#RolandsBookClub: Richard Smallwood talks “Total Praise” autobiography
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Richard Smallwood's autobiography 'Total Praise' took over six years due to the difficulty of being transparent about personal struggles like depression, illegitimacy, and family scandals.
- ❖His stepfather, who was physically and sexually abusive, paradoxically laid the foundation for Smallwood's musical career by insisting he play for the church and learn diverse keys.
- ❖Music served as a safe haven and escape from childhood abuse, leading him to hum melodies before he could speak and form imaginary choirs with Christmas decorations.
- ❖Smallwood's musical influences at Howard University included Donnie Hathaway and Roberta Flack, who encouraged him to incorporate diverse chords into gospel music despite church resistance.
- ❖'Total Praise,' his most popular song, was written from a place of deep despair while caring for ill family members, embodying 'valley praise' during overwhelming difficulty.
- ❖He believes music is spiritual and transcends language and cultural barriers, connecting with people's innermost hearts, especially when written from a place of pain.
- ❖Smallwood advises artists to prioritize writing music that 'stands the test of time' and makes a difference in people's lives, rather than just aiming for chart popularity.
- ❖He strongly advocates for seeking professional help for mental health, emphasizing that modern medication does not stifle creativity and therapy changed his life.
- ❖A missed opportunity to play for Sammy Davis Jr. taught him the critical lesson of always being prepared for unexpected opportunities.
- ❖Smallwood actively uses social media to mentor younger artists, sharing knowledge and encouraging longevity in their careers, believing knowledge is wasted if not shared.
Insights
1Transparency as a Platform for Help
Smallwood chose to be fully transparent in his autobiography, discussing difficult topics like depression, illegitimacy, and family abuse, believing his platform could help others grappling with similar issues. He explicitly aimed to make a difference in people's lives rather than write a 'scandal book.'
Smallwood stated, 'I felt that I could say something. I had the platform to say some things that would help people... about mental health, about being illegitimate... I just wanted to tell about my life and and hopefully the things that would help other people and make a difference in people's lives.'
2Music as an Escape and Formative Influence
From a very young age, music served as a refuge for Smallwood, particularly from the physical abuse he experienced. This early connection to music, fostered by his mother's diverse musical exposure, became the bedrock of his identity and future career.
He recounts, 'When I would, you know, get physically abused. I would go to the music. I'd go to the record player. I would go to the piano... That was my escape. That was my fantasy.' He also mentions humming melodies before talking and his mother exposing him to Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and classical concerts.
3The Transcendent Power of Music
Smallwood believes music is inherently spiritual and possesses a unique ability to bypass cultural and language barriers, connecting directly with people's emotions and spirits. He observed this phenomenon during international performances where lyrics were not understood, yet audiences were moved to tears.
Smallwood asserts, 'Music is spiritual... It transcends cultural boundaries. It transcends language barriers. It's something that's spiritual that people feel in the innermost parts of their hearts.'
4The Unconventional Genesis of 'Total Praise'
Contrary to its uplifting nature, Smallwood's most popular song, 'Total Praise,' was born from a period of profound personal crisis and overwhelming pain, including his mother's illness, a god-brother's terminal illness, and a foster brother's mental breakdown. He initially intended to write a 'pity party song' but found the melody shifting towards praise.
He describes the context: 'my mother was very ill. My god brother was terminally ill... one of my foster brothers had a complete mental breakdown... I was sitting at the piano and I just started crying... The song Total Praise just started coming to me.'
5Mental Health Treatment and Creativity
Smallwood refutes the notion that mental health medication stifles creativity, drawing from his own decades-long experience. He passionately advocates for professional help, contrasting it with the church's often unhelpful spiritual-only approach to mental illness.
He states, 'the medication that people take now are not the medications of 20 and 30 years ago... it hasn't stifled my creativity... I'm always on the mountaintop screaming, get help, get professional help, reach out.'
6The Unexpected Purpose of Adversarial Relationships
A 'wow moment' during his writing process was realizing that his abusive stepfather, despite their volatile relationship, was instrumental in laying the foundation for his musical career by forcing him to play for the church and master various keys, thereby shaping his 'musical journey.'
Smallwood reflects on his stepfather: 'He was the one that pushed me to do it. And so he's so much of of of who I am today regardless of the negative stuff.'
Bottom Line
The most enduring and impactful art often originates from the artist's deepest personal pain and vulnerability, rather than from moments of ease or deliberate commercial intent.
This suggests that artists should not shy away from exploring their struggles in their work, as these raw experiences can create a profound, spiritual connection with audiences that transcends superficial appeal.
Develop platforms or creative processes that encourage artists to safely and authentically channel their personal pain into their craft, fostering deeper, more resonant artistic output.
The church's historical resistance to 'worldly' musical influences (like jazz chords) in gospel music paradoxically stifled innovation while ignoring the genre's own roots and limiting the reach of spiritual messages.
