Soul music open in acknowledging the influence of Pilgrim Travelers vocalist Jesse Whitaker on his singing style. Little Richard, who inspired Otis Redding, and James Brown both were equally influential. Brown was nicknamed the "Godfather of Soul Music", and Richard proclaimed himself as the "King of Rockin' and Rollin', Rhythm and Blues Soulin'", because his music embodied elements of all three, and since he inspired artists in all three genres. Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson also are often acknowledged as soul forefathers. Cooke became popular as the lead singer of the gospel group The Soul Stirrers, before controversially moving into secular music.
Often I Am Permitted to Return to a Meadow Often I Am Permitted to Return to a Meadow "Often I Am Permitted to Return to a Meadow" is a poem written by Robert Duncan in 1960. The poem was published in his book "The Opening of the Field." The speaker describes a meadow to which he is "often permitted to return." This meadow seems to represent a place that is metaphysically, spiritually, and emotionally valuable for him. The notion of permission is ambiguous: it is not made clear who does the permitting or why permission is needed. Duncan sets up dichotomies and hierarchies which he subsequently twists and folds.