{"id":7740,"date":"2023-10-03T10:08:11","date_gmt":"2023-10-03T15:08:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/americanmusic\/?p=7740"},"modified":"2023-10-03T10:10:55","modified_gmt":"2023-10-03T15:10:55","slug":"the-origins-of-soul-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/americanmusic\/2023\/10\/03\/the-origins-of-soul-music\/","title":{"rendered":"The Origins of Soul Music"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Getty Image. 1901. Photo of Margaret Murray Washington.<\/p><\/div>\n

Black woman Margaret Murray Washington gave an address during the Louisiana Purchase exhibition, titled \u201cThe Songs of Our Fathers.” In this address, she demarcates soul music as \u201cwords and music voiced together with the deepest feelings.\u201d1 <\/sup><\/a>This was in 1905, during a time when hearing the words of a black woman was not extremely common, even the article was stated to be written by \u2018Mrs. Booker T. Washington is a white soldier. This was the earliest definition of soul music that I could find, from an African American source.<\/p>\n

Soul music is an African-American genre established in the 1960s.3 <\/sup><\/a> It\u2019s a fusion between Gospel, Jazz, Rhythm, and Blues. Many different singers across the genre attempt to achieve a spiritual ascendance. Big names like Ray Charles, Etta James, and Sam Cooke spearheaded the genre. Billboard topper \u201cA Sunday Kind of Love\u201d4 <\/sup><\/a> by Etta James, to me, represents the spirituality that soul music represents. Typical Christian denominations, that James subscribed to meet on Sunday. In the song she sings of wanting to meet a lover on Sunday, to keep her warm throughout the week. In my opinion, she\u2019s talking about God here. Someone that you\u2019re closest to on Sunday. Take a listen to the song below.<\/p>\n\n\n