Name J. Gates | Role Singer | |
Born July 14, 1884
Hogansville, Georgia, U.S. ( 1884-07-14 ) Died August 18, 1945, Atlanta, Georgia, United States Albums Rev. J.M. Gates Vol. 6 (1928-1929) Genres Christian music, Gospel music Record labels Okeh Records, Paramount Records, Gennett Records, Victor Talking Machine Company, Bluebird Records Similar People Buell Kazee, The Carolina Tar Heels, Rev A W Nix, Alabama Sacred Harp Sin, Dick Justice | ||
Rev J. M. Gates = I Know I Got Religion - Black Patti 8016a
The Reverend J.M. Gates (July 14, 1884 – August 18, 1945) was an American Christian preacher and Gospel music singer.
Contents
Biography
From 1914 to his death, Gates was the pastor of Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Rock Dale Park, Atlanta, Georgia. He had a very prolific recording career, recording over 200 sides between 1926 and 1941, including frequent rerecordings. Experts estimate that at least a quarter of all sermons commercially released on record before 1943 were recorded by Gates.
His first best-seller, 1926's "Death's Black Train Is Coming", sold 35,000 copies by the end of its release year. Many of his recordings were strong warnings of the hellish punishments that awaited sinners.
Gates is credited with introducing the gospel music of former blues artist Thomas A. Dorsey into the black gospel market via his crusades. His funeral drew the largest crowd of any memorial service in the city before Martin Luther King, Jr. In addition to a Columbia Records collection and a "complete works" set from Document Records, Gates' work has been frequently featured in gospel and roots music anthologies, including Harry Smith's influential Anthology of American Folk Music.
Musical influence
A modified version of his song "Death's Black Train Is Coming" was performed by the band Gob Iron on their debut album, Death Songs For The Living. An uncredited cover can also be heard on the DVD release of the television series Day Break starring Taye Diggs near the end of the 13th and final episode.
His final recording, the 1941 sermon "Getting Ready for Christmas Day", is sampled in and inspired the lyrics to Paul Simon's song of the same name, which is featured on Simon's 2011 album, So Beautiful or So What.
Songs
Death Might Be Your Santa Claus
I'm a Soldier in the Army of the Lord
Are You Bound For Heaven Or Hell?
Death's Black Train Is Coming
Devil In A Flying Machine
Hell Bound Express Train
The End Of The World And Time Will Be No More
Did You Spend Christmas Day In Jail?
Mannish Woman
Oh Death Where Is Thy Sting
Will the Coffin Be Your Santa Claus?
Hitler and Hell
Scat To The Cat And Suie To The Hog
Kinky Hair Is No Disgrace
Down Here - Lord - Waiting on You
Saturday Night Black Marier Riders
God's Wrath In The St Louis Cyclone
The Need of Prayer
Death's Black Train
Samson And The Woman
He Was Born in a Manger
You May Be Alive Or You May Be Dead - Christmas Day
The First Born Was A Murderer
From The Pit To The Throne
Rich Man And The Needle's Eye
Hell Wasn't Made For Man
Noah And The Flood
White Horse And His Rider
Get Right With God
Hell Is In God's Jail House
Praying For The Mourners
If You Say You Got Good Religion - Don't Turn Back