As legpromo.info posted on August 7th (see August posts) the month of September was officially designated "Gospel Heritage Month" by the United State Congress. Thanks to Senator Blanche L. Lincoln (D-Ark.), Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.), and The Recording Academy®, and television network Gospel Music Channel, the legislation was passed in June. The legislation passed will honor Gospel music for its valuable long-standing contribution to American culture.
The Recording Academy's CEO, Neil Portnow, offered this comment to legpromo.info
"It was an honor to announce that September 2008 has been declared Gospel Music Heritage Month at our GRAMMYs on the Hill event this past June in our nation's capital. A key mission of The Recording Academy is recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. To have gospel music nationally recognized in the month of September pays great homage to this influential and inspirational genre. We look forward to this inaugural celebration, and to continuing this annual recognition for many more years to come."
Neil Portnow
President/CEO
The Recording Academy®
When you think of Gospel music pioneers there includes a list of artists that are like family to the Gospel music listener, while there are others that a newer generation only knows by the legacy they have left behind. Trailblazers such as Thomas Dorsey, Mahalia Jackson, Rev. James Cleveland, Shirley Caesar & The Caravans, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, and The Williams Brothers, were those who traveled across the U.S. singing Gospel when the genre wasn't popular or lucrative. These artist's legacy span the decades of American History that include the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, and into the 21st Century.
Thomas Dorsey is best known for his composition, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord", performed by Mahalia Jackson and was a favorite of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr, and "Peace in the Valley", which was a hit for Red Foley in 1951 and has been performed by dozens of other artists, including Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. Dorsey is also the founder of the popular National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses. Also known as "the father of gospel music", Dorsey's album Precious Lord, New Recordings of the Great Songs of Thomas A. Dorsey was honored by the Library of Congress in 2002 when added to the U.S. National Recording Registry.
There are many other artists who have helped to shape the modern view of Gospel today such as The Winans, The Clark Sisters, Edwin Hawkins, Richard Smallwood, and John Pee Kee. These artist's songs have become classics in the listeners collection and helped promote and shape Gospel music during great changes in America. World composer, pianist, and arrangers Edwin Hawkins and Richard Smallwood are pioneers of urban contemporary gospel. Hawkins is best known for his arrangement of "Oh Happy Day" (1968-69), which has been included in the "Songs of the Century" list. And it's Richard Smallwood's anthem "Total Praise" that displayed his ability to blend Classical with Traditional Gospel- a mix of his alone.
It was The Winans call to social change with songs such as "Let My People Go" (1985), "Love Has No Color" (feat. Michael McDonald, 1987), and "It's Time" (1990) that helped to update the sound and style of traditional black gospel music (and vocal groups)- helping to usher in the new contemporary age. Alongside them were the Clark Sister's who are known for the distinctive and renowned unique vocal style. The group's 1980 live recording Is My Living In Vain soared to the top of the Billboard Charts and took the group's popularity to new heights. Others artist such as John P. Kee and New Life Community Choir transformed gospel during a the depressing time of drugs and gang violence in American cities.
As the Gospel Music Channel, Streaming Faith.com, and the United States of America take the time to celebrate Gospel Music's Heritage, it is important that Gospel Music fans do the same. By telling stories and pulling out dusty records, cassette tapes, and even 'old' CDs, listeners can pass the rich history of Gospel down to a new generation.
Links: StreamingFaith.com The Christian Post Gospel Music Channel
No comments:
Post a Comment