Black American Gospel Music Series, Richard Smallwood and Myrna Summers
name: label: Collection Collector
content: Maltsby, Portia
label: Collection Creator
content: Smithsonian Institution. Program in African American Culture
setName: label: See more items in
content: Program in African American Culture Collection
label: See more items in
content: Program in African American Culture Collection / Series 1: Program Files
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1980 February 3
container: label: Container
content: Box 7, Folder 3
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Myrna Summers and Richard Smallwood are two of Washington's most notable gospel composers and performers, both having achieved national and international recognition as concert and recording artists of originality and significant influence in the gospel world. Myrna Summers excels as both a gospel soloist and a composer. Her music is a combination of syncopated rhythmic vibrations of the Pentecostal church, scriptural lyrics, and a poignant harmonic quality. Richard Smallwood, composer, pianist, lecturer, and director, grew up learning the gospel music tradition of the Black church. His gospel stylings were rooted in hymns, traditional spirituals, jubilees, and Holiness church music. The Division of Performing Arts presented the concert as part of the Black American Gospel Music Series. The Black American Gospel Music Series and this program were organized by Bernice Reagon Johnson. Program number AC408.6.