Most insiders to this world are privy to the open secret of gospel’s deep reliance on the contributions and influence of gay men and women. But Heilbut opens wide the closet doors and peers in with the bright light of righteous outrage for the plight of the children in an increasingly homophobic religious culture, while also bringing a deeply felt sensitivity for the stories of the children and their musical sensibility. As he writes: “It is impossible to understand the story of black America without foregrounding the experiences of the gay men of gospel.”
Douglas Harrison
Douglas Harrison is associate professor of English at Florida Gulf Coast University, where he also currently serves as Faculty Senate President. His book, Then Sings My Soul: The Culture of Southern Gospel Music, is out with University of Illinois Press in its Music in American Life series. His blog about Southern gospel music and culture can be found here.
