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The History of Gospel Music: Building Bridges of Hope

Anthony
Donna Bolima, Instructor
anguage Arts 1!A
"anuary #1, !$$%
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A&T'A(T
This paper descri)es

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Music is an important aspect of e*ery society+ Music can tell stories,
release emotions, )uild )ridges and )rea, do-n )arriers, )ut a)o*e all music is
entertaining+ There are *arious forms of music )ut not many ha*e as rich a history as
gospel music+ The importance of gospel music has )een rele*ant in American music for
more than a century and its importance to society is still rele*ant to this day .See
Appendix A/+ Gospel music helped sla*es escape to freedom and pa*ed the -ay for
other styles of music+ It promotes a spirit of hope and pro*ided an outlet to -orship God+
&o ho- e0actly has Gospel music impacted today1s society2
Music has )een rele*ant in (hristianity since its )eginnings+ &ome of the first
music -as -ritten in atin and they -ere called Hymns+ 3Hymn is a song of praise4 .5an
(amp/ and -ere sung only )y catholic churches+ 6hen Martin uther led the 7rotestant
'eformation and helped create 7rotestant (hristianity, he )egan translating hymns into
German+ All around 8urope people -ere translating hymns into different languages+
These translations -ere )rought o*er )y 8uropean settlers coming to America and -ere
used fre9uently in )oth (atholic and 7rotestant churches+
(ontemporary, as -ell as older, Gospel music originated from the 3&pirituals+4
The spirituals, also ,no-n as the 3:egro &pirituals or African;American fol, songs,4
-ere religious songs sung )y the African Americans sla*es in &outhern America+ The
spirituals spa-ned from teachings of (hristianity from sla*e o-ners, the church and e*en
hymns+ The songs -ere usually a)out lo*e, hope, peace, oppression, freedom and e*en
used as a secret code+ The African American sla*es -ould sing -hile -or,ing so much
so that sla*e o-ners )ecame fond of the music and some e*en adopted in into their style
of -orship+ The sla*es actually used &pirituals as their 3li)eration theology,4 and also as
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su)liminal messaging .7erry A</+ &pirituals -ere not only 3sung to ,eep spirits up4
.Thompson =/, )ut -ere used as coded messages to gi*e directions for -here to go or
ho- to proceed to freedom in the :orth+ The sla*e o-ners )elie*ed that the sla*es -ere
happy )ecause they sang church songs and they praised God )ut little did they ,no-, that
the sla*es -ere secretly communicating+ >or instance, during the ?nderground 'ailroad,
songs li,e 3>ollo- the Drin,in1 Gourd,1 @6ade in the 6ater,1 and @&-ing o-, &-eet
(hariot,1 all directly refer to secret code a)out using the ?nderground 'ailroad+4 As
many as 1$$,$$$ sla*es escaped )y means of this method .Thompson =/+
6hen 7resident incoln signed the 8mancipation 7roclamation in 1AB!, o*er
t-enty million Americans, )oth )lac, and -hite mo*ed out of the southern ?nited &tates+
This mo*e as stated )y 6hita,er, 3transformed religion, American popular culture, racial
hierarchies, American conser*ati*e and the nature of American regions+4 During this
re*olutionary mo*ement, 3Baptist and 7entecostal churches4 and music, such as CaDD,
)lues and gospel, spread+ &pirituals -ere not ,no-n )y any-here else in the country
other than in the south until that time .E%$/+
&pirituals -ere used and recorded )y producers and different artists+ A group of
college students called, 3the "u)ilee &ingers,4 from >is, ?ni*ersity sang &pirituals to
parts of the ?nited &tates and e*en -ent o*er seas to 8urope to perform in 8ngland and
Germany+ The "u)ilee &ingers )ecame so reno-ned, that 3other )lac, schools follo-ed
their e0ample+4 The students sang to raise money for the school -hile also spreading a
