Story behind the song: ‘Precious Lord,Take my Hand’. THOMAS A. DORSEY, known as the father of gospel music for his merging of religious music with the blues, died Saturday. To follow would be his nurturing of Mahalia Jackson, founding and presiding over The National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses, being elected to the … Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner are strictly prohibited. He … | Photo: Getty Images. Back in 1932, I was 32 years old and a fairly new husband. Documentary clip on Thomas Dorsey - YouTube. People all around made much of Thomas because he was the preacher’s … Dorsey’s story is a fascinating and inspiring one, not only in the music world but because of it’s profound impact on American culture. Thomas A. Dorsey (1899-1993) is considered the father of (black) gospel music. He started serving as the Choral Director of the Pilgrim Baptist Church, where he created the United States’ first gospel choir. Once again, the company was small, independent and owned and managed by true fly fishermen. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. This story is completely true. Thomas Dorsey, the favorite gospel singer of the late Martin Luther King, was one of the United States' most prominent gospel singers and has often been referred to as the father of gospel music. The Library of Congress added his album Precious Lord: New Recordings of the Great Songs of Thomas A. Dorsey (1973) to the United States National Recording Registry in 2002. He started his musical career as a blues and jazz band leader, much like Tommy Dorsey did. The trombonist and band leader named Tommy Dorsey was born in 1905 and died in 1956. 2020 Black History -Ma Rainey “Mother of the Blues”, 2020 Black History-Thomas A. Dorsey Father of Black Gospel Music, 2020 Black History -Matilda Sissieretta Joyner Jones, 2020 Black History – Chevalier de Saint-George, The Impact of African-American Music on American Culture – John H. Hudson, The Effects of Lynching in Today’s Society, Sojourner Truth – My Heroine and My Voice. Testimonials – What others are saying about Darlene! Info. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Your health is in your own hands. Together they would produce what would later become known as the father of gospel music. He was also a highly respected and influential trombonist. He was an American musician, composer, and Christian evangelist influential in the development of early blues and 20th-century gospel music. Part- 3 The tongue leaves a lasting impression on our spirits and our hearts. Other noted Information about Thomas Dorsey. Four Introductory Facts about Communication, United States National Recording Registry, http://blackartblog.blackartdepot.com/african-american-leaders/12-facts-about-thomas-dorsey.html, https://blackartblog.blackartdepot.com/african-american-history/12-facts-about-thomas-dorsey.html, https://www.inspirationalchristians.org/influencers/thomas-dorsey-biography/, 2020 Black History -Ma Rainey “Mother of the Blues”, Facebook Page for Darlene J. Harris Speaker, Writer, Author, Coach. He … He was also influenced by blues icons Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith. Come, let’s talk this over, says the Lord; NO MATTER how deep the stain of your sins, I can take it out and make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Change ). This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. At this time, Dorsey had adopted the stage name, “Georgia Tom.”. Moving to Chicago in 1916, Dorsey began composing sacred music fused with the blues--and gospel blues music took off. In his grief, he cried out to his Lord to lead him "through the storm, through the night." We and other data collection technologies to provide the best experience for our customers. Tap to unmute. Darlene J. Harris does not take credit for any of the above information; any modifications are only for the purpose of this project. Thomas Andrew Dorsey was born in Villa Rica, Georgia, on 1 July 1899. Dorsey’s father was an itinerant preacher and his mother was the church organist. As we trace the travels of our lives, we often see the fingerprints of God on the journey we’ve taken. He was white, by the way. Story of "Precious Lord, Take My Hand" Thomas A. Dorsey was a jazz and blues musician, whose wife had just died in childbirth, and their newborn son along with her. Thomas Dorsey is considered the Father of Black Gospel Music. Thomas A. Dorsey on AllMusic - 1973 - Precious Lord collects 18 of