John P. Kee & New Life — Tiny Desk (NPR), 2026

Live filmed concert of John P. Kee & New Life for NPR Music’s Tiny Desk series, recorded at Bob Boilen’s desk in Washington DC and published on February 5, 2026 to open Black History Month. A leading figure of contemporary American gospel since the late 1980s, Pastor John P. Kee, from Charlotte, North Carolina, and founder of the New Life Community Choir, appears here with a four-piece band and a seven-voice choir. Across a little over twenty minutes, this full concert moves through nearly four decades of repertoire, from traditional gospel to more contemporary forms, featuring signature songs such as “Jesus is Real,” “Lily in the Valley” and “Standing in the Need.” Shot in the spare, intimate Tiny Desk style, the session foregrounds Kee’s voice at the keys, the drive of the choir and the tight playing of the band led by music director and guitarist Leeland Thompson. This 2026 live set coincides with the release of his album “Throwback: An Evening with John P. Kee, Part 1.” Watch the full concert live from start to finish.