Commercial Gospel Music

Abstract

Homer Rodeheaver came of age at a pivotal moment in the creation and marketing of American popular music, and in a city—Chicago—that was central to its success. This chapter explores developments in copyright law, royalty payments, and music licensing (including ASCAP), showing how gospel songwriters became professionals who borrowed from Tin Pan Alley business models. As radio and recorded music opened new performance revenue streams, Rodeheaver adroitly created a Christian music industry model that would emulated by many other evangelicals. The Rodeheaver Music Co. bypassed denominational gatekeepers to become the leading creator and marketer of hymnals for the evangelical Christian market. The authors detail Rodeheaver’s importance as a powerful, driving force in the popularization of gospel music.