Black American Gospel Music Series, The Dynamics, Norvus Miller and Company
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 November 9
container: label: Container
content: Box 7, Folder 7
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Concert by Norvus Miller and Company, a band organized in 1976, and The Dynamics, a Black gospel group formed in 1968, held November 9, 1980, in the Baird Auditorium, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. Norvus Miller and Company extended the concept of Black sacred instrumental and vocal music, using singers for both lead and back-up vocals and allowing a harmonica to carry the lead and back-up responsibility on various songs. The Dynamics represented a modern approach to Black gospel music, paying homage to the tradition of classic bass gospel singers. The members present for the performance included Jerry Caesar, piano and lead singer; Douglas Howell, tenor and lead singer; Melvin "Chip" Lowrey, first tenor and lead singer; Sherman "Blake" Clayborne, bass-baritone; and Len Baldwin, second tenor and lead singer. The concert was presented as part of the Black American Gospel Music Series by the Division of Performing Arts. The program and concert were organized by Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, director, Program in Black Culture (later known as the Program in African American Culture). Program number AC408.9.