I'm not very religious so I don't know a lot about gospel music, can you tell me anything about that style?
Of course! I'd love to, I'm a huge fan of gospel music! It's known for its dominant vocals, strong use of harmony and Christian lyrics. It's really beautiful music.
That does sound powerful just reading about it, does it have a long history?
It does, but it's not well documented. The earliest use of the term "gospel song" was first published in 1874.
Oh I would imagine it's probably older than that given the history of churches I guess. Are there any famous gospel artists I should know about?
Well actually, before it was known as gospel music, that typical style of music can be traced back to the early 17th century.
Oh cool, did it have a different name back then?
Not really, it was known for it's hand clapping, foot stomping and a cappella singing though!
That does sound familiar now that I think about what I've seen. Do you know anything else interesting about gospel?
Interestingly enough, after World War II gospel music really took off! It moved into major auditoriums and the concerts became quite elaborate! I'll bet that was something to see!