Biography
June 1925, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. A fine gospel singer, with a ringing, signifying voice, Knight attracted attention while singing in the choir at the Oakwood Avenue Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey. She made some 78s for Brunswick Records in 1953 and later some EPs and an album for Mercury Records that found her well and truly in the gospel fold. Her fame spread further than many of her kindred spirits owing to some excellent duets she performed with Sister Rosetta Tharpe, notably ecstatic versions of ‘Up Above My Head’ and ‘Didn’t It Rain’, the latter recorded for Brunswick. The duo played to rapturous audiences all across the country, on one occasion pulling 27, 000 people into Griffith Stadium in Washington, DC. While it might well be that Tharpe was the big attraction, Knight was also popular and the pair undoubtedly benefited from the collaboration. Their decision to record a blues album demonstrated their...
Read the Full Biography of Marie Knight (Gospel)
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