Thomas A. Dorsey (July 1, 1899 - January 23, 1993) is known as "the father of gospel music."
As formulated by Dorsey, gospel music combines Christian praise with the rhythms of jazz and the blues. His conception also deviates from what had been, to that time, standard hymnal pr...actice by referring explicitly to the self, and the self's relation to faith and God, rather than the individual subsumed into the group via belief.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA0UV62zQFc