Died On This Date (January 5, 2009) Willa Mae Dorsey / Gospel Great

Willa Mae Dorsey
DOB Unknown – January 5, 2009

Photo by Frederick D. Joe
Photo by Frederick D. Joe

Willa Mae Dorsey was a Grammy-nominated Gospel singer whose career spanned nearly 60 years.  She began singing while still in her teens, often songs written by her cousin Thomas A. Dorsey, the “Father of Gospel Music.”  Over the years, she sang for princes and presidents and reportedly was one of the first black singers to sing in white churches.  In 1969, she released her first album, The World’s Most Exciting Gospel Singer, for which she was nominated for a Grammy.  The following year, she released what would become her best-selling album, Stand Tall.  Willa Mae Dorsey, age 75, died on January 5, 2009 after a series of strokes.


Died On This Date (January 27, 1972) Mahalia Jackson / Gospel Music Icon

Mahalia Jackson
October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972

mahalia-jackson

Mahalia Jackson was a powerful gospel singer who many consider to be the most influential of the genre.  After a childhood that consisted of living in a three-room home with twelve other family members, Jackson moved to Chicago at the age of sixteen.  Two years later, she met Thomas A. Dorsey, the so-called Father of Gospel Music, who helped launch her career.   Over the course of her career, Jackson record upwards of thirty-five albums, and a string of million-selling singles, including “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” her signature song written by Dorsey.  Mahalia Jackson died of diabetes and heart failure at the age of 60.

What You Should Own

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Gospels, Spirituals & Hymns - Mahalia Jackson

Died On This Date (January 23, 1993) Thomas A. Dorsey / The Father Of Gospel Music

Thomas A. Dorsey
July 1, 1899 – January 23, 1993

Thomas A. Dorsey was a ’20s era singer, musician and composer who has been called the “Father of Gospel.”  Dorsey’s career began in jazz during the early ’20s, a time when he formed the backing band for Ma Rainey.  In 1928, and going by the name, Georgia Tom, Dorsey teamed up with Tampa Red to record “Tight Like That” which went on to sell seven million copies.  Over the course of his career, he is said to have written over 400 songs.  During the mid ’20s, Dorsey set his focus creating a music that would become known as Gospel.  He took standard Christian praise and married it with jazz and blues.  Many of his gospel songs have become standards and have been recorded by greats of future generations of rock ‘n roll and R&B.  Thomas A. Dorsey was 93 when he passed away on January 23, 1993.

What You Should Own

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Precious Lord Recordings of the Great Gospel Songs of Thomas A. Dorsey - Thomas A. Dorsey