Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 512 pages
• Published by: Routledge
• Edition: 1st Edition September 29, 2005
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0415941792
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0415941792
• Book Dimensions: 11 x 8.8 x 1.4 inches
• Weighs: 3.7 pounds

From Booklist
With more than sixty contributors from universities and libraries as well as from gospel- and folk-music organizations, the Encyclopediaof American Gospel Music provides historic and biographical information for hundreds of artists who have shaped gospel music for more than 100 years. Gospel music is a genre that is difficult to pin down to a single style. In his introduction, editor McNeil states that gospel is often designated as any song of a religious nature; for scholars, however, it encompasses "songs reflecting the personal religious experience of people." In discussing the origin of gospel music, McNeil makes a point to "lay to rest" the opinion that gospel music grew out of camp-meeting spirituals and affirms that gospel was more influenced by marches and secular songs.

Artist entries, ranging from one or two paragraphs to more than a page in length, are arranged alphabetically and contain biographical information, birth and death dates, a select discography, see also references, and bibliographies (including print and online sources). Entries are well written, contain little jargon, and feature information about each artist's regional style and career, or each gospel group's personnel history. Contributors have attempted to include the most current information available by communicating directly with the artists or surviving family members, especially with regard to birth and death dates. In addition to the individual and group performers listed, there are also entries for prominent gospel radio stations, record companies, commonly used instruments such as the Banjo, and gospel subgenres like Bluegrass and Soul gospel.

Most importantly, this volume combines the histories and artist profiles of both black and white gospel music. It is one of few comprehensive, scholarly reference works to combine the two styles and is certainly the most up-to-date. The Gospel Music Encyclopedia (Sterling, 1979), for example, focuses almost entirely on white gospel music. The Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music is intended for scholars as well as general readers and is recommended for academic and public library collections. Steven York
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Review
The treatment is straightforward McNeil's title will likely become the definitive work on the subject and fills a gap in a field that has had only sporadic reference documentation Recommended for all libraries.
–Library Journal, November 15, 2005

For scholars and general readers, this Encyclopedia supplies comprehensive information on both black and white gospel, not often combined in reference texts. Articles cover biographies of early and contemporaty performers and groups, significant events, radio stations, record and publishing companies, publications, and instruments. The editor includes bibliographies and discographies, and birth and death rates when possible.
–Reference & Research BookNews, February 2006

McNeil has compiled an encyclopedia using a multicultural approach. He successfully led a team that has addressed the dearth of reference materials on gospel music, providing much more detail on performers, historical persons, ensembles, and styles.
–American Reference Books Annual, March, 2006