“When I think of gospel, we always say good news. This is what I do … I give people hope through my music. It just makes sense. It makes sense because that's what I do: I take my own stories of tragedy and pain and struggle and even triumph, and I deliver it in a way to give other people hope."
That music Ms. McClendon describes as a tool of hope, was not birthed through her debut album, My Diary, Your Life. She tells the tale of where her musical legacy began: right at home.
“First of all, I’m a preacher’s kid. I’m the oldest of four. I was raised in a musical house. We did have a family group called the People’s Family. I just remember … I remember we’d all be outside playing. My Mom would come to the door and yell, ‘Lisa, Manda … J.J!’ My brother Jason was too young, who is also a singer now. He was too young to be a part of the group at the time. But she would call us all in, so we could rehearse, and I just remember we had to rehearse, and rehearse, and rehearse. We were singing at church, singing at other churches in the city. My mom was on the keyboard. My dad was on the guitar and the bass at times. My brother, my younger brother – that’s right under me – played the drums and we would sing.”
Those memorable days of singing with the family and listening to other gospel greats developed her appreciation for gospel music early on.
“First of all, I’m a preacher’s kid. I’m the oldest of four. I was raised in a musical house. We did have a family group called the People’s Family. I just remember … I remember we’d all be outside playing. My Mom would come to the door and yell, ‘Lisa, Manda … J.J!’ My brother Jason was too young, who is also a singer now. He was too young to be a part of the group at the time. But she would call us all in, so we could rehearse, and I just remember we had to rehearse, and rehearse, and rehearse. We were singing at church, singing at other churches in the city. My mom was on the keyboard. My dad was on the guitar and the bass at times. My brother, my younger brother – that’s right under me – played the drums and we would sing.”
Those memorable days of singing with the family and listening to other gospel greats developed her appreciation for gospel music early on.
“It's funny, but as I grew up, I remember listening to the Hawkins family. We listened to a lot of quartets. The Soul Stirrers, Gospel Keynotes, the Williams Brothers – all were played in my house. There was something about the Hawkins family … they were way before their time … the Clark Sisters – the old Clark Sisters. We didn’t have CDs. We had the A-tracks. I remember the big A-tracks in our living room. That’s what I grew up around, and I just kind of started embracing it.”
Alongside her love for gospel music, her soul/jazz style of gospel blossomed through the influences of Big band and jazz music.
“I don’t know, but something happened. I just started embracing jazz and Big band music. My mom kind of monitored me, but she let me do that, as long as she approved of the lyrics and stuff. I think that's kind of why you hear Lisa McClendon----my gospel is kind of infused soul because I also listened to jazz music and Big band music growing up. It really kind of brought a collage of my gospel. So that's kind of where it all started. That's exactly where it started.”
Six albums later, she has firmly established her brand and style of gospel. The soulful vocalist shared how her music blessed others, and doesn’t shy away from including herself in that number. The musical gift God gave her, she notes, has been a blessing to herself, family, and strangers alike. She described spiritual and practical ways her music has blessed her life.
Alongside her love for gospel music, her soul/jazz style of gospel blossomed through the influences of Big band and jazz music.
“I don’t know, but something happened. I just started embracing jazz and Big band music. My mom kind of monitored me, but she let me do that, as long as she approved of the lyrics and stuff. I think that's kind of why you hear Lisa McClendon----my gospel is kind of infused soul because I also listened to jazz music and Big band music growing up. It really kind of brought a collage of my gospel. So that's kind of where it all started. That's exactly where it started.”
Six albums later, she has firmly established her brand and style of gospel. The soulful vocalist shared how her music blessed others, and doesn’t shy away from including herself in that number. The musical gift God gave her, she notes, has been a blessing to herself, family, and strangers alike. She described spiritual and practical ways her music has blessed her life.
“I had a talk with myself. These days, I talk to myself a whole lot more than I used to. We’ve been trained to talk to other people, but we’ve never been taught to talk to ourselves. But I had a talk with myself the other day and I was saying, you know my music has always blessed people. People always say how my music blesses them, but I want my music to bless me too. I just remember saying that to myself: I need to be blessed. I mean it may sound very practical, but my music has blessed me in that sense. So, this is where God said: ‘use that gift.’ And of course, the message always was for me first. That's also where I'm blessed by my music.
In return, the places that I have gone – they've been able to be a blessing to me. It’s afforded me the ability to take care of my children. I’ve been married. I was married to my children's father for 11 years. Then, I jumped from that marriage straight into another marriage. So, I was married for almost 20 years straight. Then to suddenly be a single woman … it was the music.
The music God has given me has afforded me the opportunity to travel and meet people. See, I'm a nature girl. So, I always like to get out and see the world. And I’m always awed. I’m in awe of everything that I see. And I’m like, ‘God, You're amazing… You’re just so much bigger than where I was raised you know?’ So, I’m so grateful for that. I've met girls who have never left their city. They’ve never left their community. They’ve never left their neighborhood. You're speaking to a woman who was raised in a small town … on the outskirts of Jacksonville. We had one high school, maybe two middle schools. I came from a very small town. So back where I came from, girls like me didn’t travel the world.
