 Welcome to Sister Power. I'm your host Sharon Thomas Yarbrough and I'm so excited. We're going to have a conversation with artist Gail Moore. Gail Moore is a gifted artist. She is an accomplished pianist, singer, songwriter, author and producer. Her efforts have had highlights from singing background from the pop of Michael Jackson, for the king of pop Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, B.B. Winans, Donna Summers, and the list goes on. We're going to have a fun time today here. We're going to talk about music, books, football, just girls swag. Gail Moore, welcome to Sister Power. Thank you, Sharon. I love you. Thank you so much for having me on. I'm so excited to talk about all of that. All right. And there's a lot to talk about. So let's just get right to it. Yes. Because you have done some phenomenal, wonderful, exciting things in your life. And so just tell us, just give us a snapshot about you. Well, I mean, my name, of course, is Gail Moore, but I'm from California, born and raised. I was raised very strict Pentecostal. And my mom was a very entrepreneur type mother. She made sure that everything was right. And she always stayed on me to make sure you stayed on that piano. Sometimes she'd drive up in the driveway, you know, back in the day, and we'd be outside playing. She'd look at me and say, hey, you, get in the house, get back on the piano. And she didn't know I'd been on there all day because I loved it that much. But the more I played it, the more I loved it. She actually introduced me to all of that. My mother was a very talented lady. She was the music director of our church. So I saw her always in the front and really doing her thing. She could really work that music, the organ, the guitar, the piano, everything. And so I took all of that, all of those learnings from her. So she is my queen. You know, we have something in common. Really? I'm a PK. I'm a PK. My mother played the piano. I played the piano, but you know, not like that. My first queen that I've met. You said you're from a strict Pentecostal? Pentecostal, very, very strict. Very strict seventh day at Ventus. Whoa, they're stricter than that. No, no, they're pretty much locked in there. Everything you did, and I know you already noticed, everything you did was wrong, was sin. You looked at the left, you're wrong. You looked at the right, you're wrong. So we lived under that shield all the time. But it did give us a solid foundation of right and wrong and respecting godly mannerism and that kind of thing. So it was okay. Today, at this age, I totally would appreciate it. I do. Yeah, I think that for, we used to say, well, can we breathe? No. I couldn't dance. I couldn't go to the movies. Well, we couldn't go to the movies. No. One time we snuck to the movies. Oh my goodness. Lily, my mother's name is Lily was Lily found out that we were at the movies. Honey, you already know what happened right. We got the spanking of our life. Yeah, you know, something that doesn't happen to children nowadays. And it should, in my opinion. So, you know, you are the founder, and we're going to come back to your music, but this is so interesting to sister power and sisters and part of the body. You are the founder and CEO of yes, I can. What is yes, I can tell us about it. Yes, I can. It's my love. It's my love. It was God given and to me and my husband. It's an organization where we use the platform of sports, my husband's a former NFL player and contemporary music. And we use that platform to help kids and families in crisis internationally. That's pretty much what it is. So we travel all around the world, encouraging inspiring, you know, making help talking to kids about choices, because we all know choices. That's where your power is. Along with your husband, Art Moore, former NFL, New England Patriots for all the, you know, fans out there, you know, the both of you have come together to empower and motivate and educate. Yes, I can. So you have conferences and yes, I can and just girls. Yes, actually just girls as follows up under the umbrella. Yes, I can. Yes, I can. We have all types of events. We have three on three basketball tournaments where we get all the kids off of the street. And they all because you know our kids they love inner city kids they love basketball. That thing actually the first time we had we had any. We've always had to turn teams away. We were we would have over 150 teams to sign up. So it was a big deal and we had it on the LSE campus in Baton Rouge, California, and it was a hot, hot deal. We never had an incident we were these are all inner city gang bangers rappers the whole nine but they will come we've never had one incident of one child the whole time they were there. This was like junior high I think all the way to 2030 year old people that were going to play basketball. We even had girl team showing up honey they were playing hard. They weren't playing they were playing very hard. When they were there again and then we had a slam dunk contest. So we would do that. And then we were speaking so many schools that when we got through we'd have a school assembly because that was the way we went into the schools to introduce yes I can to the school. We would girls would be lined up to talk to me after it was over and guys would be lined up to talk to my husband. So when I saw that long line. I thought it just hit me these girls. The questions that they're asking me needs more time, because they'd be like I'm 14 and my mother's boyfriend was living with me and now I'm going with him should I get married. Sweetheart there's a whole lot more of that subject right there we can't just answer that like that. So that's where I got the idea to do just girls and it was just for girls where