It’s a joy to share that two special songs have just been released — and both hold a deep, personal significance for me. These songs may be different in genre and tone, but they’re connected in purpose: to uplift, to reflect, and to honor the journey we’re all on — whether through praise or through personal meditation.
Let me start with “How I Got Over.” This powerful gospel anthem was originally written in 1951 by gospel pioneers Clara and Willa Ward. It’s a song of survival, testimony, and divine grace — a triumphant declaration of faith after walking through fire. When I recorded it back in 2019, I felt the full weight of its message. It was my first foray into recording a gospel piece, and I was thrilled because I actually come from a long line of praise and worship singers and musicians on my father’s side. (Big love and shout out to Luis Anibal Santiago Diaz, Laurie Colón, Compositor Carlos Colón, Edwin Colón Díaz, Joel Santiago at Promesa Network, Luis Santiago, and many other talented family members.)
But there was a major snag. At the time, I couldn’t obtain the proper licensing to release the track digitally. Because the song hadn’t been recorded in decades, the licensing hadn’t been updated for the digital era. My only option was to release it on cassette or vinyl. Yes — you read that right. Cassette. So, I shelved it. I was disappointed, but I kept the hope alive.
Fast forward to just a few weeks ago: I checked again, and this time, the licensing was finally updated! I was able to secure the proper clearances and now, at long last, I can finally share this gospel gem with the world. Praise be! A heartfelt thank you goes out to the incredible musicians I was blessed to collaborate with: AJ Mac on drums, Tom Crail on bass, and the sensational Stephen Farmer on trumpet. And of course, to my longtime co-producer and friend Jason Richard at Clockright Studio — thank you for your incredible work and steady guidance through the years.
Now onto the second release — a song that’s very close to my heart: “Meditation Morning.” My friend Curtis Edwards and I wrote this song way back in 2001. It was one of those rare pieces that came together naturally — honest, raw, and full of reflection. We didn’t have much in terms of resources, so we weren’t able to record it until 2011. That year, we laid down acoustic tracks for eight of our original songs during a modest studio session. We had written more, but these were the ones that were ready and within budget.
The CD was briefly available on Amazon, but life happened, and over time it faded from circulation. That recording sat on the proverbial shelf for over a decade. This past year, Curtis and I reconnected and began planning new music projects. As we talked about next steps, we decided that “Meditation Morning” needed to be heard again — exactly as it was. The acoustic version captured the essence of the song. No bells and whistles. Just two songwriters telling the truth in a quiet, simple way. It’s perfectly imperfect, and that’s the beauty of it.
Both songs are now available to stream or download on Spotify and all major platforms.
I hope these releases speak to you in different but meaningful ways. “How I Got Over” is a praise song — a holy offering to the One who carried us through. “Meditation Morning” is an inward prayer — a moment of pause to realign and remember who we are. One looks upward. One turns inward. Both walk toward the light.