Spirituals, The Blues Connection ... Spirituals are the work, and plantation
songs that evolved into the blues and gospel songs for worship. In the 19th
century, the word ‘Spirituals’ referred to essentially folksongs. Although they
were often rooted in biblical stories, they also showed us the hardships of
people who were the slaves from the17th century onwards. Many new music
genres including what we now call the blues emerged from spirituals but, as
we shall see, the genre we now call the blues existed even before the
spirituals, and in fact were an element of the Spirituals, only the format we’re
familiar with was different.
Initially, we found the wonderful lady, Mammy Prater. Mammy, her real name
was Annie, but she preferred Mammy. She was born a slave in 1805. She was
our inspiration to research and to discover the spirituals and their connection
with the blues.

Spirituals -The-Blues-Connection.pdf

Steal Away - Reverend Pearly Brown

Steal Away was composed by Wallace Willis, a slave, sometime before 1862. These songs were often coded and would announce a clandestine meeting. The words of the singer invoke the need together to share their despair and to worship. In prayer.