People Get Ready! A New History of Black Gospel Music [Hardcover]

Robert Darden (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2004

People Get Ready!: A New History of Gospel Music is a passionate, celebratory, and carefully researched chronology of one of America’s greatest treasures. From Africa through the spirituals, from minstrel music through jubilee, and from traditional to contemporary gospel, People Get Ready! shows the links between styles, social patterns, and artists. The emphasis is on the stories behind the songs and musicians. From the nameless slaves of Colonial America to Donnie McClurkin, Yolanda Adams, and Kirk Franklin, People Get Ready! provides, for the first time, an accessible overview of this musical genre. In addition to the more familiar stories of Thomas A. Dorsey and Mahalia Jackson, the book offers intriguing new insights into the often forgotten era between the Civil War and the rise of jubilee—that most intriguing blend of minstrel music, barbershop harmonies, and the spiritual. Also chronicled are the connections between some of gospel’s precursors (Blind Willie Johnson, Arizona Dranes, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe) and modern gospel stars, including Andrae Crouch and Clara Ward. People Get Ready! knits together a number of narratives, and combines history, musicology and spirituality into a coherent whole, stitched together by the stories of dozens of famous and forgotten musical geniuses. FROM THE INTRODUCTION “Among the richest of the lavish gifts Africa has given to the world is rhythm. The beat. The sound of wood on wood, hand on hand. That indefinable pulse that sets blood to racing and toes to tapping. It is rhythm that drives the great American musical exports, the spiritual (and, by extension, gospel), the blues, jazz and rock ‘n’ roll. But first you must have the spirituals—religion with rhythm. In this book, I will show the evolution of a musical style that only occasionally slows down its evolution long enough to be classified before it evolves yet again. In historical terms, spirituals emerged from African rhythm, work-songs, and field hollers in a remarkably short time—years, perhaps days—after the first African slaves landed on American shores. From the spirituals sprang not just their spiritual heir jubilee, but jazz and blues. And gospel music in its modern understanding morphed from the spirituals, the blues, jubilee and—of course—African rhythm. What today’s gospel music is and what it is becoming is part of the continuing evolution of African American music. Religion with rhythm.”>

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Darden follows gospel's development through the stories of Thomas A Dorsey, Mahalia Jackson and Chicago's South Side 'Broneville,' seething with musical creativity in the early decades of the 20th century. His passion keeps the words flowing through sections on styles and social movements, as well as personal narrativesw and musical analyses….With a thorough discography, notes and references, this is an essential read for those faithful to American religion, rhythm, or both." --Charleston Post and Courier, 1/30/05

"From Dr. Watts to Yolanda Adams, Robert Darden has written a long overdue, solidly researched, and eminently readable overview of African-American religious music from the 17th through the early 21st century." --Kip Lornell, author of Happy in the Service of the Lord: Afro-American Gospel Quartets in Memphis

"Robert Darden has a passion for black gospel music that will be evident to every reader of this volume. He is, however, much more than an enthusiastic fan; he is also a good writer and careful historian whose sharply etched portraits of gospel music personalities make People Get Ready! A valuable addition to the growing body of literature on black gospel music." --W.K. McNeil, editor of The Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music

"Ambitious in scope, People Get Ready! Finds the source of black gospel in African cultures where music and spirituality infused all of life." --Carl Hoover, Waco Tribune-Herald, Dec. 17, 2004

"In People Get Ready! A New History of Black Gospel Music, Robert Darden traces the evolution of America's Black music from the first spirituals that were created by the displaced African slaves to the Gospel music industry as it exists at the beginnning of the twenty-first century. He demonstrates how the songs, which expressed a codified secret language, survived because they were so essential to the race's continued existence." --Rev. Bob Gersztyn, Blueswax.com, January 2005

"Robert Darden admits that his new book is not an exhaustive study of gospel music. 'What I really wanted to do,' he writes, 'was somehow put it all in order, find the connections, and tell the stories of some of the most fascinating people on the planet.' An assistant professor of English at Baylor, Darden '76 makes good on that promise by tracing gospel music to its African roots, following its evolution from spirituals to minstrel songs to contemporary classics. Along the way, he tells of the singers and performers who defined a musical genre--Harriet Tubman, who may have authored 'Go Down, Moses'; Mahalia Jackson and Clara Ward, who faced severe discrimination as African-American women; and the Staple Singers, who bridged the gap between gospel and soul. With thirty-six photographs and a comprehensive discography, Darden examines a music that is both sacred and secular, African American and ethnically diverse. He concludes that the great gospel artists 'create something new, something wonderful, something transcendent.'"--Baylor Line: Magazine of the Alumni Association, Winter 2005

