James Attlee met up with the legendary gospel diva SHIRLEY CAESAR.

During the next decade The Caravans enjoyed their greatest period of success. Shirley Caesar's dramatic and energetic interpretations of their material became a highlight of a Caravans show - and she never missed one the whole time she was with the group, as she will tell you proudly all these years later. 'Sweeping Through The City' was guaranteed to have the crowd well and truly 'shouted' and gave rise to a saying among the Caravans entourage "Broom's still sweeping" which meant Shirley was on form. But her duties didn't finish when she stopped singing - she also got involved with booking the group and negotiating fees for their appearances that would do more than pay their ticket to the next stop on the gospel highway. But even these activities were not enough to exhaust the prodigious energy she seems to have inherited along with her voice. A new calling had entered her life - that of evangelist.

"When Albertina would give me a day off I would book a Revival. Then a date would come in For The Caravans and I'd have to cancel the Revival and disappoint a lot of people in order to keep The Caravans word on this other date - I knew something had to give." Thus began her second career. She was soon earning sums as a solo performer that far outstripped anything she had seen as a member of the Caravans, and her first solo album 'I'll Go', released on Hob Records in 1967, established her in the top ranks of gospel superstardom. Hanging on to her position, and her integrity, was not always easy in the cut and thrust of the music business however. Signing to disco label Roadshow Records in search of crossover success brought its own problems, and resulted in one of her least artistically successful albums, 'First Lady', released in 1977.

"I wasn't happy about that at all - in fact Michael Stokes really pressurised me into doing those songs and then I found out later it was because he'd written them, see what I'm saying? I never heard the tracks - he never sent me the songs, when I got to the studio the tracks were laid and I had to sing over this foreign music, as a result I wasn't pleased at all and I don't think my followers were pleased."

Her experience at Roadshow didn't entirely put her off experimentation, however. The 'First Lady' album in fact sold around 240,000 copies, although they sold to "the other side" as she puts it - the non-gospel audience. Many of her other albums have featured country-flavoured tracks, and even a crossover soul hit with one of her most eloquent (and sentimental) paeans of praise to her mother, 'No Charge.'

Nineteen-eighty-five saw her return to a more contemporary style with 'Celebration'. This time Shirley was in control, writing some fine material, including the heart-stopping ballad "Who Is He?" However, once again her following stayed away when she strayed away - they wanted the Shirley they knew and loved, in traditional style. But it was the advice of her mother that probably counted for the most with Shirley - she told her that her contemporary albums were "not the ones that would bless the people" - she should go back to the "old Shirley" and record a traditional album. Shirley got the message loud and clear and adjusted her sights accordingly - and her 'Live In Chicago' album recorded with The Thompson Community Singers in 1988 topped the gospel charts for 50 weeks. Mother knows best. Caesar now feels she knows her own strengths and where her audience lies and she's not about to be pushed into any wrong moves. "I don't think I have to change and be like somebody else. I know exactly where I am and I'm going to stick to my roots."

Her roots are in Durham, North Carolina and she long ago moved back from the big city and settled in her hometown with her husband Bishop Harold Williams, where she is a committed member of the community. She is a founder and president of Shirley Caesar Ministries whose activities include providing emergency funds, food, clothing, shelter and other help for the needy in the neighbourhood.

In an even more positive demonstration of her belief in the importance of Christians getting involved in a practical way with their communities, in 1987 she ran for and was elected to Durham City Council. "We have eight blacks and five whites on the council, so we are doing some great things for the Lord. I'm very excited how the Lord is taking my life", she says, visibly moved at the mention of this aspect of her remarkably full life. Aside from her duties on the council and the 25 hours a week she puts in taking calls at Shirley Caesar Outreach Ministries, she also finds time to run Christian Outreach Ministry, an organisation involved in radio broadcasting, running crusades, evangelistic meetings and the like, and to pastor a church alongside her husband.

But when you see her perform you know where her first love lies. She did find some steps that night in Birmingham and came down into the audience in time-honoured fashion." I do try and behave myself every place I go," she tells the delighted audience; "at least I try". So saying, she grins and executes a half-run, half-shimmy across the auditorium. The broom's still sweeping.