The Origins of Black Gospel

Gospel music is music that has been created to express religious belief and is characterized by the use of dominant vocals. The precise origin of gospel music lyrics is relatively unknown because the roots of gospel music are not documented well. Stories behind gospel songs weren't written down any many of the early records have been lost. Despite this, many historians believe that gospel music evolved from slaves sometime in the 18th century.

When slaves arrived from Africa they tried to maintain their culture, but were forbidden by slave owners to play African instruments. The slaves infused music and dance into their everyday tasks such as working the fields. The slaves sang songs about working hard and about God. It was at this time that the field holler was created and it encouraged others to answer and sing along.

When slavery was abolished, African-Americans slowly began to migrate north to big cities. The former slaves clung to their music and dance, but brought it indoors to the churches that they started to attend. The church soloist often sang and the choir answered in response to the soloist's questions. It was a way to celebrate God and to celebrate life.

Thomas Dorsey, an African-American musician, has been given credit for pushing gospel music to the masses in the 1930s. He was the son of a preacher and wrote many religious songs. The music that he created was exuberant and featured shouts of praise. Dorsey promoted gospel choirs and singers in venues other than churches and changed admission fees for the performance.
(More about Reverend Dorsey next time.)

Gospel music was becoming so successful that it eventually became part of the regular radio programming rotation. Gospel was not just for churches any longer. Gospel music has been credited with influencing blues and jazz music, and it is still evolving today.

Until Next Time--God Bless,
Duane

Great Gospel Art

This is a painting of a typical evangelical gospel meeting. It generally involved folks getting there three hours early to cook food, set up the meeting hall, and to welcome the artists from The Gospel Highway. It was a wonderful way to extend hope and faith to these depressed communities.

Another great one leaves The Gospel Highway!

Hi folks it is a sad day for The Gospel Highway. Ira Tucker, lead singer of The Dixie Hummingbirds, passed away this week of heart failure, he was 83. Born in Spartanburg, S.C., on May 17, 1925, Tucker was initiated into the world of making music and money at about age 6 after he learned to whistle, said son, Ira Tucker, Jr.

Over the years, as the popularity of the group grew, the men sang throughout the country at black churches and gospel extravaganzas and performed often at Harlem's Apollo Theater. In 1942, they sang at the Cafe Society, an integrated nightclub in New York. "Ira was really proud of the role the Dixie Hummingbirds played in overcoming social injustice and prejudice," Zolten said. "He was proud of the time spent working in Cafe Society in New York, breaking down the barriers of segregation in the 1940s."

In more recent years Tucker collaborated with Wynonna Judd on "How Great Thou Art" and recorded a country album. Tucker and the group were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame; and in 2007 his album "Still Keeping It Real: The Last Man Standing" was nominated for a Grammy.

In addition to his son, Tucker is survived by his wife, Louise; two daughters, Sundray Tucker of Philadelphia and Lynda Laurance of Sherman Oaks, both of whom are vocalists; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

A funeral will be held Wednesday in Philadelphia. Memorial donations can be sent to the African American Museum, 701 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19106.

Hey Folks.....

Sorry for lack of information, I have been busy graduating from Moorpark College and finishing finals. This summer will have intermittent blurbs by myself and others who are concerned about The Gospel Highway and its preservation and place in history. We are applying for a Grammy Grant so we can archive interviews of folks that chartered this highway of faith and hope. So just be patient and more will written as i have time to write more.


God Bless,
Duane

Jim Crow.....What an Awful, Awful Fella

I am reading the book "Remembering Jim Crow" which is part of the Duke University Behind the Veil Project. The separate but equal laws made it very hard for The Gospel Highway travelers to have any amount of dignity or self expression. These artists were taught to do what the white man said and do what he told you to do, especially the police. No African American was safe from these laws, not even the quartets of The Gospel Highway.

Mahalia Jackson once said, " I can be Queen of the stage while playing, but when we finish I still have to go back to the jungle."

Jimmy Carter of The Blind Boys of Alabama said," We just let 'em say what they wass gonna say and do what they was gonna do, cause if we fought back it would have been worser then."

Jim Crow finally left our country in 1964 thanks to the Civil Rights Act and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Hallelujah

P.S. He can still be seen in the very rural south and some urban areas of the south- just be very careful.

The Blind Boys of Alabama...LIVE at The Belly Up Tavern

I don't want to take up too much time on this post.Iwill just let you enjoy a little of the gospel magic of The Blind Boys of Alabama.

Fly High Dixie Hummingbirds!!!

The first real superstars of The Golden Age of Gospel were The Dixie Hummingbirds.

Formed 1928 in Greenville, South Carolina, by James B. Davis and his classmates, they sang in local churches until they finished school, then started touring throughout the South.

The Hummingbirds lead singer was the charismatic Ira Tucker. Tucker joined the group in 1938 at age 13, and they signed with Decca Records. In addition to his formidable vocal skills, Tucker introduced the energetic showmanship - running through the aisles, jumping off stage, falling to his knees in prayer - copied by many quartets that followed. Tucker also took the lead in the stylistic innovations adopted by the group, combining gospel shouting and the delivery made popular by The Golden Gate Quartet, as well as adventuresome harmonies, which the group called "trickeration", in which Paul Owens or another member of the group would pick up a note just as Tucker left off.

During the years, a number of talented singers starred in the group--their bass singer, William Bobo, baritone Beachy Thompson, James Walker, who replaced Owens, who went on to star for The Swan Silvertones. The Hummingbirds added a guitarist, Howard Carroll, who added even more propulsive force to their high-flying vocals.

Just one listen to Paul Simon's "Love Me Like A Rock", in which The Hummingbirds sing back up, will let you know how vibrant this group was and still is today.

*Thanks to Robert Darden's book People Get Ready for bio info.

**Thanks to Jerry Zoltens book Great God A' Mighty! : The Dixie Hummingbirds - Celebrating The Rise Of Soul Gospel Music for bio info