Black and white gospel music are similar in the sense of they are singing about. They differ most in the sound of music. Black gospel music has a more smooth and soul sound to it, while white gospel music has a more modern sound. I think the distinction between the two is necessary because they do have similarity, but just like hip hop and pop are similar they still are different genres because essentially they sound different.
This paper elaborates on the diverse contributions peoples of African descent have made to the pluralistic religious landscape of America and replicates various passages from our textbook. It focuses on the personal narratives of non-religious to religious leaders—exemplifying their influence on the African American religious movement during slavery and the reconstruction of America. Each section represents different historical periods, regional variations, and non-Christian expressions of African-American religion.
What do Clint Black, Bob Dylan, Toad the, Wet Sprocket, and Tina Turner have in common? Their music has its roots in not only the old murder ballads and the raw dance of poor southern whites, but also the blues, the hollers, and the sung of poor blacks. Black rhythm and blues and white country-western merged in such figure as Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry in 1950s. Rock and roll was created by blacks and whites together as a new music filled with power and mystery.
Religion, especially Christianity played a huge role in black peoples’ lives at the time, leading to the expansion of black churches in South America. In the 1960s, the proportion of black going to church increased as segregation and racial discrimination divided the two cultures in America. This aspect of culture was very significant as blacks learnt that everyone was equal in God’s eyes. At these churches, the introduction of gospel music generated self expression and thus, these black churches were a representation of social cohesion among blacks. Gordy established this aspect of culture and incorporated gospel music from churches into the soul sound Motown was successful for. Moreover, the formation of African American neighbourhoods was a very important aspect of their culture due to its link to the history of segregation. Although many associated these black neighbourhoods or ‘ghettos’ with negative connotations, for blacks, it signified ‘home’, a place that showed representation of black identity, also including the passion and emotion from overcoming the struggle and suffering of being black. “The buildings in Harlem are brick and stone…and the streets are long and wide…but Harlem’s much more than these alone…Harlem is what’s inside…” (Hughes, 1945). Gordy realised that neighbourhoods also represented cultural cohesion where they could relate to each other. According to
Like the blues, soul music originated from the South from the African American community in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Many artists of the period, refined the era. In soul music, most of it was spirit oriented as far as involving but when the genre got older they removed the gospel message but keeping the same musical techniques, feelings, and
Soul music was developed in the late 1950s from African American church music called Gospel music. After slavery ended in1865, African American were not welcomed in the church of White Americans, so they built their own churches and sang Christian songs with African American vocal styles and rhythm. As the civil rights movement, staged bigger and bigger demonstrations and increase in African American pride “Soul music” became more than party music for young blacks: it became a rallying flag for the Black nationalist movement. Soul music was born thanks to the innovations of continuous post-war musicians who essentially turned Gospel music into a secular form of
Ragtime eventually led to more classical pieces, usually played by white orchestras that had the same “ragged” notes that so closely related to Afro-American music. Because of this, much of ragtime relies on instruments such as the piano rather than vocal interpretations of the music. Some aspects of African music that influenced both styles was emphasis on percussion and the use of an overlay of beats and rhythms to create an additive process (Waldo 9). The work songs of slaves as well as hymnals from African churches influenced both styles, as well.
Charlie Pride did it in 1971. Darius Rucker did it in 2009. That’s it. Two black men, spanning thirty-eight years, are the only black artists to win a Country Music Association Award. With country music rooted in bluegrass and rhythm and blues, why aren’t there more black country music stars? When considering the roots of country music, and how closely related country is to blues, bluegrass and honky tonk music, an examination of what happened to all the black musicians seems warranted, no? This paper examines the dearth of black artists in country music and the careers of one of the few black artists who has had commercial success in this genre of music.
Motown Records was founded in 1959 by Berry Gordy who turned his music production company into history’s most successful black-owned record label company.
During the twentieth century, people of color and women, suffered from various inequalities. W.E.B. Du Bois’ and Charlotte Perkins Gilman (formerly known as Charlotte Perkins Stetson), mention some of the concepts that illustrate the gender and racial divide during this time. In their books, The Soul of Black Folk and The Yellow Wallpaper, Du Bois’ and Gilman illustrate and explain issues of oppression, dismissal, and duality that are relevant to issues of race and gender.
Africanisms in America are a highly surveyed topic for the black community. Joseph E. Holloway describes Africanisms as “those elements of culture found in the New World that are traceable to an African origin” (Holloway 2). I believe, that africanisms are the traditions and cultural behaviors of African Americans that resemble the some of the same traditions and cultures in Africa. Which makes you ponder about what current elements does our culture use that ties back to Africa. Which in fact there are several africanisms that still exist. African Americans have retained an essence of Africa in their speech, hair care, clothing, preparation of foods, and music by over centuries of separation from the Dark Continent.
Record labels played a big role in bringing the black struggle to the mainstream through their artists music. In particular, two labels were the frontrunners for producing records that would continue to promote addressing the black struggle: Motown and Stax. Motown, a black-owned label, was seen as a more assimilationist and industrial record label that was successful in making hits that appealed to both black and white audiences, earning it the nickname of “Hitsville, U.S.A.” Stax, a white-owned label, was seen as being more representative of black self-reliance and an overall more authentic, black record label that appealed much more to the black audience, earning it the nickname of “Soulsville, U.S.A.” Despite their differences, both labels used their own style of music production and distribution to help surface the black struggle in very similar ways, and in turn they helped pave the way for black consciousness to emerge through soul music.
Besides the slave music and the blues music, there is also another kind of music that make a lot effect to African American music.
Humans from the coast of West Africa arrived to the New World as slaves. Stripped of everything familiar, they brought with them their traditional ways of using music to record historic events, expressions, and to accompany rituals. While toiling in the tobacco fields of Virginia, slaves were not permitted to speak to each other. So, they resorted to their African tradition. They sang!
Hip-hop is one of the major music genres of today like the blues were in the 1950's. Stanley Crouch views hip-hop as being vulgar and obscene while he sees the blues as being one of the classic music genres. In actuality, these two genres are similar in many ways.
Nyabinghi music played at Rastafarian grounations, which includes drumming of at least three hand drums, chanting, dancing, spiritual use of the holy herb, and praise to Jah Rastafari, are considered the most important and inspirational meeting of Rastafari. The term "nyabinghi" is said to have come from a religious, spiritual, and political movement in East Africa beginning in the 1850’s until the 1950 led by a series of spiritually influential women and focused on military actions against white imperialists and colonialists.