WHEN MORNING CAME TO LOUISIANA WE WERE HOPEFUL, NOT HIBERNATING, WE WERE STRONGER, READY FOR WHAT'S NEXT AND TOGETHER AS WE BUILD ANU, BLUE CROSS STANDS READY TO SUPPORT YOU.

HI.

I'M PATRICK, EMPLOYEE AT EXXON MOBIL AND PASTOR OF LOUISIANA ASSEMBLY.

I'M SO GLAD THEY ARE SPONSORING THE LOUISIANA BLACK CHURCH ON LPB AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY WATCHING.

AND BY CSRS, BUILDING STRONGER COMMUNITIES TOGETHER.

ENTERGY IS PROUD TO SUPPORT PROGRAMMING ON LPB AND GREENER PRACTICES THAT PRESERVE LOUISIANA.

THE GOAL OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES REALLY IS TO ENSURE THAT OUR KIDS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN BE LEFT WITH A CLEANER PLANET.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THE FRED B.

AND RUTH B. ZIEGLER FOUNDATION AND THE ZIEGLER ART MUSEUM LOCATED IN JENNINGS CITY HALL.

THE MUSEUM FOCUSES ON EMERGING LOUISIANA ARTISTS AND IS AN HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CENTER FOR SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.

AND THE FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE IN LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING WITH SUPPORT FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY LNS CAPTIONING WWW.LNSCAPTIONING.COM WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CONFIDENCE IN OUR SYSTEMS RIGHT NOW.

EXTREME COLD EXPOSES PROBLEMS THAT MUST BE FIXED.

I WANTED CONSISTENCY.

THE LEAP OF FAITH IN HOME SCHOOLING AND WHY IT'S TRENDING.

CHANGE IS GOING TO COME AND THAT WAS INSTILLED IN MANY OF US.

EXPLORING THE UNIQUE SOUNDS OF BLACK GOSPEL.

HI, EVERYONE.

I'M KARA ST. CYR.

AND I'M ANDRE MOREAU.

WE'LL GO IN DEPTH ON THOSE TOP STORIES IN A MOMENT ON THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "SWI."

BUT FIRST, THE GOVERNOR USED HIS THURSDAY COVID BRIEFING TO ANNOUNCE THE WHITE HOUSE HAD OKAY'd HIS REQUEST FOR EMERGENCY HELP DEALING WITH THE AFTERMATH OF THE SEVERE WINTER BLAST.

AND ON THAT THOUGHT, WHAT MADE SHREVEPORT A TARGET FOR SO MANY PROBLEMS?

VIEWERS IN EAST TEXAS WERE HARD HIT, WITH PROBLEMS FROM SUB ZERO WEATHER.

IN A FEW MINUTES WE'LL TALK WITH SHREVEPORT MAYOR ADRIAN PERKINS ABOUT HIS CITY'S TRIFECTA OF ICE MISERY.

THE COVID NEWS FROM THE GOVERNOR IS MORE ENCOURAGING.

LDH REPORTING THE NUMBERS OF INFECTIONS, PETE TREATED IN HOSPITALS, AND THOSE LOSING THEIR LIVES, ALL CONTINUE TO TREND DOWNWARD.

BETTERS NEWS ABOUT COVID VACCINES ALSO TO REPORT.

LOUISIANA IS RECEIVING MORE DOSES FOR NEXT WEEK THAN EXPECTED AND EXPANDING THOSE WHO CAN GET IT TO K-12 TEACHERS, STAFF, AND DAYCARE WORKERS, 55-64 FOR PEOPLE WITH EXISTING HEALTH PROBLEMS.

WE HAVE RECEIVED SOME GOOD NEWS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS AND AGAIN THIS WEEK WITH DOSES BEING INCREASED, IN TERMS OF THE ALLOCATION COMING TO LOUISIANA.

AND THIS MOST RECENT INCREASE, THE PREVIOUS INCREASES HAVE BEEN PRIMARILY ON THE MODERNA SIDE.

THE NEXT INCREASE COMING NEXT WEEK IS ON THE PFIZER SIDE.

THAT IS THE GOOD NEWS.

