February 2012- The Worship Committee of Christ United Methodist Church celebrates Black History Month with inspirational music drawn from the diversity of musicians and arrangers by people of color.
February 26, 2012 Theme: Songs of the “Old”
John Rosamond Johnson (1873-1954)James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938)The Johnson brothers’ father was born free in Virginia. Their mother taught school and had knowledge of the European tradition in music.
John obtained his musical education in the New England Conservatory, and later in London, England. He andhis brother James, who was a poet, collected and arranged old Negro spirituals. Together, and with Bob Cole, they sang secular songs. John is remembered for "Walk Together, Children" (1915) and “We’ll Understand it Better By and By”, butperhaps the most lasting legacy of the brothers is that John composed the music and James wrote the poem (lyrics) for “Lift Every Voice and Sing”. This magnificent composition has become widely accepted as the Black National Anthem.
James was anAmericanauthor, politician, diplomat, critic, journalist, poet, anthologist, educator, lawyer, songwriter, and earlycivil rights activist. He is remembered best for his leadership within theNAACP, but also for his writing, which includes novels, poems, and collections of folklore. In addition to writing the poem that became “Lift Every Voice and Sing”, he is also remembered for the collection of sermons in verse, called God’s Trombones. He was one of the first African-American professors atNew York University.
ClaraWard (1924-1973)Born in Philadelphia, Ward was the creative genius behind the Ward Singers, while her mother provided the business expertise as the most forceful promoter in all of gospel. Their success was sparked by a transcendent performance at the 1943 National Baptist Conference. Following that experience the group enjoyed widespread success. Clara Ward’s gorgeous alto voice brought her composition “How I Got Over” to the public in a special way, and Mahalia Jackson helped to popularize it even more. Ward’s real strength, however, was as an innovative arranger. One example was the introduction of a new waltz rhythm into the gospel lexicon with the hit song “Surely”.
Kenneth Morris (1917-1988) Born in New York, Morris began making music in church as a youngster. He began performing professionally as a jazz musician, but soon changed his focus to gospel music. One of his best known compositions is “Yes, God Is Real” which has been performed magnificently by Mahalia Jackson, among other gospel singers. One of Morris’s innovations was to add the Hammond organ to the gospel sound.
Thomas A. Dorsey (1899-1993) Born in rural Georgia, Dorsey’s early days were in church with his itinerant preacher father and organist mother. As an adult, he became noted for writing blues music as well as religious music. He has been called the “Father of Gospel Music”. A prolific composer and arranger (about 800 songs!) he is well known for many beautiful songs, but one of the favorites is “Precious Lord”.
Shirley Ann Caesar (1938-Present) An American Gospel music singer, songwriter, and recording artist, Caesar’s career has spanned six decades. Beginning recording at the age of 13, she has released over forty albums, exploring her gift and spreading messages of faith. She has received countless awards and has appeared at venues as diverse as the White House and Disney World. Her renditions of songs such as “He’s Working It Out” have been inspirational to countless people.
Mahalia Jackson (1911-1972) and Aretha Franklin (1942-Present) Jackson and Franklin are two extraordinarily talented women who have been instrumental in spreading gospel music worldwide. Jackson, possessing a powerful contralto voice, was referred to as the “Queen of Gospel”. She became one of the most influential gospel singers in the world and was known internationally as a singer and Civil Rights activist. She was described by Harry Belafonte as the most powerful Black woman in the United States. “How I Got Over” and “Yes, God Is Real” are two of the many songs for which she is remembered. Franklin has been similarly famous internationally. She is a singer, songwriter, and pianist. She has even included acting in her long career. Known as “Queen of Soul”, she is also adept at Blues, Jazz, R & B, Rock, and Gospel. Her performance of “Precious Lord” is particularly inspirational. Having grown up with a respected Baptist preacher father, musicians including Mahalia Jackson, Clara Ward, and Albertina Walker commonly were present in her home. These women were highly influential in the development of her music and her devotion to gospel music.
Rev. Charles Albert Tindley (1851-1933) Tindley was an African-American Methodist minister and a gospel music composer who wrote an early gospel song called “I’ll Overcome Someday”. Over the years, it was modified several times, becoming the song “We Shall Overcome” of the Civil Rights movement that we know so well today. Folksingers like Joan Baez and Pete Seeger popularized the song during the 1960s and it has become a song associated with various protests worldwide.