Image via 2nd Chance Outreach
'The Sound of Gospel' promo image
Even longtime aficionados of the music emanating from African American churches may be educated and enlightened by The Sound of Gospel, a production of Minneapolis’ 2nd Chance Outreach ministry headed to Bradley Symphony Center for a 3 p.m. performance on Sunday February 22.
“What distinguishes The Sound of Gospel from other stage productions,” says William Pierce, the show's writer and producer, “is that it is not simply a concert or a historical review; it is a living anthology. We don’t just perform gospel music; we trace how it evolved in direct response to lived experience, faith, struggle, and survival. The production intentionally moves from the earliest expressions—work songs, ring shouts and Negro spirituals—through traditional gospel, quartets, choirs, contemporary, and urban gospel, while weaving in moments of reflection, testimony and joy.”
Gospel's combination of musical revue and history lesson isn't merely a genre exercise for Pierce. “The idea for The Sound of Gospel was rooted in both my faith and my family’s musical legacy,” he says. ‘My father, grandmother, and grandaunts were all gospel singers, so gospel music wasn’t just something I listened to. It was something I lived. I wanted to share the profound impact gospel music had on my life while also highlighting its historical and cultural significance within the African American experience.”
African Roots
With Sound, Pierce seeks to assay the breadth of genre's development, going back to land where most American Black folks' ancestors came.
“The show begins with a West African–inspired number highlighting one of the essential foundations of gospel music: the drum and rhythm,” Pierce declares. “From there, it transitions into work and field songs, reflecting the earliest expressions of faith during enslavement. The journey continues through ring shouts, Negro spirituals, traditional gospel, quartets, choirs, and freedom songs, ultimately arriving at contemporary and urban gospel.” Pierce promises that the urban expression of gospel will include hip-hip, once a source of controversy among some African American churchgoers.
Praise and Worship
Contemporary “praise and worship music,” notes Pierce, “represented a shift in how congregations engaged with God, moving toward a more immersive, participatory experience. While initially controversial in some African American church spaces, it has since become deeply rooted in modern worship. Its inclusion in The Sound of Gospel reflects gospel music’s ability to evolve while remaining anchored in faith and tradition.”
Though Gospel's emphasis is on the music's chronology and its integral presence in the Black American experience, none of that could be accomplished without the talent to convey those concepts. Of the vocalists assembled to tell the Gospel story, Pierce shares, “The cast features a blend of established gospel vocalists and emerging voices, reflecting both the legacy and the future of gospel music.”
Though the show bodes to be an entertaining and inspiring reflection for many in attendance, Gospel also has a place in 2nd Chance Outreach's broader imperatives. Says Pierce, “2nd Chance Outreach was founded to restore, rebuild, and reimagine communities through faith, arts and advocacy. The Sound of Gospel aligns directly with that mission by using art to educate, uplift, and bring communities together while addressing historical understanding and cultural awareness.”
What would he like audience members take away from seeing The Sound of Gospel, perhaps especially during Black History Month? “I hope audiences walk away understanding that music is a universal language, a powerful way to connect people. Gospel music, in particular, helps individuals learn about African American culture, history and pain, while also expressing hope, faith and perseverance.
“This production is for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, or background.”
