Sunday Verse

“Gospel First Nation is a way of handling two common questions at the same time.” In the last episode of the season, “Love Don’t Ever Say Goodbye”, William expands on the paradoxical and compelling idea of Gospel First Nation, the complex and varied interpretations of Jesus and The Gospel, how to keep and pass on lessons learned, and how important conversations can shape our judgement and understanding of faith.

“It’s the conclusion of the longest ride you can take out in Peguis, MB.” In the second last episode of the season, we travel back through the eras and explore William’s memories of Fisher Bay, MB. From summer camp, where special connections strengthen your faith and failed pen pals can crush it, to his teen years of writing songs and performing with his father (who wrote, “This One I Know“), William reflects on his roots and how faith evolves over time and places.

“Yes, my life is like a story. I was searching this world for fame in a world of wine and whiskey, but it only brought me shame.” After searching the internet for a week to clarify who wrote it and who else covered it, William delves into the song "Higher Power" and the man behind the song, and the stories behind the man.

Note from William: This episode mistakingly references the Dusty Plain Reserve. Bob Norman is from the Flying Dust Reserve near Meadowlake, SK.

Finding a reason, a way and a place to rejoice during these trying times seems a daunting feat. In episode seven, "Send the Light", William reminds us of the importance of celebration and recalls summer jubilees and choruses lit by candlelight, explains "Get under the power" and helps us "Feel the power of the music."

“When Jesus Needs An Angel”. “It’s a mature song for a 14 year old to write.” In episode six, William talks about the early days of songwriting, touring and the internet, his father’s record deal at age 50 and how "CDs from the gas station” helped to support his family.

“The God in the good time is the God in the bad time.” When confronted by hardship, we want to be able to turn to something to help get us through. Death and departures are at the centre of this week's episode, both in William's recollection of his childhood playing music with his father at wakes and his mother’s experience with the Sixties Scoop and the subsequent loss of culture, identity and family. Hear William’s answer to the enduring question, in song, “Does Jesus Care?”

“Just a Closer Walk With Thee”. What steals our joy? Where does hope come from? What does it take to believe in something so strongly that it pulls you through uncertain times? While discussing blind trust, music and grace, William explores one of humanity’s most complex questions: 'What is faith?' and, 'What does it mean to have faith when faced with not having enough to get by?'

“The time passes, the faces change, but the song stays the same.” In Episode Three, "When He Cometh" - the first song he remembers learning - William Prince delves further into his family history, expanding on the people in his life who helped shape him, including his unexpected “executive producer”, and the enduring memories of Prince Memorial Chapel.

For Episode Two, “Indians and Christians,” William Prince explores names, how words can wield negative or positive impacts on personal and shared identities. As the episode title attests, Prince unpacks how such words have impacted his feelings about his own identity, and how the making of Gospel First Nation has helped him make peace with those conflicting parts. “It’s a delicate relationship,” Prince says of his faith, “and I’ve taken the best of it, the songs and the gratitude."

“The title track tells of a special place in Fisher Bay, Manitoba. A muster point for the soul.” William Prince talks about his inspiration to make “Gospel First Nation,” and the inherent conflict presented in this music, which is at once a tool and symbol of colonization and oppression, and yet also the music of comfort and solace from his upbringing on Peguis Nation.