American Roots: How Gospel Music Started It All

 

How Gospel Music Started It All

American gospel music has undoubtedly influenced many of the most popular genres of music today. The influence of Gospel is seen even in the most unusual ways like in Hip-Hop and R&B music. A great deal of secular artists credit Gospel artists and music as the inspiration for them going into music. Artists like Beyoncé have credited the Clark Sisters, who are affectionately known as the “First ladies of gospel”, as some of the best vocalist of all time. Gospel music is known for its unique sound and emotionally charged words that have the power to touch religious and nonreligious people alike. 

Gospel music much like many other genres of music was derived from another genre of music– spirituals. Gospel music began to really become popular in the 18th century. Most of the songs in this genre of music were sung in a call and response form with a leader. This is much different from the tradition congregational form or singing that negro-spirituals were sang in. A lot of these songs were also a slower tempo while an interest in faster gospel songs began to grow. Gospel music and spirituals are alike in the way that they’re both considered to be folk music. These songs were passed on through being sung in group settings like church and other social gatherings. 

This genre of music wasn’t always as jazzy as we know it today. Blues and Jazz music was introduced into gospel music by Thomas Dorsey. Dorsey was originally a blues and jazz musician exclusively until he decided to begin playing sacred music. His new found love for God made him want to combine his previous knowledge of music with his new faith, thus creating a much different version of gospel music which was the beginning of the gospel music we are much more familiar with today. Although the words in his songs were sacred, his music was met with much resistance from many pastors and church people because of his use of jazz and blues in his work. Because of these challenges, Dorsey felt pressured to play jazz and blues exclusively. Despite this decision, his music has been performed by famous gospel artists like Aretha Franklin, and Mahalia Jackson. Because of his contributions to Gospel music, Dorsey went on to be known as the “Father of Black Gospel music”. 

Gospel music has often been directly tied to the Black American resistance as Gospel music in each of its forms has been a means of empowerment and encouragement to the Black community. Music in general is known to unite communities of people especially in times of struggle. Gospel music specifically during this time helped push the idea that God in some way would deliver the Black community out of slavery, and Jim Crow,  and into freedom. The thought of a higher power being more in control, and stronger than the white man often united the black community, making gospel music a genre black people identified with deeply. Many of the songs traditionally sung in church became rally cries for justice like “How I got over”, famously sung by Mahalia Jackson at Dr. Martin Luther King’s Civil Rights campaign in 1963. This was one of the many times that gospel music and the civil rights movement crossed. This music was used as a tool to incite strong feelings of empowerment and hope within protestors and empathy within the oppressors. This also shows that people don’t necessarily need to identify with this music to be moved by it, which we continue to see as Gospel music spreads across all genres of music.

One of the more unlikely genres of music influenced by Gospel music is Rock. Many of the earliest Black Rock artist like Chuck Berry and Little Richard found themselves being heavily influenced by the Gospel music of their time. Many of the most common characteristics of Gospel music are shared with Rock music like upbeat rhythms, emotionally charged lyrics, and the use of call and response. Even more mainstream artists like Elvis Presley have been known to have a background of some kind in Gospel music. Many of these artists continued to allow Gospel music to influence them to maintain their connection with the Black community.

In recent years Gospel music has begun to take on a more secular sound. Although the words seem to remain sacred, some artists are beginning to have a sound more influence by Hip Hop music in order to attract younger generations. This change is one that many believe does more harm than good, while others believe this changes opens up the Gospel world to a wider variety of music. In the beginning Gospel music was one giant genre of music. Now Gospel music is an umbrella term with many sub genres. These sub genres include but are not limited to: Contemporary Gospel, Traditional Gospel, Quartet Gospel, Praise and Worship, and even Gospel Rap

 

Contemporary:

traditional gospel:

praise and worship: 

quartet gospel: 

Gospel Rap: 

In all of its forms Gospel music has made an immeasurable impact on every other genre of music and so many different groups of people. Many of Americas most famous and legendary artists had their start in the church and credit their gospel roots when asked how and what influenced them the most. Each sub genre of gospel music allows for an intergenerational impact through Gospel music. as gospel music begins to change and the industry welcomes modernization, this will continue to be the case. Gospel music will continue to reach every generation, touching people at each stage of their lives.

Works cited

- Miguel, Rudolfo San. 2017. “The Influence of Gospel Music to American Culture and Industry.” GROM Blog and News. November 7, 2017. https://gromaudio.com/blog/2017/11/music-genre-series-gospel/#:~:text=Gospel%20Music%20frontiers%20Soul%20and%20Blues%20in%20American%20Music%20Industry&text=Gospel%20music%20has%20been%20a.

- “This Far by Faith . Thomas Dorsey | PBS.” n.d. Www.pbs.org. Accessed January 19, 2023. http://www.pbs.org/thisfarbyfaith/people/thomas_dorsey.html.

- “How Gospel Music Helped Power the Civil Rights Movement.” n.d. Brown University. https://www.brown.edu/news/2022-01-13/barron.

- “The Impact of Gospel Music on Rock and Roll – BoySetsFire.” n.d. Accessed January 19, 2023. https://www.boysetsfire.net/the-impact-of-gospel-music-on-rock-and-roll/.‌“How Gospel Music Gave Birth to Rock and Soul.” n.d. Penn Today. https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/how-gospel-music-gave-birth-rock-and-soul.

- Iahn, Buddy. 2020. “Four Genres of Gospel Music You Can Listen Online.” The Music Universe. September 10, 2020. https://themusicuniverse.com/four-genres-gospel-music-you-can-listen-online/.