94-505: The Soul Stirrers were an American gospel music group, whose career spans over eighty years. The group was a pioneer in the development of the quartet style of gospel, and a major influence on Soul , R&B , Doo wop , and Southern soul , some of the secular music that owed much to gospel. The group was formed by (Silas) Roy Crain , launching his first quartet who sang in a jubilee style, in 1926 in Trinity, Texas , United States. In
188-516: A call and response fashion, heavily influenced by ancestral African music. Most of the churches relied on hand–clapping and foot–stomping as rhythmic accompaniment. Most of the singing was done a cappella . The first published use of the term "gospel song" appeared in 1874. The original gospel songs were written and composed by authors such as George F. Root , Philip Bliss , Charles H. Gabriel , William Howard Doane , and Fanny Crosby . Gospel music publishing houses emerged. The advent of radio in
282-483: A falsetto style that had its antecedents in African music, but which was new to the popular jubilee singing style of the time. He pioneered the "swing lead", in which two singers would share the job of leading the song, allowing virtuoso singers to increase the emotional intensity of the song as the lead passed between them without disturbing the four part harmony. That innovation led The Soul Stirrers, while still called
376-779: A branch museum in New York City. On November 18, 2008, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex NYC opened in Manhattan 's SoHo district. Located at 76 Mercer Street just west of Broadway , the Annex occupied an underground space of 25,000 square feet (2,300 m ). The branch museum operated in much the same way as its Cleveland parent, featuring archetypal display pieces like Prince 's coat from Purple Rain , David Byrne 's "big suit" from Stop Making Sense , and Elvis Presley 's motorcycle jacket and his Bible. But from its start
470-683: A fact that was commemorated in Albert E. Brumley 's 1937 song, "Turn Your Radio On" (which is still being published in gospel song books). (In 1972, a recording of " Turn Your Radio On " by the Lewis Family was nominated for Gospel Song of the Year .) The Soul Stirrers introduced R.H. Harris, Sam Cooke, and Johnnie Taylor. Sensational Nightingales , Swan Silvertones, the Soul Stirrers, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Five Blind Boys of Mississippi and
564-443: A few, began recording music that had this positive Christian country flair. These mainstream artists have now become award winners in this genre. Some proponents of "standard" hymns generally dislike gospel music of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, believing that it emphasizes emotion over doctrine. For example, Patrick and Sydnor complain that commercial success led to a proliferation of such music, and "deterioration, even in
658-584: A key role in breaking several major acts in the U.S. during the 1970s and 1980s, including David Bowie , who began his first U.S. tour in the city, Bruce Springsteen , Roxy Music , and Rush among many others. During early discussions on where to build the Hall of Fame and Museum, the Foundation's board considered a site along the Cuyahoga River in downtown Cleveland. Ultimately, the chosen location
752-516: A long search for the right city, Cleveland was chosen in 1986 as the Hall of Fame's permanent home. Architect I. M. Pei designed the new museum, and it was dedicated on September 1, 1995. The RRHOF Foundation was established in 1983 by Ahmet Ertegun, who assembled a team that included publisher of Rolling Stone magazine Jann S. Wenner , record executives Seymour Stein , Bob Krasnow , and Noreen Woods, and attorneys Allen Grubman and Suzan Evans. The Foundation began inducting artists in 1986, but
846-849: A lot of discussion about this," said Terry Stewart, a member of the nominating committee. "There had always been conversations about why the groups weren't included when the lead singers were inducted. Very honestly, nobody could really answer that question – it was so long ago ... We decided we'd sit down as an organization and look at that. This is the result." Early Influences includes artists from earlier eras, primarily country , folk , jazz , and blues , whose music inspired and influenced rock and roll artists. Other notable artists that have been inducted as Early Influences include Bill Kenny & The Ink Spots , country musicians Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams , blues musician Howlin' Wolf , and jazz musicians Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong . After Nat King Cole and Billie Holiday in 2000, no one
940-416: A number of quotations similar to the complaints of Patrick and Sydnor. However, he also provided this quotation: "Gospel hymnody has the distinction of being America's most typical contribution to Christian song. As such, it is valid in its inspiration and in its employment." Today, with historical distance, there is a greater acceptance of such gospel songs into official denominational hymnals. For example,
1034-436: A quartet, to acquire five members. The Soul Stirrers made other important changes in those years: ad-libbing lyrics, singing in delayed time, and repeating words in the background as both a rhythmic and emotional support for the lead singers. The Soul Stirrers along with other quartet performers, dropped the "flatfooted" style of jubilee quartets before them and expanded their repertoire from spirituals and traditional hymns to
