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There is something of a phenomenon going on in our society. Yet it is not phenomenal. That would connote it possesses goodness.
Somewhere along the line–maybe fifty or sixty years ago–people began gauging history from the time of their birth.
It’s getting worse and worse. Matter of fact, many younger humans will pop off and tell you, “That was before my time”–as if it does not matter or it might not happen again.
This came to my mind Thursday night when I was at a music rehearsal. I introduced the participants to a song by Dottie Rambo. One of them said they didn’t know the song and another piped up, “Most people don’t know who Dottie Rambo is.”
It angered me–not just because this fine woman wrote hundreds of well-known gospel songs, but also because she was instrumental in integrating American gospel music.
In the early seventies, there was a complete segregation in the music field between what was known as Black gospel and Southern gospel. When a young man of color, Andrae Crouch, began his group, “The Disciples” out in Los Angeles, he introduced contemporary Christian music to the nation. It spread like wildfire.
Everywhere except the Southern gospel community.
Oh, yes, there were a couple of groups who recorded the songs, but there was strong resistance to inviting Andrae to the National Quartet Convention, which was more or less the Mecca of gospel music at the time.
It was Dottie Rambo who stood up for Andrae Crouch, traveled with him and even encouraged him to record one of her songs.
It took about one year.
At one convention Andrae was not welcome, and by the next convention he was invited and tore the house down.
You see, the good news is that things can change.
And the better news is that if we become involved and have a sense of history, we will learn that it is individuals who create the change.
Not committees.
Published by Jonathan Cring
6 years ago 
