The gospel controversy; are the new songs too jazzy and too worldly?

Ebony, March, 1992 by Karima A. Haynes

While the battle rages over whether traditional or contemporary is the real gospel, fighting has broken out on another front: Black gospel artists are sparring with White record executives who want, they say, to keep them sitting in the back of the gospel train. The slights against Black gospel artists have been particularly humiliating and painful, the artists say, because they come from those who profess Christian love. A few years ago, The Winans were nominated for a Dove Award by the Gospel Music Association, a trade group founded by White gospel singers, but, they say, when they got to the awards ceremony they found their seats were in the balcony. "It's musical bigotry within the ranks of the gospel music industry and it has to stop," says Marvin Winans, who also denounces Whites who build their record companies on the backs of talented Blacks and then put White executives over the Black gospel music divisons.

Black gospel artists also have run into incidents of racial stereotyping at gospel festivals. Take 6 had just finished their vocal gymnastics at one festival when a White gospel music lover told them that they "didn't sound Black. "

"It's a sad commentary that the most blatant racism has occurred at gospel festivals," says Chea of Take 6. "I feel that Black Christian artists can work together to create a better situation by speaking up to people who can make a change and by coming together to create awards shows [for Blacks] like the Stellar Awards. "

There are other problems as well. Gospel music by Black artists is hardly ever played on White Christian stations and often is relegated to a few hours on Sunday morning on soul stations. And Billboard magazine recognizes Black gospel artists on its Top Gospel Albums chart and White gospel singers on its Top Contemporary Christian chart.

Cries of racism in the gospel music industry came to an angry head last spring at the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Week in Nashville when, according to Black artists, the trade group eliminated the Black Gospel Spectacular, a showcase event for Black stars. Black gospel singers say the ultimate snub came when Black categories were cut out of the Dove Awards telecast, which instead featured performances by White singers Steven Curtis Chapman and Sandi Patti.

Black gospel artists later met in Chicago and started the United Gospel Industry Council, a trade group designed to meet the needs of the Black gospel community. Says Frank Wilson, the council's chairman: "This group is the result of a maturing of African-American people to the degree that they are willing to take the risk and say something about racism without being blackballed or being set on a shelf someplace." Wilson says the organization's main purpose is to develop greater support for gospel music. "It's positive; it's moving in one direction and we're not going to waste a lot of time talking about what gospel music was, but we're going to talk about what it is and where it's going. "

Whatever the outcome of this debate, gospel music will probably remain a major force in the musical world. And if it remains true to its history, it will continue to challenge traditional conventions, inspire devotees and persevere as an evolving art form.