It has been said that American gospel composer Doris Akers (1923-1995) provided the soundtrack for the civil rights movement.
Born in Missouri as the eighth of ten children, Akers moved to Los Angeles at the age of 22. Here she published her first song while performing with the Sallie Martin Singers. In 1957, Akers was invited to direct the 100-voice-strong Sky Pilot Choir. One of the earliest integrated choirs, it was heard on recordings, television, and radio across the country.
Bridging cultural gaps between black and white, Doris Akers’ music reflected the message of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who, in his famous 1963 Lincoln Memorial address, dreamed that “one day right down in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.”
The words of the chorus of Akers’ 1962 song, Sweet, Sweet Spirit unfold as a prayer and a celebration of divine presence. This performance was recorded in 1994 as part of the Gospel Pioneer Reunion concert:
This early recording is from the 1964 album, Doris Akers and The Statesmen Quartet Sing for You: