Thomas A. Dorsey

Thomas Dorsey during his "Georgia Tom" blues period, late 1920s Thomas Andrew Dorsey (July 1, 1899 – January 23, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and Christian evangelist influential in the development of early blues and 20th-century gospel music. He penned 3,000 songs, a third of them gospel, including "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" and "Peace in the Valley". Recordings of these sold millions of copies in both gospel and secular markets in the 20th century.

Born in rural Georgia, Dorsey grew up in a religious family but gained most of his musical experience playing blues piano at barrelhouses and parties in Atlanta. He moved to Chicago and became a proficient composer and arranger of jazz and vaudeville just as blues was becoming popular. He gained fame accompanying blues belter Ma Rainey on tour and, billed as "Georgia Tom", joined with guitarist Tampa Red in a successful recording career.

After a spiritual awakening, Dorsey began concentrating on writing and arranging religious music. Aside from the lyrics, he saw no real distinction between blues and church music, and viewed songs as a supplement to spoken word preaching. Dorsey served as the music director at Chicago's Pilgrim Baptist Church for 50 years, introducing musical improvisation and encouraging personal elements of participation such as clapping, stomping, and shouting in churches when these were widely condemned as unrefined and common. In 1932, he co-founded the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses, an organization dedicated to training musicians and singers from all over the U.S. that remains active. The first generation of gospel singers in the 20th century worked or trained with Dorsey: Sallie Martin, Mahalia Jackson, Roberta Martin, and James Cleveland, among others.

Author Anthony Heilbut summarized Dorsey's influence by saying he "combined the good news of gospel with the bad news of blues". Called the "Father of Gospel Music" and often credited with creating it, Dorsey more accurately spawned a movement that popularized gospel blues throughout black churches in the United States, which in turn influenced American music and parts of society at large. Provided by Wikipedia
Showing 1 - 20 results of 32 for search 'Dorsey, Thomas Andrew', query time: 0.12s Refine Results
  1. 1

    Treasure chest of favorite hymns by Dorsey, Thomas Andrew

    [New York] : Treasure Chest Publications, 1940
    Format: Musical Score Book


  2. 2

    The essential by Dorsey, Thomas Andrew

    U.S. : Classic Blues, 2002
    Format: Audio


  3. 3

    Precious Lord : recordings of the great gospel songs of Thomas A. Dorsey by Dorsey, Thomas Andrew

    New York, N.Y. : Columbia/Legacy, 1994
    Format: Audio


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    Take My Hand, Precious Lord

    Hill and Range Songs, Inc., 1938
    Other Authors: “…Dorsey, Thomas Andrew…”
    Format: Musical Score Book


  7. 7

    Peace In The Valley

    Thomas A. Dorsey : Hill And Range Songs, Inc., 1939
    Other Authors: “…Dorsey, Thomas Andrew…”
    Format: Musical Score Book


  8. 8

    Say amen, somebody

    [United States] : Milestone Films, 2021
    Other Authors:
    Format: DVD


  9. 9

    Say amen, somebody

    Other Authors:
    Format: DVD


  10. 10

    Tampa Red : the guitar wizard by Tampa Red, 1904-1981

    New York : Sony Music, 1994
    Other Authors: “…Dorsey, Thomas Andrew…”
    Format: Audio


  11. 11

    Guitar wizard by Tampa Red, 1904-1981

    New York : Columbia/Legacy, 1994
    Other Authors:
    Format: CD Audio


  12. 12

    Moving on up a little higher

    [Newton, New Jersey] : Shanachie, 2016
    Other Authors:
    Format: Audio


  13. 13

    Say amen, somebody

    New York, N.Y. : Ryko Filmworks, 2007
    25th anniversary deluxe ed.
    Other Authors:
    Format: DVD


  14. 14

    Ultimate gospel by Presley, Elvis, 1935-1977

    New York : BMG, 2004
    Other Authors:
    Format: CD Audio


  15. 15

    Ultimate gospel by Presley, Elvis, 1935-1977

    New York : BMG, 2004
    Other Authors:
    Format: CD Audio


  16. 16

    My soul's been anchored in the Lord.

    Northfield, MN : St. Olaf Records, 2001
    Other Authors:
    Format: Audio


  17. 17

    1920's blues classics. Vol. 15.

    Grants Pass, OR : Blues Images, 2017
    Other Authors:
    Format: Audio


  18. 18

    19 classic blues songs from the 1920's. Vol. 9.

    Grants Pass, OR : Blues Images, 2011
    Other Authors:
    Format: Audio


  19. 19

    A first-time buyer's guide to American Negro spirituals

    Czech Republic : Primo Collection, 2006
    Other Authors:
    Format: Audio


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    Saga of the good life and hard times. by Simone, Nina, 1933-2003

    New York, N.Y. : RCA : Distributed by BMG Entertainment, 1997
    Other Authors:
    Format: CD Audio