I’ve traveled to Europe several times. I think that was the most eye-opening experience of my life to be over there. You got people in the audience who’ve got sheet music. I don't even have Lisa McClendon sheet music; and they're standing in the audience with Lisa McClendon sheet music, passing it around, singing along. You've got people in Amsterdam singing your song, Sweden, Germany, Japan and you're like really?”
In return, the places that I have gone – they've been able to be a blessing to me. It’s afforded me the ability to take care of my children. I’ve been married. I was married to my children's father for 11 years. Then, I jumped from that marriage straight into another marriage. So, I was married for almost 20 years straight. Then to suddenly be a single woman … it was the music.
The music God has given me has afforded me the opportunity to travel and meet people. See, I'm a nature girl. So, I always like to get out and see the world. And I’m always awed. I’m in awe of everything that I see. And I’m like, ‘God, You're amazing… You’re just so much bigger than where I was raised you know?’ So, I’m so grateful for that. I've met girls who have never left their city. They’ve never left their community. They’ve never left their neighborhood. You're speaking to a woman who was raised in a small town … on the outskirts of Jacksonville. We had one high school, maybe two middle schools. I came from a very small town. So back where I came from, girls like me didn’t travel the world.
I’ve traveled to Europe several times. I think that was the most eye-opening experience of my life to be over there. You got people in the audience who’ve got sheet music. I don't even have Lisa McClendon sheet music; and they're standing in the audience with Lisa McClendon sheet music, passing it around, singing along. You've got people in Amsterdam singing your song, Sweden, Germany, Japan and you're like really?”
As she progressed through her gospel journey, there is one thing she said surprised her along the way.
“What surprised me the most is that everybody's human. Really. I mean, I'm sure that there are people who see – and I only say her name because she is probably one of the biggest artists in the music industry across the board – Beyoncé --- on TV. Some young girl is mesmerized because TV makes everything perfect. But then she meets her in person and realizes that maybe Beyoncé has a scratch on her arm or maybe her hair’s out of place. TV tends to make people immortal.
I remember coming into the industry and I met real human beings, people. I met real mortal people … people who had feelings. People who weren’t always smiling. People who had struggles … who had issues just like me. And, you know, I was just like wow … they were human. You're not going to get in this industry, where people are just superhuman, and they’re flying around with capes. No. These people have actual lives and families, and a lot of these artists that are singing, they go home, and they actually cook for their husbands and their children. These are actually artists that go home and have to pay bills. TV and radio can make people seem like they don't have a life off stage, and they do. Now that I’m one of them, after coming off the road, I have to come home and make sure my children have done their homework, make sure their chores are done.
“What surprised me the most is that everybody's human. Really. I mean, I'm sure that there are people who see – and I only say her name because she is probably one of the biggest artists in the music industry across the board – Beyoncé --- on TV. Some young girl is mesmerized because TV makes everything perfect. But then she meets her in person and realizes that maybe Beyoncé has a scratch on her arm or maybe her hair’s out of place. TV tends to make people immortal.
I remember coming into the industry and I met real human beings, people. I met real mortal people … people who had feelings. People who weren’t always smiling. People who had struggles … who had issues just like me. And, you know, I was just like wow … they were human. You're not going to get in this industry, where people are just superhuman, and they’re flying around with capes. No. These people have actual lives and families, and a lot of these artists that are singing, they go home, and they actually cook for their husbands and their children. These are actually artists that go home and have to pay bills. TV and radio can make people seem like they don't have a life off stage, and they do. Now that I’m one of them, after coming off the road, I have to come home and make sure my children have done their homework, make sure their chores are done.
"You're not going to get in this industry, where people are just superhuman, and they’re flying around with capes. No. We are just all human beings, and this just happens to be the career and the job that God has given us. We are just walking in our calling, and walking in our gift.”
All of these artists do the same thing. They’re checking on their kids. They say bedtime stories to their little ones. They’re calling their spouses. I think that was the biggest shock for me. Once I got past the shock, I was like, I'm OK. I belong here. They're just like me and I'm just like them. So, it was definitely the greatest revelation. They got a birthday. They got a Momma. They got a Daddy. No one has a cape. No one has superhuman powers. We are just all human beings, and this just happens to be the career and the job that God has given us. We are just walking in our calling, and walking in our gift.”
Nevertheless, being human did not bar Ms. McClendon from seeing the powerful impact of music. Understanding the impact, challenged her to weigh the gravity of music’s influence.
Nevertheless, being human did not bar Ms. McClendon from seeing the powerful impact of music. Understanding the impact, challenged her to weigh the gravity of music’s influence.
“I think the greatest thing I've learned is that music is powerful. You have to be careful about what you say, what you sing, what you deliver… I have a powerful assignment. God has entrusted a very powerful gift to me. It’s almost like putting a loaded weapon in a person's hands. That person has to know how to use it for good – where it benefits, and not hurts other people. So, I take music that much more seriously. I'm passionate about it that much more because I know the power it has. God has gifted me with the hands to carry, and the heart to carry that power.
