The Super Bowl Gospel Celebration is arguably the second most anticipated event after the obvious. Even MTV called it one of the best events surrounding Super Bowl.
In its 13th year, the Indianapolis gospel celebration will take place Saturday, Feb. 4 at Clowes Memorial Hall on the campus of Butler University. In most recent Super Bowl cities including Detroit, Jacksonville and Dallas the venues have sold out.
What makes the event a must see is the gospel greats in attendance, which this year includes CeCe Winans, who will serve as co-host and will perform along with Donnie McClurkin, Hezekiah Walker and Wess Morgan; as well as the overall experience that combines all of the excitement of the Super Bowl with a praise party to end all praise parties. And best of all, the praise party features retired and current popular NFL players that will not only participate in the NFL choir but will share personal testimonies including Indianapolis Colts players Dwight Freeney and Gary Brackett.
Morgan, who was chosen by NFL players to perform at this year’s event spoke to the Recorder about how he turned his life around from a 10-year-old drug user to a Stellar Award nominated singer.
Recorder: What was your reaction when you were told NFL players voted to see you perform during the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration?
Wess Morgan: I was shocked. I couldn’t believe they picked me of all people. I honestly didn’t know what to think of it and actually thought it could be a mistake. (As artists) we do what we do – preach and sing – and don’t really recognize the impact we’re having on people’s lives. It’s a tremendous honor for me to have a voice and have the ability to impact people like NFL players. It means a lot to me that I’m contributing something into their life.
How often do fans tell you that they’re surprised that you’re white? You have such a soulful gospel voice.
(Laughs) They do, all the time. It’s funny to me because I don’t try to be soulful; I just try to be me. But, I grew up around a soulful family. My dad was a jazz guitarist and my mom was an organist. I grew up listening to George Benson, Donny Hathaway, James Cleveland and Andre Crouch. I guess I picked up on it.
When you were 10, you became involved in drugs and alcohol. How did you find your way out?
I’m going to celebrate eight years being sober in March. The big turnaround for me was the years of trouble upon trouble and having my heart wrung out by so many bad choices and the consequences of those choices. I finally had enough and put my life in God’s hands. Since I’ve done that, my life has taken a tremendous turn for the better.
How did you decide to sing gospel music after you turned your life around?
I grew up singing gospel. My mother trained me to sing gospel. When I got straightened out it was something that I just continued to do.
You have a very popular song out now, “I Choose to Worship” that was nominated for a Stellar Award for Song of the Year. What’s the story behind that song?
I was going through a very difficult time in my life. I was facing the consequences of the choices I made while on drugs and it was so overwhelming. I didn’t know how to pray and I didn’t want to worship. It was something my mother and father taught me that worship is a choice, not a feeling.
When I started evaluating what I wanted to do with my life and looked for something to ease the pain, I just made up my mind that I choose to worship. I wrote that song out of my pain.
