Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I'm tired, I'm weak, I'm lone
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home
When my ways grows drear precious Lord linger near
When my life is almost gone
Hear my crey, hear my call
Hold my hand lest I fall
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home
When the darkness appears and the night draws near
And the day is past gone
At the River I stand
Guide my feet, hold my hand
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home
Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I'm tired, I'm weak, Lord I'm worn
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home
This famous hymn was penned down by Thomas Alexander Dorsey (July 1, 1899 to January 23, 1993). He was born in Villa Rica Georgia. He was known as "the father of black gospel music." Earlier in his life he was a leading blues pianist known as Georgia Tom. His gospel music combined Christian praise with rhythms of jazz and blues. He was the music director at Pilgrim Baptist Church from 1932 until the late 1970's. The hymn was performed by Mahalia Jackson and was a favorite of Martin Luther King Jr. Dorsey also wrote another famous song named "Peace in the Valley".
Thomas Dorsey's father was a minister and his mother was a piano teacher. After formally studying music in Chicago, he became an agent for "Paramount Records". He is credited with more than 400 blues and jazz songs. He began recording gospel music alongside blues in the mid-1920's. This led to his performing at the National Baptist Convention in 1930. He also became the bandleader of two churches in the 1930's. His wife Nettie died in childbirth in 1932 along with his first son. In his grief, Dorsey penned his most famous song, "Take My Hand Precious Lord." In 2002 the Library of Congress honored his album, "Precious Lord: New Recordings of the Great Songs of Thomas A. Dorsey (1973)" by adding it to the United States National Recording Registry.
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