IN THE ARTIST'S OWN WORDS:

I was raised in a Christian home by my mother and grandmother. My father died when I was 4 months old leaving my 19 year-old mother alone. We all lived in the home of "Mama" (my maternal grandmother) and "Papa" (my maternal grandfather). My mother, whom I called "Mother" or "Mother Dear", had several brothers and sisters who all inundated me with love. Her oldest brother, my Uncle George, lived nearby and always seemed to have time for me. I will never forget a day when I was about 4 years old and Uncle George had returned to our home from a visit to "town" with Mama. He and his wife, Aunt Effie, stayed for a while just talking and visiting. As he prepared to go, he leaned out of the car window and said, "bye baby". I remember blurting out as loud as I could, with tears streaming down my face, "bye-bye daddy". Later, I learned that Uncle George had been crying, too.

Uncle George spent a lot of time with me, including taking me to church all the time. Without realizing it