Happy in the service of the Lord

Description

"Happy in the Service of the Lord" provides an in-depth look at the development of the African-American gospel quartet. Focusing argely on Memphis - long famous for its blues, jazz, and soul music - Kip Lornell reveals the special contributions that quartet members have made to the cultural and musical identity of the city. The author traces the evolution of such groups as the I. C. Glee Club Quartet, the Spirit of Memphis, the Sunset Travelers, and the Southern Wonders from the early 1920s to the late 1980s. Drawing on extensive interviews and field research, Lornell describes a unique world of radio personalities, quartet unions, fans, promoters, and singing teachers. What emerges is a fascinating picture of the complex, multilayered relationships within these communities, enhanced by a probing analysis of the gospel quartets' place within the larger contexts of popular culture and African-American history. "Happy in the Service of the Lord" was first published in 1988. For this second edition, Lornell has added a new chapter on the role of gospel composers and the importance of spirituality in quartet performances. The first chapter, a survey of the history of quartet singing across the United States from Reconstruction to the present, has been completely rewritten to reflect the most recent scholarship. Lornell has also updated and expanded the book's audiography and bibliography.

Description

Afro-American gospel quartets, first formed in the South after the Civil War, have had a profound impact on American folk and popular music. "Happy in the Service of the Lord" provides the first in-depth examination of the development and importance of black American religious quartet singing. Relating the story of a special musical community in a city noted for its blues, jazz, and soul music, Kip Lomell reveals the notable contributions of quartet members to the cultural and musical identity of Memphis. Lornell traces the evolution of such groups as the I.C. Glee Club Quartet, the Spirit of Memphis, the Sunset Travelers, and the Southern Wonders in Memphis from the early 1920s to the late 1980s. Through extensive interviews he reconstructs a unique network of radio personalities, quartet unions, fans, promoters, and singing teachers. Lornell approaches the subject from a variety of perspectives, incorporating such diverse disciplines as history, musicology, geography, anthropology, folklore, and sociology into his analysis. Emphasizing social organization, quartet training, and performance contexts, he describes the complex, multilayered relationships within these communities and probes the symbiotic relationship among the mass media, popular culture, and black quartets. "Happy in the Service of the Lord" concludes with a listing of Memphis gospel quartets active during this sixty-year period, a discography of their commercial and noncommercial recordings, and a sample travel diary for the Spirit of Memphis Quartet [Publisher description]

Subjects

Series Statement

• Music in American life

Other Editions

• Happy in the service of the Lord: Afro-American gospel quartets in MemphisUniversity of Illinois Press1988-01-01
• Happy in the service of the LordUniversity of Tennessee Press1995-01-01
• Happy in the service of the LordUniversity of Tennessee Press1995-01-01