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World War II to the Civil Rights Movement

Overview

The continuation of the Great Black Migration just after World War II from Southern to Northern cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and New York strengthened the flow of preserving African Americanisms between Southern and Northern Blacks. New arrivals who left an environment and society full of oppression and discriminatory actions in hopes of a better life brought their Southern way of life to these big cities. To say their transition was easy would be an understatement. The church was the cornerstone for the African American community for these new arrivals from the South, as well as those formerly from the South who were already immersed in the particularly favorable environment.

Be ready to:

Recognize contributing factors that led to furthering gospel music.

Explain the significance of Pentecostal worshipping.

Identify vocal and instrumental characteristics and performance practices of Gospel.

Identify contexts where gospel music was heard between 1945 and 1965.

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Listening Guides

References

Performers of Gospel Music and Their Techniques: Listening Guide: Alex Bradford and the Bradford Singers "It's a Highway to Heaven"

Alex Bradford, also known as Professor Alex Bradford, was a gospel composer, singer, arranger, and choir director. He formed his group, The Bradford Singers. As indicated in the listening guide below, many of the characteristics previously mentioned and performance practices are heard and seen in this 1962 live video performance of Alex Bradford and The Bradford Singers in the Netherlands performing "It's a Highway to Heaven:"

Alex Bradford - It's a highway to heaven [ 00:00-00:00 ]

Table 17.5: Alex Bradford and The Bradford Singers Listening Guide
"It's a Highway to Heaven." Alex Bradford and the Bradford Singers
A The full-throated sound production is used by all singers throughout the entire song. The group is singing homophonically throughout the entire song. The group sings most of the song with some brief interjections between some phrases by a male voice.	Accompanied by piano (tambourine enters around 02:12 "It's a Highway to Heaven" [00:04-02:56] 02:52
B The group begins to handclap, which adds more intensity to the song.	"It's a Highway to Heaven" [01:37-01:52] 00:15
C The group performs a vamp as a type of improvisational section. Here the word "walking" is continually repeated by the group, while one male vocalist inserts a few brief affirmative words. From 02:04, while still vocally vamping, the entire group begins to "walk" in time. From 02:39 - 02:43 the group continues to walk and point their fingers upward but does not sing, and the rest of the band accompanies a brief piano solo.	"It's a Highway to Heaven" [01:52-03:02] 01:18

Precious Lord

Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

It's a Highway to Heaven

It's a highway to heaven
None can walk up there
But the pure in heart
It's a highway to heaven
Walking up the king's highway