THE BAD NEWS IS THE SHIPMENTS COMING IN FOR THIS WEEK HAVE BEEN DELAYED.

AND THE WHITE HOUSE TALKED TO US ABOUT THIS ON TUESDAY AND THAT IS FOR A VARIETY OF FACTORS.

EMPLOYEES WERE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING TO THE PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING SITE IN ORDER TO PACKAGE THINGS UP.

AND YOU HAD WINTER STORMS AFFECTING CLOSURES AT VARIOUS AIRPORTS WHERE THE DISTRIBUTION OCCURS.

SO OUR LARGE SHIPMENTS OF PFIZER AND MODERNA FOR THIS WEEK WHICH NORMALLY WOULD COME IN MONDAY AND TUESDAY HAVEN'T YET ARRIVED.

WE EXPECT TO GET THOSE SHIPMENTS.

WE DON'T KNOW WHEN.

SATURDAY OR SUNDAY AND MONDAY OR TUESDAY WE WOULD GET WHAT ORDINARY WAS COMING NEXT WEEK ANYWAY.

DR. KANTER CAN TALK ABOUT THIS.

WE HAVE TO DOUBLE UP NEXT WEEK AS BEST WE CAN IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF DOSES WE ADMINISTER IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.

NOW A LOOK AT OTHER NEWS MAKING HEADLINES.

CHECK OUT THIS MARDI GRAS DAY IN THE FRENCH QUARTER.

BARRICADED STREETS KEPT ANYONE OUT WHO WASN'T BOOKED AT A HOTEL THERE.

COVID'S CANCELLATIONS OF ALL EVENTS MARDI GRAS AND RESTRICTIONS THAT SHUT DOWN BARS AND THE SALE OF BOOZE WORKED AS PLANNED, BUT DON'T YOU JUST THINK THE FRIGID WEATHER THAT BLEW IN ON CUE MADE CERTAIN NOT MANY WOULD VENTURE OUT WHERE NOTHING WAS HAPPENING.

EXXONMOBIL THIS WEEK HOSTED A VIRTUAL EVENT TO SCOUT FOR A WIDER NETWORK OF LOCAL SUPPLIERS IN ADVANCE OF THE BIG $410 MILLION REFINERY PROJECT AT THE PLANT IN THE CAPITAL CITY.

THE COMPANY SAYS IT PLANS TO SPEND $226 MILLION IN BATON ROUGE AND SET ASIDE AT LEAST $3.5 MILLION FOR DIVERSE SUPPLIERS AND $1 MILLION MORE FOR BATON ROUGE-BASED COMPANIES.

THE STATE REPUBLICAN PARTY THIS PAST SATURDAY CENSURED GOP SENATOR BILL CASSIDY FOR VOTING TO CONVICT FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AT HIS SECOND IMPEACHMENT TRIAL.

CASSIDY JOINED SIX OTHER REPUBLICANS AND 50 DEMOCRATS VOTING AGAINST TRUMP IN THE JANUARY 6th ATTACK N THE U.S. CAPITOL.

TRUMP WAS ACQUITTED SINCE 67 SENATE VOTES WERE NEEDED.

CASSIDY LISTENED TO THE EVIDENCE AND SAID TRUMP WHO WAS CHARGED WITH INCITEMENT OF INSURRECTION WAS GUILTY.

HE HAS BEEN BATTERED BY STATE REPUBLICANS.

AS CASSIDY GETS RAILED FOR HIS GUILTY VOTE ON TRUMP, COMRADE STEVE SCALISE MEANTIME JETTED TO FLORIDA TO VISIT WITH TRUMP.

SAYS SCALISE, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN FRIENDS.

THOUGH STATE LAWMAKERS SAID NO TO RECENT PROPOSALS TO RAISE THE STATE GASOLINE TAX, ANOTHER REPUBLICAN LEGISLATOR IS HOPING TO PERSUADE COLLEAGUES THAT THE TIME IS PAST DUE TO ATTACK THE MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR BACKLOG PROBLEM ON ROADS AND BRIDGES.

