Page "Solomon Burke" Paragraph 37

Despite his initial reluctance, like several former gospel singers Aretha Franklin, and Wilson Pickett, Burke was " molded into a more secular direction when he signed with Atlantic in the ' 60s ," and became one of " the " backsliders ," artists who " preferred a secular acclaim to the gospel obscurity ", after deciding eventually that " secular music was not the anithesis of the church but, rather, ' a new avenue, a new dimension to spread the gospel.

'" Despite this, " leaving gospel for secular music, as well as integrating secular music into gospel performances, was controversial.

" Noted blues scholar Paul Oliver maintains that when Sam Cooke and Burke " turned from gospel singing to the blues ", unlike others who had sone so previously, " they took the gospel technique with them ", with " even the words often secularized gospel songs " coupled with a " screaming delivery, the exploitation of emotional involvement, the frenetic displays of dancing singers.

" For Burke, " gospel influences were pervasive.

Gospelly chord progressions, organ accompaniment and a style of singing which can only be described as " preaching " have now spread widely into much black popular music.

" Music critic Mark Deming described Burke as having: " one of the finest voices in popular music, that possessed a churchly authority that was the ideal match for his material which balanced the pleasures of the flesh with the price of the transgression.