This article first appeared in the Stars and Stripes Pacific edition, Apr. 26, 1971. It is republished unedited in its original form.

Tokyo — Modern soul music is the “same old hash warmed over,” says Mahalia Jackson, internationally famous gospel singer who rose from Louisiana poverty to command performances for kings and emperors.

The one-time washwoman was interviewed by Pacific Stars and Stripes in her Tokyo hotel Saturday [April 24, 1971] following her singing performance for Empress Nagako and other members of the imperial family Friday.

“Seoul is just a commercial word. It has always been soul, something that you can feel,” the 59-yar-old singer said.

“Commercial record companies sell (soul music) to make people think they are getting something new, but it’s the same old hash warmed over. Coming from New Orleans, I personally brought soul music to the big cities. You might say it was whitewashed until they took all the juice out of it.,” she said.

Miss Jackson said she has never in her career sung anything but religious songs but added that when she recorded “I Believe” many said that she was going modern.

Speaking on modern rock music she said, “I like it when I fist hear it, but I get tired of it. But, every generation has got to express itself the way they enjoy it.”

Asked if religion was coming back into modern music, Miss Jackson said, “yes, it’s coming back. I see it more than most people do, but it’s coming back. Maybe it’s because I’m in church more often than most people.”

Speaking of the civil rights movement of the black community, she said she was pleased that the violent action of the blacks apparently has abated, but added, “You can never really tell about that, though. We don’t have anything to protect ourselves with.”

“Generally, though, the folks who have don us wrong are gone on and we’re living in a new day.”

Asked what she would do if she were 16 years old now and just starting out in the singing world, she said, “Maybe I would be like the Beatles. There are greater opportunities now for the blacks than there were back in my day.”

Miss Jackson will leave Tokyo Tuesday for India on the second round of a tour sponsored by the U.S. State Department. While there, she will give a memorial performance for civil rights leader Whitney Young who died recently while on vacation in Africa.