Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit - by Gwendolin Sims Warren (Paperback)

About the Book

Complete with sheet music throughout, this volume profiles 101 of the best-loved psalms, gospel hymns, and spiritual songs of the African-American Church.

Book Synopsis

An important historical document as well as an inspirational gift, Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit captures the rich connections between song and experience as no other volume does.

For over 200 years in African-American churches throughout the country, gospel and spiritual music have offered solace and been a source of celebration, leaving a mark not only on the Christian world, but on popular music as well. Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit contains the lyrics and music of 101 of the most widely known and cherished of these pieces, ranging from heart-stirring spirituals sung during slave times (Steal Away; Swing Low, Sweet Chariot) to songs of unity from the civil rights movement and contemporary times (We Shall Overcome; I'll Fly Away).

The book also presents a biography of each composer and the history of the evolution of each song, examining the role it played in enabling African-Americans to develop the strength to carry on in the face of adversity.

From the Back Cover

For over two hundred years in African-American churches throughout the country, gospel and spiritual music have offered solace and have been a source of celebration, leaving a mark not only on the Christian world, but on popular music as well. Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit contains the lyrics and music of 101 of the most widely known and cherished of these pieces, ranging from heartrending spirituals from the times of slavery to songs of unity from the civil rights movement and contemporary times. The book also presents a biography of each composer and a history of the evolution of each song, examining its role in enabling African-Americans to summon the strength to carry on in the face of adversity. An important historical document as well as an inspirational gift, this book captures the rich connections between song and experience as no other volume does.

Review Quotes

"Provides the fascinating, and often emotional, history behind songs from Sunday church services and the Civil Rights Movement." --Victoria Valentine, Emerge

"Ev'ry time I feel the Spirit move in my heart, I will away." --Traditional spiritual

"An intriguing analysis and a joyous celebration of four genres of religious music: Negro spirituals, gospel songs, Euro-American hymns, and contemporary gospel." --Al Bromley, Dallas Morning News

About the Author

Gwendolin Sims Warren has performed with the Metropolitan Opera and throughout Europe. She is minister of music at the Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church in Queens, New York, where she lives.