As beautifully affecting and uplifting as nearly any narrative tale could be, but with a depressing undercurrent as harrowing as those final minutes of THE IRISHMAN. But in 1925, a second breakdown left Dorsey unable to play music. She also helped him with his publishing business, which quickly became so successful that people nationwide called any piece of gospel sheet music a "Dorsey.". 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. "[2], Aside from his prodigious songwriting, Dorsey's influence in the gospel blues movement brought about change both for individuals in the black community and communities as a whole. Reflection There is no word more precious than peace, nor a more joyous state of being for a Christian, than to know God's peace. The Lord has too much work for you to let you die.". In 1924, Dorsey made his debut as "Georgia Tom" with Ma Rainey at the Grand Theater and continued to tour with her, even after he wed in 1925, until he suffered the second of his breakdowns in 1926. 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. 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. Looked for it for years. The pilgrims took a physical and spiritual voyage, walking from Massachusetts to New Orleans, through the Caribbean, and ultimately, to Goree Island in Senegal. Thomas Francis Dorsey Net Worth - Celebrity Net Worth Wiki ABOUT THE EPISODE, In 1998, 60 people embarked on an Interfaith Pilgrimage of the Middle Passage. The reporter found a collector so consumed by the need to. The only thing he cared about was saving souls through his music. He said that he suffered a debilitating stroke last year and expressed disappointment that she did not reach out. Courtesy Milestone Films In time, they discover that the true wounds lie within themselves. In so many words, it's about rising above poverty while still living humble deserting the ways of the world while retaining its best tunes. 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. When asked about the inspiration for his ideas, Dozier replied: "I can't take credit for this stuffI'm only human and these things are the makings of God. "And I think the real treasure for me is the legacy of the film and how it will carry forward gospel music and allow people for generations to experience this music: at this time and place and [with] those people that really created it. "I just tried to make my little talk to the Lord but it was wasted, I think," Dorsey tells the audience. Amazon.com: Say Amen, Somebody : Thomas A. Dorsey, Mother Willie Mae [15] In between recording sessions with Tampa Red, and inspired by the compliments he received, he formed a choir at Ebenezer Baptist Church at the request of the pastor, Reverend James Smith, who had an affinity for Negro spirituals and indigenous singing styles. But it hasn't been seen in theaters in nearly 30 years. Villa Rica's rural location allowed Dorsey to hear slave spirituals, and "moaning" a style of singing marked by elongated notes and embellishments widespread among Southern black people alongside the Protestant hymns his father favored. ), 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." Report this film, "You mean to tell me you don't know 'bout this good news? In 1932 Dorsey was appointed musical director of Pilgrim Baptist Church in Chicago, a post he held until his retirement in 1983. He did not seek publicity, preferring to remain at his position as music director at the 3,000-seat Pilgrim Baptist Church and running his publishing company. 1982 In the film, he tells the story of how the death of his wife and their newborn child led him to church music. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. Willie Mae reminded me so much of my grandmother, the moment she began to sing I immediately got teary eyed. Turner encouraged his followers to find God from within. [36] In Living Blues, Jim O'Neal compares Dorsey in gospel to W. C. Handy, who was the first and most influential blues composer, "with the notable difference that Dorsey developed his tradition from within, rather than 'discovering' it from an outsider's vantage point". Some objected to the degradation of worship through blues shouting. As the blues grew in popularity in the 1920s, black churches condemned it widely for being associated with sin and hedonism. Dorsey, Thomas A. | Encyclopedia.com We see the lives and performances of two gospel greats, Willie May Ford Smith and Thomas Dorsey. Yoruba originated in West Africa and pre-dates Christianity. And now that the chance has come, to just stop and [not] be able to fulfill my dream when it is really coming into reality it would be quite a letdown to me.". For myself. [16], This new style began to catch on in Chicago, and Dorsey's musical partners Theodore Frye, Magnolia Lewis Butts, and Henry Carruthers urged him to organize a convention where musicians could learn gospel blues. In order to improve his skills and identify himself as a professional, he briefly took piano lessons from a teacher associated with Morehouse College, as well as a harmony course at the college itself. In his grief, he turned to the piano for comfort. The 1981 meeting featured in the film was the last convention he was able to attend. Copyright 2003 The Faith Project, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Young Dorsey was also influenced musically by his mother's brother, an itinerant blues musician, and by her brother-in-law, a teacher who favored shaped note singing--also known as "fasola" (fa-so-la), a rambunctious, 19th-century congregational style propagated by songbooks and popular in the rural South in which four distinct shapes (the diamond, for one) correspond to specific notes on the musical scale. of