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The Gospel Train

Season 1 Episode 1 | 51m 25s

GOSPEL’s hour 1 takes the gospel train north to Chicago, where southern migrants Thomas A. Dorsey, Mahalia Jackson and Sister Rosetta Tharpe blended the melodic sounds and instrumentation of blues and jazz with lyrics about God’s goodness. Like the blues, gospel would become a commodity, but one built by Black-owned publishing companies like Martin and Morris and sustained by Black audiences.

Aired: 02/11/24 | Expires: 03/11/24
Corporate support for GOSPEL was provided by Bank of America. Major funding support was provided by the Lilly Endowment Inc., Gilead Sciences, Inc., the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Emerson Collective and the Ford Foundation. Funding was also provided by members of The Inkwell Society and by public television viewers like you.
Extras
GOSPEL explores Black spirituality in sermon and song.
Thomas Dorsey co-founds the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses in 1933.
The success of "Move on Up a Little Higher proved that Gospel could be profitable.
Rev. Dwight Andrews discusses C.L. Franklin and what Black preaching is.
Dionne Warwick weighs in on what was special about Mahalia Jackson's voice.
Rev. Franklin recorded more than 70 albums of sermons
Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. visits the Hampton University Ministers' Conference.
Cory Henry plays "Just A Closer Walk with Thee."
Mahalia Jackson recorded on a major label for the first time in 1937, to mixed reviews.
Mahalia provided the soundtrack and MLK gave the sermon for the 1963 March on Washington.
GOSPEL’s hour 2 traces the Golden Age of Gospel from the Lord’s music to the mainstream.
GOSPEL’s hour 4 explores how gospel and preaching achieved platinum-selling success.
In GOSPEL’s hour 3, gospel goes mainstream, taking the good news everywhere.