There have been hundreds of articles written on Elvis Presley, as he was a prominent figure in the late 20th century; most people know Presley as the man who changed the music industry by introducing lewd or suggestive dance moves to the stage. This article, however, focuses on the southern spirituality of Presley. As mentioned in the seventy-fifth and seventy-sixth page of the journal, this is relatively unexplored territory. The article Just a Little Talk with Jesus by Charles Reagan Wilson derives its name from an old gospel song, also entitled “Just a Little Talk with Jesus.” This article begins with the retelling of the “Million Dollar Session” that occurred in December of 1956 at Sun Studios, the record studio for the now famous Presley. This session was given its name because of the worth of talent that attended; the group in attendance included Presley, Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash. The five musicians played many songs together, including southern religious songs known extremely well by these five men who all came from church backgrounds. Among these southern religious songs was “Just a Little Talk with Jesus” that expounds the gospel and redemption, talking of a person lost in sin that was taken in by Jesus. It is vital to note that Presley’s spirituality was inherited and correlates to regional patterns. His spirituality and music along with the manner in which he fused the two makes Presley an “emblematic figure in southern culture” (pg. 76). For the point of this article, “spirituality” is one’s religious views that are based in one’s religious exercises and practices. The spirituality found in the south in the mid-twentieth century was far more than attending church; it permeated every aspect of souther...
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... gospel singer, had he lived for six more months. Presley also revealed his spirituality through racial reconciliation. His appreciation for black and white southern gospel music was evident, and he even showcased black performers as his backup singers. In a concert song entitled “An American Trilogy,” Presley challenged southerners to transcend sentiments rooted in racism that dated back to the Civil war. Presley’s spirituality can be seen as a white working-class southern spirituality. Overall, Presley’s southern spirituality drastically influenced his music and his career embodied the southern movement toward using modern entertainment to reach all with the age-old message of the gospel.
Bibliography
Charles Reagan Wilson, “‘Just A Little Talk With Jesus’: Elvis Presley, Religious Music, and Southern Spirituality,” Southern Cultures (October 2006).
In the play And When We Awoke There Was Light and Light by Laura Jacqmin, she analyzes the ethical issues revolving around service in America. The main character Katie, struggles with this common ethical issue just like all other Americans when making a life decision that challenges one’s morals. Katie struggles with conflicting messages about service, not being fully committed to helping David, her pen pal from Uganda and then realizing in the end that David is more important than Harvard.
From an early age Jones was exposed to religion, specifically the Pentecostal sect of Christianity. With no father figure to look up to he turned to the pastors in his church for a role model. Watching the local pastors speak moved Jones; he id...
Like Martin Luther King Jr. said, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” In the 1950’s the South was heavily racially segregated. Elvis Presley unintentionally put himself in the position to become a valuable instrument in the battle against segregation. “Without casting himself as a fighter for racial equality, Elvis became a subversive standard bearer for cultural desegregation at a time when the codified racism of the South was under increasing pressure.” How did an uneducated white hillbilly from the south influence both black and white teenagers against segregation? It was quite simple, for Elvis Presley had a unique talent of combining traditional black music; such as the blues and jazz, with the traditional white music; like country and white gospel. This unique style of blending different types of music, gave Elvis the edge on the musical racial barriers America was facing; and open the path for both sides to enjoy the music together and therefore desegregated.
On January 19, 1946, the delightful and astonishing Dolly Parton was born out of 12 relations. She was recognized as “The Queen of Country Music”. Her professions transpired as an actress, songwriter, singer, and musician. In addition, on January 8, 1935, the esteemed Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi. He fell from pure humble beginning to distinguished as “The King of Rock-n-Roll”. His professions transpired as a film, actor, and singer. In other words, they both explored together in the 60’s and recorded limited songs however they’ve never seen each other again.
Dundy, Elaine. Elvis and Gladys: The Genesis of the King. N.p.: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1985.
