tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84627352024-03-07T17:34:55.341-06:00GospelGal.comA thoughtful blog about gospel music.LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.comBlogger190125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-43972550294120152492011-01-17T22:27:00.002-06:002011-01-17T23:07:36.927-06:00Martin Luther King on Freedom Songs"An important part of the mass meetings was the freedom songs. In a sense the freedom songs are the soul of the movement. They are more than just incantations of clever phrases designed to invigorate a campaign; they are as old as the history of the Negro in America. They are adaptations of the songs the slaves sang--the sorrow songs, the shouts for joy, the battle hymns and the anthems of our LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-44832754357901899872010-10-12T19:56:00.006-05:002010-10-12T20:09:23.347-05:00The Queen: Albertina Walker, 1929-2010 One of my favorite ways to entertain myself involves a combination of music history and network theory (the field of study that introduced the idea of "six degrees of separation" into popular culture). Basically, I like to think about an artist or musician, then figure out how many degrees of connection it takes to connect that person to another of a different generation, genre or style.For LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-12867812695151257542010-07-14T17:39:00.005-05:002010-07-14T21:20:29.091-05:00For Walter Hawkins, 1949-2010Monday night, I found myself shuffling boxes around, looking for a particular CD.I moved a couple of weeks ago, and my place is in a worse-before-it-gets-better stage, with half-opened boxes and unassembled furniture piled against the walls. Right now determination, a couple of narrow goat paths, and my utility scissors are the only things keeping me from being lost beneath an avalanche of my ownLaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-48396555152285424562010-02-08T01:32:00.007-06:002010-02-08T01:57:17.213-06:00From the Vault: An Interview With Horace Clarence BoyerDr. Horace Clarence Boyer (1935-2009) was a well-known historian and practitioner of gospel music. I interviewed Dr. Boyer in 2005, when I was working on an article about the status of gospel music 25 years after the first Stellar Awards. I found him to be such a warm, interesting person whose personality delighted me as much as did his deep knowledge of gospel music. As is often the case, so LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-40268187559687858532009-12-20T23:31:00.006-06:002009-12-21T00:05:34.126-06:00Reflections on Music, Ministry, and "Moral Failure"Well, Blogosphere,<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />Here goes another one of those posts that begins with a commentary on how little I’ve posted lately.One reason is that, at least right now, I’m not as interested in mainstream gospel music as I’ve been in the past. More than usual, I find myself drawn to the quirky, the rare, and the old-school (Watch LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-50429234789685418052009-12-16T22:37:00.005-06:002009-12-16T23:14:40.902-06:00Give Me That Old-Time Religion?One Christmas during my childhood, my family received a small electric chord organ and several songbooks. The organ allowed budding musicians to make music using a simple system of numbers and letters. Notes corresponded with numbers that were played with the right hand, while a series of buttons, played with the left hand, produced chords.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-90555605058071918572009-12-16T22:20:00.006-06:002009-12-16T22:33:48.685-06:00RePosting: Sweet Little Jesus Boy: A Spiritual For ChristmasFor me, it's just not Christmas until I've listened over and over to the song "Sweet Little Jesus Boy." It's a spiritual credited to the writer Robert MacGimsey. Some of the lyrics:Sweet little Jesus Boy,they made you be born in a manger.Sweet little Holy Child,didn't know who You was.Didn't know you come to save us, Lord;to take our sins away.Our eyes was blind, we couldn't see,we didn't know LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-80359236107593398382009-03-25T00:19:00.005-05:002009-03-25T00:58:07.403-05:0015 Songs for the UninitiatedOh, hello, Blogosphere,Posting has been light for a while, but I'm still here. I'm still writing about gospel, but lately it's been in a more scholarly tone (I just finished a paper on Praise & Worship). Still, I hope to resume light posting soon. I'm thinking through what that might look like.Today, I