averyfineline

Via David Bruce Murray, die-hard gospel-music history buffs might want to check out Routledge Press’s Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music. I haven’t worked with this particular text before, but Routledge has several volumes on music, especially a multi-volume set on the psychology of music, that I’ve found helpful and comprehensive.

The cover suggests that as per usual “gospel” will be seen as largely a black phenomenon, which isn’t necessarily a problem, except when the white roots are treated (as they often are, alas) as hillbilly folk music about Jesus. Still, good intellectual work don’t come cheap, so don’t let DBM’s cheapskating scare you off if you’re interested and curious. Worse comes to worse and you hate it, donate it to your local library.

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