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Atlanta City Council Proclaims September Gospel Music Heritage Month in Atlanta

About Gospel Music Heritage Month

In June, Gospel Music Channel joined with Senators, Congress, The Gospel Music Association (GMA), and The Recording Academy® to launch Gospel Music Heritage Month. The dual legislation passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate designates September 2008 as "Gospel Music Heritage Month," honoring a true American art form for its vast contributions to our culture, bringing a message of hope and inspiration to people of all racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds.

Gospel Music Channel, The Recording Academy and the entire Gospel/Christian music industry will celebrate the inaugural Gospel Music Heritage Month across multiple media platforms, concerts and events this September. The greatest names in Gospel Music will be featured on-air, online and on-demand through network premieres, documentaries, original specials and series, short-form and interstitial pieces, music videos and more.

Gospel Music Channel invites you to celebrate Gospel Music Heritage Month by attending concerts, events, watching and listening to gospel music, learning and reading about gospel music and more. Check back soon for all the latest.

Watch & Experience

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Don't Miss Heritage Month Programming Only on Gospel Music Channel

  • Bill Gaither's Best: The Best of George Beverly Shea – Saturday, September 20
  • at 7 PM ET/8 PT
  • The Gospel According to Al Green – Sunday, September 21 at 9 PM ET/10 PT
  • Say Amen, Somebody (1982 documentary honoring Thomas Andrew Dorsey
  • and "Mother" Willie Mae Ford Smith) – Saturday, September 28 at 9 PM ET/10 PT
  • Mahalia Sings – Sundays in September at 7 PM ET/8 PT

Celebrate Gospel Music Heritage: Attend a Concert or Event

9/17–9/19 2008 R&R (Radio and Records) Convention and Industry Achievement Awards Hilton Austin Hotel Austin, Texas
9/17–9/20 Atlantis Music Conference & Festival CW Midtown Music Complex Atlanta
9/17–10/26 Art*Music*Justice Tour various various cities
9/19 Al Green Sleep Train Pavillion Concord, CA
9/19–12/31 Fireflight "Unbreakable" Tour various various cities
9/20 Jeff & Sheri Easter Princeton Church of God Princeton, WV
9/20 Verizon "How Sweet the Sound" Choir Competition Cobo Arena Detroit
9/20 Al Green The Greek Theatre Los Angeles
9/20 Music Builds Tour: Jars of Clay, Switchfoot, Robert Randolph & The Family Band Lakewood Ampitheater Atlanta
9/21 Al Green Harrah's Rincon Open Sky Theater Valley Center, CA
9/23 Verizon "How Sweet the Sound" Choir Competition Wachovia Center Philadelphia
9/24–9/27 Singers & Musicians Maintaining Spiritual Integrity Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God In Christ Detroit
9/26 Women of Faith Philips Arena Atlanta
9/26 Verizon "How Sweet the Sound" Choir Competition Verizon Center Washington, D.C.
9/26 Casting Crowns Club 3 Degrees Minneapolis
9/27 Jaci Velasquez Shoes for Orphan Souls Distribution Mesquite, Texas
9/27 UniSun Gospel Celebration featuring Donald Lawrence Lyric Opera House Baltimore
9/28 Gospel Music Festival with Israel Houghton Harry E. Kinney Civic Plaza Albuquerque, NM
9/29 Verizon "How Sweet the Sound" Choir Competition United Center Chicago
9/30 The Blind Boys of Alabama with Preservation Hall Jazz Band Campbell University Turner Auditorium Buies Creek, NC
September Gospel Brunch House of Blues Chicago, Dallas, LA, Orlando, Myrtle Beach

Discover


Gospel music is a unique and beloved American art form, spanning decades, generations and races. It is one of the cornerstones of the entire American musical tradition and has grown beyond its niche to achieve pop-culture and historical relevance. It has spread beyond its geographic origins to touch audiences around the world.

Gospel Music in the United States was first expressed in the form of Negro spirituals. As it grew, it blended diverse elements from African music, melodies influences by Irish folk songs, and hymns and ultimately borrowed from other uniquely American musical styles including ragtime, jazz and blues. That tradition of diversity remains today, as the influence of gospel music can be found infused in all forms of mainstream music, from rock & roll, country, soul, R&B and countless other styles.

The legacy of Gospel Music includes some of the most memorable voices and pioneers in American history, such as Thomas Dorsey, Mahalia Jackson, James Vaughan, Roberta Martin, Virgil Stamp, Diana Washington, Stamp Quartet, The Highway QCs, The Statesmen, The Soul Stirrers, Terry Woods, James Cleveland and Billy Ray Hearns. Many of the biggest names in music came out of the gospel music tradition, or have recorded gospel music at some point in their careers – from Sam Cooke to Al Green, Elvis Presley to Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin to Whitney Houston, Little Richard to Ray Charles, Buddy Holly to Alan Jackson, Dolly Parton to Mariah Carey, Bob Dylan to Randy Travis. Regardless of the musical style, these artists and so many more have turned to Gospel Music as the source and inspiration for their music and songs – crossing, blurring and borrowing across the divide between mainstream and gospel music.

And beyond its contribution to the American musical tradition, gospel music has provided the cultural and musical backdrop across all of mainstream media, from hit television series to major Hollywood motion pictures, including American Idol, Grey’s Anatomy, Heroes, Dancing With The Stars, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Sister Act, The Preacher’s Wife and Evan Almighty.

Gospel music has a huge audience and fan-base around the country and around the world, a testament to the universal appeal of an historical American art form that both inspires and entertains across racial, ethnic, religious, geographic and boundaries.

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