This highlights a recurring tension between tradition and innovation in cultural institutions, where fear of dilution can prevent evolution and broader engagement.
Create educational initiatives or artistic collaborations that bridge traditional and contemporary sacred music forms, demonstrating how diverse influences can enrich spiritual expression and reach new demographics without compromising core messages.
Key Concepts
Valley Praise
This model describes the act of praising or creating from a place of deep suffering and adversity, rather than only during times of ease or 'mountaintop' experiences. Smallwood's song 'Total Praise' exemplifies this, having been written during immense personal pain, yet becoming an anthem of worship.
The Long Game in Art
This model emphasizes creating art with the intention of longevity and profound impact, aiming for works that resonate across generations and personal struggles, rather than focusing on ephemeral popularity or chart success. It prioritizes 'meat' and substance over transient trends.
The Paradox of Adversity as Foundation
This model suggests that deeply challenging or even abusive experiences, while traumatic, can inadvertently lay foundational skills or drive an individual towards a path that ultimately defines their purpose and success. Smallwood's relationship with his stepfather, despite its negativity, forced him into musical development that became central to his career.
Lessons
- Embrace transparency in your personal narrative, especially if you have a platform, as sharing vulnerabilities like mental health struggles or difficult pasts can profoundly help others.
- Seek professional help for mental health issues without hesitation; modern medication and therapy can be life-changing and do not necessarily hinder creativity or personal growth.
- Cultivate diverse influences in your craft, regardless of traditional boundaries. Richard Smallwood's blend of classical, jazz, and Motown into gospel demonstrates how eclecticism can lead to unique and enduring artistry.
- Always be prepared for opportunities, even unexpected ones. Learn from Richard Smallwood's missed chance with Sammy Davis Jr. by having a 'go-to' piece or pitch ready.
- Prioritize creating work with longevity and deep impact over fleeting popularity. Focus on substance ('meat on it') that resonates with people's life experiences and stands the test of time, rather than just chasing trends.
Cultivating Enduring Creative Impact
**Embrace Vulnerability:** Identify personal experiences, including pain and struggle, that can be authentically channeled into your creative work. Understand that these raw elements often forge the deepest connections with your audience.
**Seek Diverse Influences:** Actively expose yourself to a wide array of genres, styles, and disciplines beyond your primary field. Integrate these varied elements to create a unique and innovative voice that transcends conventional boundaries.
**Prioritize Longevity Over Trend:** Focus on crafting work that possesses inherent substance and meaning, aiming for timelessness rather than immediate, transient popularity. Ask: 'Will this resonate in 10, 20, or 50 years?'
**Prepare for Serendipity:** Develop a 'ready state' for unexpected opportunities. Have a polished portfolio, a concise pitch, or a practiced performance piece always at hand, as chances may arise without warning.
**Mentor and Share Knowledge:** Actively engage with emerging talent. Share your insights, techniques, and experiences without fear of competition, recognizing that knowledge amplifies its value when disseminated and helps cultivate the next generation of creators.
Notable Moments
Smallwood's mother told him at age 11 about his stepfather's pedophilia involving a church friend, an 'adult conversation' she initiated to prepare him before he heard it elsewhere.
This highlights the profound and early exposure to trauma and betrayal within a religious context, shaping his understanding of family and trust, and likely contributing to his later struggles with depression.
Smallwood, as a freshman at Howard University, received personal chord lessons from Donnie Hathaway, who taught him to incorporate 'jazz chords' into gospel music, challenging conservative church norms.
This interaction with a musical legend provided critical early mentorship that broadened Smallwood's musical vocabulary and empowered him to defy traditionalists, setting the stage for his genre-blending style.
Richard Smallwood recounts being 'cussed out royally' by his friends after refusing to play piano for Sammy Davis Jr. backstage at the Kennedy Center due to shyness and freezing up.
This anecdote serves as a pivotal learning experience about the importance of being prepared and seizing opportunities, a lesson he now imparts to others.
Quotes
"I just wanted to tell about my life and and hopefully the things that would help other people and make a difference in people's lives."
"Music is spiritual... It transcends cultural boundaries. It transcends language barriers. It's something that's spiritual that people feel in the innermost parts of their hearts."
"Donnie taught me that you can use any kind of chord you want just as long as it's a good chord and it makes sense musically."
"You're 10 years ahead of your time, and you're going to have to wait till you till the rest of the world catches up to you."
"I was trying to write a pity party song... but it kept going towards this praise song. And when I finished it... it was a song about praise whether it was mountaintop praise... but this was like a valley praise song."
"The medication that people take now are not the medications of 20 and 30 years ago... it hasn't stifled my creativity."
"Knowledge is completely wasted if you keep it to yourself."
Q&A
Recent Questions
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