Video Of & Information About "We Are On Our Way", The Anthem Of The Los Angeles Chapter of The Gospel Music Workshop Of America (GMWA)

Los Angeles Chapter GMWA, Jul 2, 2021
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GMWA= Gospel Workshop Of America

The song "We Are On Our Way" begins about 2:15 PM EST

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a four part pancocojams series about the Gospel song "We Are On Our Way". .This Gospel song is also known as "On Our Way".

This post showcases a YouTube video of the Los Angeles Chapter Of  the Gospel Music Workshop Of America (GMWA) singing that chapter's (and later the entire organization's) anthem "We Are On Our Way". This post presents some information about Rev. James Cleveland and some information bout The Gospel Music Workshop of America that he founded. In addition, this post presents the introductory words and some of the lyrics to that rendition of the song "We Are On Our Way". 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/01/southern-university-gospel-choirs.html__ for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post showcases a YouTube video of the song "We Are On Our Way" being sung by Southern University Gospel Choir during one of their church processions. Facebook comments about Southern University Gospel Choir's rendition are also included in this post. Some of those comments include the standard lyrics for that Gospel song (as popularized by the Gospel Music Workshop Of America. Some other comments in this discussion explain why the choir members hold their right hand up while they are marching into the church.

The Addendum to this post presents some information about the custom of some African American church choirs of marching into the church service with their right hand raised and their left hand held behind their back. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/01/who-composed-gospel-song-we-are-on-our.html for Part III of this pancocojams series. That post showcases a YouTube video of the Gospel song "We Are On Our Way" that has been popularized by the Gospel Music Workshop of America. This post also presents some some comments about possible composers for this song.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-hymn-in-land-of-fadeless-day-also.html _- for Part IV of this pancocojams series. That post showcases three YouTube examples of the Christian hymn "In The Land Of Fadeless Days" and lyrics for that hymn. This post also includes information about some other hymns that include the words "fadeless days" or "endless days". 

I'm particularly interested in these songs because the words "fadeless days" or "endless days" are included in the African American Gospel song  "We Are On Our Way" that has been popularized by the Gospel Music Workshop Of America.

The content of this post is presented for religious, historical, cultural, informational, and aesthetic purposes,

 All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the composer* of the Gospel song "We Are On Are Way". Thanks to Rev. James Cleveland who arranged and is responsible for publicizing the Gospel version of this song. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
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*This song is categorized as "traditional" because its composer is considered to be unknown.  

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INFORMATION ABOUT REV. JAMES CLEVELAND & THE GOSPEL SONG "WE ARE ON OUR WAY"
Source #1https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Cleveland 
"James Edward Cleveland (December 5, 1931 – February 9, 1991) was an American gospel singer, musician, and composer. Known as the "King of Gospel", Cleveland was a driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound by incorporating traditional black gospel, soul, pop, and jazz in arrangements for mass choirs.

Throughout his career, Cleveland appeared on hundreds of recordings and earned four Grammy Awards. He was the first gospel musician to earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1984.[1] For his trailblazing accomplishments, he is regarded by many as one of the greatest gospel singers who ever lived.[2]"...

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Source #2
AI Overview [results on December 30, 2025 in response to my request for information about James Cleveland and the Gospel song "We Are On Our Way":

"We Are On Our Way" is a well-known gospel song by Reverend James Cleveland, the "King of Gospel," famous for blending traditional gospel with soul, jazz, and pop, known for his distinctive voice and mass choir arrangements, though the specific album for "We Are On Our Way" isn't immediately detailed in these snippets, it's a classic hit embodying the COGIC sound.

Here's what the snippets tell us about James Cleveland:

The Man: Born in Chicago (1931), a prolific gospel singer, composer, and arranger, known for his gravelly voice.

Musical Style: Pioneered modern gospel by incorporating soul, pop, and jazz into traditional Black gospel music, often working with mass choirs.

Legacy: Won multiple Grammy Awards, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and is considered one of the greatest gospel artists ever.

"We Are On Our Way": Described as a classic hit with that distinctive Church of God in Christ (COGIC) sound and tempo.

[…]

The song is most famously associated with the live 1972 recording of Aretha Franklin’s landmark gospel album, Amazing Grace, which was recorded at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles."...

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Source #3
From AI Overview- in response to my December 30, 2025 question on Google "Did Rev James Cleveland Compose the lyrics for "We  Are On Our Way?"

"While Rev. James Cleveland popularized "We Are On Our Way" and performed it with his choir (famously in Aretha Franklin's "Amazing Grace" film), he didn't compose the lyrics; it's listed as Traditional, meaning its original author is unknown, though Cleveland was instrumental in its gospel-choir arrangement."... 

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE GOSPEL MUSIC WORKSHOP OF AMERICA
From https://gmwanational.net/
The Gospel Music Workshop of America is a non-profit, international, interdenominational, unbiased, and voluntary association of gospel singers and musicians. It also includes ministers, educators, business professionals and higher education partnerships.

[...]

