Most observers believe that gospel music has been sung in African-American churches since their organization in the late 1800s. Yet nothing could be further from the truth, as Michael W. Harris's history of gospel blues reveals. Tracing the rise of gospel blues as seen through the career of its founding figure, Thomas Andrew Dorsey, Harris tells the story of the most prominent person in the advent of gospel blues. Also known as "Georgia Tom," Dorsey had considerable success in the 1920s as a pianist, composer, and arranger for prominent blues singes including Ma Rainey. In the 1930s he became involved in Chicago's African-American, old-line Protestant churches, where his background in the blues greatly influenced his composing and singing. Following much controversy during the 1930s and the eventual overwhelming response that Dorsey's new form of music received, the gospel blues became a major force in African-American churches and religion. His more than 400 gospel songs and recent Grammy Award indicate that he is still today the most prolific composer/publisher in the movement. Delving into the life of the central figure of gospel blues, Harris illuminates not only the evolution of this popular musical form, but also the thought and social forces that forged the culture in which this music was shaped.

Chicago's New Negroes: Modernity, the Great Migration, and Black Urban Life

In The Human Tradition in the New South, historian James C. Klotter brings together twelve biographical essays that explore the region's political, economic, and social development since the Civil War. Like all books in this series, these essays chronicle the lives of ordinary Americans whose lives and contributions help to highlight the great transformations that occurred in the South. With profiles ranging from Winnie Davis to Dizzy Dean, from Ralph David Abernathy to Harland Sanders, The Human Tradition in the New South brings to life this dynamic and vibrant region and is an excellent resource for courses in Southern history, race relations, social history, and the American history survey.

This is a complete handbook of information and opinion about the history of blues music. Based on the Encyclopedia of Popular Music, this book contains over 1000 entries covering musicians, bands, songwriters, producers and record labels which have made a significant impact on the development of blues music. It brings together people such as Robert Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson, the influence of Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon and more recent figures such as Keb' Mo and Jonny Lang. Each entry offers information such as dates, career facts, discography and album ratings.

Innovative and lively, this comparative and integrative study of the multicultural music of the United States explores the music of Native Americans, European Americans, African Americans, Latino Americans, and Asian Americans-the five broad groups that constitute American society and that have complex, unique, and often intermingled musical traditions that are reflected in contemporary American music. It features a blended historical/social, ethnic, and musical approach; strong "contemporary" focus; and coverage of a wide variety of musical "styles. " Music in Multicultural America. Native American Music Traditions. The Roots of European/Anglo-American Music Traditions. The Roots of African American Music Traditions. The Roots of Hispanic/Latino Music Traditions. The Blues. Jazz. Gospel. Cajun and Zydeco. Country. The Urban Folk Revival. The Ethnic and Racial Roots of Rock 'n' Roll. Motown, Soul and Funk. Tejano, Banda, and Contemporary Mexican. Caribbean and Salsa. Asian American Music. Hip-Hop and Rap. For anyone interested in American Popular Music.