Gospel music originated in early 20th-century urban centers, shaped by the Great Migration, where African Americans brought their spirituals and folk traditions from the South. Hymns and sacred songs were often performed in a call and response fashion, heavily influenced by ancestral African music. Most of the churches relied on hand–clapping and foot–stomping as rhythmic accompaniment. Most of the singing was done a capella. The first published use of the term “gospel song” appeared in 1874.
Contemporary gospel was pioneered by Edwin and Walter Hawkins, Andre Crouch, and Kirk franklin, which blends with modern genres like R&B and hip-hop. It’s rising popularity has increased the genres growth by 30% in the US and more globally in the past year. Artists such as Shirley Caesar, Fred Hammond, and Yolanda Adams, along with groups like the Mississippi Mass Choir have continued to shape gospel’s evolution while stayinh rooted in its spiritla origins.
