Sacred Steel, the Soundtrack of Mother Tate's Church
The history of Sacred Steel is a fascinating one and is said by many to be one of the most extraordinary American roots musical forms of the 21st century.
God Bless Sacred Steel!
In America, the steel guitar is generally associated with Country Western or Hawaiian music, but for over 80 years African Americans have used the steel guitar to make a joyful noise unto the Lord in their church worship services, which is unknown to the masses.
Sacred Steel is used mostly in the African American Pentecostal Church and is its own unique brand of American Folk Music–whether for worship or other types of performance, it is one of the most energetic and remarkable contributions to Pentecostal music history.
Sacred Steel music was developed in isolation from the outside secular world and charted its own course in two related Pentecostal churches in the 1930s. The Church of the Living God, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth, was founded in 1903 by Mary Magdalena Lewis Tate. Following her death in 1930, her church divided into three branches, known as the Keith, Jewell and Lewis dominions.
The steel guitar was embraced in the worship of two of these dominions, the Keith Dominion (officially, The House of God Which Is the Church of the Living God the Pillar and Ground of the Truth Without Controversy), headquartered in Nashville and the Jewell Dominion (Church of the Living God, Pillar and Ground of the Truth, Which He Purchased With His Own Blood, Inc.) headquartered in Indianapolis.
Toledo Sacred Steel History
The Church of the Living God, was founded in Greenville, Alabama in the year 1903, by Mary Lena Lewis Tate. It was within the walls of her church organization that this unique music tradition began. The Toledo Church of the Living God, was founded in the 1940’s under the administration of Bishop M.L. Jewell. In the beginning, meetings were held in brush arbors, tents, and house churches. The first three house church locations were Ironwood Ave in East Toledo, 342 John R Street, and finally relocating to its most popular location, 415 Indiana avenue.
This house was converted to a brick church building where the membership remained for over thirty years. The Toledo church, affectionately known as 415, gave birth to many Hawaiian steel guitar players such as Jack Coleman, Calvin Shaw, Morris Wortham, Clifford Warren, Clifford Buddy Warren, Mordecia Brownlee, Stanley Galloway, Eloise Galloway Fletcher, Yolando Ramsey, Ronald Warren, Eric Russell, Del Grace, Fran Grace, Nicole Brown, and Henry Tyson.
Clifford L Warren Jr.
Bishop James R. Sherman
Yolando Ramsey
Eric Russell
Del Ray Grace Sr.
Fran E. Grace
Angela Grace-Russell
Jay (Fingertips) Caver Jr.
Odis Hychs
The Amazing Grace Praise Band
FAQS
What is Sacred Steel?
Sacred Steel is an African-American gospel tradition that features the steel guitar in religious services. It originated in Pentecostal churches in the 1930s
Where did Sacred Steel originate?
It developed in the Church of the Living God, particularly in the Keith and Jewell Dominions.
How did Sacred Steel gain popularity?
Sacred Steel gained wider recognition through performances by artists like Robert Randolph, Calvin Cooke, Aubrey Ghent and the Campbell Brothers, who brought the genre to international fame.
God Bless Sacred Steel!
