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♪♪
Michael Reilly: Down in Mississippi in that area,
gospel is big but it doesn't usually sound
like what they are doing.
It usually has a big giant band
and is a little bit more melodramatic in my opinion.
This stuff is...
I don't know, it just gets you.
♪♪
They instill these renditions of old traditional songs
with an optimism and honesty that's just fantastic.
♪♪
Just really always been around music.
It's in my soul to sing.
When the anointing comes up on me,
I just want to sing to the power of glory
come down in me, till I can feel it.
When I feel that spirit, I know that what comes from
the heart reaches the heart, I just love singing and
thank God this opportunity came for us to be able to be
the Como Mamas because this is like a dream come true.
Grayson: That dream materialized in an unusual way.
You see, the Como Mamas grandfather, Miles Pratcher,
was recorded by folklorist Alan Lomax in 1959.
The Alan Lomax connection brought some filmmakers
down to Como in search of musical talent,
which just happened to be one of the Como Mama's sons.
But fate took an unusual twist
once the filmmakers arrived in Como.
And finally one day we saw this van coming in
and we thought wow.
And when they got out and told us who they was,
we couldn't believe it.
Of course with Angelia's son being a teenager,
at that time his little group had broke up
because by that time they had finished school.
They were trying to rap when they all
were in school together.
At the time, they had finished high school
and everybody had gone their separate ways.
So he told me, "I sing with another rap group, Aunt Della."
I said, "Go get them.
Go get the ones you sing with."
So Angelia and I made up what can we do
to try to keep him here.
We want to keep these guys here till he gets back.
So we told Michael we sing.
So he said, "Let me hear you all."
And so we sung this song by Shirley Caesar,
"Oh It is Jesus."
When he heard us he said, "I wish I could hear
y'all's grandfather, Miles Pratcher."
I told him I know somebody who has a copy of the CD.
So I called Ester and told her to bring the CD down.
So when Ester came down with the CD,
we told him she sings, too.
He said, "Let's hear all three of you all."
When we sung, he said he was amazed
at how different our voices were.
Michael: The voices were perfectly matched.
Ester was this big, giant, gruff, passionate front voice
and then the other two complimented perfectly.
Angelia, the youngest, is kind of a low round voice.
Della had this kind of a high-pitched voice
it just blended perfectly.
♪♪
It instantly gave us chills up the spine.
It was unbelievable.
Grayson: These three powerful voices provide
the only instrumentation heard on the Como Mamas songs.
♪♪
Della: You know a lot of the singing now has
music with it and sometimes the music is so loud
you can't understand what they're saying.
You really kind of get bits and pieces
of what's being said in the song.
We always felt like people need to hear.
Some songs you will never forget.
Some words you will never forget.
And that is one reason why we sing those old songs
because we know those songs touch people.
♪♪
Grayson: Growing up poor and in the midst of segregation
has only strengthened the resolve of these women
and made them thankful for where they are today.
Ester: I can remember we had so much cotton.
I can remember being able to pick
200 pounds of cotton a day.
Our clothes that my mom made me and my sister,
she would take the flour sack and make us dresses.
That is how we had dresses to wear
and we would get one pair of shoes
when you would go to school and come back,
you would have to get out of those shoes
and go barefeeted to make the shoes last longer.
Della: I remember those big signs being everywhere
in Como "White Only" so you couldn't use this restroom.
My mother had to take a jug of water with her,
so if I wanted some water, I could get some
of the water she brought with us.
Growing up in Como was good,
but I also remember the times
when we couldn't do this and we couldn't do that.
And now whatever I want to eat,
whatever I want to wear, wherever I want to go,
I can do it.
And to not be thankful, that is in our songs
and why we sing so hard
because we know where God has brought us.
♪♪
Como is known for this steakhouse.
Whenever you say something about Como,
everybody knows that you're talking about the steakhouse,
but we want Como to be known
for more than just a steakhouse.
We want Como to be known for the Como Mamas
and when somebody says Como Mamas,
we want them to know what they're talking about.
It is really nice and I've lived here all my life
and I've never eaten in there.
(laughter)
Ester: Just looking at my childhood coming up
and the changes that have been made here,
I just love Como and I think this is a place that I will stay
until the good Lord calls me home.
♪♪
Grayson: Daptone Records recorded
the Como Mamas' first CD
at the rural Mount Mariah CME Church.
Those simple a cappella recordings
have thrown these ladies into the proverbial spotlight.
♪♪
Michael: They also have an incredibly positive vibe.
A good vibe.
They love people.
I noticed that this last show at SXSW in Austin,
they are really engaging their viewers now
and talking to them.
I don't know, it was just a really nice vibe.
They are just a real honest, cool group of ladies.
♪♪
Angela: We are so blessed.
It's just happening so fast.
We are not rich, but we're rich in spirit
and I think that is what people like
about the Como Mamas, too.
We don't drive fancy cars or have all that jewelry
hanging around our necks.
But we are rich in spirit
and we try to show it with our smiles
and we try to touch people's hearts when we talk to them.
I just think that God has really blessed us.
Matter of fact, I know God has blessed us
and I just hope people continue to feel
the love and the warmth we all have inside us.
♪♪
Della: I enjoy knowing that I'm living my life
and doing what God wants me to do.
He put me down here to glorify Him.
When we get up on that stage,
everybody will be like what we have here?
What is this?
And then when they hear us sing,
the reaction that comes over their face
when our voices are in harmony together.
I enjoy seeing the expression on people's faces
that they can't believe that is coming out of our mouths.
They can't believe the harmony that they are hearing.
And it makes me feel good because I enjoy
knowing in my heart that only what you do
for Christ is going to last.
I may do a whole lot of things in my life,
but only what I do for Christ is going to follow me
from this earth all the way to heaven.
♪♪