Hello everyone. I'm curently in the process of writing a movie that takes place in the south of the United States during the Great Depression. One of the characters is a Bluesman and for the story I'd need to know what were the views of the Church on this music ? Was it repressed or they just didn't care ? I'm sorry for the quality of my English and maybe this isn't the right Subreddit for this question but if someone knows about it or could tell me where I can get this information I'd be very happy.
Thank you
To start, I love your username.
Secondly, the Church, (by which I mean the African-American Church) was by no means a fan of the Blues. It was considered the Devil's Music, it was sinful, and was seen in direct opposition to the Church's music, Gospel. The blues didn't reflect on a Godly life, it was played by and for those who lived outside the church, in bars, honky tonks, brothels, clubs, and juke joints. The blues was referred to as 'the devils music' and guitar was 'the devils instrument' Even lyrically speaking the Blues stand apart from the Spirituality of the Church, in the fantastic work The Meaning of the Blues Paul Oliver compared more than 300 blues songs for lyrical symbolism and the dominant characteristics of the Blues were guilt, passivity, depression, and lack of home. Which fly in the face of the church's values of home, spirituality and family. The Blues dealt with reality as it was, not some perceived afterlife (which pissed off the Church) Of course within various denominations you have different responses to music or dancing inside (and out) the Church. The A.M.E. is favorable towards organ music, similar to the Church of God (Which Blind Willie Johnson was a member of) but music wasn't so received by those in Baptist or Methodist denominations.
One story that Alan Lomax, famed folklorist, recorded was with Robert Johnson's mother. (Johnson would refer to death, hell and the Devil in many of his songs) She would say "I used to cry over him cause I know he was playing the devil's instruments" on his deathbed, Johnson anecdotally gave his mother his guitar and said "Here, take and hang this thing on the wall, cause i done pass all that by. That's what got me messed up, Mama. It's the devil's instrument, just like you said, and I don't want it no more." Another story that relates to this is that of Joshua White, who had to advertise himself as "Joshua White- Singing Christian" because his mother refused to sign a contract if he sang the Blues.
One such way that the Blues and Gospel were able to bridge the spiritual gap, musically were with the innovation of 'Guitar Evangelists' These were men that primarily sang Gospel, Spiritually and Hymnal lyrics on top of Blues style playing, two such examples were Blind Willie Johnson and the Rev. Gary Davis (Who later became very influential in the folk and early rock scene of the 1960s as you can see with this Grateful Dead cover of the preceding song.) Another would have been marketing themselves under different names in order to appeal to the various audiences, Charley Patton marketed himself as "Elder J.J. Hadley" and Blind Lemon Jefferson as "Deacon L.J. Bates"
Song Samples
Josh White- "Black and Evil Blues"
Robert Johnson- "Me and the Devil Blues"
Blind Lemon Jefferson- "See that My Grave is Kept Clean"
Charley Patton- "I'm Goin' Home
Rev Edward Clayborn- Guitar Evangelist "Then We'll need that True Religion
Its in this song you can here a bit of a bite towards the church,
"I'mma be a Baptist preacher, so's I, wont have to work."
Books
People Get Ready: A New History of Black Gospel Music Robert Darden
An Illustrated History of Gospel Steve Turner
The Meaning of the Blues Paul Oliver
King of the Delta Blues, The Life and Music of Charlie Patton Stephen Galt, Gayle Wardlow
If there's anything else I can expand on or discuss, feel free to ask.
I have a window on this question, but about 30 years back, in the era of ragtime.
Disentangling the music from its setting will probably be difficult. Ragtime music (and presumably blues music) was popularized in a sporting house culture with dancing and drink.
An open letter from black ministers, published in the "Sedalia Capital" in 1899 (I've taken it from the great Berlin book "Scott Joplin: King of Ragtime"):
...the Black 400 and Maple Leaf Clubs are a detriment to the morals of our people--affording a loafing place for many of our girls and boys, where they drink, play cards, dance, and, we have been informed, carry on other immoral practices, too disgraceful to mention.
Whereas, since we are ashamed of these iniquitous practices, and, two, having the streets filled until late at night with many of our young girls, lowering the morals of our homes, counteracting the influence of our public school, Christian college, and churches; we earnestly appeal to you, the authorities of the city, to assist us in the elevation of our race by putting a stop to these nefarious club meetings.
The better class of the negroes of this city are not in sympathy with such organizations and protest against their existence.
We do not believe the statement [promoted by the clubs themselves]... that the best white ladies and gentlemen of this city attend their entertainments; and we are sure that the best class of negroes do not attend them.
By permanently putting an end to these abominable loafing places--hot beds of immorality--you will stop a great source of vice, create a better moral atmosphere for our young people, and render some of our homes happier.