The Story of Gospel Music (The Power in the Voice), the DVD documentary by BBC America, is a historical look into the fabric of the people who invented gospel music.  It is an informative account of the trials, tribulations, and victories of the African American people through musical expression and includes capsules of the pioneers from the legendary Mahalia Jackson and the phenomenal Shirley Caesar to the incomparable Thomas Andrew Dorsey and the unforgettable Reverend James Cleveland.

“Amazing Grace” sets the tone for the documentary as we are reintroduced to this anthem of gospel music.  Grammy-award winning songstress, Tramaine Hawkins’ classic soprano lifts listeners to an ethereal place as she trills the prose of the popular hymn in a gospelized fashion.  Reverend Dr. Wyatt T Walker comments on the vocal gymnastics necessary to true gospel expression “…It was difficult for us to sing naturally within the print-oriented structures of the European hymn-form.  So what we did, we improvised; we stretched out the signature, introduced the syncopation and the rhythm…”  And with this, one can understand how “amazing grace” became in black culture, “a-a-a-amayyy-zing gra-yace”…

From slavery to civil rights to inner city America gospel music is shown to be the expression of a people who often had no voice.  “…If you listen to what black people are singing religiously, it is a clue as to what is happening to them sociologically.  Our music mirrors not only the theology on which our faith is grounded, but also gives a clue as to what is happening to us socially”   This is evidenced in songs like “Ain’t But Me One”, written by a grief-stricken African slave whose entire family perished on their voyage from Africa to America and “We Shall Overcome”, which became the theme song to the American civil rights movement.

The stars truly abound in this documentary as listeners are blessed by the musical articulations of vocalists like Cissy Houston singing “Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior”, Vanessa Bell Armstrong in “Peace Be Still”, The Edwin Hawkins Singers in “Oh Happy Day” The Clark Sisters in “Is My Living In Vain” and a boisterous finale by New York City’s Danny Eason and Abundant Life Choir in “I’m So Glad They Prayed For Me”.

Perhaps the most endearing scene is one of the late Thomas Dorsey and his wife sitting on a plasticized sofa listening to a record of his very first song “If You See My Savior Tell Him That You Saw Me”.  Other special features include biographies and discographies of most of the performers featured on the DVD, including, The Fisk Jubilee Singers, James Cleveland, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and The ARC Choir, to name but a few.  Also included is a vintage 1964 concert performance by Mahalia Jackson and Shirley Caesar in her first UK appearance in 1984.

As this documentary was first produced in the mid 90’s, some of the names we have come to associate with modern gospel such as Yolanda Adams and Kirk Franklin were notably absent.  Furthermore, the commentators featured throughout were not identified by name or title, which made it difficult to understand their particular areas of expertise in their comments on the art form of gospel.

Translated literally, gospel is “the good news” and that is the ubiquitous message in the music of the same name.  This good news of the love of God is now sung with conviction all over the world, and has proved itself to transcend historical barriers, cultural barriers, and yes, musical barriers.  In the words of Rev. Dr. Walker, “The music of the African American religious experience has been the primary cohesive element that has bound black life together in the midst of the difficult obstacles that it has faced… Had it not been for the cohesive character of our African American sacred music… I don’t think black people could have made it on the North American continent.  It has been the primary ingredient which has bonded us together as a surviving people.”