There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. If I may get personal: finally seeing this 1982 gospel music documentary (recently restored and out this month in a theatrical re-release) was like the fulfillment of a decades-long mission, as it was a mainstay of Roger Eberts annual home video companions, his four-star review promising one of the most joyful movies Ive ever seen also one of the best musicals and one of the most interesting documentaries. Dorsey returned to Chicago in 1921, and his uncle encouraged him to attend the National Baptist Convention. Thomas A. Dorsey 1997 Share Widely regarded as the father of gospel music, Thomas A. Dorsey's composing talent became a merging point in the early '20s, for many musical styles. [24] He found resistance among ministers, musicians, and parishioners alike. Those sisters will forever be in my heart.. +2.80 +3.45%. [41] Horace Boyer attributes this popularity to "simple but beautiful melodies", unimposing harmonies, and room for improvisation within the music. Courtesy Milestone Films I realize the color barrier in the early days and say it's a shame folks couldn't understand him better.His music has helped me along in tough times and I appreciate all he has done in the world of gospel music. They pray for their ancestors and seek to heal the country's wounds of slavery through prayer vigils at historical slave sites. My soul was a deluge of divine rapture; my emotions were aroused; my heart was inspired to become a great singer and worker in the Kingdom of the Lord--and impress people just as this great singer did that Sunday morning." eval(decodeURIComponent('%64%6f%63%75%6d%65%6e%74%2e%77%72%69%74%65%28%27%3c%61%20%68%72%65%66%3d%5c%22%6d%61%69%6c%74%6f%3a%4d%69%6b%65%20%57%68%69%74%66%69%65%6c%64%20%26%6c%74%3b%64%75%6c%63%69%6d%65%72%64%75%64%65%40%79%61%68%6f%6f%2e%63%6f%6d%26%67%74%3b%5c%22%3e%4d%69%6b%65%20%57%68%69%74%66%69%65%6c%64%3c%5c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b')). We feel the purity of expression here and see very little of the commercial trappings we see in so much of organized religion. ", Though the new biopic about Aretha Franklin starring Jennifer Hudson is earning tepid reviews, I'm going to see it this afternoon. There he first saw Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith. Poe, Janita, "Thomas A Dorsey, Gospel Pioneer", National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Precious Lord: New Recordings of the Great Songs of Thomas A. Dorsey, Living legends of Chicago gospel honor tradition, carry on family legacies, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Spirit of Dorsey's Songs Fills His Funeral Service, Living Legends of Chicago Gospel Honor Tradition, Carry on Family Legacies, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductee List, Frequently Asked Questions: National Recording Registry, Complete National Recording Registry Listing: National Recording Registry, "If I Could Hear My Mother Pray AgainThomas Dorsey (1934)", "Peace in the Valley"Red Foley and the Sunshine Boys (1951), "Precious Lord: New Recordings of the Great Gospel Songs of Thomas A. Dorsey", "'It's Tight Like That' by Tampa Red and Georgia Tom", "'Future Blues' Willie Brown (Paramount 1930)", Biography by the Chicago Historical Society, "The Father of the Chicago Gospel Singing Movement", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thomas_A._Dorsey&oldid=1150701726, Governor's Award for the Arts in Chicago, given 1985, "If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again" (1934), added in 2007 recorded by Dorsey, written by John Whitfield Vaughan in 1922, "Peace In The Valley" by Red Foley and the Sunshine Boys (1951), added in 2006, Ferris, William, and Hart, Mary L., eds. Newly restored and re-released. In doing so, he became one of the first musicians to copyright blues music. Say Amen, Somebody gives an overview of the history of gospel music in the U.S. by following two main figures: Thomas A. Dorsey, considered the "Father of Gospel Music," 83 at the time of filming, recalls how he came to write his most famous song, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" (1932), and the difficulty he faced introducing gospel blues to black Cecil Williams and Thomas A. Dorsey, born a generation apart, both seeking to bring the reality of the streets into the church. It was not long before he penned his first gospel blues, "If You See My Savior, Tell Him That You Saw Me," which was inspired by the death of a friend. ), McLin became a composer, singer, and voice coach for, Numerous sources state Dorsey coined the term "gospel" to refer to sacred music, but W. M. Nix, the singer who inspired Dorsey at the 1921 National Baptist Convention, compiled a songbook titled, NCGCC annual meetings were also attended by members of the, Dorsey later stated that all the praise he received for this song never eclipsed his grief, saying, "None of it's ever been soothing to me, from that day to this day." Women swooned who had lost their men. 