A tour group of 150 demanded he sing "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" right there. Thomas A. Dorsey was one of the gospel pioneers profiled in George Nierenberg's Say Amen, Somebody. It provided the courage needed to fight Jim Crow. 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. I bet he and God are having a ball in Heaven! There were the olde hymns of the Church. Women swooned who had lost their men. Thomas A. Dorsey was one of the gospel pioneers profiled in George Nierenberg's Say Amen, Somebody. Please try again. They pray for their ancestors and seek to heal the country's wounds of slavery through prayer vigils at historical slave sites. 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. 209240. He began studying piano and organ. Built in 1890, the church became a catalyst for the popularity of gospel music in the 1930s under choir director Thomas Dorsey. [48] In 1936, members of Dorsey's junior choir became the Roberta Martin Singers, a successful recording group which set the standard for gospel ensembles, both for groups and individual voice roles within vocal groups. They would tour together in the 1940s. While presiding over rehearsals, Dorsey was strict and businesslike. [52] Four years later, Aretha Franklin sang it at Jackson's funeral. [41] Horace Boyer attributes this popularity to "simple but beautiful melodies", unimposing harmonies, and room for improvisation within the music. 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. 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. [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. 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. At eleven, he left school to take a job at a local vaudeville theater. He penned 3,000 songs, a third of them gospel, including "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" and "Peace in the Valley". Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2022, Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2022. [f], Chapters of the NCGCC opened in St. Louis and Cleveland. 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.". 1: Songs And Singing As Church. [e] His grief prompted him to write one of his most famous and enduring compositions, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord". Labowskie, Mark, ". 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." The documentary was originally released in 1982, and has been remastered and re-released.. It is a film that has seemingly won the full trust of it's subjects, and thus said subjects barely acknowledge the camera. Dorsey, one of five children, was born in Villa Rica, Georgia, but soon moved with his family to Atlanta. Selected writings. Please try again. 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. Foley's version has been entered into the National Recording Registry as a culturally significant recording worthy of preservation. 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. This the story. He became enthralled with them, and set out to learn as much about music (primarily the blues) as he could. Obliging, Dorsey began, but the multinational group took over: "And they knew it in Damascus, too. 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. He convalesced back home in Atlanta. Dorsey died of Alzheimer's disease on January 23, 1993. 1982 Directed by George T. Nierenberg Synopsis Pure joy Documentary on modern black gospel music, focusing on the pioneering Rev. It's like a family business, and watching the different generations striving for significance was quite fascinating. [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 San Francisco, the Reverend Cecil Williams develops a "come as you are" church. Despite being meagerly compensated, he played rent parties, house parties, barrelhouses, and brothels, but enjoyed the social life of a musician. 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. Atlanta ' s " Barrel House Tom ". He remained in contact with his friends and fellow blues musicians, saying, "I'm not ashamed of my blues. The Thomas A. Dorsey Birthplace and Gospel Heritage Festival, established in 1994, remains active. Dorsey co-founded the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses in 1933. Dorsey found appeal in the freedom and potential that came with improvising within established hymns, allowing singers and musicians to infuse more emotion particularly joy and elation into their performances to move congregations. His best-known composition, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord", was performed by Mahalia Jackson and was a favorite of the Rev. Dorsey died of Alzheimer's in 1993, listening to music on a Walkman. However, mainstream churches rejected his songs. Thomas Markle Sr has said he will not allow his daughter, Meghan Markle, to "bury" him while he is still alive.. Through their work, Dorsey & Williams create new expressions of faith. In The Rise of Gospel Blues Harris noted, "Other than slave spirituals, the white Protestant hymns and shaped note music, Dorsey describes a type of 'moaning' as the only other style of religious song he recalls." Upon hearing Nix sing, Dorsey was overcome, later recalling that his "heart was inspired to become a great singer and worker in the Kingdom of the Lordand impress people just as this great singer did that Sunday morning". According to Harris, by then Dorsey's piano style was already somewhat out of vogue. Gospel music did not start with Dorsey. It is very moving and heart lifting documentary, Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2022. 