Thomas A. Dorsey (1899-1993), who wrote more than a thousand gospel songs, among them "Take My Hand, Precious Lord," "If We Never Needed the Lord Before (We Sure Do Need Him Now)," and "Peace in the Valley," was called "the father of gospel music," a title he rightfully earned.
His most famous composition, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord," became Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s favorite. The classic song has been translated into more than fifty languages. Dorsey wrote it following the death of his first wife who died during childbirth. The child too died shortly after birth. The song's words mirrored Dorsey's feelings of grief and depression.
Born in Villa Rica, Georgia, Dorsey, when he was in his teens, played the blues on the piano in bordellos, a fancy name for whorehouses. He later composed several blues and jazz tunes and became known by his stage name, Georgia Tom. According to Wikipedia, "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."
Dorsey created the term "gospel music," merging elements of the blues and the spiritual. So people who consider the blues the Devil's music should be reminded that its presence is in gospel music, thanks to Thomas A. Dorsey.
Note: This blog post is based on an unpublished biographical sketch I recently found. I wrote it on February 15, 1993. Some changes to the original have been made. I hope to do more research on Dorsey's life and musical career.
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