Deep River has been a long-envisioned project for me – 20 years in the making, and counting. During my initial exploration of Negro Spirituals as a teen, I was always disappointed by the arrangements that I found for solo voice. So, I started writing my own, to reshape these cherished and iconic musical pieces to match the reverence, excitement, and joy I was hearing in my head when I sang them. 

In 2018 the show developed as I was preparing to perform for a backyard concert.

A friend from church offered her space to me to perform my music for some of our close friends and family.

While we were brainstorming about what I would sing,

I realized that this needed to be more than just a recital.  

I was compelled not only to sing, but to tell the important stories around the history of the music.

And just like the improvisational spirit of the music itself, this show continues to develop and evolve.

I found that demand was high from friends and fans alike for something beyond just the live music in concert.  

Music lives on in people's lives.  

It echoes through our homes, from our performances and places of worship.  

And with the first volume of “The New Negro Spiritual Songbook”, this music can reverberate all around the world for generations to come.  

This songbook is currently available online.