Song:He's Got The Whole World In His Hands
Album:The Essential Mahalia Jackson
Of course there were plenty of gospel singers before Mahalia Jackson but she was the first to take gospel music out of the church and into mainstream America. And though she was criticized by the church at the time, Mahalia laid the groundwork for many of the contemporary gospel artists who are popular today. He's Got The Whole World In His Hand even got airplay on pop radio in 1958. She was born Oct. 16, 1911 in New Orleans. She grew up next door to a church and that's where she learned to sing. She was also influenced by blues singers like Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith. By 1927, she moved to Chicago and while working as a maid, she started singing lead in Chicago church choirs and became lead singer with The Johnson Brothers. When they split up in the mid-30s, Mahalia began her solo career. She first recorded for Decca in 1937 but her records didn't sell. She continued to tour and then signed with Apollo Records in 1946. Move On Up A Little Higher became the best selling gospel record of all time in 1948. But when she became a regular on Studs Turkel's 1950 TV show, the led to wider acceptance outside the church. In 1954, she was given a weekly radio program and she signed with Columbia Records. Rusty Old Halo was a top 40 hit in 1954 and she appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956. Her appearance at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival made her even more popular and He's Got The Whole World In His Hands reached #69 on the Billboard Hot 100. She appeared in the 1959 film Imitation Of Life, had her own TV show and appeared at President John F. Kennedy's inauguration. Meanwhile Columbia had her record with schlockmeister Percy Faith. All this brought more criticism from the church. But Mahalia Jackson was also close friends with Dr. Martin Luther King and a force in the civil rights movement of the 60s. Mahalia's health deteriorated in the late 60s and she died on Jan 27, 1972 at age 60. This 2CD comp is a great intro to her music. Here's Mahalia Jackson performing He's Got The Whole World In His Hands at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival from Bert Stern's 1960 film Jazz On A Summer Day.
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