Pollard, Deborah Smith, "Media Reviews: Say Amen, Somebody. When restored, the aspect ratio became 16:9, making the visuals cleaner and brighter, and easier to see on televisions. Delois Barrett Campbell, and Zella Jackson Price are shown confronting the sacrifices they have made to put gospel music in the fore of their lives and the lives of their families, and the O'Neal Twins, Edward and Edgar, discuss the difficulties in trying to make a living exclusively in gospel music. Say Amen, Somebody! But they are never so many that they interfere with the film's soaring flights of song. [17], Likewise, Richard Harrington writing in the Washington Post enjoyed the intimacy of the cinematography. Giltz praises cinematographers Don Lenzer and Edward Lachman in particular. At one point, her husband, himself a devout deacon at their church, forbade her from leaving. They also complained that she moved too much during her songs, and they disliked women delivering spiritual messages. Campbell and her sisters formed a gospel trio in 1963. Prost, Charlene, "Amen! [14], Smith was an inspiration to generations of gospel singers, a towering figure in black churches. Accompanying her was an adopted daughter named Bertha, the two of them sharing a musical connection that was evident in their charismatic performances. [4], In 1931, Smith began to accept invitations to sing in other cities, turning into a 20-year run of touring churches and revivals throughout the U.S. Directed by George Neirenberg. Man, you got to see them." She was a singer. [2] Willie Mae was a talented soprano who seriously considered a career in classical music. Excerpts: CD/DRG Records CDSBXP-12584.) Directed by George T. Nierenberg. Dorsey was the beginning. Whenever possible, natural lighting was used, but when more was needed, what the cinematographers added was as close to natural light as possible. Choirs performed sophisticated material from classical European composers, like Handel and Mozart, more to show their musical abilities than reiterate a spiritual message through music. [9] Nierenberg told National Public Radio that the restoration looked "like a new film completely", and he is especially proud that "it will carry forward gospel music and allow people for generations to experience this music. Personalizing songs by improvising with melody, lyrics, and rhythm was generally not tolerated under the belief that it was common and undignified. Corrigan, Patricia and Shirk, Martha, "Willie Mae Ford Smith: Gained Acclaim As Top Gospel Singer", National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses, A Rare Interview With St. Louis Legend Willie Mae Ford Smith, Recorded in 1973 and Now Heard For the First Time, The Making of Say Amen, Somebody, Now Gloriously Restored, "Willie Mae Ford Smith: African-American Gospel Singer", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Willie_Mae_Ford_Smith&oldid=1002033373, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using Template:Infobox musical artist with unknown parameters, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "Call Him" / "Jesus Is the Name" Gotham G667, ca. Martha Bass remembered, "She had such joy, such a lovely personality. "Say Amen, Somebody" was released on DVD by Xenon Pictures in 2001; so, this is not the first release, but it is still an amazing documentary. [24] And the St. Louis Post-Dispatch credited her personally for "contributions that have advanced gospel singing to an art form". [28] Holding Smith responsible for the creation and popularization of the song-and-sermonette method of preaching, the National Endowment for the Arts attributes her influence to "her distinctive singing style, which brought to the gospel repertoire the range of vocal effects she heard as a young girl in country churches. Directed by George T. Nierenberg. Special emphasis is given the lives and careers of two giants in the business: Singers "Mother" Willie Mae Ford Smith and "Professor" Thomas A. Dorsey. Evans writes that because of the lighting, the cinematographers were able to capture "some of the most brilliant colors ever in a documentary". She traveled so extensively that she was home only one week a month for about ten years. (DRG Records SB2L-12584. A richly musical story about the history, meaning, and influence of gospel on American music and culture in general. Documentary about the American gospel music scene, focusing on two of the movement's pioneering forces, Thomas A. Dorsey and Willie May Ford Smith. The film brought Campbell and her sisters enough renown that they were able to tour Europe twice in 1983: once for a month through Germany, France, and Switzerland, and a week in Spain. Murray, Noel, "The 50 Best Documentaries of All Time". The Barrett Sisters — from left, Rodessa Barrett Porter, Delois Barrett Campbell and Billie Barrett Greenbey — in George T. Nierenberg’s “Say Amen, Somebody.” United Artists Willie Mae Ford Smith died the next year. View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the CD release of "Say Amen, Somebody" on Discogs. Louis. 1950, This page was last edited on 22 January 2021, at 14:30. "[12], In the New York Times, Janet Maslin, like all other critics, praised the music specifically, calling it "joyful, communal, and deeply moving". 1950, "Goin' On With the Spirit" / "Pilot, Take My Hand" Sacred 6015, ca. 584 likes. [9], Though Smith went home to St. Louis, Dorsey started the first gospel choir in 1931, and when demand proved it was needed, he co-founded the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses (NCGCC), an organization dedicated to training gospel singers in Chicago and throughout the U.S. the next year. [15] While Dorsey wrote 1,000 gospel songs and set standards for gospel choirs, Smith created the "openly emotional and spiritually exuberant performance style" so characteristic of gospel blues. Film Review by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat. [8] In Ethnomusicology, Terrence Grimes praises "the overt humanness captured in the dialogue of the film's subjects", saying that it "gives viewers an ardent feeling, force, and joy that is contagious".