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. Both were born enslaved; both used the Gospel to shape their identities. Thomas Andrew Dorsey, Thomas Andrew Dorsey (1900-1993), often called the Father of Gospel Music, migrated from Atlanta to Chicago as a young man, thus exemplifying the exp African Music, Gospel Music Gospel Music The African-American religious music known as gospel, originating in the field hollers, slave songs, spirituals, and Protes W C Handy, Handy, W. C. W. C. Handy Singer, composer . 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.". 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. He was part of the Great Migration north. We long for it, and when it comes to us it is directly from our heavenly Father. [27], During his blues period, Dorsey presented himself as dapper and dignified, which carried over into his gospel work. At twenty-one, his hectic and unhealthy schedule led to a nervous breakdown. According to Harris, by then Dorsey's piano style was already somewhat out of vogue. Birth of the Gospel Blues. Mount Prospect Baptist Church, where his father preached and Dorsey learned music at his mother's organ, was declared a historic site by the city, and a historical marker was placed at the location where his family's house once stood. We see the lives and performances of two gospel greats, Willie May Ford Smith and Thomas Dorsey. "He is understanding the dynamics at play and he has a sensitivity to the story and the people truly to the people and respects them. Film data from TMDb. But in 1925, a second breakdown left Dorsey unable to play music. Thomas A Dorsey was truely one of pop-music cultural best kept secrets. In actual fact, his first musical impact was as a blues stylist as both writer and performer. In the fall of 1896, the Philadelphia Times published articles about two visits to Dorsey's "humble dwelling" at 206 Dean Street. hide caption. 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. It is the story of two sourthern migrants, Rev. Cecil Williams and Thomas A. Dorsey, born a generation apart, both seeking to bring the reality of the streets into the church. 16: The Gospel Song Legacy Of Thomas Andrew Dorsey, Wade In The Water Ep. 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. Combs says the filmmaker recorded a crucial changing of the guard between generations. He also taught black children at a one-room schoolhouse where his son accompanied him and listened to lessons. [1][24][j], Chicago held its first gospel music festival as a tribute to Dorsey in 1985; it has taken place each year since then. He and the NCGCC were featured in the critically acclaimed documentary Say Amen, Somebody in 1982. 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. (Poe, Janita, "Thomas A Dorsey, Gospel Pioneer". By the time Ma Rainey finished her song, she was "in her sins" - and Georgia Tom was right there with her, his rhythmic piano filling the grooves. He said that he suffered a debilitating stroke last year and expressed disappointment that she did not reach out. Due to the spontaneous nature of the events Dorsey worked, he became proficient at improvising, and along the way, learned to read musical notation. One night, onstage, Dorsey noticed an "unsteadiness" in his playing. Thomas Dorsey and Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith, 100mins Atlanta ' s " Barrel House Tom ". Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Votes: 392 In that film, after being helped into a room, he addresses a group of people, moving comfortably in and out of song all the while. "[27] However, once known, Dorsey could offer a "charming smile", according to Heilbut, and his enthusiasm "often lifts his voice to an irrepressible falsetto". Copyright 2003 The Faith Project, Inc. All rights reserved. The same thing acts for a gospel song. Directed by George T. Nierenberg, Documentary on modern black gospel music, focusing on the pioneering Rev. As a result, his sales pitches and chorus performances were not always well received. There he was impressed by the singing of W. M. Nix. He recalled visiting Damascus, Syria, where he was approached in a bathroom by a man who recognized his name. 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. I miss her everyday. The 1981 meeting featured in the film was the last convention he was able to attend. In Chicago,. 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. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. And its a terrific good time. Uncle Roger did not oversell it. Thomas A. Dorsey was born in Villa Rica, Georgia, the first of three children to Thomas Madison Dorsey, a minister and farmer, and Etta Plant Spencer. Obliging, Dorsey began, but the multinational group took over: "And they knew it in Damascus, too. The Thomas A. Dorsey Birthplace and Gospel Heritage Festival, established in 1994, remains active. Say Amen, Somebody is one of my favorite music documentaries of all time. IMDb Six years later, Dorsey left Atlanta for Chicago. 