Gospel music evolved in the late 18th century and has been around ever since. It was first seen in the communities of African American spirituals, where it was regarded to be sung in the form of call and response.
The range of this genre varies from slow, sad ballads to high-tempo and joyful melody songs known as Jubilees.
Gospel music is one of the oldest genres of music. It is natural to see that this genre has had an impact on new genres all over the world.
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This article will discuss the history of gospel music, its influence on other musical genres, and its evolution into its present form.
How Did Gospel Music Originate?
Gospel music, also referred to as Southern Gospel, started to gain commercial traction and popularity in the United States. It is called Southern Gospel because the genre arose from the African American community in the South of America.
Before we take a deep dive into the history, it is essential to understand what goes into gospel music. Gospel music consists of four-part harmonies. The instruments used are tenor, lead, bass, and baritone. While the true essence of gospel music may have been lost with time, its evolution began in the 19th century.
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In the early 1900s, several gospel bands gained popularity, such as the Stamp Quartet, with their hit single "Give The World A Smile." Other groups were The Five Blind Boys of Alabama and The Dixie Hummingbirds from Greenville, South Carolina.
Gospel music thrived in the U.S. due to the contribution of the following bands;
| State | Group Name |
|---|---|
| New Orleans | Zion Harmonizers |
| Virginia | Golden Gate Quartet |
| Nashville | Fairfield Four |
| Alabama | Five Blind Boys |
| South Carolina | Dixie Hummingbirds |
These groups have solidified their name in gospel music history and redefined gospel music to how we know it today.
The growth and evolution of gospel music became inevitable at that point. While the genre took elements of preaching and church sermons as a baseline to create music, it started seeping into different genres.
Peter Doggett further discussed this in his book, Electric Shock: 125 Years of Pop Music. He said,
"Inherent to the black gospel tradition is the trading of lines between preacher and congregation, the call-and-response, a regimented structure which is the living likeness of spontaneity."
The genre's growth was astronomical, and musicians from all genres started to consider the appeal of gospel music and how it could be incorporated into genres such as blues and jazz.
What Are The Categories Of Gospel Music?
Gospel music is a vast genre that can be broken down into several sub-genres.
Black Gospel
The general breakdown is Black Gospel and Southern Gospel. It is further broken down into the following categories;
- Traditional: It is the kind of music you see in traditional black churches. This music was highly influenced by hymnody. It is performed by gospel choirs exclusively in black churches.
- Urban Contemporary: It is a mixture of black gospel music and secular black music. It was the first step of gospel music's evolution and its initial influence on other music genres. This type is the gospel music we hear today on the radio.
- British: British black Gospel or "U.K. Gospel" is heavily influenced by the U.K. street culture. This genre set has gained popularity over the years, gaining several awards, such as the GEM awards.
Southern Gospel
After the black Gospel, the most popular gospel subgenre is the Southern American Gospel. It is a documented fact that gospel music in the U.S. arose from the South. This subgenre pertains to quartet music with instruments such as pianos. While the African American community primarily created black gospel music, the Southern Gospel is predominately white and created by the Caucasian community. It is produced and performed for different purposes, such as aesthetic pleasure, religious purposes, or as an entertainment product for music lovers.
Christian Country Music
This subgenre is often regarded as country gospel music. It is an example of the influence gospel music has had on different genres, in this case, country music. The subgenre deals with upbeat country music with Gospel music elements — religious aspects and performances. This subgenre is still widely enjoyed by Christians from around the world.
How Did Gospel Music Evolve And Influence Other Genres?
Gospel music has several elements that we can see incorporated into several different genres.
Over the years, popular names in the music industry started using these elements to improve their existing genres.
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Blues And Jazz
One of the greatest names in the blues genre is Georgia Tom. He started his music career in blues, and by incorporating elements of gospel music in his music, he was soon dubbed "the black father of gospel music." While he had to take a two-year break from music after suffering a severe affliction, he returned after two years and pursued his music career in the religious sector. Staying true to his current art form, he combined blues and jazz with the Gospel and gained immense recognition from the community.
His music paved the way for artists such as Roy Rogers, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash, who used the hybrid of blues, jazz, and Gospel to propel their own careers in music.
Another legend in the gospel blues genre, Blind Willie Johnson, was the reason some artists we know and love today are in the industry. Starting from his roots as a street performer, Johnson moved his way up the industry ladder, using gospel music as the basis of his art form. He was a wizard of slide guitar and unique vocals, making him an enigma when it came to music. He paved the way for artists such as Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, and Sinead O' Conner to build their careers influenced by the music style of Blind Willie Johnson.
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Barrelhouse And Ragtime
The next genre influenced by gospel music is barrelhouse and ragtime. This genre arose in 1889 when Dranes, an African American/ Mexican artist, introduced the world to barrelhouse and ragtime. She used elements of gospel music to create a mixed genre of boogie and ragtime styles. This type of music was initially performed as an Acappella, but Dranes gave it a mix with piano to add an instrumental.
Rock And Roll
Rock and roll is regarded as one of the most popular genres. Some famous artists, such as Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis, have produced exceptional pieces in this genre. Gospel music has had a lasting effect on the music industry, and rock & roll is no different. Although the performance of hymns to the beats and rhythm of rock & roll has received significant backlash, it is still widely enjoyed and has given way to evolving the genre as we know it.
Hip Hop
A genre often regarded as unfavorable by many people is hip hop. Hip Hop artists or rappers such as Nate Fuerestien (N.F.) have dubbed themselves as 'Christian Rappers.' Hip-hop gospel singing has elements of gospel music, such as choir instrumentals and lyrics free from profanities. This goes to show that the roots of gospel music have a foothold in almost every genre of music.
According to Kanye West, his "Life Of Pablo" is a gospel album. This album was released in 2016, showing that both Hip Hop and R&B have a lot of influence from the gospel genre.
Pop Music
There is a mysterious connection between pop music with gospel music. Pop music comprises several genres. It is a broad genre with several sub-branches. Each branch stems from either one or more genres.
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Gospel music has a rich and vast history. It began as a tradition in African American churches but has evolved to become a major music genre.
Today, gospel music is a million-dollar industry and is produced in combination with various other genres.
Gospel music will continue to impact the music industry by amalgamating different genres and music techniques. If you are intrigued by this fascinating and uplifting kind of spiritual music and want to learn what is gospel music, hire a music teacher from Superprof to understand the gospel music history, production and influence.
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