Artbound

How Sweet The Sound: Gospel In Los Angeles
Gospel music would not be what it is today if not for the impact left by Los Angeles in the late 60’s and early 70’s, a time defined by political movements across the country. Artists like James Cleveland and Aretha Franklin captured live recordings of the church experience of South Central and the voices and sentiment of the people coming together to give birth to a new gospel sound.
TRANSCRIPT
[INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER]
NEWSCASTER: THIS IS WHERE IT
BEGAN. THIS IS WHERE THE FUSE
WAS LIGHTED, THE DUSTY CORNER
IN AN OLD NEIGHBORHOOD OF
MODEST HOMES AND NEW LOW-PRICED
APARTMENTS.
MAN: AFTER 6 DAYS OF RIOTING
IN SOUTH LOS ANGELES IN AUGUST
OF 1965, YOU'VE GOT 34 PEOPLE
WHO LOSE THEIR LIFE, 1,032
PEOPLE ARE WOUNDED AND INJURED,
AND ALMOST $30 MILLION
IN MID-1960s OF CAPITAL AND
BUILDING DESTRUCTION.
NEWSCASTER: UP THE STREET A
BLOCK OR SO IN THAT DIRECTION,
A CHURCH WHERE NEGRO LEADERS
PLEADED FOR PEACE AND WERE
REJECTED.
MAN: NO PASTOR WANTED TO SEE
HIS CONGREGATION KILLED. THEY
RECOGNIZED THE FRUSTRATION OF
THEIR CONGREGANTS, THEY'VE
EXPERIENCED THE FRUSTRATION OF
HAVING LOS ANGELES POLICE
DEPARTMENT PULL THEM OVER, THEY
RECOGNIZED THAT THE CITY FATHERS
TREAT WATTS AS A STEPCHILD AT
BEST. BUT VIOLENCE IS VIOLENCE.
BROOKINS: AND I SUBMIT TO
YOU THAT WE SHALL NOT SEE A
HARLEM OR A ROCHESTER OR A NEW
YORK. WE CAN SOLVE IT, IT IS
YET TIME.
SECOND MAN: IF A SOCIETY HAS YOU
SO OPPRESSED AND YOUR
COMMUNICATION, YOUR REACTION IS
SO LIMITED, ALL THIS BUILDS UP
INSIDE OF YOU. THE TIME FOR
RELEASE IS WHEN IT'S AT CHURCH.
♪ AND YOU WILL KNOW
SOMETIMES... ♪
THIRD MAN: IF VIOLENCE IS THE
VOICE OF THE VOICELESS, THEN
GOSPEL BECOMES THE VOICE OF
HOPE.
CHOIR: ♪ ALL GLORY
MAN: I'LL START IT UP
CHOIR: I'LL START IT UP
MAN: LONG TIME
CHOIR: LONG TIME
MAN: THERE IS ♪
[ALL SINGING INDISTINCTLY]
[APPLAUSE]
ANNOUNCER: THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE
POSSIBLE IN PART BY A GRANT FROM
ANNE RAY FOUNDATION, A MARGARET
A. CARGILL PHILANTHROPY, THE LOS
ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS THROUGH THE LOS
ANGELES COUNTY ARTS COMMISSION,
THE LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF
CULTURAL AFFAIRS, THE CALIFORNIA
HUMANITIES, AND THE CALIFORNIA
ARTS COUNCIL.
[APPLAUSE]
[PIANO PLAYS]
WOMAN: ♪ BOY
FREE TO WE HAVE
IN JESUS
CHOIR: IN JESUS ♪
RHONE: GOSPEL MUSIC WAS A WAY
OF EXPRESSING OUR STRUGGLE, OUR
PAIN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, OUR
HOPE AND EXPECTATION FOR BETTER
DAYS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
SOMETIMES THROUGH TEARS THERE
IS YET JOY.
CHOIR: ♪ WITH A
WOMAN: WITH A... ♪
WALKER: SO THE GOSPEL MUSIC
COMING OUT OF LOS ANGELES IN
THE 1960s AND SEVENTIES WAS
VERY MUCH REFLECTIVE NOT ONLY
OF ITS TIME, BUT ITS SPACE.
IT'S L.A., IT'S THE WEST.
CHOIR: ♪ EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING
WOMAN: EVERYTHING
TOMORROW... ♪
WALKER: IN 1973, TOM
BRADLEY WAS ELECTED THE FIRST
AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAYOR OF LOS
ANGELES. A YEAR BEFORE THAT,
ARETHA FRANKLIN RECORDED THE
HIGHEST-SELLING ALBUM IN THE
HISTORY OF GOSPEL MUSIC,
"AMAZING GRACE." BOTH OF THOSE
MILESTONES WERE TIED TO A
REVOLUTION IN GOSPEL MUSIC.
WEST: BUT WHAT MAKES GOSPEL
MUSIC AND ITS EXPRESSION IN THE
CITY OF LOS ANGELES CONNECTING
TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN THE
CITY OF LOS ANGELES IS THE HOPE
THAT REPRESENTS THE TERMINUS OF
THE SECOND GREAT MIGRATION, THE
COMPLEXITY, THE NUANCE, THE
DISAPPOINTMENT, THE JOY, THE
SPIRIT, THE SOUNDSCAPE, THE
LAYERS OF IT. ITS BOMBASITY,
ITS QUIETNESS, ITS RHYTHMS, ITS
TONES SPEAK TO REFLECT AND
AMPLIFY WHAT THE BLACK
COMMUNITY OF THE SIXTIES AND
SEVENTIES FEELS BOTH ABOUT
ITSELF, BUT ALSO WHAT IT SAYS TO
THE LARGE LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY
ABOUT WHO WE ARE.
WOMAN: ♪ OOH
[APPLAUSE]
JENKINS: MANY OF THE BLACKS
AND OTHER MINORITIES CAME TO LOS
ANGELES FOR JOBS, TO BE
PULLMAN PORTERS OR WORK IN
WHITE HOMES OR DO VARIOUS JOBS
WHERE THEY WERE GETTING PAID
MORE, AND IT WAS A BETTER
OPPORTUNITY HERE IN CALIFORNIA.
WALKER: FOR MANY OF THEM IT
WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REDO
THEMSELVES. IT WAS THE PROMISED
LAND IN TERMS OF IT WAS
BEAUTIFUL. IT SEEMED LIKE A NEW
PLACE BECAUSE IT WAS STILL
BUILDING ITSELF UP.
[CHOIR SINGING INDISTINCTLY]
DJEDJE: AND I THINK THE OTHER
THING ABOUT LOS ANGELES IS THAT
IT WAS NOT AS MUCH WRAPPED UP
IN TRADITION AND EVERYTHING WAS
NEW.
WALKER: AND ALL OF A SUDDEN
THEY BEGIN TO HAVE A CRITICAL
MASS OF THESE AFRICAN AMERICANS,
AND BECAUSE OF RESTRICTED
COVENANTS, WHICH DENIED THE
RIGHTS FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS TO
PURCHASE HOMES IN ABOUT 90% OF
LOS ANGELES, THEY WERE ALL
SITUATED IN THIS AREA, YOU KNOW,
THAT WE END UP CALLING SOUTH
CENTRAL, THIS AREA STRAIGHT
DOWN CENTRAL AVENUE, AVALON,
MAIN, BROADWAY, WHERE THEY HAD
ENOUGH PEOPLE TO HAVE A
RESTAURANT. THEY HAD ENOUGH
PEOPLE TO HAVE CLEANERS. THEY
HAD ENOUGH PEOPLE TO HAVE AND
SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS. THEY
HAD ENOUGH PEOPLE TO SUPPORT
CHURCHES. AND THEY DIDN'T JUST
MEAN ONE OR TWO OR THREE, BUT
HUNDREDS OF CHURCHES, BIG AND
SMALL, BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE
HAD COME.
