“I'll Fly Away”: the Music and Career of Albert E. Brumley
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University of Kentucky UKnowledge University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 2010 “I’LL FLY AWAY”: THE MUSIC AND CAREER OF ALBERT E. BRUMLEY Kevin Donald Kehrberg University of Kentucky, [email protected] Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Kehrberg, Kevin Donald, "“I’LL FLY AWAY”: THE MUSIC AND CAREER OF ALBERT E. BRUMLEY" (2010). University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations. 49. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/gradschool_diss/49 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION Kevin Donald Kehrberg The Graduate School University of Kentucky 2010 “I’LL FLY AWAY”: THE MUSIC AND CAREER OF ALBERT E. BRUMLEY ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Music at the University of Kentucky By Kevin Donald Kehrberg Lexington, Kentucky Director: Dr. Ronald Pen, Associate Professor of Musicology Lexington, Kentucky 2010 Copyright © Kevin Donald Kehrberg 2010 ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION “I’LL FLY AWAY”: THE MUSIC AND CAREER OF ALBERT E. BRUMLEY Albert E. Brumley (1905-1977) was the most influential American gospel song composer of the twentieth century, penning such “classics” within the genre as “Jesus, Hold My Hand,” “I’ll Meet You in the Morning,” “If We Never Meet Again,” “Turn Your Radio On,” and “Rank Strangers to Me.” His “I’ll Fly Away” has become the most recorded gospel song in American history with over one thousand recordings to date, and several of his works transcend cultural boundaries of style, genre, race, denomination, and doctrine. However, the racialized historiography of American gospel music has left Brumley—from America’s lesser-known white gospel traditions of convention singing and southern gospel music—largely untouched by scholarly scrutiny. Comprising nearly four hundred works, most of which appeared in annual shape- note gospel songbooks published during the 1930s and 1940s, Brumley’s music is central to many Americans’ religious identity. This thesis represents the first thorough, academic assessment of his music, career, and his work’s cultural impact. Deeper examinations of the composer’s personal life and his work as a songwriter, as well as a fresh look at his publishing business’s growth and development, contribute a more complete biography. A broad analysis of his output—including a complete thematic catalogue of his published works—provides a framework for interpreting Brumley’s general compositional style and offers a context for understanding his music’s enduring legacy within popular music history, especially southern gospel, black gospel, and country music. Research into the cultural history of one particular Brumley work—“I’ll Fly Away”—and its various incarnations in music, television, film, and other outlets acts as a lens through which to view his impact on American music and society. This thesis ultimately argues that Brumley’s compositions have influenced the development of religious and popular music in America much more significantly than indicated by current scholarship, and that his music has become an important medium for American cultural expression that stretches well beyond the confines of the convention-singing and southern gospel traditions. As a result, it recognizes him as an emblematic figure of American music deserving inclusion within the ranks of its greatest contributors. KEYWORDS: Twentieth century, United States, Gospel music, Popular music, Popular culture ____________________________ Student’s Signature ____________________________ Date “I’LL FLY AWAY”: THE MUSIC AND CAREER OF ALBERT E. BRUMLEY By Kevin Donald Kehrberg ____________________________ Director of Dissertation ____________________________ Director of Graduate Studies ____________________________ Date RULES FOR THE USE OF DISSERTATIONS Unpublished dissertations submitted for the Doctor’s degree and deposited in the University of Kentucky Library are as a rule open for inspection, but are to be used only with due regard to the rights of the authors. Bibliographical references may be noted, but quotations or summaries of parts may be published only with the permission of the author, and with the usual scholarly acknowledgements. Extensive copying or publication of the dissertation in whole or in part also requires the consent of the Dean of the Graduate School of the University of Kentucky. A library that borrows this dissertation for use by its patrons is expected to secure the signature of each user. Name Date ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ DISSERTATION Kevin Donald Kehrberg The Graduate School University of Kentucky 2010 “I’LL FLY AWAY”: THE MUSIC AND CAREER OF ALBERT E. BRUMLEY DISSERTATION A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Music at the University of Kentucky By Kevin Donald Kehrberg Lexington, Kentucky Director: Dr. Ronald Pen, Associate Professor of Musicology Lexington, Kentucky 2010 Copyright © Kevin Donald Kehrberg 2010 To Sarah ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are several individuals at the University of Kentucky who were instrumental in the development and completion of this project. First and foremost is Ron Pen, chair of my graduate advisory committee and the director of this dissertation. I must thank him for embracing another one of my “unorthodox” thesis topics. He challenged me with hard questions about Brumley’s greater significance, made me prove my answers, and shaped my philosophy of inquiry to place this discourse at the center. Once I began, his encouragement was unwavering, his editing was marvelous, and his guidance was sagacious. However, my gratitude extends far beyond just this dissertation. Ron Pen has been much more than an advisor. He has been a musical companion, dinner host, bowling partner, hotel roomie, gridiron high-five recipient, Santa impersonator, and gamelan collaborator as well as many, many more wonderful things. Above all, he has been a dear friend who has always offered kind, wise advice on life’s matters whenever I have asked. While he may insist that we are now colleagues, he will forever remain my mentor. I am also especially grateful to my committee members, who went above and beyond the call of duty and unselfishly gave of their summer vacations to help me schedule a summer defense. Jonathan Glixon and Diana Hallman provided invaluable support and feedback throughout the dissertation process. Dick Domek brought the keen perspective of a theorist with extensive experience in popular music analysis, and he also provided me with many welcome, thoroughly enjoyable performing outlets along the way. Ron Eller’s heartening enthusiasm for the topic and terrific literature iii recommendations were more than I could have asked for from an outside member. Lance Brunner, while not a committee member, was a consistent confidant and has cheered me on ever since my arrival as a graduate student back in 2002. There are other institutions and individuals who also provided vital help as I conducted my research. Generous fellowships and awards from the University of Kentucky Graduate School, including a James S. Brown Award, a Dissertation Enhancement Award, and a Dissertation Year Fellowship, were essential. In addition, a Longyear Dissertation Year Fellowship from the University of Kentucky Musicology Division was instrumental to the early phases of my research and writing. An Endowed Fellowship from the University of Kentucky Association of Emeriti Faculty aided with research travel costs, and an Appalachian Music Fellowship from Berea College provided crucial archival experience and helped me settle on my topic. The staffs of the Center for Popular Music (Murfreesboro, Tennessee), the Frist Library and Archive at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (Nashville, Tennessee), the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum (Sevierville, Tennessee), the University of Kentucky Interlibrary Loan, and the W. J. Hamilton Memorial Museum (Hartford, Arkansas) were extremely accommodating. EverGreen Copyrights and Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing have kindly permitted this dissertation’s reproduction of several copyrighted Brumley works. Stephen Shearon and C. Barnwell Anderson offered hospitality as well as invaluable input and suggestions, and I would like to especially thank Bob McLemore for allowing me the use of his remarkable personal songbook collection and responding