LG039 Interview: Mahalia Jackson (LG039Goreau_Side1)
Description
Side 1: Interview with Mahalia Jackson on 1971-04-08 during her Japan-India tour, in her hotel room in Tokyo, Japan, receiving first radio and news of tour. Side 2: Continued interview from Side 1. Formal press conference in the Utani Ballroom, describing Jackson's happiest moment. Abstract for Jackson: [00:43–33:52] Mahalia Jackson interviewed by Goreau inside her hotel room in Tokyo, while on her Japan-India tour, surrounded by reporters and photographers. Jackson talks about traveling, performing in Africa and receiving an award, and her wishes to sightsee in Japan. She discusses her feelings about performing in Japan on Easter Sunday – 09:32. She answers a reporter's question about the differences between gospel and the blues (including thoughts on reincarnation) – 13:23. Regarding a reporter's question about Jackson's thoughts on popular music of the time, she replies, "The young people (are) doing their thing now . . . (while doing a) marvelous job." She adds, "You've got to be yourself," before addressing why she thinks young artists are "misunderstood" – 25:14. She addresses one reporter's question about why she "has never (sung) at nightclubs" by discussing her personal "sacrifice" and sharing memories about hearing jazz and musicians such as King Oliver and Bunk Johnson, who she saw as a child. She added that people "always wanted me to sing that type of music" – 30:24. [00:00 – 33:51] The interview continues briefly on LG039Goreau_Side2. A formal press conference in the Utani Ballroom in Japan begins at 07:13. Jackson corrects a question about her being influenced by blues singers saying "I was influenced by the church, not by blues singers" – 13:18. She went on to explain how the rumor in the press started, due to a reporter's comparing singer Bessie Smith with Jackson – 14:00. She describes her happiest moment as one of being in solitude, in finding "favor in the sight of the Lord" – 32:10.