Gospel music

Gospel music
Stylistic origins:	Christian hymns, Negro spirituals
Cultural origins:	First quarter of twentieth century: US
Typical instruments:	Vocals, piano, Hammond organ, electric guitar, drums, and bass guitar
Mainstream popularity:	International
Derivative forms:	Rhythm and Blues
urban contemporary gospel, Southern gospel
Fusion genres
Christian country music

Gospel music is a musical genre characterized by dominant vocals (often with strong use of harmony) referencing lyrics of a Christian religious nature. Subgenres include contemporary Gospel, urban contemporary Gospel (sometimes referred to as "black Gospel"), Southern Gospel, and modern Gospel (now more commonly known as praise music or Contemporary Christian music). Most forms of gospel music use piano and/or organ, drums, bass guitar and, increasingly, electric guitar.

History

The relationship between the origins of white and African-American gospel music is a matter of some controversy. Some argue that Gospel music is rooted in Africa and was brought to the Americas by slaves. However, some of the harmonies and many of the hymns themselves so a clear British influence.Recent studies by Professor Willie Ruff, an Afro-American ethno-musicologist at Yale University, conclude that African American Gospel singing was in fact was encouraged by Scottish Gaelic speaking settlers from North Uist Thus, traditional Scottish Gaelic psalm singing, in which the psalms are called out and the congregation sings a response, was the earliest form of congregational singing adopted by Africans in America. Call-and-response singing, however, has also been found among many African tribes.

Although white and black Gospel singing may have grown up side by side and cross-fertilized to a great extent in the south, the sharp division between black and white America, particularly black and white churches, have kept the two apart. While those divisions have lessened slightly in the past fifty years, the two traditions are still distinct.

In the early twentieth century, recordings of gospel songs began to create a marker for gospel music in the recording industry. Gospel and spiritual songs by white groups such as the Carter Family and gospel blues by such performers as Son House and Reverend Gary Davis were among these. In the 30s and 40s, the Grand Ole Opry regularly featured bluegrass and traditional gospel singing, while pioneer urban gospel performers began to gain popularity among black audiences.

By the mid twentieth century, gospel music had developed a major market. Soon distinct sub-genres began to appear. Cross-over performers such as Amy Grant and Aretha Franklin brought their gospel traditions with them into mainstream country and R & B, while occasional gospel mega-hits such as "Oh Happy Day" reached the top of the pop charts. Today, gospel music is no longer Sunday-only affair, but a major part of the recording industry in the United States.

Although predominantly an American phenomenon, gospel music has also spread throughout the world including to Australia, with choirs such as The Elementals and Jonah & The Whalers and festivals such as the Australian Gospel Music Festival. Norway is home to the popular Ansgar Gospel Choir, the only true Norwegian Gospel choir. Gospel is also popular in the province of Quebec, Canada, where important gospel choirs such as Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir are famous.

Gospel music genres

Urban Contemporary Gospel

The music popularized by urban contemporary gospel pioneers had its roots mostly in spirituals sung by southern slaves during the 18th and 19th century. The Gospel music that Thomas A. Dorsey ("Take My Hand, Precious Lord") and other pioneers popularized had its roots in the more freewheeling forms of religious devotion of 'Sanctified' or 'Holiness' churches. In the 1920s artists such as Arizona Dranes, many of whom were also traveling preachers, started making records in a style that melded traditional religious themes with barrelhouse, blues and boogie-woogie techniques and brought jazz instruments, such as drums and horns, into the church. Early urban gospel music of this nature was often frowned upon in more established black churches, which preferred traditional Baptist and Methodist hymns without rhythmic accompaniment.

Groups such as the Dixie Hummingbirds, Soul Stirrers, Swan Silvertones, the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, and the Mighty Clouds of Joy introduced even more stylistic freedom to the genre, often emulating R & B forms, and in turn influencing top popular performers such as Wilson Pickett, James Brown, and Sam Cooke, who himself had been a member of the Soul Stirrers. At the same time these quartet groups were reaching their zenith in the 1940s and 1950s, a number of female singers were achieving stardom. Some, such as Mahalia Jackson and Bessie Griffin, were primarily soloists, while others, such as Clara Ward, The Caravans and others sang in small groups. Roberta Martin led groups that featured both men and women singers and sponsored a number of individual artists, such as James Cleveland, who went on to change the face of gospel in the decades that followed.

In the 60s, urban gospel started to break way from the traditional church setting. More artists emerged during these decades, and they often began to perform more than minister. More recently, younger artists such as BeBe (Benjamin) and CeCe (Cecilia) Winans and groups such as Take 6 deliver music gospel music with a hip hop flavor. Contemporary gospel songs are usually written in the subgenre of either "praise" or "worship"—former being faster in tempo, stronger and louder, the latter being slower in tempo and more subtle so the message may be taken in.

Christian Country music

Christian country music, sometimes referred to as Country gospel music, is a subgenre of gospel music with a country flair, is also known as Inspirational Country. It originated as a blend of early mountain music, cowboy music and the music from the plantations of the Deep South. It was out of this blend of music that Southern Gospel music was birthed and was found primarily in the southern states. Today, Christian country music has blended with a new brand of music called Positive Christian Country music.

