Known as the father of black gospel music, dorsey combined african american church hymns such as those by methodist minister, charles a. A medical examiner ruled today that bandleader tommy dorsey, the sentimental gentleman of swing, accidentally choked. Guitar, pianokeyboard, vocal sheet music book by tommy dorsey. That same year, he also founded the first publishing house devoted exclusively to selling music by black gospel composers. His first gospel song, if you see my savior tell him that you saw me was published in 1932. The classic gospel song precious lord was written by. He served as music director from 1932 into the late1970s for chicagos pilgrim baptist church. With his brother jimmy, dorsey helped define american. The weeklong event consists of daily classes, workshops, and plenary sessions featuring world renowned musical artists and. Tommy dorsey born november 19, 1905, mahanoy plane, pennsylvania, usa died november 26, 1956, greenwich, connecticut, usa was an american trombonist, trumpeter, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. Tommy dorsey american music research center university. Every year since 1933, ncgcc convenes in a different city for its annual convention.
Thomas andrew dorsey july 1, 1899 january 23, 1993 was an american musician. She thinks that she is working for the us government, but fails to see why she would be involved. Tromboneology tommy dorsey and his orchestra hal ablesser, claude bowen, ziggy elman, mickey mangano, charlie shaverstp tommy dorsey, w. A major big band leader is the subject of a new book. Dorseys luck appeared to be on the upswing by 1932, the year he organized one of the first gospel choirs at chicagos pilgrim baptist church. The tommy dorsey orchestra calls orlando, florida, home, and still loves to travel and tour. He was married to jane karl new, patricia dane and mildred a kraft. Fight alabama the blue and the white choo choo, rah rah the brown and the blue forever.
His father was a baptist preacher, and his mother a piano teacher. Tommy was a perfectionist and experienced heavy turnover in personnel from the inception of his band, the tommy dorsey orchestra. Dorsey was known as the father of gospel music and was at one time so. After a successful career as a blues musician, he switched to gospel music. Dorsey, who was born in villa rica, georgia, was the music director at pilgrim baptist church in chicago from 1932 until the late 1970s. Dorsey marion williams precious lord recordings of the great gospel songs of thomas a. He was the son of thomas madison dorsey, a morehouse. Harris called the rise of gospel blues in his book of that title, which chronicles the role dorseys music played in urban churches. He was also a highly respected and influential trombonist. I sat down at the piano and my hands began to browse over the keys.
Thomas andrew dorseys telephone number was given to the writer of this newly released book by the name thomas a. Tommy focused on the trombone, though he also played trumpet, especially early in his career. It doesnt seem that all sound the same so its individual and the sound is. No musician evokes the time of the big band era more strikingly than tommy dorsey 1905 1956, whose towering trombone style and smash hits created legions of fans and influenced popular music for decades. The writing style was very good and reading it was easy. The brothers played in local groups, then formed their own band, dorsey s novelty six, in 1920. Dorsey also appears in this compilation tracks of disc 1 8. Tommy dorsey was born on november 19, 1905 in shenandoah, pennsylvania, usa as thomas francis dorsey. His best known composition, take my hand, precious lord, was performed by mahalia jackson and was a favorite of the rev.
Although he was not known for being a notable soloist, his technical skill on th. He died on november 26, 1956 in greenwich, connecticut, usa. With eleanor powell, red skelton, bert lahr, virginia obrien. Tommy dorsey and his orchestra with vocals by frank. Shop 12 records for sale for album and his original orchestra by tommy dorsey on cdandlp in vinyl and cd format. Dorsey is credited as pianist, the father of black gospel music, precious lord. Bud freeman was in and out of the band and legendary drummer buddy rich joined in 1939. Tommy and jimmy played together only infrequently over the next 18 years. This was a very fair read of the life of tommy dorsey, both good and bad points made clear. By 1922, when they played an engagement at a baltimore amusement park and made their radio debut, they were calling the group dorsey s wild canaries.
What took me a while was that i would come across titles of songs recorded by tommy, and then i would go and listen to them on youtube before proceeding further in the book. Dorsey celebrating the father of gospel music musicians wlll be announced food and craft vendors onsite. The father of gospel music wanted to be a secular star christian. The enemy agents got the plan from a pulp novel written by kibble, who is.