"The book is a passionate chronolgy of the history of black gospel music. It takes the reader from the roots of gospel, starting in Africa to modern-day voices." -Baylor Alumni

“With a thorough discography, notes and references, this is an essential read for those faithful to American religion, rhythm, or both.” –Charleston.net (The Post and Courier), 1/30/05

“…a scholarly yet extremely readable book…” –Morning Star, David Horsley, 2/19/05

“…offers a carefully researched chronology of the music that is so much a part of black American culture.” –The Onion, 3/3/05

“…an impassioned and mostly comprehensive overview from the former ‘Gospel’ editor at Billboard.” –Observer (Music Monthly), 2/20/05

“The book is a passionate chronology of the history of black gospel music. It takes the reader from the roots of gospel, starting in Africa to modern-day voices.” –Baylor University Newsletter, 2/25/05

Interview with the author –Wittenburg Door, March/April 2005

“Darden reaches back to Africa to establish a foundation for his cogent discussion of matter relevant to a historical study of religion and sacred music, and he makes these matters seem like part of the complete fabric rather than vignettes.… The approach is scholarly throughout, but the narrative is as lucid and flowing as any lay reader might wish.…the book covers a broad range and merits serious consideration. Highly recommended.” –Choice, 5/05 (Choice )

Mentioned. –Dallas Morning News!, Article: Rhythm & Pews, 4/1/05 (Dallas Morning News )

'...A remarkable study...Darden's study...is exemplary in its attempt to capture something of how theology and ecclesiology are'

(Martin Percy Church Times )

Mentioned. –Dallas Morning News!, Article: Rhythm & Pews, 4/1/05 (Dallas Morning News )

'...A remarkable study...Darden's study...is exemplary in its attempt to capture something of how theology and ecclesiology are'

(, Church Times )

About the Author

Robert Darden is Assistant Professor of English at Baylor University, and Senior Editor of The Door Magazine. He was gospel music editor for Billboard magazine for 10 years and has written about religious music for most of his adult life. He lives in Waco.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 440 pages
• Publisher: Continuum (September 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826414362
• ISBN-13: 978-0826414366
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,514,632 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gospel Desegregation, June 8, 2005

By 

Tamara Jaffe-Notier (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: People Get Ready! A New History of Black Gospel Music (Hardcover)

People Get Ready! is an excellent read for anyone interested in the history of Christian music in the U.S. Darden takes time to explore how primary sources support or refute several competing theories about who influenced whom in the evolution of gospel music. He does a fascinating analysis of how frontier revivals and clandestine religious services held by slaves contributed to the integration of English lyrics with African music. He humbly approaches music history with passion for his subject, respect for his sources, and documented gratitude for the many archivists and researchers in Africa and North America who have laid the groundwork for this fascinating book. Darden shows that gospel music is the bridge linking the histories of Africa and North America.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars People Get Ready for this book!, November 26, 2005

By 

Alvin Speegle Jr. "www.geocities.com/alspeegle" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: People Get Ready! A New History of Black Gospel Music (Hardcover)

"To truly understand American music, you must first attempt to understand the spirituals and gospel music," says former gospel music editor of Billboard magazine and author Robert Darden. "And it begins where it all began-Africa, a thousand years ago."

Darden, an Assistant Professor of Journalism at Baylor University has done his homework.* His research is extensive. People Get Ready! is informative and cites multiple sources.
"The aim of African music has always been to translate the experiences of life
and of the spiritual worlds into sound, enhancing and celebrating life."
Samuel Floyd

"Praise songs, songs of insult, boasting songs, litigation songs, mourning songs,
topical songs, story songs, love songs, heroic songs and religious songs, and the
repertoire of drum language constitute an important part of literature of African
peoples created, developed, maintained and transmitted through music."
J.H.Nketia, "The Musical Languages of Subsaharan Africa."


Work songs, also known as hollers, cries or whoops, contained rhythmic quality making work seem easier, be it rowing, picking cotton, or laying railroad ties. Many were performed as the "call and response".


Then there were the `spirituals' and plantation hymns with the master's whip keeping
time...


Eventually, America became fascinated with African-American music, which spread
because of the exodus of blacks from the deep South to Chicago.
From the spirituals came ragtime, followed by the blues, then jazz.

