Anointed to Sing the Gospel: The Levitical Legacy of Thomas A. Dorsey

In this biography of Thomas A. Dorsey, Kemp (Make a Joyful Noise) provides a no-frills run-down of the legendary gospel singer’s career before turning outward in a rousing postscript. The final chapter, “Twenty-First-Century Church Worship and Sacred Music,” reveals Kemp’s stance on gospel music—sacred versus secular, commercial versus clerical—and will leave readers with much to ponder. In the biographical sections, Kemp’s voice is utilitarian and old-fashioned. She repeats stories about Dorsey (1899–1993), who played barrelhouse piano in Chicago before returning to church to write his gospel songs that “fed the souls of those who sang them.” She defines Dorsey as a prophet, shepherd, and spiritual warrior as she spells out his strict musical practices. She covers his compositions, including the popular “Precious Lord,” as well as his work with the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses. Within Dorsey’s story, Kemp often digresses into the lives of his fellow musicians, such as Sallie Martin, Tampa Red Wooldridge, and Willie Mae Ford Smith, and, oddly, she dedicates the middle section to a dozen interviews with Dorsey’s “admirers and contemporaries.” Kemp’s fractured book, more a compendium than a strict biography, will be a pleasure to fans of gospel music. (BookLife)