REPRESENTATIVE JACK McFARLAND OF WINNFIELD IS FACING THE SAME NOISE THAT DASHED OTHER EFFORTS, BUT STILL HOLDING OUT HOPE.

THE BLAST OF EXTREME WINTER WEATHER THIS WEEK LEFT GRAND ISLE FEELING MORE LIKE GREEN BAY.

IT MADE DRIVING NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR SOME.

IT WAS TOUGH TO STAY WARM ESPECIALLY WITH THE POWER OUT.

I TALKED WITH SHREVEPORT'S MAYOR AND A LEAD LOCAL METEOROLOGIST.

INTERSTATE 10 THAT RUNS FROM TEXAS TO MISSISSIPPI REOPENED THURSDAY AFTER BEING CLOSED MUCH OF THE WEEK.

THE I-10 JUST ONE OF MANY ROADS AND BRIDGES THAT CLOSED BECAUSE OF AN ICE COATING.

THROUGHOUT SHREVEPORT AND ACROSS THE TOP OF THE BOOT, SOME ROADS ARE STILL CLOSED.

FOR A TIME, THE AIRPORT CLOSED.

NO PLANES COMING OR GOING.

THIS MAP BRINGS YOU UP TO SPEED ON THE STATUS OF POWER OUTAGES.

RED IS WHERE THEY ARE STILL MOST CONCENTRATED.

NEAR ZERO TEMPERATURES IN SHREVEPORT CAUSED SECTIONS OF PIPE IN THE CITY'S WATER MAIN TO BREAK AND RUPTURE, IMPACTING EVERYONE INCLUDING SOME HOSPITALS.

RECORDS, ICE, SNOW AND A LOT OF TROUBLE FOR A LOT OF CITY SURFACES.

YEAH, WE HAVE.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN A WEATHER EVENT LIKE THIS IN THE CITY OF SHREVEPORT IN 91 YEARS AND THIS WILL SURPASS THAT.

OUR SYSTEMS ARE BEING STRESSED TO A DEGREE WE COULDN'T IMAGINE.

WE ARE GOING THROUGH A LOT BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC AND THINGS THAT OCCURRED IN THE CITY.

IT IS A PRETTY TRYING TIME FOR OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW.

WATER MAIN BREAKS SEVERAL PLACES.

HOW MUCH OF THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE WATER THAT CAN DRINK?

A MAJORITY OF IT, ACTUALLY.

IT IS NOT NECESSARILY ABOUT THE SUPPLY OF WATER TO HOMES.

IT IS THE WATER PRESSURE.

MOST OF OUR HOMES HAVE WATER IN THE HOME, JUST PRESSURE IS LOW.

ARE THERE STILL BOIL ADVISORY?

YES.

WE ARE UNDER BOIL ADVISORY.

YOU PLACE YOUR CITY IN A BOIL ADVISORY FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS, ONE BEING, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CONFIDENCE IN OUR SYSTEM RIGHT NOW WITH BACTERIA AND THINGS THAT CAN GET INTO OUR SYSTEM BECAUSE OF THE BREACHES IN IT.

WE ARE TELLING OUR CITIZENS TO BOIL THEIR WATER BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE CONFIDENCE IT IS SAFE TO DRINK AS IS.

YOU SAID A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE?

YES.

THE CITY OF SHREVEPORT IS 200,000 PEOPLE AND WE GIVE WATER TO SOME OF THE SURROUNDING AREAS.

SO OVER 200,000 PEOPLE ON OUR WATER SYSTEM WHAT ABOUT POWER TO PEOPLE?

FORTUNATELY, OUR POWER GRID IS RUNNING STRONG.

I HAD A CONVERSATION TODAY WITH THE GOVERNMENT LIAISON FOR -- THEY SAID THEY ARE STRONG THROUGHOUT.

THEY DON'T HAVE ANY SCHEDULED BLACKOUTS, ROLLING BLACKOUTS FOR THE COMMUNITY.

THAT IS A GOOD THING.

I TOLD MY COMMUNITY IN A PRESS CONFERENCE CONSIDER IT IS A BLESSING YOU WILL HAVE POWER, BUT YOU PROBABLY WILL NOT HAVE WATER.

