I Be's Troubled - Stephen J. Nichols

04/13/09 • 27 min

FFM 2009

Blues music, with one foot in the church and the world of the African American spirituals and another foot in the cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta, exhibits a profound theological interpretation of life. The music of Muddy Waters, Charley Patton and Robert Johnson all has something to teach theologians. Their experiences made them keenly aware of life under the curse. Their craft provided the means for expressing it.

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Music + Faith + Commerce? - Trey Many

In this workshop, Trey Many discusses the odd impact of having one’s faith associated with their music career, mainly focusing on Christianity and its role in popular music. Topics include the demonization of secular music within the church, the possible motivations for musicians have for publicly declaring their faith, and why Christian Rock’s dream of mainstream acceptance being realized may eventually destroy its market share.

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Hell Yeah! - David Horace Perkins

For creators and performers of American or Southern Gothic music, symbols of stereotyped Southern religion—emotionally charged revival, errant preachers, the amen corner, mourner’s bench, serpent handling, curses, damnation and divine retribution—find a place of prominence not only as fodder for songs, but as pillars of a vibrant live performance scene. This paper asks what kinds of cultural capital these symbols have both for the artists who employ them and for their audiences.