On July 5, 1954, forty-nine days after the Supreme Court handed down the decision on the Brown vs. Board of Education case, a nineteen year old truck driver recorded an Arthur Crudup blues track called “That’s All Right Mama” (Bertrand 46). Memphis disc jockey Dewey Phillips found the cut and played it on his radio show a few weeks later. He received calls all over from people, mostly white, who wanted to hear more. He quickly located the musician and brought him into the studio for an interview, audiences were shocked to learn that Elvis was white (Bertrand 46). Elvis’s music brought black music into white mainstream pop culture almost overnight. The breakthrough of Elvis happening almost simultaneously with the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement was no accident. As any scholar of the humanities would tell you that often times after a great war there exists a time of enlightenment, prosperity and reformation. One such cultural revival took place in this nation after the closing of the Second World War. The progressive thought of the ‘50s nurtured new ideas and cultures including the Civil Rights Movement and the fast spread of rock and roll. In an essay entitled “Color” written to Esquire magazine in 1962 the essayist James Baldwin describes the revival of white culture after WWII with the following passage:
Mention the name Elvis Presley and many things come to mind. Most people automatically think of music and the impact he had on the industry. Others think of his upbringing in the South and the years he spent singing Gospel tunes. Wild images of Graceland and Cadillacs are iconic when it comes to discussing Elvis. Through the years, his physical appearance changed drastically. From young and in excellent shape to older, larger, and showing the signs of poor lifestyle choices. Elvis singlehandedly changed the face of American music. He influenced an entire generation to break from long-held traditions. However, for all the incredible talent and charisma the man possessed, he could not break free from the addictions that plagued him in his later years. Moreover, sadly, many remember that as his last legacy.
Throughout Elvis’s childhood and into his teenage years, the Presley family struggled to get by, but they never left their strong Christian faith. Elvis was inspired by gospel music and loved singing in church. When he was ten years old, he sang on stage for the first time at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show in Tupelo and received a standing ovation. A few months later for his eleventh birthday, Elvis’s mom bought him a gift that would forever change history (www.history.com). It was a guitar that she purchased from the Tupelo Hardware Store for $6.95 because it was all that they could afford. Two years later, in search of a better life, the Presley family packed up everything they owned and moved to Memphis, Tennessee. Elvis attended L.C. Humes High School and graduated on June 3, 1953. That summer, he stopped by The Memphis Recording Service and recorded a demo for $4 as a gift for his mom. The owner was pleased with Elvis and wanted him to team up with two local musicians, Scotty Moore and
...erself expanded gospel’s exposure when she appeared twice on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” Meanwhile, television producer Bobby Jones reaches four and a half million viewers each week with his BET program, “Gospel Explosion.” However, the test for Gospel music reflects one that all Christian musicians must wrestle with: Can Gospel continue to increase its fortune in the mainstream marketplace while still maintaining its spiritual base? Despite what you believe the answer to be, African American Religious music will continually evolve. Since Thomas Dorsey first stretched the boundaries to create gospel music, choirs, quartets, and power vocalists have been singing the same song, albeit in different styles and places. As African American religious music continues to grow beyond even Dorsey’s expectations, one can only hope that it will be embraced regardless of how it is labeled by everyone who needs to be reminded of the good news it represents.
Contemporary, as well as older, Gospel music originated from the “Spirituals.” The spirituals, also known as the “Negro Spirituals or African-American folk songs,” were religious songs sung by the African Americans slaves in Southern America. The spirituals spawned from teachings of Christianity from slave owners, the church and even hymns. The songs were usually about love, hope, peace, oppression, freedom and even used as a secret code. The African American slaves would sing while working so much so that slave o...
The book written by Mary Lawrence (1996) called My People Myself is a great story of a native women’s struggle in society. The book does an excellent job of portraying a native women’s life on an Indian reserve in British Colombia. With Mary Lawrence’s real life story the struggles facing natives are brought to the forefront and the truths of growing up as a native Indian are described in the harsh settings of old run down houses. Readers are able to read and see that native Indians have endured great pains over the years at the hands of society and the government. The struggles that are depicted in Mary Lawrence’s book are in regards to physical abuse and drug abuse. In addition the author discusses sexual abuse. The book My people, myself talks about the authors struggles with drug, alcohol, and prescription pill addiction. The book goes into great detail in describing the cycles of these drugs and the methods of using and selling drugs. Mary Lawrence also discusses the problems she faced regarding social relationships. These relationships were with her male partners, family members and friends.
Negro Spirituals were used as songs to praise. During slavery many slaves were exposed to the christian religion when their masters went to church. Although they were exposed to christianity it was forbidden for them to practice it but they som...
The public made Elvis Presley larger than life, better known than Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon and in some cases God Himself.
...teaching therapy; I feel that giving insight to Elvis about his behaviors, thoughts, and feelings that are both maladaptive and positive can give him a new perspective. Helping him understand the strong distinction between healthy thoughts and when they cross the line into unhealthy thoughts (Ellis & Dryden, 1997). For example going from, “This medication helps my physical ailments” to “If I don’t have more medication than now, I will suffer and be in constant pain.”
Devil on the Cross was written by Ngugi while he was imprisoned. He was held without trail by a government that tried to silence him. The out come was a book that was “One of the century’s greatest novels” by the Tribune. In the following passages I plan to explain the meaning of four characters that are affected by capital class.