Marie Knight
Knight in 1949
Knight in 1949
Background information
Birth nameMarie Roach
Born(1920-06-01)June 1, 1920
Sanford, Florida, U.S. or
Attapulgus, Georgia, U.S.
DiedAugust 30, 2009(2009-08-30) (aged 89)
Harlem, New York City, U.S.
GenresGospel, R&B
Occupation(s)Singer
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years activec. 1945–2009
LabelsVarious, including Decca, Okeh

Marie Knight (née Roach; June 1, 1920 – August 30, 2009)[1] was an American gospel and R&B singer.

Life and career

She was born Marie Roach[2] in 1920,[3][1] though she claimed to have been born in 1925.[4] Sources differ as to her place of birth – either Attapulgus, Georgia,[1] or Sanford, Florida[5] – but she grew up in Newark, New Jersey. Her father was a construction worker and the family were members of the Church of God in Christ.[2] She first toured as a singer in 1939 with Frances Robinson, an evangelist. She married preacher Albert Knight in 1941 but the union ended in divorce. While she was touring with Sister Rosetta in the 1940s, her two children died in a fire at her mother's house in New Jersey.[2][3]

In 1946, she made her first recordings, for Haven Records with the masters soon purchased by Signature Records,[6] as a member of The Sunset Four (aka The Sunset Jubilee Singers). Shortly afterwards, Sister Rosetta Tharpe saw her singing at the Golden Gate Auditorium in Harlem, on a bill with Mahalia Jackson, and invited Knight to join her on tour.[2] Tharpe recognized "something special" in Marie's contralto voice.[3]

She continued to record and perform with Tharpe through the 1940s, sometimes acting out the parts of "the Saint and the Sinner", with Tharpe as the saint and Knight as the sinner.[2] Among their successes were the songs "Beams of Heaven", "Didn't it Rain", and "Up Above My Head", recorded for Decca Records. "Up Above My Head", credited jointly to both singers, reached No. 6 on the US R&B chart at the end of 1948, and Knight's solo version of "Gospel Train" reached No. 9 on the R&B chart in 1949.[7]

She left Tharpe to go solo around 1951, and put together a backing group, The Millionaires (Thomasina Stewart, Eleonore King and Roberta Jones), with whom she recorded the 1956 album Songs of the Gospel.[2] She began recording secular R&B music in the late 1950s, for various labels including Decca, Mercury, and Okeh. Her duet with Rex Garvin, credited as Marie & Rex, "I Can't Sit Down" released on the Carlton label, reached No. 94 on the pop chart in 1959.[8][9] In the late 1950s she also toured Britain as a guest of Humphrey Lyttelton.[2]

In 1961 she recorded the single "Come Tomorrow", which was later a hit for Manfred Mann.[10] Knight's version of "Cry Me a River" reached No. 35 on the U.S. Billboard R&B charts in 1965.[11]

She toured with Brook Benton, the Drifters, and Clyde McPhatter, and regularly reunited onstage with Tharpe.[3] She remained friends with Tharpe, and helped arrange her funeral in 1973. In 1975, having given up performing secular music, she recorded another gospel album, Marie Knight: Today. In 2002, Knight made a comeback in the gospel world, recording for a tribute album to Tharpe. She released a full-length album, Let Us Get Together, on her manager's label in 2007.[2]

Death

Marie Knight died in Harlem of complications from pneumonia, on August 30, 2009, aged 89. She was survived by a sister, Bernice Henry.[3]

Discography

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Marie Knight with The Sunset Four, Male Quartet (aka Sunset Jubilee Singers)

Sister Marie Knight

Georgia Peach/Marie Knight

Marie Knight

Marie Knight

Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight; Sam Price Trio / Sister Rosetta Tharpe; Sam Price Trio

Sister Rosetta Tharpe; Marie Knight; Sam Price Trio

Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight; Sam Price Trio

Marie Knight; Sam Price Trio 1948 Decca 48072 - What Could I Do / I Must See Jesus

Marie Knight With The Sam Price Trio

Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight with The Sam Price Trio (members Sister Rosetta Tharpe (vocals and guitar), Marie Knight (vocals), Sammy Price (piano), George "Pops" Foster (bass) and Wallace Bishop (drums))

Marie Knight with The Dependable Boys; Sam Price Trio / Marie Knight; Sam Price Trio

Sister Rosetta Tharpe and M. K. / Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight

Marie Knight With Sam Price Trio

Sister Marie Knight with The Sunset Four

Sister Marie Knight

Marie Knight

Marie Knight And Vivian Cooper; With Sam Price Trio

Marie Knight With The Sam Price Trio

Marie Knight

Marie Knight With The Sam Price Trio

Sister Rosetta & Marie Knight

"Jersey Joe" Walcott and Maria Knight

Marie Knight

Sister Rosetta And Marie Knight With The Sam Price Trio

Marie Knight

Sister Rosetta T. & Marie Knight

Sister Rosetta Tharpe And Marie Knight

Marie Knight With The Nightingales

Marie Knight

Sister Rosetta & Marie Knight

Marie Knight; Leroy Kirkland and his Orchestra

Marie Knight

Marie Knight with The Griffins

Marie Knight

Marie Knight & The Millionaires

Marie Knight With The Howard Biggs Orch.

Marie Knight; Teacho Wiltshire Orchestra

Marie And Rex: Marie Knight and Rex Garvin with orchestral accomp. / Marie Knight with orch.

Marie Knight

Marie Knight & Junior Lewis

Marie Knight

References

  1. ^ a b c Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues - A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 103. ISBN 978-0313344237.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Seamus McGarvey, "Marie Knight: I Hear Music In the Air", interview and article in Juke Blues magazine, #68, 2009
  3. ^ a b c d e Obituary, nytimes.com, September 3, 2009; accessed December 13, 2015.
  4. ^ 1940s Gospel Legend Marie Knight Dies in NYC at 84, Associated Press via Yahoo! News, August 31, 2009.
  5. ^ W. K. McNeil, "Madame Marie Knight", Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music, Psychology Press, 2005, pp.221-223
  6. ^ a b c Rotante, Anthony (February 1955). "Blues and Rhythm". Record Research. New York. p. 3.
  7. ^ Joel Whitburn, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. 2004. p. 253.
  8. ^ Whitburn, Top Pop Singles 1955-2002, Billboard, 2003; ISBN 0-89820-155-1, p. 440
  9. ^ Rex Garvin profile, rockabilly.nl; accessed December 13, 2015.
  10. ^ Richie Unterberger, Marie Knight at Allmusic
  11. ^ Charts, Allmusic; accessed December 13, 2015.
  12. ^ Billboard December 22, 1956, p. 30
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