uni9ue style of music+ The uni9ue style and sound later )ecame ,no-n as Gospel+ There
ha*e )een many famous composers of spirituals and a collection of spirituals -ere
pu)lished in 1AB% .5an (ampF See Appendix B/+
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During the 3&outhern Diaspora,4 and o*er a si0ty year time period, t-enty million
Americans, )oth )lac, and -hite, left their homes in the &outh and mo*ed to the outer
edges of the country+ The 3&outhern Diaspora4 dispersed 3religion, music and political
practices+4 Gospel music -as no- )eing heard across the nation+ 6esterners and
:ortherners ali,e -ere introduced to a ne- music style .Gregory/+ In the 1=!$1s to
1=#$1s the 3@holiness1 e*angelistic mo*ement4 )egan to see an integration of different
styles of music ;;especially 'hythm G Blues .See appendix A/+ Instruments and *ocal
harmonies -ere )eing used more in the transition+ The )lending of Gospel and Blues
e*ol*ed into many other genres of music and shaped American music into -hat it is
today .7erry A</+ >or instance, "aDD music traces its origins from gospel music during
this time period and )efore+ "aDD, -hich started late into the 1A$$1s, 3gre- from a
com)ination of influences,4 li,e 3)lac, American music, African rhythms, American
)and traditions and instruments, and 8uropean harmonies and forms4 .Tirro/+
Many upcoming )lac, artists also started to use Gospel sound and com)ined it
-ith 'hythm and Blues, la)eling it 3soul music+4 6ith a Gospel )ac,ground, artists such
as 'ay (harles and &am (oo,e pa*ed the -ay for the popularity of soul and for ne-
talents to emerge. Moto-n 'ecords -as a famous record company in producing great
'GB singers+ >amous artists li,e &mo,ey 'o)inson, Mar*in Gaye, &te*ie 6onder and
Diana 'oss and the &upremes, soul music )ecame a )ig hit and the ne- sound for a
generation .See appendix B/+ The sound of Gospel music -as rele*ant in the music, )ut
the lyrics for soul music -ere completely different+ In gospel music, the lyrics often
tal,ed a)out hope, lo*e and peace )ut a lot of soul music, li,e in many Moto-n songs,
the lyrics mostly dealt -ith se0 and infidelity+ The contrast -as )lac, and -hite+ &ome
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people in the (hristian community -ere disgusted )y the -ay artists -ere adapting
Gospel into a secular form of music .Miller/+
3Multiculturalism4 -as hugely influenced )y the entertainment and the arts+
(ommonality -as found )et-een -hite and )lac, Americans in mo*ies, tele*ision,
dance and song+ Many African American entertainers emerged during the &outhern
Diaspora and )rought Gospel -ith them+ The Gospel sound -as rele*ant in the music, )ut
the lyrics for soul music -ere completely different+ In gospel music, the lyrics often
tal,ed a)out hope, lo*e and peace )ut a lot of soul music, li,e in many Moto-n songs,
the lyrics mostly dealt -ith se0 and infidelity+ The contrast -as )lac, and -hite+ &ome
people in the (hristian community -ere disgusted )y the -ay artists -ere adapting
Gospel into a secular form of music .6hita,er E%$/+
Hno-n as the 3father of gospel music,4 Thomas Dorsey gre- up in church+ The
son of a preacher and the church organist, Dorsey -as connected to church )ut a part of
him -anted to )ranch out into things outside of the church+ According to Thomas,
financial struggles, pro)lems in school and his parents1 main focus no longer )eing on
church )ut rather on sur*i*al, Dorsey1s 3connection to organiDed religion -aned+4 As
Dorsey1s )eliefs suffered he )egan turning to a ne- alternati*e, playing Blues music+ He
mo*ed from his home in Atlanta, to (hicago -here he found immediate success playing
-ith Ma 'ainey, a )lues artist+ After a couple serious ner*ous )rea,do-ns, Dorsey then
turned to gospel music as his source of strength+ His style -as reCected )y 3mainstream