Georgia Thomas… ( Log Out /  TODAY-1899: The Father of Black Gospel #ThomasDorsey was born in Villa Rica, GA. #blackgospel #music pic.twitter.com/a7Lqr9YSnW. Cecil Williams and Thomas A. Dorsey, born a generation apart, both seeking to bring the reality of the streets into the church. While working in a local circus at The 81 theater in Atlanta, Dorsey became influenced by the famous musicians who played there — most especially the pianists. Even though he had hundreds of jazz and blues songs to his credit, he turned to gospel music, one of the first to use that term, following the … Thomas Dorsey, the favorite gospel singer of the late Martin Luther King, was one of the United States' most prominent gospel singers and has often been referred to as the father of gospel music. This is a story about the paths that God sets before our feet. The Voice of Kindness: Do you hear it calling? After the death of his wife and child and in a space of vulnerability and reflection, Thomas Dorsey penned the Gospel Magnum Opus “Precious Lord”. He then went on in 1932 to establish Dorsey’s House of Music – the 1 st Gospel Publishing Company. ( Log Out /  Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you white as wool! My wife, Nettie, and I were living in a little apartment on Chicago’s Southside. He and his wife Nettie are expecting their first baby at that time. A child prodigy, he taught himself a wide range of instruments, and was playing blues and ragtime while still in his teens; under the stage name Georgia Tom, he was a prolific composer, authoring witty, slightly racy blues songs like the … At eight he started writing his own music, and by 13, was playing piano in Atlanta, accompanying some of the famous jazz artists of the day. Courtesy of Inspire21.com. | Photo: Getty Images. Thomas A. Dorsey, Soundtrack: Mississippi Burning. In 1916, Dorsey moved to Chicago to study at the Chicago School of Composition and Arranging. Share. Thomas A. Dorsey (1945), image courtesy of the Hogan Jazz Archive, Tulane University. The Inspiration. On July 1, 1899, little notice was taken of a baby boy of color, born in Villa Rica, Ga., a small town some 40 miles west of Atlanta. In the 1920’s Thomas A. Dorsey is credited with creating the original musical art form of African American Gospel music. Born on July 1, 1899, Dorsey started his music career at the age of 5 when he began singing in local church choirs. Individuals wishing to make changes to their health should do so in conjunction with a competent medical professional. Dorsey was briefly a student of Morehouse College but after he began working with jazz bands, he moved to Chicago in 1916. On one hot afternoon in August, Dorsey was set to leave for St. Louis. Dorsey was the first African-American writer elected to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Following his death, thousands of Chicago natives gathered at the Pilgrim Baptist Church where they exalted the late legend with his songs during his funeral service. By 1932, he founded the Thomas Dorsey Gospel Songs Music Publishing Company. Anyone who chooses to apply the ideas provided here does so of their own volition and their own risk. Shopping. Documentary clip on Thomas Dorsey. Watch later. Thomas A. Dorsey attained his education from the classrooms of Villa Roca and Atlanta in Georgia. In 2002, the Library of Congress added Dorsey's 1973 album Precious Lord: New Recordings of the Great Songs of Thomas A. Dorsey to the National Recording Registry, a tribue to its importance as a record that is. On January 23, 1993, Dorsey passed away at the age of 93 in the master bedroom of his $130,000 Chicago home. He was 93. @ Darlene J. Harris and Darlene J. Harris Speaker Writer, 2019. He started working at the age of 11 after dropping out of school to help support his family. He was married to Nettie Harper. Learn how your comment data is processed. Thank you, Daryl He was a great man who gave much to the music industry. Has Wisdom left the building and took Discretion with her? He also served as Music Director of Pilgrim Baptist Church (Chicago, IL) from 1932 to the late 1970s. Tommy Dorsey’s sumptuous cantabile on the trombone is one of the most recognizable sounds of the swing era. Copy link. These sad events served to inspire gospel great, Thomas A. Dorsey, to pen “Precious Lord” in 1932. 