'Say Amen, Somebody' Restoration Unveils The Wonder Of The Gospel Pioneers, Thomas Dorsey, the Father of Gospel Music. Patty Thomas was an American dancer, USO entertainer and actress. Fulfilled, perhaps. [33][50][51], Despite racial segregation in churches and the music industry, Dorsey's music had widespread crossover appeal. [39] Anthony Heilbut further explains that "the gospel of [Charles] Tindley and Dorsey talks directly to the poor. (Marovich, p. [49] In Dorsey's wake, R&B artists Dinah Washington, who was a member of the Sallie Martin Singers, Sam Cooke, originally in the gospel band the Soul Stirrers, Ray Charles, Little Richard, James Brown, and the Coasters recorded both R&B and gospel songs, moving effortlessly between the two, as Dorsey did, and bringing elements of gospel to mainstream audiences. Upon hearing Nix sing, Dorsey was overcome, later recalling that his "heart was inspired to become a great singer and worker in the Kingdom of the Lordand impress people just as this great singer did that Sunday morning". Throughout his early years he felt torn between the sacred and the secular. Many well-known and accomplished musicians have spoke of writing experiences that were similar to Thomas Dorsey's. As Dorsey is remembered as the father of gospel music, other honorifics came from his choirs: Sallie Martin, considered the mother of gospel (although Willie Mae Ford Smith, also a Dorsey associate, has also been called this), Mahalia Jackson, the queen of gospel, and James Cleveland, often named the king of gospel. And its a terrific good time. Uncle Roger did not oversell it. He was part of the Great Migration north. Thomas Andrew Dorsey (July 1, 1899 January 23, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and Christian evangelist influential in the development of early blues and 20th-century gospel music. Director George T. Nierenberg Stars Willie Mae Ford Smith Smith Thomas A. Dorsey Sallie Martin See production, box office & company info Search on Amazon search for Blu-ray and DVD Add to Watchlist He was demoted a grade and ostracized by the other children. The documentary was originally released in 1982, and has been remastered and re-released. He was demoted a grade and ostracized by the other children. Nix elongated some notes to emphasize specific syllables and words and sped up others. Dorsey died of Alzheimer's disease on January 23, 1993. In terms of the personalities that occupy the film, their presence is remarkable. hide caption. Lyrically, according to Boyer, Dorsey was "skilled at writing songs that not only captured the hopes, fears, and aspirations of the poor and disenfranchised African Americans but also spoke to all people". ABOUT THE EPISODE, God Is a Negro takes place after Emancipation, as the minister and journalist Henry McNeal Turner uses the black church to engage newly freed blacks in the political realm. This freed the choir members' hands to clap, and he knew anyway that most of the chorus singers in the early 1930s were unable to read music. See production, box office & company info. Dorsey described to his biographer, Michael Harris, how Haley pulled a "live serpent" out of his throat. [4], Seeking a greater challenge, Dorsey relocated to Chicago in 1919, where he learned that his style of playing was unfashionable compared to the newer uptempo styles of jazz. Birth of the Gospel Blues. Nierenberg, a 28-year-old Jewish man, knew almost nothing about gospel before he started Say Amen, Somebody; he spent a year in black churches in New York, Chicago and St. Louis, listening to the music, getting to know the performers and earning their trust before he began filming. Aside from the lyrics, he saw no real distinction between blues and church music, and viewed songs as a supplement to spoken word preaching. [39][40] Folklorist Alan Lomax claims that Dorsey "literally invented gospel". Posters are sourced from TMDb and Posteritati, and appear for you and visitors to your profile and content, depending on settings. [32][33] Never considering himself a strong singer, Dorsey recorded gospel music sporadically up to 1934, and two songs in 1953 were his last, though he continued to write. And I think that that respect is then reflected in the way in which the film is produced and directed. He became enthralled with them, and set out to learn as