Mildred Falls in conversation with Laurraine Goreau
On September 11, 1972, Laurraine Goreau conducted an interview that is now considered a unique and invaluable audio document.
A conversation with Mildred Falls, legendary gospel pianist and longtime musical companion of Mahalia Jackson. Conducted at Mildred Falls' home in Chicago, this interview offers fascinating insights into her remarkable career and her deep connection to Mahalia Jackson.
Before the personal meeting, there was a recorded telephone conversation that formed the basis for the subsequent interview. Laurraine Goreau, known for her meticulous work after Mahalia Jackson's death, conducted interviews with numerous people from her circle. She used a tape recorder for her recordings and then carefully transcribed the conversations on her typewriter. Her personal notes, which she included in the transcripts, are particularly insightful. Although Laurraine Goreau was extremely conscientious, she omitted some passages or summarized certain statements due to the sound quality or incomprehensibility of the tape. For an authentic transcript, it was therefore crucial for me to study the interview in detail and retranscribe it as faithfully as possible. This also includes repetitions or casual remarks that contribute to the charm and authenticity of the conversation. Of course, listening to the interview gives the best impression of Mildred Falls' personality and narrative style.
In fact, there are two passages that could not be reproduced in full due to circumstances. I was surprised by Mildred Falls' gentle, sometimes very quiet, but extremely pleasant voice. Her occasional "mumbling" made some passages difficult to understand. There is also an amusing anecdote: during the interview, Mildred and Laurraine ordered chicken and continued their conversation while they ate – another detail that underscores the authenticity of this unique document. It is also important to mention that Mildred Falls was in bed during the interview for health reasons.
This interview is not only a window into the life of an extraordinary musician, but also a rare testimony to a time when gospel music touched the hearts of many people.
Mildred Falls begins by recounting her early years as a pianist for Emma L. Jackson and her time in California, where she overcame personal problems after an early marriage, taught music, and met a young minister. She returned to Chicago in 1947, where she quickly immersed herself in the gospel scene and came into contact with Mahalia Jackson through Beatrice Lux.
A central theme of the interview is Mildred's unique relationship with Mahalia Jackson. She describes Mahalia's unpredictable style—no song was ever sung the same way twice, not even during rehearsals. Mildred had to watch Mahalia's lips and eyes to be able to follow her, as she never knew what Mahalia would do next. Mahalia often gave her only the brief feedback, "Pretty good." Mildred is convinced that no one could play Mahalia perfectly because Mahalia always "wanted to convey something different." A remarkable example of this is how Mahalia spontaneously changed the key three times during a performance, while Mildred had to react live.
The interview also highlights Mahalia's influence on other artists, such as Celeste Scott, whom Mahalia encouraged to sing even though she thought she couldn't.
Another large section is devoted to their joint tours. Mildred recalls Mahalia's official solo debut at the National Baptist Convention in New Orleans in 1948, where Mahalia's father made a surprise appearance. Mildred vividly recounts her first trip to Europe in 1952, for which she miraculously recovered from illness thanks to the prospect of traveling with Mahalia. She describes how she traveled by ship, while Mahalia, despite her fear of flying, later joined her by plane.
She mentions the meeting in Paris and Mahalia's role as an "angel of peace" who reconciled people who were at odds with each other.
Mildred also shares personal anecdotes, such as her illness that prevented her from traveling to South America, and emphasizes that Mahalia never fired her, knowing that Mildred was unable to travel. The deep friendship between them remained intact. Mildred is touched by Mahalia's trust when she hired Mildred's singers for a "revival" without hearing them first.
Other travel experiences include audiences with the Pope in Rome (one public and one private) and Mahalia's initial fear of flying, which she only overcame when Aunt Hannah gave her her blessing to fly – unlike Mildred's own aunt, which led to much amusement.
A more serious topic is their trip together to Montgomery in December 1956 during the civil rights movement. Mildred confesses her fear of death, especially when the house where they had stayed the night before was bombed. She also recalls a near-incident near Lynchburg, Virginia, where tensions were running high due to a recent lynching.
Finally, Mildred talks about her youth, her early marriage, and how she accompanied Mahalia for 25 years despite interruptions. She also mentions her role in training local organists during her tours in Europe.
Mildred Falls begins by recounting her early years as a pianist for Emma L. Jackson and her time in California, where she overcame personal problems after an early marriage, taught music, and met a young minister. She returned to Chicago in 1947, where she quickly immersed herself in the gospel scene and came into contact with Mahalia Jackson through Beatrice Lux.
A central theme of the interview is Mildred's unique relationship with Mahalia Jackson. She describes Mahalia's unpredictable style—no song was ever sung the same way twice, not even during rehearsals. Mildred had to watch Mahalia's lips and eyes to be able to follow her, as she never knew what Mahalia would do next. Mahalia often gave her only the brief feedback, "Pretty good." Mildred is convinced that no one could play Mahalia perfectly because Mahalia always "wanted to convey something different." A remarkable example of this is how Mahalia spontaneously changed the key three times during a performance, while Mildred had to react live.
The interview also highlights Mahalia's influence on other artists, such as Celeste Scott, whom Mahalia encouraged to sing even though she thought she couldn't.
Another large section is devoted to their joint tours. Mildred recalls Mahalia's official solo debut at the National Baptist Convention in New Orleans in 1948, where Mahalia's father made a surprise appearance. Mildred vividly recounts her first trip to Europe in 1952, for which she miraculously recovered from illness thanks to the prospect of traveling with Mahalia. She describes how she traveled by ship, while Mahalia, despite her fear of flying, later joined her by plane.
She mentions the meeting in Paris and Mahalia's role as an "angel of peace" who reconciled people who were at odds with each other.
Mildred also shares personal anecdotes, such as her illness that prevented her from traveling to South America, and emphasizes that Mahalia never fired her, knowing that Mildred was unable to travel. The deep friendship between them remained intact. Mildred is touched by Mahalia's trust when she hired Mildred's singers for a "revival" without hearing them first.
Other travel experiences include audiences with the Pope in Rome (one public and one private) and Mahalia's initial fear of flying, which she only overcame when Aunt Hannah gave her her blessing to fly – unlike Mildred's own aunt, which led to much amusement.
A more serious topic is their trip together to Montgomery in December 1956 during the civil rights movement. Mildred confesses her fear of death, especially when the house where they had stayed the night before was bombed. She also recalls a near-incident near Lynchburg, Virginia, where tensions were running high due to a recent lynching.
Finally, Mildred talks about her youth, her early marriage, and how she accompanied Mahalia for 25 years despite interruptions. She also mentions her role in training local organists during her tours in Europe.
©Thilo Plaesser
The comprehensive interview is available as a PDF document: