charrise barron.
the lawsons
cohort. 2023-24
project. The Lawsons: the Soundtrack to a Civil Rights Story
location. Houston
medium. audio
This project records the soundtrack for the play The Lawsons: A Civil Rights Love Story, which premiered at the Ensemble Theatre, the oldest Black theatre in Houston, Texas. The play narrates the lives of Rev. William “Bill” Lawson and his wife Audrey Lawson. Theirs is a story of deep Christian faith which fueled their abiding love, remarkable romance, and world-shaping activism. The couple worked together to found the historic Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, in Houston, Texas, and Bill Lawson was instrumental in integrating the city of Houston during the civil rights era. Barron composed the original music and lyrics for the play, which encompasses gospel and rhythm and blues. As a Crossroads Arts Fellow, Barron brings the music of the play to life through studio production of the soundtrack.
“Letters” is the main anthem for the play...it's the big booming ballad that really speaks to the love story that Bill and Audrey shared... [T]he song is a duet between Audrey and Bill and throughout the song they're singing to each other. And then of course, Audrey closes out the end of the chorus saying, “Don't you ever stop writing me. I love every line of your letters.” [It's] the main song of the play, the anthem that recurs throughout the play.
This song is a fun playful number that pulls from R&B. What was fun about this song is it's a chance to lean into the romantic side of Bill and Audrey Lawson, the lyrics of the song basically talk about the personalities of both the characters and during this song we see in the play, the two finally meet in person.
Time for Change...is written to remind us of the music that inspired civil rights activists that was taken from black churches and reformed and refashioned to be part of the Civil Rights Movement...Bill Lawson and other men who are activists at the time are meeting with the mayor of the city and surrounding that event, which was a catalytic moment for integrating the retail stores.
Bill's Prayer...is a prayer in which Bill is speaking to God about how to guide the students through this moment of activism in a way that doesn't cause catastrophic problems for the students and their education. So he's saying to God, basically, the students are really on fire. God help me to lead these students and to fight. Bill starts the prayer with a bit of trepidation, but by the end of it, he's encouraged and charged.
“Take This City”...begins with a trio, The Charter Chicks, [who] were founding members of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church. And, at the start of this song, they're singing about integration taking over the city. At this point in the play, the men have met with the mayor and begrudgingly they have gotten a commitment from the mayor to integrate the stores. “Take This City” is a song that basically celebrates the integration of the city.
This song is a prayer to God that Bill and Audrey are praying. But, it's also a conversation between the two. Bill’s circumstance is that he's in jail and concerned about what's going to happen with the people that he is caring about and wanting to fight for. And Audrey is frustrated, of course, because her husband is in jail and the work that they've been doing has been taking a toll on the family.
“Welcome to the Avenue” is my interpretation of a welcome song for Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, which is one of the most celebrated Black megachurches in the city of Houston. And the vibe of the song is a Black church offering song in which people bounce a little bit and walk around as they give money in the offering. So, it's a lot of fun.
“The Amen” is a song that's performed in the play during the funeral for Audrey Lawson… As I was writing the chorus and vamp of the song, my inspiration was Thomas Whitfield's, “Soon as I Get Home,” also known as “I Shall Wear Crown.” And so, the idea of this song is to provide a song that can be sung at funerals even beyond this play.
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Citation: Barron, Charrise. “The Lawsons: A Civil Rights Love Story." SPIRIT HOUSE: A Crossroads Project. January 2025. Date Accessed. https://www.crossroads-spirithouse.org/barron.
Charrise Barron is a scholar of black popular music and African American Christian history and culture, as well as a speaker and artist. Dr. Barron is Assistant Professor of Music at Harvard University. While her research, writing, and presentations have explored a range of topics in African American music, religion, and culture, Charrise Barron’s current book project, The Platinum Age of Gospel, centers on contemporary gospel music and illuminates the marked shifts away from previous eras of gospel performance and culture which have defined the last thirty years of the genre. She is an experienced gospel keyboardist and singer who has served in music ministry at churches throughout the United States and abroad, including at several churches in Houston and at Willesden New Testament Church of God in London, England. She has composed for Brown University’s famed Rites and Reason Theatre, one of the oldest continuously producing Black theatres in the nation. Most recently, she composed the music for the play The Lawsons: A Civil Rights Love Story, which premiered at the Houston Ensemble Theatre, Houston’s oldest black theatre.
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