much about music (primarily the blues) as he could. I have just come out of a tough sometimes violent marriage and on one of my down days heard this on the radio and it just struck a chord with me I guessso much so that I had to find out more about it. He died in 1993. Doing the Lord's work, absolutely. According to Dorsey, she asked him to coach her, and for two months they worked together on technique and repertoire. While often living hand-to-mouth, the Dorseys were able to own an organ, which was rare for black families, and Dorsey's mother played during his father's church services. During the early 1930s, Thomas Dorsey created gospel music -- the African American religious music which married secular blues to a sacred text. Dorsey, who was born in Villa Rica, Georgia, was the music director at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Chicago from 1932 until the late 1970s. It's all the same talent. McLin remembered that her uncle was "soft-spoken, not loud at all, and very well dressed he always had a shirt and a tie and a suit, and he was always elegant, very mannerly, very nice. Dorsey died of Alzheimer's in 1993, listening to music on a Walkman. Dorsey served as the music director at Chicago's Pilgrim Baptist Church for 50 years, introducing musical improvisation and encouraging personal elements of participation such as clapping, stomping, and shouting in churches when these were widely condemned as unrefined and common. Thomas Dorsey and Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith, 100mins As Dorsey related in The Rise of Gospel Blues: "My inner-being was thrilled. Thomas A. Dorsey, often called the Father of Gospel Music, migrated from Atlanta to Chicago as a young man, thus exemplifying the experience of many southern blacks of his day. [57], List of people considered a founder in a Humanities field, This article is about the pianist, and composer of jazz, blues, and gospel. In Chicago, Thomas Dorsey, a pianist with blues singer Ma Rainey, invents gospel music. He is a truly mesmerizing figure, the stuff of which legends are made. Looked for it for years. At the beginning of worship services, Dorsey instructed choruses to march from the rear of the sanctuary to the choir-loft in a specific way, singing all the while. Moreover, Dorsey refused to provide musical notation, or use it while directing, because he felt the music was only to be used as a guide, not strictly followed. Choir members were encouraged to be physically active while singing, rocking and swaying with the music. 1: Songs And Singing As Church. He returned to blues, recording "It's Tight Like That" with guitarist Hudson "Tampa Red" Whittaker despite his misgivings over the suggestive lyrics. She appeared in the 1961 film The Ladies Man, 1938 film You Can't Take It with You and toured with Bob Hope during and after World War II. Now you're not singing blues; you're singing gospel, good news song, singing about the Creator; but it's the same feeling, a grasping of the heart." For women, that included not wearing make-up. Thereafter, he vowed to concentrate all his efforts in gospel music. It just makes you feel like you want to you hear me say I want to fly away somewhere? ABOUT THE EPISODE, Guide My Feet traces African-Americans as they move from the rural South to the promised land of the industrial North. His reputation led him to become a music arranger for Paramount Records and the Chicago Music Publishing Company. Under the name Georgia Tom he performed with blues artist Ma Rainey and her Wild Cats Jazz Band. [52] Four years later, Aretha Franklin sang it at Jackson's funeral. Easily one of the best music documentaries I have ever seen, this film could have coasted on the charisma and brilliance of its subjects, primarily Willie Mae Ford Smith and Thomas A. Dorsey, seminal figures in the history of Black gospel music. Letterboxd is an independent service created by a small team, and we rely mostly on the support of our members to maintain our site and apps. "Amen" is a response a congregation offers readily and without hesitation after something agreeable and rousing. Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2022. Using rare historic recordings and contemporary performances, "The Birth of Gospel" explores the growth of gospel music from slavery to now. Search the characters on YT, wonderful performances via 78's. Personal expressions such as clapping, stomping, and improvising with lyrics, rhythm, and melody were actively discouraged as being unrefined and degrading to the music and the singer. Six years later, he teamed with Mahalia Jackson, and the team ushered in what was known as the Golden Age of Gospel Music. Dorsey himself became known as the father of gospel music. Atlanta ' s " Barrel House Tom ". The film also explores the role of the Nation of Islam, led by Elijah Muhammad. After the death of a close friend, Dorsey was inspired to write his first religious song with a blues influence, "If You See My Savior, Tell Him That You Saw Me".[10][c]. Instead, George Nierenberg made a beautifully shot and edited film about the legacy and spirit of gospel, complementing the wildly infectious good will and intense devotion of church performances with his thoughtfully paced portrait of the families and communities who sustain this ecstatic genre. I'll never get out of this place alive. It only made sense to watch George Nierenberg's celebrated 1982 documentary on gospel music Say Amen, Somebody before that, as of course this genre was crucial to her upbringing, family, and culture, singing gospel in her father's church as a child and finding her voice in this medium long before she was "The Queen of Soul. There, his mother admonished him to stop playing the blues and serve the Lord. He ignored her and returned to Chicago, playing with Ma Rainey. In 1923, he became the pianist and leader of the Wild Cats Jazz Band accompanying Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, a charismatic and bawdy blues shouter who sang about lost love and hard times. [38], Gospel historian Horace Boyer writes that gospel music "has no more imposing figure" than Dorsey, and the Cambridge Companion to Blues and Gospel Music states that he "defined" the genre. India's economy is likely moving into a low inflation regime as supply shocks fade and demand cools, according to a paper co-authored by Reserve Bank of India Deputy . Thomas Markle Sr has said he will not allow his daughter, Meghan Markle, to "bury" him while he is still alive.. Dorsey began developing a sacred music based on the secular blues. As a result, his sales pitches and chorus performances were not always well received. These folks added boogey woogey to the hymns and were heretics. This journey is also critical to an understanding of what Michael W. Harris called "the rise of gospel blues" in his book of that title, which chronicles the role Dorsey's music played in urban churches. It covers interviews of key missionary workers and their experiences of how they became missionary workers, their personal struggles within the churches and how they survived the ministering call to help people. Foley's version has been entered into the National Recording Registry as a culturally significant recording worthy of preservation. ABOUT THE EPISODE. However, both used their voices in very different ways-one chooses retribution and the other, engagement. Then there were the new hymns of the 1800's. Furthermore, when Thomas' father traveled to preach at other churches, Thomas and his mother attended a church that practiced shape note singing; their harmonizing in particular making a deep impression on him. The night Rainey opened at Chicago's largest black theater Dorsey is remembered as "the most exciting moment in my life". After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Dorsey also recorded under the names George Ramsey, Memphis Jim, Memphis Mose, Railroad Bill, Smokehouse Charley, Texas Tommy, and others. The luminaries of gospel are. Documentary about the American gospel music scene, focusing on two . Now at the center of gospel music activity in Chicago, Dorsey countered his bereavement by immersing himself in marketing his songs. But it hasn't been seen in theaters in nearly 30 years. By what name was Say Amen, Somebody (1982) officially released in Canada in English? I grew up going to countless churches when I was younger and it was always something special to walk into a black church and feel the power that was behind the walls. hide caption. Eventually Dorsey's desire to become a professional musician motivated him to move to Philadelphia, in 1916, but his plans soon changed and he settled in Chicago, then abuzz with both migrant workers and migrant musicians. documentary "Say Amen, Somebody" (1982), where he is shown singing, remembering the past . Directed by George T. Nierenberg, Documentary on modern black gospel music, focusing on the pioneering Rev. Really curious what happened to the speaking-in-tongues charismatic preacher who tried to guilt his wife into staying home with him instead of going on tour, the closest thing to a villain here. ", So, in this recently restored film -- by Milestone Films with support from the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Academy Film Archive, and the Criterion Collection --. Then, in August 1932, Dorseys life was thrown