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). The tune he wrote, Take My Hand, Precious Lord, came, he says, direct from God. One of the best documentaries going I reckon. People are singing because it feels good! Dorsey based the music of his most popular and widely performed gospel song on and old hymn called "Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone?" He experienced a spiritual re-invigoration of sorts in 1928. At their debut, Frye strutted up and down the aisles and sang back and forth with the chorus, and at one point Dorsey jumped up from the piano stool in excitement and stood as he played. He moved to Chicago and became a proficient composer and arranger of jazz and vaudeville just as blues was becoming popular. Thomas A. Dorsey documentary rough cut 6,122 views Oct 31, 2010 79 Dislike jpilkonis 42 subscribers Villa Rica, Georgia We reimagined cable. He infused joy and optimism in his written music as he directed his choirs to do perform with uplifting fervor as they sang. According to Dorsey, she asked him to coach her, and for two months they worked together on technique and repertoire. [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. The pressures of touring overwhelmed him, and Dorsey considered suicide. Aside from the lyrics, he saw no real distinction between blues and church music, and viewed songs as a supplement to spoken word preaching. While presiding over rehearsals, Dorsey was strict and businesslike. [citation needed] Patty Thomas was born Patricia Thomas on August 1, 1922, in Erie, Pennsylvania.She also was in the films: Smooth Sailing, a 1947 short film by Jerry Hopper and the 2003 film . He introduced rituals and standards among gospel choirs that are still in use. 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. . 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. Dorsey soon began composing sacred songs and took a job as director of music at New Hope Baptist Church on Chicago's South Side, where he described the congregation's singing of spirituals "like down home," noting that the congregants also clapped to his music. The biggest hinderance to the next thing God wants to do is the last thing God did. See production, box office & company info. Thank you for remembering and honoring a great legend As a native Georgian I was pleased to have met Mr. Dorsey back in the early 70's. [13][14][d], Unsure if gospel music could sustain him, Dorsey was nonetheless pleased to discover that he made an impression at the National Baptist Convention in 1930 when, unknown to him, Willie Mae Ford Smith sang "If You See My Savior" during a morning meeting. Please try again. Whether you are religious or not,this is an inspiring documentary about the power of faith. Courtesy Milestone Films Deemed the " father of gospel music, " Thomas Dorsey emerged, during the early 1930s, as the creator of an African American religious music style known as the gospel blues an idiom . "He is coming in as a collaborator with them, as opposed to this notion or feeling of voyeurism," she says. As the popularity of the blues increased in New York and Chicago, especially among non-black audiences, Dorsey was able to adapt his style to the tastes of the day, though singers like Bessie Smith, who embodied the southern tradition, were also popular, especially among black Americans. The unsteadiness grew worse, leaving him unable to practice, write or perform. 102. He visited a faith healer, Bishop H.H. The lyrics, however, were written by Dorsey. Loved it. Van Matre, Lynn, "Praises To Be For 'Father of Gospel'". Thomas Dorsey 1899 - 1993. They created enclaves within neighborhoods through church choirs, which doubled as social clubs, offering a sense of purpose and belonging. Indeed, in the late 1920s, he would begin work with one of the great gospel soloists of all time, Mahalia Jackson. The adjustment for the entire family was difficult, culminating in Thomas being isolated, held back at school, and eventually dropping out after the fourth grade when he was twelve years old. In 1933, Dorsey directed a 600-person chorus at the second meeting of the NCGCC, now boasting 3,500 members in 24 states. Say Amen, Somebody, a documentary about the men and women who pioneered African American gospel music, was widely praised upon its release in 1982; the late Roger Ebert called it "One of the most joyful movies I've ever seen." 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 . For myself. ABOUT THE EPISODE, Guide My Feet traces African-Americans as they move from the rural South to the promised land of the industrial North. Nix elongated some notes to emphasize specific syllables and words and sped up others. His best-known composition, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord", was performed by Mahalia Jackson and was a favorite of the Rev. As Dorsey related in The Rise of Gospel Blues: "My inner-being was thrilled. Saw the original release. I bet he and God are having a ball in Heaven! Made by fans in Aotearoa New Zealand. 