'The song isn’t just about sadness, though. Jesse Jackson frames King’s work not as an end, but as an inspiration for the ongoing work of liberation.' | nberlat
Mavis Staples and Mahalia Jackson perform at the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969, as shown in Summer of Soul. Courtesy Searchlight Pictures, directed by Questlove, is a stunning tribute to the almost–forgotten 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival and to the Black community of New York City. But the festival didn’t just feature musicians from New York; it drew on performers from across the country and beyond. San Francisco is represented by psychedelic soul pioneers Sly and the Family Stone.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s favorite song was Chicago gospel pioneer Thomas A. Dorsey’s “Precious Lord,” written after Dorsey’s wife and child died. Mahalia often sang it at King’s civil rights rallies. There she was sometimes backed by the Operation Breadbasket Orchestra and Choir, under the musical direction of saxophonist Ben Branch. Branch was the last person King spoke to before he was shot; he asked him to play “Precious Lord.
The song isn’t just about sadness, though. Jesse Jackson frames King’s work not as an end, but as an inspiration for the ongoing work of liberation. He compares King to Moses who didn’t get to see the Promised Land. “He didn’t die crying or die afraid. He died asking the Lord to lend his hand to help him to lead us.”
Staples has one of the all-time great voices in any genre ever, and the camera pans to people in the audience laughing and shaking their heads in disbelief as she roars “Precious Lord, take my hand!” ad libbing “Oh yeahs!” and “Yes I ams!,” putting a “Hah!” at the end of each line. She literally hops up and down on stage as if the power of her own singing is blasting her off the Earth.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Your Weekly Horoscope for Your Best Life — Best LifeLooking for cosmic guidance over the next week? Best Life presents a weekly horoscope for March 13 to March 19 from astrologer Lauren Ash.
Read more »
The Best Speakers for Music of 2022Find and purchase the best speakers for music today! Read our guide to see the top rated speakers for music & choose the perfect one for you.
Read more »
The best Garmin watches for 2022 | Digital TrendsThe Apple Watch isn't the only game in town. For athletes into outdoor sports, Garmin has proven to be a viable alternative. Here are our favorite watches.
Read more »
The best home theater projectors for 2022 | Digital TrendsHometheater projectors can deliver an awesome big-screen experience, offering some of the most impressive visuals out there. Here, we've rounded up the best.
Read more »
Indiana Sports Betting: The Best IN Betting Sites – March 2022Find out about the best Indiana sports betting sites for legal betting in the Hoosier state including the brilliant sign up offers available.
Read more »
The best MacBook in 2022 | Digital TrendsWith three MacBook models to choose from, which should you buy? Our guide examines the performance, battery life, design, and more to find your answer.
Read more »