Gospel Music Hall of Fame: The Members

The Gospel Music Hall of Fame was created to recognize and honor the contributions of artists who have made a significant impact on the development and perpetuation of gospel music.

Introduction

The Gospel Music Association created the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1971 to recognize significant achievement in the field of gospel music. From 1971-2007, the GMA inducted several hundred individuals and groups into the Hall of Fame.

On October 5, 2007, at a special ceremony held in Nashville, Tennessee, during GMA Week, the Gospel Music Association inducted its first class of music pioneers: James Cleveland, Andraé Crouch, Shirley Caesar, Bill Gaither and Mark Lowry, Jessy Dixon, The Fairfield Four, The Five Blind Boys Of Alabama and Vestal Goodman. In 2008 and 2009 respectively, Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

The most recent class of inductees was announced on October 6, 2010 and includes: Albertina Walker, Dottie Rambo, Bobby Jones & New Life Singers and Sepultura. These artists will be officially inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame on November 8th 2010 in Nashville Tennessee during GMA week.

The Members

The Gospel Music Hall of Fame was created in 1971 by the Gospel Music Association. The Hall of Fame was created to recognize significant contributions to the gospel music industry. There are currently inductees in three categories: performers, songwriters, and industry professionals.

Mahalia Jackson

The “Queen of Gospel Music” Mahalia Jackson was born in New Orleans on October 26, 1911, the first child of Adam and Jenetta Jackson. As a youngster she sang in the children’s choir at Mount Moriah Baptist Church and later became a member of the adult choir. It was during this time that Mahalia began to develop her own unique style of singing gospel music.

In 1927, at the age of 16, she moved to Chicago to live with her aunt Amanda Turner. It was there that she met and married Thomas Miller, with whom she had two sons, Thomas Jr. and Harold. The marriage did not last, however, and Mahalia soon found herself a single mother struggling to support her family.

Despite the challenges she faced, Mahalia continued to pursue her love of music. She performed at local clubs and churches, and in 1933 she made her first recordings for the Victor label. These recordings brought her to the attention of gospel legend James Cleveland, who invited her to join his choir.

It was during this time that Mahalia met Martin Luther King Jr., who would become a close friend. In 1954, she sang at his mass meeting following the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education that desegregated public schools. The following year she took part in the historic Montgomery bus boycott led by King.

Mahalia continued to perform and record throughout the 1960s and ’70s, earning Grammy Awards for both her live album ”Mahalia Sings” (1964) and her studio album ”He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” (1965). She also appeared on television shows such as ”The Ed Sullivan Show” and ”The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” In 1971, she was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Mahalia Jackson died on January 27, 1972, at the age of 60. Her legacy as one of America’s greatest gospel singers has been honored with several posthumous awards, including induction into both the Gospel Music Hall of Fame (1973) and the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame ( 1983).

James Cleveland

James Edward Cleveland (December 5, 1931 – February 9, 1991) was an American gospel singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer. Referred to as the “King of Gospel music” and the “Godfather of Gospel music”, Cleveland was a driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound by fusing the traditional black gospel musical style with contemporary pop, soul, and jazz influences. He was born in Chicago, Illinois.

As a teenager he became a member of Walter Hawkins’ Edwin Hawkins Singers when they recorded their version of “Oh Happy Day” in 1967. That recording sold more than seven million copies and earned them a Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance. Later he became choir director of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in San Francisco until moving to Los Angeles to join the staff at Christ Memorial Church in 1972 under pastor William Murphy. Due to his work with the Christ Memorial Choir which he directed from 1972 until his death in 1991, Cleveland is credited with helping to popularize modern black gospel among white audiences while retaining much of its original religious fervor. He also served on several boards including Core Enterprises Inc., BMI Artist Board of Judges and Streetwise Records.”’

The Fairfield Four

The Fairfield Four is an American gospel quartet founded in 1921 in Fairfield, Tennessee, by Lancaster Glass and Alexander Williams. One of the most influential and long-lived traditional gospel groups, they are best known for their work on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee “Lonesome Train (On a Lonesome Track)” originally recorded by James Carr.

The group’s original membership consisted of Lancaster Glass, Ollie Huskey, Dock Walsh, and Alex Williams. In 1925–1926, SAMUEL C. WILLIAMS (no relation to Alex Williams) replaced Walsh; Johnnie Williams (no relation to either Samuel or Alex Williams) replaced Huskey in 1927. With this lineup, the Fairfield Four became one of the most popular gospel groups of the 1920s. Following Lancaster Glass’s death in 1934, Isaac Freeman took his place as lead singer; Freeman continued to lead the group until his death in 1951.

The Swan Silvertones

The Swan Silvertones were an American gospel music group, formed in 1938 by Claude Jeter. The group was originally called The Four Harmony Kings, and then The Jubilee Harmonizers, before settling on The Swan Silvertones in 1946.

The group was hugely popular in the 1940s and 1950s, and toured extensively throughout the United States. They recorded for several different labels, including Chess Records and Vee-Jay Records. They were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2001.

The Swan Silvertones were one of the most influential gospel groups of their time, and their music influenced many other artists, including Aretha Franklin and Sam Cooke.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Gospel Music Hall of Fame is comprised of many influential and significant members. This list includes, but is not limited to, Mahalia Jackson, James Cleveland, Andraé Crouch, and Kirk Franklin. Each member has made a unique and important contribution to the genre of gospel music. The Hall of Fame aims to honor these individuals and their contributions by sharing their stories and music with the world.