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“I think the greatest thing I've learned is that music is powerful. You have to be careful about what you say, what you sing, what you deliver… I have a powerful assignment. God has entrusted a very powerful gift to me. So, I take music that much more seriously. I'm passionate about it that much more because I know the power it has. God has gifted me with the hands to carry, and the heart to carry that power. "
So, I’m really grateful for that, really grateful for that.” The songwriter described how that lesson compelled her to create music bearing her own lyrical style. So, when you hear the words, listen to the sound, you know exactly who it is.
“That’s why I'm very particular about what I write. I don't try to write what everybody else is writing. I don’t try to sound like what everybody else sounds like. I have to be true to me. Because if I stop doing that, then I am not walking in my greatness. I'm not walking in my purpose. Every song that I write is intentional. Every song that I write has purpose. There's a meaning behind it. Even the new song: “Ms. Tina”. I think people were kind of taken aback at first because “Ms. Tina” is kind of a unique name. But when they finally hear the whole story, they’re like, ‘Oh, I should have known!’ If I wrote it, there's a reason. It may be metaphoric, but there’s always a purpose. There's always a greatness and an intent behind what I sing and what I write.”
The songstress revealed the one theme she believes is threaded through her music, though each album contains their own distinct message.
“Every album is different. I have six of them, but I think the common theme from all of my albums is transparency. Even if you're not transparent with the rest of world, be honest with yourself. I think my music, every album I’ve done, I've been honest with me. I think that probably … might be the glue that connects them all together. They’re all different messages. I was going through different things in each album. I was at a different place in my life. It’s just the transparency. So, yeah, I would probably say it is the common theme for all my albums. When I see reviews or people talk to me directly, that's what I hear all the time: ‘Your music is so transparent.’ I feel like I'm pretty sure that whoever follows the music of Lisa McClendon, that they get that … they get that.”
She described one song from her album, Reality, that resonated with her the most.
“I think one of the songs that speaks to my entire journey is called “Now I Get It”. That song definitely speaks to me and I think, to other people. The song takes you through, I believe, about two or three scenarios. One of the scenarios talks about how I rushed through life, only to find myself back where I started. And then I said, oh, now I get it. You can't rush life, take your time. Or when I had a little, now I got a lot. I was down, now I’m on top … and now I get it. That's life. You could be up today, down tomorrow. And it’s just … that to me is very true – how life has been for me. Every moment I’m going: I get it … I get it now… that makes sense. I didn't get that five years ago, I didn’t get that five months ago, I didn’t get that five weeks ago. And I think that when I sing certain songs, you can see the expression on people's faces: Oh, I get it. They have to hear it to say, that makes sense – but it's not until you hear it through a song, through a poem, through a reading. And I just think my songs, a lot of times, get people to have an understanding of where they are in life, and where they’ve been in life. It does the same thing for me. I love that song.
The songstress revealed the one theme she believes is threaded through her music, though each album contains their own distinct message.
“Every album is different. I have six of them, but I think the common theme from all of my albums is transparency. Even if you're not transparent with the rest of world, be honest with yourself. I think my music, every album I’ve done, I've been honest with me. I think that probably … might be the glue that connects them all together. They’re all different messages. I was going through different things in each album. I was at a different place in my life. It’s just the transparency. So, yeah, I would probably say it is the common theme for all my albums. When I see reviews or people talk to me directly, that's what I hear all the time: ‘Your music is so transparent.’ I feel like I'm pretty sure that whoever follows the music of Lisa McClendon, that they get that … they get that.”
She described one song from her album, Reality, that resonated with her the most.
“I think one of the songs that speaks to my entire journey is called “Now I Get It”. That song definitely speaks to me and I think, to other people. The song takes you through, I believe, about two or three scenarios. One of the scenarios talks about how I rushed through life, only to find myself back where I started. And then I said, oh, now I get it. You can't rush life, take your time. Or when I had a little, now I got a lot. I was down, now I’m on top … and now I get it. That's life. You could be up today, down tomorrow. And it’s just … that to me is very true – how life has been for me. Every moment I’m going: I get it … I get it now… that makes sense. I didn't get that five years ago, I didn’t get that five months ago, I didn’t get that five weeks ago. And I think that when I sing certain songs, you can see the expression on people's faces: Oh, I get it. They have to hear it to say, that makes sense – but it's not until you hear it through a song, through a poem, through a reading. And I just think my songs, a lot of times, get people to have an understanding of where they are in life, and where they’ve been in life. It does the same thing for me. I love that song.
“That’s why I'm very particular about what I write. I don't try to write what everybody else is writing. I don’t try to sound like what everybody else sounds like. I have to be true to me. Because if I stop doing that, then I am not walking in my greatness. I'm not walking in my purpose. Every song that I write is intentional. Every song that I write has purpose. There's a meaning behind it."
It definitely ties into my purpose. It’s not the only woven piece in the tapestry of my life. But it definitely is a big piece … because to me that is a song of awareness. And I think it's very important for us – to be aware. I think a lot of times we’re not our best because we aren't aware. I’m aware of who God is. I’m aware of who I am. I’m aware of the world around me. But for so many years, I was aware of God and other people, but I was never aware of me. I had to learn that I am a part of the equation. And I don’t have to apologize for that. We’re taught to never acknowledge us. I don't believe that. I believe we are part of the puzzle. People say, your gift is not for you. Your ministry is not for you. I don’t believe that. I believe it’s for me and other people. I should be blessed from it as well. I can't say to you stuff that I don’t believe … that’s not touching my life.
