Thomas A. Dorsey
1899–1993 · USA · Romantic
Thomas Andrew Dorsey (1899-1993) was an American gospel music pioneer who revolutionized Christian music by blending blues, jazz, and spiritual traditions into what became known as gospel music. He composed hundreds of gospel songs and is often called the "Father of Gospel Music" for his transformative influence on the genre. Dorsey's most famous composition, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" (1932), became an anthem of the Civil Rights movement and remains one of the most recorded gospel songs. He founded the first gospel music publishing company and established the Gospel Music Festival in Chicago, institutionalizing gospel music within American Protestant churches. His legacy fundamentally shaped modern Christian worship music and elevated gospel from a regional style to a major force in American religious and popular culture.