Some voices make you stop what you are doing. LaShun Pace could make you forget what you had been doing in the first place.
Let her recording of “I Know I’ve Been Changed” begin, and you understand. The control, the power, the conviction. For my money, it belongs among the greatest gospel recordings ever made.
We do not need access to every corner of a woman’s life to appreciate what she gave us. There is plenty to honor in the music itself. Here are five reasons LaShun Pace deserves another listen.
1. She sang “I Know I’ve Been Changed” like she had something to tell you
There is a difference between hearing somebody perform a song and feeling that somebody has come to testify. LaShun’s recording has that second quality.
The song became her signature and a lasting presence in Black church communities. Listen to how she takes her time, then gathers strength. She could hold your attention without rushing toward the biggest note.
2. Her voice carried a family tradition
LaShun sang with her eight sisters in the Anointed Pace Sisters. Raised in Atlanta in the Church of God in Christ, she belonged to a family where singing and ministry were part of everyday life.
When we celebrate her individual gift, we can also honor the family voices around it. Black gospel history lives in households as well as recording studios.
3. She understood what to do with a powerful voice
LaShun could soar, growl, and move through a musical phrase with remarkable freedom. But what holds me is how those choices serve the feeling of the song.
You hear a thought becoming more urgent. You hear conviction gathering. The vocal ability is extraordinary, and she gives you a reason to care about every note.
4. She valued being an evangelist
According to reporting after her death, LaShun preferred the title of evangelist to that of star. That tells us something about how she understood her work.
For those of us listening as believers, it is a reminder to hear the message along with the magnificent voice. We can appreciate the artistry and still leave room for the testimony.
5. Her catalog deserves more than one familiar song
“I Know I’ve Been Changed” is a beautiful place to begin. It does not have to be where we stop. Her recordings also include “Complete” and “Act Like You Know.”
LaShun died on March 21, 2022, at age 60. The recordings remain, ready for somebody who has loved her for decades and somebody about to hear her properly for the first time.
Give Her Your Full Attention
Sometimes we let familiar gospel music become background sound because it has accompanied us for so long. Then we sit down, listen closely, and remember just how much somebody gave.
Put on “I Know I’ve Been Changed.” Let the recording have a few uninterrupted minutes.
LaShun Pace left us a voice worth stopping for.