It’s almost like when people say to parents: kids don’t do what you say, they do what you do. They don't go by what you say. They’re gonna do what they see you do. So, for me, everything that I sing is my own story. I see people partaking of it. I don’t feel hypocritical because I’ve already partaken of what I sing about. I'm the first person to experience the story, the triumph, the pain … whatever I’m delivering to other people. I was the first partaker of it. That is my purpose: my music. That’s my purpose. That’s my greatness.”
It’s almost like when people say to parents: kids don’t do what you say, they do what you do. They don't go by what you say. They’re gonna do what they see you do. So, for me, everything that I sing is my own story. I see people partaking of it. I don’t feel hypocritical because I’ve already partaken of what I sing about. I'm the first person to experience the story, the triumph, the pain … whatever I’m delivering to other people. I was the first partaker of it. That is my purpose: my music. That’s my purpose. That’s my greatness.”
"I’m aware of who God is. I’m aware of who I am. I’m aware of the world around me."
Ms. McClendon has especially devoted her purpose to empowering women.
“I'm not just singing. I've never been one to just sing. I believe that the assignment that God has given me … that’s the movement of greatness. I've been traveling and empowering women and young girls about their greatness. It speaks to the greatness that God has put on the inside of me. I connect with women and girls. I remember my daughter saying, ‘Mom? … ‘Everywhere we go, it’s like girls are drawn to you.’
I can say along with the music and the singing movement, I am empowering women to discover, to not denounce, and ignore their greatness. Once they can identify their greatness, it is important to walk in that greatness so that they can, in a healthy manner, empower other young women to be great. I believe when you have great women and they know it, they will empower their spouses. They will empower their children. They will empower their community. But when you have a bunch of women who are hurt, and broken, and beat down, the family’s broken and beat down. So, everyone benefits from a strong woman, everyone benefits. I believe that is my gifting: to remind women of who they are. God uses our bodies to bring life into this earth. That is how powerful we are. We have to walk in that Anointing and that gifting, and that power, because God is trusting us… so much so. I'm teaching women through music, how not to forget about themselves. Because when we remember us, we can genuinely love the people around us.”
The motivational speaker and singer conveyed how past and present personal experiences played a role in her commitment to reach out to other women and girls.
“It speaks to the cross that I bore. It speaks to the molestation that I went through – the abuse, the verbal and physical abuse, and things that I've gone through. I can take what I've gone through, and I can turn it into joy for another girl who feels like she's the only one that’s ever been through this. You know, I've met girls who have been keeping their molestation a secret for years. And when they hear that I speak up, then they’re ready to speak up. That is the greatest joy.
“I'm not just singing. I've never been one to just sing. I believe that the assignment that God has given me … that’s the movement of greatness. I've been traveling and empowering women and young girls about their greatness. It speaks to the greatness that God has put on the inside of me. I connect with women and girls. I remember my daughter saying, ‘Mom? … ‘Everywhere we go, it’s like girls are drawn to you.’
I can say along with the music and the singing movement, I am empowering women to discover, to not denounce, and ignore their greatness. Once they can identify their greatness, it is important to walk in that greatness so that they can, in a healthy manner, empower other young women to be great. I believe when you have great women and they know it, they will empower their spouses. They will empower their children. They will empower their community. But when you have a bunch of women who are hurt, and broken, and beat down, the family’s broken and beat down. So, everyone benefits from a strong woman, everyone benefits. I believe that is my gifting: to remind women of who they are. God uses our bodies to bring life into this earth. That is how powerful we are. We have to walk in that Anointing and that gifting, and that power, because God is trusting us… so much so. I'm teaching women through music, how not to forget about themselves. Because when we remember us, we can genuinely love the people around us.”
The motivational speaker and singer conveyed how past and present personal experiences played a role in her commitment to reach out to other women and girls.
“It speaks to the cross that I bore. It speaks to the molestation that I went through – the abuse, the verbal and physical abuse, and things that I've gone through. I can take what I've gone through, and I can turn it into joy for another girl who feels like she's the only one that’s ever been through this. You know, I've met girls who have been keeping their molestation a secret for years. And when they hear that I speak up, then they’re ready to speak up. That is the greatest joy.
“I'm not just singing. I've never been one to just sing. I believe that the assignment that God has given me … that's the movement of greatness. I am empowering women to discover, to not denounce, and ignore their greatness. Because when we remember us, we can genuinely love the people around us.”
A year ago, I found out that my marriage wasn't what I thought, and I was all in. It was devastating. We had been married for about eight years, and the way I responded – was fragile. I was fragile. I had a nervous breakdown, an emotional breakdown, a meltdown. What I learned from that situation … I had lost myself. Through that tragedy, a tragic situation – going through a divorce and losing a marriage that I thought was going to be forever – it was one of the best things that happened to me. It pushed me to wake up and say, ‘How did you forget about Lisa?’
