Mahalia Jackson Essay

Submitted By mztwe3ty
Words: 692
Pages: 3
Open Document
Mahalia Jackson
20th century recording artist Mahalia Jackson, known as the Queen of Gospel, is revered as one of the greatest musical figures in U.S. history. Born on October 26, 1911, in New Orleans, Louisiana, Mahalia Jackson started singing as a child at Mount Moriah Baptist Church and went on to become one of the most revered gospel figures in the U.S. Her recording of “Move OnUp a Little Higher” was a major hit and she subsequently became an international figure for music lovers from a variety of backgrounds. She worked with artists like Duke Ellington and Thomas A. Dorsey and also sang at the 1963 March on Washington at the request of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. She died on January 27, 1972. Brought up in a devout Christian family, Jackson still found herself influenced by the secular sounds of blues artists like Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey. Jackson’s sanctified style of performance would also rely upon freer movement and rhythm when contrasted to the styles seen in more conservative congregations. After moving to Chicago as a teen with the aim of studying nursing, Mahalia Jackson joined the Greater Salem Baptist Church and soon became a member of the Johnson Gospel Singers. She performed with the group for a number of years. Jackson then started working with Thomas A. Dorsey, a gospel composer; the two performed around the U.S., further cultivating an audience for Jackson. She also took on a number of jobs -- working as a laundress, beautician and flower shop owner for example -- before her musical career went into the stratosphere. She wed Isaac Hockenhull in 1936, with the two later divorcing. While she made some recordings in the 1930s, Mahalia Jackson tasted major success with "Move On Up a Little Higher" in 1947, which sold millions of copies and became the highest selling gospel single in history. She became more in demand, making radio and television appearances and going on tour, eventually performing in Carnegie Hall on October 4, 1950 to a racially integrated audience. Jackson also had a successful 1952 tour abroad in Europe, and she was especially popular in France and Norway. She had her own gospel program on the CBS television network in 1954 and scored a pop hit with "Rusty Old Halo”.
In 1956, Jackson made her debut on The Ed Sullivan Show and in 1958 appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island, performing with Duke Ellington and his band. Ellington and Jackson worked together on an album released the same year under Columbia Records titled Black, Brown and Beige. Future Columbia recordings from Jackson included The Power and the Glory (1960), Silent Night: Songs for Christmas (1962) and Mahalia (1965).
In 1959, Jackson appeared in the film Imitation of Life. By the end of the decade, much of Jackson’s work featured crossover production styles; she was an international
Show More

Related Documents: Mahalia Jackson Essay

Jackson Mahalia Essay

Jackson Mahalia My Research topic is Jackson Mahalia, she was born on the 26th October 1911 and died on 27th January 1972. She died at the age of sixty-one years old. From what I know after reading the passage, she was one of the greatest gospel singers of all times. Mahalia Jackson Began to sing at the age of four years old in the children’s choir at Plymouth Rock Baptist. Mahalia Jackson also became the symbol of the civil rights movement during the famous march on Washington in 1963. Mahalia…

Words 523 - Pages 3

African American Influence

jazz musicians such as Fletcher Henderson, Coleman Hawkins, and James P. Johnson.considering her to be one of the most greatest blues singers in the 1920’s and 30’s. “Her singing talent has exerted a huge influence on popular American singers; Mahalia Jackson, Janis Joplin and Norah Jones have all given her credit as their inspiration.” (us-history) “In 1989 Bessie Smith was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame under the category of Early Influence.” (encyclopedia) Louis Armstrong was the greatest…

Words 322 - Pages 2

Essay About Gospel Singer Shirley Caesar

named the Caesar Singers but she also occasionally reunited with the Caravans and Reverend Cleveland throughout the years. 7. In 1971, she won her first Grammy Award and it was the first time a black female gospel singer won a Grammy since Mahalia Jackson. Caesar went on and won several more Grammys in her career. She earned a total of 7 Grammy Awards. Read the original story via…

Words 457 - Pages 2

King VS Lincoln Essay

the speech. Clarence Jones, a speech writer that collaborated with King on an early draft of the speech described how a single outburst of encouragement changed the course of one of the most famous speeches in history. Legendary gospel singer Mahalia Jackson was a close friend of King who had been invited to sing two songs at the event. She was standing near…

Words 952 - Pages 4

The Major Cause Of The Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights Movement “I have a dream” the famous words of Martin Luther king jr that major speech was not planned while Martin was standing he started his speech but somebody yelled out from behind him on the risers “tell them about the dream“ .The dream is a topic brought up in the last speech that day held by Martin .This was a very important part of the civil rights movement let me take a closer look at that .There are so many ways to describe the civil rights movement , immense , touching…

Words 740 - Pages 3

The Influence of Gospel Music Essay

that amplified both the emotional and musical intensity of their songs. ("Black Gospel") At the same time that quartet groups were reaching their zenith in the 1940s and 1950s, a number of women singers were achieving stardom. Some, such as Mahalia Jackson and Bessie Griffin, were primarily soloists, while others, such as Clara Ward, The Caravans, The Davis Sisters and Dorothy Love Coates, and sang in small groups. While some groups, such as The Ward Singers, employed the sort of theatrics and daring…

Words 2307 - Pages 10

Selling The Race-Culture, Community, And Black Chicago

Book Report of “Selling the Race-Culture, Community, and Black Chicago, 1940-1955” Author, Adam Green HIST/AFST 3260 Adam Green’s book which depicts the life of the African American people, post-war, during the times of 1940-1955 in the city of Chicago; not only their lives in general but their lives as a group of peoples and how after slavery, after the war, and the great migration north how they tried to or in some cases successfully reinvented, redefined and promoted themselves as people…

Words 1092 - Pages 5

A Beautiful Aged Fine Wine Essay

A Beautiful Aged Fine Wine Kaplan University HU300 – 19 A Beautiful Aged Fine Wine Ha! Music…the life string for some people, music is storytelling. It can be a story of great happiness, or a sad tale, it can make you laugh, and it can make you cry. Music is the window to the soul of some, with music their beauty shines, they ooze sex appeal. Music is electrifying, energetic, powerful, and excited. It can send shivers through people’s body and restore one’s faith. Childhood, a great…

Words 1316 - Pages 6

Dr. Martin Luther King Research Paper

Communications Essay DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. SPEECH “I HAVE A DREAM” Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15 , 1929 and died on April 4, 1968. He was born Michael Luther King Jr. but decided to change his name to Martin. Both Martin Luther’s grandfather and father were pastors of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. Martin Luther carried on the tradition and served as pastor from 1960-1968 (Nobel Prize, 1). He was a big part of the civil rights movement for his race…

Words 1417 - Pages 6