Gospel Music

Fanny Crosby wrote this song over 100 years ago. In the meantime it has become an important component of the Christian church. It has provided a way to express the deepest emotions. "Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord, to the Cross where thou hast died."

These words have been played slowly with a pipe organ, but this rendition is in the style of the great 1950-1960s Black Gospel sound. But, no matter what style the song is sung, it still calls us to a closer walk with the Master. Come listen to the Gales as they take us to church.

Everyone has heard of Sam Cooke. Many Gospel music lovers know that he began in Gospel singing some of the greatest songs that can even still be heard today.

From "Wonderful" to "Jesus be a Fence to Touch the Hem," you can still hear the music made and remade. However few know of the man that influenced both Cooke and much of Gospel music. The man's name is R. H. Harris. Cooke followed R. H. Harris in the Soul Stirrers.

You can listen to an audio podcast on the Down in the Flood website. The podcast provides commentary on the contributions of R. H. Harris to that influential group that made Sam Cooke famous.

Listen to the soaring movement in and out of the falsetto by R. H. Harris on the audios. In addition listen to Paul Foster trading lines with Harris like he later did with Cooke. You also might want to purchase an album of Harris' contributions to the Soul Stirrers from amazon.com entitled Shine on Me.

It gets hard some times, but I am holding on. Even if the things I suffer bring tears to my eyes. Even if Satan is working against me. Even if other folks are working against me. I will not let go. I will trust, believe, hope, and yes hold on and won't let go of my faith.

Let us look towards the future with the determination that our hope and trust in God can give us.

Notice the intensity, the strength and the surety. There is no question that the "Storm will pass over." As a preacher, I want the people to know that I believe what I am preaching. I also want the intensity that these sistas bring as they preach the gospel in their rendition of this great song from the Black church.

The Storm is Passing over...Hallelujah

Someone has put up another classic video of the very influential group "Soul Stirrers."

Thanks to the Jazz Theologian for finding this. Pastor Wintley Phipps teaches the origins of the song Amazing Grace in the Negro Spirituals even though it was written by a white slave ship captain. Then Pastor Phipps sings the song.

I am having a ball looking at some of this classic gospel from the 60s. In this video the late great Dorthy Love Coates and the Gospel Harmonettes sing You Must Be Born Again. Coates looks like a preacher with her expressive gestures especially the facial features. She definitely lets her excitement and her identification with the music come through.