churches4 )ut he continued to play nonetheless+ Times got -orse for Dorsey -hen his
-ife, :ettie Harper, and his son died in child)irth )ut Dorsey turned to his music for
solace+ Dorsey made 3Ta,e My Hand, 7recious ord4 during this crisis and it )ecame
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Dorsey1s most famous song+ He then led the -ay for the 3Golden Age of Gospel Music4
)y colla)orating -ith Mahalia "ac,son+ Thomas Dorsey died in 1==# .This >ar )y >aithF
See Appendix B/+
Mahalia "ac,son is regarded as the 3mother of )lac, gospel music+4 Born on
Octo)er !B, 1=11, life -as hard for Mahalia gro-ing up+ &he -as concei*ed out of
-edloc,, her mother died -hen Mahalia -as young, she had to li*e -ith her aunt -ho
-as more than strict, she dropped out of school and got a Co) as a -asher-oman all
)efore she passed the eighth grade+ Through her rough childhood, Mahalia al-ays had a
strong connection to her church+ &he -as dra-n to the musical style of the church and it
stuc, -ith her+ Mahalia dreamt of going to (hicago e*er since and in Decem)er 1=!A,
-hen she -as se*enteen years old, she 3too, her first train ride to and has headed to
(hicago+4 &he -as in the church choir and after a fe- years she )egan to sing solos as the
other soloist in the choir left to pursue singing careers+ &he )egan to -or, -ith gospel
music composer, Thomas Dorsey+ Her -or, -ith him ele*ated her status of recognition
around the country+ Dorsey lo*ed Mahalia1s *oice that he 3e*en )egan -riting songs -ith
her in mind+4 Mahalia roc,eted to star status as she )egan singing for larger audiences in
more places+ Despite the fact that she -as a gospel singer, singing gospel songs, her
music )ecame the tal, of pop culture in the 1=E$1s+ Mahalia )ecame outspo,en in the
(i*il rights mo*ement ,no-ing first;hand a)out discrimination, -hich seemed to follo-
her li,e a second shado-+ 'acism )ecame so much a part of her life that no amount of
fame or fortune could stop it+ &he sang songs for t-o presidents and also sang numerous
times for Dr+ Martin uther Hing+ Gi*en many opportunities to turn 3pop4 and sing
secular forms of music, Mahalia stuc, to Gospel music refusing anything else+ &he sang
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Gospel music, touring the -orld, until she died in "anuary 1=%! of 3intestinal o)struction
com)ined -ith heart failure4 .(arpenter !$B:!11/+
'e*+ "ames (le*eland re*olutioniDed the gospel -orld )y re*italiDing gospel
choirs )ut a scandalous life ruined his reputation according to some people+ He turned
choirs into 3a sophisticated art form4 )y creating an inno*ati*e sound com)ining 3CaDD
and pop, )lues and &anctified church rhythms+ Born in the Great Depression, 'e*+
(le*eland -as accustomed to -or,+ He e*en had a Co) deli*ering papers and one of his
customers -as Mahalia "ac,son+ "ames started playing piano since age fi*e playing on
)lac, and -hite ,eys he dre- on the -indo-sill, )ut he later )ecame a talented pianist+
He attended church ser*ice -ith his Grandmother and Coined his church choirs -here he
)egan singing+ He started singing, composing and -riting songs and playing piano for
many different gospel groups+ He signed -ith &a*oy records and turned do-n 5ee;"ay
records+ His deal -ith &a*oy records propelled him to superstardom at a time -hen 3it
-as rare for any )lac, music to sell many 7s+4 He spread his talent for music all o*er
the ?+&+ and e*en to 8urope )ut his s,ill caused him to demand I!,$$$ a night for a
concert+ 'e*+ (le*eland e*en )ecame a pastor for some churches+ He preached at the
:e- Greater Har*est Baptist (hurch )ut -as fired after se*en years for putting music
a)o*e preaching+ He then relocated and his choir follo-ed and -ent to n found the
(ornerstone Institutional Baptist (hurch later that year+ His popularity caused him to
