thomas dorsey documentary

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%42%65%63%6b%79%20%26%6c%74%3b%61%6e%74%62%77%6f%6c%66%66%40%73%62%63%67%6c%6f%62%61%6c%2e%6e%65%74%26%67%74%3b%5c%22%3e%42%65%63%6b%79%3c%5c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b')). He infused joy and optimism in his written music as he directed his choirs to do perform with uplifting fervor as they sang. This Far by Faith. 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%4c%61%4a%75%61%6e%61%20%42%61%6e%6e%69%6e%67%20%26%6c%74%3b%6c%61%6a%62%61%6e%6e%69%6e%67%40%70%65%6f%70%6c%65%70%63%2e%63%6f%6d%26%67%74%3b%5c%22%3e%4c%61%4a%75%61%6e%61%20%42%61%6e%6e%69%6e%67%3c%5c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b')). A new 4K restoration of Say Amen, Somebody opens at Film at Lincoln Center on Friday, September 5, featuring an a cappella gospel performance by Songs of Sol. The unsteadiness grew worse, leaving him unable to practice, write or perform. Dorsey described it as "good news on either side." For women, that included not wearing make-up. Nierenberg's documentary catches these performers in their homes and at two events: the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses and a tribute to Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith that Nierenberg helped put together. "Amen" is a response a congregation offers readily and without hesitation after something agreeable and rousing. Education: Attended Morehouse College; attended Chicago School of Composition and Arranging. [41] Horace Boyer attributes this popularity to "simple but beautiful melodies", unimposing harmonies, and room for improvisation within the music. At twenty-one, his hectic and unhealthy schedule led to a nervous breakdown. No cable. Thomas A. Dorsey was one of the gospel pioneers profiled in George Nierenberg's Say Amen, Somebody.The documentary was originally released in 1982, and has been remastered and re-released. In 1923, he became the pianist and leader of the Wild Cats Jazz Band accompanying Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, a charismatic and bawdy blues shouter who sang about lost love and hard times. He gained fame accompanying blues belter Ma Rainey on tour and, billed as "Georgia Tom", joined with guitarist Tampa Red in a successful recording career. INR. Film data from TMDb. Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2022. 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. And Dorsey's own Pilgrim Baptist Church choir performed at the 1933 World's Fair. [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? People are saying amen because it feels good! January 17, 2000 Sung at the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it is the most-recorded gospel song ever. In terms of the personalities that occupy the film, their presence is remarkable. But the Lord's work would not be easy for him. 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 . 102. 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. Thomas A. Dorsey was one of the gospel pioneers profiled in George Nierenberg's Say Amen, Somebody. Using rare historic recordings and contemporary performances, "The Birth of Gospel" explores the growth of gospel music from slavery to now. Warts and politics. And its a terrific good time. Uncle Roger did not oversell it. Thomas A. Dorsey, often called the Father of Gospel Music, migrated from Atlanta to Chicago as a young man, thus exemplifying the experience of many southern blacks of his day. Loved the film!! It is a film that has seemingly won the full trust of it's subjects, and thus said subjects barely acknowledge the camera. Mahalia Jackson sang at his funeral when King did not get to hear it. Spirit of the Church: A Celebration of Black Gospel Music, Volume 1, Summer of Soul (Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Feature), The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song, American Masters: How It Feels To Be Free, Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations. While often living hand-to-mouth, the Dorseys were able to own an organ, which was rare for black families, and Dorsey's mother played during his father's church services. Music performed in established black churches in Chicago and throughout the U.S. came from hymnals and was performed as written, usually as a way to showcase the musical abilities of the choirs rather than as a vehicle to deliver a specific spiritual message. [citation needed] Patty Thomas was born Patricia Thomas on August 1, 1922, in Erie, Pennsylvania.She also was in the films: Smooth Sailing, a 1947 short film by Jerry Hopper and the 2003 film . 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. Documentaries really don't get much better than this. The reporter found a collector so consumed by the need to. Sources. Rehearsals for sales pitches took place in Dorsey's nearly bare room in his uncle's house. Two of those "cats" became the focus of Nierenberg's film. "When I saw the film after it was restored, it felt like a new film completely," he says. The Dorsey family relocated from rural Villa Rica, GA to Atlanta in 1908. [24] He found resistance among ministers, musicians, and parishioners alike. And a good Christmas gift. 