Ovation

Mahalia Jackson was arguably the finest and most important performer in the history of gospel music. Her rich and expressive vocal style proved massively influential, and she was the first African-American gospel artist to sell over a million copies of a record. Mahalia brought sacred music to a wider audience than it had ever known before. Mahalia Jackson: The Power and the Glory is a documentary that examines the life and music of this watershed artist; author Studs Terkel and activist the Reverend Jesse Jackson share their memories of Jackson as a musician and a friend, and a number of rare film clips of Jackson performing are shown, including TV appearances with Louis Armstrong and Dinah Shore.