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#17327731470051128-423: A solo career in pop music, The Soul Stirrers' preeminence in gospel was essentially over, though a brief period of success with Johnnie Taylor sustained the group for a time. The group made several appearances performing on TV Gospel Time in early 1960s. Various line-ups continued touring and recording throughout the last half of the century to a small and devoted following. The group – and all of its members –
1222-405: A standard which to begin with was not high, resulted." They went on to say, "there is no doubt that a deterioration in taste follows the use of this type of hymn and tune; it fosters an attachment to the trivial and sensational which dulls and often destroys sense of the dignity and beauty which best befit the song that is used in the service of God." Gold reviewed the issue in 1958, and collected
1316-469: A store, and a café. "In designing this building," Pei said, "it was my intention to echo the energy of rock and roll. I have consciously used an architectural vocabulary that is bold and new, and I hope the building will become a dramatic landmark for the city of Cleveland and for fans of rock and roll around the world." In 2006 the RRHOF partnered with three entertainment production companies to create
1410-521: A week of events including free concerts, a gospel celebration, exhibition openings, free admission to the museum, and induction ceremonies at Public Hall. Millions viewed the television broadcast of the Cleveland inductions; tens of thousands traveled to Ohio during induction week to participate in the events. The economic impact of the 2009 induction week activities was more than $ 13 million, and it provided an additional $ 20 million in media exposure for
1504-523: A weekly radio show (WIND) with other famous groups including The Golden Gate Quartet and The Famous Blue Jay Singers . As the gospel quartet style of singing became more popular, groups would perform in competitions called "song battles" to further increase the genre's popularity. As World War II began, it became more difficult for many gospel quartet groups to make a living. It resulted in some quartets supplementing their income by doing live performances at churches, schools, and neighborhood centers. Despite
1598-431: Is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland , Ohio , United States, on the shore of Lake Erie . The museum documents the history of rock music and the artists, producers, engineers, and other notable figures and personnel who have influenced its development. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation was established on April 20, 1983, by Ahmet Ertegun , founder and chairman of Atlantic Records . After
1692-564: Is a subgenre of gospel music with a country flair, is also known as inspirational country. Webb Pierce, the Oak Ridge Boys and Granpa Jones recorded Christian country music records. Christian country over the years has progressed into a mainstream country sound with inspirational or positive country lyrics. In the mid–1990s, Christian country hit its highest popularity. This popularity was such that mainstream artists like Larry Gatlin , Charlie Daniels and Barbara Mandrell , just to name
1786-778: Is now simply referred to as "The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll". The most recent songs on the list are Gnarls Barkley 's " Crazy " and My Chemical Romance 's " Welcome to the Black Parade ", both released in 2006. The Beatles and the Rolling Stones are the most represented on the 660-song list, with eight songs each. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame celebrated its 25th anniversary with a concert series over two days on October 29 and 30, 2009 at Madison Square Garden in New York. The celebration included performances by Jerry Lee Lewis , U2 , Patti Smith , Bruce Springsteen and
1880-406: Is part of a permanent exhibit at the museum, and was envisioned as part of the museum from its opening in 1995. It contains songs recorded from the 1920s through the 1990s. The oldest song on the list is " Wabash Cannonball " (in particular Roy Acuff 's 1936 version), written c. 1882 and credited to J. A. Roff. Since then, however, an additional 160 songs have been added, and the list
1974-823: Is the most well–known form, often seen in Black churches, non–Black Pentecostal and evangelical churches, and in entertainment spaces across the country and world. It originates from the Southeastern United States ("the South"), where most Black Americans lived prior to the Great Migration . This music was highly influenced by the hymnody of the spirituals and of Watts and, later, the musical style and vision of Dorsey. Whereas northern Black churches did not at first welcome Dorsey's music (having become accustomed to their own more Eurocentric flavorings), after
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#17327731470052068-646: The Everly Brothers , Buddy Holly , and Jerry Lee Lewis . Robert Johnson , Jimmie Rodgers , and Jimmy Yancey were inducted as Early Influences, John Hammond received the Lifetime Achievement Award and Alan Freed and Sam Phillips were inducted as Non-Performers. A nominating committee composed of rock and roll historians selects names for the "Performers" category (singers, vocal groups, bands, and instrumentalists of all kinds), which are then voted on by roughly 500 experts across
2162-655: The Gospel Music Workshop of America , a Black gospel outlet. Late 20th–century musicians such as Elvis Presley , Jerry Lee Lewis , and the Blackwood Brothers were also known for their gospel influences and recordings. Urban contemporary gospel emerged in the late 1960s and early 70s with Edwin Hawkis Singers highly popular "Oh Happy Day" which is still performed worldwide in the 2000s. Artists such as James Cleveland, Aretha Franklin,