[25]. Chicago citation style: George T. Nierenberg. It was not uncommon for her to arrive with an entourage at the train station in St. Louis after a long tour and be met by a crowd, the Pullman porters bowing as she stepped regally off the train. [20] In the Boston Globe, Steve Morse comments that Say Amen, Somebody "is not just a film of historical impact. [20][17][21] Four of Smith's songs in Say Amen, Somebody were included on the soundtrack, released in 1983. I had the pleasure to go on a Caribbean jazz cruise on which the Barrett Sisters were scheduled to sing the first Saturday night with little fanfare. "[5] Watching her perform late in life, reporter Harper Barnes observed Smith's "remarkable, charismatic blend of pride and humility" that fueled her dramatic performances and her lifelong philosophy to reject commercialism and fame for piousness. THE beauty of gospel music comes shining through in ''Say Amen, Somebody,'' a rousing documentary by George T. Nierenberg, who has … Frail, in a wheelchair, and considerably thinner, she was barely able to sing, but prompted a rousing call and response among the audience. After its debut at the New York Film Festival to a sold out audience, Say Amen, Somebody saw a limited release in major cities. She'd come in and just wreck all them buildings. As a blues singer, his involvement in a culture widely considered to be sinful would not have been well received in churches, particularly in a position of leadership, which he was seeking. The Making of Say Amen, Somebody, Now Gloriously ... - YouTube She was just real, that's all. [1] Presenting a dramatic flair, she often donned a silken cape while she preached and sang in a dynamic fervor. [5] Roberta Martin used Smith's arrangement of "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" as her signature song, as did J. Earle Hines of the St. Paul Baptist Church in South-Central Los Angeles, with "God Be With You". The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture is proud to present the U.S. premiere of the newly restored and preserved digital version of the critically acclaimed documentary, Say Amen, Somebody (1983). [11] Willie Mae Ford Smith furthermore embodied music as opposed to considering it a profession or hobby. She received a grant of $5,000. Spotlighting two of the scene’s legends—Thomas A. Dorsey (considered the father of gospel) and Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith—Say Amen, Somebody is a living, breathing record of a major American musical movement. Nierenberg did not know the moment would be so tense. Smith was the primary focus of the critically acclaimed documentary film Say Amen, Somebody, released in 1982, where she describes her efforts to spread gospel and the obstacles she faced when first getting started. When the Holy Ghost hit me, I hit the floor. Rockwell, John, "A Movie and Its Soundtrack Aren't Always In Harmony". After the screening it was announced that the restored “Say Amen, Somebody” will be shown at the NCGCC’s annual convention in Detroit this August. So Sweet". And it's also a terrific good time. Barnes, Harper, "Say Amen: Mother Smith Would Like It Her Voice and Faith Never Wavered". Harrington, Richard, "The Film: How Great Their Art". They were, in his opinion, extraordinary people whose stories should be told. You can take the simplest message and if you sing out of your soul, you'll hit home. This wildly entertaining documentary is an uplifting look at gospel music, bursting with show-stopping songs and an infectious sense of joy. But in 100 minutes of Say Amen Somebody, director Nierenberg gives a sense of the music's history, the major figures, the flaws (like the sexism of the churches) and sees a resurgence up ahead." I've seen her walk out singing... on the way to her next appearance... and folks is just shoutin' everywhere, hats flyin' and carryin' on, just somethin' terrible. Smith performed it twice more on request; Dorsey, who did not know Smith before the convention, was beckoned to rush there where he sold 4,000 copies of his song. In this light, Smith later said that the National Baptist Convention "hadn't really accepted gospel". Above all, she sang out of emotion, using every vocal effect from growling to crooning to express her sense of the moment."[29]. One of Smith's final appearances was at a reunion concert for the singers featured in Say Amen, Somebody held in 1986 at the Fox Theater in St. Louis. [22] Michael Giltz in Book and Film Globe, writes, "Ken Burns would need sixteen hours to scratch the surface of the complex and riveting history of gospel music. “This year I said we are going to watch ‘Say Amen, Somebody’ because that’s our roots,” Gentry said with excitement about the upcoming annual NCGCC. [15] Smith trained or was otherwise associated with some of the most successful singing acts in gospel music, such as Mahalia Jackson, the Ward Singers, the Roberta Martin Singers, the Caravans, and Inez Andrews. "[1][11] Former student Martha Bass recalls in addition to rehearsing songs, Smith's instruction addressed how to enter and exit the church, and how to speak and behave in front of the congregation. [24] In her heyday, Dorsey considered her more talented than blues singer Bessie Smith had she deigned to record secular music. When she said she felt like flying away, in