It's Time To Take A

Everything That Happened To Me As A Child Involved Music. It Was Part Of Everyday Life, As Automatic As Breathing.

I Applied For A Scholarship To Curtis Institute Of Music In Philadelphia. I Knew I Was Good Enough, But They Turned Me Down. And It Took Me About Six Months To Realize It Was Because I Was Black. I Never Really Got Over That Jolt Of Racism At The Time.

I Was Reared In The Church From The Age Of Three. I've Played Piano Since I Was Three. I Performed At Revivals And For My People Around North Carolina For Several Years. People Around Town Collected Money To Send Me To School.

How Do You Explain What It Feels Like To Get On The Stage And Make Poetry That You Know Sinks Into The Hearts And Souls Of People Who Are Unable To Express It

I Can't Stand Loud Guitars That Make Me Deaf.