The Sweet Sound of Gospel

Today I wrote the obituary for Marie Knight, a gospel singer with a powerful voice who during the late 1940s and 50s teamed up with Sister Rosetta Tharpe, an influential gospel singer who blurred the lines between gospel music, R&B and the blues.

While Knight was not as well-known as Tharpe, she had an amazing voice. While she had some crossover hits in the 1950s and 60s, she was mainly a gospel singer and retreated back to her roots during the later years of her life.

But in 2002, she made a comeback, recording on a Tharpe tribute album and in 2007 recorded her first solo album since the late 1970s.

Most days in the office I don't actually have an excuse to bop my head around listening to music. Today was an exception. And while I am hardly religious, recordings of Knight singing had me tapping my feet, wishing I were hanging in the gospel tent at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

Please turn your volume up real loud and take a listen. Let us know what you think. Will you perhaps purchase a Marie Knight recording?

See the videos on the next page....

Marie Knight, "I Thank You Jesus"