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. His father was a Baptist minister with a flamboyant pulpit style, and his mother played a portable organ and piano wherever the elder Dorsey preached. 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. 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')). [28] Ministers who would not have considered changing their music programs just a few years before became more open to new ideas. By far the best documentary Ive seen! 'Say Amen, Somebody' Restoration Unveils The Wonder Of The Gospel Pioneers, Thomas Dorsey, the Father of Gospel Music. Say Amen, Somebody is one of my favorite music documentaries of all time. Prathia Hall(1940-2002) and others.. Hall is one of many voices in the film-voices of ordinary people who, through faith, risked their lives to challenge America to live up to its promise "that all men are created equal." I havent seen it yet but Im sure I will enjoy it because the Barrett Sisters are featured in it and they are my favorite. As the blues grew in popularity in the 1920s, black churches condemned it widely for being associated with sin and hedonism. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Glad i was able to get the remastered copy. I first encountered it as an LP from the documentary and have enjoyed it ever since. These churches discouraged expressive congregational participation and attempted to incorporate white church traditions in both service and music. He moved to Chicago and became a proficient composer and arranger of jazz and vaudeville just as blues was becoming popular. [55][56], As of 2020, the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses has 50 chapters around the world. These migrants were refugees from poverty and the systemic racism endemic throughout the Jim Crow South. But he lives on each Sunday as voices rise in praise, singing the gospel across the land. [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. Dorsey returned to Chicago in 1921, and his uncle encouraged him to attend the National Baptist Convention. If I may get personal: finally seeing this 1982 gospel music documentary (recently restored and out this month in a theatrical re-release) was like the fulfillment of a decades-long mission, as it was a mainstay of Roger Eberts annual home video companions, his four-star review promising one of the most joyful movies Ive ever seen also one of the best musicals and one of the most interesting documentaries. They had two children, a son named Thomas M. "Mickey" and a daughter, Doris. 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. I hope others will take the time to research the real facts and give Thomas A. Dorsey credit for his great Gospel works. 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. One of the most acclaimed music documentaries of all time, Say Amen, Somebody is George T. Nierenberg's masterpiece a joyous, funny, deeply emotional celebration of African American culture, featuring the father of Gospel, Thomas A. Dorsey (""Precious Lord, Take My Hand""); Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith; and soul-shaking performances by the Barrett Sisters, the O'Neal Twins, and Zella . [32][33] Never considering himself a strong singer, Dorsey recorded gospel music sporadically up to 1934, and two songs in 1953 were his last, though he continued to write. 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 infused joy and optimism in his written music as he directed his choirs to do perform with uplifting fervor as they sang. Now at the center of gospel music activity in Chicago, Dorsey countered his bereavement by immersing himself in marketing his songs. "Thomas Dorsey, Father of Gospel Music, Dies at 93". He and the NCGCC were featured in the critically acclaimed documentary Say Amen, Somebody in 1982. Easily one of the best music documentaries I have ever seen, this film could have coasted on the charisma and brilliance of its subjects, primarily Willie Mae Ford Smith and Thomas A. Dorsey, seminal figures in the history of Black gospel music. [33][50][51], Despite racial segregation in churches and the music industry, Dorsey's music had widespread crossover appeal. There is no sense of social performance outside of what is naturally there. Two of those "cats" became the focus of Nierenberg's film. Cecil Williams and Thomas A. Dorsey, born a generation apart, both seeking to bring the reality of the streets into the church. Black gospel choirs were asked to perform at several white churches in Chicago. 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. Dorsey, who was born in Villa Rica, Georgia, was the music director at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Chicago from 1932 until the late 1970s. "He is coming in as a collaborator with them, as opposed to this notion or feeling of voyeurism," she says. 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 . Never was released on dvd, only tape way back when. For his part, Nierenberg is grateful for the restoration of Say Amen, Somebody because of what it might mean for new audiences, especially because the film's central figures are no longer with us: Thomas A. Dorsey died in 1993 and Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith died the following year. 