| Another Uniquely American Invention,
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| | Prayer, gospel music, alongside and
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| Black Gospel Music Lyrics and Songs are
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| | sometimes overlapping the growing
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| Universally Uplifting
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| | popularity of rap, black gospel has
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| When an individual not entirely familiar
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| | become not only a viable commercial
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| with the character of gospel music thinks
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| | enterprise, but a prominent, if
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| of the genre, that person probably
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| | understated, feature of American culture.
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| wouldn't consider it as intricately tied
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| | Southern Gospel has ingrained itself in
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| into American culture. Perhaps that
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| | American culture in a similar manner,
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| person would think of the kind of music
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| | though its evolution is surprisingly
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| often sung in black Churches, or the film
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| | analogous. Think of George Clooney
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| "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" might pop
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| | crooning away in the hit movie "Oh
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| into mind.
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| | Brother, Where art Thou?". The type of
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| One might acknowledge the music's
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| | music he sings there is actually
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| relevance to specific niche groups of our
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| | representative of one of the few musical
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| society, but probably wouldn't rank it
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| | genres that has maintained its popularity
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| nearly as influential as, say, Rock,
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| | since the early days of sound recording.
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| Jazz, Rap, or even Country.
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| | This type of music has its origins in a
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| What most people don't understand, but
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| | mixture of the slave spirituals of black
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| which is understood within the gospel
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| | gospel, and a more Puritan sound known as
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| song industry, is that 'Gospel music'
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| | heart song. This acapella music, one of
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| isn't just a single genre. The gospel
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| | the few really acceptable in Puritan
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| label encompasses a wide range of sounds,
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| | society, was commonly sung in praise of
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| styles, and messages, and the simplistic
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| | God and spirituality. Fast forward 150
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| description of it as "God music" simply
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| | years or so, and there's a new industry
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| isn't appropriate. In fact, understanding
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| | booming through the use of radio and
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| the evolution and impact of Gospel
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| | recorded songs. Very quickly the easy,
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| provides valuable insight in the
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| | upbeat, and catchy sounds of quartet
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| character of American culture.
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| | music gained prominence with listeners.
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| Black Gospel and Southern Gospel
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| | It's important to point out that while
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| Explained
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| | Southern Gospel is different from 'black'
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| The primary difference was that Black
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| | Gospel, that doesn't mean one is just in
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| Gospel was and still is primarily about
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| | the domain of the white folks while the
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| God, while Southern Gospels tend to be
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| | other is for black folks. Many of the
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| addressed to God. Both genres, then also
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| | early quartet groups had some or all
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| vary radically from other Christian
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| | black members. In fact, as Black Gospel
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| music, with which they are often
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| | did not gain popularity outside of black
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| confused. The history of Gospel is rich
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| | culture until many decades later, these
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| and intricate. So, to make it simple,
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| | quartets were one the earliest
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| let's look at it from two basic
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| | opportunities for black entertainers to
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| perspectives. We'll take the earlier
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| | gain mainstream attention and
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| examples, and consider black Church
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| | recognition.
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| music, and the kinds of sounds people
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| | As Popular as Ever
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| know from O Brother Where Art Thou. These
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| | Nearly a century later, and much of
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| two perspectives summarize the essential
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| | Southern Christian Gospel has remained
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| roots of Gospel music, as a fusion
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| | unchanged. While its popularity died in
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| between early American white and black
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| | the middle of the century, the couple
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| culture.
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| | Bill and Gloria Gaith did much to revive
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| Similar Roots to Jazz
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| | it in the early 90's through a massive
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| Black church music is probably the most
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| | national tour. This inspired a movement
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| obvious example of gospel music that
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| | that reached out to new listeners, and
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| people have in their minds. Similarly to
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| | eventually grew into Progressive
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| Jazz, this type of music traces its roots
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| | Christian Gospel, a sub-genre that mixes
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| back to slave spirituals sung in the 19th
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| | elements of traditional, traditional
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| century, and, also like Jazz, continues
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| | Southern Gospel, Bluegrass, modern
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| its evolution up through work songs sung
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| | country, contemporary Christian and pop
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| in labor camps in the early 20th century.
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| | music. This evolution has helped spread
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| However, it splits from the more secular
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| | its popularity and accessibility,
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| jazz music at this point.
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| | particularly among younger listeners.
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| Segregation Breeds Invention
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| | Today, Southern Christian Gospel remains
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| Due much in part to the segregation of
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| | one of the most popular forms of music in
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| America in the early and mid twentieth
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| | the country, though it functions within a
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| century, black churches quickly developed
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| | very closed community. Despite this
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| a very different culture than those that
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| | exclusiveness, its influence has spread
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| white people often attended. The oral
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| | to other countries, particularly Ireland,
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| tradition that began with black
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| | (List others). More than being simply
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| spirituals had grown and developed, and
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| | religious Southern Christian Gospel
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| synthesizing with religious connotations,
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| | represents the spiritual and aethetic
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| found its way into churches. These
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| | characteristic of American society.
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| spirituals became a staple part of church
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| | So, while one might not see billboards
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| life, but never saw much
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| | prominently displaying the latest Gospel
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| commercialization until the end of the
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| | artists, or read about it in history
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| 20th century. After public exposure in
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| | textbooks, it remains an important and
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| film and even some pop music, perhaps
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| | stalwart part of the American identity.
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| most famously by Madonna in "Like a
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