On Tour Now
Soon and Very Soon
The Transformative Music and Ministry of Andraé Crouch
The book
Soon and Very Soon
The first biography of arguably the most influential gospel artist of the 20th century, brought to life through interviews with his collaborators, friends, and family
Gospel singer and seven-time Grammy winner Andraé Crouch (1942-2015) hardly needs introduction. His compositions-“The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power,” “Through It All,” “Jesus is the Answer,” “Soon and Very Soon,” and others-set the gold standard for gospel music and remain staples in modern hymnals today. He is often spoken of in the same “genius” pantheon as Mahalia Jackson, Thomas Dorsey, and the Rev. James Cleveland and was lauded as “the foremost gospel singer of his generation” by former President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama upon his death in 2015.
In Soon and Very Soon, authors Robert Darden and Stephen Newby celebrate the countless ways that Crouch indelibly changed the course of gospel and popular music. Not least among them was Crouch’s progressive pursuit to address the sociopolitical issues of his time, including AIDS, prejudice, abuse, housing insecurity, and addiction. With his twin sister Sandra, Crouch served as minister of the church their father founded and ministered to individuals experiencing these issues despite ongoing criticism from some church members. Crouch’s group “The Disciples” were the first bi-racial musical ensemble in gospel music and performed in a range of venues from mega-churches to Madison Square Garden and Carnegie Hall, in addition to network television programs ranging from Soul Train to The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson to Saturday Night Live. In doing so, Crouch and his Disciples introduced jazz, funk, classical, calypso, Latin and other musical elements into gospel. By the peak of his career, Crouch’s influence was so pervasive that he recorded, performed with, and composed for some of the most powerful names in popular music, including Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Elton John, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Quincy Jones, Little Richard, Stevie Wonder, and Madonna.
To illuminate the vivid world in which Crouch lived, Darden and Newby include interviews with surviving musicians, collaborators, friends, and family members, complete with musical analysis of Crouch’s compositions and lyrics. As a major intervention in gospel and popular music studies, Soon and Very Soon tells the fascinating and dynamic story of one of the true giants in American popular music.
the Tour
Bring the Transformative Power of Gospel to Your Community
Experience the life, legacy, and lasting impact of gospel legend Andraé Crouch through the powerful partnership of Stephen Michael Newby and Robert F. Darden—co-authors of Soon & Very Soon: The Transformative Music and Ministry of Andraé Crouch (Oxford University Press, 2025). These two nationally renowned speakers, scholars, and performers offer a range of unforgettable event formats that can be tailored to your audience, space, and goals. Options include:
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Engaging Lectures by Darden and/or Newby, ideal for academic or church audiences.
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A Tiny Desk-style Concert blending Newby’s soulful live performance with Darden’s deep historical insight.
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A full Tiny Desk Concert with a Live Band for a rich, immersive musical journey.
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A Choir Concert featuring community or church choirs, enhanced with storytelling, historical context, and even a sermon component.
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A Community Sing, uniting multiple choirs and congregations for a joyful, participatory celebration of gospel music and Andraé Crouch’s legacy.
Whether you’re a church, university, music venue, or community group, Darden and Newby’s presentations offer a unique blend of academic depth, spiritual resonance, and musical excellence. Their performances are more than events—they are soulful, educational, and transformative experiences that uplift, unite, and inspire.
Contact us to book an appearance!
info@soonandverysoontour.com
The Authors
Robert Darden & Stephen Newby
Robert Darden
Beyond the classroom, Darden is the author of more than two dozen books, including Soon and Very Soon: The Transformative Music and Ministry of Andraé Crouch and the acclaimed Nothing But Love in God’s Water volumes. His expertise in Black sacred music has led to appearances on NPR, the BBC, and the PBS series The Black Church with Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. A former newspaper journalist, his writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Oxford American, Christianity Today, and many others. As co-founder of the BGMRP, Darden has helped preserve America’s rich gospel music heritage, contributing to collections at the Smithsonian. His love for storytelling, music, film, and culture continues to inspire and enrich both the Baylor community and beyond.
Stephen Newby, DMA
Stephen Michael Newby serves as The Lev H. Prichard III Endowed Chair in the Study of Black Worship and Professor of Music and Ambassador for The Black Gospel Music Preservation Program at Baylor University. He formerly served as Minister of Worship at Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, GA, and as Director for the Center for African American Worship Studies at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, TN. He held a tenured post as Professor of Music at Seattle Pacific University, where he also served as Director of University Ministries, Center for Worship Director, and Senior Advisor to the University President for Missional Excellence.
For more than 35 years, he has served in various church music ministries in Michigan, Massachusetts, Washington, California, Georgia and Texas. His voice and works have earned awards and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (Continental Harmony Grant), the King County Arts Commission of Washington, The Rackham School Fellowship for Ethnomusicological Research in Dakar, Senegal, and the John Wesley Work III National Composers’ Award. For more than nine years, he served as national anthem conductor for the Seattle Sounders FC. He created concert music for The Cascade Youth Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Ann Arbor Symphony, Canton Symphony Orchestra, New Haven Symphony, Savannah Symphony, and the New World Theater Orchestra, among others. His instrumental concert music works are recorded on Parma and Albany records. His sacred music works are recorded and published by Maranatha Music and Newby’s Witness Music. His scholarly works are published by Oxford University Press and Rowman & Littlefield, and his sacred choral music works are published by Fred Bock, Gentry, and GIA, as well as, Oregon Catholic Press, where he curates the Pro Mundo Black Sacred Music Series
the News
Media Coverage
In conversation with Stephen Newby and Robert Darden — Baptist News Global
Ten transformative Andraé Crouch tracks that shaped gospel music — Oxford University Press
The Green Room—Spread the Word: An Interview with Robert Darden and Dr. Stephen Newby
In this episode, host Jonathon Platt sits down with two Baylor legends and authors of Soon and Very Soon, Robert Darden and Dr. Stephen Newby.
This conversation isn’t just about music – it’s about the history and cultural commentary of gospel music. Bob and Stephen unpack the legacy of the great Andraé Crouch, the role of gospel music in the time of fighting for justice and how the art continues to develop today. From sleepless nights spent composing to melodies that carried movements, they explore how music becomes ministry.
Emeritus Professor Robert Darden Publishes “Soon & Very Soon”
Robert F. Darden, founder of Baylor’s Black Gospel Music Restoration Project and Emeritus Professor, recently released “Soon and Very Soon: The Transformative Music and Ministry of Andraé Crouch,” with co-author Dr. Stephen M. Newby, the Lev H. Prichard III Endowed Chair in the Study of Black Worship and Professor of Music at Baylor University.
Ten Transformative Songs of Andre Crouch
In late April of 2024 KWBU worked with gospel enthusiasts and scholars Robert F. Darden and Stephen M. Newby on this hour-long special Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Andraé Crouch.