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 It charts the devbelopment of underground churches, and attempts by slaves and free blacks to unify the black community. Indeed, in the late 1920s, he would begin work with one of the great gospel soloists of all time, Mahalia Jackson. How old are his children, and where are they living now? +2.80 +3.45%. [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. Documentary performer: "Opus One" - as Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra: Cold Case: 2006: TV Series 1 episode: Anytown, USA: 2005: Documentary performer . Apparently, this is a common phrase for a preacher to employ when looking to foster agreement. 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. Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2022. December 31, 2005 A major big band leader is the subject of a new book: Tommy Dorsey: Livin' in a Great Big Way. IMDb hide caption. Many well-known and accomplished musicians have spoke of writing experiences that were similar to Thomas Dorsey's. Try it free. 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. [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. No cable. Copyright 2003 The Faith Project, Inc. All rights reserved. In 1923, he became the pianist and leader of the Wild Cats Jazz Band accompanying Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, a charismatic and bawdy blues shouter who sang about lost love and hard times. Ma Rainey's listeners swayed, rocked, moaned and groaned with her. It's incredible how Gospel produced such top tier talents with such ease. He experienced a spiritual re-invigoration of sorts in 1928. 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. 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 [53][54] Though he never returned to his hometown, efforts to honor Dorsey in Villa Rica, Georgia, began a week after his death. She was asked to sing it twice more; the response was so enthusiastic that Dorsey sold 4,000 print copies of his song. (For more of Thomas A. Dorsey's work, see also "Precious Lord: New Recordings of the Great Gospel Songs of Thomas A. Dorsey," added to the National Registry in 2002.) Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them. In time, they discover that the true wounds lie within themselves. People are singing because it feels good! In 1932, he co-founded the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses, an organization dedicated to training musicians and singers from all over the U.S. that remains active. It is the story of two sourthern migrants, Rev. hide caption. Ive been trying to get this DVD for a while Thanks, Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2022. The same thing acts for a gospel song. Haley. Anthony Heilbut writes that "the few days following his death, 'Precious Lord' seemed the truest song in America, the last poignant cry of nonviolence before a night of storm that shows no sign of ending". They had to sit in the back of the bus, they were denied their rights, but when they walked into their church on Sunday morning and put on a robe and went down that aisle and stood on that choir stand, the maid became a coloratura, and when she stood before her church of five hundred to a thousand, two thousand people, she knew she was somebody. Sources. Under the name Georgia Tom he performed with blues artist Ma Rainey and her Wild Cats Jazz Band. "When I saw the film after it was restored, it felt like a new film completely," he says. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of serviceapply. Poe, Janita, "Thomas A Dorsey, Gospel Pioneer", National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Precious Lord: New Recordings of the Great Songs of Thomas A. Dorsey, Living legends of Chicago gospel honor tradition, carry on family legacies, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Spirit of Dorsey's Songs Fills His Funeral Service, Living Legends of Chicago Gospel Honor Tradition, Carry on Family Legacies, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductee List, Frequently Asked Questions: National Recording Registry, Complete National Recording Registry Listing: National Recording Registry, "If I Could Hear My Mother Pray AgainThomas Dorsey (1934)", "Peace in the Valley"Red Foley and the Sunshine Boys (1951), "Precious Lord: New Recordings of the Great Gospel Songs of Thomas A. Dorsey", "'It's Tight Like That' by Tampa Red and Georgia Tom", "'Future Blues' Willie Brown (Paramount 1930)", Biography by the Chicago Historical Society, "The Father of the Chicago Gospel Singing Movement", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thomas_A._Dorsey&oldid=1150701726, Governor's Award for the Arts in Chicago, given 1985, "If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again" (1934), added in 2007 recorded by Dorsey, written by John Whitfield Vaughan in 1922, "Peace In The Valley" by Red Foley and the Sunshine Boys (1951), added in 2006, Ferris, William, and Hart, Mary L., eds. Under the name "Georgia Tom". See production, box office & company info. Dorsey described it as "good news on either side." 