2020 Black History-Thomas A. Dorsey Father of Black Gospel Music, Darlene J. Harris Speaker, Writer, Author, Coach. This is the most touching song written to music I believe. Thomas Dorsey was born in Villa Rica, Georgia, on July 1, 1899. Over time, Dorsey’s influence in the gospel music industry grew as he went on to compose several songs including “Take My Hand Precious Lord” which was inspired by the death of his wife and was later performed by Mahalia Jackson. Her journey from Georgia to Chicago in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom represents the Great Migration of hundreds of thousands of black people from the rural South to … I, Darlene J. Harris, cannot take responsibility or liability whatsoever for any harm from the use or dissemination of the information provided. He was demoted a grade and ostracized by the other children. Alongside the ten experienced rod builders that rejoined the company, Tom Dorsey also agreed to return to Thomas & Thomas as rod designer. Isaiah 1:18 Living Bible (TLB) Come, let’s talk this over, says the Lord; NO MATTER how deep the stain of your sins, I can take it out and make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. He began the Thomas A. Dorsey Gospel Song Music Publishing Company, a publisher of inexpensive gospel blues music. Thomas Andrew Dorsey was born in Villa Rica, Georgia on July 1, 1899, to Etta Plant Spencer and Thomas Madison Dorsey, an itinerant preacher and sharecropper. Tommy Dorsey the composer of “Precious Lord Take My Hand” was a jazz pianist and composer was born in 1899 and died in 1993. Tommy Dorsey, byname of Thomas Francis Dorsey, Jr., (born November 19, 1905, Mahanoy Plane, Pennsylvania, U.S.—died November 26, 1956, Greenwich, Connecticut), American musician who—both independently and with his brother Jimmy—led several of the most popular big bands of the swing era. Mr. Dorsey, who died at home, had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, said his daughter, Doris Dorsey. "Thomas Dorsey was the one who brought the gospel sound into church, even though the church resisted at first," said veteran gospel impresario Sid … We are more than Diamonds, Rubies, and Pearls. You may request that your data not be shared with third parties here: Remembering Thomas A Dorsey – Interesting Facts about the 'Father of Gospel Music', Wikimedia Commons/ William P. Gottlieb (PD), was one of the United States' most prominent gospel singers, Remembering Mahalia Jackson – Interesting Facts about the Life and Death of the Queen of Gospel, Remembering the Free Bird of Jazz – Interesting Facts about Charlie Parker's Life, 5 Facts about Rock 'n' Roll Pioneer Little Richard Who Died at Age 87, Willie Nelson's Life and Career as a Country Music Icon, Troy Sneed Who Bagged Grammy Nominations for Gospel Songs Dies of COVID-19 Complications, Shannen Doherty's Life in Photos — from 'Little House on the Prairie' to Breast Cancer Battle, How Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin Co-parent Their Kids — inside Their Post-divorce Relationship. Thomas Andrew Dorsey was born in the rural community of Villa Rica, Georgia, in 1899. He was 93. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Thomas Dorsey is considered one of the pioneers of gospel music and is greatly remembered for his numerous contributions to the industry. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Disclaimer The information provided on this website is for education purposes only. Thomas & Thomas was back in business, with production of rods re-commencing in August of 2010. In the following years, Dorsey picked up an interest in gospel music and eventually stopped making blues. Paris Jackson Talks about Her Late Father Michael Jackson in a Rare Interview, 5 Hollywood Actors Who Are Also Successful Artists, Story of the Day: Man Refused to Visit His Mother on Her Birthday, Here's How Gymnast Nastia Liukin Looked as a Baby as Shared on Her Instagram, Get to Know Heather Gay — Unexpected Facts about the RHOSLC Blond Bombshell, Jennifer Esposito and Bradley Cooper Divorced after 4 Months — Recap of Their Marriage, Gerard Butler Is Still Not Married — Get to Know His Ex-girlfriends, See Salma Hayek's Makeup-Free Selfie as She Channels This 'Charlie's Angels' Icon, Daily Joke: An Older Gentleman Was Driving along a Highway, Daily Joke: A Blonde Is Speeding and Is Pulled over by a Female Blonde Cop. Thomas Dorsey was born in Villa Rica in 1899 and grew up listening to shape-note singing and spirituals in church. By the 1940s, Thomas A. Dorsey was a no holds bar Gospel man until his passing in 1993 and thus, The Inspiration. Thomas A Dorsey singing in his living room in Chicago, Illinois, in March 1983. The Story Behind Precious Lord, Take My Hand. Dorsey wrote "Precious Lord" in response to his inconsolable bereavement at the death of his wife, Nettie Harper, in childbirth, and his infant son in August 1932. