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Morning News

Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir Still Celebrating Grammy

Aired February 26, 2001 - 9:25 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Some of the music industry's top artists are still celebrating their Grammy wins this last leek. Among them, some little-known names who didn't really make a big splash, but they are making their own unmistakable statement.

Here now is CNN's Deborah Feyerick.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is what everyone saw at the Grammys, the famous and fabulous. But there were lots of other unsung musicians on the red carpet, like gospel singer Chrissy Toledo.

CHRISSY TOLEDO, GOSPEL SINGER: You might think we live in a bubble, but we're so consumed with singing music that glorifies the Lord that we didn't even recognize a lot of them.

FEYERICK: Toledo plays keyboard for the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Her mom, Carol Cymbala, is the choir's music director. She was at the Hollywood bash also, and scored the Grammy for best gospel album, "God Is Working."

CAROL CYMBALA, BROOKLYN TABERNACLE CHOIR DIRECTOR: To be among all of these people, I was like, oh, my goodness, do I really belong here. And you know, and then to receive the award, I just said, thank you, Jesus.

FEYERICK: It's the choir's fourth Grammy, soul-filled songs about god, church, sin and salvation, sung by people who know life.

CYMBALA: I have every race imaginable. We have doctors and lawyers and nurses, and then we have people who are ex-drug addicts, people who have been incarcerated.

FEYERICK: The 275 singers have no formal voice training. Cymbala writes the songs, but can't read a note of music. As for the bass player, Joey Vazquez (ph)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody could play, so I became the bass player, like, three weeks after I joined, and I've been playing ever since.

FEYERICK: That was nearly 30 years and 20 albums ago. The Brooklyn Tabernacle Church had just opened its doors. Unchanged in all that time is the choir's message and mission.

CYMBALA: There's a lot of people that come into this church that are really going through a lot, and they need to be ministered.

FEYERICK: The praise and awards -- nice, says Cymbala, but not necessary.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We was just working, aiming for, pleasing the Lord, and...

CYMBALA: And he gave us a Grammy.

FEYERICK: Hallelujah. Amen.

Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, good for them.

HARRIS: Those guys are rocking.

KAGAN: Absolutely.

HARRIS: Kind of hard not to smile when you that kind of music moving like that.

KAGAN: Yes, and seeing them so happy.

HARRIS: Yes, all right.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com

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