'Say Amen, Somebody' Restoration Unveils The Wonder Of The Gospel Pioneers, Thomas Dorsey, the Father of Gospel Music. 209240. Film Critic Roger Ebert listed this as the 8th best film of 1983. [39] Anthony Heilbut further explains that "the gospel of [Charles] Tindley and Dorsey talks directly to the poor. [18][h], Throughout his career, Dorsey composed more than 1,000 gospel and 2,000 blues songs, an achievement Mahalia Jackson considered equal to Irving Berlin's body of work. "[21][22], In addition to the high spirited choir performances, Dorsey began introducing uptempo Negro spirituals, what he referred to as "jubilees", alongside published hymns in worship services. There the family struggled economically. His best-known composition, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord", was performed by Mahalia Jackson and was a favorite of the Rev. [33][50][51], Despite racial segregation in churches and the music industry, Dorsey's music had widespread crossover appeal. India's economy is likely moving into a low inflation regime as supply shocks fade and demand cools, according to a paper co-authored by Reserve Bank of India Deputy . [46][i], Due to Dorsey's influence, the definition of gospel music shifted away from sacred song compositions to religious music that causes a physical release of pain and suffering, particularly in black churches. He studied informally with musicians at the theater and local dance bands, always playing blues. Thomas Andrew Dorsey, (born July 1, 1899, Villa Rica, Ga., U.S.died Jan. 23, 1993, Chicago, Ill.), American songwriter, singer, and pianist whose many up-tempo blues arrangements of gospel music hymns earned him the title of "Father of Gospel Music." Dorsey was the son of a revivalist preacher. ", Combs is curator of photography and film at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, which helped fund the restoration of Say Amen, Somebody. Thomas Dorsey wrote nearly one thousand gospel songs in his lifetime. Recommended as an antidote to the blahs. As he said in The Rise of Gospel Blues: "If a woman has lost a man, a man has lost a woman, his feeling reacts to the blues; he feels like expressing it. Pun. 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 . In doing so, he became one of the first musicians to copyright blues music. did they follow in his foot steps? 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. The pressures of touring overwhelmed him, and Dorsey considered suicide. At eleven, he left school to take a job at a local vaudeville theater. It featured syncopated notes in an eight-bar blues structure; but instead of themes of defiance in the face of despair - the theme most common in the blues - this new music told stories of hope and affirmation. Thank you for your article..maybe I was meant to hear this song and maybe like Thomas Dorsey it will be a turnaround for me too, 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%48%65%63%74%6f%72%20%4d%2e%49%72%69%7a%61%72%72%79%20%26%6c%74%3b%68%6d%69%72%69%7a%61%72%72%79%40%6b%6e%6f%6c%6f%67%79%2e%6e%65%74%26%67%74%3b%5c%22%3e%48%65%63%74%6f%72%20%4d%2e%49%72%69%7a%61%72%72%79%3c%5c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b')). 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. The Lord has too much work for you to let you die.". I hope others will take the time to research the real facts and give Thomas A. Dorsey credit for his great Gospel works. In 1932 Dorsey was appointed musical director of Pilgrim Baptist Church in Chicago, a post he held until his retirement in 1983. 1982 "[36], To accomplish this, Dorsey traveled beyond the U.S., through Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Middle East. Dorsey instead asked his singers to rely on feeling.[43]. His song "Peace in the Valley", written in 1937 originally for Mahalia Jackson, was recorded by, among others, Red Foley in 1951, and Elvis Presley in 1957, selling more than a million copies each. [9], Rainey enjoyed enormous popularity touring with a hectic schedule, but beginning in 1926 Dorsey was plagued by a two-year period of deep depression, even contemplating suicide. Nix elongated some notes to emphasize specific syllables and words and sped up others. 