your mind's eye, you could visualize this... She had power in her voice [and] in her expression. James encouraged her to accept requests to sing in church, and expressed pride in her voice. "[1], Born in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, Willie Mae was the seventh of fourteen children of Clarence Ford, a railroad brakeman, and Mary Williams. He also made sure the film had 24-track sound, so each singer can be heard clearly with the supporting shouts and calls from the audience. I laughed at 'em and tried to do the holy dance. [2] All the cinematographers had to do was film. Say Amen Somebody! Say Amen, Somebody is a 1982 documentary film directed by George Nierenberg about the history and significance of gospel music as told through the lives and trials of its singers. He states, "The film is shrewd in its selection of these moments. Initially these engagements were meant to augment her husband's income, though it turned into a personal crusade. [1] Several singers admit to being directly inspired to sing gospel blues after hearing Smith, including Edna Gallmon Cooke, Myrtle Scott, Goldia Haynes, and "Brother" Joe May. He remarked that capturing the performances was as powerful as they are to see on film, bringing about an ecstasy of being "in the moment". Two years before, Dorsey had a spiritual conversion after a bout of depression. A touching look into the lives of Gospel pioneers Thomas Dorsey and Wille Mae Ford Smith, focusing on a tribute concert held for Mother Smith in St. Louis. Sometimes she had to request money from her husband to get home, which he obliged. Carby, Hazel V., "In Body and Spirit: Representing Black Women Musicians". [11][12][13][14], Ebert gave the film four stars out of four, writing, "Say Amen, Somebody" is the most joyful movie I've seen in a very long time. The story of Gospel is told by its best experts, namely Gospel singers and legends Thomas A. Dorse and Willie Mae Ford Smith. She grew up singing with her family, joining a quartet with her sisters. Each musical number was rehearsed with the performers, camera, and sound crews before filming. She also mentors a young Zella Jackson Price, who expresses her difficulty reconciling the need to be at home with her family while being called on by God to sing. "[1] He furthermore stated that he continues to receive comments from black Americans who have seen the film multiple times, and he is taken aback when they express how much it means to them. In Black Music Research Journal, William Dargan writes, "Singing has been for Willie Mae Ford Smith a world in which she lives, rather than a mere phase of life she has picked up and put down. Willie Mae Ford Smith (June 23, 1904 – February 2, 1994) was an American musician and Christian evangelist instrumental in the development and spread of gospel music in the United States. "[1], Nierenberg went looking for performers "whose expression was an extension of themselves", people committed to an art form without, he felt, proper recognition. It has a 92% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes from twelve reviews. It was the first song Dorsey wrote that combined a blues structure to gospel lyrics. [2], Willie Mae became familiar with blues from hearing it coming from a disreputable clubhouse adjacent to her family's Memphis back yard when she was still a toddler. by George T. Nierenberg", National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, 'Say Amen, Somebody' Restoration Unveils The Wonder Of The Gospel Pioneers, The Making of Say Amen, Somebody, Now Gloriously Restored, 'Say Amen, Somebody' Explains Gospel Music, Hallelujah! She was hailed and revered by those who had attended her services. Say Amen, Somebody (1982) 13 of 13 Say Amen, Somebody (1982) Titles Say Amen, Somebody [5], With a new intensity, however, Smith began delivering short sermons before and sometimes during songs when she was invited to sing. In this position, she trained several very influential 20th century gospel singers though remained relatively unknown herself outside of gospel. MUSIC & WORDS: Various. At the time of the film's release, he was unaware of its significance, and had no idea of its "true meaning". [2][a], The title of the film references typical moments in black churches when a preacher will say a phrase or scripture, and met without any response – especially if the congregation does not agree – will prompt them by saying, "Say 'Amen', somebody." [4] They fostered a love of singing, eventually encouraging Willie Mae and her sisters Mary, Emma, and Geneva to perform at their local church, True Light. He said, "No, come on, get ready, get ready; I'll be back at such and such a time. As a 28-year-old Jewish filmmaker, George Nierenberg had no experience with gospel music before taking on the project. Her appearances were renowned for being intensely moving spiritual experiences. This is simply the most influential female gospel singer of all time, and in the opinion of many, many fans, the greatest. It is also one of the best musicals and one of the most interesting documentaries", going further to call the film "a masterpiece of research, diligence and direction". Soundtrack, incl material dropped before release. He asked Delois to make breakfast again and while she did, he leaned towards Frank's ear and prompted him to ask Delois a question. She was the primary focus of the 1982 documentary film Say Amen, Somebody, about gospel singers in the U.S. "[2] Her devotion and belief that God had called her to travel and minister to people through song was unshakable, though it disrupted her family's life and she felt a keen sadness at leaving her own children behind. 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