ABSTRACT
Undoubtedly, the most well-known historical example of the secular-to-sacred musical switch is that of the man credited as father of gospel music, Thomas Dorsey. Previously known in the blues world as “Georgia Tom” and “Barrelhouse Tom,” Dorsey’s collaboration with guitarist Tampa Red (Hudson Whitaker) in 1928 resulted in his most famous double entendre hokum hit, “It’s Tight Like That.” Dorsey’s decision to pursue a career in gospel music was prompted, in part, by a series of personal tragedies, among them the deaths of his wife and newborn son. 2 Paradoxically, although none of these men continued to publicly embrace secular music as they had done prior to their dramatic musical turnaround, it is profoundly instructive that none of them ever renounced the music of his past as a religious pariah.