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 Six years later, he teamed with Mahalia Jackson, and the team ushered in what was known as the Golden Age of Gospel Music. Dorsey himself became known as the father of gospel music. It explores Islam and Yoruba. In so many words, it's about rising above poverty while still living humble deserting the ways of the world while retaining its best tunes. There were also a growing number of influential choirs in Chicago challenging the musical norms of the established churches, though Dorsey was usually more associated with the rise of the solo tradition. The record sold more than seven million copies. The manager of a gospel quartet active in the 1930s stated that songs written by Dorsey and other songwriters copying him spread so far in such a short time that they were called "dorseys". (Staig, Laurence, "Obituary: Thomas Dorsey", Dorsey later filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the Illinois Research Clinic in response. Thomas A. Dorsey 1997 Share Widely regarded as the father of gospel music, Thomas A. Dorsey's composing talent became a merging point in the early '20s, for many musical styles. He did not seek publicity, preferring to remain at his position as music director at the 3,000-seat Pilgrim Baptist Church and running his publishing company. They had to sit in the back of the bus, they were denied their rights, but when they walked into their church on Sunday morning and put on a robe and went down that aisle and stood on that choir stand, the maid became a coloratura, and when she stood before her church of five hundred to a thousand, two thousand people, she knew she was somebody. Born in rural Georgia, Dorsey grew up in a religious family but gained most of his musical experience playing blues at barrelhouses and parties in Atlanta. Please try again. It goes beyond the series to explore the full diversity of African-American religious expression. Documentary about the American gospel music scene, focusing on two . Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. of American Music History. January 7, 2006 A fire has destroyed the landmark Pilgrim Baptist Church on Chicago's South Side. Thomas Andrew Dorsey, Thomas Andrew Dorsey (1900-1993), often called the Father of Gospel Music, migrated from Atlanta to Chicago as a young man, thus exemplifying the exp African Music, Gospel Music Gospel Music The African-American religious music known as gospel, originating in the field hollers, slave songs, spirituals, and Protes W C Handy, Handy, W. C. W. C. Handy Singer, composer . Hundreds of thousands of newly arrived migrants from the South, with an appreciation of blues, began to outnumber an older guard of ministers and parishioners who favored classical European music in services. It provided the courage needed to fight Jim Crow. I havent seen it yet but Im sure I will enjoy it because the Barrett Sisters are featured in it and they are my favorite. As beautifully affecting and uplifting as nearly any narrative tale could be, but with a depressing undercurrent as harrowing as those final minutes of THE IRISHMAN. In San Francisco, the Reverend Cecil Williams develops a "come as you are" church. It is very moving and heart lifting documentary, Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2022. While presiding over rehearsals, Dorsey was strict and businesslike. There, Dorsey remained active until the 1970s, when failing health forced him into semi-retirement. "Ministers didn't want them there. ", Though the new biopic about Aretha Franklin starring Jennifer Hudson is earning tepid reviews, I'm going to see it this afternoon. He visited a faith healer, Bishop H.H. A Moment with Thomas Dorsey, from the Movie Say Amen, Somebody - YouTube from The Movie, Say Amen Somebody from The Movie, Say Amen Somebody AboutPressCopyrightContact. Thomas A. Dorsey, who wrote scores of gospel classics, including "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" and "Peace in the Valley," and Willie Mae Ford Smith, whose dynamic "song and sermon" approach to gospel set an almost impossible to duplicate performance standard. His first gospel song, "If You See my Savior Tell Him That You Saw Me" was published in 1932. I love it. Patty Thomas was an American dancer, USO entertainer and actress. [28] Ministers who would not have considered changing their music programs just a few years before became more open to new ideas. The documentary was originally released in 1982, and has been remastered and re-released. There was just something special happening when you walked into these churches and much of that power is on display in this. Lyrically, according to Boyer, Dorsey was "skilled at writing songs that not only captured the hopes, fears, and aspirations of the poor and disenfranchised African Americans but also spoke to all people". Say Amen, Somebody, a documentary about the men and women who pioneered African American gospel music, was widely praised upon its release in 1982; the late Roger Ebert called it "One of the most joyful movies I've ever seen." Between 1932 and 1944, he held "Evenings with Dorsey" on this circuit, teaching novices the best ways to deliver his songs. In Chicago, Thomas Dorsey, a pianist with blues singer Ma Rainey, invents gospel music. Chicago ' s Blues Syncopator. Thomas A. Dorsey was one of the gospel pioneers profiled in George Nierenberg's Say Amen, Somebody. There were the olde hymns of the Church. He also taught black children at a one-room schoolhouse where his son