Letter to the Editor
Gospel music has made an impact on society. In the last 50 years there have been numerous songs and singers who have emerged in the Christian arena.
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Letter to the Editor
To the editor:
Gospel music has made an impact on society. In the last 50 years there have been numerous songs and singers who have emerged in the Christian arena.
There is a phenomenon that is unseen in gospel music. Those who continually gather at the holy place the church know what I am talking about.
The Bible says where two or three are gathered together in the name of the Lord He will be in the midst. The question that comes to mind is “do we have to be in the same place for God to come in the midst?” The answer to this question is yes. It was made known on the day of Pentecost.
Nobody wants to listen to groaning. I believe Thomas Dorsey was equipped with what it took to write down the groaning of those who were not all able to do it for themselves.
I don’t know if Thomas Dorsey was full of the Holy Ghost, but he was impactful enough to become known as “The Father of Black Gospel.” It was said he seemed to have monopoly on the church songs that were written in the new style.
Mahalia Jackson was never labeled in such a way but she certainly had a way of singing that was admired and loved by many people. It seems that the beginning of the 20th Century was when this phenomenon began to surface in the United States of America. America has grown over the years; her understanding has become broader and wider.
The singer and entertainer, Ethel Waters, may have contributed to this growth when she played the role in the 1952 movie “A Member of the Wedding” where she is known for singing the song “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” She was often seen on the Billy Graham Crusade in her later years singing and giving short talks before she would sing.
After viewing her many times on TV with the Billy Graham Crusade, I noticed she never boasted about living such a good and spotless life but she would sing and speak of the goodness of God. I believe she represented many of those Americans that were not able to do such a thing. I believe she was instrumental in paving the way for others to do what she did.
The legacy of these people makes a statement about the history of The United States of America.
Terry Triplett
Quitman
