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Thomas A. Dorsey
Thomas A. Dorsey
American musician, composer, and Christian evangelist influential in the development of early blues and 20th-century gospel music
1
The Barrett Sisters
The Barrett Sisters
2
Zella Jackson Price
Zella Jackson Price
American gospel singer
3
Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson
American gospel singer
4
Brother Joe May
Brother Joe May
singer
5
Big Mama Thornton
Big Mama Thornton
American rhythm and blues singer and songwriter
6
Dorothy Love Coates
Dorothy Love Coates
American musician
7
James Cleveland
James Cleveland
American musician
8
Clara Ward
Clara Ward
American gospel artist; singer, music arranger, songwriter
9
Roberta Martin
Roberta Martin
American musician
10
The Roberta Martin Singers
The Roberta Martin Singers
11
Ann Peebles
Ann Peebles
American singer and songwriter
12
Bessie Griffin
Bessie Griffin
American singer (1922–1989)
13
Blind Willie Johnson
Blind Willie Johnson
American blues and gospel singer and guitarist
14
Dinah Washington
Dinah Washington
American singer, songwriter, pianist
15
Jennifer Holliday
Jennifer Holliday
American actress and singer
16
Elder Charles D. Beck
Elder Charles D. Beck
17
Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey
African-American blues singer
18
Albertina Walker
Albertina Walker
American singer (1929-2010)
19
Arnold Moore
Arnold Moore
American singer
20
Doris Akers
Doris Akers
Music composer, arranger and singer
21
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
American gospel musician
22
Lorez Alexandria
Lorez Alexandria
American musician
23
Fontella Bass
Fontella Bass
American singer
24
Helen Humes
Helen Humes
American jazz and blues singer
25
Sippie Wallace
Sippie Wallace
American blues and jazz singer
26
Jeanie Tracy
Jeanie Tracy
American musician
27
Cissy Houston
Cissy Houston
American singer
28
Anna King
Anna King
American musician
29
Solomon Burke
Solomon Burke
American singer
30
Pearl Bailey
Pearl Bailey
American singer
31
Rose Marie McCoy
Rose Marie McCoy
American songwriter
32
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
American singer, songwriter, and pianist
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Beverly Crawford
Beverly Crawford
African American gospel vocalist
34
Mavis Staples
Mavis Staples
American singer
35
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday
American jazz singer
36
Ruth Brown
Ruth Brown
American singer-songwriter (1928-2006)
37
Stella Parton
Stella Parton
country singer
38
Barbara Dane
Barbara Dane
American singer
39
Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
American recording artist; singer-songwriter and entrepreneur
40
Linda Hopkins
Linda Hopkins
African American actress and blues and gospel singer
41
Marion Williams
Marion Williams
American singer
42
Martha Reeves
Martha Reeves
American singer and politician
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Otis Clay
Otis Clay
American R&B and soul singer
44
The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers
American gospel, soul, and R&B singing group
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The 5th Dimension
The 5th Dimension
American popular music vocal group
46
Roosevelt Sykes
Roosevelt Sykes
American blues musician
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Jocelyn Brown
Jocelyn Brown
American musician
48
Mitty Collier
Mitty Collier
American musician
49
Charles Davis Tillman
Charles Davis Tillman
American singer
50
The Davis Sisters
The Davis Sisters
American gospel group, founded in 1945
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Rosetta Howard
Rosetta Howard
American blues singer
52
Esther Phillips
Esther Phillips
American R&B singer
Willie Mae Ford Smith
American singer

Willie Mae Ford Smith

Intro
American singer
Genres
Record Labels
Music

Willie Mae Ford Smith (June 23, 1904 – February 2, 1994) was an American musician and Christian evangelist instrumental in the development and spread of gospel music in the United States. She grew up singing with her family, joining a quartet with her sisters. Later she became acquainted with Thomas A. Dorsey, the "Father of Gospel Music", when he co-founded the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses in 1932. Smith started the St. Louis chapter and became the director of the national organization's Soloist's Bureau, training up and coming singers in the gospel blues style. She became known for her nurturing temperament, leading to her commonly being called "Mother Smith" by those within her musical circle. For a decade she traveled ceaselessly tutoring, singing, and preaching in churches and at revivals. Her appearances were renowned for being intensely moving spiritual experiences.

A devout Christian, she rejected commercializing gospel music throughout her life, even during gospel's "golden age". Smith chose to perform live and on the radio rather than record. She was ordained as a minister and preached at a church in St. Louis, Missouri for 30 years. However, not until the 1980s did she become known to mainstream audiences. She was the primary focus of the 1982 documentary film Say Amen, Somebody, about gospel singers in the U.S. Author Anthony Heilbut states, "her admirers and protégés are legion. This is simply the most influential female gospel singer of all time, and in the opinion of many, many fans, the greatest."