Meet Eric Maurice Clark | Gospel Music Historian

We had the good fortune of connecting with Eric Maurice Clark and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Eric Maurice, how has your background shaped the person you are today?

I’m a native of Chicago but was born in Harvey, Illinois. Chicago is widely recognized as the birthplace of gospel music. Many of gospel’s key figures lived in Chicago and recorded albums there. I was raised in the church and always had an enormous passion for gospel music. I wanted to honor the people behind the genre, and I was privileged to encounter many of the living pioneers. I was born in the same city where my passion, gospel music, was born. Makes sense, right?

My godfather, the late Willie James McPhatter, took me under his wing and introduced me to many artists— I was starstruck. Those experiences continued to feed my hunger to celebrate those behind the music I love. Also, I hosted a TV show, Let’s Talk About Music, where I interviewed many local talents, as my salute to the Chicago Gospel Music Community.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

I’m the editor-in-chief of The Gospel Music Gazette, which was first called Inside A Gospel Music Historian’s World Magazine. In this age of social media and email newsletters, the GMG is a full-size, full-color, old-school glossy magazine! It’s the publishing version of well-mastered vintage vinyl.

I stress two things in this magazine: documenting and celebrating gospel music contributors. Each volume includes definitive biographical sketches of influential figures in the movement, and many of them are based on my own personal interviews of these amazing people, as well as my research about them.

I travel near and far to capture historic churches and concert halls; legends and pioneers; former homes, birthplaces, and gravesites of gospel music contributors. Capturing this type of stuff makes their stories more accessible to gospel enthusiasts. Also, the documentation of these people and their achievements, their character, and their impact, will lessen the possibility of them being forgotten. Gospel music is a distinctive music genre and a movement in the music world that continues unabated today. Unless we preserve the details about the people and the stories behind the music, no one else will. I hate the thought of all this being forgotten out of neglect.

I take pride in talking with gospel legends, getting to know them as human beings. Learning and telling their stories. Embracing a culture of praise that is deserving of praise.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I currently live in Phoenix, Arizona. If my best friend was visiting, I would definitely give them a tour of the St. Luke Church of God in Christ. That church is rich with history! Reverend Louis Overstreet was a street evangelist whose singing caught the attention of Chris Strachitz, a recorder producer. Strachlitz was inspired to record the authentic singing style of Rev. Overstreet and his five sons. Chris is responsible for the video footage we have of Rev. Overstreet and The Overstreet Brothers. Me being the gospel music enthusiast, I’ll smile the entire time.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Around seventeen, I was working for a gospel record shop. My wealth of knowledge got me hired. But one day a customer had come into the store looking for a song that I had never heard of. Luckily, the guy had a snippet of the song recorded on a cassette that I could listen to. Still had no clue who it could be.

I knew my grandfather, Bishop Jesse McDowell, had a treasure of gospel vinyl. Long story short, he gave me the rare privilege of access to his music sanctuary under the house. I returned from that trip to grandpa’s house transformed into an official vinyl collector. Oh, and I found out about the song for the customer: it was Calvin Bridges, “So Much To Be Grateful For.”

I am also deeply grateful for my father. His respect for music and the folks who make music, and his kindness and patience with me, encouraged me to learn more about gospel music history. When I was old enough to show them proper respect, he would let me go through his collection of vinyl as often as I wanted. I studied those old LPs of his.

Website: www.ericmauriceclark.com

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Twitter: mauriceisalive

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Image Credits
Lorenza Brown Porter, Sara Jordan Powell, The Overstreet Brothers, Henry Jackson, Anette May Thomas, Lou Della Evans Reids, Dr. Patricia Dunlap, Peter Miles