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. It is completely un-invasive, and you get the sense that if the camera wasn't present at all, these people would be acting exactly the same. 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. "Thomas Dorsey, Father of Gospel Music, Dies at 93". [20] He also mentored many young musicians, including training a teenage Mahalia Jackson when she first arrived in Chicago, although he said she did not entirely accept his instruction: "She said I was trying to make a stereotyped singer out of her. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Encountering more competition for jobs and with his concentration primarily on blues, Dorsey turned to composing, copyrighting his first song in 1920, titled "If You Don't Believe I'm Leaving, You Can Count the Days I'm Gone". As George T. Nierenberg guides us through its relatively brief history, we come to see that. [36] He is buried at Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago. As the blues grew in popularity in the 1920s, black churches condemned it widely for being associated with sin and hedonism. The Lord has too much work for you to let you die.". Thankfully enough folks saw the light. As the head of the NCGCC, he traveled the "gospel highway": a circuit of churches and similar venues throughout the U.S. where he trained singers and choirs. Dorsey described to his biographer, Michael Harris, how Haley pulled a "live serpent" out of his throat. My favorite; "I'll Tell It Wherever I Go", with such a special version by the Gaither Vocal Band. Doing the Lord's work, absolutely. Sources. 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. "Ministers didn't want them there. Thomas A. Dorsey continue to be a giant in gospel music, and after his death his music is still alive and well. 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. 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. "You know, Frank, this has been my life dream to go abroad," Barrett says to her husband in one scene. This Far by Faith. She was asked to sing it twice more; the response was so enthusiastic that Dorsey sold 4,000 print copies of his song. It's incredible how Gospel produced such top tier talents with such ease. [41] Horace Boyer attributes this popularity to "simple but beautiful melodies", unimposing harmonies, and room for improvisation within the music. 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. SAY AMEN, SOMEBODY is without question one of the greatest documentaries that you're going to see when it comes to gospel music. 1982 And I think the choir meant so much to those people because for a few hours on Sunday, they were royalty. Music publisher. In 1916, he left Atlanta for good. Everything I do - that's good, at least - is a reflection of His hand. I feel like I can fly away!". These migrants were refugees from poverty and the systemic racism endemic throughout the Jim Crow South. In time, they discover that the true wounds lie within themselves. His reputation led him to become a music arranger for Paramount Records and the Chicago Music Publishing Company. ABOUT THE EPISODE, Faith sustained black families through the oppression of segregation in the 1940s and 1950s. They had two children, a son named Thomas M. "Mickey" and a daughter, Doris. Dorsey returned to Chicago in 1921, and his uncle encouraged him to attend the National Baptist Convention. It's all the same talent. Their collaboration would continue over the years as his fame spread, Martin often accompanying him on his tours around the country. In 1931, Dorsey experienced great personal tragedy again: the death in childbirth of both his wife and newborn son devastated him. July 25, 2003 Thomas Dorsey combined sacred and secular styles to create a revolution in music. Thomas A. Dorsey was one of the gospel pioneers profiled in George Nierenberg's Say Amen, Somebody. I first encountered it as an LP from the documentary and have enjoyed it ever since. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. During the early 1930s, Thomas Dorsey created gospel music -- the African American religious music which married secular blues to a sacred text. 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. The documentary was originally released in 1982, and has been remastered and re-released.. ABOUT THE EPISODE, In 1998, 60 people embarked on an Interfaith Pilgrimage of the Middle Passage. You've got Thomas Dorsey, the man who is credited with creating gospel music and Willie Mae Ford Smith, a woman who wants to preach the gospel. Rainey interacted with her audiences, who were often so enthralled they stood up and shouted back at her while she sang. Cecil Williams and Thomas A. Dorsey, born a generation apart, both seeking to bring the reality of the streets into the church. He was soon making printed copies of his gospel blues, but since he relied on the performer to embellish the music, they did not sell well. [8], Dorsey worked with Rainey and her band for two years, wherein he composed and arranged her music in the blues style he was accustomed to, as well as vaudeville and jazz to please audiences' tastes. His career continued to flourish; he would eventually compose over 3,000 songs. 