Some time during the migration, jubilee music, using quartets sang spirituals in
harmonized verse chorus arrangements.

Later, gospel music with its improvisation of individual expression evolved just as
spirituals did, by visions, trouble, sorrow, thanksgiving, and joy .


Darden includes a chapter dedicated to the Fathers of Gospel music, William H.
Sherwood, Charles A. Tindley, and the man behind the melding of blues to religious
hymns, Thomas A. Dorsey.

In another chapter, he tells of three black divas that helped transform American popular
music, as well as gospel, Rosetta Tharpe, Clara Ward, and the high priestess, Mahalia
Jackson.


The soul music of the 1960's produced artists that had their roots in gospel before
moving into the secular realm, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Lou Rawls, and Wilson
Picket.


The spiritual, biblical message proclaimed today is deemed `contemporary' gospel music.
Kirk Franklin summed it up, "We just let the music take us wherever the Spirit led us
and wherever the music wanted to go."


Robert Darden closes with, "In the beginning was the WORD...
And THE WORD got the funky beat, it became GOSPEL


*For his book, People Get Ready: A New History of Black Gospel Music, the ARSC
(Association for Recorded Sound Collections) 2005 Awards for Excellence in
Historical Records Sound Research awarded Mr. Darden "Best Research in Recorded
Rhythm and Blues, Soul, or Gospel Music."
The award is given to authors and publishers of books, articles, liner notes, and
monographs, in recognition for outstanding published research in the field of recorded
sound and encourages high standards to promote awareness of superior works.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Book, March 6, 2005

By 

Robert L. Gersztyn - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: People Get Ready! A New History of Black Gospel Music (Hardcover)

This is a reprint of a review Published in the December 19 issue of Blueswax, the worlds biggest blues publication at www.blueswax.com It is reprinted with permission.

By: Bob Gersztyn

In People Get Ready! A New History of Black Gospel Music, Robert Darden traces the evolution of America's Black music from the first spirituals that were created by the displaced African slaves to the Gospel music industry as it exists at the beginning of the twenty-first century. He demonstrates how the songs, which expressed a codified secret language, survived because they were essential to the race's continued existence.
The author further demonstrates how the displaced Black race kept the essential elements for their survival in the form of a complex mythology that replaced their own native symbols. They used their new white masters' religion because it provided them with the only form of freedom available to them for nearly four hundred years. The resulting version of Christianity that they created was nearly identical to the original first century model, not because of fashion, but necessity. They understood one of the core messages of Christianity, that of freedom in the midst of injustice and oppression. Christianity not only provided all the theological elements necessary for their survival, but also included archetypal images like David and Goliath, and Moses leading the children of Israel out of captivity, which then provided the stories that fueled their spirituals. The messages of these songs were compatible with their oppressors' worldview, while providing hope where none could be seen.
The author demonstrates how the spirituals spawned both the jubilee singers and minstrelsy after the Civil War. The two groups often sang the same songs, but to different audiences with different arrangements and intentions, further demonstrating the division between the sacred and the profane. The mass migration from the South to the North after the Civil War resulted in the importation of the music to established cultural centers around the country, which further instigated its evolution. Northern cities like Chicago and Detroit provided the freedom and community needed for the further development of the music, as well providing a means to disseminate it. The author lets the words of John Lee Hooker and others make his point that "the Blues come from spirituals," (Downbeat magazine, 1964) demonstrating that the spirituals were the common source for Blues, Gospel, and Jazz.
Professor Darden's history includes biographies of many of the key artists and an analysis of both primitive songs as well as more contemporary ones. The book is over four hundred pages in length and includes seventy-five pages of detailed bibliography, as well as a discography. Using quotes to pepper biographies, including those by key artists, historians, and politicians like The Blind Boys of Alabama, James Cleveland, Andrae` Crouch, Thomas Dorsey, Frederick Douglass, W. E. B. DuBois, Kirk Franklin, The Golden Gate Quartet, W.C. Handy, John Lee Hooker, Mahalia Jackson, John and Alan Lomax, The Soul Stirrers, The Staple Singers, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Clara Ward, and Richard Waterman, to name some; the author gives the reader a first hand account of many key attitudes and issues.
Robert Darden was Billboard's Gospel music editor for ten years during the 1970s and '80s. He is an Assistant Professor of English at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and has been the Senior Editor of The Door magazine, a religious satire magazine that has been in existence for over thirty years, since 1988. People Get Ready is his thirty-first book, but was first conceived as a labor of love over twenty years ago.