2256-588: The Rolling Stones . Designed by I. M. Pei and structurally engineered by Leslie E. Robertson Associates, the building rises above the shores of Lake Erie . It is a combination of geometric forms and cantilevered spaces that are anchored by a 162-foot tower. The tower supports a dual-triangular-shaped glass "tent" that extends (at its base) onto a 65,000-square-foot plaza that provides a main entry facade. The building houses more than 55,000 square feet of exhibition space, as well as administrative offices,
2350-599: The United Methodist Church made this acceptance explicit in The Faith We Sing , a 2000 supplement to the official denominational hymnal. In the preface, the editors say, "Experience has shown that some older treasures were missed when the current hymnals were compiled." Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ( RRHOF ), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall ,
2444-400: The abolition movement provided cross–fertilization. The first published use of the term "Gospel song" probably appeared in 1874 when Philip Bliss released a songbook entitled Gospel Songs. A Choice Collection of Hymns and Tunes . It was used to describe a new style of church music, songs that were easy to grasp and more easily singable than the traditional church hymns , which came out of
2538-406: The 1920s greatly increased the audience for gospel music, and James D. Vaughan used radio as an integral part of his business model, which also included traveling quartets to publicize the gospel music books he published several times a year. Virgil O. Stamps and Jesse R. Baxter studied Vaughan's business model and by the late 1920s were running heavy competition for Vaughan. The 1920s also saw
2632-567: The 1920s greatly increased the audience for gospel music. Following World War II , gospel music moved into major auditoriums, and gospel music concerts became quite elaborate. Black and Southern gospel music are largely responsible for gospel's continued presence in contemporary Christian music , with soul music by far the best–known popular music variant. The styles emerged from the African-American music and American folk music traditions and have evolved in various ways over
2726-470: The 1960s. It has evolved over the years into a popular form of music across the United States and overseas, especially among baby boomers and those living in the South. Like other forms of music the creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of southern gospel varies according to culture and social context. Christian country music , sometimes referred to as country gospel music,
2820-420: The 1970s. One of the most common criticisms of the hall of fame is that the nomination process is controlled by a small number of individuals who are not themselves musicians, such as founders Jann Wenner and Suzan Evans, and writer Dave Marsh , reflecting their personal tastes rather than public opinion as a whole. A former member of the nominations board once commented that "At one point Suzan Evans lamented
2914-445: The 70s and 80s, Urban Contemporary gospel is the most common form of recorded gospel music today. It relies heavily on rhythms and instrumentation common in the secular music of the contemporary era (often including the use of electronic beats), while still incorporating the themes and heritage of the traditional Black gospel genre. Kirk Franklin is the foremost (and by far the bestselling) individual in this genre, while Andrae Crouch,
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3008-407: The Annex also had a distinct New York area focus that made plenty of space for big items like the phone booth from CBGB , layered thick with band stickers over the decades; Bruce Springsteen's own 1957 Chevrolet ; a special gallery reserved for the city's musicians; and an intricate 26-foot (7.9 m) scale model of Manhattan highlighting sites of rock history. Jann Wenner served as chairman of
3102-593: The Clark Sisters , Mary Mary , and Yolanda Adams are also very popular and noteworthy. British black gospel refers to gospel music of the African diaspora in the UK. It is also often referred to as "UK gospel". The distinctive sound is heavily influenced by UK street culture with many artists from the African and Caribbean majority black churches in the UK. The genre has gained recognition in various awards such as
3196-479: The Clark Sisters, and Andraé Crouch followed them. And this pattern would repeat itself in subsequent decades, with new artists like Yolanda Adams and Kirk Franklin making increasingly more bold forays into the secular world with their musical stylings. The current sphere of Black gospel recording artists is almost exclusively of the urban contemporary bent. Also of note is the rise of Christian (or gospel) rap/hip–hop , which has gained increasing popularity since
3290-752: The Clash ( Revolution Rock: The Story of the Clash ), the Doors ( Break on Through: The Lasting Legacy of the Doors ), the Who 's Tommy ( Tommy: The Amazing Journey ), and Bruce Springsteen ( From Asbury Park to the Promised Land: The Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen ). Another thematic temporary exhibit focused on the role of women in rock and roll ( Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power ). Many of these exhibits travel to other museums after closing in Cleveland. A major temporary exhibit in 2017 told
