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 Deanna Ransom is a humble and an anointed young lady and a Jersey Girl with one of the hottest albums in gospel music entitled Never Say Never". En Sound was given the opportunity to interview her recently about her career and organization she started to help women and this is how it went...
Deanna, your debut CD “Never Say Never” is steaming hot and sanctified…how did it all start for you”
It started with real-life experience. I wrote the majority of the songs from dealing with situations that I was going through, and it was just the message that God gave to me as far as not giving up. I continue to praise and persevere even in the worst of times, so that’s where that project was birth from.
How long did it take to complete?
You know, a lot of people think that you just go into the studio and record a couple of songs, but they don’t know it is hard work…each time that there is a glitch or real-life hit, you may not be able to get back into the studio at that particular time, then once you get back in, you have to exercise patience even when you are having a bad day. I’d say that it took us over a year and a half to complete.
You have shared stages with the likes of Yolanda Adams, Allen & Allen, Dorinda Clark-Cole and many others. Of all these artists, which one would you say is your favorite?
Well you know that I’m not supposed to have a favorite…Ok...which one do you like most?
I will say that the one who was most inspirational and the greatest blessing was Dorinda Clark-Cole. She can sing and preach! She is just an anointed woman of God, and she spoke into my life in such a way that really is one of the reasons I continue to persevere and complete the project because the Lord used her to speak some words into my life that really was words of guidance. In addition to all of that, I love her spirit, her voice…everything about her. She’s just an awesome woman of God.
Tell me this, how did you get Melba Moore to sing on your project?
Child, what makes you think I had anything to do with that? Really, that was just a blessing. Melba was working with the same producer as I at the time. She was finishing her project. She wanted a song that depicted her at a place of maturity…giving her wisdom to a young lady. Herb Middleton who was our producer offered and said, “hey, I am working with this artist that I think vocally would be a good match to do this song with”. She wanted to meet me and so we met and she agreed to do the song, and so we did it and it’s on her project as well as mine.
Did you feel intimidated all…I mean, it’s Melba Moore we’re talking about!
 I Know…let me tell you something since you really want to know. When we did the first part, she did a verse and I did a verse so we were in the studio separately, then we came in there together. When I went in to do the second verse, she came in and said, “I am going to sit here and watch a young girl”, and I was there thinking…how am I supposed to sing in front of this woman? I mean she is a little woman but she’s so powerful! So I am there thinking ok, now I’m suppose to sing in front of this Tony Award winning, legendary…you know, how am I suppose to sing? Some how we prayed it through! Yes, I was a little…well yes, I was honored first of all that she had consented and also that she wanted to sit in as we were going back and forth doing the recording. She could have said, my part is over and then left, but it was a blessing getting to work with this woman of God.
Tell me about the song, “You Bring Me Joy”…as a matter of fact I have a song on my album of the same name.
Really…Well we have a lot of things that make us happy and things like that, but when you have joy unspeakable, even in the midst of sorrow then nothing can compare to that. That joy can only be found in Christ. When that song was written, I was really at a place where I could have complained, but even though everything around me was not perfect I still have this peace and this joy that I know only comes from Christ. I had to express that to God to let Him know that He’s my joy and He brings this joy into my life and nothing compares to that.
You are from Southern New Jersey…what was it like growing up, did you have lots of music around you?
Oh did I? First of all you have to know that Southern New Jersey is that reason why they call New Jersey the Garden State, you better have something…when you look out all you see is corn fields growing nicely, so you better have something besides all of that. There was always music in our home. My father used to play everything under the sun…Billy Holiday, Nina Simone, Earth Wind & Fire…so I grew up with a lot of that, and then there was my mother who listened to James Cleveland, Shirley Caesar, The Hawkins family and honest to goodness, I just know that I was one of the Clark Sisters…you couldn’t tell me I wasn’t one of them and so I grew up with all these different musical influences, just anything you can think of. It was just so much music
Deanna I must say that you have a great voice. I listen to music a lot and the first time I got your CD and put it in, I was pretty much hooked on the first note. Then I read that you wrote most of the songs and I was more impressed. Truly, honestly enjoy this project.
Oh, praise God. You know what? I don’t take that lightly because I have read some of your reviews, so I know if you like a project…you like a project, so I appreciate that!
You are the founder of an organization for women. Tell us a little about that.
 The organization is called Virtuous Women of Destiny. It was given to me probably at a time when people think I should be somewhere in a corner crying, but really, we as women go through so much and have to persevere through so much. We have a lot of dictates that come into our lives, a lot of influences particularly because we are natural receivers, and sometimes we allow our situations, people or our circumstances to dictate who we are and what we are able to accomplish instead of understanding that once we give our lives to Christ, He should be the one that not just regenerate our spirit man, but He should be the one that regenerate our entire life. Many times we stop short, many time we have women who work on a job that they absolutely hate because “They gotta do what they gotta do”, but we are talking about the Most High God. He has purposes and plans for our lives that we really aught to think deeper and seek Him all the more so that He can reveal His purpose and His plans for our lives so that we can begin to walk according to those things, instead of the dictates that the outward things have mandated into our lives. Virtuous Women of Destiny is about reaching out to women so that we can be all that God has called us to be which will make us better women, better sisters, better wives, better mothers…especially when we are feeling that sense of fulfillment because we are walking in purpose and not just in situations.
That is truly awesome; finally what words of encouragement can you leave with our readers?
I would encourage anyone to make sure that you have a living relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, a prayer life and an ear to hear what He’s saying to you and for you, and make sure you seek Him daily with all your heart. Know that no matter what you are going through, no matter what situation may be trying to confront you…God is sovereign He loves us unconditionally. |