accompanied him and listened to lessons. By the time Ma Rainey finished her song, she was "in her sins" - and Georgia Tom was right there with her, his rhythmic piano filling the grooves. '"[27], When he gave interviews later in his life, he never condemned blues music or his experiences in that period. Lamont Dozier, along with partners Eddie and Brian Holland was a main architect of the Motown sound, creating a stunning body of work in the sixties most notably for the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, and The Temptations. : "The Secularization of Black Gospel Music" by Heilbut, Anthony in, This page was last edited on 19 April 2023, at 17:18. Looked for it for years. You got to always have something: a little trick, a little embellishment or something. In 1983 he was featured in the documentary "Say Amen, Somebody." He died of Alzheimer's disease in 1993 after spending the last year of his life in a coma. 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. Thomas A. Dorsey(Actor), Delois Barrett Campbell(Actor), George T. Nierenberg(Director)& 0moreRated: Unrated Format: DVD 4.5 out of 5 stars129 ratings IMDb7.6/10.0 DVDfrom $18.00 VHS Tapefrom $39.99 Additional DVD options Edition Discs Price New from Used from DVDFebruary 3, 2001 It charts the devbelopment of underground churches, and attempts by slaves and free blacks to unify the black community. In Dorsey's story, he was stuck until a friend suggested he try adding "precious" to his address. Thomas A. Dorsey was born in Villa Rica, Georgia, the first of three children to Thomas Madison Dorsey, a minister and farmer, and Etta Plant Spencer. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. Dorsey visited doctors, sought treatment, took time off. I say this all the time, as someone who grew up in and out of the church, no matter how far Ive strayed from Christianity and the church itself, I will always love gospel music. He is a truly mesmerizing figure, the stuff of which legends are made. 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. At the beginning of worship services, Dorsey instructed choruses to march from the rear of the sanctuary to the choir-loft in a specific way, singing all the while. 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. Saw the original release. "Dedication: Thomas Dorsey Dedication Day". He recalled visiting Damascus, Syria, where he was approached in a bathroom by a man who recognized his name. Now you're not singing blues; you're singing gospel, good news song, singing about the Creator; but it's the same feeling, a grasping of the heart." The only thing he cared about was saving souls through his music. Available as a boxed vhs set or as a DVD for $199.95. "You have this kind of new tradition of people singing and re-invigorating gospel music in a different sort of way," she says. The lyrics, however, were written by Dorsey. They created enclaves within neighborhoods through church choirs, which doubled as social clubs, offering a sense of purpose and belonging. Then, in August 1932, Dorseys life was thrown into crisis when his wife and son died during childbirth. Encountering more competition for jobs and with his concentration primarily on blues, Dorsey turned to composing, copyrighting his first song in 1920, titled "If You Don't Believe I'm Leaving, You Can Count the Days I'm Gone". [52] Four years later, Aretha Franklin sang it at Jackson's funeral. Despite being meagerly compensated, he played rent parties, house parties, barrelhouses, and brothels, but enjoyed the social life of a musician. [16], This new style began to catch on in Chicago, and Dorsey's musical partners Theodore Frye, Magnolia Lewis Butts, and Henry Carruthers urged him to organize a convention where musicians could learn gospel blues. Really curious what happened to the speaking-in-tongues charismatic preacher who tried to guilt his wife into staying home with him instead of going on tour, the closest thing to a villain here. Dorsey was a popular blues pianist and arranger he was best known as Ma Rainey's band leader, until he took the blues and adapted it to sacred music. Upon hearing Nix sing, Dorsey was overcome, later recalling that his "heart was inspired to become a great singer and worker in the Kingdom of the Lordand impress people just as this great singer did that Sunday morning". There he first saw Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith. Throughout his early years he felt torn between the sacred and the secular. Dorsey was the son of a Baptist preacher; his mother was the church organist. Thomas A. Dorsey documentary rough cut 6,122 views Oct 31, 2010 79 Dislike jpilkonis 42 subscribers Villa Rica, Georgia We reimagined cable. It is perhaps Dorsey's greatest achievement that he was able to overcome this opposition and thus preserve important aspects of black musical expression as it had existed in both the spiritual and secular realms. Then, he began to think more seriously about his faith. You have this kind