AND THESE CHURCHES,
WITHIN ABOUT 3 MILES OF
EACH OTHER AND WITHIN BLOCKS OF
ALL THESE OTHER CHURCHES, BECOME
GENERATORS OF THE SOUND. THEY
WOULD DO TWO, THREE, FOUR
SERVICES A DAY BECAUSE
EVERYBODY WANTED TO HEAR THIS
NEW HIP STYLE OF MUSIC.
MAN: ♪ IT WAS IN MY CHILDHOOD
'TWAS MANY YEARS AGO... ♪
DJEDJE: I ALWAYS LOOK AT GOSPEL
DURING THE FORTIES AS SORT OF A
VERY A CRITICAL PERIOD. AS MORE
PEOPLE BECAME INTERESTED IN IT,
MORE CHURCHES BECAME
ESTABLISHED. AND CHURCHES AND
LEADERS HAD TO FIND A WAY TO
SATISFY THE NEEDS OF ALL OF
THESE PEOPLE.
MAN: ♪ IN THAT LITTLE WOODEN
CHURCH ON THE HILL ♪
JENKINS: VICTORY BAPTIST WAS
FOUNDED 75 YEARS AGO, AND THE
FOUNDING PASTOR WAS DR. ARTHUR
ATLAS PETERS FROM SLIDALE,
LOUISIANA. REVEREND PETERS KNEW
A LOT OF THE PEOPLE FROM HIS
HOMETOWN. AS PEOPLE WERE COMING
HERE TO CALIFORNIA, THEY NEEDED
A PLACE TO FEEL AT HOME AND
MAKE A CONNECTION.
THEY WOULD COME INTO A CHURCH,
AND IF THE MUSIC SOUND REALLY
GOOD, THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD
COME BACK BECAUSE MUSIC HAD A
TREMENDOUS INFLUENCE AND APPEAL.
AND PASTOR PETERS UNDERSTOOD
THAT AND CAPITALIZED ON THAT.
MAN: ♪ AND THEY STARTED...
DJEDJE: YOU BEGIN TO SEE THE
TYPE OF COMMUNITY CHANGE
DRASTICALLY. THESE WERE PEOPLE
WHO HAD COME FROM RURAL
COMMUNITIES, AND THEY LIKED THE
SPIRITUALS, THE OLD TIME
SPIRITUALS, BUT BY THE SAME
TOKEN, THEY'VE COME TO LOS
ANGELES, THEY'VE COME TO THE
CITY. AND SO THEY NEEDED TO
HAVE A DIFFERENT KIND OF MUSIC
TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY WERE
LIVING IN THE CITY.
THIS IS ALSO THE TIME
WHEN GOSPEL IS BECOMING MORE
AND MORE PROMINENT WITHIN THE
BLACK COMMUNITY. AND SO
WHENEVER YOU HAD ANY KIND OF
CIVIL RIGHTS EVENT OR ACTIVITY
OR ANY KIND OF CAMPAIGN, YOU'RE
JUST GONNA HAVE GOSPEL THERE
BECAUSE IT WAS THE SAME MESSAGE.
THE TWO WERE LINKED TOGETHER.
MAN: ♪ HALLELU...
WOMAN: HALLELU...
MAN: HALLELU...
WOMAN: HALLELU...
BOTH: HALLELU
WOMAN: AIN'T NO HOME
WELL, IT AIN'T NO HOME
TO KEEP YOU MINE... ♪
KING: I COME HERE TO URGE EVERY
PERSON UNDER THE SOUND OF MY
VOICE TO GO TO THE POLLS ON THE
THIRD OF NOVEMBER AND VOTE YOUR
CONVICTION.
DJEDJE: SO HERE IN LOS ANGELES,
IT SORT OF WAS LINKED TOGETHER
THROUGH SOMEONE LIKE ARTHUR
ATLAS PETERS.
WALKER: SO PETERS BECOMES THE
LEADER OF MARTIN LUTHER KING'S
SCLC ON THE WEST COAST AND
BEGINS TO POSITION VICTORY
BAPTIST CHURCH AS A POLITICAL
FORCE.
JENKINS: REVEREND PETERS ALSO
HAD A UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP WITH
THE SIGNIFICANT POLITICAL
INDIVIDUALS IN LOS ANGELES.
DJEDJE: THE FACT THAT HE
WAS SORT OF THIS SPOKESPERSON
NOT ONLY FOR COMMUNITY ISSUES,
BUT ALSO FOR GOSPEL AND THE
FACT THAT HIS CHURCH BY THE
FIFTIES AND SIXTIES HAD BECOME A
MAJOR CENTER FOR GOSPEL, AGAIN
IT WAS ALL SORT OF LINKED
TOGETHER.
TV ANNOUNCER: AS JAZZ BANDS AND
BLUES SINGERS DEVELOP THE
WORLDLY SIDE OF MUSIC, IN THE
NEGRO CHURCH, A SPIRITUAL
ASPECT OF THIS NEW FORM WAS
ALSO DEVELOPING, JUST AS
DYNAMIC AND FORCEFUL IN
STIMULATING OUR MUSICAL
TRADITION.
CHOIR: ♪ GOT A HOLD ON ME
WOMAN: YES, I WENT
CHOIR: TO THE CHURCH
WOMAN: I KNOW, OH
AND GOT TO HAVE SOMETHING
GOT A HOLD ON ME ♪
MAY THOMAS: ♪ WHAT A FRIEND
WE HAVE IN JESUS
ALL OUR SINS
AND GRIEFS TO BEAR
WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT IS
TO CARRY
OH, EVERY, EVERYTHING
TO GOD IN PRAYER ♪
FIRST OF ALL, THIS
IS MY FATHER, BROTHER JOE MAY.
THAT'S THE FIRST KING OF
GOSPEL. HE HAD--HIS HIT WAS
"SEARCH ME, LORD." AND WHEN
THAT BECAME A HIT, HE WAS ABLE
TO GIVE UP HIS 9-TO-5 AND GO ON
THE ROAD, SO TO SPEAK.
MAY: ♪ OH, SEARCH ME, LORD
PLEASE SEARCH ME, LORD ♪
MAY THOMAS: I WAS ABOUT 4 YEARS
OLD WHEN I WAS SINGING GOSPEL
MUSIC. HE WOULD SEND FOR ME ON
WEEKENDS SO THAT I COULD SING
WITH HIM. YOU KNOW, WE WERE ON
THE ROAD. AND SO I GOT TO
MEET ALL OF THE GOSPEL GREATS
AS I GREW UP--SAM COOKE
AND THE SOUL STIRRERS. LOU
RAWLS WAS WITH THE PILGRIM
TRAVELERS. I MET ARETHA WITH
HER FATHER REVEREND C.L.
FRANKLIN.
FRANKLIN: ♪ IF ONLY I
MAY THOMAS: MAVIS STAPLES WITH
THE STAPLE SINGERS.
STAPLE: ♪ OH, I CAN'T
SIT DOWN
MAN: SIT DOWN, SIT DOWN
STAPLE: I CAN'T SIT DOWN
I JUST GOT TO HEAVEN
AND I CAN'T SIT DOWN
MAN: YEAH ♪
MAY THOMAS: AND REVEREND JAMES
CLEVELAND WITH ALBERTINA WALKER
AND HER CARAVANS.
THE CARAVANS: ♪ TAKE ME
MAY THOMAS: AND HE WAS SOLOIST
AS WELL AS ONE OF THE PIANISTS.
AND HE WROTE SONGS FOR THEM, AND
SO HE WAS ALSO RECORDING
HIMSELF.
MAN: JAMES CLEVELAND!
[APPLAUSE]
CLEVELAND: THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
AND WELCOME TO "TV GOSPEL TIME."