they could come and vent their frustrations get real answers for the real problems that they deal with every day. Oh that's good to hear you know what the times it's going on right now. How has the pandemic affected just girls. Oh my God, the pandemic. Yeah, pandemic is a devil. We've had what we're doing now we're transitioning to a zoom thing. We're doing virtual and everybody of course to be on a monitor, but we're going to steal. I'm caught what I'm doing is what's called a chatterbox and they can call in, like I'm calling in now with you, and they can talk and still vent their frustrations and people because people realize what that that age group goes through. They don't get a nice warm jacuzzi tub before they go to school in the morning. You know, before they go to bed at night they don't get a nice warm place and it's very loud in their homes. So the just girls would really take care of all that for them. And I took all that under consideration when they came to, I'm just, I just, I just praise them for even coming to school. You know, so I didn't want to stop the just girls because we did it live and it was packed 2000 girls would be there. So now we're transitioning into doing it virtually. And it's coming together it's coming together very nicely. Okay, well, since it's important have I eat and just girls, let's do something later on with that. We'll do that. It'll be great. Well, let's talk about your music. I mean, you have been. Oh, wait, oh wait, singing with background Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. And so do you write your own songs. I do. I've actually I've written every single song I've ever recorded. Yes. I believe I will swag swag even crossed over to the jazz charts. It's just God is just he's been good to me. He's been good to me music is my passion as as chill as young as you as my passion as well. So let's go back, you know, we're here in Honolulu Hawaii, and swag is about our first black president Barack Obama who was here with his lovely wife as she celebrated her birthday here in Honolulu. Tell us about swag on your you to it was a tribute to Barack Obama. Why? Well, because, you know, actually, when I first when I first wrote the song and decided to do it as a video, I thought I would just use the Michael Jordan's and my husband, who's got all the swag in the world, you know, being an NFL player and use different celebrities. But then we were driving, we were traveling one day, and the radio was on that was in Barack was gonna I think was running for a second term. And the radio was on my husband was just driving the car and he goes Wow, they said something really positive about Barack. And my husband goes, man, I have a rock or something else he didn't swag him again. And I was like, Oh my God, that's what I'm going to use for that is exactly where that idea came from. I said when I get home, I'm going to make Obama the the the star of that video. And that was because he is the first black president of the United States, something that I never thought I would see in my lifetime. So that felt like it was due some praise. And we it also has been a great tool to use in the schools with the young men, the young girls, so they give them something to look forward to the person that you're sitting next to you. If you knew what they were going to be you'd be asking for the autograph right now. You know what I'm saying. So it's an inspiration to them, dropping the first black president of the United States I had to do a tribute to him. I love that you know today on Facebook, all of my pictures showed up from the second inauguration and it was so good to see that and and and the smiles and the warmth and the pride that we had. We being African Americans. And, and it was just a huge affair. And you were saying that no one, you know, you're talking about your girls. And yes, I can. And you said not one incident. The same thing happened for both inauguration there was not one incident that happened at all. Yes, all positive. I think the Lord just blesses it like that. You know I thought when when Obama ran and he and he won the first not first time the second time when he won the first time. I was just so happy I was elated in it but it didn't seem like the world was filling the way I was feeling it just seemed like it was kind of quiet the next day. You know, I was like, Wow, is this enough for me we got first the first black president of the United States. I just thought that was so special. So I was very proud to to do a tribute to him. So, yeah, what's new for you in 2022. Well, we just have released a new song called I believe we're gonna hear that later. Oh, you got it. You got to hear that one. I mean, I mean, I worked and had an opportunity to work alongside with Michael London. I spoke to Michael. He loves you. He loves you. He does love him to we he's so busy. He was supposed to be all with you. We'll get him next time. Go ahead. Yeah, we got to come on together because I've done so many interviews and then they also will we'll get Michael on later. But I really would like them to come on because the way that I met Michael was a radio host allowed me to host his their show. So I think I had never done before. That's what got me into radio because I did not think about it. And I was the interview Michael London. And he get after I what I met him we just we clicked right then soon as the interview was over. Right then he's like, Hey, we need to do a gospel tune. And I was like, Hey, I'm good. That's my that is my roots is gospel. So that's when we wrote sit down and wrote. I believe. Lovely. What's your passion. You have so many things going on. What are the passions. Well, you know, I have a passion for music. I have a passion for love. My