Gospel singers who comforted Hurricane Harvey victims sing ‘Lean on Me’ on ‘The Tonight Show’

YouTube / The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Music can be a healing force. Research has shown that those who undergo music therapy can have improved health outcomes whether they’re premature babies, depressed adults or older adults grappling with Parkinson’s Disease. But you don’t need to be in a therapeutic setting in order to experience the benefits of music.

On Aug. 30, gospel singers Victoria White and Marquist Taylor lent the gift of their voices to hurricane victims at a shelter in the Houston area. Their spontaneous and uplifting performance of the gospel classic “Spirit Break Out” was recorded and posted to Facebook by a volunteer. Check out the awesome video below.

As you can see, people at the shelter soon joined in on the performance, clapping and singing along. The video quickly went viral and has since been shared nearly 500,000 times. People on Facebook chimed in to express their gratitude for the moving gesture made by the singers.

“This made my heart smile and God’s as well to see those sing in the time of great loss and pain,” read one comment.

“Someone give her a record deal,” proclaimed another.

White responded with her own emotional post in which she said it was God’s plan for her performance to be shared with the world.

“I had no idea this was being recorded, but God had a plan!” White wrote on Facebook. “Not only did He want to love on those gathered in Lone Star Expo Center who suffered loss at the hands of Hurricane Harvey, but He wanted to love on people across the world who were dealing with their own personal storms! That’s the kind of loving God we serve — the kind who is equally concerned for the masses and the individual!”

White and Marquist were subsequently invited to perform on the “Tonight Show” on Sept. 5. Joined by fellow members of their Houston Gospel Choir and backed by the show’s resident band The Roots, they brought down the house with an impassioned performance of “Lean on Me.” Check it out in the video below.

Host Jimmy Fallon praised the everyday heroes who have been lending a helping hand to those in need in the wake of the hurricane. Fallon also announced that the “Tonight Show” is donating $1 million to the Houston Flood Relief Fund, spearheaded by Houston Texans football star J.J. Watt. Bravo to everyone who is making a difference for the hurricane victims!

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About the Author
Kate Streit
Kate Streit lives in Chicago. She enjoys stand-up comedy, mystery novels, memoirs, summer and pumpkin spice anything.

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