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. Thomas Dorsey. In Chicago, Dorsey adopted the name Georgia Tom and found work as a session musician. It may seem out of place for a documentary about gospel music, especially to a more modern audience. 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. That's not surprising, but it is surprising that the filmmakers exposed it as they did because it's quite unflattering. He was, however, able to work, though he remained on the periphery of the music community, held back, Harris observed, by both his lack of technique and repertoire, which prevented him from joining the union, and the sheer size and wealth of the musical community. hide caption. Dorsey died of Alzheimer's in 1993, listening to music on a Walkman. No cable. In 1932 Dorsey was appointed musical director of Pilgrim Baptist Church in Chicago, a post he held until his retirement in 1983. The documentary was originally released in 1982, and has been remastered and re-released. He is described as stately and often detached, one writer attesting that from a distance, "Dorsey is not presented as a happy man. (Marovich, p. +2.80 +3.45%. [39][40] Folklorist Alan Lomax claims that Dorsey "literally invented gospel". Please consider upgrading to a Pro accountfor less than a couple bucks a month, youll get cool additional features like all-time and annual stats pages (example), the ability to select (and filter by) your favorite streaming services, and no ads! Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2022, Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2022. Looked for it for years. 1932 was also the year he formed the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses with blues singer Sallie Martin. 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. 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. ", 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 --. In 1925, rural, or so-called "downhome," or "moanin'" blues was popular, and Ma Rainey, a master of the form, became an all-out success. [f], Chapters of the NCGCC opened in St. Louis and Cleveland. From then on, Dorsey vowed to do the Lord's work. And that's how he came to capture his subjects accurately, says Dr. Rhea Combs. 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. [27] Although he was not the first to join elements of the blues to religious music, he earned the honorific "Father of Gospel Music", according to gospel singer and historian Bernice Johnson Reagon, for his "aggressive campaign for its use as worship songs in black Protestant churches". 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. People are responding to these singers because it feels good! [3][a], Religion and music were at the center of the Dorseys' lives, and young Thomas was exposed to a variety of musical styles in his early childhood. January 17, 2000 Sung at the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it is the most-recorded gospel song ever. TMDb by George Allen. documentary "Say Amen, Somebody" (1982), where he is shown singing, remembering the past . After a spiritual awakening, Dorsey began concentrating on writing and arranging religious music. Newly restored and re-released. Search the characters on YT, wonderful performances via 78's. 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." I love this DVD it is full of history and over the top singing. Patty Thomas was an American dancer, USO entertainer and actress. Nierenberg centered his film around two pioneering gospel artists, Rev. Under the name "Georgia Tom". Harris even linked the blues soloist to the preacher, as each embodies the yearning of a people and manifests that yearning principally through improvisation. The outcome of this is unknown other than the clinic stating they would no longer serve black patients. [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. His "gospel music" met so much resistance from pastors who considered it "devil's music," that he found it easier to play the blues straight. Built in 1890, the church became a catalyst for the popularity of gospel music in the 1930s under choir director Thomas Dorsey. I guarantee you watching this program you will be touched in same way watching this show!! He is often quoted saying that he had "been kicked out of the best churches in the country". 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%42%65%63%6b%79%20%26%6c%74%3b%61%6e%74%62%77%6f%6c%66%66%40%73%62%63%67%6c%6f%62%61%6c%2e%6e%65%74%26%67%74%3b%5c%22%3e%42%65%63%6b%79%3c%5c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b')).
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