Take My Hand Precious Lord - Thomas A. Dorsey

Thomas A Dorsey tells the sad but courageous story behind his song. It's sung here by Marion Williams.

Dorsey's life story has been mentioned on the Peace in the Valley post but here's the link to Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_A._Dorsey

"Take My Hand, Precious Lord" (aka "Precious Lord, Take My Hand") is a gospel song, lyrics by Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey (1899-1993), melody by George Nelson Allen (1812-1877).

The melody, although credited to Dorsey, was taken from a 1844 hymn entitled, "Maitland," by American composer, George N. Allen (1812-1877). Dorsey said he used it as inspiration. The "Maitland" music was for the text "Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone", it first appeared in The Oberlin Social and Sabbath School Hymn Book. Dorsey penned "Precious Lord" in response to his inconsolable bereavement at the death of his wife, Nettie Harper, in childbirth, and his infant son in August 1932. (Mr. Dorsey can be seen telling this story in the 1982 gospel music documentary "Say Amen, Somebody.") The earliest known recording was made on February 16, 1937, by the Heavenly Gospel Singers (Bluebird B6846). "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" is published in more than forty languages." More here on wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_My_Hand,_Precious_Lord

George Nelson Allen "(September 7, 1812 – December 9, 1877) was an American composer and geologist who was associated with Oberlin College, where he taught for 34 years. He is primarily known today for writing the melody to the hymn Precious Lord, Take My Hand. He also served on the first geological survey of Yellowstone National Park, under Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden.

In Oberlin published Allen's Social and Sabbath Hymn Book, a collection of hymns. One of the hymn melodies in this book, entitled Maitland, was used as the setting for Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone, whose words were originally written by Thomas Shepherd in 1693. Many years later Thomas A. Dorsey would use the melody as the setting to his own hymn, Precious Lord, Take My Hand, which became popular through its association with Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement." Full text on Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Nelson_Allen

Sam Cooke with Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone.

And Elvis of course.