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So Much History

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Black Gospel

Black Gospel Music, is a uniquely American style of religious song, which can trace its roots to African American spirituals, and early blues and jazz. Gospel lyrics resemble evangelism or sermonizing  and gospel music is church music. But it has a deeper meaning than that it has a history and it also has a race background. 
Gospel music helped African American slaves to go through their daily challenges and still have hope and faith. Groups of slaves would sing together as they worked on plantations, often choosing old songs connected to their faith. For some, this was little more than a way to feel closer to God during hardship. For others, the communal songs and harmonies would create bonds between workers. There was also the use of song as a means of covert communication. The music was born from the traditional hymns and spiritual songs the Africans sang during the slave era.
 
These spirituals were songs of hope sung by the enslaved people before freedom/emancipation. These hymns were composed in a book, and the White Americans sang them during their worship, mostly on Sundays. The singing of these hymns was audible to the enslaved people while on the plantations, and thus they modified them to a call-and-response format. An individual would sing one line of the hymn, and then the entire group would harmoniously repeat it.
 
This gave rise to the Negros spirituals, which later influenced the development of gospel music. Therefore, gospel music can be defined as African-American Christian music. Gospel music comprised the hymns and other songs borrowed from the oral traditions of the African-American culture. During the late 1800’s African American churches started developing this type of music. Gospel music is deeply rooted in the rich traditions of the African-American church. Music expresses emotions, suffering, hope and help people to see things from a different point of view.
 
There’s many different type of music, and church decided to have their own music called gospel music. Music is also entertainment, church needed their own music that they could identify. Every type of music is important but gospel music has a lot of importance because is related to church but also has a background race story. Gospel music helped slaves to escape to freedom and it also helped them to see life in a different way. It helped them to have hope and faith because gospel music is about God and his power and miracles. 
 
It is a sacred music genre that emerged in the 1920s out of a confluence of sacred hymns, spirituals, shouts, jubilee quartet songs, and Black devotional songs with noticeable blues and jazz rhythmic and harmonic influences. Thomas A. Dorsey (the “father of gospel music”) coined the term in Chicago in 1921. Dorsey used the term gospel song to differentiate his music from “gospel hymns,” a term often used among Black hymn writers of the early 20th century.
 
Like Black spirituals of the 19th century, the lyrical content of gospel music is centrally important, and it addresses the worldviews, theologies, culture, and experiences of Black Americans. Song lyrical content can be devotional, testimonial, inspirational, social justice oriented, or evangelistic. It can be performed in a variety of vocal settings (i.e., choir, ensemble, solo, or duet) and usually has instrumental accompaniment. Modern-day Black artists from R&B and urban scenes can often trace their influences back to the soul singers and R&B artists of the mid-century. Some go deeper into the music of their churches and communities. This all leads back to a deep-rooted connection to gospel music.
 

Four Types of Gospel Music: Gospel music exists in many forms throughout the world.

  • 1. Traditional gospel music: Traditional gospel music maintains close ties to the Black church. It makes ample use of traditional hymns like “Amazing Grace” and “Precious Lord, Take My Hand.” The musical style is known for gospel choirs, rollicking instrumentalists, energetic hand-clapping, call-and-response, and ties to social causes like the Civil Rights movement.
  • 2. Urban contemporary gospel: The most popular gospel music of the present era features strong influence from hip-hop and contemporary R&B. Stars of contemporary gospel often work out of major music hubs like New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. They score Billboard hits thanks to a crossover sound that aligns with contemporary pop hits.
  • 3. Country gospel: Some gospel manifests as country music with Christian themes. As is true for urban contemporary gospel, some Christian country artists toggle between spiritual music and mainstream country-pop hits. Nashville, Tennessee, is a major hub for country gospel music.
  • 4. British gospel: Gospel music enjoys strong popularity within the Black community of the United Kingdom. UK gospel reflects the Caribbean and African ancestry of many Black Englanders.
  • 5. Contemporary Gospel: Contemporary gospel music features vocalists singing over electronic instrumentals or choir backing. The contemporary gospel is so popular in North America that it has had its own radio stations and television stations developed entirely for people to listen to and enjoy the music.  While not unique to Black gospel music, this modernization of biblical hymns is innovative and ingenious and has been very successful in attracting younger people to the church.
Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin's "Amazing Grace" is the biggest selling live gospel album in music history and earned the  Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance. This album was a critical and commercial success, earning a double platinum certification. 

Aretha Franklin
Andrae Edward Crouch

Andrae Crouch rose to prominence as a key figure in the Christian Music movement of the 1960s and 1970s, and eventually become known as the “father of modern gospel music”.  One of the first Black gospel artists to crossover to mainstream Christian music.

Andrae Crouch
BeBe & CeCe Winans

 As a brother and sister duo, BeBe & CeCe Winans, they have made extensive inroads in the gospel music genre. Ever since they left the "Praise The Lord" show and started their own career, they have won countless Grammy, Dove, Stellar, Soul Train Music and NAACP Image awards together.

BeBe & CeCe Winans
Mahalia Jackson

Mahalia Jackson was revered as an outstanding gospel singer, whose career spanned 45 years. A household name, the original “Queen of Gospel", Mahalia Jackson has sang all over the world, and was a great champion of the civil rights movement. She has been a giant impact on the gospel music industry.

Mahalia Jackson
Thomas A. Dorsey

Thomas Dorsey was responsible for writing many of the genre's best-known standards.  Thomas A. Dorsey, revolutionized sacred church music and ushered in a new genre: gospel. He is regarded as the father of gospel music. Dorsey's gospel music combines Christian praise with the rhythms of jazz and the blues.

Thomas Dorsey
Shirley Caesar

Shirley Caesar has been called "the First Lady of Gospel Music". A giant in the world of spiritual music, she has carved her own significant name in the gospel industry as singer and as pastor, which has spanned five decades. Pastor Shirley Caesar has always claimed "a preacher-evangelist first, and a singer second."

Shirley Casear
Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a  pioneering gospel singer whose gospel music was infected with the howls and scrapes of her distorted electric guitar. A gospel star, she was an early crossover from gospel to secular music. She was an integral inspiration to the rock and roll industry.

Rosetta Tharpe
The Blind Boys of Alabama

The Blind Boys of Alabama are recognized worldwide as living legends of gospel music. A true staple of American roots music, the Blind Boys of Alabama have always maintained the same zest, determination and appeal that have made them one of the most extended ongoing gospel groups.

Blind Boys of Alabama
The Edwin Hawkins Singers

The Edwin Hawkins Singers were a major force for contemporary inspirational music. Their arrangement of "Oh Happy Day," became the first gospel song to hit the secular charts. “Oh Happy Day” became the most successful gospel hit of all time, selling more than seven million units worldwide. 

Edwin Hawkins Singers
Sallie Martin

Sallie Martin helped usher in the golden age of gospel during the 1940s and 1950s with her foot stomping beat and soulful rhythmic singing. The moniker "Mother of Gospel" was  worthy and properly given to Sallie for her many contributions for gospel's early rise.

Sallie Martin
Albertina Walker

A protégé of Mahalia Jackson, Albertina Walker went on to carve her name and her place in gospel music. A gospel industry staple, Albertina Walker discovery of other gospel artists resulted in the nickname "Star Maker". After the death of Mahalia Jackson in 1972, she was dubbed "The Queen of Gospel"

Albertina Walker
James Cleveland

Rev. James Cleveland is a gospel music legend. Rev. Cleveland mentored a young Aretha Franklin and remains a giant, not only in the gospel music scene, but for his influences on a variety of other musical genres.

James Cleveland
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