The continuing oppression and suffering of the freed slaves bred a musical genre that today can uplift and encourage all peoples.
Turmoil and Revolution Breed Genius
In the early twentieth century, popular culture in America underwent a massive revolution. Mass industrialization reduced the need for farm labor and increased the need for factory labor in the major cities, leading to mass migration of African Americans from southern homesteads to northern industrial centers such as Detroit, Chicago and New York. Through various advancements such as the assembly line, cataloging, and the department store, the availability and popularity of consumer goods sky-rocketed.
One such development, unique in its nature, was the radio and the gramophone / recording studio. These technologies made music and news accessible to more people than had ever previously been possible, and, just as importantly, gave the layman an outlet to develop and promote music. So, very quickly, studios were popping up all over the place, and soon enough, through all the chaos and inefficiency that plagued the early recording industry, Gospel music emerged as the overwhelmingly popular genre.
But why was this? And why is it important now? The early twentieth century was not a particularly spiritual one in America's history.
Timelessly Uplifting
The popularity of Gospel music is really quite simple. Gospel songs were generally short, energetic, and uplifting. Southern Gospel groups were generally all male tenor quartets, representing a popular format that has stuck with culture even today. In many ways, Gospel music in the early recording industry represented the earliest form of what we today know as pop songs, and created a sphere of influence that eventually spread on a global scale. The music was easy to listen to, accessible, and catchy.
Before the invention of 'mass media' such as radio and records, gospel music was really only experienced in its birthplace - the southern black church. Segregated from white churches, African Americans developed their own unique music genre, one that spoke to their condition of being a depressed (held down), segregated, discriminated people. The black gospel music lyrics that emerged from this condition and their church services speaks to us today, because seeking salvation and support through troubled times is a universal condition.
But once African Americans started moving from southern farms to northern cities, and once the records and radios were in place in the 1920's and 1930's, the rest of America could hear southern gospel music for the first time. And they liked what they heard. What's not to like about short, energetic and uplifting music lyrics that comfort us in times of trouble?
