Mahalia Jackson was a gospel singer, possessing a powerful contralto voice, she was referred to as "The Queen of Gospel". Jackson became one of the most influential gospel singers in the world and was heralded internationally as a singer and civil rights activist. She was described by entertainer Harry Belafonte as "The single most powerful Black woman in the United States".
She recorded about 30 albums (mostly for Columbia Records) during her career, and her 45 rpm records included a dozen golds—million-sellers.
"I sing God's music because it makes me feel free," Jackson once said about her choice of gospel, adding, "It gives me hope. With the blues, when you finish, you still have the blues."
LEGACY:
🎤Mahalia Jackson's music was played widely on gospel and Christian radio stations, such as Family Radio. Her good friend Martin Luther King Jr said, "A voice like this one comes not once in a century, but once in a millennium."
🎤She was a close friend of Doris Akers, one of the most prolific gospel composers of the 20th century. In 1958, they co-wrote the hit, "Lord, Don't Move the Mountain". Mahalia also sang many of Akers' own compositions such as "God Is So Good to Me", "God Spoke to Me One Day", "Trouble", "Lead On, Lord Jesus", and "He's a Light Unto My Pathway", helping Akers to secure her position as the leading female Gospel composer of that time.
🎤In addition to sharing her singing talent with the world, she mentored the extraordinarily gifted Aretha Franklin.
🎤Mahalia was also good friends with Dorothy Norwood and fellow Chicago-based gospel singer Albertina Walker.
🎤She also discovered a young Della Reese.
🎤On the 20th anniversary of her death, Smithsonian Folkways Recording commemorated Jackson with the album I Sing Because I'm Happy, which includes interviews about her childhood conducted by Jules Scherwin.
🎤The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences created the Gospel Music or Other Religious Recording category for Jackson making her the 1st Gospel Music Artist to win the prestigious Grammy Award.
🎤In December 2008, she was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
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