3384-716: The Dixie Hummingbirds were popular in afroamerican gospel fans. In 1964, the Gospel Music Association was established, which in turn began the Dove Awards (in 1969) and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame (in 1972). Both of the latter two groups began primarily for Southern gospel performers, but in the late 1970s, began including artists of other subgenres, which brought in many Black artists. Also in 1969, James Cleveland established
3478-474: The E Street Band , Simon & Garfunkel , Dion DiMucci , Metallica , James Taylor , Bonnie Raitt , Fergie , Mick Jagger , Lou Reed , Ray Davies , Ozzy Osbourne , Paul Simon , Jeff Beck , Buddy Guy , Aretha Franklin , Stevie Wonder , Sting , Little Anthony & the Imperials , and Crosby, Stills and Nash . The first night ran almost six hours with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band closing
3572-696: The Fifties, Sun Records , hip hop music , Cleveland's rock and roll legacy, the music of the Midwest, rock and roll radio and dee-jays, and the many protests against rock and roll. This gallery also has exhibits that focus on individual artists, including the Beatles , the Rolling Stones , Jimi Hendrix and others. Finally, the Ahmet M. Ertegun Exhibition Hall includes a theatre that features films on various subjects such as American Bandstand . The first floor of
3666-681: The Foster Theater, a state-of-the-art 3-D theater that is used for special events and programs. Finally, the top two levels of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame feature large, temporary exhibits. Over the years, numerous exhibits have been installed on these two levels, including exhibits about Elvis Presley , hip-hop , the Supremes , the Who , U2 , John Lennon , the Clash , the Grateful Dead , Bruce Springsteen, Women Who Rock , and
3760-583: The GEM (Gospel Entertainment Music) Awards, MOBO Awards , Urban Music Awards and has its own Official Christian & Gospel Albums Chart . Southern gospel music comes from the Southeastern United States and is similar in sound to Christian country music, but it sometimes known as "quartet music" for its traditional "four men and a piano" set up. The genre, while remaining predominantly White, began to integrate Black gospel stylings in
3854-688: The Hall of Fame inductees, the museum documents the entire history of rock and roll, regardless of induction status. Hall of Fame inductees are honored in a special exhibit located in a wing that juts out over Lake Erie. The exhibit space and inaugural exhibits were designed by Bruce Burdick 's San Francisco design firm The Burdick Group. Since 1986, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has selected new inductees. The formal induction ceremony has been held in New York City 28 times (1986–92, 1994–96, 1998–2008, 2010–11, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2023); three times in Los Angeles (1993, 2013 and 2022); and six times in
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3948-439: The Hall of Fame still had no home. The search committee considered several cities, including Philadelphia (home of rock pioneer Bill Haley and American Bandstand ), Memphis (home of Sun Studios and Stax Records ), Detroit (home of Motown Records ), Cincinnati (home of King Records ), New York City, and Cleveland. Cleveland lobbied for the museum, with civic leaders in Cleveland pledging $ 65 million in public money to fund
4042-584: The Heartbreakers , Marty Stuart , Paul Simon , Graham Nash , John Mellencamp , and Geddy Lee 's basses. The museum also devotes exhibits to photography and artwork related to rock and roll. Among the photographers whose work has been featured at the Hall of Fame are George Kalinsky , Alfred Wertheimer, Tommy Edwards, Kevin Mazur, Janet Macoska, Lynn Goldsmith , Linda McCartney , Mike McCartney , Robert Alford, and George Shuba. The museum also featured
4136-664: The Legends Series. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's most acclaimed program is the annual American Music Masters series. Each year the museum celebrates one of the Hall's inductees with a week-long series of programs that include interviews, film screenings, and, often, a special exhibit. The celebration ends with an all-star concert held at a Cleveland theater. The concerts include a diverse mix of artists, from Hall of Fame inductees to contemporary musicians. The American Music Masters series began in 1996 with Hard Travelin': The Life and Legacy of Pete Seeger . Since then,
4230-513: The Metro Campus of Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland's Campus District . The library and archives' mission is to collect, preserve and provide access to these materials. The library and archives operates on two levels: people may come into the library and read books and magazines, listen to music and other recordings, and watch videos and films. More serious scholars, historians and journalists may also make an appointment for access to
4324-534: The Museum's Foster Theater. The interviews are usually followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience and, often, a performance by the inductee. Among the inductees who have taken part in this series are Darryl "DMC" McDaniels of Run-D.M.C ., Lloyd Price , Martha Reeves , Marky Ramone , Seymour Stein , Ray Manzarek of the Doors , Mary Wilson of the Supremes , Ronnie Spector , Bootsy Collins , Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart , Dennis Edwards of
4418-411: The Soul Stirrers, Swan Silvertones and the Dixie Hummingbirds were famous gospel groups. Christian country music , sometimes referred to as country gospel music, is a subgenre of gospel music with a country flair. Celtic gospel music infuses gospel music with a Celtic flair, and is popular in countries such as Ireland. British black gospel refers to Gospel music of the African diaspora produced in
