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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. In the fall of 1896, the Philadelphia Times published articles about two visits to Dorsey's "humble dwelling" at 206 Dean Street. Thomas Dorsey and Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith, 100mins Some objected to the degradation of worship through blues shouting. In Chicago, Thomas Dorsey, a pianist with blues singer Ma Rainey, invents gospel music. Say Amen, Somebody is one of my favorite music documentaries of all time. Thomas A. Dorsey Biography Born in 1899 in Villa Rica, GA; died of Alzheimer's disease, January 23, 1993, in Chicago, IL; son of a minister and church organist/pianist; married Nettie Harper, 1925 (died, 1931); married Kathryn Mosely, 1941; children: a daughter and a son. Dorsey's background convinced him that the same experiences that had engendered secular blues should also inform church music. Dorsey's mother took work as a domestic servant; his father curtailed his pastoring and worked as a laborer. And that's how he came to capture his subjects accurately, says Dr. Rhea Combs. "[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. When Muhammad's son, Warith Deen, assumes leadership after his father's death, he transforms the organization to follow the practice of orthodox Islam (Louis X. Farrakhan resurrected the ideology of the old Nation of Islam in 1978). He died in 1993. He wrote over 400 compositions, but it is for Take My Hand, Precious Lord that he is best known. Pun. December 31, 2005 A major big band leader is the subject of a new book: Tommy Dorsey: Livin' in a Great Big Way. 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%73%68%61%6e%69%63%65%20%26%6c%74%3b%6d%69%7a%7a%63%68%65%72%72%79%31%32%39%40%61%6f%6c%2e%63%6f%6d%26%67%74%3b%5c%22%3e%73%68%61%6e%69%63%65%3c%5c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b')), Copyright 2023 Net Industries - All Rights Reserved, Additional information for this profile was obtained from the documentary. Documentary about the American gospel music scene, focusing on two of the movement's pioneering forces, Thomas A. Dorsey and Willie May Ford Smith. In time, they discover that the true wounds lie within themselves. In doing so, he became one of the first musicians to copyright blues music. Dorsey and Ebenezer's music director Theodore Frye trained the new chorus to deliver his songs with a gospel blues sound: lively, joyous theatrical performances with embellished and elongated notes accentuated with rhythmic clapping and shouts. Letterboxd Limited. [52] Four years later, Aretha Franklin sang it at Jackson's funeral. Cecil Williams and Thomas A. Dorsey, born a generation apart, both seeking to bring the reality of the streets into the church. 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.". Between 1932 and 1944, he held "Evenings with Dorsey" on this circuit, teaching novices the best ways to deliver his songs. 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%4c%61%4a%75%61%6e%61%20%42%61%6e%6e%69%6e%67%20%26%6c%74%3b%6c%61%6a%62%61%6e%6e%69%6e%67%40%70%65%6f%70%6c%65%70%63%2e%63%6f%6d%26%67%74%3b%5c%22%3e%4c%61%4a%75%61%6e%61%20%42%61%6e%6e%69%6e%67%3c%5c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b')). Born in 1899 in Villa Rica, GA; died of Alzheimer's disease, January 23, 1993, in Chicago, IL; son of a minister and church organist/pianist; married Nettie Harper, 1925 (died, 1931); married Kathryn Mosely, 1941; children: a daughter and a son. Documentaries really don't get much better than this. Director George T. Nierenberg Stars Willie Mae Ford Smith Smith Thomas A. Dorsey Sallie Martin See production, box office & company info Search on Amazon search for Blu-ray and DVD Add to Watchlist Despite featuring musical genres that couldn't be more different from one another, it's interesting how both Say Amen, Somebody and Imagine the Sound (which came out the year before) document the end of the same era in American music. 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. The documentary shows the joy of gospel music in an age of cynicism. Check out Charles Pike in the extras. 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. Composer, arranger, pianist. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. His career continued to flourish; he would eventually compose over 3,000 songs. Sacred music could not sustain him financially, however, so he continued to work in blues. I love this DVD it is full of history and over the top singing. ABOUT THE EPISODE, God Is a Negro takes place after Emancipation, as the minister and journalist Henry McNeal Turner uses the black church to engage newly freed blacks in the political realm. Saw the original release. ", Wade In The Water Ep. For women, that included not wearing make-up. His first gospel song, "If You See my Savior Tell Him That You Saw Me" was published in 1932. Black-History Archives Are in Trouble - The Atlantic His uncle was also a musician, a traveling guitarist concentrating on country blues while it was in its infancy. [6] The experience prompted him to copyright his first religious song in 1922, "If I Don't Get There", a composition in the style of Charles Tindley, whom Dorsey idolized. Thomas A. Dorsey Net Worth In 1932 however, just as Dorsey co-founded the Gospel Choral Union of Chicago eventually renamed the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses (NCGCC), his wife Nettie died in childbirth, then 24 hours later, their son. Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2022, Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2022. "It's just a feeling within; you can't help yourself," Smith says in the film, describing the experience of singing gospel. There were the olde hymns of the Church. 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. The pressures of touring overwhelmed him, and Dorsey considered suicide. Martin Luther King Jr.. Through their work, Dorsey & Williams create new expressions of faith. It is a film that has seemingly won the full trust of it's subjects, and thus said subjects barely acknowledge the camera. It featured syncopated notes in an eight-bar blues structure; but instead of themes of defiance in the face of despair - the theme most common in the blues - this new music told stories of hope and affirmation. This is priceless DVD that will touch your heart no matter what. Dorsey, one of five children, was born in Villa Rica, Georgia, but soon moved with his family to Atlanta. McLin remembered that her uncle was "soft-spoken, not loud at all, and very well dressed he always had a shirt and a tie and a suit, and he was always elegant, very mannerly, very nice. 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. It goes beyond the series to explore the full diversity of African-American religious expression. I hope others will take the time to research the real facts and give Thomas A. Dorsey credit for his great Gospel works. So spiritual and uplifting! We see the lives and performances of two gospel greats, Willie May Ford Smith and Thomas Dorsey. 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 . 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%41%6c%76%69%6e%20%4c%65%77%69%73%20%20%26%6c%74%3b%61%6c%76%61%6c%69%76%65%33%31%36%40%79%61%68%6f%6f%2e%63%6f%6d%26%67%74%3b%5c%22%3e%41%6c%76%69%6e%20%4c%65%77%69%73%20%3c%5c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b')). Eventually Dorsey's desire to become a professional musician motivated him to move to Philadelphia, in 1916, but his plans soon changed and he settled in Chicago, then abuzz with both migrant workers and migrant musicians. 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')). 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). It is the story of two sourthern migrants, Rev. (Marovich, p. Documentary about the American gospel music scene, focusing on two of the movement's pioneering forces, Thomas A. Dorsey and Willie May Ford Smith. 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. It was not long before he penned his first gospel blues, "If You See My Savior, Tell Him That You Saw Me," which was inspired by the death of a friend. As he said in The Rise of Gospel Blues: "If a woman has lost a man, a man has lost a woman, his feeling reacts to the blues; he feels like expressing it. Foley's version has been entered into the National Recording Registry as a culturally significant recording worthy of preservation. India's Economy Moving Into Low Inflation Regime, RBI Paper Says Similarly, the NCGCC in 1933 is described by Dorsey biographer Michael W. Harris as "a women's movement" as nine of the thirteen presiding officer positions were held by women. The Lord has too much work for you to let you die.". Rainey interacted with her audiences, who were often so enthralled they stood up and shouted back at her while she sang. [46][i], Due to Dorsey's influence, the definition of gospel music shifted away from sacred song compositions to religious music that causes a physical release of pain and suffering, particularly in black churches. Aside from the lyrics, he saw no real distinction between blues and church music, and viewed songs as a supplement to spoken word preaching. As he related in the documentary Say Amen Somebody, "People tried to tell me things that were soothing to me none of which have ever been soothing from that day to this." With church no longer the focal point of his parents' lives, his connection to organized religion waned. Dorsey based the music of his most popular and widely performed gospel song on and old hymn called "Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone?" That's not surprising, but it is surprising that the filmmakers exposed it as they did because it's quite unflattering. After the death of a close friend, Dorsey was inspired to write his first religious song with a blues influence, "If You See My Savior, Tell Him That You Saw Me".