passion is to inspire and encourage other people. I have a big heart for anybody who was hurting. That is my true passion. That's who I am. That's for being a PK, you know, that kind of takes it back to the feet. It does. But that's I really learned I have a heart. Even when I was a little girl, I would be from my parents and put me in a bed. I get up and walk in this dark halls down to my daddy's room and cry. And he said, baby, what's wrong. And I say, I, what about all the other kids in the world who don't have any food. And he said, oh sweetheart, don't worry about them. Just pray for them and thank God you have food. You know, I always had just a big heart for anybody. Like when it rains like right now it's rainy in Atlanta, and they have homeless people everywhere. I see them in my heart breaks. That's my passion really is just loving on other people helping other people. That's why I give the just girls. And that's why I love the song I believe in the promises. That's just really who I am. That's just what I do. You know, and I love doing it. I really do. Yeah, if it just makes you feel so good when you give back, even if it's kind words to one another, you know, when the people come here to say how many people just know you and this grocery store because I speak to them. Yes. Ask them how they're doing. Tell me about your day. Yeah, what happened to you today. That's the passion. That's the passion. I'm just interested in knowing what is going on in another person's life. I just want to know, like, like you said, I just want to tell me how you dance. What do you do? Where do you live? You know, I just want to know. It's just a I'm a people person at 100%. 100%. Yeah, my nickname here is the connector. That's a good name for you. That's a good name. I like that. So back to your music, which, you know, they have said that your voice is like the queen of soul. I mean, that is just like humongous compliment. What female artists inspires you and why? I would have to first say, Aretha Franklin, however, I never knew that it would ever be compared to her vocally, because what I admire most about Aretha Franklin is the way that when she sings, the way that she makes you feel. People go back to her because the way the way she when she sings, you feel something and it's so positive. It's so uplifting. It's so, it's so out of this world. It's on another level somewhere spiritually. That's what I admire so much about Aretha. Diana Ross, I admired her for her look. She had this fabulous fashion. She was very ladylike. She was standing, you know, and I'm not dissing any of the younger artists today, but those ladies were respectful to me. They kept their posture, you know, and they didn't do anything. They knew they stayed. They knew how to stay in their lane and just work their lane on their journey, you know. So, Aretha, class. Can we use the word again? Class and grace. Class is, that's AA. That's A plus A. It is class. We don't see a whole lot of that today, but that's just a thing that I admire with Aretha Franklin and I'm glad it's not as well, you know. And then I'm old school, but I love Mary J. and all these other young artists, Janet Jackson. I love everybody. I love the country western people, you know. I love it all. That's why I was really glad when I met Michael and he was open because most producers, they want to do a secular tune with me, you know, because they don't understand my roots. But my love and my passion is really giving God all the glory and praise that he deserves. You know what I'm saying? That's really what I love doing, and that's why I do it. Yeah. Well, let's talk about your bestseller. Oh my gosh. My goodness. I'm trying to get all this in that you do so wonderfully. Well, that book came around, you know, first of all, I never thought I would ever write a book when they called me and said, hey, we would like to publish a book for you. All everything paid in full. I was like, I don't write books. I write music. I really don't know what you're talking about. And the publisher was like, yes, Gail, I spent time with you. I've heard your music. You do have a book inside of you. She said, I just want you to take a minute to sit down, get quiet and think about it. I did. I did that for a couple of days and called him back and said, you know, well, I talked to my husband about it. He's very big encourager for me. He's not my biggest fan, even though he has fans all over the nation as a former doing the Patriot nose guard, but he's my biggest fan. He encourages us. Oh, yeah, you need to sit down and write that book. And that's how I came up with the put it on pause. Because now that's going on. Yeah, that's going on chosen and people can purchase the book Amazon and get it on any of the digital outlets. They can get it on on Amazon. They can get it from yes, I can. They can go to my website, my artist websites, they can get it there. You they'll really enjoy the book because it has so many awesome stories in that book that are going to just flip your world upside down within spot inspiration really the book is really a great book. Well, we're going to show your website to but you know something that you said earlier about, you know, your your husband being your biggest fan with my husband is but and I listened to the young ladies and they said I want this and I want money and I, and they don't know the understand the importance of your husband being your best friend. Oh my God. You know what that's one of the biggest blessings God gave me was my, my best friend I married my best friend. We still talk for hours today, and we've been married for 42 years. Girl you look for that's a record. You know when you get a good man he's going to make you look always tell my son the