THE PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN FORECASTING THESE BRUTAL WINTER STORMS HAVE WORKED NONSTOP TO KEEP UP.

LIKE KSLA-TV CHIEF METEOROLOGIST JEFF CASTLE.

OF COURSE, IN THE DEEP SOUTH, LOUISIANA INCLUDED, THERE IS REALLY NO WAY TO DEAL WITH SNOW AND ICE WHEN IT COMES DOWN.

WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT OR THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO DEAL WITH IT.

SO WE'RE DEALING WITH BASICALLY SNOW AND ICE-COVERED ROADS.

TREACHEROUS TRAVEL OUT THERE.

EVEN TODAY BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT OF THE SNOW AND ICE, SEEING A LOT OF REPORTS OF PEOPLE'S CARPORTS COLLAPSING UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE SNOW AND ICE, STARTING TO GET SOME POWER OUTAGE ISSUES AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THE FREEZING RAIN AND OVERALL, IT IS A MESS UP HERE.

IT IS A REAL MESS.

WE ARE NOT GOING SEE ANY IMPROVEMENTS EXCEPT GRADUALLY OVER THE WEEKEND.

BASICALLY, WE ARE RELYING ON MOTHER NATURE TO TAKE CARE OF REMOVING THE SNOW AND ICE.

WHAT KIND OF E-MAILS ARE YOU GETTING FROM PEOPLE RIGHT NOW?

E-MAILS ABOUT WATER?

EVERYBODY SAYING HEY, WHAT IS GOING ON WITH OUR WATER SYSTEM?

A BUNCH OF E-MAILS ABOUT WATER THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

WE HAVE PIPES IN OUR SYSTEM OVER 100 YEARS OLD W WE WENT OUT FOR A BOND PROPOSAL A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.

IT FAILED BY 20 VOTES.

PEOPLE ARE SEEING HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE AN UPGRADED, MORE RESILIENT WATER SYSTEM RIGHT NOW.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS ONE OF THOSE LESSONS YOU DON'T WANT TO LEARN, BUT WE ARE HERE, WE ARE GOING TO GET THROUGH IT AND DO WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE SHREVEPORT STRONGER.

COVID IS CERTAIN TO LEAVE LASTING MARKS ON OUR SCHOOLS AND HOW KIDS LEARN.

THIS WEEK I TALKED WITH A BATON ROUGE FAMILY WHO ARE MOST LIKELY TO CHECK THE BOXES ON TRENDS COVID HAS TRIGGERED.

BATON ROUGE MOM JENNIFER SCOTT HAD THOUGHT ABOUT HOME SCHOOLING HER YOUNG CHILDREN BEFORE COVID, BUT THE IDEA DIDN'T TAKE ROOT UNTIL SCHOOLS EMPTIED THEIR CLASSROOMS IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC.

I'M WORKING FULL TIME, TEACHING CHILDREN AT HOME.

NOW SHE AND HER FAMILY ARE PART OF A GROWING TREND, STATE AND NATIONWIDE.

LAST YEAR WHEN THEY WERE HOME, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER DOING VIRTUAL LEARNING WE DECIDED WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THE LEAP AND HOME SCHOOL.

SO WE ACTUALLY DECIDED AT THE END OF LAST MARCH TO HOME SCHOOL THEM.

WE HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT HOME SCHOOLING THEM BEFORE.

SO THIS WASN'T THE FIRST THOUGHT IN OUR MIND.

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF FRIENDS WHO HOME SCHOOL SO I REACHED OUT TO THEM AND STARTED TALKING TO THEM.

THAT HELPED US WITH THE DECISION.

WAS IT SCARY?

IT WAS AND IT STILL IS.

SO IT WAS VERY SCARY, BUT WE HAVE GOTTEN INTO A ROUTINE AND EVERYTHING IS FLOWING PRETTY WELL.

VIVIANA IS 5 AND IN KINDERGARTEN.

HUGH IS 9 IN THIRD GRADE.

GOOD.

WHAT ARE THOSE?

THE PERIODIC TABLES.

WE HAVE SET UP A TABLE AND A DESK.