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When I went through, what I went through – it’s been over a year now – but when I went through, what I went through … all the women who reached out to me and said, ‘You made it easier for me to stand up and make a decision about my life and the abusive situations that I've been in’ … it brings so much joy. It lets me know that my pain was not in vain. It makes it all worth it.
I think a lot of women can identify. We get in relationships. I believe we start young, we start early, being molded, being trained, being raised to give all of ourselves to relationships, to families, to loved ones. But we’re never really taught how to give to ourselves. And it’s almost like we've been told that it’s noble. But that's not the gospel … how it operates. I’m thinking of the scripture in the New Testament that says: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’, which means you are included. We’re not taught to love us. We’re taught to love other people. And I'm a firm believer … what I share in my music – I can't give you something I don't have. It's impossible. It's absolutely impossible. So, if don't have gas, I can't even give you a ride. If you jump in my vehicle, eventually you and I would be on the side of the street.”
I think a lot of women can identify. We get in relationships. I believe we start young, we start early, being molded, being trained, being raised to give all of ourselves to relationships, to families, to loved ones. But we’re never really taught how to give to ourselves. And it’s almost like we've been told that it’s noble. But that's not the gospel … how it operates. I’m thinking of the scripture in the New Testament that says: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’, which means you are included. We’re not taught to love us. We’re taught to love other people. And I'm a firm believer … what I share in my music – I can't give you something I don't have. It's impossible. It's absolutely impossible. So, if don't have gas, I can't even give you a ride. If you jump in my vehicle, eventually you and I would be on the side of the street.”
"I can take what I've gone through, and I can turn it into joy for another girl who feels like she's the only one that’s ever been through this."
"Love your neighbor as yourself’, which means you are included."
Ms. McClendon described how she communicates her message to women through avenues such as non-profit organizations.
“I’ve had a non-profit organization for girls like Proverbial Girl. I used to have a non-profit called Girl’s Life with Lisa McClendon. I don’t have a non-profit anymore. It's just Lisa McClendon music. What I do is partner with organizations that already exist, mainly because running a non-profit is a lot of work. With me traveling, and as a single woman, I have to balance my time. So now, I connect with existing organizations. I just go out and I connect with other non-profits, based on the work that I’ve done with my own non-profit. That helped me to get in a bunch of doors because they have already seen what we’ve done.
So, I have the opportunity to do the same thing … just going into places like Girls Inc., schools in the Carolinas --- it allows me to speak to these young girls. It also allows me to connect them to the music, the gospel music, the good news. I’m giving these girls good news. And it's not to say that any music outside of gospel isn't good – absolutely not. I listen to other music as well. But I know that my music is giving them good news and hope. It’s giving them solutions to their problems. It’s not just you have a problem, but there is no solution. We've identified the issues. Now, how do we deal with that? I think that's the important part of the package – being able to do the talk. I always end my talks with music. I always sing something that’s relating to what we talked about. So that’s how we kind of … that’s how we marry the two ---- the music and the message. I call it the ‘message, the music, and the movement’. It all goes together. It all serves a purpose. It’s all a part of the big puzzle. They all go together.
And one thing to note, that it's tough for anybody who is bringing a talk that has a spiritual base attached to it. I’ve heard stories where with faith-based situations, sometimes the doors are closed at public schools. But because of the wisdom God has given me, and the women that I work with to go and talk to girls at schools, we’re always welcome into public schools. We know how to give the message in a spirit of wisdom. ‘He that winneth souls is wise.’ We know how to go in, and we know how to impact girls’ lives without breaking the schools’ code and their rules and their policies. I'm just so grateful for that because it has allowed us to go to places where some Christian organizations or faith-based organizations can't go. I’ve just been able to do that.
We’ve gone to all these schools and we just partner with these schools to help - organizations like Lois Lodge in Charlotte, North Carolina, even the YMCA - to help bring hope to those girls.”
According to the song stylist, she has no regrets about her experiences as a gospel singer and otherwise – good or not so good. To her, those experiences, though not always pleasant, yielded great things. She did not always feel that way. There were times, she recalled, where her view would have been much different from her current one. She went on to share how the things that have occurred in her life, including painful events, were training ground for her to grow. These events, she surmised, gave her a poignant story to tell.
“I’ve had a non-profit organization for girls like Proverbial Girl. I used to have a non-profit called Girl’s Life with Lisa McClendon. I don’t have a non-profit anymore. It's just Lisa McClendon music. What I do is partner with organizations that already exist, mainly because running a non-profit is a lot of work. With me traveling, and as a single woman, I have to balance my time. So now, I connect with existing organizations. I just go out and I connect with other non-profits, based on the work that I’ve done with my own non-profit. That helped me to get in a bunch of doors because they have already seen what we’ve done.
So, I have the opportunity to do the same thing … just going into places like Girls Inc., schools in the Carolinas --- it allows me to speak to these young girls. It also allows me to connect them to the music, the gospel music, the good news. I’m giving these girls good news. And it's not to say that any music outside of gospel isn't good – absolutely not. I listen to other music as well. But I know that my music is giving them good news and hope. It’s giving them solutions to their problems. It’s not just you have a problem, but there is no solution. We've identified the issues. Now, how do we deal with that? I think that's the important part of the package – being able to do the talk. I always end my talks with music. I always sing something that’s relating to what we talked about. So that’s how we kind of … that’s how we marry the two ---- the music and the message. I call it the ‘message, the music, and the movement’. It all goes together. It all serves a purpose. It’s all a part of the big puzzle. They all go together.
