As enjoyable as these monthly articles are to write (and I hope to read as well), it occurs to me that it might be helpful to take time out this month and take a look at some of the more noteworthy books published that were written to tell the history of this great indigenous American art form, now most often referred to as “southern” gospel music, but has also been referred to in the past as gospel quartet music, despite the fact that the genre never consisted exclusively of gospel quartets.
A further clarification…most ALL music indigenous to the United States originated in the American Southeast, so that even black gospel music can be considered “Southern” gospel (at least the portions that originated in that part of the country). To avoid confusion, most gospel music that originated with American blacks is usually grouped in one “umbrella” genre, and “Southern” gospel is usually associated with white artists (although there have been notable exceptions to this, e.g., Teddy Huffam and the Gems, Charles Johnson and the Revivers, and the Reggie Sadler Family).
In any case, history books of ANY gospel music were so rare as to be nearly nonexistent for the first half of the 20th century. Now this was also the case for most other American folk and popular music as well, but for fans of gospel music hoping to find some serious analysis and chronicling of “their” music, they had to do without until the 1960s.
A note before I proceed….this particular article does not purport to be an exhaustive study of every book of historical material on what is known today as “southern” gospel music, and this is primarily because my own resources and library are limited to what I am most aware of, and where I got my own initial knowledge of the genre. Besides, there’s much gospel music history contained in the numerous biographies of the genre’s most important artists, which are not bad places to get a basic knowledge of the gospel music tradition and how it developed through the years.
But there was no general historical study of the genre until 1961, when Irwin and Lyndon Stambler along with Grelun Landon came out with their Encyclopedia of Country, Western, and Gospel Music. Although primarily devoted to the country idiom, inasmuch as white southern gospel had some roots in country music, and there were many fans who had shared enthusiasm for both genres, apparently the Stamblers and Landon felt compelled to include encyclopedia style entries of the most popular gospel artists of the day(e.g., the Blackwood Brothers, Statesmen, Blue Ridge Quartet, the Rebels and the Oak Ridge Quartet, among others)listing members and recordings of those artists right alongside that of their country counterparts. And for many years, this was the only book of its type available for anyone wanting any kind of serious study of the “southern” gospel idiom.
As the decade went on, more such books became available for those interested in the rock, folk, jazz, and country genres…so one HAD to feel that gospel music’s day was going to come in that regard, especially after the 1964 formation of the Gospel Music Association. But in fact, that organization didn’t get involved in sanctioning such a book for several more years.
The first real attempt that this writer was aware of after the Stamblers’ encyclopedia was a well-intentioned but all-too-brief and highly subjective book co-authored by Oak Ridge Boys’ lead singer Duane Allen and Jesse Burt. “The History of Gospel Music” came out in 1971 and its’ text promised a LOT more than it delivered, but what it did deliver was pretty impressive. The outstanding feature of that book was the biography section in the second half.
To this day, it remains one of the most complete and exhaustive compilation of biographical material on people involved in the genre at any one time. The information included birthdates, birthplaces, listings of personal material including family members and education, and other interesting facts about a LOT of gospel singers. The book is dated and long out of print, but if one can obtain a copy of it, it’s well worth the effort to do so for that biography section alone.
Slowly, more books appeared purporting to tell the story of the genre and offer a glimpse into the unique life that a gospel singer lived. One of the most enjoyable examples of that kind of book was 1978’s “Wings Of A Dove” by Lois Blackwell. Along with several well-written essays on some of the genre’s top artists, her book also contains some valuable reference material as well, including recordings and awards given to some gospel artists. It too is out of print today, but still worth picking up if one wants a good read along with a look back at the genre’s history and key artists.
Finally, another purported “encyclopedia” of gospel music came out in 1979. Although never expressly stated, Robert Anderson and Gail North’s “Gospel Music Encyclopedia” appeared to have the endorsement of the GMA. It had encyclopedia-style entries of southern gospel artists as well as entries for the newer “Contemporary Christian Music” artists. It was the first real encyclopedia type book for the entire Christian music industry, and is only marred by the press-release style entries and the incomplete discographies(limited in the book to only recordings in print at the time of the book’s publication).
More and more books were coming out by and about the genre’s leading performers, which as I pointed out above could also be illustrative of the genre’s history at various times. But the next book about the genre as a whole became known as one of the best of them all.
North Carolina writer Bob Terrell was well known for a variety of books on subjects from culture to travel, and he was also a gospel music fan of note. Back in 1971, he helped write JD Sumner’s autobiography, which was updated and reissued in 1992. It remains one of the best books about a singer and the genre in general. He was determined to tell the stories of many of the colorful and interesting people who developed and popularized the gospel quartet genre. It was, after all, one of America’s most distinctive and unique forms of musical art, and deserved to have its’ story told.
Author: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Written: 07/02/2009
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Category: SG History 101
Comments: 2
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Another comprehensive and insightful column this month, John.
I have 3 of those books you mentioned & found them highly informative & interesting. CLOSE HARMONY, THE MUSIC MEN, & MURRAY'S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SOUTHERN GOSPEL MUSIC.
Thanks for another informative article.
God is good all the time & all the time God is good.
Elaine Harcourt
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