Azizi,

Thank you so much for a very interesting thread.

Have you mentioned Sister Rosetta Thorpe? Also, Vera Hall, Staple Singers,
Lou Rawls and the Pilgrim Travelers? (one of my fave gospel groups).

Also, mention of the Golden Gate Quartet, a highly influential swinging group.

Dixie Hummingbirds.

I had the honor of accompanying Mahalia Jackson on the Studs Terkel Radio Show on
WFMT in the Fifties. Such a warm person! She called everyone "Baby" and we called her
"Halie".

My late friend Odetta had an interesting intersection with church singing and folk music. She was a Congregationalist when I knew her. It wasn't a black church but undoubtably she had exposure to much of it in the Los Angeles area.

I once took Pete Seeger down to the St. Paul Baptist Church on Central Avenue in Los Angeles to see a 100 piece moving choir. Unfortunately, it was presided over by the dubious ministry of Reverend Branham. The music was superb. I remember one night when one of the singers (who was being broadcast on the local radio station) got so full of glory that he headed out into the congregation and matrons had to pull him back to the microphone. It was there that I first heard "Precious Memories" by Stuart Hamblen (a C and W writer) and their theme song. (Not "Precious Lord" by Thomas Dorsey which they also sang. It's interesting that Thomas A. Dorsey, accompanist for Mahalia Jackson was formerly "Georgia Tom" who had a hit with "Tight Like That", an early party blues.

On Central Avenue, there were a lot of store front churches and the congregations sang
without music books.

I think that there is a marked difference in musical styles between Gospel and Spiritual music. Spiritual was more a cappella and gospel instruments defined the difference.



Gospel music churches often had jazz musicians sitting in on Sunday mornings tired from their late night gigs. Barry Gordy's Motown was an incorporation of Gospel music style into pop in the Detroit area. If you listen to Jamie Jamerson's prodigious bass playing, you can hear the left hand of a good gospel organ player. The intersection of gospel music and pop music is prevalent. Aretha, Carla Thomas, etc.

Applause in the Black Church was when the spirit lifted the congregant, not because of the performance. Often, three or four loud claps was intended to raise the "spirit".
This was often done when the preacher hit a responsive note.

Erik Darling of the Weavers attempted to introduce the gospel musical style into the group. He lead a "Fight On" and "In That New Jerusalem". I guess the jury is out about
how successful it was but I thought Erik lead it well. ('Specially for a white guy).

I accompanied Brother John Sellers at the Gate of Horn in Chicago. He could whip up
the crowd single-handed. He was a lovely guy.

Frank