For generations, gospel music has been a vital source of strength and resilience for Black Americans, sustaining them through the deepest struggles. From the days of slavery, spirituals and hymns have provided a means of survival, offering hope, faith, and a shared sense of purpose. The legacy of Black gospel artists is built on this foundation, carrying forward a tradition of music that uplifts and empowers our communities in times of hardship and triumph.
The rich history of Black gospel music
Black gospel music traces its roots back to slavery when enslaved people sang call-and-response songs such as “Roll, Jordan, Roll” and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” These early folk songs were as much about spirituality as they were about providing comfort and community amidst their shared struggle for freedom. The turn of the 20th century saw the introduction of instrumentals into Black gospel music, a significant development since enslaved people were often forbidden from using certain instruments.
Black composer and musician Thomas A. Dorsey, became a highly influential figure in Black gospel music beginning in the 1920s and 1930s. He earned the title of the “Father of Gospel Music” for penning over 1,000 hymns, including classics such as “Peace in the Valley” and “Take My Hand, Precious Lord.”
Eventually, Black gospel music began to take on a more modern sound thanks to artists like Andrae Crouch and The Clark Sisters introducing the subgenre of urban contemporary gospel. Throughout the centuries, Black gospel music has evolved and changed into what it is today: a diverse genre telling the story of a faith that has been passed down from generation to generation.
Notable Black gospel artists and their contributions
Gospel music is what it is today thanks to the countless Black artists who hand-crafted the genre.
Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson is one of the matriarchs of gospel music. Born in poverty in New Orleans in 1911, Jackson, began singing at churches and funerals before garnering widespread attention with her 1947 song, “Move on Up a Little Higher,” which became a hit in 1948. She brought gospel blues to the masses, crooning versions of “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” and “How I Got Over” for crowds worldwide. She also raised her voice in support of the Civil Rights movement, becoming a personal friend of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and performing at the March on Washington. Her contralto voice was augmented by a heavy vibrato. Jackson moved expressively on stage and was known for her ability to evoke powerful emotions from her audiences, often while she became almost emotional herself.
CeCe Winans
It feels a little sacrilegious to talk about CeCe Winans without BeBe Winans, but she deserves her flowers for being one of the most celebrated and successful Black gospel singers of all time. CeCe Winans’ solo gospel career has yielded hits like “Well Alright,” “Pray,” and “Goodness of God.” Her first solo album, “Alone in His Presence,” dropped in 1995 and went double platinum, topping the gospel charts ten times. Winans followed it up in 1999 with the hugely successful “Alabaster Box” released under her own label, WellSpring Gospel. Winans’ rich tone and incredible vocal control have stayed consistent through the ages. In late October 2024, she is set to release “More Than This,” a widely praised contemporary gospel album mixing old and new classics.
Kirk Franklin
Congregation favorite Kirk Franklin has been a mainstay in the church and on the charts since the early 90s. His first ensemble was “The Family,” which consisted of his friends and neighbors, released “Kirk Franklin & The Family” in 1993. The album went platinum and remained on the gospel charts for several years after its release. Franklin had many crossover hits that broadened his appeal to more general audiences, including “Stomp” and “I Smile.” Fans know that Kirk Franklin isn’t really the one making the joyful noise. His true talent lies less in his own singing abilities and more in his divine knack for drawing out the rich, unified voices of his choirs.
Kierra Sheard
Kierra Sheard made her gospel singing debut at the age of 9 on her mother’s album, “Finally Karen” (referring to Karen Clark-Sheard of the Clark Sisters). So, while the younger Sheard may have had a head start, she has a voice all of her own that she’s put to work on tracks like “You Don’t Know,” “Why Me?” and “Something Has to Break.” Sheard, a mezzo-soprano, serves delicious runs and riffs with an R&B flavor. In addition to music, Sheard also has an acting credit to her name for portraying her mother in Lifetime’s “The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel.”
Whitney Houston in “The Preacher’s Wife”
The 1996 comedy-drama, “The Preacher’s Wife,” was a lighthearted tale of a church and a marriage on the brink and the angel who was sent to save them. Whitney Houston gave it her all in the film and then blessed us again on the soundtrack. Her rendition of “I Believe in You and Me” was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. The song “Joy” was an original by then-fresh gospel artist Kirk Franklin and the Georgia Mass Choir. By this time, Houston was an established artist, and “The Preacher’s Wife” is one of the best-selling gospel albums of all time, with Houston receiving acclaim for her raw and real vocals.
The influence of Black Gospel artists on popular music
Black gospel artists span the genres. You can hear one just about every time you change the radio station (or hit shuffle on Spotify).
Cross-genre collaborations that broke boundaries
A Nicki Minaj verse on a gospel track doesn’t sound likely, but Minaj came through on “I’m Getting Ready” with Tasha Cobbs Leonard in 2017. Some criticized Leonard’s collab with Minaj, but Leonard stood firm, saying, “This is not an assignment that man gave to me. This is an assignment that God gave to me.”
People may act like controversial collabs are new, but Kirk Franklin and Cheryl “Salt” James of Salt-N-Pepa had some church folks in a tizzy back in 1997 when they released “Stomp.”
The gospel roots of R&B, soul, and hip-hop
Gospel music’s reach goes beyond the church doors and into just about every other genre.
Gospel’s influence on R&B is quite profound, considering many artists, like Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin, got their start singing in church. Likewise, gospel music was, in many ways, the predecessor to soul music, with the two types of music often sharing lyric structures, rhythms and melodies (from Heaven). Hip-hop isn’t immune to the gospel touch, either. Kirk Franklin was the OG gospel hip-hop hype man of the 90s, and artists like Lecrae and Tedashii carry the spirit today.
Accolades and recognition of gospel legends
Some of the most decorated artists of all time are Black gospel artists. Kirk Franklin has 19 Grammys to his name, and CeCe Winans currently holds the record for the most Grammy awards of a female gospel artist with her 15 trophies. The Dove Award is considered the gospel music equivalent of the Grammy, and Black artists like Lecrae, Jonathan McReynolds, and Ricky Dillard, are just a few contemporaries who’ve received awards for their work in the genre.
The everlasting impact of Black gospel artists
From church pews to concert halls, Black gospel artists continue to inspire and uplift through their timeless contributions to music. Their legacy, rooted in faith and resilience, will keep shaping the soundtrack of our lives for generations to come.
