Christian Music Hall of Famer

Thomas Dorsey’s father was a minister and pianist and Dorsey himself performed piano and then earned his living playing blues in jazz joints in Chicago (as Georgia Tom) and then he became musical director of his church. He married his wife Nettie and he was going to services during her pregnancy. One day, Dorsey was off to play and noticed that Nettie wasn’t her usual. But he was in a hurry and took off with his music stuff. The church service was a success, and in the middle of applause, Dorsey was handed a telegram saying Nettie passed away. Upon placing a call, he found out his child was delivered alive. But when he returned to their home, Dorsey buried his wife and son who also passed away.

He went into a deep depression and said all he wanted to do from then on was sing the blues and quit gospel music. He wasn’t alone in singing the blues during the depression, it was during the same time that “Amazing Grace” came out and people were singing the blues to express their collective trauma. Dorsey was brought by a friend to a room with a piano and for the first time after he lost his family, he touched the piano and played a melody, and then the words of “Precious Lord Take My Hand” came to him. He wrote in verses that were the common idiom of the black community. Musically, he wrote in jazz cadences and popular music.

He sang it for his friend Gospel singer Theodore Frye who sang it at the Sunday service at his Baptist Church. Dorsey made it a standard to print music sheet of his gospel music (which is why he’s considered the Grandfather of Gospel). This was how “Precious Lord Take My Hand” became popular. Also because Dorsey traveled all over America to play this at services, and later on, Gospel singer Mahalia Jackson sang while he played. After the service, he sold the music sheet to the churchgoers. The song has been translated into 40 languages.