Leona Daniels – Free To Be Me

Leona Daniels

Le’Core Records and Entertainment (2012)

Talk with Houstonians who grew up in the African American church and you will hear them speak nostalgically of a local pastor named Rev. W. Leo Daniels.  Daniels was a talented preacher, singer, television host, and recording artist who died way too soon, before his fortieth birthday.

Leona Daniels, daughter of the late Rev. Daniels and his wife, Nevarro, is carrying on the family tradition.  

Daniels has sung with the likes of Pastor John P. Kee and Minister Shawn McLemore, and serves as Minister of Music at the St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church, under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Timothy W. Sloan.  Released in February, her CD, Free To Be Me, traverses traditional and contemporary gospel styles, though the singer-songwriter’s strongest suit is the traditional vein.  Her church-honed squall, which she demonstrates in all its fiery power on several selections, provides sufficient evidence.

Recorded live at the late Rev. Daniel’s church, Houston’s Greater Jerusalem Missionary Baptist, where Leona debuted as a singer at age two, Free To Be Me opens and closes with church-churning, tambourine-shaking, old-school gospel songs “He Lives” and “Unchanging Hand” (“Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand”).  In between, Daniels gives fine a vocal performance on the title track, a CCM-inspired ballad.  Another contemporary piece of note, “You Are Worthy,” is a mid-tempo praiser sung with a full-throated choir.

Naturally, I was drawn to the album’s traditional-flavored songs.  In addition to the opening and closing selections, Daniels renders the standard, “Jesus Paid It All,” and sings her own compositions, “Yes I Know Him” and “The Blood,” with traditional flair.

While the more contemporary pieces are pleasant, Free To Be Me succeeds because of its ability to satisfy traditional tastes.

Picks: “He Lives,” “Unchanging Hand.”

By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.