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The Influence of Gospel Music

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The Influence of Gospel Music
Gospel music has been around for a hundred of years. Gospel music is highly emotional evangelical vocal music that originated among African American Christians in the southern United States and was a strong influence in the development of soul music. (Gospel Music) Gospel music quite evolved from the songs slaves sang on plantations notably work songs, and from the Protestant hymns they sang in church. However in the 19th century, spiritual hymns transfer into gospel music, which started the golden age of gospel music began turning in a new direction. Gospel music also influences different type music styles that people have today. People are change by the music of gospel music and find inspiration to go through life. From the times of slavery, spiritual hymns, known as gospel music today, expresses the emotion for the African Americans. Many American slave owners did not allow Africans to use instruments nor could they play or sing in their native music. Gradually, the music of Africans has been lost with much of the words and melodies and misplaced in North America. Ever since their musical inherited link has been banned, this created a new African American style. The black slaves created gospel song that used Christian subjects with African traditions of harmony. Since slave owners did not allow sing the church became a refuge for black slave expression. It was the only place that group slaves could come together without fear of white control. Though not every one of the slaves' holders allowed religious tradition or consent to worship, the slaves had to meet secretly in churches or barn house. The Africans sing as they work in the hot sun. Work songs and "field hollers" were to ease the drudgery of hard labor in the fields. (Tanner)
Since more blacks lived in the South, the birth of gospel music became endemic in the widespread first in the South before it was finally spread to the rest of white America. First gospel music spread through traveling artists


Cited: "Black Gospel." Wikipedia. 4 Oct. 2006 . "Gospel music." Encarta Dictionary: English "Gospel Music." freemusiclink. 1 Oct. 2006 . "History." JOYFUL NOISE "History of Gospel." History of Gospel. 16 Oct. 2006. 3 Oct. 2006 "Kirk Franklin." Cross Map 8 Oct. 2000. Rpt. in Christian lyrics. 19 Oct. 2006      
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