Importance of Mahalia Jackson to The Movement - Essay Example

Importance of Mahalia Jackson to ‘The Movement’ Importance ofMahalia Jackson to ‘The Movement’ Mahalia Jackson was born in 1911 in the poorest regions of New Orleans. Her career started when she was four years. She used to attend to the Plymouth Rock Church where she joined the children’s choir. Being raised next to a sanctified church, the church’s gospel band influenced and inspired her much especially the instruments. She was also influenced by other artists’ works like those blues sang by Bessie Smith and Rainey. Over years even after her death, general critical consensus still holds Mahalia Jackson as one of the greatest gospel artist and singer who ever lived; her popularity extending further over racial divides. Being the first gospel superstar, up to date, many listeners still love her songs defining the symbol of transcendent power in her music (Darryl 2005, pp.129). With her gift of singularly and expressive contralto, she continues to inspire other generations of vocalists after her. In her music, she inculcated gospel with sensuality and freedom that had not been experienced before. She did that by introducing some blues elements into her music making her be among the first spiritual performers to do so. At the age of 16, like many Americans with an African background living in the south, she participated in the great migration to C she to Chicago, Illinois for better opportunities, Where she was invited in various places to perform her songs. Ever developing her spirit through church and its music, Jackson made the oath use her inimitable voice for spiritual song- a promise she kept. For instance, after her first service, she was invited join choir of the Greater Salem Church. She then began touring some of the city churches and the surrounding areas with one of the professional gospel groups, Johnson gospel singers (Colin 2005,pp 2107). Jackson was also given musical advice by Thomas A. Dorsey in 1929, viewed as the Father of Gospel Music, who also went further ahead and formed an association with her. According to Darryl, (2005) p. 132, some of her songs became her signature songs. Those included; ‘Take my Hand’ and ‘Precious Lord. In the mid 30s, Jackson met Evelyn Gay, a pianist, who accompanied her in her solo career. This was after the Johnson Brothers group members separated (Colin 2005, pp.2118). Later in 1937, she did her first recordings albums for Decca. At this period of time, her singing reputation grew throughout the Midwest. With her Decca song ‘Gods Gonna Separate the Wheat from the Tares’ which sold, she was prompted a lengthy studio break. Since her career was at a continuous upswing, she started performing live in big cities around. She also went further and performed in cities as far as Buffalo, Birmingham and New Orleans. These performances made her be famous in the churches because of her inimitable voice and her flirtatious presence in stage and her spiritual intensity. Touring throughout many countries where she was invited, she rose above all battles of racism and segregation in her life. In 1954, her success reached such a dramatic proportion. At CBS, she got an opportunity and started hosting her own weekly radio series, broadcasting gospel in a purely sanctified style over national airwaves, it was the first program of its unique kind. In her show she had supporting casts including Mildred Falls- a pianist, Ralph Jones who was an organist, a White quartet led by Jack Halloran who was at that time the musical director. Though her performances she did with the Halloran’s group went more into barbershop quartet singing rather than the traditional gospel, they proved themselves extremely popular with the White audiences. Mahalia Jackson progressed further and signed into Colombia in 1954. With her single ‘Rusty Old Halo, she attained a top 40 hit and later after two years she made her first appearance on stage for the Ed Sullivan Show. Nevertheless, with her pronounced success came the inevitable fallout when purists bad-mouthed the turn of her music to more of the pop-friendly production. This led to her fame getting soared and her asking price too that, in the late 50s, some of the churches amongst Black churches could even afford to pay for her performance fee. Jackson participation in civil rights was also portrayed as early as 1956 when the civil right leaders summoned her to lend her powerful voice to the iconic movement including rallies, marches and demonstrations. This made become a close friend and a supporter of Martin Luther King Jr. For instance, at the urging of Martin Luther King Jr, she sang at the 1957 Prayer Pilgrimage for freedom at the Lincoln Memorial which was the civil rights rally held on the third anniversary of the Brown decision. Her unique activism combined with her faith and her unrivaled voice made her the most important musical artist and in the historical figures of the 20th century (Darryl 2005, pp.141). Jackson’s records continued drifting her further away from her base audience. However, her very triumphant appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1958 solidified her standing among critics. She was still strong even after her backlash; she performed in 1961 at the Presidential inauguration ceremony of John F Kennedy. In conclusion, the position of Mahalia Jackson as a gospel singer is unique its kind. With her witnessed progress in the field, she is a source of inspiration for the upcoming vocalists. She also appreciated her music as seen in her various performances. The spiritual performance in her music mesmerized many and up to date her music is still listened by many. She also used her gift to perform in marches, demonstrations and rallies so as to instill people with good morals through her gospel (Carter 2009 pp.172). Her perfect collaboration with various artists, supporting casts and civil right leaders is a good show of interdependence and a heart of willingness. Jackson was also a good representation of a high achiever who yearns to add more to what she had. In company of performers like Jackson leading the charge, gospel became the base to creating awareness and strengthening the civil rights movement among people. List of References Carter, D. (2009) The Music has Gone Out of the Movement: Civil Rights and the Johnson Administration, 1965-1968. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press. Jackson, M. (2007) The Best of Mahalia Jackson. Hallmark. Larkin, Colin. (2005) The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Guinness, ISBN 1-56159-176-9. Lyman, Darryl. (2005) Great African-American Women, Jonathan David Company, Inc. (2005), ISBN 0-8246-0459-8. Read More