American Music History. He penned 3,000 songs, a third of them gospel, including "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" and "Peace in the Valley". In a purely musical sense, to Dorsey, the blues was merely a collection of improvisational techniques. Pun. Although Dorsey claimed to have been thrown out of some of the best churches, Harris observed that the time was right for Dorsey's eventual success; there were increasing numbers of store-front churches that appealed to southern migrants, and there was a booming trade in recorded sermons of the type Dorsey's father might have delivered. "Brother Dorsey," Bishop Haley reportedly said, "there is no reason for you to be looking so poorly and feeling so badly. He is a musical genius!!! Nevertheless, imparting a bluesy feel to a traditional arrangement was shocking to many, though Dorsey was able to vary the effect depending on his audience and their reaction. Thomas Dorsey, Father of Gospel Music, Dies at 93 Warts and politics. Thomas A. Dorsey(Actor), Delois Barrett Campbell(Actor), George T. Nierenberg(Director)& 0moreRated: Unrated Format: DVD 4.5 out of 5 stars129 ratings IMDb7.6/10.0 DVDfrom $18.00 VHS Tapefrom $39.99 Additional DVD options Edition Discs Price New from Used from DVDFebruary 3, 2001 Using rare historic recordings and contemporary performances, "The Birth of Gospel" explores the growth of gospel music from slavery to now. Check out Charles Pike in the extras. He gained fame accompanying blues belter Ma Rainey on tour and, billed as "Georgia Tom", joined with guitarist Tampa Red in a successful recording career. 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. I hope others will take the time to research the real facts and give Thomas A. Dorsey credit for his great Gospel works. did they follow in his foot steps? Education: Attended Morehouse College; attended Chicago School of Composition and Arranging. In 1983 he was featured in the documentary "Say Amen, Somebody." He died of Alzheimer's disease in 1993 after spending the last year of his life in a coma. 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. Give me a song, I stick to the note and play it like it is, you won't pay much attention to it. 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. "And ladies and gentlemen, believe it or not, I started singing right then and there: 'Precious Lord, take my hand,' " Dorsey continues, launching into song at the end of his story. Spirit of the Church: A Celebration of Black Gospel Music, Volume 1, Summer of Soul (Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Feature), The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song, American Masters: How It Feels To Be Free, Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations. Pastor Turner helped organize the Repubican Party in Georgia only to find himself denied access to societal institutions as discrimination reigned in the dark days following Reconstruction. "It goes between the marrow and the bone. [33][24], Notably, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" was the favorite song of Martin Luther King Jr., who asked Dorsey to play it for him on the eve of his assassination. In order to increase his chances for employment, he enrolled in the Chicago School of Composition and Arranging and thus, for the rest of his life, was able to find work as a composer and arranger. Even with a family he remained active in music, attending multiple engagements each year. He also toured extensively with Mahalia Jackson in the 1940s, who was by this time the preeminent gospel singer in the world. [e] His grief prompted him to write one of his most famous and enduring compositions, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord". While attending a church service with his sister-in-law, Dorsey claimed the minister who prayed over him pulled a live serpent from his throat, prompting his immediate recovery. In addition, the blues factor of the gospel blues equation had associations with secular venues and activities often discouraged by the church. Dorsey described to his biographer, Michael Harris, how Haley pulled a "live serpent" out of his throat. Thomas Andrew Dorsey | Encyclopedia.com Film data from TMDb. by George Nelson Allen (1852). See production, box office & company info. Thank you for your article..maybe I was meant to hear this song and maybe like Thomas Dorsey it will be a turnaround for me too, 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%48%65%63%74%6f%72%20%4d%2e%49%72%69%7a%61%72%72%79%20%26%6c%74%3b%68%6d%69%72%69%7a%61%72%72%79%40%6b%6e%6f%6c%6f%67%79%2e%6e%65%74%26%67%74%3b%5c%22%3e%48%65%63%74%6f%72%20%4d%2e%49%72%69%7a%61%72%72%79%3c%5c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b')). [f], Chapters of the NCGCC opened in St. Louis and Cleveland. Throughout his early years he felt torn between the sacred and the secular. Dorsey was a popular blues pianist and arranger he was best known as Ma Rainey's band leader, until he took the blues and adapted it to sacred music. "Ministers didn't want them there. I feel like I can fly away!". ", 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 --. Say Amen Somebody - AllMusic Since its debut it has been translated into 50 languages. Cecil Williams and Thomas A. Dorsey, born a generation apart, both seeking to bring the reality of the streets into the church. (Poe, Janita, "Thomas A Dorsey, Gospel Pioneer". She says another thing that sets the film apart is its focus on female performers; Nierenberg says the women faced opposition from both the Church and their families, "They were bucking the system when it came to performing their music in churches," he says. Rainey interacted with her audiences, who were often so enthralled they stood up and shouted back at her while she sang. Robert F. Darden is an Associate Professor of Journalism, Public Relations . Documentary about the American gospel music scene, focusing on two of the movement's pioneering forces, Thomas A. Dorsey and Willie May Ford Smith. Please try again. I feel I've thoroughly blessed over the years with an abundance of songs and materialThere is definitely God behind this thing that I do. After a spiritual awakening, Dorsey began concentrating on writing and arranging religious music. In actual fact, his first musical impact was as a blues stylist as both writer and performer. 