faced the challenge of choosing 15 songs for a friend who is totally unfamiliar with gospelLaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-19539958178074695132008-08-28T19:35:00.003-05:002008-08-28T19:44:03.957-05:00Quick, to the TV! A Take 6 Sighting!Here's a photo of Take 6 doing a soundcheck for tonight's performance with Stevie Wonder at the Democratic National Convention.LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-268630503499157932008-08-20T22:59:00.007-05:002008-08-21T17:18:52.167-05:00Two Diverse Articles on Classical Music and JazzLately, I've been enjoying a lot of classical and jazz music. Right now my favorite classical piece is William Banfield's "Essay for Orchestra." Snag yourself a copy of African Heritage Symphony, Vol. 3, and see if Banfield's composition doesn't make you feel like you can fly. Works of The Chicago Sinfonietta and Imani Winds are also among my current classical favorites, and a couple of months LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-57122994826152254282008-07-27T22:50:00.004-05:002008-07-27T23:10:56.197-05:00Mary Williams: Preserving Traditional GospelLast week, on my way to the UNITY Journalists of Color conference, I heard a snippet of this story on Mary Williams, who works to preserve traditional black gospel music not only through her performances, but also through a class she teaches at Duke University. Click this link to hear the whole thing.Image Credit: thestory.org LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-20106693415332569052008-07-27T22:03:00.006-05:002008-07-27T22:49:24.236-05:00Meme, Myself and ICaryn of Mama's Got a Fake I.D. tagged me with a meme. Here are the rules of the meme:Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. OK. Here goes:1. I really love LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-28825665065392068552008-07-27T21:47:00.002-05:002008-07-27T21:55:06.398-05:00Gospel Parody: Never Would Have Paid ItI know, I know. It's been a minute since I posted, but I haven't forgotten my loyal gospelgal readership. Would you believe I've been working hard, making money to put directly into the gas tank? Here's a hilarious parody of Marvin Sapp's chart-topping "Never Would Have Made It," courtesy of J. Anthony Brown. Follow the link, and enjoy.Got more gospel-themed fun? Let me know at latonya at LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-46128694703418396252008-04-05T22:28:00.006-05:002008-04-05T23:40:02.109-05:00April 4, 1968Things I'm listening to and reading to observe the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:Gospel Memories: As always, gospel music historian and friend-of-this-blog Bob Marovich is on the case. Tomorrow morning's radio broadcast, from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. CST, includes a tribute to Dr. King. Listen on Chicago's WLUW (88.7 FM), or on wluw.org.Bob writes, "Dr. King was theLaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-20697426964629618492008-03-09T15:57:00.003-05:002008-04-07T23:11:42.096-05:00Faith, Hope and JazzA few months ago, I had the honor of sharing some thoughts in a chapel service at my alma mater. You can listen here.In this talk, I share how I use metaphors related to jazz to help me understand my life as a follower of Christ. I'm interested in hearing what metaphors/imagery help you understand your faith. Feel free to comment below.Update: If the first link doesn't work, you can also hear my LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-33618591892132093612008-01-20T21:31:00.000-06:002008-01-21T00:50:44.245-06:00Let Us Turn Our Thoughts Today to Martin Luther KingThe title of this post comes from James Taylor's "Shed a Little Light," which you can listen to here for free. Some lyrics:"Let us turn our thoughts today/ To Martin Luther King/ And recognize that there are ties between us/ All men and women/ Living on the earth/ Ties of hope and love/ Sister and brotherhood/ That we are bound together/ In our desire to see the world become/ A place in which ourLaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-48342829507131650052007-12-16T20:10:00.000-06:002007-12-16T20:24:21.704-06:00The Twelve Classic Gospel Songs of ChristmasMerry Christmas, everyone! Here's a guest post from friend-of-the-blog Bob Marovich, a gospel music historian.Looking for an alternative from the standard Yule music fare? Try these twelve classic gospel songs on for size. Use your favorite search engine to find reissue CDs, or maybe even the original vinyl, on which these songs can be found. Happy Holidays, everyone!