Marcia Hines has the voice of an angel. Not some fragile, ethereal angel, but an earthy angel with a song powerful and clear enough to send the devil packing. Growing up in Boston, she inherited a mighty spiritual and musical legacy from her single, “God-fearing” mother, who taught her strength and kindness in equal measure, and from her godmother, who played piano and sang in the church choir.
Now, aged 70, Marcia is giving voice to these early influences – and others, including the role that brought her to stardom in Jesus Christ Superstar – with a new album, The Gospel According to Marcia.
When we meet in a cafe overlooking Sydney Harbour, she’s just had her nails painted blue, she wears jeans, her hair is in braids, she’s animated and ageless. She has two more gigs left on a national tour before she launches into Australian Idol, then a schedule that barely gives her room to breathe until next winter, which delights her. Work feeds her soul. And she is looking forward to Christmas, which has always been a special time of year for Marcia.
What did you love about Christmas when you were a child?
Everything. The snow – Boston’s freezing. It would get so cold, school would close. So, it was that magical feeling that you see on Christmas cards. We decorated the tree – always a fresh Christmas tree.
Tell us about your godmother, Florence James.
Denne historien er fra Christmas 2023-utgaven av The Australian Women's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra Christmas 2023-utgaven av The Australian Women's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Hitting a nerve
Regulating the vagus nerve with its links to depression, anxiety, arthritis and diabetes - could aid physical and mental wellbeing.
Take me to the river
With a slew of new schedules and excursions to explore, the latest river cruises promise to give you experiences and sights you won’t see on the ocean.
The last act
When family patriarch Tom Edwards passes away, his children must come together to build his coffin in four days, otherwise they will lose their inheritance. Can they put their sibling rivalry aside?
MEET RUSSIA'S BRAVEST WOMEN
When Alexei Navalny died in a brutal Arctic prison, Vladimir Putin thought he had triumphed over his most formidable opponent. Until three courageous women - Alexei's mother, wife and daughter - took up his fight for freedom.
The wines and lines mums
Once only associated with glamorous A-listers, cocaine is now prevalent with the soccer-mum set - as likely to be imbibed at a school fundraiser as a nightclub. The Weekly looks inside this illegal, addictive, rising trend.
Jenny Liddle-Bob.Lucy McDonald.Sasha Green - Why don't you know their names?
Indigenous women are being murdered at frightening rates, their deaths often left uninvestigated and widely unreported. Here The Weekly meets families who are battling grief and desperate for solutions.
Growing happiness
Through drought flood and heartbreak, Jenny Jennr's sunflowers bloom with hope, sunshine and joy
"Thank God we make each other laugh"
A shared sense of humour has seen Aussie comedy couple Harriet Dyer and Patrick Brammall conquer the world. But what does life look like when the cameras go down:
Winter baking with apples and pears
Celebrate the season of Australian apples and pears with these sweet bakes that will keep the midwinter blues away.
Budget dinner winners
Looking for some thrifty inspiration for weeknight dinners? Try our tasty line-up of low-cost recipes that are bound to please everyone at the table.
