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Mahalia Jackson

File:Mahalia_Jackson_Com_L10-0125-0004.tif · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

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Mahalia Jackson

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Also known as The Queen of Gospel

American gospel singer (1911–1972)

OverviewAI-generated

Mahalia Jackson (1911–1972) was an American musician and singer of African American descent. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, she began her professional career in 1927. A Baptist with a contralto voice, Jackson performed in the genres of gospel music, spirituals, blues, jazz, and classic pop and rock. She recorded for Decca and Columbia Records. Her notable works include *Come on children, let's sing*, *The great Mahalia Jackson*, *I Sing Because I'm Happy, Vol. 1 and 2*, *Mahalia Jackson cooks soul*, and *A Mighty Fortress*.

Jackson received several honors, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She died of heart disease in Evergreen Park.

Synthesized by Vinony from 44 facts across 8 sources: Wikidata, Crossref, Open Library, MusicBrainz, Last.fm, TMDb, Vinony collections, Vinony graph. Generated from structured data (not the Wikipedia text) and checked against those facts — may still contain errors.

Person · Open Library

Born
1911
Died
1972
Works
8

Top works

  • Come on children, let's sing
  • The great Mahalia Jackson
  • I Sing Because I'm Happy, Vol. 1 and 2
  • Mahalia Jackson cooks soul
  • A Mighty Fortress

via Open Library + Wikidata

Film & TV

Acting · New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Mahalia Jackson (October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel singer. Possessing a contralto voice, she was referred to as "The Queen of Gospel". She became one of the most influential gospel singers in the world and was heralded internationally as a singer and civil rights activist. She recorded about 30 albums (mostly for Columbia Records)…

Known for

  • A Taste of Heaven: The Ecstatic Song & Gospel of Maestro Raymond Anthony Myles2023
  • Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan — Self (archive footage)2023
  • Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) — Self (archive footage)2021
  • My Music: A Classic Christmas — Self (archive footage)2019
  • Good Evening Ev'rybody: In Celebration of Louis Armstrong — Self2008
  • Mahalia Jackson - A Gospel Confession2005
  • Mahalia Jackson: The Power and the Glory1997
  • 4 Little Girls — Self - During March on Washington (archive footage)1997
  • Mahalia Jackson Sings the Songs Of Christmas — Self1997
  • Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul — Self (archive footage)1988

via TMDB

Listeners · Last.fm

Listeners
234,039
Total plays
1,551,719

Tags

gospelsoulfemale vocalistsjazzjazz vocal

Mahalia Jackson (October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel singer. Possessing a powerful contralto voice, she was referred to as "The Queen of Gospel". Jackson became one of the most influential gospel singers in the world and was heralded internationally as a singer and civil rights activist. She was described by entertainer Harry Belafonte as "the single most powerful black woman in the United States". She recorded about 30 albums (mostly for Columbia Records) during her care

via Last.fm · Mahalia Jackson

Wikidata facts

Instance of
human
Family name
Jackson
Gender
female
Citizenship
United States
Place of birth
New Orleans
Place of death
Evergreen Park
Languages spoken
English language
Religion
Baptists
Instrument
voice
Record label
Columbia Records
Official website
www.mahaliajackson.us
Image
Mahalia Jackson 1962, van Vechten, LC-USZ62-91314 (cropped).jpg
Voice type
contralto
Show 11 more facts
Commons category
Mahalia Jackson
date of birth
1911-10-26
date of death
1972-01-27
cause of death
heart disease
manner of death
natural causes
ethnic group
African Americans
Commons gallery
Mahalia Jackson
start of work period
1927-00-00
pseudonym
Halie Jackson
location of formation
New Orleans
end of work period
1971-00-00
Sources (9)

via Wikidata · CC0

~40 min read

Encyclopedic overview

Mahalia Jackson (/məˈheɪliə/ mə-HAY-lee-ə; born Mahala Jackson; October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel singer, widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century. With a career spanning 40 years, Jackson was integral to the development and spread of gospel blues in black churches throughout the U.S. During a time when racial segregation was pervasive in American society, she met considerable and unexpected success in a recording career, selling an estimated 22 million records and performing in front of integrated and secular audiences in concert halls around the world, making her one of the best-selling gospel music artists.

The granddaughter of enslaved people, Jackson was born and raised in poverty in New Orleans. She found a home in her church, leading to a lifelong dedication and singular purpose to deliver God's word through song. She moved to Chicago as an adolescent and joined the Johnson Singers, one of the earliest gospel groups. Jackson was heavily influenced by musician-composer Thomas Dorsey and blues singer Bessie Smith, adapting Smith's style to traditional Protestant hymns and contemporary songs. After making an impression in Chicago churches, she was hired to sing at funerals, political rallies, and revivals. For 15 years, she functioned as what she termed a "fish and bread singer", working odd jobs between performances to make a living.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Mahalia Jackson” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Gallery (5)