“Glory, Glory to the New BornLaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-8313983652620846832007-10-20T12:38:00.000-05:002007-10-20T12:46:31.058-05:00New Route HomeNew Route HomeMorris Robinson fuses old and new.(5/5 stars)by LaTonya Taylor After several casual performances at friends' weddings, Morris Robinson slowly became convinced that God intended his bright, sonorous basso profundo for more. He pursued a career in opera, and, within remarkably few years, garnered comparisons to Paul Robeson and engagements with the New York Metropolitan Opera and the LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-84268202775270410312007-08-18T09:36:00.000-05:002007-08-18T09:41:14.702-05:00Summertime, and the Living Is. . .. . .Busy.Welcome to the new readers who are stopping by. It's been a busy summer, and so posting (and work on gospelgal.com) has slowed.It'll probably be a few weeks before I'm posting regularly again. In the meantime, feel free to poke around on the blog, to read some of the reviews and interviews posted on gospelgal.com, or to subscribe (see the left side of the page).I'll be back on the good LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-34605734372600805112007-06-28T13:20:00.000-05:002007-06-28T13:39:05.864-05:00Gospel Gal Sort of Answers Your QuestionsAccording to my site statistics, a lot of GospelGal.com readers come here as a result of very specific queries, or looking for answers to specific questions (And here I thought it was all about the incisive commentary and self-deprecating humor!).Over the last few weeks, I've received some interesting questions through my contact page. And since I don't know the answers to these, I'll share them LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-73623723078522931142007-06-25T19:20:00.000-05:002007-06-25T19:32:18.925-05:00Good Advice for Musicians . . .and Writers" . . .You gotta really know yourself. Find out what season you're in. If you're in a season of learning, focus on that 'til God changes it. Find out what season you're in, find out your strengths, find out your weaknesses, and strengthen those weaknesses. That's what you need to do before you step out anywhere. And make sure your skills are tight . . .If you don't have the music to back it up, LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-3437276729422636662007-06-21T12:08:00.000-05:002007-07-01T16:56:28.407-05:00In the Meantime, Right OnA couple of summers ago, I spent lots of time working on a review of Michael Eric Dyson's Mercy, Mercy Me: The Art, Love and Demons of Marvin Gaye. I bought more Gaye bios than was reasonable and immersed myself in them--and in his music. I talked to my Dad for some of his memories and insights about Marvin Gaye, and logged lots of coffee shop hours on this manuscript.I wrote this manuscript on LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-28506660891178903542007-06-06T13:36:00.000-05:002007-06-06T15:40:13.543-05:00Take 6 Loves EllaTonight, We Love Ella: A Tribute to the First Lady of Song premieres on PBS' Great Performances. Check your local listings to find out when the program airs in your area.The concert, recorded in April 2007 (Fitzgerald would have celebrated her 90th birthday this year) features performers including Patti Austin, Natalie Cole, George Duke, Jon Faddis, Quincy Jones, Dave Koz, Ledisi, Monica Mancini,LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-18439559517382278472007-06-01T21:41:00.000-05:002007-06-01T21:48:06.859-05:00J Moss On 'That Breathing Thing'When I read this Associated Press interview with J Moss, I laughed so loudly a coworker came by to see what the big deal was. Hats off to Aimee Maude Simms for asking one of those questions that, as an interviewer, you want to ask, but may or may not have the guts to.The relevant excerpt:"Associated Press: Sometimes when you sing, you do that breathing thing. You could almost think of it like theLaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462735.post-6229279129302112262007-06-01T19:16:00.000-05:002007-06-01T21:40:45.503-05:00About Gospel GalA sneak peek at the "About Me" section on GospelGal.com (Coming Soon!)--and just in time for Black Music Month . . .****I believe in gospel music.As a little girl, I would slip one of my father’s James Cleveland albums from its paper sleeve and place it carefully on the turntable. I’d lift the arm, feeling a twinge of anticipation as the turntable spun to life.I’d place the needle gently on the LaTonyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696807991892946093noreply@blogger.com2