ha*e t-o ser*ices to 3accommodate the o*erflo-+4 Although 'e*+ (le*eland had -ritten
songs for secular artists, he -as firmly against gospel singers singing gospel to any other
type of music+ He )elie*ed that the message of gospel songs, out -eighed the music+ 'e*+
(le*eland -as a millionaire -hich caused many to )elie*e that it -as attri)uted to
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(le*eland misusing their money they ga*e to support the church+ (le*eland ans-ered
saying that he -as rich )efore he e*en )ecame a pastor and that all the money came from
his -or, in gospel music+ All the gospel music he -or,ed on -as successful so
(le*eland created his o-n record company called Hing "ames records+ After his record
company -as created, 'e*+ (le*eland started to get sic,+ He lost a lot of -eight, it -as
said that he smo,ed and drin, at times and he had a respiratory pro)lems+ 'e*+ "ames
(le*eland died >e)ruary =, 1==1 of congesti*e heart failure )ut a life -ith scandal,
remained after his death+ There -ere many complicated pro)lems concerning his property
including his church+ (le*eland left no -ill so there -as no one entitled to his estate+ This
caused an eruption )et-een his heirs and his church+ His church -as e*entually sold and
turned into a discount store despite -inning a )attle to ,eep it open, a man accused
(le*eland of )eing homose0ual and for sodomiDing him and a man claimed himself to )e
'e* "ames1 adopted son, entitling him to half of (le*eland1s estate+ He made a huge
difference he made in the Gospel and (hurch community+ 'egardless of all of the drama
that riddled 'e*+ "ames (le*eland1s life, his great accomplishments cannot )e denied+
.(arpenter AA:=1/
'oc, and roll originated from t-o American musical styles; 3country and )lues+4
'oc, music1s characteristics -ere ta,en from African American )lues+ The )asic
melodies of Blues com)ined -ith 3aggressi*e4 )eats made roc, and roll+ &ome songs
li,e 3Good 'oc,in1 Tonight,4 and 3All &he 6ants to Do is 'oc,,4 -hich -ere rhythm
and )lues influenced, helped to shape roc, and roll in the late 1=<$1s+ Then 8l*is 7resley
came along in the E$1s and presented a ne- style that )rought Gospel music together -ith
roc, and roll .See appendix B/+ 8l*is also sang a lot of Gospel songs and Hymns he had
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heard gro-ing up in church+ 8arly in his career, the maCority of the songs 8l*is sang
-ere Gospel+ It -as not until he )ecame more -idely ,no-n that he started ta,ing his
music into more roc, and roll+ 8l*is1 music )ecame *ery popular leading into the age of
roc, and roll .McHeen/+
Hir, >ran,lin has )een a dri*ing force in the Gospel -orld for o*er a decade+ He
introduced a style that all ages -ould enCoy, especially teens+ 'aised -ithout his parent1s,
he -as 3grounded in church+4 As a result, he )egan to lead the adult choir at the church+
But as Hir, )egan to de*elop into a teenager, he )egan to 3re)el and hang -ith a rough
cro-d4 causing him to turn a-ay from the church+ It -as not until one of his friends -ere
shot that he realiDed that he -as going in the same direction, death+ He then turned )ac,
to the church and )egan to compose songs+ Hir,1s songs are mostly directed to teens
)ecause of his o-n childhood struggles+ Hir, formed a group called the >amily+ Hir,
found success after a -hile due to his 3hard ur)an sound+4 His style of gospel music -as
unheard of and many came to )elie*e that it did not )elong+ Gospel music -as Cust
changing and Hir, helped in the molding process+ Hir, )ecame a huge hit in the =$1s and
is still going strong today+ .(arpenter 1<B:1<%/
Gospel music has )een a po-erful force in American culture+ It has helped sla*es
escape to freedom, it enriched America1s di*ersity, it -as a supporting )ac,)one in the
(i*il 'ights Mo*ement, it pa*ed the -ay for different genres of music )ut most of all it