WALKER: IN THE 1960s, L.A. IS
EXPERIENCING ALL KINDS OF NEW
PHENOMENA, AND ONE OF THEM COMES
ON BEHALF OF ONE OF ITS MOST
FAMOUS INCOMING MIGRANTS, AND
THAT IS THIS GUY NAMED JAMES
CLEVELAND. JAMES CLEVELAND IS
CALLED THE PRINCE OF GOSPEL. HE
HAD STUDIED UNDER NONE OTHER
THAN THOMAS DORSEY IN CHICAGO.
HE HAD PLAYED WITH MANY OF THE
EARLY GOSPEL GREATS. AND HE HAD
BEEN ALREADY WRITING AND
ARRANGING. HE HAD PLAYED FOR
ARETHA FRANKLIN'S DAD. HE WAS
THE MINISTER OF MUSIC AT
THEIR CHURCH IN DETROIT,
MICHIGAN. AND HE HAD ALREADY A
RECOGNIZED PERSONA.
CLEVELAND: AND I REMEMBER SO
WELL THAT I SAID I WASN'T
GONNA TELL NOBODY, BUT I
COULDN'T KEEP IT TO MYSELF.
♪ SAID I WASN'T GONNA
TELL NOBODY BUT I... ♪
DJEDJE: AS LOS ANGELES GAINED
MORE RECOGNITION AS THE CENTER
FOR GOSPEL MUSIC, PERHAPS THOSE
PEOPLE WHO WERE LIVING IN
CHICAGO FELT AS IF THEY NEEDED
TO GO WHERE THE ACTION IS.
CHOIR: ♪ COULDN'T KEEP IT
TO MYSELF
CLEVELAND: BUT THE LORD
CHOIR: HAS GOT AHOLD OF ME ♪
MAY THOMAS: IN THE EARLY 1960s,
I INVITED REVEREND CLEVELAND TO
COME TO LOS ANGELES.
WALKER: THIS WAS UNCHARTED
TERRITORY, AND I GUARANTEE YOU
HE LOOKED AT IT AND SAID, "ALL
THESE VOICES, ALL THESE
PEOPLE, ALL THESE CHURCHES?
AND NOBODY'S RECORDING THEM AND
PUTTING THEM ON A NATIONAL
STAGE? OH, I'M DOING THIS."
[CHOIR SINGING]
MAY THOMAS: AND JAMES CLEVELAND
WAS IN DETROIT TALKING
ABOUT--YOU KNOW, HE WAS JUST
KIND OF LIKE STAGNANT. I SAID,
"OH, THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOU
TO COME." I SAID, "I GOT A JOB
FOR YOU. COME ON OUT HERE."
DJEDJE: HE WANTED TO DO
SOMETHING NEW. MOST PEOPLE
ASSOCIATE HIM WITH CHICAGO,
CHICAGO, CHICAGO, BUT IT WAS
ONLY LOS ANGELES THAT ALLOWED
HIM TO BECOME GREAT.
RHONE: WHAT HE BROUGHT TO LOS
ANGELES WAS A BIGGER THAN LIFE
PERSONA THAT PEOPLE RALLIED TO.
WALKER: L.A. WAS AN ATTRACTION.
L.A. IS HOLLYWOOD. EVERYBODY
WANTS TO COME HERE AND LEAVE THE
MIDWEST AND TRY TO MAKE THEIR
STAR HAPPEN. SO IF I REALLY
WANT TO MAKE IT, AND ESPECIALLY
IF I WANT THE MUSIC TO GO
BEYOND MY 4 WALLS AND THEN
MAYBE EVEN CROSS INTO SOMETHING
ELSE, L.A. IS THE PLACE I WANT
TO BE.
WEBBER: SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO
DO A SONG CALLED, "I'M GOING
THROUGH," WHICH IS A SONG THAT
REVEREND W.T. SNEED USED TO DO
EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT JUST BEFORE
HE DID HIS SERMON.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
WALKER: ONE OF THE BEST WAYS
FOR PEOPLE TO BEGIN TO SHARE
THIS NEW MUSIC WAS THROUGH
THESE RADIO BROADCASTS. SO AS
AFRICAN AMERICANS BEGIN TO MOVE
INTO LOS ANGELES, YOU CAN
IMAGINE RADIO STATIONS BEGIN TO
CHANGE THEIR FORMAT TO CATER TO
THIS NEW POPULATION. THEY
DEDICATE SUNDAYS TO GOSPEL
MUSIC.
WEBBER: THEY CALLED IT A CHURCH
RADIO BROADCAST. AND SO EACH
CHURCH THAT WAS ON WOULD HAVE
THEIR TIMESLOT. SO OUR TIME WAS
FROM 8:30 PM TO 9:30 PM. I FELT
LIKE I HAD 2,000 MUSIC STUDENTS
EACH WEEK. 10 YEARS, 20 YEARS,
30 YEARS LATER, I HAVE MUSICIANS
COMING TO ME THAT I NEVER SAW
WHO TOLD ME HOW INFLUENTIAL I
WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO
HEAR THE BROADCAST EVERY SUNDAY
NIGHT AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT IT WAS THAT I WAS DOING.
DURING THAT TIME, THERE
WAS ONLY A FEW CHANNELS ON TV
THAT WERE EVEN AVAILABLE. THERE
WAS NO CABLE. SO THE MEDIA WAS
RADIO. THEY WOULD GATHER AROUND
THE RADIO AND LISTEN.
SO PEOPLE BEGAN TO HEAR THOSE
SONGS AND HOW THE MUSICIANS
PLAYED THEM.
[PLAYING ORGAN]
A LOT OF THE MUSIC CHANGED IN
L.A. ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY WERE
HEARING ON THE RADIO. SO WHEN
JAMES CAME HERE, HE STARTED TO
FORM THIS FELLOWSHIP WITH THE
MUSICIANS. AFTER THEY WOULD HAVE
THEIR CHURCH SERVICE AND THEIR
BROADCASTS, THEY WOULD GO OUT
LATE NIGHT AND EAT AND TALK
ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN
GOSPEL MUSIC AND WHO HAD DONE
WHAT. SO THEY FORMED THIS BOND
WHERE EVERYONE WAS KIND OF
ACCEPTING HIM AS THE LEADER OF
THIS NEW MOVEMENT.
DJEDJE: THE FACT THAT PEOPLE
BEGAN TO INVEST IN RADIO
PROGRAMS AND TV PROGRAMS GAVE
THEM MUCH MORE EXPOSURE. ALL OF
THAT WENT A LONG WAY IN MAKING
GOSPEL MUCH MORE RESPECTED.
WALKER: A NUMBER OF THESE RADIO
STATIONS, BECAUSE OF THEIR
REACH, IT MEANS THAT PEOPLE
OUTSIDE OF SOUTH CENTRAL GET TO
LISTEN TO A BLACK SOUTH CENTRAL
EXPERIENCE, WHICH MAY BE A
RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE YOU WANT
TO HEAR. BUT IT ALSO MAY BE
THAT IT INTONES YOU OR MAKES
YOU EMPATHETIC TO A SOCIAL AND
POLITICAL REALITY THAT THE
PASTOR MAY BE TALKING ABOUT.
PASTOR: IT'S THAT WE'LL GO UP IF
YOU WANT TO BOAST ABOUT YOU. AND
IF YOU'RE GOING DOWN, WE'LL HELP
PUSH YOU DOWN.
[CONGREGATION AGREES]
PASTOR: WHAT I WANT TO TELL YOU
WHEREVER YOU MAY BE, JUST KEEP
A-GOING. IF YOU STRIKE A FOOL...
FISHER: THE CHURCH WAS, BACK
THEN, WAS THE ONLY PLACE WHERE
BLACKS HAD TO CONGREGATE
TOGETHER. YOU'VE GOT TO SEE
YOU'RE DEALING WITH OPPRESSION.