4512-610: The Southern migrants' new churches became more popular, so did gospel music, gospel choirs, and the general trend toward exclusive use of this music in Black churches. Dorsey, Whitney Houston, Mahalia Jackson, the Mississippi Mass Choir , and the Georgia Mass Choir are but a few notable examples. Developing out of the fusion of traditional Black gospel with the styles of secular Black music popular in
4606-597: The Temptations , and Jorma Kaukonen of the Jefferson Airplane . A similar program is the Legends Series. The only real difference between this program and the Hall of Fame Series is that it features artists who have not yet been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Peter Hook of Joy Division , Spinderella of Salt n Pepa , Tommy James , and the Chi-Lites are among the artists who have participated in
4700-511: The U.S. Other temporary exhibits have included Lennon: His Life and Work , which ran from October 20, 2000, to January 1, 2003. It was followed by In the Name of Love: Two Decades of U2 and then Reflections: The Mary Wilson Supreme Legacy Collection . A major exhibition titled Louder than Words: Rock, Power, Politics was on display during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Other large temporary exhibits have focused on
4794-663: The United Kingdom. According to Yale University music professor Willie Ruff, the singing of psalms in Scottish Gaelic by Presbyterians of the Scottish Hebrides evolved from " lining out "—where one person sang a solo and others followed—into the call and response of gospel music of the American South. Another theory notes foundations in the works of Isaac Watts and others. Moreover,
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#17327731470054888-801: The archival collections under the supervision of the staff archivists. The library is composed of books, academic dissertations, and other references. It also includes popular magazines, scholarly journals and trade publications; commercial audio and video recordings, and research databases. The archival collections include music-business records from record executives, artist managers, labels, historic venues, recording studios, specialists in stage design and lighting, and long-running concert tours. The collections also contain important individual items, such as personal letters penned by Aretha Franklin and Madonna , handwritten working lyrics by Jimi Hendrix and LL Cool J , papers from music journalists such as Sue Cassidy Clark , and rare concert recordings from CBGB in
4982-427: The artwork of Philip Burke in one of its temporary exhibits, and a later exhibit featured Herb Ritts. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum produces numerous public programs, including concerts, interviews, lectures, film screenings, and other events that help tell the story of rock and roll. Every February, the museum celebrates Black History Month by hosting concerts, film screenings and lectures that illustrate
5076-461: The board of the Annex. At its opening night gala, he inadvertently created a controversy after he told a reporter, "One of the small sad things is we didn't do it in New York in the first place." He later expressed regret for his remark which he said had been misconstrued and clarified that "I am absolutely delighted that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is in Cleveland." The Annex closed on January 3, 2010, its quick demise reportedly due to
5170-522: The ceremonies, and they are usually presented with their Hall of Fame award by an artist who was influenced by that inductee's music. Both the presenter and the inductee speak at the ceremonies, which also include numerous musical performances, by both the inductees and the presenters. As of February 2021 , there were 338 inductees. The first group of inductees, inducted on January 23, 1986, included Elvis Presley , James Brown , Little Richard , Fats Domino , Ray Charles , Chuck Berry , Sam Cooke ,
5264-509: The choices being made because there weren't enough big names that would sell tickets to the dinner. That was quickly remedied by dropping one of the doo-wop groups being considered in favor of a 'name' artist ... I saw how certain pioneering artists of the '50s and early '60s were shunned because there needed to be more name power on the list, resulting in '70s superstars getting in before the people who made it possible for them. Some of those pioneers still aren't in today." Sister Rosetta Tharpe
5358-734: The concert series' format was retooled and the event was renamed the Rock Hall Honors, in which the honored performer is joined in concert by guests of their choice. The first Rock Hall Honors concert, featuring Mavis Staples , was performed in Cleveland in September 2019. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame won the 2020 Webby People's Voice Award for Cultural Institution in the category Web. Hall of Fame museum curator James Henke, along with "the museum's curatorial staff and numerous rock critics and music experts", created an unordered list of "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll". The list
5452-490: The concert with special guests John Fogerty , Darlene Love , Tom Morello , Sam Moore , Jackson Browne , Peter Wolf , and Billy Joel . Artists are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at an annual induction ceremony. Over the years, the majority of the ceremonies have been held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. However, on January 12, 1993, the ceremony was held in Los Angeles and
