WXPN/Philadelphia-Produced 'Gospel Roots Of Rock And Soul' To Broadcast During Black History Month

American Roots

A new radio documentary that explores the history of black gospel music and illustrates its significant influence on the formation of rock and soul music will be broadcast by U.S. public radio stations in FEBRUARY, during BLACK HISTORY MONTH. 

Hosted by Grammy award-winning gospel singer CECE WINANS, GOSPEL ROOTS OF ROCK AND SOUL was produced by UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA Triple A WXPN/PHILADELPHIA and will be distributed by NPR. 

The GOSPEL ROOTS OF ROCK AND SOUL documentary is the culmination of WXPN’s year-long project of the same name, that featured prominent gospel and contemporary music artists, historians, and experts contributing their research and insights to a media-rich website (xpngospelroots.org), in addition to a series of sold-out gospel music concerts, film screenings and panel discussions.  The project and radio documentary are supported by a grant from THE PEW CENTER FOR ARTS & HERITAGE. 

“The project demonstrated the enormous role that black gospel music played in the birth of rock and roll, and its continuing influence on popular music genres, including soul and R&B,” said Co-Executive Producer and WXPN Assistant Station Manager for Programming BRUCE WARREN. “The radio documentary explores these connections as a way of re-instituting gospel's central place within the history of AMERICAN popular music.” 

Host CECE WINANS said, “Gospel music’s influence on early R&B, soul, and rock and roll is significant, and the stories we tell and share in the documentary wonderfully illustrate that.  It was a pleasure working on the documentary -- there is so much richness, detail and respect for the history that went into the making of it.  As a gospel musician myself, it’s important for music fans and listeners to learn how much gospel music serves as the foundation for so many other music genres.”

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