THAT'S GETTING RID OF ALL THAT
BUILD UP IN US,
AND MUSIC WAS...
A PART OF IT.
[CHOIR VOCALIZING]
FISHER: THE CONGREGATION I HAD
STARTED IN A HOUSE ON THE
CORNER RIGHT DOWN THERE. I
LAUGH ABOUT IT NOW. IN THAT
ONE-BEDROOM HOUSE YOU COULD
COUNT THE STARS.
[RHYTHMIC CLAPPING]
BACK THEN, COULDN'T BORROW NO
MONEY. NO BANK WOULD LOAN ANY
MONEY TO US. THEY SAY, "WELL,
YOU'RE NOT GOING--YOU CAN'T DO
NOTHING OUT THERE IN COMPTON.
THERE'S NOBODY OUT THERE." I
SAID, "I'M GONNA LEAVE IT UP TO
GOD. GOD WANT ME TO BUILD HIM A
BUILDING, A CHURCH."
WEST: PASTORS AND PARTICULARLY
PASTORS IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN
COMMUNITY ARE GONNA BE
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT IN THE
EARLY 1960s FOR ELECTORAL
OFFICE.
FISHER: WHEN THEY START LETTING
US VOTE, I BECAME ACTIVE. I MET
TOM BRADLEY WHEN HE WAS A
POLICEMAN, AND I SUPPORTED HIM.
WEST: TOM BRADLEY REPRESENTS
THE PRE-WORLD WAR II NARRATIVE
OF THOSE WHO ARE GONNA ARRIVE
INTO THE CITY.
WALKER: HE RESEMBLES WHAT SO
MANY OF THESE PEOPLE WERE
ASPIRING TO BE. HE WAS THEIR
STORY. HE COMES FROM CALVERT,
TEXAS, STARTS OFF HIS LIFE AS A
SHARECROPPER, THEN COMES TO L.A.
WEST: HE'S ABLE TO LEVERAGE
HIS ATHLETIC ABILITY TO
GENERATE A SCHOLARSHIP TO THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS
ANGELES. HE'S ONE OF 55 BLACKS
ON THE CAMPUS AT THAT TIME IN
THE EARLY 1930s.
WALKER: AND THEN FOR 20 YEARS
ALMOST, HE'S A POLICE OFFICER IN
THE LAPD WHEN THERE WEREN'T
MANY BLACK PEOPLE IN THE LAPD.
WEST: HE THEN IS GOING TO
PURSUE THE POSSIBILITY OF
ELECTED OFFICE. HE WON'T BE THE
FIRST. GIL LINDSAY IS GONNA BE
APPOINTED TO BE THE FIRST
AFRICAN AMERICAN IN L.A. CITY
COUNCIL. BUT HE WILL JOIN
LINDSAY ON THE CITY COUNCIL
ALONG WITH BILLY MILLS. AND BY
1963, THE 3 OF THEM WILL
SERVE IN THE CITY COUNCIL,
3 OF 15.
WALKER: SO THESE PASTORS WERE
UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY HAD
INFINITELY MORE TO DO AND GIVE
TO THEIR CONGREGATIONS THAN
JUST THE SCRIPTURES ON SUNDAY.
AND THEY BEGIN TO BE A FORCE,
NOT A LITTLE FORCE, BUT THEY
ARE POWER BROKERS IN THE CITY.
[CHOIR SINGING]
FISHER: I WOULD PUT ON RALLIES
IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THE
COMMUNITY WOULD COME. I DIDN'T
GIVE UP, PUSHED ON.
[CHOIR SINGING]
FELICIA: ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT
TALK ABOUT WATTS, THEY SAY HOW
DIRTY IT IS, HOW FILTHY IT IS,
HOW MUCH THEY WANT TO LEAVE.
ALL MY FRIENDS DON'T WANT TO
LIVE HERE, HATE TO SAY THAT
THEY LIVE IN WATTS. I THINK
THAT'S SILLY. THEY DO LIVE IN
WATTS. SURE, EVERYBODY WANTS TO
GET OUT. I DON'T. I THINK I
WANT TO STAY HERE. BUT I DON'T
WANT TO LIVE LIKE I'M LIVING
RIGHT NOW.
WEST: I THINK FOR MOST
AMERICANS, THERE'S NO
UNDERSTANDING OF JIM CROW, AND
THERE'S A SILENCE WITHIN THAT
PARTICULAR GENERATION OF
AFRICAN AMERICANS TO--YOU COME
TO LOS ANGELES AND YOU WANT TO
FORGET THE BURNING CROSSES, YOU
WANT TO LEAVE BEHIND THE MEMORY
OF THE UNCLE WHO WAS HUNG FROM
A TREE, YOU WANT TO LEAVE
BEHIND THE HUMILIATION OF
WAITING AT THE STORE AND NEVER
BEING SERVED. VIOLENCE WAS
NORMAL. HUMILIATION WAS NORMAL.
MAN: ♪ YOU LIFT UP HIGH
OH, YEAH... ♪
WALKER: YOU'VE GOT AFRICAN
AMERICANS ELECTING PEOPLE TO
THE CITY COUNCIL. YOU'VE GOT
THEM WITH A COUNTY SUPERVISOR
WHO HAS THEIR EAR. YOU'VE GOT
THEM WITH PEOPLE IN THE
ASSEMBLY.
YOU'VE GOT THESE RALLIES THAT
ARE GOING ON WHERE THEY'RE
SAYING, IN ESSENCE, I AM
SOMEBODY, RIGHT. YOU'VE GOT THE
PASSAGE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS
ACT. I HAVE RIGHTS THAT HAVE
BEEN CONFIRMED BY THE CONGRESS
AND BY THE SUPREME COURT. I
HAVE RIGHTS.
MAN: ♪ AND TO ALL...
WALKER: POLITICAL VIOLENCE
DOESN'T OCCUR WHEN PEOPLE ARE
JUST BEING OPPRESSED. ACTUALLY
PEOPLE CAN LIVE FOR CENTURIES
BEING OPPRESSED. IT HAPPENS ALL
OVER THE WORLD. WHEN YOU HAVE
RISING EXPECTATIONS AND RISING
EXPECTATIONS ARE MET WITH
A SWIFT AND SOUND DEFEAT,
THAT'S WHEN POLITICAL VIOLENCE
HAPPENS.
WEST: IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO
HEAR ME BY USING THE NORMAL
MECHANISMS OF ELECTED
OFFICIALS, OF CITY LISTENING,
OF DELIVERABLE SERVICE, THEN WE
NEED TO FIND OTHER MECHANISMS
BY WHICH THAT YOU'RE GOING TO
HEAR US.
JENKINS: IN LOS ANGELES,
CALIFORNIA, IT JUST SEEMED TO
BE MORE OPPORTUNITY HERE TO,
YOU KNOW, REACH YOUR DREAMS, A
BETTER LIFE. TOOK THEM A LITTLE
TIME TO FIND OUT THAT IT WAS
JUST A HORSE OF A DIFFERENT
COLOR.
WOMAN: ♪ MISTER...
[TIRES SCREECHING]
[EXPLOSION]
[POLICE CHATTER]
[SIRENS]
MAN: HEY! DON'T MOVE!
WOMAN: ♪ OH, YEAH, I FEEL...
POLICE OFFICER: THIS AREA IS
BEING CLOSED. PLEASE GO IN YOUR
HOMES.
WOMAN: ♪ NOWHERE IS NOW
WAKE UP, JESUS ♪
RHONE: GOSPEL MUSIC AS A GENRE
WAS BIRTHED BY THE CHALLENGING
EXPERIENCE OF BLACK FOLK IN
AMERICA.