5546-419: The construction, and citing that WJW disc jockey Alan Freed both coined the term " rock and roll " and heavily promoted the new genre, and that Cleveland was the location of Freed's Moondog Coronation Ball , often credited as the first major rock and roll concert. Freed was also a member of the hall of fame's inaugural class of inductees in 1986. In addition, Cleveland cited radio station WMMS , which played
5640-484: The crookedness of the business and immoral behavior by musicians he saw on the "Gospel Highway" touring circuit. He was briefly replaced on lead by Paul Foster, then by Sam Cooke . Cooke joined the group at 19 and served as lead vocalist from 1950 to 1956. One of the early singles with Cooke was "Jesus Gave Me Water", a major hit that brought The Soul Stirrers acclaim. Thomas L. Breuster was replaced by Bob King and, briefly, Julius Cheeks . When Cooke left in 1957 to pursue
5734-624: The days of the Gospel Gangstaz and The Cross Movement . Often considered a subgenre of urban contemporary gospel, Christian rap has become dominated in present times by artists from Reach Records , who have seen perhaps the most commercial success of any artists in the gospel genre; Lecrae (the label's founder and preeminent artist) has charted in the top 10 of on the Billboard 200 three times, with his 2014 album "Anomaly" debuting at No. 1. See also: Traditional Black gospel music
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#17327731470055828-457: The death of the Hall of Fame's co-founder Ahmet Ertegun , this award was renamed in his honor in 2008. Formerly the "Sidemen" award, this category was introduced in 2000 and honors veteran session and concert players who are selected by a committee composed primarily of producers. The category was dormant from 2004 through 2007 and re-activated in 2008. This honor was renamed the "Award for Musical Excellence" in 2010. According to Joel Peresman,
5922-457: The definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is composed and performed for many purposes, including aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, and as an entertainment product for the marketplace. Gospel music is characterized by dominant vocals and strong use of harmony with Christian lyrics. Gospel music can be traced to the early 17th century. Hymns and sacred songs were often performed in
6016-648: The early 1930s, after Crain moved to Houston , he joined an existing group on the condition that it change its name to The Soul Stirrers : this name yields from the description of one of Roy Crain's earlier quartets as "soul-stirring". Among the members of that group there was R.H. (Rebert) Harris , who soon became its musical leader. The Soul Stirrers, formed as a jubilee quartet, transformed their sound, influenced by hard gospel singers such as Mahalia Jackson and Sister Rosetta Tharpe . Rebert Harris, also from Trinity, Texas, brought several changes to The Soul Stirrers that affected gospel quartet singing generally. He used
6110-455: The economic situation, throughout the 1940s and leading into the 1950s, many gospel quartet groups were able to pursue their careers successfully. The Soul Stirrers' nationwide touring gained them an even larger audience. The Soul Stirrers signed with Specialty Records , where they recorded a number of tracks, including "By and By" and "In That Awful Hour". Harris quit in late 1950 to form a new group, citing dissatisfaction with what he viewed as
6204-483: The evolution of audio technology. Visitors enter the Hall of Fame section of the museum on the third floor. This section includes "The Power of Rock Experience", which includes one of Jonathan Demme 's final works, a film shown in the Connor Theater. The film includes musical highlights from some of the Hall's induction ceremonies. Visitors exit the Hall of Fame section on the fourth floor. That level features
6298-494: The first great gospel recording artist. The first person to introduce ragtime to gospel (and the first to play piano on a gospel recording) was Arizona Dranes . The 1930s saw the rise of Black gospel quartets such as the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi and the Five Blind Boys of Alabama . In addition to these high–profile quartets, there were many Black gospel musicians performing in the 1920s and 30s, usually playing
6392-734: The genre arose during a time when literacy was not a guarantee, utilizing a great deal of repetition (which, unlike more traditional hymns, allowed those who could not read the opportunity to participate). Perhaps the most famous gospel–based hymns were composed in the 1760s and 1770s by English writers John Newton (" Amazing Grace ") and Augustus Toplady ("Rock of Ages"), members of the Anglican Church . Starting out as lyrics only, it took decades for standardized tunes to be added to them. Although not directly connected with African–American gospel music, they were adopted by African–Americans as well as white Americans, and Newton's connection with
6486-401: The global financial crisis of 2007–2008 and a subsequent downturn in the city's tourism. The museum's final major exhibition was about John Lennon and his years in New York City. Since 1997, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has featured numerous temporary exhibits that range in size from major exhibits that fill the top two floors of the museum to smaller exhibits that are often installed in
