Lorraine Minott-Howe

Lorraine Minott-Howe, born in Wolverhampton in the late 1960s, shares a rich personal history deeply intertwined with the New Testament Church of God and a lifelong passion for music.

Growing up in a large extended Jamaican family, her earliest musical memory dates back to age six, singing from a hymnbook during church offerings. A pivotal moment of acceptance and confidence came around age nine or ten, when she performed “Lean on Me” with an older cousin’s teenage group. Her musical journey progressed through junior and youth choirs, culminating in powerful performances at national youth conventions held at De Montfort Hall in Leicester. These events, featuring hundreds of choristers, served as her “formative years and training,” teaching her crucial skills like singing from sheet music. She then advanced to local and district gospel choirs, beginning to sing leads, notably Sandra Crouch’s “There is power.” Lorraine also performed solos and duets in church and even sang John Lennon’s “Imagine” in school assemblies, adapting the lyrics to reflect her faith. Despite wanting to play the flute, a music teacher, noting the absence of Black students in the orchestra, offered her a “humongous tuba” instead. This disappointing experience fueled her determination to pursue her vocal talents, which led to a lead role in a school musical, “Smike.”

Lorraine emphasizes the importance of pursuing dreams despite obstacles, though she regrets not pushing further into West End musicals. Church remained a central hub for her development, hosting “teen talent” competitions where she placed second nationally at age 11. By her late teens, she was a lead singer in district gospel choirs and was frequently invited to perform solos at church building programs and weddings.

The late 1970s and early 1980s fostered a vibrant gospel concert scene, with events nearly every weekend uniting various denominations. Wolverhampton, particularly Wulfrun Hall and Civic Hall, became a key “hub” for these concerts. Lorraine also participated in local groups and a community choir directed by Windsor Queensborough. Her first studio experience came at age 18 at the Sam Sharp Project, a youth music initiative, where she recorded her original songs, including “Safe in the Arms of Jesus.”

Reflecting on her school years, Lorraine acknowledges subtle racial biases, such as careers advisors steering Black students towards “real basic stuff.” She also faced derogatory terms due to her mixed heritage, but these challenges ultimately strengthened her identity. In her 20s, she joined London’s Angelical Voice Choir and famously backed American gospel artist Tramaine Hawkins on the BBC’s “People Get Ready” series in 1990–1991, an “absolutely brilliant” experience. She also sang lead on the first album of IDMC (Inter-District Mass Choir).

Currently, Lorraine directs her own urban sound choir, formed in 2019, which is working on its first EP, blending old and new gospel sounds. She stresses the “substance,” “meaning,” and “depth” of the songs from her youth, highlighting their crucial role in sustaining her through teenage disappointments.