DOUROUX: MOST OF MUSIC IN
CHURCH STEMS FROM THE FACT THAT
WE SUNG OUR WAY THROUGH
HISTORY, FROM ONE CHAOTIC TIME
AND GETTING THROUGH IT TO
ANOTHER CHAOTIC TIME AND
GETTING THROUGH THAT, SO THE
MUSIC HAS ALWAYS AMPLIFIED
WHERE WE ARE.
[NO AUDIO]
CLEVELAND: ♪ MASTER
BUT YOUR PATH IS RAGING
OH, THE BILLOWS... ♪
RHONE: I BELIEVE GOD CHOSE
REVEREND CLEVELAND, JAMES
CLEVELAND, FOR WHAT HE DID AND
THE EFFECT THAT HE HAD ON
GOSPEL MUSIC, HELPING TO BRING
THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES
TOGETHER.
WHEN HE TOUCHED A SONG,
IT TOOK ON A NEW LIFE, JUST
BECAUSE OF WHAT HE BROUGHT TO
IT--THE PASSION THAT HE PUT
INTO IT, THE CONVICTION, THAT
HE HAD FOR DELIVERING THAT
SONG. IT GAVE IT SOMETHING JUST
NEW AND IT WAS GOLD.
CLEVELAND: THE CHRISTIAN KEPT ON
ASKING HIM--
CHOIR: ♪ WHERE IS YOUR FAITH
CLEVELAND: WHERE IS YOUR FAITH
CHOIR: IN GOD? ♪
WALKER: ONE THING THAT'S FUNNY
ABOUT JAMES CLEVELAND, MANY
PEOPLE TALK ABOUT, THAT HE
WASN'T THE GREATEST PIANO
PLAYER, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
HIS VOICE IS NOT THE GREATEST
VOICE. HE'S NOT THE GREATEST OF
A LOT OF THINGS, BUT WHEN YOU
PUT THEM ALL TOGETHER, THE
WHOLE IS GREATER THAN THE
PARTS.
CLEVELAND: ♪ ALL MY BILLS
ARE WAY PAST DUE... ♪
DOUROUX: WORKING WITH JAMES
CLEVELAND, IT WAS SO UNIQUE IN
THAT HE HAD A GIFT FOR
INTERPRETATION. HIS VOICE
WASN'T MELODIOUS, BUT HE COULD
SELL A SONG. AND HE WOULD MAKE
A SONG LIVE, I DON'T CARE WHAT
IT WAS.
CLEVELAND: PRAISE GOD IN THIS
SANCTUARY.
WEBBER: GOSPEL MUSIC USED TO
JUST BE ON A PIANO. AND PEOPLE
WOULD CLAP AND THEY WOULD PAT
THEIR FEET. AS TIME WENT ON AND
JAMES DECIDED THAT HE WANTED TO
ADD INSTRUMENTATION, BASICALLY
BECAUSE JAMES WAS A RECORDING
ARTIST WITH SAVOY. IN THE
STUDIO, THEY WOULD HAVE ACCESS
TO A DRUMMER TO KEEP THE BEAT
RIGHT. THEY'D HAVE AN ORGAN IN
THERE. THEY'D HAVE A BASS
PLAYER. THEY HAD ACCESS TO
THESE OTHER INSTRUMENTS. SO
JAMES DECIDED TO BRING THAT
INTO THE CHURCH.
CLEVELAND: BASS PLAYER. JUST
PRAISE HIM FOR ONE MINUTE
THERE.
[BASS PLAYS]
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
THAT'S ENOUGH. AND
THAT'S A LEAD GUITAR RIGHT
THERE. ONE THAT CAN I GET YOU TO
PRAISE HIM JUST ONE MINUTE
THERE.
[GUITAR PLAYING]
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
OK.
WALKER: ONE OF HIS CHIEF
INNOVATIONS WAS TO MIC THE
AUDIENCE. WHEN PEOPLE RECORD,
MANY TIMES THEY WANT THIS CLEAN
SOUND, RIGHT. THEY DON'T WANT
ANYTHING ELSE OUT THERE BECAUSE
IT'LL SOUND--IT'LL MESS UP THE
SOUND. HE UNDERSTOOD THAT WHAT
HE WAS CAPTURING WAS THE CHURCH
EXPERIENCE, THE LIVED EXPERIENCE
IN THE CHURCH. SO WHEN YOU'RE
LISTENING TO THE RECORDINGS OF A
JAMES CLEVELAND SONG, YOU HEAR A
CHOIR, BUT THEN YOU ALSO HEAR
SHRIEKS IN THE BACKGROUND.
YOU HEAR A WOMAN WAILING, YOU
HEAR PEOPLE SCREAMING, YOU HEAR
ALL KINDS OF OTHER THINGS, AND
YOU HEAR HIM INTERACTING WITH
THE CROWD. YOU SEE THE
IMPROVISATION HAPPENING BECAUSE
HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE REAL
MUSIC EXPERIENCE WAS THE CHURCH
EXPERIENCE.
CLEVELAND: SHH.
THEY CAN'T HELP IT. THE
BIBLE SAID--SHH. WHEN YOU GET
HOME, GET YOUR BIBLE AND DUST
IT OFF.
[LAUGHTER]
ANNOUNCER: IT'S NONE OTHER THAN
REVEREND JAMES CLEVELAND AND
THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
COMMUNITY CHOIR. GIVE THEM A BIG
HAND AS THEY COME AT THIS TIME.
COME ON.
[APPLAUSE]
[CHOIR VOCALIZING]
CLEVELAND: ♪ NOBODY
NOBODY, NOBODY
CHOIR: NOBODY TO HOLD ME
CLEVELAND: THE ROAD
CHOIR: THE ROAD WOULD BE... ♪
WALKER: FOR MOST PEOPLE, THEIR
IMAGE OF GOSPEL MUSIC IS THIS
HUGE CHOIR, RIGHT, BUT IN
REALITY, IN TERMS OF RECORDED
MUSIC AND MUSIC INDUSTRY, IT
WAS NOT THE SOUND UNTIL REALLY
THE 1960s AND EARLY SEVENTIES.
WHEN PEOPLE BOUGHT RECORDED
GOSPEL MUSIC, THEY DIDN'T BUY
BIG CHOIR-RECORDED GOSPEL MUSIC.
THEY BOUGHT QUARTETS, THEY
BOUGHT SOLOISTS.
MAY THOMAS: WE'VE ALWAYS HAD
CHOIRS IN CHURCHES AND THINGS
LIKE THAT, BUT NOT AS A SPECIAL
EVENT. YOU KNOW, CHOIRS SANG FOR
THE MORNING WORSHIPS AND THINGS
LIKE THAT, BUT THEY WERE NOT
RECORDING UNTIL REVEREND
CLEVELAND STARTED TO RECORD.
CHOIR: ♪ WELL WELL, WELL WELL
WELL WELL, WELL WELL
WELL WELL, WELL WELL
WELL WELL WELL
WELL WELL WELL
WELL, WELL, WELL
WELL, WELL, WELL ♪
WEBBER: ONCE YOU HEARD WHAT HE
WAS DOING WITH CHOIRS, YOU
NEVER FORGOT IT, YOU NEVER
WANTED TO GO BACK TO WHAT YOU
WERE DOING BEFORE.
RHONE: HE PUT VOICES TOGETHER,
50, 60, 70-PLUS VOICES. IT WOULD
JUST WORK, IT WOULD BLEND. AND
YET, THE VOICES WERE DISTINCT.
CHOIR: ♪ OHH
ONLY A LOOK ♪
WALKER: THIS NEW APPRECIATION
FOR ALL THESE VOICES AND ALL
THIS COMING THROUGH YOUR
AIRWAVES WAS BECAUSE OF JAMES
CLEVELAND.
