Fine piece of writing and scholarship. I’m a fan of older Black Gospel music having gotten interested initially through the music of Blind Willie Johnson and I’m always looking for new artists and tunes to enjoy. I now have plenty of leads to follow-up on. Thank you!
"In the Negro melodies I discovered all that is needed for a great and noble school of music." Dvorak seems to have predicted what Black music would become here (arguably).
I'm not sure how many of the admirers of Dorsey's spirituals understood that the blues element in his songs was a holdover from the days when he used to be a blues musician named Georgia Tom. Would they have still wanted to sing his songs?
wow, how did I not know about this book?
Blind Willie Johnson and Washington Phillip are some of the greatest blues/gospel artists, not just in Texas, but anywhere.
“If I had my way…"
Fine piece of writing and scholarship. I’m a fan of older Black Gospel music having gotten interested initially through the music of Blind Willie Johnson and I’m always looking for new artists and tunes to enjoy. I now have plenty of leads to follow-up on. Thank you!
"In the Negro melodies I discovered all that is needed for a great and noble school of music." Dvorak seems to have predicted what Black music would become here (arguably).
I'm not sure how many of the admirers of Dorsey's spirituals understood that the blues element in his songs was a holdover from the days when he used to be a blues musician named Georgia Tom. Would they have still wanted to sing his songs?
Not with secular lyrics, they wouldn't.