And one thing to note, that it's tough for anybody who is bringing a talk that has a spiritual base attached to it. I’ve heard stories where with faith-based situations, sometimes the doors are closed at public schools. But because of the wisdom God has given me, and the women that I work with to go and talk to girls at schools, we’re always welcome into public schools. We know how to give the message in a spirit of wisdom. ‘He that winneth souls is wise.’ We know how to go in, and we know how to impact girls’ lives without breaking the schools’ code and their rules and their policies. I'm just so grateful for that because it has allowed us to go to places where some Christian organizations or faith-based organizations can't go. I’ve just been able to do that.
We’ve gone to all these schools and we just partner with these schools to help - organizations like Lois Lodge in Charlotte, North Carolina, even the YMCA - to help bring hope to those girls.”
According to the song stylist, she has no regrets about her experiences as a gospel singer and otherwise – good or not so good. To her, those experiences, though not always pleasant, yielded great things. She did not always feel that way. There were times, she recalled, where her view would have been much different from her current one. She went on to share how the things that have occurred in her life, including painful events, were training ground for her to grow. These events, she surmised, gave her a poignant story to tell.
"I always end my talks with music. I always sing something that’s relating to what we talked about. So that’s how we kind of … that’s how we marry the two ---- the music and the message. I call it the ‘message, the music, and the movement’. It all goes together. It all serves a purpose. It’s all a part of the big puzzle. They all go together."
“You know what, and I promise this is not a cliché, maybe a year or two ago I would have been able to name so many things. But I can honestly say, no regrets. Let me say why – if I wouldn't have had those things happen, I wouldn’t have grown. I wouldn’t have learned. I just recently had a show. My mom said, ‘How was your show?’ And I said it was the most stressful show I had in my entire career. But I wouldn't change a thing. She was like, ‘Really? Why?’ And I said because I grew 10 feet tall. I didn't realize how strong I was. I didn't realize how much I could take. I didn't realize how much I've grown … in patience. How much I’ve matured as a woman. Because if this would have happened to me 10 years ago, my response would have been totally different. I probably would have had one of those Lisa McClendon diva moments. But I was so proud of myself, you know, on the plane coming home. I was like: ‘Girl you did that, you did that … you handled that … you kept your poise. Regardless of what was being said or what was being done or not being done, you maintained your integrity. You walked in the character of God.’
For that reason, I look back and say, I’ve had some moments where I didn’t handle things right just because of fear. I didn't understand, and I was trying to defend and protect myself. People may have misinterpreted my response because they didn’t know that I was coming from a place … here you’re dealing with a girl who was molested, and a girl who has been in abusive situations. Where you may have thought she was this way, that was really the little Lisa coming out. I look back and say thank You, God. I needed all of those experiences to be the mature Lisa that I am today, and to be the Mom Lisa that I am today.
I can share my mistakes, and pour the things that I’ve learned into my children, and the girls, and the women that I meet. But had I not gone through any of that, I wouldn’t be able to effectively do what I'm doing. I wouldn't have anything to talk about. Perfect man has nothing to talk about. So … no regrets. No regrets.”
She did, however, voice one exception.
“You know the biggest thing I would change? I would have learned an instrument earlier. My mom plays, my dad plays, my brothers play. I've always been the singer. About five or six years ago, I started playing guitar. I always would say, I wish I had learned guitar earlier.”
Even then, Ms. McClendon was resolved in her belief that now was the right time to fulfill that dream. So, coming back full circle: no regrets.
“I’m going to give you a twist to this. It would have opened so many more doors. But at the same time, I'm thankful that those doors weren’t open when they were …when I wanted them to. I wasn't mature enough to handle those doors. And so again, I’m still right on target. I’m still right on time. So, while I wish I would have played back then, and more doors would have opened, the other side is, I'm kind of glad I did not. I probably would've destroyed a whole lot of relationships. I was still growing, I was still learning, and I wasn't quite ready. It’s almost like putting a 12-year old who doesn’t know how to drive behind the wheel of a car. It’s before their time. Laws are set in place for us based on our maturity. So again, I sort of wish I‘d been playing, but I understand why not. Now I’m ready to play. So, I’m excited about that, I’m excited about playing.”
Ms. McClendon’s latest project gives us a glimpse of where she is headed as she propels her three-prong vision forward.
“I have been building, for the last several weeks, an amazing team around me that has been awesome. The team around me has actually been opening up doors that I've been waiting to be opened. So now the direction I'm going is to get the gospel music even farther out to people who probably haven't heard Lisa McClendon’s first six albums. Now they get to go back and revisit all the albums that they missed. We’re preparing to release some new singles … I'm doing more music. We’re releasing more music. We’re focused on the music movement. Music is even more powerful with a movement attached.”
