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Leonard hosts his annual Good Friday Gospel hour, playing gospel classics that tell the story of Easter.

Playlist:

How Jesus Died, Pilgrim Travelers, from “Beloved Songs of Easter”

Redeemed, Clara Ward, from “Beloved Songs of Easter”

Poor Little Jesus, Marion Williams, from “My Soul Looks Back”

I Shall Know Him, Dorothy Love Coates and Gospel Harmonettes, from  “Beloved Songs of Easter”

Near the Cross, Claude Jeter and Louis Johnson & Swan Silvertones, from  “Beloved Songs of Easter”

Never Said a Word, Julius Cheeks & the Sensational Nightingales, from “The Best of the Sensational Nightingales”

I’m Glad Salvation is Free, Mahalia Jackson, from “The Apollo Sessions, vol. II, 1946-1941”

Can’t No Grave Hold My Body Down, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, from “Live in 1960”

The Hammer Rings, Madame Edna Gallmon Cooke, from “Beloved Songs of Easter”

Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone?, The Soul Stirrers with Paul Foster and Sam Cooke

Out on a Hill, The Soul Stirrers (Johnnie Taylor and Paul Foster), from “Beloved Songs of Easter”

Did He Die in Vain?, Sister Wynona Carr, from “Dragnet for Jesus”

What Kind of Man Is This? James Cleveland & the Caravans, from “The Great 1955 Shrine Concert”

One Day, Angelic Gospel Singers and the Dixie Hummingbirds, from “Beloved Songs of Easter”

One of the music industry’s brightest stars was missing as the country’s top recording artists gathered at last night’s Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. The tragic death of pop powerhouse Whitney Houston on Saturday, at the age of 48, shocked the music industry and the world. Houston brought gospel tones to mainstream R&B. Her vibrant voice and unparalleled range made her a mainstay of pop superstardom throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

Leonard Lopate plays classic gospel songs recorded during Martin Luther King’s lifetime for our annual Martin Luther King Day gospel hour.

Leonard Lopate plays some of his favorites for his annual Christmas gospel hour.

Alabama Shakes plays a Brooklyn Bowl show on Thursday night. Download "I Found You" from the band's new self-titled EP here.

Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens play The Bell House Wednesday night. Download the call-and-response style track to the group's debut album "What Have You Done, My Brother?" here.

For as long as there's been music, seemingly mismatched artists of different religious backgrounds have teamed up on songs in unexpected ways. On the album "Higher and Higher," all the music is written by the late songwriter, Rabbi Schlomo Carlebach, who famously composed over five thousand Jewish songs during his life. And they're performed by two primary voices: one is that of his daughter, Neshama Carlebach. But the other voices are more surprising, it’s the Green Pastures Baptist Church Choir.

Gospel stars Reverend Milton Biggham, Cissy Houston, and Ella Mitchell talk about the history of gospel music in Newark, New Jersey, their careers, and the great musicians they’ve worked with. The interview was taped during our event at the Newark Museum of Art in March.

The film "Rejoice and Shout," about the history of gospel music, is currently playing at Film Forum. It features many of the musicians that were discussed in the interview.

This spring, we’ve been sitting down with some of America’s most fascinating elder statesmen older Americans, long past retirement age, who are nonetheless still working to change how we live and work in this country. We’re calling this series “In My Experience.” And today we talk with lead singer and one of the founding members of the Blind Boys of Alabama, Jimmy Carter.

Leonard hosts his annual Good Friday gospel hour. This year he'll combine it with a bit of Please Explain, and he'll talk about the history and particulars of gospel music.

Leonard hosts his annual Martin Luther King Day gospel hour.

Leonard Lopate hosts his annual Christmas gospel hour, playing favorite gospel classics.

The legendary, perennial gospel group present a night of gospel and bluegrass at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall. Download "Jesus," their soulful duet with Lou Reed.

Forget recordings, says John Schaefer. The soul of Gospel music comes out in live performance.

“How Sweet it Was” is a new DVD/CD set paying homage to the golden age of Christian gospel music.

Reverend Vince Anderson & His Love Choir
"Blessed Are The Poor"
Playing at: Union Pool (484 Union Ave., Williamsburg)
Get: Tickets (FREE) | Directions