The Winans Uplift at Gospel Fund-Raiser

It’s been observed that Sunday morning is the most segregated time of the week. That’s why the multiracial makeup of the crowd that turned out on Tuesday for a gospel fund-raising concert at the Shrine Auditorium was all the more noteworthy. Churchgoers may not typically worship alongside those of other races, but Christian music is so inviting that it can unite people who would otherwise remain worlds apart. For a few hours at least.

While several acts performed during the three-hour revue--which raised money for the Fred Jordan Missions and other charities--the Winans were the toughest act to follow. The veteran vocal quartet makes what it does look so smooth and effortless. Those gorgeous voices are a big plus, as is the heartfelt way they convey their message.

A really soul-stirring gospel artist is more than just an entertainer. Performers such as the Winans are special because they can uplift your spirits and open your mind to life’s larger questions and concerns.

Andrae Crouch, who preached as much as he sang, is one of black gospel’s vanguard artists. He’s done much to inspire such young hotshots as Kirk Franklin, and his sound is just as modern and invigorating.

Crouch’s stage presentation incorporated everything from dancers to hand-clapping ladies in Sunday go-to-meeting hats. It was all an effective ploy to get the crowd fired up and in a sanctified mood.

Bob Carlisle, whose sugary, country-flavored “Butterfly Kisses” was a huge summer hit, made his first major L.A. appearance. Genial and teddy bear-like in demeanor, the Orange County-reared, Nashville-based singer noted that the public’s “hunger for substance” in pop music had much to do with his rise from obscurity to the top of the charts.

Singer Crystal Lewis demonstrated a vocal range that could invite comparisons to Celine Dion, if Dion ever decided to go the blue-eyed gospel route. Also effective was the emotive Tata Vega, who was with Motown Records in the ‘70s, and with better career luck could have been the Puerto Rican Patti LaBelle. As it is, she’s a woefully overlooked treasure. Perhaps a little prayer on her behalf could remedy that.