MY SON HAS A WHOLE DESK AND HE SITS THERE AND THAT IS WHERE HE DOES HIS SCHOOL WORK AND MY DAUGHTER, WE BOUGHT A TABLE, LIKE A ROUNDTABLE.

I SIT WITH HER WHEN I'M TEACHING HER.

WHAT WAS THE BREAKING POINT THAT MADE YOU FEEL YOU NEEDED TO HAVE YOUR KIDS AT HOME?

THE BREAKING POINT WAS NOT KNOWING WHAT THIS YEAR WAS GOING TO ENTAIL, THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

I DID NOT WANT THEM COMING IN AND OUT FROM HOME, VIRTUAL SCHOOLING, BACK TO SCHOOL AND THEN SOMEONE HAD COVID AND THEY ARE GOING BACK HOME TO VIRTUAL.

I WANTED CONSISTENCY.

TELL ME ABOUT THE 14th AMENDMENT.

[ INAUDIBLE ] JENNIFER SAYS HER KIDS HAVE ADJUSTED PRETTY WELL AND THE NETWORK OF HELP MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE IN ADAPTING TO THE CHANGE.

WE HAVE JOINED A CO-OP AND WE HAVE MET MANY, MANY FAMILIES AND THEY HAVE LOTS OF NEW FRIENDS.

WE MEET WITH THE CO-OP TWICE A WEEK AND THERE ARE MORE HOME-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES THAN WE CAN JOIN.

HER FAMILY'S EXPERIENCE IS FAR DIFFERENT THAN THE CHAOS SEEN AT MANY SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

CHAOS THAT RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT KIDS LEARNING.

THE LACK OF CONSISTENCY.

CHILDREN, JUST LIKE ADULTS, WE ALL NEED CONSISTENCY.

CHILDREN LEARN BETTER WHEN THEY HAVE A ROUTINE.

WE ARE GOING TO HOME SCHOOL ANOTHER YEAR AND WE'RE HAPPY WHERE WE ARE.

WE'RE HAPPY WITH THE SLOWER PACE OF LIFE.

THEY ARE ABLE TO DO A LOT MORE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE THAN THEY WOULD IF THEY WERE GOING ALL DAY.

RIGHT NOW FOR OUR FAMILY, IT'S BEEN A GOOD THING AND LIKE I SAID, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE IT YEAR BY YEAR AND, YOU KNOW, JUST GO FROM THERE.

COVID HAS FORCED CHANGE.

JENNIFER BELIEVES MORE AND MORE FAMILIES WILL CHOOSE HOME SCHOOLING AT LEAST IN THE EARLY YEARS BECAUSE THEY CAN CONTROL WHAT HAPPENS AND CAN EVEN START KIDS A YEAR EARLIER THAN REGULAR SCHOOLING.

I FEEL LIKE IT IS MORE BENEFICIAL FOR THEM TO START AT A YOUNGER AGE IF THEY ARE GOING TO HOME SCHOOL.

A LOT OF PARENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR 4 AND 5-YEAR-OLDS, YES, THEY HAVE STARTED HOME SCHOOLING THEM AND THAT IS AN AGE, THOUGH, THAT THEY ARE LEARNING TO READ.

THEY ARE LEARNING TO WRITE AND HOLD A PENCIL.

THEY ARE LEARNING HOW TO SPELL.

SO IT IS A CRITICAL AGE ON GETTING ALL OF THOSE THINGS BEFORE THEY GET TO FIRST AND SECOND GRADE.

SO THERE IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST -- THEY ARE NOT JUST PLAYING ALL DAY.

THE DECISION TO HOME SCHOOL IS WEIGHTY, JENNIFER SAYS, BUT THE SUPPORT FROM A GROWING LEGION OF THOSE CHOOSING IT REASSURES HER OF ITS VALUE.

IN BATON ROUGE, AT LEAST, THERE ARE A LOT OF HOME SCHOOLERS.

HUMOR-SCHOOL FAMILIES THAT WILL OPEN UP AND LET YOU KNOW HOW THEY DID IT.

