Okay. Good morning. Good morning. It. Yes, still morning, I had looked at the clock, I had looked at the clock. Thank you so much for joining me today. It’s an honor to be able to interview with you today. I want to get those three house rules that we kind of talked about, what is your name?

My name is Jesse Donald Williams.

Okay. And you do give me permission, Margaret Grant Maynard for truth sarah Media and Publications on behalf of I Ascend magazine to record this particular interview.

Yes, I do.

Okay. You have been made aware that this interview will be transcribed and it will be, of course, for the printing or digital format of the magazine. But it will also, we will also take little clips, or create little clips from this video to be able to share on our social media platforms, as well as our website.

Yes.

You approve that as well. Okay. That’s going to take care of the house.

All right. Good morning again. Good morning again. We are so elated to have you, it’s an absolute honor to interview with you today, Mr. Williams, I so that they’ll know this is for Jesse D. Williams, and total praise even though we don’t have everybody present. We have the main man on the line, Hallelujah. And extremely, extremely grateful. So let’s get this interview started. My first question to you is going to be who is Jessie D. Williams and in essence, how do we see and who is Jesse D. Williams and total praise.

Jesse D Williams is a unique person created by God. And when I say unique, I mean unique, I do something with all 10 of these fingers, believe it or not. A lot of them or in the music room, of course and I believe in thank God for the tremendous gift of music. That’s who Jesse D. Williams is. God has given me the gift to minister to people and encourage people through songwriting, and through praise and worship, and through preaching and, and I’m grateful for that. I’m a person that I love people, I love God’s people. I have embraced challenges in my young life just like anybody else and I’ve overcome as well, just like anybody else. And so therefore, I have a story to tell, that will help somebody else along the way. And that’s just me, I love to laugh. I love to have a good time. I love God, I love my wife and I just love doing things in the kingdom. I love seeing those who have a zeal and a heart to encourage others. I love to bring them along and get them on board so that we can do what the Bible says make a joyful noise. That’s me.

Now, who is Jessie D. Williams and Tom Breaks?

Jessue D Williams a total praise, total praise. First, let’s just start with praise. Praise is just who is what God created us to do. He created us to praise Him. And so therefore, you know, you see those but of course people worship and they praise God in different ways. Some lift their hand, some dance, and all of that. But the truth is, we want to give God all of it. Yeah, and so with me being a Praiser and a worshiper, and always want to give God everything that I have. I want to create a group of ministers, a group of singers that can come together and have this same mindset, that no matter what happened before you walk through the door, no matter what you encounter last week on your job. When you have that moment to ministering to God’s people, you’re going to give him what? Total praise. Awesome. That’s who total praise is awesome.

How many years have you guys been together as a group or how long has a total praise Jesse D Williams and total praise been together?

Well, believe it or not some of the singers, we have been singing together for many years, even just when we were youth and singing in different organizations, and so, but when I formed the ministry, it was in 2013. So I believe that’s eight years now that the ministry has been in existence.

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. What have been the hardships you faced in ascending to where you are?

Hardships, lack of support. Yeah. You know, and I tell people, and I don’t think they really get it, but in the r&b realm in the secular realm. You know, one thing that they they have, and and I applaud them is, they support one another, and they don’t mind supporting one another. And if they see you, the audience, they’ll throw you up on the stage, and have you do something they don’t mind. They don’t mind that. They don’t mind singing, or hearing the gift in the grocery store and saying, Oh, I got something for you. You got to come and get in this studio. You know, they don’t mind that. So the biggest thing has been the lack of support.

Yeah, yeah. I know exactly what you mean. Stay with the interview. Right. Right. Right. That’s another discussion. Right?

I can go many ways. Yes. Yes. You have to have you back with a we can talk about

What has the process of becoming on this journey been like for you?

Process has been like a roller coaster. You know, what goes up, it goes down. It can spin you. You know, it can create some fear. But overall, guess what? Those that like roller coasters you enjoy? Right? Yeah. So to answer your question, it has been an enjoyable experience. Thus far I have learned. I’m still learning still wanting to learn. And yeah, I pray that that.

Amen. Amen. Who has served as your cushion and support team during what will be considered hard times or rocky times?

Oh, my number one, right hand person that’s my wife. Right? Right. My wife. Sas got a little emotional. She is a real example of what a wifey is a Christian woman, you know, I felt her praying for me late at night, you know, I have seen her push me to the point where I’ve gotten upset and I didn’t like what she said. But it was so nurturing, I had to come back and embrace it, even though it was something that helped. So yes, she has been there every step of the way. And she also sings we tell them pray. So she’s every you know, every engagement. And then next I will have to say, my family. Of course, my family, my mother. She has been there and my mother also sings in Listen, yeah, and stay tuned for that because I’ve got to do some with my family very soon. But and I also want to mention, man, I hope I don’t get emotional about this guy, but one of my best friends Jason Clay Born he has really been of support throughout my musical career.