[10][c]. Choir members were encouraged to be physically active while singing, rocking and swaying with the music. Then there were the new hymns of the 1800's. 1982 There is no sense of social performance outside of what is naturally there. See production, box office & company info. Dorsey, who was born in Villa Rica, Georgia, was the music director at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Chicago from 1932 until the late 1970s. What really struck me about the musical sequences was not just the incredible vocals and instrumentation from talents operating at the peak of their ability, but the. "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. He is a musical genius!!! Say Amen, Somebody gives an overview of the history of gospel music in the U.S. by following two main figures: Thomas A. Dorsey, considered the "Father of Gospel Music," 83 at the time of filming, recalls how he came to write his most famous song, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" (1932), and the difficulty he faced introducing gospel blues to black PDF "If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again"--Thomas A. Dorsey (1934) Thankfully enough folks saw the light. Music performed in established black churches in Chicago and throughout the U.S. came from hymnals and was performed as written, usually as a way to showcase the musical abilities of the choirs rather than as a vehicle to deliver a specific spiritual message. Willie Mae reminded me so much of my grandmother, the moment she began to sing I immediately got teary eyed. 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! For myself. I have just come out of a tough sometimes violent marriage and on one of my down days heard this on the radio and it just struck a chord with me I guessso much so that I had to find out more about it. "[36], To accomplish this, Dorsey traveled beyond the U.S., through Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Middle East. Rehearsals for sales pitches took place in Dorsey's nearly bare room in his uncle's house. Amazon.com: Say Amen, Somebody : Thomas A. Dorsey, Mother Willie Mae [1] Billed as "Tampa Red and Georgia Tom" and "The Famous Hokum Boys", the duo found great success together, eventually collaborating on 60 songs between 1928 and 1932, and coining the term "Hokum" to describe their guitar/piano combination with simple, racy lyrics. He was ordained a minister in his sixties, formalizing the union of song and worship; the Pilgrim Baptist Church created the T. A. Dorsey Choir to honor him in 1983. The Dorseys sharecropped on a small farm, while the elder Dorsey, a graduate of Atlanta Bible College (now Morehouse College), traveled to nearby churches to preach. Glad i was able to get the remastered copy. Loud Pictures - A Music Movie Project38/65, Even without the explanation of the title from Say Amen, Somebody's Wikipedia page, its meaning is obvious once the film gets rolling. There was a great deal of early resistance to Dorsey's work, partly because it was rooted in the rural southern African-American culture from which the old-line urban churches sought to distance themselves in favor of assimilation. It features one of the first gospel soloists, Willie Mae Ford Smith and the father of gospel music, Thomas Dorsey late in their lives. 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. Was so happy to see it available on DVD at a price I could afford. [36] He is buried at Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago. In 1932 Dorsey was appointed musical director of Pilgrim Baptist Church in Chicago, a post he held until his retirement in 1983. It only made sense to watch George Nierenberg's celebrated 1982 documentary on gospel music Say Amen, Somebody before that, as of course this genre was crucial to her upbringing, family, and culture, singing gospel in her father's church as a child and finding her voice in this medium long before she was "The Queen of Soul. Dorsey described to his biographer, Michael Harris, how Haley pulled a "live serpent" out of his throat. "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. This was a documentary on the history of American Gospel music with clips of some of the greats from the early years of the 1930s and also those, later, like Mahalia Jackson. Thomas A. Dorsey continue to be a giant in gospel music, and after his death his music is still alive and well. He studied informally with musicians at the theater and local dance bands, always playing blues. He was demoted a grade and ostracized by the other children. The first was Thomas A. Dorsey, known as the father of gospel music. Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them. The emotionality of gospel music is always spectacular to witness, and while a large portion of Say Amen, Somebody is devoted to the massive productions of black church music, it goes behind the scenes to illuminate the culture, both good and bad. January 17, 2000 Sung at the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it is the most-recorded gospel song ever. (Poe, Janita, "Thomas A Dorsey, Gospel Pioneer". I first encountered it as an LP from the documentary and have enjoyed it ever since. My soul was a deluge of divine rapture; my emotions were aroused; my heart was inspired to become a great singer and worker in the Kingdom of the Lord--and impress people just as this great singer did that Sunday morning." 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. His appearance with another great gospel singer, Willie Mae Ford Smith, in the documentary Say Amen Somebody also afforded him considerable exposure. I guarantee you watching this program you will be touched in same way watching this show!! : "The Secularization of Black Gospel Music" by Heilbut, Anthony in, This page was last edited on 19 April 2023, at 17:18. And its a terrific good time. Uncle Roger did not oversell it. 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. Van Matre, Lynn, "Praises To Be For 'Father of Gospel'". 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 . Newly restored and re-released. [4], Directionless, Dorsey began attending shows at the nearby 81 Theater, that featured blues musicians and live vaudeville acts. Say Amen Somebody - AllMusic He was demoted a grade and ostracized by the other children. 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. Director: George T. Nierenberg | Stars: Willie May Ford Smith, Thomas A. Dorsey, Sallie Martin, Delois Barrett Campbell. After his recovery three years later, Dorsey committed himself to composing sacred music. 102. Peter Levinson tells Linda Wertheimer about his biography. At eleven, he left school to take a job at a local vaudeville theater. Lyrically, according to Boyer, Dorsey was "skilled at writing songs that not only captured the hopes, fears, and aspirations of the poor and disenfranchised African Americans but also spoke to all people". '"[27], When he gave interviews later in his life, he never condemned blues music or his experiences in that period. Less than a year later, however, Dorsey was back in the secular blues business full-time. Thomas Dorsey | PBS During the early 1930s, Thomas Dorsey created gospel music -- the African American religious music which married secular blues to a sacred text. But in 1925, a second breakdown left Dorsey unable to play music. Thereafter, he vowed to concentrate all his efforts in gospel music. ), 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." Its a documentary set in a time period around 70's of old time gospel . Dorsey began developing a sacred music based on the secular blues. 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. Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2022. Warts and politics. Throughout his early years he felt torn between the sacred and the secular. [26][27], Simultaneously, a shift in Chicago's black churches was taking place. Dorsey instead asked his singers to rely on feeling.[43]. Thomas Dorsey : NPR Furthermore, when Thomas' father traveled to preach at other churches, Thomas and his mother attended a church that practiced shape note singing; their harmonizing in particular making a deep impression on him. Status is huge in this world. You have this kind of inter-generational blending, and we're seeing that in this film, where there is this sort of critical moment within the tradition of gospel music sort of this passing of the torch, if you will.". "[27] However, once known, Dorsey could offer a "charming smile", according to Heilbut, and his enthusiasm "often lifts his voice to an irrepressible falsetto". But Dorsey's conversion was fleeting; he was soon playing with the Whispering Syncopators, making a salary commensurate with professional theater musicians. We feel the purity of expression here and see very little of the commercial trappings we see in so much of organized religion. 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. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. [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. The episode follows Thomas Dorsey, also known as the "father of gospel," as he came to Chicago during the great migration and brought the city his gospel blues. The luminaries of gospel are. 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. Cecil Williams and Thomas A. Dorsey, born a generation apart, both seeking to bring the reality of the streets into the church. IMDb At the time, Nierenberg was looking for a follow-up to his award-winning 1979 tap dance documentary, No Maps on My Taps, when he had dinner with musician Ry Cooder. Patty Thomas was an American dancer, USO entertainer and actress.