Mahalia Jackson voice is legendary and she had the great distinction of bringing Gospel to audiences not familiar with or segregated from the Black Church and the rich musical heritage that was so much a part of her. She crossed the color line and genre barriers so prevalent in 1950’s America.
Singing at Churches in Chicago or at Jazz Festivals or at Carnegie Hall or at the Apollo, Mahalia Jackson became the Queen of Gospel. Recognized artist, she sang at the White House for the President John F. Kennedy. Close to Martin Luther King and his fight for civil rights, she paid tribute to the pastor at his funeral. Harry Belafonte called her “the single most powerful black woman in the United States”. She recorded about 30 albums (mostly for Columbia Records) during her career, and her 45 rpm records included a dozen “golds”–million-sellers.
“One thing about playing the real jazz is that you can’t count it” Mahalia Jackson
“Gospel music rhythms are not African in origin, although I know that’s what the jazz experts say” Mahalia Jackson
“Without a song, each day would be a century” Mahalia Jackson