AFTER A VERY SHORT
PERIOD OF TIME SERVING AS A
MINISTER OF MUSIC FOR OTHER
CHURCHES, JAMES CLEVELAND
ESTABLISHES HIS OWN CHURCH,
CORNERSTONE BAPTIST CHURCH ON
SLAUSON AND WESTERN, AND THE
CHURCH WAS A PLACE OF MUSICAL
INNOVATION. YOU CAN IMAGINE
THAT. THE CHURCH WAS A PLACE
OF HEALING SPIRITUALLY, OF
UPLIFT SPIRITUALLY, BUT IT WAS
KNOWN AS A PLACE WHERE
EVERYBODY COULD BE THEMSELVES,
WHERE THEY COULD BE COMFORTABLE.
NO MATTER WHAT THEIR RACE WAS,
THEY COULD COME TO
CORNERSTONE, NO MATTER WHAT
THEIR SEXUAL PREFERENCE WAS,
THEY COULD COME TO CORNERSTONE,
NO MATTER WHAT THEIR PAST
MUSICAL HISTORY WAS, THEY COULD
COME TO CORNERSTONE. AND WHEN
HE THEN CREATES THE SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY CHOIR, HE
TOOK THAT SAME ETHOS WITH HIM.
AND SO NOW EVEN THOUGH YOU GO
TO A DIFFERENT CHURCH, BUT YOU
REALLY WANT TO SING WITH JAMES
CLEVELAND, RIGHT? YOU'VE GOT THE
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY
CHOIR. SO YOU COULD BE A MEMBER
OF ANY OF THESE CHURCHES AND
YOU COULD STILL BE IN THERE
WITH JAMES CLEVELAND.
DOUROUX: JAMES CLEVELAND
PROBABLY DESERVES THE
RECOGNITION FOR BEING THE
GROUNDWORK FOR REAL, REAL
TRANSITION. I REALLY THINK
THAT'S THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE FOR
WHO WE ARE TODAY.
CHOIR: ♪ AT THE TABLE
FOR MANKIND
KIND, KIND, KIND, KIND
AT THE TABLE, TABLE
TABLE, TABLE,
EVERYTHING
WOMAN: SAY EVERYTHING
CHOIR: EVERYTHING
WOMAN: EVERYTHING
CHOIR: EVERYTHING
WOMAN: THERE
CHOIR: THERE
WOMAN: IS
CHOIR: FREE ♪
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
[GOSPEL MUSIC PLAYING]
JENKINS: THIS IS JAMES
CLEVELAND AND THE SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY CHOIR, AND
THAT'S THE CHOIR HERE IN LOS
ANGELES. THE TITLE HIT ON THERE
IS "GIVE ME A CLEAN HEART." AND
THIS PARTICULAR SONG WAS VERY
POPULAR. IT WAS SUNG IN
CHURCHES ALL ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, AND THE SONG WAS
WRITTEN BY ONE OF THE MOST
PROLIFIC, AND I MEAN THIS, ONE
OF THE GREATEST WRITERS OF ALL
TIMES, AND THAT'S MARGARET
PLEASANT DOUROUX. HER MUSIC IS
AWESOME.
WOMAN: ♪ AND I'M NOT ASKING
FOR HIGH MEN TO KNOW
MY NAME
PLEASE, LORD
GIVE ME
A CLEAN HEART
SO THAT I
MAY FOLLOW THEE
CHOIR: GIVE ME A CLEAN HEART
WOMAN: GIVE ME
A CLEAN HEART
CHOIR: HEART ♪
WALKER: ...RANK AND FILE MEMBER
OF AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHURCH
PRIOR TO THE ADVENT OF THESE BIG
COMMUNITY CHOIRS, YOU WERE
ISOLATED TO THE CHURCH THAT YOU
WERE A MEMBER OF. WITH THE
CREATION OF THESE COMMUNITY
CHOIRS, YOU END UP HAVING THIS
BEAUTIFUL CROSS POLLINATION
GOING ON WHERE MEMBERS OF ONE
CHURCH WERE ALSO MEMBERS OF
THESE COMMUNITY CHOIRS. THAT HAS
A MUSICAL CONSEQUENCE THAT TURNS
OUT TO BE THIS GREAT MUSIC, BUT
IT ALSO HAS A SOCIAL AND
POLITICAL CONSEQUENCE BECAUSE
THEY'RE SHARING INFORMATION WITH
EACH OTHER.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
NEWS ANCHOR: A LOS ANGELES
COUNCILMAN, THOMAS BRADLEY, WHO
IS A NEGRO, FINISHED FIRST IN
YESTERDAY'S ELECTION FOR MAYOR,
BUT HE DID NOT RECEIVE A
MAJORITY, SO HE WILL COMPETE IN
A RUNOFF WITH THE NUMBER TWO
CANDIDATE, THE MAN WHO IS NOW
THE MAYOR, SAM YORTY...
WEST: AFTER THE WATTS
INSURRECTION OF 1965, BRADLEY IS
VERY WELL AWARE THAT L.A. POLICE
IS USED IN MANY WAYS AS AN
OCCUPYING ARMY, AND HE'S TRYING
TO LEVERAGE THE POSSIBILITY OF
THE CITY COUNCIL TO TRY TO AT
LEAST CORRAL SOME OF THE MORE
EGREGIOUS COMPONENTS OF THE LOS
ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT. HE
GETS PUSHBACK, AND IT'S CLEAR TO
HIM THAT IF I STAY AS SIMPLY
ONE OF 15 IN THE CITY COUNCIL, I
WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE INCREMENTAL
SHIFTS, BUT IF I REALLY WANT TO
MAKE THE SORT OF WHOLESALE SHIFT
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT IN NOT
JUST SIMPLY IN THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT BUT IN ALL THE
SERVICES THAT THE CITY PROVIDES,
THE BEST POSSIBLE LOCATION TO DO
THAT IN MANY WAYS IS GOING TO BE
BECOME THE MAYOR FOR THE CITY.
YORTY: BRADLEY MADE A VERY
RACIST APPEAL IN THE NEGRO AREA
THAT THEY SHOULD VOTE FOR HIM
BECAUSE HE'S BLACK, AND THAT
APPEARS TO HAVE WORKED TO A
CERTAIN EXTENT. THEN HE ALSO GOT
THE LEFT-WING DEMOCRATS. SO HE
PUT TOGETHER SORT OF A BLOCK
HERE. AND I WOULD SAY ABOUT ALL
THE VOTES HE'S GOING TO GET, HE
WILL GET IN THE PRIMARY.
WEST: YORTY WILL RUN, IN MANY
WAYS, A DEMONIZATION CAMPAIGN.
HE'LL SAY THAT THE
SUPPORTERS OF TOM BRADLEY IN
1969 ARE THE BLACK PANTHER
PARTY, THEY'RE VIOLENT TOUGHS,
THAT IF YOU ELECT TOM BRADLEY IN
CITY OFFICE, THERE'S GONNA BE A
TAKEOVER BY THE VIOLENT ELEMENTS
OF THE COMMUNITY. AND HE'S ABLE
TO LEVERAGE THAT NARRATIVE TO BE
ABLE TO DEFEAT BRADLEY IN 1969.
BRADLEY: THE MAYOR HAS HAD A
PATTERN OF RUNNING A SMEAR
CAMPAIGN RATHER THAN DEALING
WITH THE ISSUES. HE'S DONE THIS
IN THE PAST, AND HIS STATEMENTS
LAST NIGHT AND EARLY THIS
MORNING CLEARLY INDICATE THAT
THAT'S THE ATTACK HE WILL TAKE
AGAIN.
REPORTER: AND WHAT'S THE BEST
ATTACK AGAINST A CAMPAIGN LIKE
THIS?
BRADLEY: I PROPOSE TO IGNORE
IT. I BELIEVE THAT WE OUGHT TO
RUN A HIGH-LEVEL CAMPAIGN FOR
THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY WHERE
WE DEAL WITH THE ISSUES. WE
HAVE ENORMOUS PROBLEMS FACING
US, AND TO TALK ABOUT GUTTER
POLITICS AT A TIME LIKE THIS, I
THINK IS INAPPROPRIATE.