In the next years, dorsey spent much of his time on tour and became a successful black music publisher. Others did say its a great introduction, however, so i bought with that in mind. It is an extremely comprehensive method complete in every detail. Less than a year later, however, dorsey was back in. Thomas andrew dorsey was known as the father of black gospel music and was at one time so closely associated with the field that songs written in the. Dorsey remains arguably the most influential figure ever to impact the genre. The gospel great thomas andrew dorsey did indeed weather the death of his wife, nettie, and their newborn child, and these sad events served to inspire him to pen precious lord in 1932. Its certainly not a complete collection, but it offers a nice crosssection of dorsey s biggest hits and, in the process, it functions as a good sampler for novices and casual fans. The book is long on detail, providing extensive information on dorseys musical career. Complete your tommy dorsey and his orchestra with vocals by frank sinatra collection.
A brief history of gospel music ministry in america. His other major recordings were tailspin, john silver, so many times. See more ideas about gospel music, mahalia jackson and blue song. He was the founder and first president of the national convention of gospel. Dorsey was known as the father of gospel music and was at one time so closely associated with the field that songs written in the new style were sometimes known as dorseys. Peter levinson, the author of criticially acclaimed biographies of harry james and nelson riddle, has now written the definitive account of this icon of jazz, drawing on exhaustive new. A versatile composer whose material shifted easily from energetic hard gospel to gossamer hymns, he penned many of the bestknown songs in the gospel canon, among them take my hand, precious lord and peace in the valley.
He was the founder and first president of the national convention of gospel choir and choruses. Alfred music digital sheet music at sheet music plus. Thomas dorsey, not to be confused with the bigband leader, is the father of black gospel music. Black gospel music is built on bedrock tunes like thomas dorsey s the old ship of zion, sung in 1948 by norsalus mckissick. He recorded and composed the jazz and pop standards im glad there is you in this world of ordinary people and its the dreamer in me. Peace in the valley by tommy dorsey digital sheet music. Dorsey was known as the father of black gospel music and was at one time so closely associated with the field that songs written in the new style were sometimes known as dorseys. November 19, 1905 november 26, 1956 was an american jazz trombonist, trumpeter, composer, and bandleader of the big band era. Thomas dorsey birthplace festival 2021, an event in villa.
Please leave a detailed message so that we can best serve your needs. Print and download peace in the valley sheet music. Dorsey was the music director at pilgrim baptist church in chicago, illinois, from 1932 until the late1970s. James francis dorsey february 29, 1904 june 12, 1957, professionally known as jimmy dorsey, was an american jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, composer and big band leader. The national convention of gospel choirs and choruses ncgcc was founded by dr. For more than 40 years, he was the choir director chicagos pilgrim baptist church. Dorsey later became known as the father of black gospel music and wrote several well known gospel standards. Thomas dorsey established the first black gospel publishing company, dorsey s house of music in 1932 after growing dissatisfied with the way the music publishing industry treated africanamerican composers.
Say amen, somebody restoration unveils the wonder of the gospel pioneers. Tommy dorsey and his original orchestra vinyl records, lp. Greatest hits is a brief collection of tommy dorsey s bestknown songs, including marie, im getting sentimental over you, the song is you, and 15 other tracks. Tommy dorsey the composer of precious lord take my hand was a jazz pianist and composer was born in 1899 and died in 1993. Chapter 1 1935 chapter 2 1936 chapter 3 1937 chapter 5 1939 chapter 6 1940 chapter 7 1941 chapter 8 1942 chapter 9 1943 chapter 10 1944 chapter 11 1945 chapter 12 1946. The modern trombonist by tommy dorsey is subtitled a complete method for the trombone. Miss winters is a dancer with the tommy dorsey orchestra and is asked to secretly transport a prototype magnetic mine to puerto rico. He came to combine elements of the blues with religious music in the many gospel.
The experience so transformed dorsey creatively and spiritually, that legend has it that he composed his most famous gospel song, take my hand precious lord, during a mourning service that very week. He was known as the sentimental gentleman of swing, because of his smoothtoned trombone playing. December 31, 2005 a major big band leader is the subject of a new book. Dorsey was a pianist and composer, then mainly of secular blues music. Paul gospel singer thelma buckner met dorsey and talked about his legacy with minnesota public radios dan olson. Dorsey was the music director at pilgrim baptist church in chicago, illinois, from 1932 until the late 1970s. Dorsey gospel song music publishing company, a publisher of inexpensive gospel blues music.