Shout Music: The Best of Gospel

Check out my latest blog post on Shout Music: The Best of Gospel. This album is a great collection of some of the best gospel songs out there.

What is Shout Music?

Shout music is a type of African American gospel music that is characterized by its spirited, energetic, and often boisterous sound. It is commonly performed by choirs and groups during church services, spirituals, and other religious gatherings. The style developed in the early 20th century and reached the height of its popularity in the 1950s and 1960s.

The Best of Gospel

Shout music can be some of the most powerful and spine-tingling music out there. The best of gospel shout music can send chills down your spine, make the hair on your arms stand up, and fill your heart with joy. gospel shout music is the perfect way to raise your energy, connect with something larger than yourself, and feel the presence of the Holy Spirit.

What is Gospel?

Gospel music is a genre of Christian music. The creation, performance, signification, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is composed and performed for many purposes, including aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, and as an entertainment product for the marketplace. Gospel music usually has dominant vocals (often with strong use of harmony) with Christian lyrics. Gospel music can be traced to the early 17th century, with roots in the black oral tradition. Hymns and sacred songs were often repeated in a call and response fashion. Most of the churches relied on hand clapping and foot stomping as rhythmic accompaniment. Relief societies and missionary groups sent songsheets overseas to proclaim the gospel message to non-English speaking countries (Sudhalter 2004).

The Best of Gospel – The Five Greatest Gospel Songs of All Time

Gospel music is a genre of Christian music. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is composed and performed for many purposes, including aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, and as an entertainment product for the marketplace.

This list examines some of the greatest gospel songs of all time. The songs are ranked according to their impact on the history of gospel music, as well as their lasting popularity and contemporary relevance.

“Amazing Grace” is a Christian hymn published in 1779, with words written by the English poet and Anglican clergyman John Newton (1725–1807). Newton wrote the words from personal experience. He grew up without any particular religious conviction, but his life’s course was radically changed after he was pressed into service in the Royal Navy for a period during the Seven Years’ War, and he became involved in the slave trade.

“Oh Happy Day” is a 1967 gospel music arrangement of an 18th-century hymn by Philip Doddridge. It was recorded first by The Edwin Hawkins Singers on their 1968 album Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord and became an international hit when it was later released as a single in 1969.

“Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” is an American Negro spiritual. The earliest known recording was made by Fisk University’s Jubilee Quartet on May 11th, 1927. Released on Victor Records (22King Memorandum), it became one of 78rpm era’s most commercially successful black recordings selling over two million copies during that time period alone. It has been identified as “one of only 19 recordings made prior to World War II that remain ‘our nation’s birthright.'”

“Take My Hand, Precious Lord” is a gospel song written in 1932 by Thomas A. Dorsey and first recorded in 1935 by Mahalia Jackson with Dorsey directing his own group which included Sallie Martin on piano alongside Jackson’s vocal performance atArc Studios in Chicago on February 15th 1935 Jackson’s recording went to number one on Billboard magazine’s Harlem Hit Parade for five weeks; Jackson laterUsed it as her signature song When opening concerts during her tours between 1972–1975; Aretha Franklin recorded her own version After Mahalia Jackson died in 1972 which topped Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs chart for two weeks making Franklin the first artist to achieve this feat

“Amazing Grace” – John Newton (1779)
“Oh Happy Day” – Philip Doddridge (18th century)
“Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” – Wallace Willis (1867)
“Take My Hand, Precious Lord” – Thomas A Dorsey (1932)

The Five Greatest Gospel Singers of All Time

Mahalia Jackson

Mahalia Jackson was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on October 26, 1911. The eldest of six children, she began singing at an early age in the church choir. Jackson’s powerful contralto voice thrilled gospel audiences throughout the United States and Europe. In addition to her religious commitment, Jackson was an outspoken advocate for the Civil Rights movement. She worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and her performance of “God Bless America” at his funeral in 1968 is considered one of the most moving moments in American history. Jackson died of cancer on January 27, 1972, at the age of 60.

James Cleveland

James Cleveland (December 5, 1931 – February 9, 1991) was an American gospel singer, musician, and composer. Referred to as the “King of Gospel Music” and the “Minister of Music”, Cleveland was a driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound. He was a notable figure in the development of gospel music and served as the music director at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan from 1957 until his death in 1991.

Cleveland’s musical style melded together elements of traditional gospel music, blues, jazz, and pop music to create a unique sound that influenced both secular and religious music. His work had a profound impact on the development of soul music and he was one of the most revered figures in gospel music. He was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1993 and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005.

Clara Ward

One of the most famous and popular gospel singers of all time, Clara Ward was born in Philadelphia in 1924. Raised in a musical family (her father was a Baptist minister and her mother a gospel singer), Ward began singing at an early age and rose to prominence in the late 1940s with The Gospelaires, a group she formed with her sisters. Over the course of her career, Ward recorded more than two dozen albums and scores of singles, many of which topped the gospel charts. Though she retired from performing in 1976, Ward remained active as a composer and arranger until her death in 1973.

The Fairfield Four

The Fairfield Four is an American gospel music quartet founded in 1921. The group’s membership has changed over the years, but its core members have always been James B. Denton, Isaac C. Freeman III, Leroy Shelton, and Samuel T. Lloyd Jr. The Fairfield Four was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999.

The group’s first recordings were made for Columbia Records in 1926, and they went on to record for RCA Victor, Decca, and other labels. Their signature sound is a blend of tight harmonies and lead vocals that “shout” or “testify” to the power of the gospel message.

The Fairfield Four’s records were popular among both black and white audiences during the 1920s and 1930s. In recent years, their music has been featured in several documentaries, including Ken Burns’ “The Civil War” (1990) and Martin Scorsese’s “The Blues” (2003).

Mavis Staples

Mavis Staples is an American rhythm and blues and gospel singer, actress, and civil rights activist. She has recorded and performed with her family’s band The Staple Singers, and has also appeared as a solo artist. Her recordings include “Respect Yourself” (1972) and “I’ll Take You There” (1972).

Born in Chicago, Illinois on July 10, 1939, Staples began her singing career with her family’s band The Staple Singers in the 1950s. The group recorded such hits as “This Old Town (Has Wearied Me)” (1956), “Uncloudy Day” (1959), “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” (1962), “Long Walk to D.C.” (1963), and “Why Am I Treated So Bad?” (1967). In the 1970s, Staples pursued a solo career, releasing the album If All I Was Was Black in 2017. She has also appeared in films such as The Spook Who Sat by the Door (1973) and Up Tight! (1968).

Staples has been nominated for twelve Grammy Awards, winning one for Best Americana Album for her album Livin’ on a High Note (2016). She was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2005.

Conclusion

We hope you’ve enjoyed our little tour through the world of Gospel music. This is just a tiny sampling of the great music that’s out there, so be sure to explore and find what speaks to you. And, of course, if you have any suggestions for us, we’d love to hear them!