By Ernestine Anderson – see Ernestine's website
[Excerpted from “Dawn’s Early Light”]
I began my career at age fifteen. Within ten years, I earned many recording contracts and was even featured on the cover of Time Magazine. I had every reason to be happy, but my anxiety was so bad that my own children were afraid to talk to me.
During the sixties, I searched for a religion that would give me the satisfaction that I was looking for. I never found one. My spirits became so low that I lost all desire to live. I quit singing and hid in my apartment. I avoided friends and any explanations about my career.
I still had to eat, so I went out late each night to do my grocery shopping. That is how I met SGI members who told me about chanting. I was intrigued by the idea of chanting and impressed by the warmth and sincerity of these people.
After attending one meeting, I decided to join and start practicing immediately. I was convinced that I found something that could change my life.
I felt different immediately. The intense pressure I had been under disappeared and I became comfortable around people again. I felt the compassion of my unit chief who taught me gongyo and took me with her on every campaign. As a result a deep confidence and strong self-identity emerged form the depths of my life. I reawakened to my great hopes and dreams for the future and chanted for the opportunity to sing again. After two weeks of chanting this way I received a call from the famous jazz musician and arranger, Benny Carter. He asked me to record an album for Tempo Records. After recording that album, I cut another album. I then signed a contract with Concord Records and confidently launched my second career.
I toured throughout the world. Everywhere I went, I told people about the Gohonzon. I introduced Buster Williams, Don Abney, and Keith Sterling to the practice.
In 1981 I was nominated for a Grammy Award. I was nominated again in 1984.
In 1985 I was invited by the Soka Gakkai’s Min-On Concert Association to tour Japan. When I arrived in Japan, I was whisked to the Seikyo Press building in Tokyo where I met and talked with President Ikeda for more than an hour.
I asked him to explain the difference between self-confidence and arrogance. He told me that confidence is based on diligent effort, while arrogance only develops when one became self-satisfied. He said that while some artists lose their vitality as time passes, persons of great humanity will never lose their brilliance.
During the last four years I have received benefits beyond my greatest expectations and achieved the freedom to enjoy my life thoroughly. My life and career have blossomed exactly as President Ikeda said they would.
A reporter who saw one of my performances commented “No matter how people feel when they walk in, when they leave they feel great.” This showed me that I was following President Ikeda’s guidance.
I was invited to sing at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
There
is so much turmoil in the world today. I am convinced that peace begins
with life-to-life bonds among people, and music is a most powerful international
language that can overcome all barriers. I vow to continue to polish my
life, touch people’s hearts and do joyous shakubuku with my music.
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