6580-725: The guitar and singing in the streets of Southern cities. In the 1930s, in Chicago, Thomas A. Dorsey turned to gospel music, establishing a publishing house. It has been said that 1930 was the year traditional black gospel music began, as the National Baptist Convention first publicly endorsed the music at its 1930 meeting. Dorsey was responsible for developing the musical careers of many African–American artists, such as Mahalia Jackson (best known for her rendition of his " Precious Lord, Take My Hand "). Meanwhile, radio continued to develop an audience for gospel music,
6674-612: The hall of fame's home in Cleveland (1997, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, and 2021). As of 2018, the induction ceremonies alternate each year between New York and Cleveland. The 2009 and 2012 induction weeks were made possible by a public–private partnership between the City of Cleveland, the State of Ohio , the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and local foundations, corporations, civic organizations and individuals. Collectively these entities invested $ 5.8 million in 2009 and $ 7.9 million in 2012 to produce
6768-476: The idea of a tower with a glass pyramid protruding from it. Pei initially planned the tower to be 200 feet (61 m) high, but was forced to reduce it to 162 feet (49 m) due to the structure's proximity to Burke Lakefront Airport . The building's base is approximately 150,000 square feet (14,000 m ). The groundbreaking ceremony for the building took place on June 7, 1993, with Pete Townshend , Chuck Berry , and Billy Joel in attendance. The museum
6862-635: The important role African-Americans have played in the history of rock and roll. Since the program began in 1996, such artists as Robert Lockwood, Jr. , the Temptations , Charles Brown , Ruth Brown , the Ohio Players , Lloyd Price , Little Anthony and the Imperials , and Al Green have appeared at the museum during Black History Month. Another program is the Hall of Fame Series. This series began in April 1996 and features interviews with Hall of Fame inductees in rare and intimate settings, most often in
6956-426: The main exhibition hall on the lower level. The museum's first major exhibit opened on May 10, 1997. It was called I Want to Take You Higher: The Psychedelic Era, 1965–1969 . It included memorabilia from numerous artists including John Lennon , Eric Clapton , John Sebastian , Jefferson Airplane , and Janis Joplin , as well as items related to the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival and 1969's Woodstock . That exhibit
7050-574: The marketing of gospel records by groups such as the Carter Family . The Pentecostal movement quickly made inroads with churches not attuned to the Europeanized Black church music that had become popular over the years since Emancipation. These congregations readily adopted and contributed to the gospel music publications of the early 20th century. Sister Rosetta Tharpe , pioneer of rock and roll , soon emerged from this tradition as
7144-513: The mass revival movement starting with Dwight L. Moody , whose musician was Ira D. Sankey , as well as the Holiness – Pentecostal movement. Prior to the meeting of Moody and Sankey in 1870, there was an American rural/frontier history of revival and camp meeting songs, but the gospel hymn was of a different character, and it served the needs of mass revivals in the great cities. The revival movement employed popular singers and song leaders,
7238-483: The most famous of them being Ira D. Sankey. The original "gospel" songs were written and composed by authors such as George F. Root , Philip Bliss , Charles H. Gabriel , William Howard Doane , and Fanny Crosby . As an extension to his initial publication Gospel Songs , Philip Bliss, in collaboration with Ira D. Sankey issued no's. 1 to 6 of Gospel Hymns in 1875. Sankey and Bliss's collection can be found in many libraries today. The popularity of revival singers and
7332-746: The most votes being inducted, subject to a minimum of 50% approval. Around five to seven performers are inducted each year. In 2012, six additional groups, the Miracles , the Famous Flames , the Comets , the Blue Caps , the Midnighters , and the Crickets , were inducted as performers by a special committee due to the controversial exclusions when their lead singer was inducted. "There was
7426-472: The museum curated Roots, Rhymes and Rage: The Hip-Hop Story . That was the first major museum exhibit to focus on hip-hop. It ran from November 11, 1999, to August 6, 2000. It was followed by Rock Style , an exhibit that focused on rock and roll and fashion. It featured clothing from Buddy Holly to Alice Cooper , from Ray Charles to David Bowie and from Smokey Robinson to Sly Stone . After it closed in Cleveland, Rock Style traveled to other museums in
7520-515: The museum is the entrance level. It includes a café, a stage that the museum uses for various special performances and events throughout the year, and a section called "Backstage Stories". The second floor includes several interactive kiosks that feature programs on one-hit wonders and the Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. This level also includes a gallery with artifact-filled exhibits about Les Paul , Alan Freed, Sam Phillips and
7614-576: The newer gospel compositions. The group also loosened the rigid arrangements that jubilee quartets had favored to permit individual singers within the group more space for individual development. In 1936, Alan Lomax recorded The Soul Stirrers for the Library of Congress 's American music project, and those four unissued recordings are in the American Folklife Center collection today. They later moved to Chicago , where they broadcast