same thing when you go with the lady. If you're looking in shafts, she should be feeling great don't leave her pregnant don't leave her unhappy do do well by her. Because let's let's face it, we met her husband look good. Absolutely, you know, my husband is my king. Yes, yes, it's king and queen and you know it's funny. You said that because when he was playing ball. His name was King Arthur, all of his football buddies they called him King Arthur. And so now we tease each other by saying he calls me queen. He hasn't queen on his phone I ring when I when he gets a call from me. He comes up clean girl and I have King Arthur. I love that you know when I was when we spoke earlier, you know over the phone and all the things you're doing and, and this human sex trafficking that you are also working with, what are human sex trafficking statistics. Oh my God the statistics is there's 50,000 people that are abducted from the United States, every year, and 51% of those are children, starting at the age of babies, one, two, three, four, all the way up. Every single year that's just here in the United States, and these kids are they're being abducted they're the same kids that we work within the high schools, because they those are the targets those are the kids that they target kids that are low income, who perhaps don't have a place to stay. They're isolated. They don't have a lot of self esteem. They target them that way. They target them in places like shelters and stuff like that, you know, they don't understand that they're being targeted. That's how few these human traffickers are. That's why we have to get the word out. We have to end the demand on human sex trafficking across this nation. So tell us how do the pimps lure their victims. Well, you know they take them, they meet them at certain places they target them like if they're in a shelter somewhere that they visit those places. And the streets, they know when they're there every day every night there's nobody looking after them. That's a target for them. And for these mothers they need to understand you need to always really know where your children is I know that's old school but you need to know where your daughter is because these guys are everywhere. And they're and they're also on the internet. Yeah. Yeah. Mothers and fathers are losing their children from the internet with the internet yard. You cannot with your children, you cannot be cozy with them. You can't be too nosy. Yeah, you just if you love them, you need to check that internet all the time because the organization that we're that we're parenting with partnering with I'm sorry. The president of that organization her daughter was human trafficked by the on the internet. So it definitely happens. They lure them in that way they they tell them they're going to make money they tell them how beautiful they're all they have a very smooth jargon that they use to influence these kids and the kids and then they invite them. You know, since I met you at McDonald's I paid for all your food, you know, I got some friends I want you to make they take them over their friends when they get over there, you'll never see them again. That's where they they're the abducted because that's where all the other human traffickers are that child does not know that she just thinks this guy is being nice to me. Yeah, you know we have that problem is very prevalent here in Honolulu, Hawaii. And so what are the highest states for human sex trafficking. The highest ones actually are California, Florida, Texas. And what's great about us being and why we're transitioning ourselves to Atlanta, because Atlanta is the number one hub where they're actually transported to other countries that it happens right here in Atlanta. And the mayor of the Dunwoody Georgia. She's endorsing all of this and really getting behind the stopping the demand on human trafficking. So we're kind of excited about being here, because I'd like to catch them before they get them out of this country because once they get on this country. You know, it's just a sad situation. It's a it's a it's a vicious cycle. And you know like mother mother Teresa is one of another admirer of mine. She always said, you can't help you can't do everything, but you can do something. And that's my attitude, and that's my husband's attitude. Yes, I can's attitude for being in Atlanta. We can do something you can help somebody. Possibly. I mean, because if I was human trafficking at 15, because at 16, you know how we were, when we were like 13 and 12, so innocent, you don't know, they're very easily abducted by these criminals. And these they beat them. They, they abuse them. They use them they do everything is crazy crazy. One of the other young ladies. Her daughter was abducted and they they found her in a ditch with human bites all over her body that totally knew that that was when I was I went to Florida and I sang for this event. And when I was in the green room, I'm looking at the screen and the other speakers who are families and mothers and parents who have been involved with that human trafficking. They she shared that story, and I could only I could barely hold back tears preparing for my next song in the green room to come back out to perform. Well, we are going to take our sister power viewers, and we are going to play your song. I believe we're going to just put it on a good note here. On behalf of think tell Kavaii and sister power. Gail Moore. Thank you Mahalo newy Lord. Thank you so much for your wisdom and giving back. I'm your host. Go ahead. Thank you so much for having me. This has just been awesome. I really appreciate it really sister power got it going on. All right. I'm your host Sarah Thomas Yardbro. This is sister power. Aloha.