has empo-ered people to )e more than they can )e+ Gospel music started out as sla*e
music )ut turned into a musical Cuggernaut and still impacts the li*es of its listeners+
Gospel music )uilds )ridges in society and continues to help mold America into -hat it is
today+
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and 6hite &outherners Transformed America+4 Ar,ansas Historical Juarterly
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(arpenter, Bil+ ?ncloudy Days: The Gospel Music 8ncyclopedia+ &an >rancisco:
Bac,)eat Boo,s, !$$E+
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e0amines ho- the settling of )lac, and -hite &outherners across America
shaped -ho -e are today+K &eattle Times B >e)ruary !$$B:
iddell, Marlane+ K'oots of 'hythm : The origins of American musicP
from Gospel to (ountry, from Qydeco to the Blues;;a cele)rated in a ne-
)oo, and a 7B& tele*ision series+ +K &mithsonian+ :o*em)er !$$1: %%;A<+
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Miller, "im+ 3&oul+4 The 'olling &tone Illustrated History of 'oc, G 'oll+ :e-
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7erry, Brandon+ KGospel Music: A historical summary+K 'ecorder 5ol+ 111,
Iss+ !#+ = "une !$$B pg+ A<+ 11 :o*em)er !$$B Lhttp:MMpro9uest+umi+comM
p9d-e)2sidN!G*instN7'ODGfmtN#GstartpageN1GclientidN!<=%EG*nameN
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Thompson, 8ric,a+ K:egro &pirituals: the Ancient Gospel Music+K
'ecorder !1 April !$$B: =+
Tirro, >ran,+ K"aDD+K World Book Online Reference Center+ !$$B+ 11 :o* !$$B
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:o*em)er !$$B Lhttp:MM---+-orld)oo,online+comM-)MArticle2idNarE!EB$$O+
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6hita,er, Matthe-+ 3The &outhern Diaspora: Ho- the Great Migrations of Blac, and
6hite &outherners Transformed America+4 The "ournal of American History+
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O 1#
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and 6hite &outherners Transformed America+4 Ar,ansas Historical Juarterly
Autumn !$$B: #1%;#!$+
(arpenter, Bil+ ?ncloudy Days: The Gospel Music 8ncyclopedia+ &an >rancisco:
Bac,)eat Boo,s, !$$E+
GoertDen, 5alerie 6oodring+ K>ol, music+K World Book Online Reference Center+
!$$B+ 11 :o*em)er!$$B Lhttp:MM---+-orld)oo,online+comM-)M
Article2idNar!$!=<$O+
G-inn, Mary Ann + K'oots pulled from &outhern soil F A ?6 history professor
e0amines ho- the settling of )lac, and -hite &outherners across America
shaped -ho -e are today+K &eattle Times B >e)ruary !$$B:
"ac,son, "erma+ &inging in my &oul: Blac, Gospel Music in a &ecular Age+ :orth
(arolina: The ?ni*ersity of :orth (arolina 7ress, !$$<+
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O 1E
Appendi0 A
Timeline for Gospel Music
1B1=; >irst record of African sla*es in (olonial America )rought as indentured ser*ants
1%AB; All states, e0cept Georgia, )an or limit importation of African sla*es
1%=A; Georgia )ans importation of African sla*es
1A1$; ?nderground 'ailroad helps sla*es escape to free states
1AB1; American (i*il 6ar )egins
1AB#; 7resident A)raham incoln issues 8mancipation 7roclamation
1ABE; American (i*il 6ar ends
1AB%; (ollections of spirituals pu)lished, songs ,no-n no- as Gospel
1A%$; &tudents, called >is, "u)ilee &ingers, perform spirituals across the nation
1=!$; 8*angelistic Mo*ement integrates styles of music -ith gospel
1=<%; Music style com)ining CaDD, gospel and )lues named 'hythm G Blues
1=<A; 'hythm G Blues helps shape 'oc, and 'oll
1=B$; T-enty million Americans mo*e from the &outh o*er a si0ty year period
O 1B
Appendi0 B
Influential 7eople in the 7rogression of Gospel Music
>is, "u)ilee &ingers
&mo,ey 'o)inson Mar*in Gaye
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Appendi0 B!
&te*ie 6onder Diana 'oss and the &upremes
Thomas Dorsey 8l*is 7resley