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Description
Interview with Rodena Marie Preston. Rodena is a pianist and the director of Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA). She is the daughter of Robbie Preston Williams, also a pianist. Rodena was born in Houston, Texas on April 7th 1938. Her parents moved to Los Angeles in 1947. Her mother became a pianist at the Metropolitan Baptist Church located at 42nd Street and Hooper. After approximately 1 1/2 to 2 years her mother moved to Victory Baptist Church and was a pianist there for 35 years. Her father moved back to Houston when she was 11 years old and did not see him anymore. Rodena's father passed away in 1989. Rodena followed her mother and learned from her. Rodena played for the Junior Choir. She began playing gospel music at the age of three. It wasn't until she moved to Los Angeles at the age of 9 that she began playing in churches. The interview covers her upbringing in the church and choir in Houston, her favorite gospel group, the Sallie Martin Singers, early stages of the Gospel Music Workshop of America (GWMA), and the history and change of gospel over 40 years. She began her relationship with Sallie Martin and Cora Martin by watching them sing at their gospel music store. Rodena had the opportunity to travel with the Sallie Martin Singers in the summers to the Gospel Choir and Choris Conventions. She had the opportunity to learn the old gospel songs by being around them. In the interview Rodena plays pieces of gospel music on the piano. The songs she played were: "Just as I am", "Total Praise", "I've Been Through a lot, I've got to Press my Way Through". "I'm so Glad Jesus Lifted me", "Precious Memories".
Type
moving image
Format
1 video file (61 min. 50 sec.) : digital, mp4 file Contemporary Gospel Traditional Gospel streaming video
Gospel music Arrangers (Musicians) Gospel Music Workshop of America Interviews Preston-Williams, Rodena Sallie Martin Singers
Place
California Texas Los Angeles Harris Fort Bend Montgomery Houston The Golden Age of Gospel Era of Contemporary and Hip Hop Gospel USA West South after 1938-04-07/2008-01-24
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