I HAVE TALKED TO SO MANY FAMILIES THAT HAVE HELPED ME, YOU KNOW, ON THIS JOURNEY THIS YEAR THAT HAVE MADE IT A LOT SMOOTHER.

IT IS UP TO 10% NOW, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS HOME-SCHOOLED.

IT'S ESTIMATED THAT $40 MILLION IS SPENT EACH YEAR IN LOUISIANA ON LITTER REMOVAL, ABATEMENT, AND ENFORCEMENT.

DISCARDED TRASH FINDS ITS WAY INTO STORM DRAINS AND EVENTUALLY WATERSHEDS.

IN BATON ROUGE, 81 TONS OF LITTER HAVE ACCUMULATED AT THE BURDEN BOTANICAL GARDENS CREATING LAYERS OF LITTER ALMOST 20 FEET DEEP.

JUST EDUCATING THE PUBLIC THAT WE CAN'T THROW OUT OUR CANS AND PLASTIC BOTTLES IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE EQUIPMENT PLACED IN OUR WETLANDS, OUR CANALS, AND CHANNELS IN ORDER TO REMOVE THAT LITTER OUT OF OUR WETLANDS AND PREVENT IT FROM CREATING ISSUES LIKE WE HAVE HERE.

THIS MONTH'S "LOUISIANA PUBLIC SQUARE" EXPLORES LOUISIANA'S LITTER PROBLEM AND HOW THE STATE, MUNICIPALITIES, AND PEOPLE ARE COMBATING IT.

"LITTER IN LOUISIANA" AIRS WEDNESDAY AT 7:00 P.M. ON LPB AND IN NEW ORLEANS ON WLAE.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM, VISIT LPB.ORG/PUBLICSQUARE.

THE CHURCH ORGAN AND THOSE POWERFUL VOICES IN THE CHOIR MAKE UP THAT DISTINCT SOUND COMING FROM THE BLACK PULPIT.

FOR SOME, THE MUSIC IS WHAT REALLY MAKES THE BLACK CHURCH BLACK, BUT LIKE EVERYTHING IN HISTORY, THAT MUSIC AND THAT SOUND HAVE EVOLVED OVER TIME.

TONIGHT AS WE CONTINUE OUR LOUISIANA BLACK CHURCHES SPECIAL, WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE THAT SOUND COMES FROM AND HOW IT'S SEWN INTO THE AMERICAN FABRIC.

IN THE 1940s, BLUES MUSIC WAS JUST GETTING POPULAR.

THE BASE OF THE ELECTRIC GUITAR WAS GAINING MAINSTREAM TRACTION AND MUDDY WATERS' VOICE DOMINATED THE AIRWAVES.

THE SOUND SEEMED TO STICK EVERYWHERE AND WITH EVERYONE, EXCEPT THESE GUYS.

[ MUSIC ] DURING THAT TIME, PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT IF YOU PUT A GUITAR AROUND YOUR NECK AND YOU COME IN THE CHURCH THAT YOU WAS GOING TO HELL.

SO IF YOU SANG THE BLUES, YOU WERE DOOMED FOR HELL, SO THAT WAS INSTILLED IN US.

REVEREND STERLING WRIGHT HAS BEEN PERFORMING WITH THE LEGENDARY LIGHTHOUSE GOSPEL SINGERS SINCE IS 1948.

HE AND HIS BROTHER AND ONE OF HIS COUSINS WERE DISCOVERED SINGING QUARTET-STYLE GOSPEL MUSIC WHEN THEY WERE KIDS.

JUST SIMPLE MELODIES AND SIMPLE BEATS, NOTHING COMPLICATED, BUT SIMPLE MADE A NAME FOR THIS SMALL GROUP.

WE WOULD GO TO WILSON, LOUISIANA, TO BATON ROUGE, DENHAM SPRINGS, PINE GROVE, DIFFERENT LITTLE COUNTRY TOWNS THAT WE WOULD GO TO TO SING.

THE LIGHTHOUSE GOSPEL SING ERS FOCUSED ON WHAT THEY HAD NATURALLY.

THEIR HANDS.

THEIR FEET.

WRIGHT SAYS YOU COULDN'T GET AWAY WITH ELECTRONICALLY ALTERING YOUR VOICE.

