People’s Gospel

For Gedeon Luke, it’s all about soul. Raised in Memphis, Tenn., Luke soaked in his city’s rich musical history, and was inspired by all those who called the city home before him—from Elvis to Aretha. “In Memphis, the message has always been soul,” Luke says. “You can feel it in the air… Being brought up in that city had a lot to do with what I know, what I believe in and what we do on the stage.” Luke credits the church for introducing him to the power of love and music, and for preventing him from falling through the cracks of poverty. “The gospel message saved my life,” he says. “The church helped me be who I am, it helped me smile, it helped me to write songs about love.” Luke currently tours with his nine-person band, The People, bringing their uplifting message to stages around the world. They released their debut album, Live Free and Love, late last year, and the 11 funky, danceable grooves that comprise the record illustrate the group’s undeniable passion and positivity. “I know it’s a message that’s falling away,” Luke says. “But that’s why I’m here. If nobody else ain’t gonna say it, then I’m gonna say it.”