Review by Booklist Review
Emmy-winning journalist and talk show host Wills pays tribute to 25 trailblazing and soul-stirring African American women, past and present, who have made significant contributions to gospel music, uplifting churchgoers and music lovers alike. She presents vivid profiles based on interviews and deep research, accompanied by beautiful illustrations, of such gospel treasures as Shirley Caesar, Willie Mae Ford, Aretha Franklin, Yolanda Adams, Mahalia Jackson, and the Drinkard Sisters. Many African American female gospel artists faced sexism and racism; they were also underpaid, while their male counterparts often received the most accolades and fame. Collectively, the women Wills showcases created a plethora of the greatest gospel hits and are winners of multiple honors, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Kennedy Center Honors, and induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Wills also recounts how some women of gospel music created the song and performance blueprints for such legendary artists as James Brown, Little Richard, Eric Clapton, and many more. Readers interested in gospel and its influence on all of American music will appreciate this informative and enjoyable history.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Journalist Wills (Emancipated: My Family's Fight for Freedom) profiles women who have made gospel music history. Songwriters, bandleaders, and pastors as well as singers, they have often walked a fine line between expressing their deep Christian faith and running the risk of appearing to court worldly success to do so. Readers not immersed in the genre are most likely to be familiar with the names mentioned in the book's chapter on "Crossover Queens" (Aretha Franklin, Rosetta Tharpe, Mavis Staples), but every one of the remarkable singers included here merits attention. The book begins, fittingly, with Queen of Gospel Mahalia Jackson, and the final chapter highlights more contemporary artists, while the thematic arrangement of the intervening chapters speaks to gospel music's diversity of expression and richness of community. The book's photos of women in gospel, following the precept of Psalm 100--"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord"--are uplifting all by themselves. VERDICT An affectionate yet clear-eyed view of gospel's brightest voices. For fans of gospel music or those who would like to know more about it.--Genevieve Williams
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