Since the 1970s, Pastor T.L. Barrett has been preaching and leading gospel songs to his Chicago Church of God in Christ. His '70s records have been sampled by a variety of artists ranging from Kanye West and T.I. to DJ Khaled and Vic Mensa; his work has also been covered by Leon Bridges. In 1971, Barrett released the influential masterwork Like a Ship… (Without a Sail) with his 40-member Youth for Christ Choir, composed of children between ages 12 and 19. He followed it with several more influential albums across the decade, including I Found the Answer (1973), Do Not Pass Me By, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 (1976 and 1979), and Roots (1977). In 2021, Numero Group released the first in-depth exploration of Barrett's musical career, the six-disc I Shall Wear a Crown included his albums, singles, and some sermons.