Amazing Grace

The movie brought me to tears of joy, uplift and awe. I’m a lifelong fan of Aretha Franklin, but I don’t think you have to be one to surrender yourself to these 1972 gospel performances. See “Amazing Grace” before it leaves the South Orange theater.

On the second night at the church, there’s a woman in the audience in a red dress whom the Rev. C.L. Franklin identifies, I think, from the pew along with Clara Ward. A little later, Aretha’s singing transports this woman to an ecstasy that brings her and Ward into glorious communion. Can anyone tell me who this woman was?

"It’s one thing to hear Franklin sing “Never Grow Old” on the “Amazing Grace” album, but it is an otherworldly experience to see her sing it and to watch her father and Ward react to it. Ward starts to cry, but she covers her face. Ward’s mother is so overcome as Franklin sings “Never Grow Old” that she rises up and tries to get to Franklin, and she has to be restrained by others. Cleveland playfully throws a handkerchief at Pollack’s camera as this is going on, and the feeling of ecstatic community steadily intensifies until it seems as if all this could and should go on forever."

Gertrude Ward. Thank you.

I saw it yesterday in the city and I looooved it. It never ceases to amaze and thrill me to hear (and see) Aretha sing. And The Rev.James Cleveland was amazing, too. His piano playing and his singing. A very moving experience. (And Mick Jagger is in the audience!)

We expected to see/hear/enjoy Aretha at Jazz Fest about 10 years ago.  Unfortunately she cancelled at very short notice, so we got Earth, Wind & Fire instead (whom we had also seen at Jazz Fest the year before).