For that reason, I look back and say, I’ve had some moments where I didn’t handle things right just because of fear. I didn't understand, and I was trying to defend and protect myself. People may have misinterpreted my response because they didn’t know that I was coming from a place … here you’re dealing with a girl who was molested, and a girl who has been in abusive situations. Where you may have thought she was this way, that was really the little Lisa coming out. I look back and say thank You, God. I needed all of those experiences to be the mature Lisa that I am today, and to be the Mom Lisa that I am today.
I can share my mistakes, and pour the things that I’ve learned into my children, and the girls, and the women that I meet. But had I not gone through any of that, I wouldn’t be able to effectively do what I'm doing. I wouldn't have anything to talk about. Perfect man has nothing to talk about. So … no regrets. No regrets.”
She did, however, voice one exception.
“You know the biggest thing I would change? I would have learned an instrument earlier. My mom plays, my dad plays, my brothers play. I've always been the singer. About five or six years ago, I started playing guitar. I always would say, I wish I had learned guitar earlier.”
Even then, Ms. McClendon was resolved in her belief that now was the right time to fulfill that dream. So, coming back full circle: no regrets.
“I’m going to give you a twist to this. It would have opened so many more doors. But at the same time, I'm thankful that those doors weren’t open when they were …when I wanted them to. I wasn't mature enough to handle those doors. And so again, I’m still right on target. I’m still right on time. So, while I wish I would have played back then, and more doors would have opened, the other side is, I'm kind of glad I did not. I probably would've destroyed a whole lot of relationships. I was still growing, I was still learning, and I wasn't quite ready. It’s almost like putting a 12-year old who doesn’t know how to drive behind the wheel of a car. It’s before their time. Laws are set in place for us based on our maturity. So again, I sort of wish I‘d been playing, but I understand why not. Now I’m ready to play. So, I’m excited about that, I’m excited about playing.”
Ms. McClendon’s latest project gives us a glimpse of where she is headed as she propels her three-prong vision forward.
“I have been building, for the last several weeks, an amazing team around me that has been awesome. The team around me has actually been opening up doors that I've been waiting to be opened. So now the direction I'm going is to get the gospel music even farther out to people who probably haven't heard Lisa McClendon’s first six albums. Now they get to go back and revisit all the albums that they missed. We’re preparing to release some new singles … I'm doing more music. We’re releasing more music. We’re focused on the music movement. Music is even more powerful with a movement attached.”
"I think sometimes we recognize the amazingness of God at home. But then we forget that He's still amazing at work. We forget He’s amazing at school. The God that helped to heal your children, can help to keep your mind. We just have to remember that He doesn’t change because our position in the day changes. He doesn't change. You know God is still brilliant and He doesn’t change from situation to situation. He's always brilliant."
Her next album:
“The album is called Relationships. There is a song called “Brilliant” …it’s a beautiful song. It talks about the brilliance of God and how He’s brilliant from, and I’ll just say the line: “You are brilliant from Your head to Your feet, from the house to the streets.” And I love that line because I think sometimes we recognize the amazingness of God at home. But then we forget that He's still amazing at work. We forget He’s amazing at school. The God that helped to heal your children, can help to keep your mind. We just have to remember that He doesn’t change because our position in the day changes. He doesn't change. You know God is still brilliant and He doesn’t change from situation to situation. He's always brilliant. And I think that helps me to face different life challenges. When something happens, |
"I say well, wait a minute: if He just fixed that, why won’t He fix this? He’s the same brilliant God that helped you a year ago. He’s the same brilliant God that’s going to help you right now. So, I think that song is going to be very instrumental on the album that we're releasing, to remind ourselves of how brilliant God is in everyday life, and in every moment of our lives, and in every part of our lives.”
She went on to illustrate how that example of brilliance is demonstrated through what Jesus did for humanity, metaphorically tying it to her purpose for singing gospel music.
She went on to illustrate how that example of brilliance is demonstrated through what Jesus did for humanity, metaphorically tying it to her purpose for singing gospel music.
“I think when I hear about Jesus or when I talk about Jesus, I think of him as an example – an example of someone who modeled a life of integrity and character. He also dealt with people with such compassion. So, you know, we used to say a long time ago, ‘What would Jesus do?’ It was just the cliché, but what would Jesus do?"
"We can track and look at that example of someone who walked this earth as a human being like us and was able to maintain character, perfect character, and love and empathy for people. If we remember that, then it would… I think It would challenge us to do a better job at it as well."
“I think when I hear about Jesus or when I talk about Jesus, I think of Him as an example – an example of someone who modeled a life of integrity and character. I love the stories of His compassion for people, and I think that’s so important – not just in the world we live in, but in the community, and the church community. Because if we're not careful, we can be so much about business, that we lose compassion for people in their lives and where they are. I love to challenge people. I see where Jesus challenged people. But he also dealt with people with such compassion. So, you know, we used to say a long time ago, ‘What would Jesus do?’ It was just the cliché, but what would Jesus do?