7708-460: The openness of rural churches to this type of music (in spite of its initial use in city revivals) led to the late 19th and early 20th century establishment of gospel music publishing houses such as those of Homer Rodeheaver , E. O. Excell , Charlie Tillman , and Charles Tindley . These publishers were in the market for large quantities of new music, providing an outlet for the creative work of many songwriters and composers. The advent of radio in
7802-410: The president of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, "This award gives us flexibility to dive into some things and recognize some people who might not ordinarily get recognized." The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's Library and Archives is the world's most comprehensive repository of materials related to the history of rock and roll. The library and archives are located in a new building on
7896-507: The programs have honored the following inductees: Jimmie Rodgers (1997), Robert Johnson (1998), Louis Jordan (1999), Muddy Waters (2000), Bessie Smith (2001), Hank Williams (2002), Buddy Holly (2003), Lead Belly (2004), Sam Cooke (2005), Roy Orbison (2006), Jerry Lee Lewis (2007), Les Paul (2008), Janis Joplin (2009), Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew (2010), Aretha Franklin (2011), Chuck Berry (2012), The Everly Brothers (2014) and Johnny Cash (2017). In 2019
7990-544: The region. The 2012 induction week yielded similar results. The building contains seven levels. On the lower level is the Ahmet M. Ertegun Exhibition Hall, the museum's main gallery. It includes exhibits on the roots of rock and roll ( gospel , blues , rhythm & blues and folk , country and bluegrass ). It also features exhibits on cities that have had a major impact on rock and roll: Memphis , Detroit , London , Liverpool , San Francisco , Los Angeles , New York , and Seattle . There are exhibits about soul music ,
8084-682: The story and impact of Rolling Stone magazine. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame also curates many smaller temporary exhibits. Over the years, these exhibits have focused on such topics as the Vans Warped Tour , the Concert for Bangladesh , Woodstock's 40th and 50th anniversaries, Austin City Limits , the Monterey International Pop Festival , Roy Orbison , Motown's 50th anniversary, Tom Petty and
8178-404: The world. Those selected to vote include academics, journalists, producers, and others with music industry experience. Artists become eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first record. Criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock and roll. Block approval voting is used, with those nominees who receive
8272-495: The years, continuing to form the basis of Black church worship even today. It has also come to be used in churches of various other cultural traditions (especially within Pentecostalism ) and, via the gospel choir phenomenon spearheaded by Thomas Dorsey , has become a form of musical devotion worldwide. Southern afroamerican gospel groups used all–male, tenor – lead – baritone – bass quartets. Sensational Nightingales ,
8366-462: Was along East Ninth Street in downtown by Lake Erie, east of Cleveland Stadium . At one point in the planning phase, when a financing gap existed, planners proposed locating the Rock Hall in the then-vacant May Company Building but finally decided to commission architect I. M. Pei to design a new building. Initial CEO Larry R. Thompson facilitated I. M. Pei in designs for the site. Pei came up with
8460-429: Was dedicated on September 1, 1995, with the ribbon being cut by an ensemble that included Yoko Ono and Little Richard , before a crowd of more than 10,000 people. The following night an all-star concert was held at Cleveland Stadium. It featured Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan , Al Green , Jerry Lee Lewis , Aretha Franklin , Bruce Springsteen , Iggy Pop , John Fogerty , John Mellencamp , and many others. In addition to
8554-463: Was followed by Elvis is in the Building , which ran from August 8, 1998, to September 5, 1999. This year-long tribute was the first exhibit devoted to a single artist, Elvis Presley—the "King of Rock and Roll" and the first inductee into the RRHOF, in 1986. Graceland supplied a significant selection of representative artifacts for this special tribute spanning Elvis' life and legendary career. Next,
8648-430: Was held there again in 2013. On May 6, 1997, about a year and a half after the opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the ceremony was held in Cleveland. It returned to Cleveland in 2009 and again in 2012. Current plans call for the ceremony to be in Cleveland every three years. Generally, the number of inductees each year ranges from about a half-dozen to a dozen. Virtually all living inductees have attended
8742-499: Was inducted in this category until 2009, when rockabilly singer Wanda Jackson was selected. Unlike earlier inductees in this category, Jackson's career almost entirely took place after the traditional 1955 start of the "rock era". Formerly the "Non-Performers" award, this category encompasses those who primarily work behind the scenes in the music industry, including record label executives, songwriters, record producers, disc jockeys, concert promoters and music journalists . Following
8836-677: Was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 as one of rock's 'Early Influences', and into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2022 their 1950 recording "Jesus Gave Me Water" was selected by the US Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry . Gospel music Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music and a cornerstone of Christian media . The creation, performance, significance, and even
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