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In 1932, he co-founded the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses, an organization dedicated to training musicians and singers from all over the U.S. that remains active. But it hasn't been seen in theaters in nearly 30 years. Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2022. hide caption. One of the most acclaimed music documentaries of all time, Say Amen, Somebody is George T. Nierenberg's masterpiece a joyous, funny, deeply emotional celebration of African American culture, featuring the father of Gospel, Thomas A. Dorsey (""Precious Lord, Take My Hand""); Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith; and soul-shaking performances by the Barrett Sisters, the O'Neal Twins, and Zella . It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. 102. The outcome of this is unknown other than the clinic stating they would no longer serve black patients. Thomas Dorsey and Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith Remove Ads Cast Crew Details Genres Cast Thomas Dorsey Willie Mae Ford Smith 100 mins More at IMDb TMDb Sign in to log, rate or review Share Ratings 1 fan 3.9 [23] Faced with rapid changes, old-line church members who preferred formal, more sedate music programs objected, leading to conflicts in and between Chicago's black churches. He was, however, able to work, though he remained on the periphery of the music community, held back, Harris observed, by both his lack of technique and repertoire, which prevented him from joining the union, and the sheer size and wealth of the musical community. Dorsey died of Alzheimer's in 1993, listening to music on a Walkman. Thomas A. Dorsey was one of the gospel pioneers profiled in George Nierenberg's Say Amen, Somebody. Choir members were encouraged to be physically active while singing, rocking and swaying with the music. Thomas A. Dorsey | Songwriters Hall of Fame He experienced a spiritual re-invigoration of sorts in 1928. Mobilesite. Nierenberg, a 28-year-old Jewish man, knew almost nothing about gospel before he started Say Amen, Somebody; he spent a year in black churches in New York, Chicago and St. Louis, listening to the music, getting to know the performers and earning their trust before he began filming. This was a documentary on the history of American Gospel music with clips of some of the greats from the early years of the 1930s and also those, later, like Mahalia Jackson. It is the story of two sourthern migrants, Rev. ABOUT THE EPISODE, Guide My Feet traces African-Americans as they move from the rural South to the promised land of the industrial North. Deemed the " father of gospel music, " Thomas Dorsey emerged, during the early 1930s, as the creator of an African American religious music style known as the gospel blues an idiom . The luminaries of gospel are. "When I saw the film after it was restored, it felt like a new film completely," he says. Fulfilled, perhaps. ABOUT THE EPISODE, God Is a Negro takes place after Emancipation, as the minister and journalist Henry McNeal Turner uses the black church to engage newly freed blacks in the political realm. In 1925, rural, or so-called "downhome," or "moanin'" blues was popular, and Ma Rainey, a master of the form, became an all-out success. [17] Frye and Sallie Martin were two of the first and most effective singers Dorsey took with him to market his work. I love it. '"[35][g], He remarried in 1941 to Katheryn Mosley. . In Chicago, Dorsey found success almost immediately. And its a terrific good time. Uncle Roger did not oversell it. Made by fans in Aotearoa New Zealand. Thomas A. Dorsey, Barrett Sisters, Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith, O'Neal Twins, Nierenberg, George T., Zella Jackson Price, Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2023. As the popularity of the blues increased in New York and Chicago, especially among non-black audiences, Dorsey was able to adapt his style to the tastes of the day, though singers like Bessie Smith, who embodied the southern tradition, were also popular, especially among black Americans. [33][24], Notably, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" was the favorite song of Martin Luther King Jr., who asked Dorsey to play it for him on the eve of his assassination. Thomas A Dorsey was truely one of pop-music cultural best kept secrets. PDF "If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again"--Thomas A. Dorsey (1934) It is completely un-invasive, and you get the sense that if the camera wasn't present at all, these people would be acting exactly the same. Thomas A. Dorsey Biography And that's how he came to capture his subjects accurately, says Dr. Rhea Combs. It's like a family business, and watching the different generations striving for significance was quite fascinating. Birth of the Gospel Blues. After the death of a close friend, Dorsey was inspired to write his first religious song with a blues influence, "If You See My Savior, Tell Him That You Saw Me".[10][c]. She says another thing that sets the film apart is its focus on female performers; Nierenberg says the women faced opposition from both the Church and their families, "They were bucking the system when it came to performing their music in churches," he says. This the story. eval(decodeURIComponent('%64%6f%63%75%6d%65%6e%74%2e%77%72%69%74%65%28%27%3c%61%20%68%72%65%66%3d%5c%22%6d%61%69%6c%74%6f%3a%4d%69%6b%65%20%57%68%69%74%66%69%65%6c%64%20%26%6c%74%3b%64%75%6c%63%69%6d%65%72%64%75%64%65%40%79%61%68%6f%6f%2e%63%6f%6d%26%67%74%3b%5c%22%3e%4d%69%6b%65%20%57%68%69%74%66%69%65%6c%64%3c%5c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b')). His appearance with another great gospel singer, Willie Mae Ford Smith, in the documentary Say Amen Somebody also afforded him considerable exposure. "And ladies and gentlemen, believe it or not, I started singing right then and there: 'Precious Lord, take my hand,' " Dorsey continues, launching into song at the end of his story. Thomas Markle