I think if we all follow that example … we realize that yeah, He’s the Savior. We got that part. But I think we forget, He's an example of how to overcome, how to deal with life’s toughest challenges, how to overcome rejection and criticism. All those things, we forget. That example lies with Him too. We can track and look at that example of someone who walked this earth as a human being like us and was able to maintain character, perfect character, and love and empathy for people. If we remember that, then it would… I think it would challenge us to do a better job at it as well. I think, to me, that's what Jesus symbolizes for me and what He is to me.
I think my music is an example to other people. It’s everything I sing about. Even if I'm not trying to, it's … it's natural. I'm giving you my life in music the same way Christ gave us His life on the cross. I think that’s the best way I can sum it up … that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”
So, as Lisa McClendon moves forward in giving of herself in her music, while sharing hope encased in the good news of Jesus Christ through ‘the message, the music, and the movement’, she hopes it will resonate with those who listen; and when they do listen, be encouraged, lock in, and experience a greatness all their own.
I think if we all follow that example … we realize that yeah, He’s the Savior. We got that part. But I think we forget, He's an example of how to overcome, how to deal with life’s toughest challenges, how to overcome rejection and criticism. All those things, we forget. That example lies with Him too. We can track and look at that example of someone who walked this earth as a human being like us and was able to maintain character, perfect character, and love and empathy for people. If we remember that, then it would… I think it would challenge us to do a better job at it as well. I think, to me, that's what Jesus symbolizes for me and what He is to me.
I think my music is an example to other people. It’s everything I sing about. Even if I'm not trying to, it's … it's natural. I'm giving you my life in music the same way Christ gave us His life on the cross. I think that’s the best way I can sum it up … that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”
So, as Lisa McClendon moves forward in giving of herself in her music, while sharing hope encased in the good news of Jesus Christ through ‘the message, the music, and the movement’, she hopes it will resonate with those who listen; and when they do listen, be encouraged, lock in, and experience a greatness all their own.
Sources:
- Leggett, Steve. “Lisa McClendon | Album Discography.” AllMusic, www.allmusic.com/artist/lisa-mcclendon-mn0000834110/discography.
- “LISA MCCLENDON Lyrics.” LISA MCCLENDON Lyrics | ELyrics.net, www.elyrics.net/song/l/lisa-mcclendon-lyrics.html.
- “Lisa McClendon on Apple Music.” Apple Music, itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lisa-mcclendon/30581023.
- "Proverbial Girl: Wisdom, Values, And Being Fabulous." Bible.Com, 2018, https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/1390-proverbial-girl-wisdom-values-and-being-fabulous.
Music Information & Discography:
Album | Year: My Diary, Your Life | 2002; Soul Music | 2003; Live from the House of Blues (New Orleans) | 2006; Family Soul | 2007; Reality | 2009; 5AM | 2015
Link (s):
http://www.lisamcclendonmusic.com
Wakeelah’s Picks:
Song: “Hold My World” | Album: 5AM | Year: 2015
Song: “Pause” | Album: Reality | Year: 2009
Song: “Has Anybody Seen Love?” | Album: Soul Music | Year: 2003
Trivia, not trivial:
+What book has Lisa McClendon written that coincides with her work with non-profit organizations?
Album | Year: My Diary, Your Life | 2002; Soul Music | 2003; Live from the House of Blues (New Orleans) | 2006; Family Soul | 2007; Reality | 2009; 5AM | 2015
Link (s):
http://www.lisamcclendonmusic.com
Wakeelah’s Picks:
Song: “Hold My World” | Album: 5AM | Year: 2015
Song: “Pause” | Album: Reality | Year: 2009
Song: “Has Anybody Seen Love?” | Album: Soul Music | Year: 2003
Trivia, not trivial:
+What book has Lisa McClendon written that coincides with her work with non-profit organizations?
Wakeelah Cocroft-Aldridge is a Freelance Writer residing in Chicago, IL with her husband. Her writing includes academic writing and creative writing such as fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Wakeelah likes to laugh and cry about the sweet somethings of life, and find out about the unique stories of others. She loves comedy, animation, extended metaphors, quiet times, and she is an avid listener of gospel music. Oh … and she likes Peppermint Stick ice cream!
Wakeelah has joined us as a Columnist, forming Purposeful Gospel Profiles. She hopes, as she interviews each Gospel Artist, to portray their purpose for singing gospel music and what it means to those who provide a musical narrative for the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Wakeelah has joined us as a Columnist, forming Purposeful Gospel Profiles. She hopes, as she interviews each Gospel Artist, to portray their purpose for singing gospel music and what it means to those who provide a musical narrative for the Good News of Jesus Christ.
+Lisa McClendon has written a devotional called Proverbial Girl: Wisdom, Values, and Being Fabulous, a biblical inspirational tool for teenage girls.
I Believe That Appreciation Is A Holy Thing – That When We Look For What's Best In A Person We Happen To Be With At The Moment, We're Doing What God Does All The Time. So In Loving And Appreciating Our Neighbor, We're Participating In Something Sacred. ~ Fred Rogers
Disclaimer: All claims or statements in Purposeful Gospel Profiles column were deemed truthful to the best knowledge of the Columnist at the time of publication. All views or opinions by persons featured in the column do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Columnist or Voice of One CNC Online Magazine. The Columnist reserves the right to make any changes to the column at any time.