Samara Joy McLendon is a three time Grammy recipient, and a jazz singer with deep connections to the gospel tradition. She has described singing with her family as being “connected in a way that nobody else is… spiritually and creatively, it’s totally fulfilling.” Samara’s father, Antonio, is a bassist and vocalist who toured widely with gospel music legend Andrae Crouch. He and four siblings are the children of Elder Goldwire and Ruth McLendon, a tenor and mezzo-soprano pair from Philadelphia who were active in ministry. Goldwire was a member of The Savettes, the choral group his wife co-founded in 1950s Philadelphia as a mutual aid organization to help members save and invest money. The Savettes recorded and performed in churches along the East Coast, earning brief national recognition for their 1977 album on Phil-LA of Soul Records, Blessed Quietness. While on tour in Philadelphia, three generations of the McLendon family shared their family history with WRTI. -- JOSH JACKSON

CREDITS

A WRTI production in association with GOSPEL

Josh Jackson, Host
Samara Joy McLendon, Guest
Antonio McLendon, Guest
Elder Goldwire McLendon, Guest

WRTI
Alex Ariff, Senior Producer
Kayla John, Production Assistant
Billy Dodds, Production Assistant
Josh Jackson, Associate General Manager for Content and Programming
William Johnson, General Manager

Mother Bethel AME Church
Rev. Mark Tyler, Dolores Lyons, and Sharon Coleman

CA Studios
Christopher McDonald, Camera, Lighting, Audio and Post-Production
Kevin Eikenberg, Camera and Lighting
Evan Chapman, Camera and Lighting

Special thanks to: Matt Pierson and Christine Vaindirlis

Supported by the members of WRTI and WETA

Corporate support for GOSPEL was provided by Bank of America. Major funding support was provided by the Lilly Endowment Inc., Gilead Sciences, Inc., the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Emerson Collective and the Ford Foundation. Funding was also provided by members of The Inkwell Society and by public television viewers like you.

GOSPEL is a production of McGee Media, Inkwell Media, and WETA Washington, D.C. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is the writer, host, and executive producer. Dyllan McGee is executive producer. John F. Wilson is executive producer in charge for WETA. Bill Gardner is executive in charge for PBS. Stacey L. Holman and Shayla Harris are series producers and directors. Deborah C. Porfido is supervising producer. Robert L. Yacyshyn is line producer. Chelsea Adewunmi, Kevin Burke and Eric Thielman are producers. Barbara Gregson is archival producer.