The Gospel Express Experience: A Musical Journey into the Restoration  of the Wholeness of Our Heart  

By Raydiance Grace 

A September fundraiser for the YMCA in Hilo featured the first concert by “The Gospel Express”, revitalizing  the spiritual mysticism found by participating in gospel music performances. Barbara Johnson is an international performer, actor, singer, dancer, and  creator/director of the “Gospel Express Experience.” Black gospel music was the first music she ever heard  growing up in a Baptist family going to church with her  grandmother during her childhood. She wanted to share the joy of this music with as many people as she could;  thus Barbara has birthed “The Gospel Express  Experience”!

Barbara Johnson, creator/director of the “Gospel  Express Experience 

The band members include the vocalists, Barbara  Johnson, Laurel Bragg, Roni Koscik, and Angela Henry.  John Pierre Thomas, saxophonist, Walter Greenwood,  keyboards and Owen Matsui, drummer. 

Band Member’s Names in photo from L to R, John  Pierre on sax, Angela Henry, vocalist, Barbara  Johnson, vocalist, Laurel Bragg, singer,  songwriter, Roni Koscik, vocalist 

Black gospel music is a genre of African-American  Christian music. It is rooted in the conversion of enslaved Africans to Christianity, both during and after 

the trans-Atlantic slave trade, starting with work songs sung in the fields and, later, with religious songs sung in  various church settings, later classified as Negro  Spirituals. Black gospel was revolutionized in the 1930s  by Thomas Dorsey, the “father of gospel music,” who is  credited with composing over 1,000 gospel songs  making modern gospel music less than 100 years old. In  1950 he incorporated spiritual hymns with the be-bop  and jazz being developed in Chicago and New York  making the music more popular. 

Thomas Dorsey, the “father of gospel music,” You could feel the excitement and eagerness of the  audience the minute Barbara started singing “Joshua  fought the Battle of Jericho”. The audience started 

spontaneously clapping and singing along with this  highly spirited rendition. She encouraged the audience  by saying, “Gospel Music is a participatory experience  so get up, dance, move around, let yourself feel the  spirit, call out Amen”! 

The next song introduced call and response, in “Down  by the Riverside”, the audience loudly sang back the  same chorus plus, “ I ain’t going to study war no more”,  etc. The following songs were traditional well-known  songs, “This Little Light of Mine”, “Swing Low Sweet  Chariot” and “Wade in the Water”. The next song, “And  Still I Rise” was sung solo by Laurel Bragg in her clear  soprano voice as she played keyboards which was  deeply moving. 

The last song before the intermission was “Operator,  Information give me Jesus on the line”, which brought  the house into joyful expression together calling out the  lyrics.

Barbara Johnson, vocalist, and Laurel Bragg,  featured singer, songwriter 

Shallon Tore is an international gospel singer/songwriter  and a board-certified pediatrician. She started singing  gospel music as a little girl. In 2014, she told God, “She  only wanted to write songs about him, and that began  her career as a singer/songwriter. Shallon trained with  vocal coach, Jesse Powel. In 2019 she had her first  concert at Christ Lutheran Church in Hilo. From there,  Shallon released her first album, “Far Above, and her  latest Christmas song “The Gift” is available on all major  platforms.

Shallon Tore 

Shallon opened the second set with a traditional cover  song, “God Knows Your Name”, by Tasha Cobbs which  opened up my heart to the power of a higher force  guiding your life in a positive direction knowing you are  protected, guided, heard, and seen by God, “He knows  your name, he knows everything about you and he has  a plan for your life!” She continued with her dynamic  soprano voice singing two original songs. She lives up to  her statement, “ I love to share God-inspired lyrics that  will point people to God and hopefully they will want  more of Him in their lives and want to go home with “the  Lord”!

Even though in the beginning Barbara said this concert was not about baptism or converting you, I felt baptized and converted to the love of Jesus emanating from the songs of Shallon. Visit her website www.shallonmusic.com to hear her YouTube musical videos.

The last 3 songs sung by the band were gospel rousing  favorites, “Let the Church Say Amen” was my favorite.  The band closed with “Shackles”, a modern gospel song  depicting releasing the chains from your hands and feet  so you can raise your hands, praise God, and dance.  Spontaneously several audience members went up in  front of the band and did a line dance together bringing  down the house in joyous union.

Audience members doing line dance 

Barbara thanked the audience for making this concert  happen by “Stepping up to the plate and showing up!”.  She now knows there is an enthusiastic audience for  authentic gospel music. Barbara intends to carry on the  tradition of the Gospel Express experience with more  concerts in the future. 

Gratitude goes to the YMCA staff. CEO, Wendy Botelho,  and her assistant, Martha Rodillas for preparing and  serving homemade Pu’ Pu’ plus all the logistics made to  produce this show. A big ‘Thank you’ to, ‘Uncle Mikey  and Linda’ for doing a great job on the sound! 

 Dates of the next concert: March 24, 2024, YMCA,  300 W.Lanikaula St., in Hilo between 2 & 4 p.m.  Palm Sunday 

 For more information or how to help support this group:  Contact Barbara Johnson at 808 796-0048 

Shallon’s next performance will be Friday, December 8,  2023, at 7 p.m. – Hawaii Island Gospel Community  Choir Christmas Concert, Choir  

Directors – Shallon Tore’ and Dr. Nicole Weston Location: Christ Lutheran Church, 595 Kapiolani Street,  Hilo 

For Information and to join the choir, visit Instagram:@ HawaiiGospelcc