of inter-generational blending, and we're seeing that in this film, where there is this sort of critical moment within the tradition of gospel music sort of this passing of the torch, if you will.". ", Pop craftsman Paul Simon talks about writing the now gospel standard Bridge Over Troubled Water. The whole phrase like a bridge over troubled water, I will lay me down, the words and the melody, all of that came [snaps fingers] like that., Hear more about "Take My Hand, Precious Lord". Courtesy Milestone Films [15] In between recording sessions with Tampa Red, and inspired by the compliments he received, he formed a choir at Ebenezer Baptist Church at the request of the pastor, Reverend James Smith, who had an affinity for Negro spirituals and indigenous singing styles. "He is coming in as a collaborator with them, as opposed to this notion or feeling of voyeurism," she says. [27], During his blues period, Dorsey presented himself as dapper and dignified, which carried over into his gospel work. It features one of the first gospel soloists, Willie Mae Ford Smith and the father of gospel music, Thomas Dorsey late in their lives. The Dorseys sharecropped on a small farm, while the elder Dorsey, a graduate of Atlanta Bible College (now Morehouse College), traveled to nearby churches to preach. Dorsey's background convinced him that the same experiences that had engendered secular blues should also inform church music. Courtesy Milestone Films Prominent hymnal publishers began including his compositions in the late 1930s, ensuring his music would be sung in white churches. Dorsey described it as serving as a channel through which God spoke. This freed the choir members' hands to clap, and he knew anyway that most of the chorus singers in the early 1930s were unable to read music. ), McLin became a composer, singer, and voice coach for, Numerous sources state Dorsey coined the term "gospel" to refer to sacred music, but W. M. Nix, the singer who inspired Dorsey at the 1921 National Baptist Convention, compiled a songbook titled, NCGCC annual meetings were also attended by members of the, Dorsey later stated that all the praise he received for this song never eclipsed his grief, saying, "None of it's ever been soothing to me, from that day to this day." Say Amen, Somebody is one of my favorite music documentaries of all time. The same thing acts for a gospel song. "[37][27] Dorsey began to slow down in the 1970s, eventually showing symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. SAY AMEN, SOMEBODY is without question one of the greatest documentaries that you're going to see when it comes to gospel music. By far the best documentary Ive seen! Thank you for remembering and honoring a great legend 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. There is joy, but there is also bittersweetness, gospel's popularity having waned by this film's release in 1982 since its broader cachet in the late forties and early fifties. Easily one of the best music documentaries I have ever seen, this film could have coasted on the charisma and brilliance of its subjects, primarily Willie Mae Ford Smith and Thomas A. Dorsey, seminal figures in the history of Black gospel music. One of the best documentaries going I reckon. The emotionality of gospel music is always spectacular to witness, and while a large portion of Say Amen, Somebody is devoted to the massive productions of black church music, it goes behind the scenes to illuminate the culture, both good and bad. Moreover, Dorsey refused to provide musical notation, or use it while directing, because he felt the music was only to be used as a guide, not strictly followed. In a purely musical sense, to Dorsey, the blues was merely a collection of improvisational techniques. "[b] after hearing him perform at the National Baptist Convention. ", Wade In The Water Ep. He returned to blues, recording "It's Tight Like That" with guitarist Hudson "Tampa Red" Whittaker despite his misgivings over the suggestive lyrics. Author Anthony Heilbut summarized Dorsey's influence by saying he "combined the good news of gospel with the bad news of blues". He penned 3,000 songs, a third of them gospel, including "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" and "Peace in the Valley". He was ordained a minister in his sixties, formalizing the union of song and worship; the Pilgrim Baptist Church created the T. A. Dorsey Choir to honor him in 1983. In actual fact, his first musical impact was as a blues stylist as both writer and performer. He wrote over 400 compositions, but it is for Take My Hand, Precious Lord that he is best known. Thereafter, he vowed to concentrate all his efforts in gospel music. The cathartic nature of gospel music became integral to the black experience in the Great Migration, when hundreds of thousands of black Southerners moved to Northern cities like Detroit, Washington, D.C., and especially Chicago between 1919 and 1970.
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