The pregame broadcast also included another unimpeachably wholesome performance: Alicia Keys singing "America the Beautiful" with gospel fervor, alongside Ray Charles on videotape.

Like his fellow 1960's soul singers, Mr. Moore brings gospel fervor to earthy love songs.

Whenever the film's energy begins to flag, the scene shifts to the church, where Ms. Houston has only to hit a note to wake up the proceedings with a rush of gospel fervor.

His voice holds primordial African hollers, gospel fervor, rhythm-and-blues wiliness and his own adamant determination.

"You know, one does not have to be a nuclear scientist to understand what fair is," the Mayor said, departing uncharacteristically from his prepared text in rolling cadences of gospel fervor.

Brown, Daughtry, Terry and Edwards had been recording and performing one-off singles together since 1961, blending Philly's street corner doo-wop tradition with black gospel fervor.

She wields her sumptuous voice with gospel fervor and flamboyance in new songs about loving, cheating and holding on to faith.

The song was described as "gospel fervor of lovesick righteousness" by Beth Johnson of Entertainment Weekly.

Not funk, not R&B, not hip-hop, not urban, but soul, the secular pop with gospel fervor behind it.

Ms. Khan used jazz syncopation and gospel fervor to revitalize her pop songs.