YOU HAD TO BE ABLE TO SING.

[ MUSIC ] THERE WERE SONGS LIKE THAT.

SOME OF THEM HAD A SLOWER BEAT AND SOME OF THEM HAD A FASTER BEAT AND SO FORTH.

IT WAS ALL HAND CLAPPING AND HIP SLAPPING BACK THEN, NO MUSIC.

THE GROUP'S MANAGER, GERARD ROBINSON, SAYS THEIR SIGNATURE STYLE EVOLVED FROM SOMETHING PAINFUL IN THE BLACK EXPERIENCE.

THE SUFFERING THAT WAS ENDURED BY OUR ANCESTORS AND OUR FOREFATHERS, THE ONLY WAY TO EXPRESS THAT WITHOUT CAUSING TROUBLE ON THE PLANTATION WAS THROUGH THE SOUL OF THEIR MUSIC.

NATORSHAU DAVIS, A VOCAL MUSIC PROFESSOR AT GRAMBLING UNIVERSITY, SAYS BLACK GOSPEL IS A NEGRO SPIRITUAL OF A DIFFERENT NAME.

THEY USED SONGS.

TO FREEDOM WAS TO HARRIET TUBMAN BECAUSE SHE WAS CARRYING THEM TO FREEDOMLAND.

IT WAS A CODED LANGUAGE ONLY THEY COULD UNDERSTAND.

A NEGRO SPIRITUAL WOULD CARRY LONG NOTES WITHOUT MUCH VARIATION.

ONE PERSON WOULD SING AND THE REST OF THE FIELD WOULD MIMIC THAT LINE.

THE SONG WOULD CONTINUE LIKE THAT UNTIL THE END.

IN THE CHURCH YOU HAVE CALL AND RESPONSE.

THE OLD ONE HUNDREDS I CALLED OUT TO THE LORD AND HE HEARD MY CRY.

GUIDE ME O THY GREAT JEHOVAH.

ALL OF THOSE SONGS WERE EXAMPLES OF CALL AND RESPONSE.

BUT OVER TIME, YOU SEE THAT CHANGE TO HARMONIES, TWO-PART, TO THREE-PART TO FOUR-PART WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IS TRADITIONAL QUARTET SINGING.

OKAY?

IN THESE DAYS AND TIME YOU'RE MORE CONTEMPORARY CHOIR AND PRAISE TEAM, PRAISE AND WORSHIP STYLE OF SINGING.

THIS GOSPEL GROUP WAS FORMED WHEN FOUR-PART AND THREE-PART HARMONIES DOMINATED THE CHURCH.

THIS STYLE STAYED THAT WAY FOR A LONG TIME.

ELECTRIC GUITARS, DRUMS, AND EVEN THE PIANO WERE TABOO IN A LOT OF BLACK SANCTUARYS.

THE BEAT WAS REMINISCENT OF THE BLUES CLUBS AND JUKE JOINTS THAT DIDN'T CARRY A MESSAGE THE CHURCH WANTED TO HEAR.

SO THOSE HARMONIES WERE ALL THEY HAD UNTIL AROUND THE'60s AND'70s NOW YOU'VE GOT YOUR CHORAL SOUNDS AND THE ORGAN AND THE GUITAR.

YOU HAVE ARTISTS LIKE BYRON CAGE AND THE CLARK SISTERS MARRYING WORLDLY AND GOSPEL SOUNDS.

THAT EMOTION, THAT FEELING, THAT IS THE ONE THING WE CAN DO AS ONE BODY, AS ONE UNIT.

THEY DIDN'T JUST SING.

THEY ALSO JOINED HANDS OR LOCKED ARMS.

THEY WALKED TOGETHER.

THAT ONE MIND, THAT ONE ACCORD IN THE SAME PLACE.

ONE VISION, ONE PURPOSE IN MIND.

TRADITIONAL QUARTET MUSIC IS STILL ROOTED IN THAT TRADITIONAL GOSPEL MUSIC FEEL AND WHAT I MEAN BY FEEL, I MEAN THE MOVEMENT, THE LONG MELODIES, THE TRADITIONAL GOSPEL MUSIC.

