By ALISON KNEZEVICH

The Charleston Gazette

CHARLESTON (AP) — Singer and actress Doris Fields loved John Mayer's song "Waiting on the World to Change." She listened to it over and over.

"And I suddenly realized that we couldn't wait on the world to change," said Fields, also known as Lady D.

So a few years ago, the Chesapeake native penned a pop song called "Go Higher."

Recently, "Go Higher" won a nationwide contest sponsored by a group called Obama Music, Arts and Entertainment — and now she's headed to Washington, D.C., to perform at inauguration events for President-elect Barack Obama.

More than 100 songs were posted to the group's Web site, where people voted on their favorites. Fields garnered about 19 percent of the votes, edging out her competitors by just six votes.

Recently, she performed for students, faculty and staff at West Virginia State University, where she graduated in 2005 with a communications degree.

"If we don't change our minds, if we don't change our ways," she sang, "We're speeding like a rocket to the end of days."

The 49-year-old doesn't yet know whether she will sing at the main inauguration event, but she is guaranteed a spot at one of the inauguration balls, she said.

When Fields wrote the song, Obama wasn't yet in the running. But when he started campaigning, Fields considered "Go Higher" a perfect match.

She wants to inspire people to start making small changes to fix big problems, she said.

"I know that people think that all the problems we have are so overwhelming, that 'I can't change anything,'" said Fields, who now lives in Beckley.

Fields usually sings R&B, but she calls "Go Higher" a pop song. Her band, Mi$, combines R&B, classic and urban blues styles.

In 2005, Fields won the FestivALL Charleston Song Contest with "It's a Charleston Thing." She also wrote and performs a one-woman play called "The Lady and the Empress," based on the life and music of blues legend Bessie Smith.

"She is one of those people, those creative people, you just know you want to work with," said film professor Danny Boyd, who taught Fields in a screenwriting course.

Fields said she hopes the Obama administration focuses most on the country's economic problems.

"I'm just hoping that (Obama) can bring the economy back in line where people can have a shot at making a living," she said.