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. For myself. [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. "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. There were also a growing number of influential choirs in Chicago challenging the musical norms of the established churches, though Dorsey was usually more associated with the rise of the solo tradition. He is often quoted saying that he had "been kicked out of the best churches in the country". In Chicago, Dorsey adopted the name Georgia Tom and found work as a session musician. Before long he was back to writing and performing secular blues, and in 1928, "It's Tight Like That" became a hit, selling seven million copies. Birth of the Gospel Blues. Thomas Andrew Dorsey (July 1, 1899 - January 23, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and Christian evangelist influential in the development of early blues and 20th-century gospel music. And he would sit at the piano and play something and say, 'That's good stuff! Documentary about the American gospel music scene, focusing on two of the movement's pioneering forces, Thomas A. Dorsey and Willie May Ford Smith. SAY AMEN, SOMEBODY is without question one of the greatest documentaries that you're going to see when it comes to gospel music. 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. 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. He was demoted a grade and ostracized by the other children. [2] Called the "Father of Gospel Music" and often credited with creating it, Dorsey more accurately spawned a movement that popularized gospel blues throughout black churches in the United States, which in turn influenced American music and parts of society at large. 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). 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 "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. [57], List of people considered a founder in a Humanities field, This article is about the pianist, and composer of jazz, blues, and gospel. According to Dorsey, she asked him to coach her, and for two months they worked together on technique and repertoire. More at January 17, 2000 Sung at the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it is the most-recorded gospel song ever. [42] He insisted that songs be memorized rather than chorus members reading music or lyrics while performing. 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 documentary was originally released in 1982, and has been remastered and re-released. Young Thomas Dorsey describes feeling alienated from school and church during his first years in Atlanta. His song "Peace in the Valley", written in 1937 originally for Mahalia Jackson, was recorded by, among others, Red Foley in 1951, and Elvis Presley in 1957, selling more than a million copies each. The Thomas A. Dorsey Birthplace and Gospel Heritage Festival, now in its 25th year celebrates the Dorsey legacy with 3 days of music in the city that is credited with being the birth home of Coca Cola and the Father of Gospel Music. He introduced rituals and standards among gospel choirs that are still in use. 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. 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. "Ministers didn't want them there. 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. But he never smiles, rarely relaxes, and when he talks it's with a brooding vigilance bordering on surliness. 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 Dorsey | PBS During the early 1930s, Thomas Dorsey created gospel music -- the African American religious music which married secular blues to a sacred text. In doing so, he became one of the first musicians to copyright blues music. 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. Turner encouraged his followers to find God from within. 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. Nix elongated some notes to emphasize specific syllables and words and sped up others. Norton, Kay, "'Yes, [Gospel] Is Real': Half a Century with Chicago's Martin and Morris Company". Documentaries really don't get much better than this. In Dorsey's story, he was stuck until a friend suggested he try adding "precious" to his address. There he first saw Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith. The documentary was originally released in 1982, and has been remastered and re-released. Nierenberg's documentary catches these performers in their homes and at two events: the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses and a tribute to Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith that Nierenberg helped put together. Thomas A. Dorsey, who wrote scores of gospel classics, including "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" and "Peace in the Valley," and Willie Mae Ford Smith, whose dynamic "song and sermon" approach to gospel set an almost impossible to duplicate performance standard. 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. "Amen" is a response a congregation offers readily and without hesitation after something agreeable and rousing. The 1981 meeting featured in the film was the last convention he was able to attend. Young Thomas Dorsey describes feeling alienated from school and church during his first years in Atlanta. "Brother Dorsey," Bishop Haley reportedly said, "there is no reason for you to be looking so poorly and feeling so badly. I don't go and take it just straight; I got to put something in it to get over. [39][40] Folklorist Alan Lomax claims that Dorsey "literally invented gospel". Its a documentary set in a time period around 70's of old time gospel . Yoruba worshipers find a means of gaining strength and spirituality from within. The luminaries of gospel are. Many churches sought prestige in their musical offerings, which were often ornate and sophisticated liturgical compositions by classical European composers, such as Handel's Messiah (1742) and Mozart's Alleluia (1773). [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. [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.
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