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Thomas A. Dorsey

The father of gospel music.

Founded

July 1, 1899 in Villa Rica, Georgia

Full Name

Date of Birth

July 1, 1899 in Villa Rica, Georgia

Still Alive

Date of Death

January 23, 1993 in Chicago, Illinois

Influenced By

Spirituals, Ragtime, Blues, Jazz, Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith

Later Influenced

Mahalia Jackson, Sallie Martin, Albertina Walker, James Cleveland, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Little Richard, James Brown

Thomas Dorsey c. 1928

About The artist

"The acknowledged father of gospel music, Thomas A. Dorsey remains arguably the most influential figure ever to impact the genre. A versatile composer whose material shifted easily from energetic hard gospel to gossamer hymns, he penned many of the best-known songs in the gospel canon, among them 'Take My Hand, Precious Lord' and 'Peace in the Valley'; the founder of the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses, he was also a pioneering force in the renowned Chicago gospel community, where he helped launch the careers of legends including Mahalia Jackson and Sallie Martin."
Jason Ankeny, Allmusic.com

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Did you know...

Faced with rejection by some churches of his up-tempo spirituals, Dorsey is quoted as having said, "I've been thrown out of some of the best churches in America."