In 1932, Thomas Dorsey's wife Nettie died in childbirth, then 24 hours later, their son. His grief prompted him to write one of his most famous and enduring compositions, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord". It was the beginning of Gospel music. At Pilgrim Baptist in the South Side of Chicago that this movement grew and spread across the country, carried on by the voices of Mahalia Jackson (his immediate disciple) and shortly after, James Cleveland. Decade by decade, the genre evolved, and we'll unpack it here.