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Thomas Dorsey
Topic Started: May 13 2007, 08:48 AM (73 Views)
Dewey
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HOLY CARP!!!
No, not Tommy Dorsey.

Thomas A. Dorsey. Blues aficionados know him better as "Georgia Tom" Dorsey, one of the true bules masters. A pianist and songwriter, Dorsey was a major force in the blues world in the 1920's, and he played with greats such as "Tampa Red" Whitaker and Ma Rainey. All through the 20's and early 30's, Georgia Tom Dorsey was on top of the world. And then the world collapsed.

In 1932, Dorsey's wife died in childbirth, and his newborn son died the next day. Dorsey was devastated.

In the depths of his despair, he turned all of his musical efforts to writing music about his faith, in an effort to work through his grief and doubts in the face of his personal loss. He had started several years earlier to write faith-based songs infused with the blues and jazz that he loved, but now his efforts expanded.

In the wake of his loss, Dorsey wrote the song, "Precious Lord, Take My Hand." In the years since it was written, it has become a classic. Through this process, Dorsey was established as the founder, the father of Gospel Music, a term he first used to describe his songs.

Not only did Dorsey's experiences liead to an entirely new musical genre, but he went on to found the first African-American music publishing company, which published music by African-Americans whose works were being shut out by discriminatory practices.

"Precious Lord, Take My Hand" has become a favorite piece of gospel music around the world, recorded by dozens of performers. It was a personal favorite of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Thomas A. Dorsey died in 1993. The legacy of his great achievements, born in the midst of what seemed like tragic and insurmountable personal loss, live on for all of us.

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