LL Muana, a gospel singer, who was referred to as ‘Jim Reeves' of Northeast, on Tuesday celebrated 50 years of singing gospel songs with his first performance on November 22, 1972 during the Billy Graham crusade in Kohima.
Muana said he turned to gospel songs in 1969, singing it with his friend as 'Mission Compound Quartet' but that his first official performance was during the Billy Graham crusade between November 21-23, 1972 where he and his team were invited to present two songs. Today, he plans to sing as long as God wills it, he said.
The 69-year-old gospel singer also performed a gospel song called 'When I prayed last night' when a local media team and IFP met him at his residence located at Zenhang Lamka in Churachandpur.
During the interaction, he spoke about his commitment to continue singing gospel songs in the years ahead. However, he also lamented that he was sad because his friends who sang with him as Mission Compound Quartet are no more.
Muana said that he had sung more than 200 songs, some of which are his version of gospel songs, while others are original songs. He also admitted that in the five decades he has sung songs that are translated in almost all the languages of NE India, including South India, where he mostly sings in English. He said that he had written anthems for nine schools and two colleges which are all gospel in nature.
