Alex Bradford (January 23, 1927 – February 15, 1978) was a multi-talented American gospel composer, singer, arranger and choir director, who was an influence on artists such as Little Richard, Bob Marley and Ray Charles, and who helped bring about the modern mass choir movement in gospel.
Born in Bessemer, Alabama, United States, he first appeared on stage at the age of four, then joined a children's gospel group at the age of 13, soon obtaining his own radio show.[1]
He organized another group after his mother sent him to New York City following a racial incident; he continued singing after returning to attend the Snow Hill Institute in Snow Hill, Alabama, where he acquired the title "Professor" while teaching as a student.
He moved to Chicago in 1947, where he worked briefly with Roberta Martin and toured with Mahalia Jackson, then struck out on his own with his own group, the Bradford Singers, followed by another group, the Bradford Specials. He recorded his first hit record, "Too Close To Heaven" (1954), billed as Professor Alex Bradford and the Bradford Specials, sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc,[2] then followed it with a number of other successes in the rest of the decade.
Artists such as Little Richard imitated Bradford's energetic style, ranging from a gravelly bass to a whooping falsetto, and his flamboyant stage presence. Ray Charles, for his part, not only borrowed some of Bradford's vocal mannerisms but based his Raelets on the Bradford Specials. His 1962 gospel song composition "Let the Lord Be Seen in Me", recorded for his One Step & Angel on Vacation album, was also recorded in 1964 by an emerging force in Jamaican music, Bob Marley & the Spiritual Sisters. Marley later adopted the Rastafarian faith, but along with his mother, at first he sang gospel in the local Shilo Apostolic Church.
^Darden, Bob (2004). "Gospel's Evolution: From Alex Bradford to James Cleveland to Andrae Couch". People get ready! : a new history of Black gospel music. New York: Continuum. ISBN978-0-8264-1436-6.
^Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 67. ISBN0-214-20512-6.
^Robert M Marovich, A City Called Heaven: Chicago and the Birth of Gospel Music, University of Illinois Press, 2015, p. 249.
alex, bradford, january, 1927, february, 1978, multi, talented, american, gospel, composer, singer, arranger, choir, director, influence, artists, such, little, richard, marley, charles, helped, bring, about, modern, mass, choir, movement, gospel, born, 1927, . Alex Bradford January 23 1927 February 15 1978 was a multi talented American gospel composer singer arranger and choir director who was an influence on artists such as Little Richard Bob Marley and Ray Charles and who helped bring about the modern mass choir movement in gospel Alex BradfordBorn 1927 01 23 January 23 1927Bessemer Alabama U S OriginNew York City Chicago IllinoisDiedFebruary 15 1978 1978 02 15 aged 51 Newark New Jersey U S GenresGospelOccupation s Singer musician composerYears active1931 1978LabelsApollo Specialty Savoy Gospel Vee Jay Checker Nashboro Columbia Jubilee Contents 1 Biography 2 Death 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksBiography editThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Alex Bradford news newspapers books scholar JSTOR June 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message Born in Bessemer Alabama United States he first appeared on stage at the age of four then joined a children s gospel group at the age of 13 soon obtaining his own radio show 1 He organized another group after his mother sent him to New York City following a racial incident he continued singing after returning to attend the Snow Hill Institute in Snow Hill Alabama where he acquired the title Professor while teaching as a student He moved to Chicago in 1947 where he worked briefly with Roberta Martin and toured with Mahalia Jackson then struck out on his own with his own group the Bradford Singers followed by another group the Bradford Specials He recorded his first hit record Too Close To Heaven 1954 billed as Professor Alex Bradford and the Bradford Specials sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc 2 then followed it with a number of other successes in the rest of the decade Artists such as Little Richard imitated Bradford s energetic style ranging from a gravelly bass to a whooping falsetto and his flamboyant stage presence Ray Charles for his part not only borrowed some of Bradford s vocal mannerisms but based his Raelets on the Bradford Specials His 1962 gospel song composition Let the Lord Be Seen in Me recorded for his One Step amp Angel on Vacation album was also recorded in 1964 by an emerging force in Jamaican music Bob Marley amp the Spiritual Sisters Marley later adopted the Rastafarian faith but along with his mother at first he sang gospel in the local Shilo Apostolic Church In 1961 when his recording career was in decline Bradford joined the cast of the off Broadway show Black Nativity based on the writings of Langston Hughes which toured Europe in 1962 3 A member of the Alex Bradford Singers at that time was Madeline Bell who settled in England after the show ended 4 5 Bradford appeared in Don t Bother Me I Can t Cope for which he won the Obie award in 1972 Death editAlex Bradford died in Newark New Jersey at age 51 years old in 1978 after a stroke 6 At the time of his death he was preparing the musical Your Arms Too Short to Box with God 7 References edit Darden Bob 2004 Gospel s Evolution From Alex Bradford to James Cleveland to Andrae Couch People get ready a new history of Black gospel music New York Continuum ISBN 978 0 8264 1436 6 Murrells Joseph 1978 The Book of Golden Discs 2nd ed London Barrie and Jenkins Ltd p 67 ISBN 0 214 20512 6 Robert M Marovich A City Called Heaven Chicago and the Birth of Gospel Music University of Illinois Press 2015 p 249 Biography Madelinebell com Retrieved 2015 08 17 Andrew Hamilton Madeline Bell Biography AllMusic Prof Alex Bradford Biography ARTISTdirect Music Artistdirect com Retrieved 2015 08 17 Boyer Horace Clarence 1995 How sweet the sound the golden age of gospel Washington D C Elliott amp Clark pp 226 229 ISBN 978 1 880216 19 4 Further reading editTony Heilbut The Gospel Sound Good News and Bad Times Limelight Editions 1997 ISBN 0 87910 034 6 Horace Clarence Boyer How Sweet the Sound The Golden Age of Gospel Elliott and Clark 1995 ISBN 0 252 06877 7 External links editAlex Bradford at the Internet Broadway Database nbsp Allmusic Alabama Hall Of Fame Alex Bradford amp The Bradford Singers yahoo com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alex Bradford amp oldid 1218446749, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
