Documentary about the American gospel music scene, focusing on two of the movement’s pioneering forces, Thomas A. Dorsey and Willie May Ford Smith.
When you think of gospel music you automatically associate it with the black church, but surprisingly, it wasn’t always welcomed there. This amazing film opens with Thomas A. Dorsey, an American musician also known as the father of gospel music, recounting how it all began. He was the first to publish gospel songs and organize gospel conventions long before the music was acceptable in most churches. Dorsey started off writing blues because he knew it would sell. He explains how his spiritual hems weren’t allowed in many churches because of the strong influence of the blues, in fact, he was thrown out for performing them.
Dorsey, who began at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Chicago, describes gospel as a spell and says he had a calling for spreading the music and simply followed God’s lead. After losing his wife and daughter, he was inspired to write what became a hit song, “Take my hand precious lord,” which has been sung by many great artists like Mahaila Jackson and Aretha Franklin.
Another beautifully mentioned singer of gospel is Willie Mae Ford Smith, she went against the conventional rules of the church, stating women couldn’t preach by becoming ordained as a minister. She was also mentored by Dorsey and sang his music at gospel conventions which helped it become more mainstream. She and her daughter Bertha, who was her accompanist, traveled, singing gospel wherever they were accepted and even though she never gained commercial success, she admits to only caring about spreading the word of God.
The Barrett Sisters, who include Delois, Bille, and Rodessa are truly unforgettable. When Rodessa told her father she was going to sing the blues, he refused, stating that she would sing gospel music. The sisters grew up singing in the baptist church and also conventions Dorsey organized. They began touring and recording albums and even though they didn’t earn much money, they remained faithful to gospel.
I was deeply touched by this film, the rich history of gospel and the amazing musicians who were committed to creating a space for it. I now have a greater appreciation for the music and its art form and how it continues to inspire many. This is an amazing story with the most hypnotic music you’ve ever heard.
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