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Imagine a people, passing through the crucible of slavery, for hundreds of years, until the first people in your new lineage are often lost in time – because slaves have no more families or histories any more than cattle or sheep do – and coming out the other side, proud, shining, and triumphant.  Imagine using that experience to lay the foundations of music that became the soundtrack within the lives of billions of people around the world.  In the wake of so much devastation, the sounds of faith, love, dignity and freedom were heard and shared until they echoed the world over.  Many times, they were there to drown out more modern pains, and were used to inspire other people to face new adversities.  It started with African Spirituals, and those Spirituals gradually became Gospel Music.  

This is a music that has given people a sense of holy urgency and righteousness all over the world.  The Christians that created this music believed with everything they had in them that it was ‘the holy spirit’ that gave them the authority.  This was not performance.  This was leadership.

PS.  My sincerest thanks to all of you repeat listeners out there in the following cities.  Your interests in what I'm doing makes this so rewarding!

·       As Sulaymānīyah, As Sulaymānīyah

·       Atlanta, GA

·       Austin, TX

·       Birmingham, Al

·       Centennial, CO

·       Charlotte, NC

·       Chatillon, Ile-d-France

·       Clermont, FL

·       Clinchy, Ile-de-France

·       Columbus, OH

·       Compton, CA

·       Cordoba, Andalusia

·       Dallas, TX 

·       Dusseldorf, N Rhine-Westpghalia

·       Fruitland, ID

·       Hough, OH

·       Hyderabad, Telangana

·       Islington, England

·       Lake Stevens, WA

·       Lanham-Seabrook, MD

·       Lillenthal, Lower Saxony

·       Los Angeles

·       Maidenhead, England

·       Manhattan, NY

·       Munster, North Rhine-Westphalia

·       Olympia, WA

·       Osaka, Japan

·       Placentia, CA

·       Reno, NV

·       San Antonio, TX

·       San Diego, CA

·       San Francisco, CA

·       Sao Paulo,  Brazil

·       Sharjah, UAE

·       South Salt Lake, UT

·       Tokyo, Japan

·       Walsall, England

·       Washington, VA

·       Yorba Linda, CA

 

Included in this episode:

·        Excerpt from Amistad

·       Excerpt from Fountain Hughes interview; WPA and John Lomax

·       Work Holler

·       West Indies Slave Chant - Roger Gibbs (Earliest Recorded Slave Chant from 1775)

·       Roll Jordan Roll - From 12 Years a Slave

·       Title Unknown - The Singing and Praying Band

·       Title Unknown - The McIntosh County Shouters

·       Rock My Soul - The Spirit Chorale of Los Ang

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