The Sanctified Churches That Gave Rise to Gospel Music
The Sanctified Churches That Gave Rise to Gospel Music
The sanctified churches that gave rise to gospel music were born out of the need for African Americans to find a form of worship that was their own. These churches were a haven for those who wanted to express their faith in a way that was unique to their culture and traditions.
Today, gospel music is enjoyed by people of all backgrounds, but it owes its origins to the sanctified churches of the early 20th century
The Birth of Gospel Music
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.
The rise of the Sanctified Church
The Sanctified Church was a movement that emerged in the late nineteenth century among African American Christians in the United States. This movement is also sometimes referred to as the Holy Roller Church, or the shouting church. The Sanctified Church was characterized by its ecstatic worship practices, which included speaking in tongues, shouting, dancing, and broom sweeping.
The roots of the Sanctified Church can be traced back to the camp meeting revivals of the early nineteenth century. These revivals were characterized by an emotional style of preaching thatoften resulted in converts “getting happy” and feeling the Spirit move them in ways that were sometimes considered unconventional or even disorderly. Out of these revivals came a number of different black churches, including the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the National Baptist Convention.
The Sanctified Church emerged out of this religious landscape in the late 1800s. One of the key figures in the rise of the Sanctified Church was Charles Taze Russell, who founded a religious organization called the International Bible Students Association (later known as Jehovah’s Witnesses). Russell attracted a number of black followers, many of whom had been involved in other churches such as the Baptist or Methodist denominations.
The Sanctified Church grew steadily throughout the early twentieth century, particularly in rural areas of the southern United States. The Great Migration ofAfrican Americans from the rural south to northern industrial cities beginning in World War I led to a significant increase in synagogue membership. By mid-century, there were an estimated two million members of Sanctified Churches throughout America.
Gospel music is closely associated with the Sanctified Church tradition. This music developed out of the “lining out” tradition, where hymns would be sung by a leader and then repeated by congregants line by line. This call-and-response style of singing created a sense of unity and community among worshippers and is still a hallmark of gospel music today.
The role of the blues in gospel music
The blues played a significant role in the development of gospel music. Gospel music is a religious music that originated in the African-American community. It is a form of Christian music that is characterized by its joyful, uplifting sound.
The blues is a musical genre that originated in the African-American community in the southern United States. It is a type of music that is characterized by its mournful, anxious sound. The blues often told stories of personal hardship and struggle.
The two genres – gospel and blues – shared many common elements. They both featured call-and-response singing, which was a style of singing in which one person would sing a line and then the other people in the group would respond with another line. This call-and-response style was often used in African American church services.
The blues also featured improvisation, which was an important element of gospel music as well. Improvisation is when someone makes up their lyrics or melodies as they go along, rather than writing them down beforehand. Many gospel songs were created through improvising on existing melodies or chord progressions.
The presence of the blues can be heard in many early gospel recordings. For example, early recording of “Amazing Grace” by Mahalia Jackson features a prominent bluesy piano riff throughout the song. Other early recordings of gospel songs like “I’ll Fly Away” and “Rock My Soul” also display elements of the blues.
The blues remained an important influence on gospel music even as it evolved over the years. Gospel artists like James Cleveland and Albertina Walker continued to incorporate aspects of the blues into their music throughout their careers. Today, many modern gospel artists such as Kirk Franklin and Smokie Norful continue to keep the blues alive in gospel music
The Development of Gospel Music
Gospel music is a genre of Christian music that is characterized by its use of strong vocals and emotional lyrics. The genre developed out of the spirituals, hymns, and works songs of the African-American church. Gospel music is one of the most popular genres of music in the United States, and it has influenced other genres, such as soul and R&B.
The influence of jazz
The influence of jazz can be heard in gospel music, especially in the way melody, harmony, and rhythm are treated. Many of the early gospel songs were written by African American musicians who had been exposed to jazz and who used jazz techniques in their compositions. For example, “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” (1932), one of the most popular gospel songs of all time, was written by Thomas A. Dorsey, an African American musician who was a major figure in the development of both gospel and blues music.
The influence of soul
The 1960s brought a number of changes to the world of soul music, which would have a profound influence on the development of gospel music. The term “soul” was now being used to describe a new style of African American popular music that was influenced by rhythm and blues, but had a somewhat different sound. This new sound was characterized by a more insistent beat, extended passages of singing, and often impassioned deliveries. The best-known exponents of soul were James Brown and Otis Redding.
While rhythm and blues had always been popular in African American churches, the new sound of soul began to find its way into gospel music in the 1960s. This was most evident in the work of such artists as James Cleveland and the Staples Singers. In 1966, Aretha Franklin released an album entitled “Soul Gospel,” which featured both traditional gospel songs and some of her own compositions. This album helped to further popularize the new sound of soul within the gospel music world.
The influence of rock and roll
Gospel music has been around since the early days of Christianity, but it wasn’t until the mid-20th century that it began to take on the form that we now recognize as “gospel.” This change was largely due to the influence of rock and roll, which infuses gospel music with a powerful, driving beat.
The earliest gospel music was mostly spirituals sung by slaves in the fields. As slavery was abolished and African Americans began to gain more freedom, they started to form their own churches, which became known as “the sanctified churches.” These churches were characterized by their enthusiastic preaching and singing, which often included impromptu “shouts” and “testimonials” from members of the congregation.
The music of the sanctified churches became known as “gospel” because it was designed to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. It wasn’t long before gospel groups started touring the country, spreading their message through song. Today, gospel music is enjoyed by people of all races and religions, and its popularity shows no signs of waning.
The Popularity of Gospel Music
Gospel music is a genre of music that is rooted in the black experience of the United States. It is a genre that is deeply intertwined with the history of the Sanctified churches that gave rise to it. Gospel music is a genre of music that is characterized by its simple, yet powerful lyrics that uplift and inspire.
The influence of Mahalia Jackson
Gospel singer Mahalia Jackson was born on October 26, 1911 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Gospel music was very popular in the African American community and churches in the early twentieth century. Jackson began singing in her local church choir at the age of six. She went on to tour with various gospel groups and became one of the most popular gospel singers of her time. Her powerful voice and moving performances had a profound influence on the development of gospel music.
The influence of the civil rights movement
The civil rights movement of the late 1950s and ‘60s provided a powerful impetus for the spread of gospel music. While the music had always been popular in the African American community, it began to gain a wider audience during this time. The Sanctified churches that gave rise to gospel music were often at the forefront of the civil rights movement, and their music came to be seen as an expression of the struggle for equality.
As gospel music became more popular, it began to cross over into the mainstream, with artists like Mahalia Jackson and Aretha Franklin achieving mainstream success. Today, gospel music is enjoyed by people of all backgrounds, and its influence can be heard in a wide range of genres, from soul and R&B to rock and hip hop.
The influence of Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin is considered the Queen of Soul and one of the most influential singers of her generation. She has achieved commercial success with hit songs like “Respect” and “I Say a Little Prayer,” but she is also known for her deeply rooted gospel music roots. Franklin was born into a family of musicians and preachers, and she began singing in her father’s church at a young age. Her career in secular music began to take off in the 1960s, but she continued to recording gospel albums throughout her life. In 2014, she released “Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics,” which featured covers of hits by Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand, and Adele. Gospel music has always been an important part of Franklin’s life and career, and she is widely credited with helping to make it more popular in the mainstream.