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you white as wool! He then taught himself how to play barrelhouse piano and was often called "Barrelhouse Tommy," as he started working in dance halls, private parties, and gin palaces. Thomas Andrew Dorsey was born in Villa Rica, Ga., had his schooling in Atlanta and went on to study at the Chicago Music College, where he led a band. It is the story of two sourthern migrants, Rev. His father was a Baptist minister, and his mother worked as a music teacher and served as the church organist. He had to attend a large revival meeting in the said place where he will be featured as a soloist. Thomas A. Dorsey performing at Bible Way "This Far by Faith, Hour Three." American Gospel musician Thomas A Dorsey singing in his living room in Chicago, Illinois in March 1983. Between 1924 and 1928, he served as a backup dancer for Ma Rainey during her touring shows and simultaneously, he acted as a leader for his own music group, “Wildcats Jazz Band.”, Thomas A. Dorsey poses for a portrait circa 1960 in Chicago, Illinois. He was a blues bandleader for singers including Ma Rainey, but after becoming a … | Photo: Getty Images, In 1928, Dorsey collaborated with popular music act, Tampa Red and together they produced the song, “It’s Tight Like That” which sold over seven million copies. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Darlene J. Harris and contributor darlenejharrisspeakerwriter.wordpress.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. TRUE Story — by Thomas A. Dorsey. Thomas A. Dorsey Gospel Songwriter ———-What a beautiful story of how God CAN heal the brokenhearted. Thomas A. Dorsey was born on July 1, 1899 in Villa Rica, Georgia, USA. His father, Thomas Madison, served as a Baptist minister while his mom, Etta Plant worked as a church organist. His death was ruled to have been caused by an accidental choking which occurred when he threw up while sleeping. This is the testimony of what caused Thomas A Dorsey to write precious Lord. Is a series that explores the historic relationship between Gospel music, inspirational music and other genres. (Mr. Mr. Dorsey can be seen telling this story in the 1982 gospel music documentary Say Amen, Somebody .) Thomas Dorsey was a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. | Photo: Getty Images. As the child of a preacher Thomas attended elementary school where he would learn academics and observe the benefits associated with being the child of a preacher. Born on July 1, 1899, Dorsey started his music career at the age of 5 when he began singing in local church choirs. One hot August afternoon I had to go to St. Louis, where I was to be the featured soloist at a large revival meeting. Thomas A. Dorsey, widely acknowledged as the father of gospel music, died Saturday night in his Chicago home. ( Log Out /  Thomas Andrew Dorsey was a fairly new husband in 1932. Here’s a look into the late legend's life. He is regarded by many as the father of gospel music. Dorsey was born in Villa Rica, GA on July 1, 1899 and raised in the Atlanta area; there, in addition to the traditional Dr. Watts hymns, he also absorbed early blues and jazz. ( Log Out /  Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Thomas Andrew Dorsey (July 1, 1899 – January 23, 1993) was known as “the father of black gospel music” and was at one time so closely associated with the field that songs written in the new style were sometimes known as “dorseys.” [2] Earlier in his life he was a leading blues pianist known as Georgia Tom. Thomas A. Dorsey was born in Villa Rica, Georgia, a small town outside of Atlanta, in 1899. Part Two-The tongue leaves a lasting impression on our spirit and heart. Find album reviews, stream songs, credits and award information for Precious Lord: The Great Gospel Songs of Thomas A. Dorsey - Rev. Thomas Andrew Dorsey was born in Georgia in 1899, the son of a nomadic minister. Worthless and Precious -There is a battle going on, and it is over our hearts and minds! Young Thomas Dorsey describes feeling alienated from school and church during his first years in Atlanta. Influenced by blues icons Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith rod builders that rejoined Company. 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