Saturday Night Live Gospel Black History Song of the Night
- He transformed church music by blending blues and jazz rhythms with sacred lyrics, creating a powerful and emotionally expressive style that reshaped worship in the 20th century.
- Dorsey wrote more than 3,000 songs, including the enduring gospel anthem “Take My Hand, Precious Lord.”
- Dorsey founded the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses, helping to formalize and expand gospel music nationwide.
Saturday Night Live Gospel Black History Song of the Night
The Father of Gospel Music Prof. Thomas A. Dorsey
Precious Lord Take My Hand
Dr. Thomas Andrew Dorsey (July 1, 1899 – January 23, 1993) was an American musician revered as the “Father of Gospel Music.” He transformed church music by blending blues and jazz rhythms with sacred lyrics, creating a powerful and emotionally expressive style that reshaped worship in the 20th century.
A gifted pianist and prolific composer, Dorsey wrote more than 3,000 songs, including the enduring gospel anthem “Take My Hand, Precious Lord.” He began his career in the 1920s as a blues pianist and composer under the name “Georgia Tom,” gaining recognition for his work in hokum, a comedic form of blues. Following a period of personal tragedy and spiritual renewal, Dorsey devoted his life to sacred music, becoming a trailblazer in the emerging gospel movement.
Born in Villa Rica, Georgia, to a minister father and an organist mother, Dorsey was immersed in music from an early age. His innovative gospel compositions—once controversial for their blues influence—eventually found a home in churches across the nation. He later served as music director at Chicago’s Pilgrim Baptist Church, where his influence continued to grow.
In 1932, Dorsey founded the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses, helping to formalize and expand gospel music nationwide. He also mentored legendary gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, further shaping the genre’s future.
Through timeless songs such as “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” and “Peace in the Valley,” Dorsey bridged the gap between secular blues and spiritual worship. His lasting impact earned him numerous honors, including induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and secured his place as one of the most influential figures in American religious music history.
Here’s a clip behind the story of Precious Lord told by Dr. Thomas A. Dorsey
Here is another song by The Father of Gospel Music Dr. Thomas A. Dorsey sung by Maggie Ingram “The Lord Will Make a Way Somehow”
