Well, I am flabbergasted! Never has my gast been so flabbered! After listening for years (in company with my Lewis and Skye mates in our rented Glasgow flat) with enormous pleasure and emotional response to the Gaelic Mass, transmitted every Sunday from Lewis, I now see that this style of singing travelled across to America with Scottish slave masters, where the slaves picked it up (together with the Gaelic language!!) and it formed the basis of blues!!! How absolutely fascinating and astonishing!
I think, as it's nearly time for tea, this calls for a hot buttered crumpet!
Have to say, when I first heard this form of singing (first line sung solo by the Precentor, picked up in a rising wail by the congregation, so beautiful and moving) I thought then and there "This sounds African to me!"
Isn't Mudcat wonderful? You learn so much on here!