into crisis when his wife and son died during childbirth. I love this DVD it is full of history and over the top singing. I don't go and take it just straight; I got to put something in it to get over. 102. Just a genuine soul of a man. Lamont Dozier, along with partners Eddie and Brian Holland was a main architect of the Motown sound, creating a stunning body of work in the sixties most notably for the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, and The Temptations. His appearance with another great gospel singer, Willie Mae Ford Smith, in the documentary Say Amen Somebody also afforded him considerable exposure. Rainey interacted with her audiences, who were often so enthralled they stood up and shouted back at her while she sang. He studied informally with musicians at the theater and local dance bands, always playing blues. It tells the stories of Sojourner Truth and Denmark Vesey. Dorsey found refuge in downtown Atlanta's black community. As the blues grew in popularity in the 1920s, black churches condemned it widely for being associated with sin and hedonism. I first encountered it as an LP from the documentary and have enjoyed it ever since. "[37][27] Dorsey began to slow down in the 1970s, eventually showing symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. eval(decodeURIComponent('%64%6f%63%75%6d%65%6e%74%2e%77%72%69%74%65%28%27%3c%61%20%68%72%65%66%3d%5c%22%6d%61%69%6c%74%6f%3a%6b%61%79%20%63%6f%79%6c%65%20%26%6c%74%3b%6b%61%79%65%63%6f%79%6c%6c%65%31%40%68%6f%74%6d%61%69%6c%2e%63%6f%2e%75%6b%26%67%74%3b%5c%22%3e%6b%61%79%20%63%6f%79%6c%65%3c%5c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b')), I had never heard 'precious Lord,take my hand' until recently. He also taught black children at a one-room schoolhouse where his son accompanied him and listened to lessons. Soon he began selling concessions there, and aspiring to join the theater band, honed his musical skills on his family's organ and a relative's piano, picking out melodies that he had heard and practicing long hours. Dorsey described it as serving as a channel through which God spoke. [48] In 1936, members of Dorsey's junior choir became the Roberta Martin Singers, a successful recording group which set the standard for gospel ensembles, both for groups and individual voice roles within vocal groups. Ma Rainey's Pianist Thomas Dorsey "Say Amen, Somebody" (1982) - YouTube 0:00 / 1:30 Ma Rainey's Pianist Thomas Dorsey "Say Amen, Somebody" (1982) 3,888 views Feb 1, 2021 Thomas A.. Dorsey, one of five children, was born in Villa Rica, Georgia, but soon moved with his family to Atlanta. Turner encouraged his followers to find God from within. [55][56], As of 2020, the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses has 50 chapters around the world. Dorsey was the son of a Baptist preacher; his mother was the church organist. He is a musical genius!!! [45] Choruses were stocked primarily with women, often untrained singers with whom Dorsey worked personally, encouraging many women who had little to no participation in church before to become active. People are saying amen because it feels good! In Chicago,. ABOUT THE EPISODE, "Inheritors of the Faith" follows those who seek spiritual fulfillment outside of Christianity. Thomas A. Dorsey continue to be a giant in gospel music, and after his death his music is still alive and well. Nothing worked. Documentary about the American gospel music scene, focusing on two of the movement's pioneering forces, Thomas A. Dorsey and Willie May Ford Smith.Documentary about the American gospel music scene, focusing on two of the movement's pioneering forces, Thomas A. Dorsey and Willie May Ford Smith.Documentary about the American gospel music scene, focusing on two of the movement's pioneering forces, Thomas A. Dorsey and Willie May Ford Smith. For the big band trombonist and bandleader, see, Thomas Dorsey during his "Georgia Tom" blues period, late 1920s, Accounts of how many children the Dorseys had depend on the source. This was a documentary on the history of American Gospel music with clips of some of the greats from the early years of the 1930s and also those, later, like Mahalia Jackson. It is a film that has seemingly won the full trust of it's subjects, and thus said subjects barely acknowledge the camera. In 1932 Dorsey was appointed musical director of Pilgrim Baptist Church in Chicago, a post he held until his retirement in 1983. When the pastor at Pilgrim Baptist, Chicago's second largest black church, saw the way it moved the congregation, he hired Dorsey as music director, allowing him to dedicate all his time to gospel music.
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