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. In 1916, he left Atlanta for good. A Moment with Thomas Dorsey, from the Movie Say Amen, Somebody His reputation led him to become a music arranger for Paramount Records and the Chicago Music Publishing Company. "I asked him for any suggestions that he had for another topic for an interesting film, and he said these were his exact words he said, 'You oughta look into gospel music; those cats are really neat,' " Nierenberg remembers. [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. Folk was wipin' their eyes, and some cryin' and bawlin' on, and I told em, 'What is this happenin' here? You got to always have something: a little trick, a little embellishment or something. His career continued to flourish; he would eventually compose over 3,000 songs. The efforts of student workers on the front lines of the civil rights movement are shown from the perspective of Rev. Dorsey returned to Chicago in 1921, and his uncle encouraged him to attend the National Baptist Convention. Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2022, Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2022. Copyright 2003 The Faith Project, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. To learn more about Thomas Dorsey, watch the 1982 musical documentary Say Amen, Somebody, currently available on YouTube and DVD, check out his collection of papers archived at Fisk University, read 1994's The Rise of Gospel Blues: The Music of Thomas Andrew Dorsey in the Urban Church by Michael W. Harris, which you can borrow from the . The "comma somebody" in the title indicates a sense of desperation, much like Jeb Bush's "Please clap," or the kid in class acting out in search of a love they cannot fathom. One night, onstage, Dorsey noticed an "unsteadiness" in his playing. [25] Others took offense to such lively music overshadowing the minister's spoken word, or women delivering spiritual messages through song, taking the place of the preacher who was typically male. But he never smiles, rarely relaxes, and when he talks it's with a brooding vigilance bordering on surliness. "You have the Barrett Sisters; you have the O'Neal Twins. Norton, Kay, "'Yes, [Gospel] Is Real': Half a Century with Chicago's Martin and Morris Company". The Dorsey brothers' father, Thomas Dorsey, Sr., was a cornet-playing coal miner who also led the Shenandoah town band and gave music lessons on the side. Combs says the filmmaker recorded a crucial changing of the guard between generations. The companion book of the same title was written by NPR correspondent Juan Williams (with historical notes by University of Indiana professor Quinton Hosford Dixie). "[b] after hearing him perform at the National Baptist Convention. This Far by Faith. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we dont use a simple average. By 1920, Dorsey was prospering, but the demanding schedule of playing at night, working at other jobs during the day, and studying in between led him to the first of two nervous breakdowns; he was so ill that his mother had to go to Chicago to bring him back to Atlanta. Obliging, Dorsey began, but the multinational group took over: "And they knew it in Damascus, too. This Far by Faith: African-American Spiritual Journeys is a co-production of Blackside Inc. (Eyes on the Prize, Americas War on Poverty, and Malcolm X: Make it Plain) and The Faith Project, Inc. in association with the Independent Television Service. It just makes you feel like you want to you hear me say I want to fly away somewhere? [47], Encountering a "golden age" between 1940 and 1960, gospel music introduced recordings and radio broadcasts featuring singers who had all been trained by Dorsey or one of his protges. Birth of the Gospel Blues. There the family struggled economically. "[27] However, once known, Dorsey could offer a "charming smile", according to Heilbut, and his enthusiasm "often lifts his voice to an irrepressible falsetto". There is joy, but there is also bittersweetness, gospel's popularity having waned by this film's release in 1982 since its broader cachet in the late forties and early fifties. And I think that that respect is then reflected in the way in which the film is produced and directed. As a native Georgian I was pleased to have met Mr. Dorsey back in the early 70's. They pray for their ancestors and seek to heal the country's wounds of slavery through prayer vigils at historical slave sites. Music publisher. [28] Ministers who would not have considered changing their music programs just a few years before became more open to new ideas. 84.00. He died in 1993. ", Pop craftsman Paul Simon talks about writing the now gospel standard Bridge Over Troubled Water. The whole phrase like a bridge over troubled water, I will lay me down, the words and the melody, all of that came [snaps fingers] like that., Hear more about "Take My Hand, Precious Lord". Van Matre, Lynn, "Praises To Be For 'Father of Gospel'". 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.
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