With students recruited through Boston-area Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCAs, theater programs, and churches, Price says, “We want to show them that this is their Berklee, too.”
“Gospel is a feeder of all genres,” says Teresa Hairston, citing Lizzo, Snoop Dogg, and Kanye West as three contemporary examples. The founder of Gospel Today magazine and a frequent visitor to Berklee, Hairston will serve as the program’s scholar in residence.
Traditional gospel music’s role in the development of rock ‘n’ roll and soul music has been well-documented. Today, however, some young people have preconceived notions about the category, Hairston says: “Oh, that’s grandma’s music!”
But introduce them to a song featuring Kirk Franklin or…
