With these chapters we'll say good-bye to the blues for a bit. we'll return to them later. One of the themes we'll think about is the migration of blues from the deep south to northern urban areas, like Chicago. It wasn't just musicians who migrated--African Americans of many walks of life and standards of living did, as well. Partly this was a matter of threats from white supremacists, partly this was a matter of the invention of machines like the cotton-picker which cost many share-croppers their jobs, and partly it was the "Great Depression" in general. The part of Chicago which became the center of many different kinds of African American cultural expression came to be known as "Bronzeville".
Read, in The Gospel Sound, Good News and Bad Times
Introduction: The Gospel Moment pp. ix - xxxv
As you can see, we're transitioning from our look at blues to a look at what we've come to call Gospel Music. Both of these traditions evolved from slave songs, and there are similarities and differences, between them. This would be a good time to go back and listen to some of the videos I posted for the first week's Prelude. In this introduction, you'll find lots of things mentioned to add to your own resource folder. I've added one or two to mine, as well as to the website.
You may never have heard of Roberta Martin. As Heilbut says, few had except for those in the gospel community. You'll hear her above. Here are the lyrics to the song above. Think about them to begin to understand the linkages between the Different kinds of music we've investigated so far.
If in your life you are going through
And you don't know really what to do
Just call on Jesus, He will see you through
For He knows, Jesus he knows
How much........we can bear
If there are trials that have come your way
And you are looking for a brighter day
Just call on Jesus He will make a way
For He knows, Jesus he knows
How much........we can bear
Jesus He knows how much we can bear
Read, in The Gospel Sound, Good News and Bad Times
From Part One, Building the Gospel Highway
*1. "Sallie Martin's Outta Sight" pp. 3-19
*2. "I get these Special Vibrations" pp. 21-35
I'm still sorry we couldn't find an agreeable time on Wednesday afternoons to meet up and watch videos together. Perhaps we might try for an evening. I don't drive, but maybe one of you could give me a ride? I'll send out an e-mail about this shortly. In the meantime, There is a video of one of the documentaries I wanted us to watch available online. There are subtitles in some Asian language--I can do nothing about that. I may decide to check out the library's copy and play part of it in class. I'll decide by Friday. In the meantime, take a listen to Say Amen! Somebody.
*The Bookstore sold more than one edition of Heilbut's book" The page numbers maybe slightly different