Awesome, awesome. That’s what it’s about. We need we all need support. Amen. Yes, yes.

So with what you’ve shared with me thus far, you know, you said we had that roller coaster we go through a variety of things in the process of becoming, what have these experiences taught you and what have been the highs and the lows.

These experiences taught me to remain humble. Remain prayerful. Remain watchful and to keep going, you know, to keep going, there will be some times where you might run into a stop sign. But what happens after you stop? You go, you know, it’ll say, the stop sign is just meant for you stop for a moment and think you go, oh, bless his name. I just got excited about that. So, you know, so, yeah, that’s best. That’s what it has taught me. And it has also taught me patience. Oh, yes, Lord.

Yes, that’s all right. Yes, yes,

Definitely. The lead taught me patience. You know, I tell I tell the choir, one thing in rehearsal, I say, you know, you can look for the crowd to celebrate you. You have to have the moment within yourself. It has to start with you. You know what I would say? Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So yes.

Okay. Okay. That’s excellent answer. Excellent. How do you juggle your home time with pursuing your craft?

Well, I will definitely say it is a blessing that my wife is involved with a lot of what I do and what a lot of what we do. And so how do we enjoy that? Literally, in the midst of all of that, we have to say, Okay, listen, after rehearsal, we’re going on a date. Just me and you, we are going somewhere. I don’t care if it’s for a drive, you know, we’re going to take time out for one another. And we’re not going to talk about what happened in the first, you know, we’re not going to talk about, we’re not going to talk about that dream for the ministry right now. Well, it’s about us. So that’s kind of how we how we juggle it.

Excellent, excellent. So no children?

No children, but we brand hopefully, so.

Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Congratulations on ascending and standing in your truth and pursuing your destiny. That’s something that we want to say to every one that we interview, because to step out and pursue the dream is not always an easy road to take. And it definitely causes people to step out used to step out some fears. It is really, it’s not easy. That’s the best way I can say so. So to anyone that goes after what you believe that God has given you to do takes courage. And we just want to salute you on that. Amen.
Thank you. Thank you so much.

What do you want people to remember most about you?

I want people to remember that I love God. And I was sent by God to encourage them.

Right? Right. Right, right. Okay. And what word of advice would you give to readers to have them to continue to ascend in pursuit of their dream, no matter where they are currently?

Two words, keep going. Just because, because and the reason why I say that is, you know, sometimes we’ll get so deep that the person or miss what they really need to hear. And the thing is in this season, and going forward, that is the true message that I really want to get people to keep going, you’re going to stop at that stop sign. But don’t camp out. Right? You got other cars and things behind you. You can stay right but you got to keep moving. You got to get to your destination. So keep going.

Excellent. Excellent. Share with us some of your current projects or various things that you’re working on. And let us know some like your social media sites and things of that nature so that we can stay abreast of what’s happening with you.

Absolutely. Currently, Jesse Williams, Jesse D. Williams and total praise. We are preparing to be in concert with Kevin Lynch and higher calling in Chicago, Illinois. That’s that on March the 20th. Also, we are preparing to do a first time ever, resurrection concert here in St. Louis, Missouri. That’s going to be I believe Easter is April the 17th at 6:30pm and the Church will be greater faith Missionary Baptist church. Pastor Gina Kelly is the pastor. Hopefully The same time that we do our resurrection concert we will also release a new single and entitled great guide. Now Great God is a new song. It is a new song that I’ve written. It’s got a new kind of feel on it. So and but it’s a really good it’s a it’s a I call it feel good music. Right Right, right, right because it’s got that gogo beat on it. So what I did was I took a Go Go beat and I put it on a good ol choir churchy number. And yeah, we’re gonna rock it out. So look forward to that. And also note, the big thing that oh, I’m so excited about November. The ninth thing, Jessie V. Williams, and total praise, we’ll be doing their first live recording here.

Oh, that’s awesome. That’s awesome. That’s awesome. That’s so awesome. Share with us. Your social media sites, social media handles, website, any thing that you would like to that they can follow up and stay abreast of what you’re doing?

Yes, yes. So um, you can follow us on Facebook, Jessie D. Williams, and total praise. You can also email us at jdwandtp@gmail.com. And you can also follow us at Jesse D Williams and total praise on IG Instagram.

Okay, yeah, yeah. Cuz we want to make certain that they have that information for bookings, etc. Okay.

Yes. We are so grateful again, for having you. We’ve been honored to be able to interview you. When I interview you, Mr. Williams. And hopefully we’ll get an opportunity to come on out in November and yes, kind of write it up again and just share what an amazing experience because I I’ve been able to see quite a few things that you guys have done and I know that the anointing is going to be in the house.

Yes, yeah. So we believe God, thank you so much again. Thank you. Alright, so let’s stop this.