I was a child when I first heard her recording of Amazing Grace. In those days I was not hearing much Christian music, and (I know it's hard to believer) had never really heard that hymn. So I heard her version and assumed that it was "the" "correct" version. Years later I became active in church life and was astounded to see, in the hymnal, that all her little flourishes and ornamentations are not actually written in the music. But no matter where I am, if we're singing that, it's her recorded melody line that comes out of my neck. I may ADD some touches, but always upon that melody as I received it as a child! And I do not think anyone else's voice has had quite THAT effect on my singing!

I later came to know that style as typical in the Black Gospel that flowed from the Spirituals, so in a way you could say that Joan Baez is one of the grandmothers to my interest in those genres.

~Susan