A C499
Artists: Ethel Caffie-Austin, Unknown Announcer, and Augusta Students
Event: Ethel Caffie-Austin’s introduction, explanation, and history behind gospel singing.
Tunes/Contents:
- Class descriptions and introduction to Ethel Caffie-Austin’s music style
- History of African American churches and music styles
- Jesus on the Mainline
- Ethel talks about religion’s role in slavery and how worship uplifted enslaved people
- Unknown hymn
- Father, I Stretch Thy Hands to Thee
- At the Cross
- What A Fellowship
- Discussion of Ethel’s parents, economic struggles in the early 20th century, and other stories
- God Be with You till We Meet Again
- Stories, continued
- Touch Me Lord Jesus
- How Dry I Am/Oh Happy Day
- Jesus Be a Fence Around Me
- Audience Questions
- Discussion of different gospel singing styles
- Questions, continued
Collected/Recorded by:
Date: August 11th, 1986
Location: Elkins, WV
Notes: Content warning – Ethel Caffie-Austin, an African American gospel singer, uses the n-word while telling a story.
The Augusta Programming Collection contains recordings of events produced by the Augusta Heritage Center, beginning in the early 1970s. A number of people contributed to this collection, including Flawn Williams, Gerry Milnes, and Bob Smakula. The collection features recordings of Augusta concerts, cultural sessions, Master Artist visits, and more, which showcase a variety of musical and cultural traditions.