Charles H. Gabriel, composer ("His Eye is On The Sparrow")
Civilla D. Martin, librettist ("His Eye is On The Sparrow")
Andraé Crouch, composer & librettist ("My Tribute")
arr. Whitney Morrison and Craig Terry
Whitney Morrison, soprano
Craig Terry, piano
Charles H. Gabriel (1856-1932) grew up on a farm in Iowa, where he taught himself to play his family's reed organ. By age 16 he was giving voice lessons, and eventually became a successful teacher and composer. After spending several years as music director of an Episcopal church in San Francisco, he relocated to Chicago, where he began working for a well- known music publisher, Homer Rodeheaver. He was the editor of an immense number of books of choral repertoire.
"His Eye Is On The Sparrow"' is often thought of as a spiritual, but it's actually a gospel hymn composed by Gabriel to one of many hymn texts by Canadian-American writer Civilla D. Martin (1866-1948). Creating the words as a message of hope to all who heard them, Martin took her inspiration from scripture—specifically, certain passages in Psalms and Matthew. The song, a favorite in American churches, was also memorably sung on Broadway by the great Ethel Waters in one of the most lauded plays of the 1950s, Carson McCullers's The Member of the Wedding. Waters, who repeated her performance in the play's film adaptation, was so devoted to the song that she used it as the title of her autobiography.
Recording artist, songwriter, arranger, and producer Andraé Crouch (1942-2015) is often referred to as "the father of modern gospel." A variety of artists including Stevie Wonder, El DeBarge, Philip Bailey, Chaka Khan, Sheila E, and the vocal group Take 6 have collaborated on Crouch's recordings. His religious songs have been performed by Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Barbara Mandrell, and countless church choirs and other musical groups internationally. His honors included GRAMMY® awards, six GMA Dove awards, an Oscar nomination, and induction into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Crouch recorded hymns, traditional gospel music, and contemporary light rock and pop-oriented songs backed by jazz musicians. He was an innovator in his inclusion of elements of R&B and modern popular styles during the '70s and '80s. At the urging of Christian composer Ralph Carmichael, he began to record his compositions in 1969. He later worked as a producer or arranger with Michael Jackson, Madonna, Quincy Jones, Diana Ross, Elton John, and Rick Astley. His film credits included Once Upon A Forest, The Color Purple, The Lion King, and Free Willy. The inspirational "My Tribute," one of his most celebrated songs, was composed in 1972.
