Living the high life powered by hard work, Jesus, and family, David and Tamela Mann, often seen in our living rooms on television and on the big screen, now want to lift you up in more ways than one with a special project.
“Us Against the World” features three elements – a book, album, and tour. The couple told Lee Bailey, in a recent interview at the famous soul food eatery Dulan’s in Los Angeles, that everything they do is about supporting the family. The tour proves that even more.
Our goal with this tour is to show unity and strength,” said David, who has been married to Tamela for 30 years. “We wanted to do something to encourage family and marriage. We weren’t really looking for a reason to tour but we already knew we were going to do a book tour, and we already had the album, and we were like, ‘Why not combine them? Why not a Mann Family Tour?’”
“I always teach my kids that family is all you have,” Tamela, also a gospel superstar,added. “You’re going to have disagreements but you’re going to have to learn how to agree to disagree instead of everybody trying to be right. Nowadays it’s hard to keep families together because many families are so torn apart.”
In addition to the family message on “Us Against the World – Mann Family Tour,” it will also highlight David’s NAACP Award winning comedy as seen in Tyler Perry productions. Shows/films, including “Meet the Browns,” “Mann and Wife,” and “Madea,” have made both David and Tamela stars.
Now with all of their performances together, their latest marks the first time the two have recorded together and fans will witness their duets onstage. David, who can throw down on the mic, admits competing with Tamela’s stellar gospel vocals, was a challenge.
“As long as we’ve been in the industry singing, we’ve never done a project together,” said David. I would always chicken out. I was afraid of Tamela. You have singers and then you have world-class singers and when you have to sing next to one that could be intimidating. It would be like, ‘Oh my god, can I keep up?
Tamela, who kicked off her gospel career singing with Kirk Franklin and The Family, has released four solo albums since 2005, garnering six number one gospel songs, several gospel music awards, a Grammy, and three NAACP Image Awards to boot. Tamela welcomed singing with her hubby, but it was their oldest son, David Mann, Jr. who pushed the collaboration.
“Our son pushed us forward,” said Tamela. “He was the producer. He was like this is the perfect time to do this duet project.”
The Fort Worth, Texans have a blended family of four kids, a niece they raised, and several grandchildren. Some will participate in the tour with a rotating lineup from city to city. Putting the project together with the family has seen its share of headaches and production issues, but it is nothing that God could not solve for the devout Christians.
“I don’t want to over spiritualize this, but when we declared that (we wanted the whole family on tour) that’s when all hell broke loose,” said David. “What we’re trying to do isn’t done a lot in our industry – a husband and wife with their family on the road trying to encourage other couples and families. It’s not (about being) rich and famous but to generally do it for encouragement. We’re not going to be shaken.”
“Nope, we’re going to win,” said Tamela. “With God, we always win.”
The “Us Against the World – Mann Family Tour” debuted earlier this month (October 2018) and will continue throughout the month of November in different cities across the nation.
Stay peeled for Part 2 with David and Tamela Mann when Lee Bailey digs deeper into the meaning of the “Us Against the World” book and accompanying songs. You do not want to miss the secret to their happy marriage and the heartbreaking drama that dared to tear them apart but failed.