MSC HST 5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Memphis Soul, The Soul Stirrers
Document Summary
Started in 50s, picked up speed in 60s. White gospel melded with country in 60s and 70s and was replaced by christian rock. Black gospel still active in protestant and some catholic churches. Most soul singers started as professional gospel singers, started to make secular music. Develops as civil rights movement is really heating up. Provides gospel singers a way to make more money, reach a bigger audience. Treated as dangerous at first because it"s a new style from the aa community. Political agenda=asserting the value and identity of aa culture. Themes: sex and romance from r&b, unique struggles of aa, more serious than r&b. Risky for a gospel singer to try and go soul, use pseudonyms. Melisma- technique that involves putting a million pitches onto one syllable of text. Early soul is very r&b, influence lessens over time. Used the name dale cooke so he wouldn"t lose gospel fans. Pursued a pop sound, considered a teen idol.
