Music that explores themes of Christian belief and biblical history, and is popular among black and whites alike. Their renditions may differ significantly, in keeping with the cultural/stylistic traits of blues and old-time coun¬try/bluegrass, respectively. Early African American spirituals, church hymnody, and blues formed the basis for the rise of gospel music in the 1930s. Sacred music has many stylistic variations – 3 and 4 part harmony, shape-note, common meter hymn choir, call-and-response, and praise house are all a part of gospel’s foundation.
Content is provided by McKissick Museum, University of South Carolina.
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The Brotherhood Gospel Singers of Mt. Pleasant were organized in 1977 from the members of several church denominations in the Mt. Pleasant area. The Gospel Singers perform a style of unaccompanied...
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Audio transcripts for: Every Time I Feel The Spirit I'm Toiling Rock Of Ages Say Amen
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Formed in 1946, this gospel group performed a weekly radio show on WGSW-AM in Greenwood, SC (Greenwood County). The members are Alphonso Devlin, Willie Dye, Pressley Murray, James Bryant Jr., Benny...
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Marshall and Leon James began singing gospel music at an early age. Their father, AB James, formed a family singing group that included their older brother Albert. He taught them to sing harmony by...
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The video transcript for: The Importance Of Gospel Highway To Heaven
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The audio transcript for: Before This Time Another Year I Have Seen It's Going To Be Just Like He Said
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Gospel group that sang in the Sunday afternoon “Gospel Extravaganza” portion of the Williamsburg County Black Heritage Festival in Kingstree, SC.
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One of the services of a week-long tent revival in 1988 in McCormick, SC (McCormick County). The evangelist is Charles Booker Jr. of Johnston, SC (Edgefield County)
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This recording consists of songs predominately created, nurtured, and encouraged by Black Americans. "Negro" spirituals are musical derivations of Africanic arts coupled with the love, power, and...
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Few regions in the Southeast retain the vitality of the hymn choir, or common meter, tradition like York County. Emerging in the 1700s from English Calvinist worship and African ritual practices, hymn...