Christian country music was recorded by groups with southern gospel flair like the Oak Ridge Boys, The Cook Family Singers, Ray Price, Red Sovine, The Louvin Brothers and The Carter Family.

Many secular country music artists have recorded country gospel songs or have performed them on their radio and television programs. Tennessee Ernie Ford was known for including these types of songs at the conclusion of his weekly television show which in turn became one of the most successful segments. Other shows like Hee Haw, the Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters Show , and the Statler Brothers implemented the same programming style. The Grand Old Opry, one of country music's longest running and most popular shows, has always included gospel music as a part of its program.

Southern Gospel

Southern Gospel's establishment as a distinct genre is generally date to around 1910, when first professional quartet was formed for the purpose of selling songbooks for the James D. Vaughan Music Publishing Company. However, the style of music itself had existed for at least 35 years prior.

Southern Gospel is sometimes called "quartet music" by fans due to the original all male, tenor-lead-baritone-bass quartet make-up. Early quartets were typically accompanied only by piano or guitar, and in some cases a piano and banjo. Over time, full bands were added and even later, pre-record accompaniments were introduced. A typical modern Southern Gospel group performs with pre-recorded tracks augmented by a piano player and possibly a few other musicians.

Early gospel artists such as The Speer Family, The Blackwood Family, The Lefevre Trio and The Carter Family achieved wide popularity through their recordings and radio performances in the 1920s through the 1950s. Others such as Homer Rodeheaver, George Beverly Shea, Cliff Barrows or the Cathedral Quartet, became well-known through their association with popular evangelists such as Billy Sunday, Rex Humbard and Billy Graham.

Some of the best known Southern Gospel male quartets from various decades include the Blackwood Brothers, the Cathedral Quartet, Legacy Five, The Stamps Quartet, the Statesmen Quartet, the Imperials, Sunshine Boys Quartet, the Blue Ridge Quartet, Gold City, the Kingsmen Quartet, the Triumphant Quartet, The Kingdom Heirs, the Gaither Vocal Band, Brian Free and Assurance, the Florida Boys, the Masters V, The Inspirations, and the Oak Ridge Boys.

Progressive Southern Gospel

Progressive Southern Gospel is an American music genre that has grown out of Southern Gospel over the past couple of decades. The style can trace its roots to groups like the Nelons in the 1980s, who appeared regularly on events with traditional Southern Gospel groups despite their sound which was called "middle of the road" at the time.

Current Progressive Southern Gospel is characterized by its blend of traditional Southern Gospel instrumentation with elements of modern Country and pop music. Hints of other styles are frequently employed in the mix as well. In some Progressive Southern Gospel, you can hear a touch of Cajun, Celtic, Bluegrass, or even Southern Rock.

Where traditional Southern Gospel more often emphasizes blend and polish, Progressive Southern Gospel tends to be presented with a more emotional tone. Vocalists are known for experimenting, stretching, scooping, slurring, and over accentuating melodies and diction.

Lyrically, Progressive Southern Gospel songs are patterned after traditional Southern Gospel in that they maintain a clear evangelistic and/or testimonial slant. In many cases, lyrical content and/or Country diction are the only elements separating a Progressive Southern Gospel artist from a pop oriented, Contemporary Christian music artist.

Bluegrass Gospel

Bluegrass gospel music is rooted in American mountain music.

Gospel blues

Gospel blues is a blues-based form of gospel music (a combination of blues guitar and evangelistic lyrics).

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Boyer, Horace Clarence, How Sweet the Sound: The Golden Age of Gospel, Elliott and Clark, 1995. ISBN 0-252-06877-7
• Broughton, Viv, Too Close To Heaven - The Illustrated History Of Gospel Music, Midnight Books, 1996. ISBN 1-900-51600-4
• Brumley, Albert E.; Brumley, Goldie E., The Best of Albert E. Brumley, Powell, Mo: Albert E. Brumley and Sons, 1966. OCLC 51089914
• Darden, Robert, People Get Ready: A New History of Black Gospel Music, Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005. ISBN 0-826-41752-3
• Heilbut, Anthony, The Gospel Sound: Good News and Bad Times, Limelight Editions, 1997. ISBN 0-879-10034-6
• Zolten, Jerry, Great God A' Mighty!: The Dixie Hummingbirds - Celebrating The Rise Of Soul Gospel Music, Oxford University Press, 2003. ISBN 0-195-15272-7

External links

All links Retrieved December 19, 2007.

Professional organizations

Firebird Arts Alliance - Encourages all races and religions to join

Gospel Music Association - Acknowledges all forms of Gospel Music

Pacific Gospel Music Association - Known for Southern Gospel

Southern Gospel Music Association - Known for Southern Gospel

Gospel Wire - Primarily urban contemporary gospel

Media outlets

Bobby Jones Gospel

Gospel Music Channel

The Inspirational Network

Christian Broadcasting Network

Trinity Broadcasting Network

Credits

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