“I am in awe of God,” said Grammy nominated Gospel singer/songwriter Calvin Bridges when talking about how his highly successful single “I Can Go to God in Prayer” was originally released in 1976, then covered by the Queen of Gospel Albertina Walker, then licensed by 300 artists and then licensed by the Smithsonian as a song that changed American culture! “God is worthy of praise. I’m so honored…so humbled.”
I’ve interviewed Calvin many times for his music, but I am in awe too about this news that was brought to me. Celebrating 50 years since the release of his signature song that I honestly thought was written by Albertina Walker all this time. Honestly, Calvin doesn’t even look no more than 50 years-old! I asked myself, was he two years-old when he wrote it?
Amazing. Not only has be collaborated as a Gospel singer/songwriter with Albertina Walker, but Edwin Hawkins, Dr. Bobby Jones, Cheryl Porter, Ricky Dillard and Kurt Carr. Patti LaBelle performed his song “Come On In This House” on stage. Luciano Pavarotti, Boys Choir of Harlem, Alicia Keyes and more have covered the “I Can Go to God in Prayer” single too.
“From my early childhood years,” he told me when I asked about when his roots in Gospel started.
As I was telling him how impressed I was with the success of his single he said, “It wasn’t until, when preparing for the press release, I realized it was licensed by the Smithsonian (the significance of his song). It didn’t darn on me that it was the ‘SMITHSONIAN!’”
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Having your song sampled and covered by so many may people may have had him in the frame of mind that here come ‘another one.” Not really paying attention to who this “another one” is. But that “another one” solidified the song as a part of American history. In fact, the Smithsonian stated that “I Can Go to God in Prayer” is now part of America’s musical heritage and that it has a place in American Culture. Others great artists who covered the “I Can Go to God in Prayer” include Ann Nesby (Sounds of Blackness), and The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.
“She (Albertina Walker) made it a hit,” he confessed honestly as we continued to talk about the song.
“I Can Go to God in Prayer” has an old-time Gospel sound or Traditional Gospel sound that – in this day and age of Contemporary Gospel – offers something fresh and different. He has performed the hit single at the American Embassy in London. Bridges has released a special “50th Anniversary Tribute Video” featuring performances of the song by Albertina Walker in a PBS Special “Going Home to Gospel” with Patti LaBelle, his performance of it with a 400-member choir at Germany’s POGO Music Festival, and his performance of it during an orchestra presentation at Chicago’s Millennium Park. Calvin Bridges has performed all over the world in Europe, Paris, and Africa. He was even asked to perform during the 1996 Olympic Games, inspiring with the Gospel.
“To give God some Traditional Gospel,” Calvin said as we continued to discuss how and why the birth of the song happened. “That is something I am most proud about, introducing a new generation of people to Traditional Gospel. Bring the focus back to God”
Bridges said that the single “I Can Go to God in Prayer” was literally given to him by God – melody and words.
All at once in a short amount of time .I told him I have interview many artists and they all tell me their signature songs were given to them by God. Some would call the single’s sound and style as Holy-Ghost Gospel.
Through the years Calvin has released his music ministry on many record labels, such as the infamous WORD Records and A&M Records. His songs have landed on Billboard’s Top 20 and Top 50 Gospel Charts.
“I just released a new song called ‘Holy One’. It’s a Praise & Worship song. It came out Friday,” the Stellar Award winner (“I Can Go to God in Prayer”) told me as we ended our interview. www.CalvinBridges.org
SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: Dr. Eunice Moseley has an estimated weekly readership of over one million for her column The Pulse of Entertainment. She is the publisher of the digital magazine www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com, which has an estimated 160,000 visitors a month. An entrepreneur, Dr. Moseley’s company, Freelance Associates, is a business management/public relations strategic planning and consulting firm that is celebrating 32 years in 2025. Dr. Eunice also serves as professor for the School of Business at Stanton University in Anaheim, California and serves as promotions director (at-large), journalist and business consultant for The Baltimore Times. Dr. Moseley founded the Uplifting Minds II Foundation (www.UpliftingMinds.com) in 2023, a 501 C3 with a mission to empower the underserved through three major programs – One Stop Business Shop, the ULMII Professional Conference and the ULMII Academy (business management and public relations).EVENTS: “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference (ULMII), was launched by Dr. Eunice in 1999, to educate aspiring artists/musicians about the business of entertainment – www.UpliftingMinds2.com. Next ULMII Entertainment Conferences for Baltimore on Saturday April 18, 2026, presented by Security Square Mall and The Baltimore Times, and for Los Angeles on Saturday, November 7, 2026, presented by The Pulse of Entertainment and the ULMII Foundation. The ULMII conferences are free with virtual access via Zoom. ULMII entertainment conference offers a Professional Panel Q&A Session, a Professional Talent Showcase and International Talent Competition where the top three scored acts receive the ULMII Best Act Award and over $20,000 valued in prizes/product/services and cash!
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