WEST: TO HIS CREDIT, HE'S
DEFEATED ON TUESDAY. HE IS IN A
CHURCH IN WEST HILLS ON SUNDAY
IN 1969 BECAUSE HE'S ALREADY
BEGINNING HIS 1973 CAMPAIGN.
THEY COULD FEEL HIM, THEY COULD
SEE HIM, THEY COULD INTERACT
WITH HIM. HE IS GOING TO REACH
OUT TO THE BLACK CHURCH AND MOVE
THROUGH FIRST A.M.E., SECOND
BAPTIST, PEOPLE'S INDEPENDENT
CHURCH AND ASK THEIR PASTORS TO
RALLY THEIR CONGREGANTS TO SHOW
UP. BUT IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY,
THE TWO THINGS THAT HAD TO
OCCUR WERE VOTER REGISTRATION
AND VOTER TURNOUT. AND IN MANY
WAYS, PARTICULARLY IN THE 1973
CAMPAIGN, THOSE WERE THE TWO
THINGS THAT THE BLACK CHURCH
DID AT ITS CORE--REGISTERING
ITS CONGREGANTS AND GETTING
THOSE CONGREGANTS OUT TO BE
ABLE TO VOTE. SO THEY SERVE A
CRITICAL ROLE IN THAT PROCESS.
WALKER: THIS MUSIC THAT THESE
PEOPLE ARE LISTENING TO IN
THESE CHURCHES IS REFLECTIVE OF
THE EXPERIENCES THAT THEY'RE
HAVING IN THE STREETS. THERE'S
A GREAT SONG CALLED "CLIMBING
HIGHER MOUNTAINS," AND IT GOES,
"I'M CLIMBING HIGHER MOUNTAINS
TRYING TO GET HOME. I'M ON THE
ROUGH SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN
TRYING TO GET HOME." THOSE TYPES
OF SONGS ARE THOSE TYPE OF
MOVEMENT SONGS THAT SAY
PROGRESSION, AND I THINK FOR
MANY OF THESE AFRICAN AMERICANS
MIGRATING INTO LOS ANGELES AT
THIS TIME, GETTING THIS THING
FROM THESE CHURCHES THAT ARE
PUSHING THEM IN THAT DIRECTION,
IT IS REFLECTIVE OF WHAT YOU
SEE WHEN YOU SEE TOM BRADLEY
GET ELECTED IN 1973 AS THE
FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAYOR OF
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.
CHOIR: ♪ TRYING TO GET HOME
MAN: OH, I'M PRAYING
IN THE MORNING... ♪
WEST: AND I THINK ALL THOSE
THINGS ARE LAYERED AND NUANCED
IN THE EXPRESSION OF BLACK
GOSPEL MUSIC, BUT PARTICULARLY
IN LOS ANGELES.
CHOIR: ♪ TRYING TO GET HOME
[APPLAUSE]
MAY THOMAS: FOR THE RECORDING OF
"AMAZING GRACE" WITH ARETHA
FRANKLIN, SHE CAME TO LOS
ANGELES AND WAS BACKGROUND BY
THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
COMMUNITY CHOIR AND REVEREND
CLEVELAND.
AND OF COURSE, THIS
IS ARETHA WHEN SHE WAS DOING
THE "AMAZING GRACE" ALBUM AND
COMING DOWN FOR THE BEGINNING
OF THE ALBUM. SHE WOULD MARCH
IN.
CHOIR: ♪ MARY...
WALKER: WHEN THEY BEGIN TO
START TALKING ABOUT RECORDING
THIS ALBUM AND IN ESSENCE,
BRINGING HER BACK HOME,
BRINGING HER BACK TO CHURCH,
ALL THE THINGS, IT BECAME A
PERFECT STORM. ARETHA IS DOING
HER THING. SHE'S MAKING MUSIC,
BUT SHE KNOWS HER SOUL IS IN
THE CHURCH. AND NOW JAMES
CLEVELAND SAYS, "COME TO L.A.
LET'S DO IT. WE'LL HAVE THE
RIGHT MUSICIANS FOR YOU. WE'LL
HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED." AND
THE FACT THAT JAMES CLEVELAND
HAD BEEN MAKING THESE GREAT
RECORDS THAT SHE LOVED. AND
SHE'S THINKING, "YEAH, WE CAN DO
THIS."
MAY THOMAS: AND WE REHEARSED AT
THE CORNERSTONE INSTITUTIONAL
BAPTIST CHURCH, WHICH WAS THEN
IN A STOREFRONT, A VERY SMALL
SPACE ABOUT 150 PEOPLE STRONG,
AND THAT'S WHEN WE GOT THE
CHOIR TOGETHER. WE REHEARSED AT
THAT PLACE FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS
TO GET EVERYTHING TOGETHER AND
THEN WE WERE READY TO MOVE TO
THE LIVE RECORDING SESSION.
WALKER: IT'S RECORDED OVER TWO
DAYS. FOR THE PEOPLE WHO CAME
ON THE RECORDING DATES WHO WERE
MEMBERS OF NEW TEMPLE, IT WAS
LIKE ROYALTY.
FRANKLIN: ♪ I'M CLIMBING
CHOIR: I'M CLIMBING
FRANKLIN: HIGHER MOUNTAINS
CHOIR: HIGHER MOUNTAINS.
FRANKLIN: TRYING TO GET HOME
CHOIR: TRYING TO GET HOME
FRANKLIN: I'M CLIMBING... ♪
MAY THOMAS: I WAS IN THE ALTO
SECTION OF THE CHOIR DURING
THAT TIME I SANG WITH THE
CHOIR.
FRANKLIN: ♪ I'M CLIMBING HIGHER
MOUNTAINS ♪
MAY THOMAS: IT WAS A WONDERFUL
RECORDING SESSION, VERY UPBEAT
AND OF COURSE, WE DIDN'T REALLY
MAKE A MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT AT
ALL, BUT WORD OF MOUTH GOT OUT
AND OF COURSE, THE PLACE WAS
PACKED.
FRANKLIN: ♪ I'M GOING UP
THE ROUGH
SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN
ON MY WAY HOME
CHOIR: TRYING TO GET HOME
FRANKLIN: I'M GOING UP THE ROUGH
SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN
ON MY WAY HOME
CHOIR: TRYING TO GET HOME
FRANKLIN: OH, YEAH
I'M GOING
UP THE ROUGH SIDE OF THE
MOUNTAIN
OH, JESUS
ON MY WAY HOME... ♪
WALKER: THE GREATEST THING, IF
YOU EVER WATCHED THEIR
PERFORMANCE IS THERE'S AN
INTERACTION BETWEEN THE TWO OF
THEM WHERE EVEN THOUGH SHE'S
THE QUEEN OF SOUL, SHE GIVES IN
TO THE PRINCE OF GOSPEL, THAT
HE'S STILL DIRECTING HER.
CLEVELAND: ♪ I'M CLIMBING HIGHER
MOUNTAINS
TRYING TO GET HOME
FRANKLIN: GO ON HOME
CLEVELAND: I'M CLIMBIN'
FRANKLIN: YEAH, YEAH
CLEVELAND: LATE IN
THE MIDNIGHT HOUR
CLIMBING
FRANKLIN: YEAH, YEAH
CLEVELAND: OH, LORD,
I'M CLIMBING
FRANKLIN: OH, YOU SHOULDN'T BE
SO LONG NOW
BOTH: YEAH, YEAH
FRANKLIN: TELL A STORY... ♪
WALKER: "AMAZING GRACE" IS THE
BIGGEST-SELLING GOSPEL RECORD
OF ALL THE TIME. AND IT'S ALSO
ARETHA FRANKLIN'S BIGGEST
SELLING HIT. THIS ALBUM IS
BIGGER THAN ANY OTHER ALBUM SHE
EVER HAD. THAT ALBUM DOESN'T
HAPPEN WITHOUT THIS LOS ANGELES
CONNECTION.
