[Dixielandjazz] Fw: Who wrote "Precious Lord Take My Hand"?

Mon May 19 10:52:13 PDT 2008

Thomas A. Dorsey is featured in the movie "Say Amen Somebody",available on DVD and he talks about writing Take My Hand.  It is a joyful Gospel filled movie that has won awards and I highly recommend it if you have any interest in this great music.

  Don Boyer
  South Bend, IN

David Richoux <tubaman at tubatoast.com> wrote:
  Wiki has a bit of info and some links for further research:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_My_Hand,_Precious_Lord

and there is this article about the song:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/tc/2003/004/16.16.html

Dave Richoux
On May 18, 2008, at 9:49 PM, Stan McDonald wrote:

> Dear DJML,
>
> Sorry, I left out the "ML" in your email address, so am forwarding 
> this correctly. Thank you.
>
> Stan McDonald
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Stan McDonald
> To: Edythe Harris
> Cc: Ellen ; Peter Gerler ; Tony Pappas ; dixielandjazz at islandnet.com
> Sent: Monday, May 19, 2008 12:15 AM
> Subject: Re: Who wrote "Precious Lord Take My Hand"?
>
>
> Hi Edythe,
>
> Thank you for reminding me in this touching way of our Precious 
> Lord. I knew it was written by Tommy Dorsey -- and not the swing 
> band leader of the same name -- but was unaware of the composer's 
> heart-wrenching circumstances at the time.
>
> I used to play and even sing it with the former band. I remember 
> the closing words, "...By the river I stand, guide my feet, hold my 
> hand. Precious Lord take my hand and lead me on." God bless you 
> and yours.
>
> With love to you and Bill, from Stan, Ellen and our precious Andy 
> McDonald
>
> PS: On a lighter note, and not to be sacreligious, but did you know 
> there was a Chinese version? Well, I once had a pianist who 
> misheard the last line and thought it was: "Bind my feet, hold my 
> hand...." (He'Il never live that down!)
>
> DJML Members: I don't know the date or provenance of the letter 
> below, but wanted to share it. Edythe Harris (nee Roberts) is the 
> daughter of one of the most wonderful people and best banjoists I 
> will ever know: Gil Roberts, who recorded with the Blue Ribbon 
> Syncopators (in Chicago) in the 1920's; played all over Europe into 
> the 1930's; for King Farouk's harem in Egypt; and ultimately with 
> my band, the New Orleans Jazz Doctors, at U. Mass from about 1955 
> into the 1960's and a few more times as late as 1987. I have many 
> tape recordings from those days. Gil also recorded with the Black 
> Eagles after 1981 when I left them. He passed away in 2002, at the 
> age of 106 -- in the loving hands of our Precious Lord.
>
> -- Original Message ----- 
> From: Edythe Harris
> To: delores.benabou at verizon.net ; stanmm at comcast.net ; 
> Tony.Pappas1 at verizon.net ; whitsettrios at yahoo.com ; 
> cbat01202 at yahoo.com ; j.whitsett at comcast.net ; 
> Harris.charles at comcast.net
> Sent: Sunday, May 18, 2008 1:10 PM
> Subject: Fwd: Who wrote "Precious Lord Take My Hand"?
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Ernestine Edmonds 
> Date: May 16, 2008 9:56 AM
> Subject: Who wrote "Precious Lord Take My Hand"?
> To: Joan D Bethea 
>
> Who wrote "Precious Lord Take My Hand"?
>
> Who Wrote "Precious Lord"? "THE BIRTH OF THE SONG PRECIOUS LORD" 
> Back in 1932, I was 32 years old and a fairly new husband. My wife, 
> Nettie and I were living in a little apartment on Chicago's 
> Southside. One hot August afternoon I had to go to St. Louis, where 
> I was to be the featured soloist at a large revival meeting. I 
> didn't want to go.
>
> Nettie was in the last month of pregnancy with our first child. 
> But a lot of people were expecting me inSt. Louis. I kissed Nettie 
> good-bye, clattered downstairs to our Model A and in a fresh Lake 
> Michigan breeze, chugged out of Chicago on Route 66.
> However, outside the city, I discovered that in my anxiety 
> at leaving, I had forgotten my music case. I wheeled around and 
> headed back. I found Nettie sleeping peacefully. I hesitated by 
> her bed... something was strongly telling me to stay. But eager to 
> get on my way and not wanting to disturb Nettie, I shrugged off the 
> feeling and quietly slipped out of the room with my music.
>
> The next night, in the steaming St. Louis heat, the crowd 
> called on me to sing again and again. When I finally sat down a 
> messenger boy ran up with a Western Union telegram. I ripped open 
> the envelope. Pasted on the yellow sheet were the words: YOUR 
> WIFE JUST DIED.
>
> People were happily singing and clapping around me but I 
> could hardly keep from crying out. I rushed to a phone and called 
> home. All I could hear on the other end was "Nettie is dead. 
> Nettie is dead."
>
> When I got back I learned that Nettie had given birth to a 
> boy I swung between grief and joy. Yet that night the baby died. 
> I buried Nettie and our little boy together in the same casket. 
> Then I fell apart. For days I closeted myself. I felt that God 
> had done me an injustice. I didn't want to serve Him any more or 
> write gospel songs.
>
> I just wanted to go back to that jazz world I once knew so 
> well. But then as I hunched alone in that dark apartment those 
> first sad days, I thought back to the afternoon I went to St. 
> Louis Something kept telling me to stay with Nettie. Was that 
> something God? Oh, if I had paid more attention to Him that day, 
> I would have stayed and been with Nettie when she died.
>
> From that moment on I vowed to listen more closely to Him. 
> But still I was lost in grief. Everyone was kind to me especially 
> a friend, Professor Fry, who seemed to know what I needed. On the 
> following Saturday evening he took me up to Malone's Poro College, 
> a neighborhood music school. It was quiet, the late evening sun 
> crept through the curtained windows. I sat down at the piano and 
> my hands began to browse ov er the keys. Something happened to me 
> then. I felt at peace. I felt as though I could reach out and 
> touch God. I found myself playing a melody, once into my head the 
> words just seemed to fall into place:
>
> Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, let me stand! I am 
> tired, I am weak, I am worn, through the storm, through the night 
> lead me on to the light, Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me home.
> The Lord gave me these words and melody. He also healed my 
> spirit.
>
> I learned that when we are in our deepest grief, when we feel 
> farthest from God, this is when He is closest and when we are most 
> open to His restoring power.
>
> And so I go on living for God willingly and joyfully until 
> that day comes when He will take me and gently lead me home
>
> -Tommy Dorsey
>
> Did you know that Tommy Dorsey wrote this song? I surely 
> didn't. What a wonderful story of how God CAN heal the 
> brokenhearted! Beautiful, isn't it?
>
> Worth the reading wasn't it? Think on the message for a 
> while....................hope you will share
>
>
>
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