One of the standard songs that I have always strived to include in the Memorial Service is "Amazing Grace". One of my favorite renditions of "Amazing Grace" is by Wintley Phipps
I do not know if his explanation about the musical roots of the song is true, but I find it compelling and find myself drawn to it so much that I have it on my "Golden Time of Day" playlist for when I go in my backyard and watch the sunset and the stars emerge.
I have never played the Wintley Phipps version of "Amazing Grace" for my Memorial Service. When I first began the Memorial Service, I played R. Carlos Nakai's version of "Amazing Grace"
I always found R. Carlos Nakai's version to be a soothing way to conclude the Memorial Service and had planned on always using it in that way. However, I believe it was in 2017, that a young musician came to the Black Alumni Weekend. I had heard that he had already received an honorary doctorate from Amherst College, so I took the opportunity to introduce myself and asked if he would come to the Memorial Service and play Amazing Grace for us. The young musician agreed.
The young musician came and played
and my heart almost broke. There was nothing left to say after this performance. Indeed, what I heard on that day in the Octagon -- the Gerald Penny Memorial Center -- seemed to me to be even more soul stirring than the YouTube performance.
In reading the notes on the YouTube video, it says that Freddie's arrangement was composed for his grandmother's funeral service. As I watch the video, I sometimes see her there looking over Freddie's shoulder and smiling with great pride at her grandson. Perhaps, if you look hard enough you can see her too.
Peace,
Everett "Skip" Jenkins
Fairfield, California
September 9, 2023
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