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EspañolW. HERBERT BREWSTER
Reverend Dr. William Herbert Brewster (b. July 2, 1897 in Somerville, Tennessee; d. October 14, 1987 in Memphis, Tennessee) was an influential African American Baptist minister, composer, dramatist, singer, poet and community leader.
A 1922 graduate of Roger Williams College in Nashville, Tennessee, Brewster settled in Memphis in the 1920's; he served as the minister of the East Trigg Avenue Baptist Church from 1930 until his death in 1987.[1] His lasting fame, though, is through his music - among his more than 200 songs are the gospel standards "Move On Up A Little Higher" (Mahalia Jackson's first hit in 1948) and "Surely, God Is Able" (a 1950 hit for The Ward Singers). Other Brewster songs that were hits included "Lord I've Tried" (The Soul Stirrers), "I'll Go" (Queen C. Anderson), "I'm Climbing Higher And Higher" (Marion Williams) and many others. [2]
Though there are several available recordings of Rev. Brewster's gospel groups The Brewster Singers and The Brewsteraires, there are only two vocal recordings of Rev. Brewster himself. Both recordings credited to "Rev. W.H. Brewster And His Camp Meeting Of The Air" appeared on the Gotham single "Give Me That Old Time Religion"/"So Glad I've Got Good Religion". Each song features a narration by Rev. Brewster followed by vocals.[3]
Apart from his vast legacy in the genre of Black Gospel music, Brewster also had a formative influence on a young Elvis Presley. Elvis occasionally attended services at East Trigg Avenue Baptist Church and listened to Brewster's sermons which were broadcast on Sunday nights on the "Camp Meeting Of The Air" over Memphis radio station WHBQ. According to Presley biographer Peter Guralnick, "Dr. Brewster constantly preached on the theme that a better day was coming, one in which all men could walk as brothers, while across Memphis Sam Phillips listened on his radio every Sunday without fail."[4]
1. W. Herbert Brewster (obituary).''The Black Perspective in Music'' Vol. 15, No. 2 (Autumn, 1987), p. 219
2. Heilbut, Anthony. "If I Fail, You Tell the World I Tried": Reverend W. Herbert Brewster on Records. ''Black Music Research Journal'' Vol. 7 (1987), pp. 119-126
3. Hayes, Cedric and Robert Laughton. ''Gospel Records 1943-1969 A Black Music Discography, Vol. 1.'' Record Information Services, London (1992) p. 80
4. Guralnick, Peter. ''Last Train To Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley.'' Little, Brown & Co., Boston (1994) p.75
A 1922 graduate of Roger Williams College in Nashville, Tennessee, Brewster settled in Memphis in the 1920's; he served as the minister of the East Trigg Avenue Baptist Church from 1930 until his death in 1987.[1] His lasting fame, though, is through his music - among his more than 200 songs are the gospel standards "Move On Up A Little Higher" (Mahalia Jackson's first hit in 1948) and "Surely, God Is Able" (a 1950 hit for The Ward Singers). Other Brewster songs that were hits included "Lord I've Tried" (The Soul Stirrers), "I'll Go" (Queen C. Anderson), "I'm Climbing Higher And Higher" (Marion Williams) and many others. [2]
Though there are several available recordings of Rev. Brewster's gospel groups The Brewster Singers and The Brewsteraires, there are only two vocal recordings of Rev. Brewster himself. Both recordings credited to "Rev. W.H. Brewster And His Camp Meeting Of The Air" appeared on the Gotham single "Give Me That Old Time Religion"/"So Glad I've Got Good Religion". Each song features a narration by Rev. Brewster followed by vocals.[3]
Apart from his vast legacy in the genre of Black Gospel music, Brewster also had a formative influence on a young Elvis Presley. Elvis occasionally attended services at East Trigg Avenue Baptist Church and listened to Brewster's sermons which were broadcast on Sunday nights on the "Camp Meeting Of The Air" over Memphis radio station WHBQ. According to Presley biographer Peter Guralnick, "Dr. Brewster constantly preached on the theme that a better day was coming, one in which all men could walk as brothers, while across Memphis Sam Phillips listened on his radio every Sunday without fail."[4]
| Contents |
| Notes |
Notes
1. W. Herbert Brewster (obituary).''The Black Perspective in Music'' Vol. 15, No. 2 (Autumn, 1987), p. 219
2. Heilbut, Anthony. "If I Fail, You Tell the World I Tried": Reverend W. Herbert Brewster on Records. ''Black Music Research Journal'' Vol. 7 (1987), pp. 119-126
3. Hayes, Cedric and Robert Laughton. ''Gospel Records 1943-1969 A Black Music Discography, Vol. 1.'' Record Information Services, London (1992) p. 80
4. Guralnick, Peter. ''Last Train To Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley.'' Little, Brown & Co., Boston (1994) p.75
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