"Rev. James Cleveland founded the Gospel Music Workshop of America, Inc. (GMWA) in 1967, in Detroit Michigan.   Rev. Cleveland called together friends from across the United States in an effort to share his vision of establishing a venue for gospel music to be presented. These individuals were chosen due to their contributions in gospel music. This association formed the Gospel Music Workshop of America,  with a national motto “Where Everybody is Somebody” was born.

The Gospel Music Workshop of America is a Christian organization convening annually with intergenerational global performances. which include choirs, recording artists, composers, educators, dancers, and pastors.  GMWA continues to welcome all ethnicities, influences and cultures.

Since the untimely passing of its founder, Rev. James Cleveland, in 1991, the organization has continued to thrive as one of the world’s treasured music institutions.  Presently, it is the largest artistic organization of its kind in the world stretching from the United States to Asia. The Gospel Music Workshop of America has been the launching platform for worldwide gospel artists."...

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INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT GIVEN IN THE GMWA'S RENDITION OF "WE ARE ON OUR WAY" THAT IS INCLUDED IN ARETHA FRANKLIN'S 1972 GOSPEL ALBUM "AMAZING GRACE"

From the auto-transcription for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCKMwnU8Oms&list=RDoCKMwnU8Oms&start_radio=1 "GMWA LA Chapter - We Are On Our Way" published by aresmall, Aug 25, 2010

0..00-2:04 of that auto-transcript [given with minor additions and corrections] 

Speaker - Edna Tatum 

[It was forty years ago [that] the king of Gospel music Rev. James Cleveland]* "united a group of gospel enthusiasts across this country to launch the Gospel Music Workshop of America.

He felt that gospel music should be perpetuated and escalated. So he sounded the trumpet to music proclaimers of the good news.

Because of his amazing influence and his impeccable foundation in the arena of gospel music, he took the hues and colors of his own experience and with these loyal friends painted a portrait of everlasting fellowship on the canvas of the hearts of men and women across the country.

James Cleveland had no problem reminding the Grammy awards, Magic Mountain, Disneyland, and even Hollywood that this is an American art form. And that nobody gave to us. That's right But God,

The efficacy of gospel music is it glorification and celebration, is it soul stirring, heart fixing and
mind regulating power. The one that can be felt from heart to heart and from breast to breast. It will cause and allow you to sleep on a pillar of peace and a cushion of confidence. It was manufactured in heaven and it carries the trademark of the cross. 

Because of James Cleveland Gospel Music Workshop of America there is a gospel choir in every church in the world under the direction of Rhodina Preston and the Los Angeles chapter.

You will hear how deep it flows, how high it reaches. And how wide is sweets as they capture you with mind, body, and soul.

Pure praise and gospel. We are on our way."
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The words that are given in brackets are heard in another recording of that rendition 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fut7UnKl6S4. Unfortunately, the visual and audio quality of that video is very poor..

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STANDARD LYRICS FOR THE GOSPEL SONG "WE ARE ON OUR WAY"

Source #1
From https://allaretha.wordpress.com/2015/07/07/on-our-way-lyrics/

On Our Way – Lyrics

Posted by allaretha on July 7, 2015

Title  On Our Way

Composer  Traditional

Composition’s Year [no information given]

First Recording Artist: Aretha’s First Recording Year  1972

Lyrics

We are on our way  (we are on our way)

To a land  (to a land of fadeless day)

We are  (we are on our way)

(We’re on our journey home)

 

When we get to glory  (when we get to glory)

We will shout  (we will shout and tell the story)

How we made it over  (how we made it over)

We’re on our journey home  (we’re on our journey home)

 

We are on our way, oh yeah  (we are on our way)

To a land  (to a land of fadeless day)

(We are on our way)

(We’re on our journey home)"

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Source #2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCKMwnU8Oms&list=RDoCKMwnU8Oms&start_radio=1 "GMWA LA Chapter - We Are On Our Way"

 1. @aresmall, 2012

"We are on our way; to a land of fadeless days. We are on our way; we're on our journey home. (V2) When we get to glory; we will shout and tell the story. How we made it over; we're on our journey home. (V3) 0-0-0-0-00000000000000000; we're on our journey home. (This is slightly different than the original version sang in the 40's/50's by the Emeralds, and by a couple other groups that have sang it, but it is currently the LA Chapter/Southern Cal version)."

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2. @saulamore, 2016
"This was recorded at the Southern Missionary Baptist in Los Angeles, now called St Paul Southern"

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3. @kyyzurri, 2016
"......"endless day"....

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4. @gnjpastorsmall1029, 2016
" “Fadeless days” are the words sang in this version by Los Angeles Chapter (and still to this day).  “Endless Days” I believe may have been on the original recording by the Emeralds and a few other choirs (like the Charles Fold Singers) that I’ve heard."
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The rendition of this song in that video includes additional lyrics, including riffs (improvised words)

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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/09/four-youtube-examples-of-gospel-song-we_8.html for the September 2024 pancocojams post "Four YouTube Examples Of The Gospel Song "We Are On Our Way" (with information, lyrics, & comments)". That post showcases a YouTube sound file of the Gospel Emeralds singing "We Are On Our Way" in 1963.

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This concludes Part I of this pancocojams series.

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