AND WHAT WE'S BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH THE GOSPEL SINGERS IS MOVE SOMEWHERE FROM THE LONG TONE TO UPBEAT, KEEP THE TRADITIONAL SOUND.

THE LEGENDARY LIGHTHOUSE GOSPEL SINGERS ARE SINGING A DIFFERENT TUNE NOW, ONE THAT'S MORE SECULAR.

IT HAS A BEAT YOU CAN SWAY TO, SOMETHING THAT WAS ONCE FORBIDDEN.

OUR MUSIC NOW IS MORE UPBEAT BECAUSE YOU KNOW PEOPLE NOW ARE MORE EMOTIONAL THEN THEY WERE THEN.

IT'S CLEAR THAT THE WORLD HAS PLAYED A ROLE IN BLACK CHURCH MUSIC, BUT THE CHURCH ALSO LEFT ITS MARK ON THE WORLD.

THE LONG NOTES AND ORGANS YOU HEAR IN POPULAR SONGS ALL COME FROM THE PULPIT.

FOR INSTANCE, SAM COOKE'S MUSIC HAS DISTINCT ORIGINS IN THE CHURCH.

HE USES HIS VOICE TO DRAG OUT LONG MELODIES AND GIVE A MESSAGE OF CHANGE, WHICH IS A DEEPLY BLACK SENTIMENT.

WHEN HE GETS TO THE PART WHERE HE SAYS, OH, JUST LIKE A RIVER, I'VE BEEN RUNNING EVER SINCE.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME, LONG TIME COMING, AND IF YOU LISTEN TO IT AND THEN GOSPEL RECORDS THEY HAVE THE SAME TUNE, THE SAME MUSIC.

THE GOSPEL MUSIC YOU HEAR ON THE RADIO, WILL IT LAST?

THE SOUL, THE LIGHT IT CARRIES.

THE LEGENDARY LIGHTHOUSE SINGERS THINK YES.

WHEN THERE IS SUFFERING, THERE IS HOPE AND WHEN THERE IS HOPE, YOU WILL ALWAYS FIND SOUL.

THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEK.

REMEMBER, YOU CAN WATCH ANYTHING LPB ANY TIME, WHEREVER YOU ARE, WITH OUR LPB APP YOU CAN CATCH LPB NEWS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS SHOWS AS WELL AS OTHER LOUISIANA PROGRAMS YOU'VE COME TO ENJOY OVER THE YEARS.

AND PLEASE LIKE US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

FOR EVERYONE AT LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING, I'M ANDRE MOREAU.

I'M KARA ST. CYR.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, THAT'S THE "STATE WE'RE IN."

ENTERGY IS PROUD TO SUPPORT PROGRAMMING ON LPB AND GREENER PRACTICES THAT PRESERVE LOUISIANA.

THE GOAL OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES REALLY IS TO ENSURE THAT OUR KIDS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN BE LEFT WITH A CLEANER PLANET.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THE FRED B.

AND RUTH B. ZIEGLER FOUNDATION AND THE ZIEGLER ART MUSEUM LOCATED IN JENNINGS CITY HALL.

THE MUSEUM FOCUSES ON EMERGING LOUISIANA ARTISTS AND IS AN HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CENTER FOR SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.

AND THE FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE IN LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING WITH SUPPORT FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

FUNDING FOR THE STORIES OF LOUISIANA'S BLACK WHOICH IS PROVIDED BY -- WHEN MORNING CAME TO LOUISIANA, WITH WERE HOPEFUL, NOT HIBERNATING.

WE WERE STRONGER, READY FOR WHAT IS NEXT.

TOGETHER AS WE BUILD NEW, BLUE CROSS STANDS READY TO SUPPORT YOU.

HI.

I'M PATRICK, EMPLOYEE AT EXXON MOBIL AND PASTOR OF BELIEVERS ASSEMBLY IN BATON ROUGE.

I'M SO GLAD EXXON MOBIL IS SPONSORING THE LOUISIANA BLACK CHURCH ON LPB AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY WATCHING IT.

AND BY CSRX, BUILDING