Description
Through interviews with family members, musical analyses of the sounds on Nix's recordings, and examination of historical documents and relevant scholarship, Terri Brinegar argues that the development of the phonograph in the 1920s afforded preachers like Nix the opportunity to present traditional Black vocal styles of the southern Black church as modern Black voices. These vocal styles also influenced musical styles. The "moaning voice" used by Nix and other ministers was a direct connection to the "blues moan" employed by many blues singers including Blind Willie, Blind Lemon, and Ma Rainey. Both Reverend A. W. Nix and his brother, W. M. Nix, were an influence on the "Father of Gospel Music," Thomas A. Dorsey. The success of Nix's recorded sermons demonstrates the enduring values African Americans placed on traditional vocal practices.
About the Author
Terri Brinegar has presented her research on African American voices at numerous conferences, including the American Musicological Society, the Society for Ethnomusicology, and the Association for Recorded Sound Collections. She is author of Voice and Stage Essentials for the Aspiring Female R&B Singer: A Guide to Technique, Performance, and Musicianship. And, she has performed for over twenty years in classic R&B and blues bands and has three professionally produced CDs of blues and jazz original compositions.
Book Information
ISBN 9781496839251
Author Terri Brinegar
Format Hardback
Page Count 277
Imprint University Press of Mississippi
Publisher University Press of Mississippi
Weight(grams) 333g