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Black Music Appreciation Month: Gospel Inspiration
Gospel music is a style that speaks to the soul. The fundamentals of its expression can be traced back to the late 1800s and early 1900s, through genre mixing blues, spirituals, hymns, African rhythms, and sacred songs as a tool for proclaiming faith.
Tasia Floissac, a background vocalist at Gospel Inspiration, says the way the music connects with people is incredibly special.
'Gospel music in itself is communal in that you can identify with other people through song, and sometimes you don't have the words to say exactly how you feel, and so you have groanings, you might speak in tones but sometimes you find a perfect song that just hits and you identify with that song,' Floissac says.
Back in 1977, Texoma Gospel Music Association became its own entity as founders, Rev. W. Lindsey and Dr. Billy Wayne Holcomb, envisioned promoting gospel music and encouraging musical artists such as the Jones family of Bob, Katie, Billy Ray, and themes of Gospel music carry on today so that it resonates with all generations and it truly has evolved over time.
Donal Merriex with New Jerusalem Baptist Church says the way that gospel music is performed is an essential part of the congregation's worship service.
'Music has always been a part of the black history, and we still sing the hymn because we got a mixture of people,' Merriex explains, 'You got young people. So we have to cater to them for the new song. Then we got the old people who loved him and a lot of church and got away from him. we try to do it all here. Not getting anybody, but we try to do it all.'
When it comes to the sound of gospel music, worship leaders say that when the music connects with people in the moment, the way the song is performed can be unpredictable.
'You need to train your spirit to hear the voice of God. Because there may be times in a worship setting that you may have to do the entire sit on the spot. And we've had we've had opportunities like this where God wants to do something totally different than we've practiced. And so it's a it's also a test of, of your obedience of God's voice in that moment.' Tarina Simon, Worship Director at Gospel Culture, says.
'Well, you need to feel the audience to know, because sometimes the preacher is preaching and then he flows with the way of the spirit, but he can tell by the audience response,' Merriex Jr. says, 'So I won't drag a song in order. Sometime that happens. You know what? I won't drag a song and we know when it comes out, but it the spirit is going, man, I tell you. We keep singing. One time we sang one song for 30 minutes only because they wouldn't let it go.'
'I think gospel music, worship music in general does that. It creates a shifts the atmosphere. you could be having the worst day… the worst morning… but you have to look beyond your flesh yourself, and as soon as it hits you say why am I here, and it's to give God a sound.' Floissac says.
If you want to hear more Gospel music, there are church services in Wichita Falls featuring gospel music every Sunday morning starting at 11 A.M. for New Jerusalem Baptist Church and at 10 A.M. for Gospel Culture church.
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