody.