Artist of the Week: Mahalia Jackson

Who is Mahalia Jackson? 

According to Wikipedia:

Mahalia Jackson (October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an African-American gospel singer. With her powerful, distinct voice, Mahalia Jackson became one of the most influential gospel singers in the world. She recorded about 35 albums (mostly for Columbia Records) during her career, and her 45 rpm records included a dozen "golds"—million-sellers. She had a contralto voice range.

Mahalia Jackson is widely regarded as the greatest gospel singer in history and one of the great voices of the twentieth century. Her music was never played widely on any but traditional gospel and traditional Christian radio stations. 

Her good friend Martin Luther King Jr said, "A voice like hers comes along once in a millennium."

So Why Is This Gospel Singer Important to Soul Music?

Well if you listen to her voice for one, she provided a lot of vocal foundation for Aretha Franklin (who is herald as the "Queen of Soul"). If you listen closely to Mahalia's voice and the vibrato and runs that she does, they are quite similar to those of Aretha Franklin. Let's also not forget the tremendous Gospel influence that is in Soul music from its cord progressions, the call and response tactics used in live soul performances and in numerous Soul records, to the wails and moans that were first contrived in Gospel, as well as the fact that numerous Soul singers grew up and trained their voices in the church. Without the Gospel influence that was contrived in part by Mahalia Jackson, there might not be an Aretha Franklin or such strong Soul music...

Here are some Youtube Videos of Mahalia Jackson singing...