My fortuitous meeting with Fred McDowell was an important moment in my young life. Until then, I had played my guitar strictly for my own amusement, with no thought of public performance, but he gave me such strong encouragement -- and I took it so seriously, considering the source -- that I gathered myself up to give the musician's life a try for the next couple of years. I never rose any higher in the profession than busking on streetcorners and playing occasional open mikes and "basket clubs," but it sure was fun while it lasted.

Even though the couple of songs I played for/with Fred were strictly secular -- "Richland Woman Blues" and a couple of other John Hurt tunes -- he immediately recognized the gospel influence in my vocal style. (I had spent several formative years -- ages 4-9 -- living next door to a wildly musical black church, listening to long services every Sunday morning and afternoon, plus visting gospel stars almost every Wednesday evening.) "You likes them spetchel songs, don't you," he said. At first I thought he was saying "special," but then realized the word was "spiritual," when he launched into a series of religious numbers.

I came away from the meeting with one new tune for my repertoire, "Twelve Gates to the City." Actually, he showed me two spirituals, one in each of two tunings, but for some reason "Twelve Gates" was the only one I continued to practice and perform over the years -- I can't even remember what the other one was.