Deanna Ransom- “The Independent Life”
As Told to Hasan James
No one of us escapes this life unscathed. But some of us are allowed to go through the intense fire of tribulation, ultimately coming out with a song on our lips. Deanna Ransom not only has come out of the flames singing, but the song she sings is stronger and more powerful than any she could sing before the inferno. The gospel recording artist is not only an incredibly gifted vocalist, but she’s a woman on a mission to spread the love of God through song.
Her latest offering, “Never Say Never..Again” is highly anticipated and is destined to blaze the Billboard charts. This singer/songwriter is currently nominated for 6 En Sound Gospel Awards and multiple nominee and winner of a Rhythm of Gospel award. Deanna Ransom is highly regarded in the “Indie” community but does she want to leave the independent life for a life in the big leagues of a major label?
Root: “Never Say Never Again” is the title of your new project. Is this sort of a continuation of your album “Never Say Never” or is it a proclamation? What can we expect from it?
Deanna Ransom: I would call it the next iteration because the first one was “Never Say Never” and “I Hear You” before that was all about growth and maturity. Because of the growth from the two previous projects, it makes you look back and go “Wow, I really have declared Never Say Never Again!”
Root: Has your first single, Never Say Never been serviced to radio as of yet?
Deanna Ransom: Yes, in fact Never Say Never has been programmed by Sheridan the Light Network and to all of their markets.
Root: That’s good news.
Deanna Ransom: It’s real good right?! [Laughs]
Root: You’ve been through many storms in your life, from the death of your mom, to the loss of your child, to the loss of your husband after only one year of marriage. Shortly thereafter, you lost your voice. After losing so much in short amount of time, how did you bounce back from such traumatic experiences?
Deanna Ransom: For me, my bounce back came because of my walk with God. It really was more of a process of trusting Him because there’s an emotional part of you that really can become dead. But for me it was the Christ that was in me that literally would standup and say: “You are going to live and not die, this is not the place for you to give up.” But He had something ahead of me that was even greater than the things that I had lost. So it was that trust in God that ultimately brought me through that deserted place.
Root: Would you say that those experiences made you stronger?
Deanna Ransom: My initial thought is, are you serious? But the good thing is even though we may not know all the things that are coming at us, to the believer God won’t let anything come upon you unaware. I remember at one point I did not think that I was going to make it but God told me distinctly and said, “As long as you have me, you can make it”.
Root: I see that you write most of your material. Did a lot of the songs come from some of the things you experienced?
Deanna Ransom: You know many of the songs on “Never Say Never Again” are a direct result of some of the things that I’ve been through all the way down to the one song in particular on the project entitled: “I Am Healed.” During that time of me writing that song,
I was so sick and tired that I literally began questioning my entire walk with God. I began to have so much doubt but He said “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, so you don’t speak according to your situation, you speak according to what I have told you and I have shown you.” If you’re not feeling well, then you better declare your healing. So yes, those songs are direct derivatives of things that I’ve encountered.
Root: You’re one of the most celebrated independent artist in the gospel music arena, especially with all the accolades. The Rhythm of Gospel Award is huge for indie artists and you won that and so many other awards. Are you content with being an independent artist or do you have hopes of one day signing with a major label?
Deanna Ransom: I want to go as far as the Lord wants me to go. I believe that I am the head and not the tail and would love the opportunity to work with a major label. I’m not necessarily targeting that, but I am doing all the things to emulate a major labor situation because they set a precedent and they have a formula that works from a business perspective. So I’m not chasing a major label deal, but I would welcome it. There are pros and cons in both situations but major labels tend to have more resources and who wouldn’t want more resources?
Root: One of your producers, Herb Middleton, is a legend in the industry and I actually know Herb. He has worked with the likes of Mary J. Blige, Diddy and so many others. How did you two connect and what does he bring to the table on your project?
Deanna Ransom: You know my brother? Number one, it’s kind of crazy because you want me to talk about him as this phenomenal producer, which he is, but more importantly Herb is literally like my big brother. But again, Herb is one of the most, ridiculously anointed producers I’ve ever met. The great thing about him is that he’s a genuine man of God and I think that is really the thing that makes working with him a great experience. Herb brings incredible musical knowledge and production skills, but he’s a big brother and sometimes we go in the studio and end up in a place of worship. We knock things out, but we put God first and it is incredibly important that he understands the business, but knows that it’s ministry first.
Originally, I met Herb because my cousin heard that there was a producer that was looking for a very strong female artist and she told him about me. He asked if I could send him something and I sent him a worship song of mine that everyone loved. A few days later when I spoke to Herb, he called me and said, “When I heard that worship, I had to pull over on the side of the road and I heard the holy spirit say, you have to work with her”. Then he asked me to come down, and that is literally how Herb and I connected and I’ve been connected to him and his family ever since.
Root: It was God ordained.
Deanna Ransom: Oh yeah. I mean there are some things that are just God.
Root: You had an opportunity to sing R&B, however, you grew up in church and you ultimately chose to sing gospel music. Every artist has a moment where they say, “I can see myself doing this.” What artist or song do you think made you want to sing gospel?
Deanna Ransom: When I was a child, I thought that I was the missing Clark sister; I’m not even going to front [Laughs].
Root: [Laughs] You could have taken Denise’s place when she left.
Deanna Ransom: I so thought that I was the missing Clark sister and I would watch them and Dorinda had the craziest little jazz kind of thing and was so beautiful right? I mean they’re all beautiful but… And Karen with those unbelievable runs….
Root: They are the perfect group.
Deanna Ransom: You know what I’m saying! And it’s so unfair that they’re all related.
Root: I know [Laughs].
Deanna Ransom: I would sit and I would find me a note and get in line. I would do all of their notes and then I would throw another note in there…I can sing with them, I can be apart of the group.
Root: Have you ever met them?
Deanna Ransom: I met Dorinda, in fact Dorinda poured into my life when I was doing my very first project. In fact, I have videotape where she was actually preaching at a conference and I was the special guest soloist. I had just met her at the AIM convention and she remembered me and pulled me to the side and she poured into my life. She prophesied and spoke into my life. The craziest thing is what she said all those years ago, before there was any Deanna Ransom CD, is manifesting today. I have it all on a VHS tape.
Root: [Laughs] VHS?
Deanna Ransom: It’s on VHS, yes it is! Maybe I need to get that converted to DVD [Laughs].
Root: Yes, please! (Laughs)
Deanna Ransom: But I go back and I pull that out sometimes, and I watch it and the accuracy and the selflessness of this woman of God who would pour into another because of what God showed her; I’ve never forgotten that. She is a woman of God that I have the utmost respect for because God used her and chose her to pour into my life. She’s really been a role model of excellence that I continue to watch and admire.
