Through music, conversation and films, Spiritual Helpline celebrates
the sacred sounds of tradition bearers in the South, and beyond.
This lifetime-in-the-making project is a platform for connection and collaboration, celebrating the cultural wealth of sacred music.
There’s good news and great music out there. Spiritual Helpline is here to share it.
Spiritual Helpline is the outgrowth of Phil Cook’s love of music. As a recording artist with the band Megafaun and with his Southland Mission ensemble, Cook’s work introduced him to the young players of North Carolina’s gospel world. Their sounds and stories hinted at the depth of the area’s musical history and he realized there was much to learn.
Both aims are born out of the same sense of respect for this art and the people who make it. “This is about people. This is about where we are as a country, about who we are,” says Cook, pausing to consider
his role in these deep traditions. “I try to walk into these situations with love and respect, because this music and these musicians deserve that.”