Sr has said he will not allow his daughter, Meghan Markle, to "bury" him while he is still alive.. Documentary about the American gospel music scene, focusing on two of the movement's pioneering forces, Thomas A. Dorsey and Willie May Ford Smith.Documentary about the American gospel music scene, focusing on two of the movement's pioneering forces, Thomas A. Dorsey and Willie May Ford Smith.Documentary about the American gospel music scene, focusing on two of the movement's pioneering forces, Thomas A. Dorsey and Willie May Ford Smith. He recalled visiting Damascus, Syria, where he was approached in a bathroom by a man who recognized his name. Dorsey's mother took work as a domestic servant; his father curtailed his pastoring and worked as a laborer. People are singing because it feels good! [27] Although he was not the first to join elements of the blues to religious music, he earned the honorific "Father of Gospel Music", according to gospel singer and historian Bernice Johnson Reagon, for his "aggressive campaign for its use as worship songs in black Protestant churches". Ma Rainey's listeners swayed, rocked, moaned and groaned with her. Director George T. Nierenberg Stars Willie Mae Ford Smith Smith Thomas A. Dorsey Sallie Martin See production, box office & company info Search on Amazon search for Blu-ray and DVD Add to Watchlist Now George T. Nierenberg's film has been restored and re-released to theaters and DVD. He returned to blues, recording "It's Tight Like That" with guitarist Hudson "Tampa Red" Whittaker despite his misgivings over the suggestive lyrics. IMDb Obliging, Dorsey began, but the multinational group took over: "And they knew it in Damascus, too. There, his mother admonished him to stop playing the blues and serve the Lord. He ignored her and returned to Chicago, playing with Ma Rainey. Through their work, Dorsey & Williams create new expressions of faith. Patty Thomas - Wikipedia Mahalia Jackson sang at his funeral when King did not get to hear it. The documentary was originally released in 1982, and has been remastered and re-released.. January 17, 2000 Sung at the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it is the most-recorded gospel song ever. Thomas Dorsey and Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith, 100mins Documentary about the American gospel music scene, focusing on two of the movement's pioneering forces, Thomas A. Dorsey and Willie May Ford Smith. He also taught black children at a one-room schoolhouse where his son accompanied him and listened to lessons. Instead, George Nierenberg made a beautifully shot and edited film about the legacy and spirit of gospel, complementing the wildly infectious good will and intense devotion of church performances with his thoughtfully paced portrait of the families and communities who sustain this ecstatic genre. This Far by Faith: African-American Spiritual Journeys is a co-production of Blackside Inc. (Eyes on the Prize, Americas War on Poverty, and Malcolm X: Make it Plain) and The Faith Project, Inc. in association with the Independent Television Service. He was demoted a grade and ostracized by the other children. Obituary: Thomas Dorsey | The Independent | The Independent Loud Pictures - A Music Movie Project38/65, Even without the explanation of the title from Say Amen, Somebody's Wikipedia page, its meaning is obvious once the film gets rolling. 'Say Amen, Somebody,' George Nierenberg's Gospel Documentary Is Re In San Francisco, the Reverend Cecil Williams develops a "come as you are" church. In time, they discover that the true wounds lie within themselves. Thomas A. Dorsey continue to be a giant in gospel music, and after his death his music is still alive and well. [5], Dorsey seemed ambivalent about writing church music until 1921 when he was inspired by W. M. Nix's rendition of "I Do, Don't You? What really struck me about the musical sequences was not just the incredible vocals and instrumentation from talents operating at the peak of their ability, but the. [1][24][j], Chicago held its first gospel music festival as a tribute to Dorsey in 1985; it has taken place each year since then. It tells the stories of Sojourner Truth and Denmark Vesey. Check out Charles Pike in the extras. In Chicago, Dorsey adopted the name Georgia Tom and found work as a session musician. We see the lives and performances of two gospel greats, Willie May Ford Smith and Thomas Dorsey. His association with musicians there encouraged him to practice at home on his mother's organ, and by age 12, he claimed that he could play the piano very well. In terms of the personalities that occupy the film, their presence is remarkable. Peter Levinson tells Linda Wertheimer about his biography. He introduced rituals and standards among gospel choirs that are still in use. Thankfully enough folks saw the light. Many well-known and accomplished musicians have spoke of writing experiences that were similar to Thomas Dorsey's. From then on, Dorsey vowed to do the Lord's work. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Thomas Andrew Dorsey (July 1, 1899 - January 23, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and Christian evangelist influential in the development of early blues and 20th-century gospel music. In the fall of 1896, the Philadelphia Times published articles about two visits to Dorsey's "humble dwelling" at 206 Dean Street. Dorsey and Martin established a publishing company called Dorsey House of Music, the first black-owned gospel publishing house in the U.S.[18][19] His sheet music sold so well, according to Heilbut, it supplanted the first book of compiled songs for black churches, W. M. Nix's Gospel Pearls, and the family Bible in black households. Dorsey and Ebenezer's music director Theodore Frye trained the new chorus to deliver his songs with a gospel blues sound: lively, joyous theatrical performances with embellished and elongated notes accentuated with rhythmic clapping and shouts.

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