CLEVELAND: ♪ WHOO!
TRYING TO GET HOME ♪
WALKER: SO THINK ABOUT THIS.
YOU JUST LEFT THE DEEP SOUTH.
IN THE DEEP SOUTH, YOU HAD TO
WALK AROUND WITH SIGNS ON YOU
THAT SAID, "I AM A MAN" TO TRY
TO GET SOMEBODY TO RESPECT WHO
YOU WERE JUST AS A CITIZEN AND
AS A PERSON. YOU WERE FLEEING
LYNCHINGS THAT WERE STILL
HAPPENING IN THE UNITED STATES
AD NAUSEAM, AND YOU DECIDE TO
COME TO THIS PLACE CALLED LOS
ANGELES, THIS NEW PLACE ON THE
WESTERN FRONTIER, AND YOU ARE
SEGREGATED AND PUSHED INTO THIS
SMALL COMMUNITY CALLED SOUTH
CENTRAL LOS ANGELES. ONE OF THE
CENTERS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN
SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND
RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY IS THE
CHURCH. WHEN YOU START TO
BECOME POLITICALLY ACTIVE, YOU
HAVE UPS AND DOWNS THAT HAPPEN,
BUT IN 1973, ONE OF YOU BECOMES
THE MAYOR. WHAT DO YOU THINK
THEY FELT? JOY! YOU CAN BE LIKE
TOM BRADLEY. LOOK, WE CAN DO
IT. LOOK, WE CAN BE POLITICALLY
ENGAGED. YES. PARTIES IN THE
STREETS. WE DID IT. WE'RE ONLY
17% OF THE POPULATION
AND WE DID IT.
WEST: I WAS 7, AND I CAN
REMEMBER SORT OF HOLDING THE
NEWSPAPER AND LOOKING AT THE
NEWSPAPER AND REALIZING THAT
THIS WAS--SOMETHING WAS GOING
TO CHANGE. MAYBE NOT TOMORROW,
MAYBE NOT THE NEXT DAY, MAYBE
NOT THE NEXT WEEK, BUT
SOMETHING WAS GOING TO CHANGE.
WALKER: HE RESEMBLES WHAT SO
MANY OF THESE PEOPLE WERE
ASPIRING TO BE. HE WAS THEIR
STORY, IN TERMS OF THE AFRICAN
AMERICANS. HE WAS EXACTLY THEIR
STORY.
FISHER: WE JUST WENT CRAZY
BECAUSE THE GATE HAS BEEN
OPENED FOR US TO COME IN. I
EVEN SAW THE UNSEEN GENERATION
COMING. I SAW CHANGE.
WALKER: PEOPLE SAW IT AS A
JOYOUS DAY. THEY SAW IT AS
UNBELIEVABLE. THE BEST WAY I
CAN EXPLAIN IT IS BARACK OBAMA
IN 2008, AND YOU'RE SITTING
THERE THINKING, IT'S NEVER GOING
TO HAPPEN, AND IT HAPPENED. AND
SO FOR THEM, IT WAS A GREAT DAY.
IT WAS ONE OF THOSE DAYS OF
JUBILEE.
FRANKLIN: ♪ LIKE ME...
WEST: HOPE IS AN INCREDIBLY
MISUSED, OVERUSED, MISALIGNED
TERM. IT GOES BEYOND HOPE. IT
HAD BEEN 4 YEARS OF
CONCERTED AND CONCENTRATED
EFFORT, HARD WORK, VOTER
REGISTRATION CAMPAIGNS, DOOR
KNOCKING, LAWN SIGNS, GET OUT
THE VOTE CAMPAIGN. WE WERE ABLE
TO GET THIS FORMER NEGRO CITY
COUNCILMAN IN TO BECOME MAYOR.
IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, THERE'S
JUST ELATION.
WALKER: WE DON'T GET TOM
BRADLEY WINNING THE ELECTION IN
1973 WITHOUT THE POLITICAL
ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN
PREACHERS, MINISTERS IN THAT
TIME PERIOD FROM 1960 LEADING UP
TO 1973.
YOU DON'T GET ARETHA
FRANKLIN SINGING "AMAZING GRACE"
WITHOUT JAMES CLEVELAND COMING
TO LOS ANGELES. BOTH OF THESE
MILESTONES IN THE HISTORY OF
LOS ANGELES AND THE NATION WERE
CONNECTED TO A RENAISSANCE IN
GOSPEL MUSIC.
OBAMA: ♪ AMAZING GRACE
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
♪ HOW SWEET THE SOUND
THAT SAVED
ALL: A WRETCH LIKE ME
I ONCE WAS LOST
BUT NOW I'M FOUND
WAS BLIND
BUT NOW I SEE ♪
WEST: THE SOUNDSCAPE OF THE
BLACK CHURCH IS LISTENING TO
THE MOTHERS CORRECTING
CHILDREN. IT'S THE DEACONS
WORKING THEIR WAY TO THE FRONT
OF THE CHURCH. IT'S THE USHERS
MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS
A PLACE TO SIT. BUT WHEN THAT
ORGAN HITS, YOU KNOW WE'RE
HOME NOW.
MAN: PRAISE THE LORD!
CHOIR: ♪ MAY THE LORD
GOD BLESS YOU REAL GOOD
MAY THE LORD GOD
BLESS YOU REAL GOOD
WOKE ME UP THIS MORNING
STARTED ME ON MY WAY
MAY THE LORD GOD
BLESS YOU REAL GOOD
MAY THE LORD GOD
BLESS YOU REAL GOOD
MAY THE LORD GOD
BLESS YOU REAL GOOD
WOKE ME UP THIS MORNING
STARTED ME ON MY WAY
MAY THE LORD GOD
BLESS YOU REAL GOOD
REAL GOOD
REAL GOOD
REAL GOOD
REAL GOOD
MAY THE LORD GOD
BLESS YOU REAL GOOD
REAL GOOD
REAL GOOD
REAL GOOD
REAL GOOD
MAY THE LORD GOD
BLESS YOU REAL GOOD
REAL GOOD
REAL GOOD
REAL GOOD
REAL GOOD
MAY THE LORD GOD
BLESS YOU REAL GOOD
SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
LORD, SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
LORD, SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
LORD, SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
LORD, SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
MAN: SING YOUR BLESSING
CHOIR: SING YOUR BLESSING
MAN: SING YOUR BLESSING
CHOIR: SING YOUR BLESSING
MAN: ONE MORE TIME
CHOIR: SING YOUR BLESSING
MAN: THERE YOU GO
COME ON!
CHOIR: SING YOUR BLESSING
MAN: YEAH, YEAH
CHOIR: SING YOUR BLESSING
MAN: OH, YEAH
CHOIR: SING YOUR BLESSING
MAN: COME ON NOW
CHOIR: SING YOUR BLESSING
MAN: OH, YEAH
CHOIR: SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
SING YOUR BLESSING
WOKE ME UP THIS MORNING
STARTED ME ON MY WAY
MAY THE LORD GOD
BLESS YOU REAL GOOD ♪
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
ANNOUNCER: THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE
POSSIBLE IN PART BY A GRANT FROM
ANNE RAY FOUNDATION, A MARGARET
A. CARGILL PHILANTHROPY, THE LOS
ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS THROUGH THE LOS
ANGELES COUNTY ARTS COMMISSION,
THE LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF
CULTURAL AFFAIRS, THE CALIFORNIA
HUMANITIES, AND THE CALIFORNIA
ARTS COUNCIL.