Thursday, April 21, 2011

The Search for Blind Willie Johnson and the Texas Gospel

Texas is largely forgotten when it comes to discussing gospel, while Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia get most of the honors. As a born and bred Texan, it pleases me to see someone taking focus on Texas gospel.

There is a kickstarter campaign to fund a documentary by Shane Ford called "The Search for Blind Willie Johnson and the Texas Gospel." Those of you in the know already know that Texas is no slouch when it comes to gospel greats. Texas was where the Soul Stirrers were founded, and the home and birthplace of legends such as Sister Jessie Mae Renfro, Arizona Dranes and Jessy Dixon just to name a few.

The kickstarter campaign page states, "The goal of this documentary will be to explore the social and cultural significance of gospel music within the state of Texas. Presented from the view of historians, professors, and the current participants in the churches, we will seek to flesh out the idea of what gospel music has meant to Texas and the world of music in general."

For more information, see the following link: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1186751327/the-search-for-blind-willie-johnson-and-the-texas?ref=live
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